A Pennsylvania university professor has apologized after telling students they should go out and catch coronavirus to 'get it over with'. Kutztown University associate professor Dr. Victor J. Massad, 67, made the controversial statement during a Zoom session on the Berks County school's first day of classes. 'I think the sooner you guys get it, the better,' business professor Massad told students August 24, referring to coronavirus. 'Because none of you are gonna die from this and we need to have, you know, everybody be immune. And so the sooner that people are immune, the better. And so you all should be going to Shortys every night, you know, interacting, getting this thing, get it over with.' Shorty's Bar is a pub near the school campus in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Kutztown University associate professor Dr. Victor J. Massad, 67 (pictured), has apologized for telling students that they should go out and catch coronavirus to 'get it over with' Massad made the statement during a Zoom session, which was recorded and shared on social media. His comments came just days before Kutztown University (pictured) revealed a student on campus had received a positive coronavirus test result The Zoom session was recorded and eventually shared via social media according to Philly Voice. Massad's comments received backlash from the Kutztown community - and contradicted the school's reopening advice, which is to wear masks and practice social distancing. Shorty's, which is closed during the pandemic, has been actively encouraging masks, social distancing or staying at home as coronavirus safety measures since lockdowns began in the spring and did not appear to be amused by Maassad's statement. 'Be as safe as possible. Wear a mask, dont gather in groups, socially distance. We care about your safety more than making money,' the bar tweeted Friday. 'We want so bad to give you the party you deserve but we need to keep everyone in this town safe. HELP US, AND BE SMART SO WE CAN SEE YOU SOON.' In response to patrons who said they missed drinking at the bar, Shorty's also tweeted that day: 'Same but unlike Massad we dont want yall to get Covid.' Massad said he was being 'flippant' when he told students to go to local bar Shorty's to drink and catch coronavirus, saying he was inspired by an article he'd read on herd immunity Shorty's Bar, which is closed during the pandemic, was not amused by Massad's statements The professor's coronavirus statements came before school officials revealed that a student had tested positive for the virus Thursday, just one week after students had moved onto campus, WFMZ reported. On Friday, Massad told the Philly Voice that his advice to students was 'indefensible and repugnant.' He noted, however, that he 'was being rhetorical and flippant when I made the comments.' Despite this, 'I am embarrassed and ashamed to have made them. I consider it a huge lapse in professional judgment,' he added. He also told Lehigh Valley Live that 'The idea that I would intentionally encourage students to go to Shortys and socialize is ridiculous on its face' and that he 'would not intentionally encourage students to go to Shortys and socialize in normal times, let alone in the midst of a pandemic.' School officials told the Philly Voice that the issue 'has been addressed,' but did not reveal whether Massad will face disciplinary action, as it is a 'confidential personnel matter.' Massad told Lehigh Valley Live that he met with a school official and apologized. The official, in turn, told him that make it clear that he supports the school's coronavirus protocols and urge students to follow them, 'which I am happy to do,' Massad said. As part of his explanation for his Zoom statements, Massad wrote a letter to school officials stating that his comments were inspired by a New York Times article discussing herd immunity, in which enough people develop immunity to a virus, that it prevents it from being able to spread among the community. As coronavirus doesn't have a vaccine or specific treatment yet - and there are now cases of people being reinfected with coronavirus after having recovered from it - scientists do not encourage people to purposely try to contract. 'I was more or less running a "war game" in my head, asking myself if maybe we were making a mistake by standing in place, which I think has been very limited in its success,' Massad wrote in his letter according to the Philly Voice, as part of his explanation. 'I realize that my words, and the subsequent viral video have placed the university in a negative light, and for this I apologize to anyone in the institution who has been negatively affected by my words,' he wrote. Massad also noted that the blow back from his comments had 'caused me to reflect on all of the factors that have led up to it.' The factors, he wrote, included 'my level of burnout, the expectations of higher education in these days of hyper-charged political correctness, the viral nature of social media and the ease with which a reputation can be destroyed by it, the changing attitudes of students, and most importantly my advancing age and the fact that, as a classical liberal, I am somewhat of a pariah and dinosaur in higher education.' Massad told Lehigh Vallet Live that he will decide in March 2021 whether he should retire or return for the next school year. https://www.aish.com/jw/id/Rabbi-Shai-Ohayon-Killed-in-Terror-Attack.html The rabbi leaves behind his beloved wife and four children. This past Wednesday, Rabbi Shai Ohayon, 39, left his yeshiva in Kfar Saba a bit early to go to his home in Petach Tikva to buy groceries for his family of six. He was accompanied to the bus stop by his very close friend, Rav Yosef Dovid Mugrabi. They could not have imagined that this would be their last conversation. Rabbi Shai got off the bus at the busy Segula Junction. An Arab assailant walking behind him stabbed him multiple times in his torso. Rabbi Shai Ohayon, of blessed memory Magen Dovid Adom paramedics arrived on the scene after receiving a call from a witness to the terrorist attack. Rabbi Shai was lying on the sidewalk bleeding, without a pulse and not breathing. They immediately began performing life-saving medical treatment. Resuscitation efforts continued on the ambulance that brought him to Belinson Medical Center, where Rabbi Shai passed away. Kobi Fuchs, a resident of Petach Tikva, stated, I arrived at the scene after the stabbing, when I saw a citizen chasing the stabber. The citizen shouted terrorist and knocked him down. The stabber didnt manage to get far. The police came and arrested him. Hours after the attack, the victims father-in-law, Ofer Karaz, a resident of the moshav Shaar Efraim, reconstructed what he experienced. I was sitting and reading the news from my phone. I read that the attack happened at 1:35 pm and that the victim was a religious Jew. I jumped up from the bed. I had the feeling that it was talking about my son-in-law. I tried calling him a number of times and he didnt answer me. I tried again after five minutes and there was no answer. I called my daughter and she told me that he had spoken to my granddaughter Tohar at 1:30 pm and since then she hadnt succeeded in reaching him. As the minutes passed and Karaz couldnt reach his son-in-law, the worry became overwhelming. A while later a good friend of his son-in-law told him the horrific news. Rabbi Ohayon with HaRav Ovadia Yosef, zt"l Approximately 200 family members and friends of Rabbi Shai Ohayon gathered in the early hours of Thursday morning for his funeral. Only 40 were allowed in for the service due to coronavirus restrictions. The funeral was held in the Segula Cemetery, not far where the rabbi had been murdered. Evyatar Cohen, a neighbor, eulogized, He was a humble man, kind and quiet. It turns out there was a genius among us, and we didnt know it. Only now, after his murder, I found out that he passed exams to be a city rabbi. Its a great loss to us as a neighborhood, and to the people of Israel. Eulogizing his son-in-law, Karaz said, People loved him very much. Everyone would come to hear his Torah lessons. People would say that the lessons could give goosebumps to those who heard them. The chief rabbi of Petach Tikva, Rabbi Micha Halevy said, Here, at Segula Junction, your lifes work was targeted. Rabbi Shai, who was standing here until a few hours ago, was a shy person. But today everyone knows who he was. We want him to pray for all of us. Three years ago Rabbi Shai had moved with his family from Shaar Efraim, where his wife had grown up, to Petach Tikvah. He became a prominent figure in his neighborhood and would offer Torah classes to anyone who was interested. I spoke to his aunt who lives a few blocks away from the Ohayon family. The last time I saw Shai was on Sunday evening. I had gone over to their home to ask Shai a question about our family customs. We spoke for a while and then he said, Excuse me, aunt, but I need to go pray. I waited for him to return home and then we spoke more. He was a Tzadik (a righteous person), a quiet person and very wise. He looked like his father, my late brother Avraham, and so seeing Shai would give me comfort. My son, Noam Chaim, is married to Shais first cousin. He told me, After his father passed away in 2008, even though Shai wasnt the oldest of the five children, he became the 'father' of the family. This was a tremendous help to all, especially to his mother Shula. One of his siblings has special needs and lives at home with his mother. Shai was very intelligent and had a quiet personality. At the funeral His good friend, Rabbi Mugrabi, spoke with emotion to the press following the murder. I met him 11 years ago when I came to the yeshiva to learn, and I was looking for someone who would teach me and direct me in my studies to obtain rabbinical ordination. I met my friend, of blessed memory. He was a holy man. He was an exemplary family man who cared for his children and his young wife. Rabbi Mugrabi spoke about how Shai managed to receive his rabbinic ordination while working to support his family at the same time. He was determined, even though he didnt have a college degree, to provide for his family with love, support and work. He was righteous; the Holy One took a holy man. His father-in-law described him, He was an excellent son-in-law, a good father to his children and a good husband to his wife. He honored people, and my daughter Sivan always spoke only good about him and how he was so good to her. He was like a son to me. It is so difficult to speak about him in the past tense. Karaz said that his wife and Sivan are still in shock since receiving the devastating news, and they dont know how to digest it. Israeli president Reuven Rivlin expressed his sympathies to the family, At this time, I send my condolences to the Ohayon family after receiving the terrible news about the murder of Rabbi Shai by the hands of a despicable terrorist. Weve lost a man of the Torah, a spring of knowledge, a father, who left behind him four children who we embrace within our hearts. We wont stop until the terrorist and those who helped him, face justice, and we wont allow terrorism to lift its head. May he rest in peace. The attacker, Khalil Abd al-Khaliq Dweikat, 46, and a father of six, is from the village of Rujib near Nablus. After stabbing Rabbi Shai, the killer calmly walked away from the scene towards the Segula Junction where he was arrested by the police. The suspect was found with a blood-stained knife. He was handed over to the Shin Bet, the Israel Secret Service. Dweikat was in Israel with a legal work permit, working in construction and had no prior history of terrorist activities. Shin Bet investigators are looking into the suspects relatives and whether some of them knew about his intentions to commit a terror act. A preliminary investigation revealed that he suffered from mental disorders and had been recently treated by health and welfare officials in the Palestinian Authority. Dweikat is an anomaly among Arab terrorists. It is highly unusual for Arab non-citizens with legal work permits to carry out attacks in Israel because they undergo background checks and regular screenings by Israeli security services. Moreover, it is uncommon for these kinds of attacks to be carried out by middle-aged men. Typically, Arab assailants are in their teens or 20s. Rabbi Shai Ohayon was the first Israeli to be killed in a terrorist attack in almost a year. (There have been hundreds of attacks and many seriously wounded within this time.) Rabbi Shai leaves behind his wife, Sivan, and their four children, Tohar (13), Hillel (11), Shilo (9) and Malachi (4). May God give them, his extended family and friends, much needed comfort. The Health Ministry announced on August 30 morning that there have been no new cases of COVID-19 infection over the past 12 hours, retaining the total number at 1,040, whilst the overall number of fully recovered patients rose to 677. Among the overall number of infections, 690 are community associated cases and 350 are imported ones which were immediately put into quarantine upon entry into the country. Furthermore, the number of infections linked to Da Nang, the countrys biggest COVID-19 outbreak hotspot, has increased to 550 since July 25. There have been 32 fatalities from the disease so far and the total figure of recoveries jumped to 677 after four more coronavirus patients were discharged from hospital after going on to make a successful recovery. According to figures released by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, among the positive cases currently receiving treatment, a total of 124 have tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 at least once or several times. As many as 54,390 who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or returned from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine for health monitoring, including 1,212 at hospitals, 14,103 at other concentrated facilities and the remaining at homes or places of residence. Meanwhile the Thua Thien Hue provincial People's Committee has agreed to ease a number of epidemic prevention and control measures in a bid to carry out the dual goal of maintaining socio-economic development and ensuring epidemic prevention work. According to the new regulation, Hue residents are allowed to come together at outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people or less, outside of offices, schools, and hospitals. In addition, weddings, funerals, parties, and housewarmings must be held in a simple way with gatherings of no more than 50 people at the same time. VOV Labor Ministry proposes second support package for people affected by COVID-19 pandemic The Ministry of Labour, War Valids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) has proposed a VND18.6 trillion (US$798 million) package for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping them promote production and maintain employment. A citizens group wants Upper Mount Bethel Township officials to hear from independent experts before considering zoning changes proposed for a major industrial development project. The townships board of supervisors has a hearing on the proposed changes scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, at the Potomac Street Community Park. Concerned Citizens of Upper Mount Bethel Townships lawyer Robert Rust sent a letter to the township on Aug. 21 requesting that the supervisors reject the amendment or defer consideration until a later date. The proposed zoning amendment comes at the request of development company River Pointe Logistics, which is looking to construct up to 6 million square feet of buildings on 725 acres in the townships industrial district. The proposed changes would allow 100-foot-tall buildings and increase the allowable building footprint from 300,000 square feet to 800,000 square feet, or up to 1 million square feet under an additional approval called a conditional use. Supervisors have said they support the changes, which were negotiated with developer River Pointe principal Lou Pektor. The changes will make it easier to bring in manufacturing to the development, as opposed to warehouses, according to the supervisors. Warehouses would bring more traffic, fewer jobs and less tax revenue, the supervisors have argued. Many residents who have attended recent meetings about the proposed amendments have said the developer knew what the zoning conditions were when he purchased the property. The township should not alter existing zoning restrictions to make way for bigger buildings, they said. The group has gathered the signatures of about 200 people opposed to the text amendments on a petition, which it plans to present to supervisors at the hearing. Before any amendments are passed, the group wants supervisors to attain testimony from the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, which reviewed the proposal and had multiple objections to the amendment as written. The group also asked that the Northampton County Conservation District and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection provide findings and recommendations regarding the environmental impact of the proposed amendments. Some of the supervisors have stated publicly that they have met with Pektor regarding the development and text amendment. The citizens group letter asks that supervisors who met with Pektor recuse themselves from voting at the hearing. However, township solicitor Ron Karasek said there is nothing inappropriate about supervisors individually meeting with the developer, as long as it was fewer than three of them at once, which would constitute a quorum for the five-person board. Supervisors routinely meet privately with residents, businesses and developers regarding township business, Karasek said. I would expect that is what you want your supervisors to do, Karasek said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A month after Johnny Depp and his former wife Amber Heard faced off in a bitter court battle, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star launched another court-case against her. According to The Daily Mail, the 47-year-old's legal team are expected to serve documents in the US that could result in the "Aquaman" actress giving evidence once again about their rocky and disturbing marriage. Heard previously claimed that her ex-husband has been abusive and violent towards her during their time together for three years. Depp vehemently denied the blonde beauty's allegations. He even took British tabloid The Sun to court last month after publishing an article called him a "wife-beater." As well as his case against the News Group Newspapers, The Sun's publisher, Johnny Depp, is also taking legal action against Amber Heart in the US after publishing a column in the Washington Post in 2018. Heard didn't mention any names in her article, but has described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." A source close to the actress said, "Amber's team are super nervous about him suing again, this time in the States." Since news of the "Edward Scissorhands" actor launching another case, and a court hearing could be on the cards, according to the grapevine close to Amber, "It seems that Johnny will stop at nothing to ruin her." "No matter what the outcome of Johnny's case against The Sun, Amber is preparing for round two." They added, "But if Johnny wins his case against The Sun, then that's it, he will go and go. This could go on for years to come." Since the three-week libel hearings for the case have ended, Heard had enjoyed a nice vacation to Turkey with partner Bianca Butti who has supported her throughout the entire ordeal. It is expected that the verdict of the case will be known next week. The hearing heard sensational details of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's relationship, including the former Hollywood rebel branding her as "Amber T***" for pooping on their shared bed. In May 2016, Amber Heard obtained a restraining order against Johnny Depp after accusing him of abuse. The "Tourist" star has denied her claims. What's Next for Johnny Depp? Aside from suing Amber Heard, Johnny Depp is set to start filming on the second installment of "Fantastic Beasts" next month. For his famous Jack Sparrow role, fans of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" are looking for details regarding the actor's return to the franchise since it was announced that Disney didn't want him back. Because of that, reports said that he is being looked at to join the "Sherlock Holmes" franchise, alongside his friend, Robert Downey Jr. According to WeGotThisCovered, the "Avengers" star is reportedly looking to take his friend under his wing and bring him on the third film for "Sherlock Holmes." "A senior source at Warner Bros. says Bob wants Johnny on board, come hell or high water." Since being embroiled with the trial and in some cases, Depp found it challenging to find work. However, while nothing has been official, Johnny Depp may become a massive part of the upcoming movie. READ MORE: No Shame! Kate Winslet Proud of Explicit Saoirse Ronan Scene Despite Massive Age Gap SC sets aside Patna HC order granting bail to accused in trader's murder case India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Aug 30: The Supreme Court has set aside an order of the Patna High Court granting bail to an alleged habitual offender accused of gunning down the head of a traders' association in Bihar's Bihta in 2017, saying the criminal antecedents of the accused should have been considered. Nirbhay Singh, the president of the Bihta Traders' Association and owner of the "Uday Chitra Mandir" cinema hall, was shot dead on September 15, 2017 allegedly by three assailants, including one Amit Kumar, accused of running an extortion racket at the local market. A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao, during a hearing conducted through video-conferencing, took note of the plea moved by Ajay Kumar, the victim's brother, and said the high court did not take into account the fact that the prime accused, Amit Kumar, was a habitual offender facing several criminal cases and moreover, the murder trial in the present case was at the fag end. Kerala High Count rejects govt plea against CBI probe into murder of Congress workers "Taking into account the criminal antecedents of Respondent No.1 (Amit) and the fact that he has committed an offence after he was released on bail, we are of the considered view that the High Court should not have released Respondent No.1 on bail. The judgment of the High Court is set aside. The appeal is allowed accordingly," the bench, which also comprised justices Hemant Gupta and S Ravindra Bhat, said. Usually, higher courts do not cancel the bail granted to an accused in a criminal case unless a grave fact, which could be detrimental to a fair trial, about the accused is brought to their notice. Lawyer Smarhar Singh, appearing for Ajay Kumar, submitted that the key accused, a habitual offender, was involved in a number of criminal cases. "However, the high court, without considering the submissions made regarding the criminal antecedents of Respondent No.1, granted bail to him on the ground that he has been in custody since March 28, 2018 and also taking into account the present COVID condition," he said. The counsel for the Bihar government also submitted that even after his release on bail, the accused committed a criminal offence of extortion. The victim's brother had filed an appeal in the top court against the high court order granting bail to the accused. The high court has also granted bail to nine other accused in the case. Separate appeals were also filed by the victim's family, challenging the bail granted by the high court on May 1, 2019 to two other accused -- Mohammad Shabir and Shankar Choudhary -- in the case. Subsequently, the Bihar government informed the top court that Shabir's bail was cancelled. Ajay Kumar said the trial in his brother's murder case was at the fag end before a trial court in Bihar. Lyon made light of big-name absentees like Ada Hegerberg and Nikita Parris to defeat Wolfsburg for a third time in the Champions League final. Alex Popp hit back for the German side with a smart header, but Lyon were too strong, too savvy and too collected and Iceland midfielder Gunnarsdottir rubber-stamped the win with a late third. Lyon had to battle hard but fully merited their record seventh Champions League success, in their ninth final in 11 years. The French giants have not tasted defeat in competitive action since a 1-0 loss to Paris St Germain in the French cup final back on May 31, 2018. Englands Lucy Bronze finished her Lyon career in style, bowing out with a hat-trick of European titles. Advertisement With her first-half goal, Eugenie Le Sommer has gone ahead of legendary Brazilian forward Marta as fourth outright top goalscorer in the competition #UWCLfinal #UWCL pic.twitter.com/kfM0ysVdX1 UEFA Womens Champions League (@UWCL) August 30, 2020 The 28-year-old has yet to reveal her next destination, but sealed the ideal exit as Lyon prevailed in San Sebastian. Two-time winners Wolfsburg fell to familiar foes Lyon again, unable to dislodge the French side in their fifth final. Gunnarsdottir only joined Lyon in July making the switch from Wolfsburg. The 28-year-old turned out for the Germans earlier in this seasons competition, but the coronavirus-delayed campaign meant she faced her old club in the final. Lyon dominated from the off, Europes outstanding talents again showing all the poise and polish required for another triumph. Le Sommer put the defending champions ahead, sweeping home at the second attempt having had her first effort parried by Friederike Abt. The lively Delphine Cascarino had created the opportunity, charging down the right flank and laying on a smart cutback across the area. Wolfsburg shook off the setback and settled into the contest, but crucially were unable to carve out any genuine chances. And Lyon punished the Germans just ahead of the break, thanks to Kumagais high-quality strike. The Japan midfielder drilled home from the edge of the area with a fine technical finish, to leave the French side in total control at the break. What a from Saki Kumagai! The first Japanese player to score in a #UWCLfinal #UWCL pic.twitter.com/kn9Rehd9Cd UEFA Womens Champions League (@UWCL) August 30, 2020 Lyon eased into the second half and appeared entirely comfortable, only for Wolfsburg to snatch a lifeline just ahead of the hour. Ewa Pajor delivered a smart cross in latching onto Lyon keeper Sarah Bouhaddis fumble, and Popp reacted adroitly with the snap-header finish. Wolfsburgs bid for an equaliser was ultimately ended by Gunnarsdottirs scrambled finish, following Le Sommers driven shot as Lyon emerged victorious once again. The event saw the presence of Deputy Governor cum Deputy Secretary General of People's Government of Yunnan Province Liu Hongjian along with representatives from several diplomatic agencies and Vietnamese community in the province. At the event, Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming Nguyen Trung Hieu reviewed the countrys development over the past 75 years, especially noting its great achievements across many fields. He also expressed his pleasure at the positive development of the relations between Vietnam and China, particularly between Vietnam and Yunnan Province, over recent years. The Consul General noted that Vietnamese localities and Yunnan province have closely coordinated in prevention and control of Covid-19 pandemic as well as organised many online conferences to boost cooperation between the two sides, especially in economy and trade. The management and protection of the land border between the two sides also achieved many positive results, contributing to maintaining stable management of the border area, facilitating friendly exchanges and promoting comprehensive cooperation, he added. Consul General Nguyen Trung Hieu affirmed Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, autonomy, multilateralisation and diversification, notably attaching importance to the enhancement of friendly neighbourly relations and comprehensive co-operation with China. TALLAHASEE, Fla.: Police in Florida say a man who pulled a gun at a protest wont face charges because he was defending himself. The Tallahassee Police Department said in a statement that the incident occurred during a protest downtown. Police said a white man began documenting the protest" and then was pushed from behind. A fight ensued, police said, and the man was knocked to the ground. He got back to his feet and brandished a gun, the statement said, but officers quickly engaged, took the individual into custody and peacefully dispersed the crowd. No charges were filed, and no injuries were reported. Police said the man with the gun was lawfully carrying a concealed weapon as a license holder. The demonstration was organized by the Tallahassee Community Action Committee in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which has sparked protests around the country. The Tallahassee Democrat reported that a person identified as Adam Ferguson said the person with the gun instigated the fight when he shoved a female protester. Ferguson said another protester then shoved him back, and the man threw a punch that hit Fergusons girlfriend. It was all just 60 seconds but it felt much longer, he told the newspaper. I dont know why he would bring violence to a peaceful protest, when he pulled the gun out it all went rank. Police said investigators reviewed several videos of the Saturday incident and determined that the person with the gun was knocked to the ground and attacked and lawfully defending himself. Tensions are very high, and TPD is calling for protests and actions to remain peaceful. Verbal and physical altercations can quickly escalate into tragedy. Everyone must work together to de-escalate conflict, the statement said. 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 Latvian art biennial has a coronavirus twist "Religious Libertarians" by Russian artist Nikolay Smirnov was shown at the RIBOCA2 biennial in Riga The coronavirus pandemic has shut down art exhibitions around the globe, but organisers of the RIBOCA2 biennial in Latvia have pushed ahead, reimagining the event to reflect challenging times. To ensure social distancing, installations by nearly 70 international artists are showcased at the sprawling 20-hectare (50-acre) Soviet-era Andrejsala industrial port in Riga, long abandoned and given up to nature. Titled "and suddenly it all blossoms", this year's edition of the Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art has also been shortened from five months to three weeks that run from August 20 through September 13. It stretches from Andrejsala's ramshackle port warehouses, past grain silos and old piers. "Andrejsala is a unique place inside the city, where former port buildings and constructions live together with wildlife but almost no people, which prompted us to think how nature would respond if there were no more people around," Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, the chief curator, told AFP. "We prepared the concept, and then, two months before the opening date, an actual pandemic catastrophe hit the world, making us rethink everything," she added, explaining how the spacing of the exhibition was adjusted to the pandemic. - 'Stillness and calm' - Due to travel restrictions, only a few of the featured artists made it to Riga. One is Bridget Polk from New York, whose "Balancing rocks and rubble" installations of precariously balanced stacks of stones and construction rubble evoke a striking sense of heaviness, fragility and grace. More than a hundred art lovers joined her masterclass inside a vast steel hangar to balance rocks and rubble themselves, creating temporary sculptures, some up to six feet (two metres) high. "When you were busy balancing these rocks, did you feel stillness and calm inside? Well, then you were going into meditation," Polk told the crowd. Story continues Elsewhere, deep inside a former customs and duty warehouse, piles of clay cover the concrete floor. Up close, hundreds of small faces, hands, rooftops, arches, dishes and other objects become visible on the clay surface, making it a scale model of an unfinished civilisation. Austrian artist Katrin Hornek's "A Landmass to Come" installation takes viewers on a guided meditation deep inside the Earth and back, then offers them a chance to add their own clay object to the collection. Other works have come from across Europe and as far as China, but for the most part only Baltic artists have been able to present their installations in person. Lamarche-Vadel said organisers are making a film to document the biennial and share it with those unable to attend owing to coronavirus restrictions. il/mas/wai Three hundred Police Recruits have undergone a three-week in-service training on High Risk and Tactical Operations with a call on them to consciously apply the knowledge and skills acquired to enhance the image of the Service. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Dr Sayibu Pabi Gariba, Director of Operations said the future of the Ghana Police Service rests on them. They are, therefore, expected to serve the people in the various regions with professionalism and to work strictly by the laws, rules and regulations to ensure a successful election in December. The constables were the third batch drawn from Ashanti, Ahafo, Western-North and Central Regions to receive training at the Ghana Police Service Command and Staff College at Winneba. They were schooled on Arrest procedures, Ambush and Counter Ambush, Public Order Management, handcuffing, Crowd control strategies and Weapon retention. Other areas are disarming, Negotiation and Conflict intervention skills, Officer safety skills, police procedures and Ethical conduct of Officers and Human Rights. The course aimed to build the capacities of police personnel to enhance performance during the December general elections. DCOP Gariba said re-training was critical because it was fundamental for law enforcement in the Country. The police administration is focusing on the training of its personnel to ensure effectiveness in maintaining law and order and to protect lives and property as it serves mother Ghana, he stated. This year is an election year and the philosophy of security and the Police Service is to ensure that there is maximum security before, during and after the elections, DCOP Gariba noted. He urged the police officers to be fair, firm and neutral in the performance of their duties. He lauded the recruits for the discipline exhibited during the training. DCOP Gariba emphasized the need for them to observe the COVID-19 protocols and to enforce them as mandated by law. Chief Superintendent Theodore H. Lormenu, National Special Weapon and Tactical (SWAT) Commander, in his address, underscored the many challenges of law enforcement officers in the execution of their task. The training, at the instance of the Inspector General of Police, was to prepare the men to handle dangerous situations, he added. He expressed the hope that the knowledge and skills imparted to the trainees would enhance their operational capacities to counter any threat in the discharge of their duties. Chief Superintendent Samuel Asiedu Okanta, the Acting Commandant, Ghana Police Command and Staff College Winneba, urged the recruits to work with integrity and professionalism. He thanked the IGP and the Police administration and facilitators of the training for ensuring the success of the training. The ceremony was graced by Neenyi Ghartey IV paramount Chief of Effutu, Mr John B. Ninson, Winneba Municipal Chief Executive and representatives of sister security agencies in Effutu Municipality. 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 It has been extremely costly for the Member for Epping who publicly stated last week that the "buck stops with me as the responsible minister" but not to the extent that he will fall on his sword like the Treasurer's former chief-of-staff Nigel Freitas. Freitas was forced to walk over revelations that two of the Treasurer's ministerial staffers, including senior policy adviser, Ed Yap, a former US Republican staffer, were paid by icare in breach of regulations. Premier Gladys Berejiklian's office has told CBD that ministers must work within set budgets, meaning the icare staff shuffle allowed Perrottet's office more staff than it could otherwise afford. "There is no cap on staffing numbers but each ministerial office has to work within an established budget," a spokesperson for Berejiklian's office said. "Secondments are not unusual and have been a common practice used by successive governments including former Labor governments." The second part of the statement seems to ignore the fact that it is employer money, not state money, which pays for icare staff. Perrottet expended a significant amount of energy - following the revelations of mismanagement from a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and ABC TV's Four Corners - preaching the sanctity of icare's independence from his office. Grower pains You would have thought the Sunrice investor meeting on Friday, marking the 70th anniversary of the cereal group's humble beginnings in the NSW Riverina, would have been a time of celebration. But rice growers were grumbling some had more reason to celebrate than others. Like chief executive Rob Gordon's $3.34 million pay packet which included a million-dollar cash bonus despite the fall in revenue and earnings as CBD reported last week. "We are an Australian company battling with Australian conditions and I question strongly the need for an increase (in Gordon's pay)," said rice growers Gwyneth and Peter McCallum. As growers they hold the precious A Class shares which actually control the publicly listed company, despite these growers' only contributing 5 per cent of rice produced by Sunrice last year. The rest came from Gordon's successful strategy to go global with its sourcing and selling of rice. And it makes you wonder if the prolonged drought has revealed a harbour-sized divide between the interests of the local growers and the global business that the former Dairy Farmers boss has built at Sunrice over the past eight years. This is the business that generates dividends for B Class shareholders every year. Not that Gordon got much love from these investors either when it came to the only issue they are allowed to vote on: his new long term incentive package. Nearly 25 per cent voted against it. Maybe they are taking umbrage at the fact that their side of the business is obviously carrying the can for the Australian growers who have been producing such a poor crop amid the drought. Dare we suggest it is time to stop growing a monsoon crop in the Riverina where water prices have almost wiped out the sector? It makes you wonder if the potential loss next year of Sunrice's export monopoly on the crop is anything more than a philosophical point. Mile high court Take a millionaire architect, a couple of prominent QCs, a The Real Housewives of Melbourne star and a $US4.7 million dollar jet aircraft claimed to be a dud and what do you have? A Supreme Court trial scheduled to start at 10.30am on Monday. Andrew Norbury, the millionaire architect and developer, is taking time out from his day job as the husband of Housewives' star Lydia Schiavello to sue Textron Aviation over a Cessna jet he says is now un-airworthy. To argue his case Norbury, whose Metier3 firm designed Seven17Bourke, home to Channel Nine Melbourne and The Age, has enlisted Ian Freckelton QC, the Victoria Police lawyer who has acted for police giving evidence in the lawyer X royal commission and conducted the City of Melbourne inquiry into sexual assault allegations against former lord mayor Robert Doyle. US-based Textron has hired Hamish Austin QC, whose expertise in commercial litigation "has been recognised in the Victorian and Australian senior counsel rankings of Doyle's Guide to the Australian Legal Profession" according to his Victorian Bar profile. Over the past month the lawyers have been discussing with Supreme Court Justice Peter Riordan if court times need to be rescheduled to hear evidence from US witnesses and if his honour can view the jet under COVID-safe conditions. Norbury sued after an incident during a descent into Essendon Airport in 2011, when the 2007 Cessna Model 525 Citation CJ1+ jet made two uncommanded left turns, forcing the pilot to execute emergency manoeuvres. He said the incident left the jet defective and within its warranty period, but Cessna declined to replace the aircraft. Norbury is rarely seen on the Foxtel reality television program, but his wife has boasted of using the private jet to fly to Thredbo every weekend during the ski season. The other secret weapon is Nicole Shelton, our director. She was my audience, and she was not just an avid listener, she was an active listener. She would stop me if even an inflection was a little wrong, and we would go back over it. We went back over things many times to get them right. When you were growing up, your father was a prison guard. How did your own upbringing impact your reading and perception of the police brutality in this book? Yes, my father worked with juveniles in the correctional system in New York City. His brother, my uncle, was a beat cop for years, and then he became a detective. The stress of the job was unreal my uncle died of a massive heart attack at the age of 49, and I think most largely due to the stresses of the job. My relationship to them, and to their father, my grandfather, who was also a civil servant he was a postal worker gave me a clear understanding of what was permissible and what was not. There was only a certain amount of trouble I could get into, lets put it that way. Can you remember the first time you read this autobiography? I remember reading this book when I was in my early 20s and feeling inspired by his journey. Someone who was so steeped in criminality, to be incarcerated as a result of a life of crime, and to use your incarceration to educate yourself? To come out a wiser, more well-spoken, thoughtful man a full-grown man with not just a fire in his belly but a real sense of mission to galvanize people, to open their eyes? Thats really, really inspiring. Heres an unanswerable question for you: Do you think society has made progress since 1965? Thats a very good question. If I were to ask you that question, what would you say? I would say not enough. Right, so we can say that the answer to that question is really yes and no. We still live under systemic racism in this country. That is a fact. That has not changed. Things have changed within that system, but the system itself has not changed. And hopefully we are in a moment and this is partly why this book is so important now, and why it may have the ability to effect more change where it seems that more people are aware of just how much change needs to happen, and are willing to do what is necessary to create it. And thats where things have changed. This interview has been edited and condensed. Correction: Aug. 31, 2020 Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misstated when Malcolm X adopted the name el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. It was when he left the Nation of Islam, not when he joined. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, August 31 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has not only crushed Japans economy, but also its hopes of staging a glorious 2020 Summer Olympics. Amid these gloomy circumstances, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation, citing deteriorating health. He has led Japan since 2012, making him the countrys longest serving prime minister. He briefly held the post from 2006 to 2007, before leaving office also because of health reasons. What will be the repercussions of Abes resignation on the world, especially Asia? Japan is the worlds third most powerful economy after the United States and China, which is why other countries will closely follow the succession plans in Tokyo. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Gun violence in Chicago led to the death of five persons and two cops wounded. The conditions of the two policemen who were immediately hospitalized remained unknown. Authorities said that five people died and two police officers were wounded in the different shooting incidents in the city. The different shooting incidents happened between Friday evening and Saturday morning and more than a dozen hurt according to the published report in Fox News. The following are the five victims of the deadly shootings and gun violence in the city: A 19-year-old man was fatally shot around 7 p.m. Friday by a man who got out of an SUV and hit him in the chest and stomach. He was pronounced dead at a hospital Just 20 minutes after the first shooting incident, a 39-year-old man was killed in a drive-by shooting while he sat on a porch with two others. He was hit multiple times in the legs and pronounced dead at a hospital. A 21-year-old was killed in a separate drive-by shooting as he walked out of a gas station mini-mart. He was pronounced dead at a hospital after being hit multiple times. A woman was also killed after she was shot in the stomach by an unknown killer while walking on a sidewalk with another woman. According to a report in ABC7 Chicago, a 40-year-old man was also fatally shot after 3:00 p.m on Saturday The news media outlet FOX32 confirmed that four other people were shot in the city. Meanwhile, NBC Chicago also reported that no arrest was made in line with the different shootings in the city. Lawrence Jones, who is a host from a media outlet, said earlier this month that people are in despair and it seems that no one cares about the rampant violence in the city that also led to the death of young children recently. Check these out! All his disciples across the globe feel he was closest to them. All his friends believe he loved them the most. Just like every gopi in Brijbhoomi felt Krishna was closest to her. Pandit Jasraj didn't have acquaintances; he had friends, recalls his biographer Sunita Budhiraja. IMAGE: Pandit Jasraj performS at the Saptak classical music festival in Ahmedabad, January 3, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo He called me on Janmashtami from New Jersey while having breakfast. It was a video call. "How is Maa?" he asked. Ever since my parents have been unwell, whenever Pandit Jasraj would meet or call me, he would ask about their welfare. All his disciples across the globe feel he was closest to them. All his friends believe he loved them the most. Just like every gopi in Brijbhoomi felt Krishna was closest to her. He didn't have acquaintances; he had friends. Pt Jasraj is not just a name; he is an ehsaas (a feeling, a sensation). In one of my poems in Prashna Panchali (a collection published in 2006), Draupadi tells Krishna: I now know, dear, you ask for complete surrender, I surrender to thee, now come and save my honour. In this case, it is the other way round: Krishna has asked Pandit Jasraj to come and sing closer to him. Jasrajji would often say: "When I sing, he comes. I see him here, and there in that corner. He plays with me and at times I forget to sing. So mesmerised I am looking at Bal Gopal." It was an emotional moment for me when he agreed to come for the launch of my book, his biography, Rasraj: Pandit Jasraj. Sitting on the stage with him, I recalled an incident. At a concert in Lahore in 1945, as an accompanying artiste to his brother, who was the lead vocalist, Jasrajji asked the stage manager where he should sit. The man curtly responded: 'Othe, khudd vicch (In that well -- where photographers and sound recordists were seated).' When Pandit Jasraj, only 15 then, protested, the stage manager turned around and said, 'Tabley wale di majaal ki oh gaan wale de naal behwe? (What standing does a tabla player have that he should sit on the stage with the vocalist?).' That was the turning point. IMAGE: Pandit Jasraj performs at the 62nd Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav in Pune, December 12, 2014. Photograph: PTI Photo Jasrajji stopped playing the tabla and dedicated himself to singing. He also pledged that no accompanying artiste would receive the kind of treatment he had. Every artiste -- young, old, whether on tabla, harmonium, violin or mridangam -- who accompanied him received respect and affection. My association with him lasted 38 years. He would call me Buddhi ki Rani, Deviji or Mem Sahab. But on stage, no matter how close a friend, he would address everyone with utmost respect: Pandit. Ustad. Vidushi. Pandita. I learnt these stage etiquettes from him. Prashna Panchali was the trigger for Madhuraji (his wife) to ask Pandit Jasraj to have his life story authored by me. Madhuraji's consent mattered a lot to him. I started working on the biography nine years ago. Thereon, he would call me any time of the day or night from anywhere in the world, regardless of the time zones. I would record all (the conversations). He narrated umpteen anecdotes about his life, spoke about people who mattered to him, his relationships and emotions... Then on my birthday two years ago, he sent a recorded message from the US: /I am so grateful to God that he sent you to this Earth. Had you not been there, no one would have written my biography. I would have been deprived of this blessed feeling." He knew how to make you feel important. IMAGE: Pandit Jasraj performs at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in Bhopal. Photograph: Kind courtesy Suyash.dwivedi/Wikimedia Commons Rewind to 1960. Pandit Jasraj was travelling by general compartment in a local train with his best friend, Mukund Lath. A blind, old, man with a small child was singing and begging for alms. The train was crowded and the man fell down, as did all the money he had collected. Pandit Jasraj asked his fellow passengers to give the beggar some money. To his dismay, they said they would, but only if Pandit Jasraj himself sang! And sing he did. Then he collected four annas from each passenger and gave them to the beggar. Lath, who was Jasrajji's childhood friend, died recently. They would practise together, travel together, and, if a need arose, beg together to help a person in distress. Another train journey comes to mind. In 1966, Pandit Jasraj was travelling to Nagpur. He was on the upper berth. At Pune, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi boarded the train and occupied the lower berth. On seeing him, Jasrajji came down and paid his respects. Bhimsenji was delighted to see him. 'I was wondering how I would make this long journey alone,' he exclaimed. They spent it discussing music. Amidst the things Bhimsenji said to Pandit Jasraj was this: 'Jasraj, at times I am worried about the future of our Hindustani sangeet. But when I look back, I see you. And I am relieved.' Pandit Jasraj is gone. But as I hum Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevay, his calming voice lingers on. Sunita Budhiraja has authored Pandit Jasraj's biography, Rasraj: Pandit Jasraj. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com DETROIT, MI -- Detroit Will Breathe activists joined union members during the Equality First, Solidarity Works event on the 93rd day of protest in the city. A group of 80 protesters gathered and began their march on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 29 at Dean Savage Memorial Park. The march included a drumline, chants, bicyclist and a few medics to assist protesters. After the group marched through the city they met back in the park to listen to a panel discussion held by members of organized labor and community activist with Detroit Will Breathe. . READ MORE ON MLIVE: Michigan police brutality protests have cooled, but Detroits recent flare-up points to fragile calm Detroit Police Chief says officers did the right thing after driving through crowd Detroit protesters chant for firings of Detroit Police Chief, officers involved in vehicle incident with marchers Detroit George Floyd police brutality protest turns violent as police fire tear gas, rubber bullets " " Serial killer Henry Lee Lucas in prison in Huntsville, Texas, in 1998. Pam Francis/Liaison/ Getty Images When it comes to naming the world's most prolific serial killer, some boundaries must be established. As Soviet dictator from 1924 to 1953, Josef Stalin was responsible for the deaths of millions of citizens who died from starvation and internment in gulags (forced labor camps) [source: BBC]. Adolph Hitler's genocidal bent led to the murders of nearly 21 million people (not including those combatants who died fighting the German army) [source: University of Hawaii]. But these men, and others like them who've issued wholesale execution orders, did not directly murder the people who died under their authority. And to be considered a serial killer, one must have personally murdered three or more people [source: Princeton]. Even under the parameters of this definition, there have been some pretty prolific serial killers. Advertisement Henry Lee Lucas confessed to killing hundreds of people, but he was linked only to three to 12 victims (in addition to his mother, whom he beat to death). Lucas said he falsely confessed to other murders because he enjoyed toying with law enforcement [source: New York Times]. Canadian pig farmer Robert Pickton was accused of murdering 26 women. When he was caught, Pickton said that his goal was to kill 50 [source: BBC]. The most prolific serial killer in recent history, Colombian Pedro Lopez, murdered 300 people, mainly young girls. He was freed from prison in Ecuador in 1998 [source: The Telegraph]. Serial killers tend to be men by an overwhelming margin. In fact, there's no definitive profile for female serial killers [source: LSU]. But if history and evidential testimony are correct, a woman is the most prolific serial killer of all time. Erzsebet (Elizabeth) Bathory, a Hungarian countess, is believed to have killed as many as 650 people during the 54 years she lived. And exactly how the world's most prolific serial killer took the lives of her victims has proven grisly fodder for storytellers. Bram Stoker is believed to have been inspired by the countess: His Count Dracula is supposedly a hybrid of Wallachian prince Vlad Tepes and Bathory [source: NNDB]. Find out about some of the legends and facts surrounding Bathory, perhaps the most prolific serial killer, on the next page. Former Director of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere-Darko says the Agyapa Royalties agreement with government is not an avenue for elite capture. According to the NPP member, the arrangement will rather provide open Ghana up to the alternatives adopted by multinational companies with interests in African minerals over the years. Lets not pretend as if there is something happened that had not happened before. Thats how they [foreigners] have been taking advantage of us over the years and we accept it, he said. This approach, Mr Otchere-Darko believes will enable government judiciously invest in the countrys critical sectors to boost development. His assertions come on the back of allegations by a cross-section of the public that the deal is an orchestrated attempt by the government to siphon the funds from Ghanas mineral royalties for parochial interests. But speaking on Ekosii sen on Asempa FM, Mr Otchere-Darko explained that the NPP-led administration is not harbouring any ill-intention to misappropriate public resources for the benefit of a few individuals of superior social status to the detriment of the larger population. You cannot say Akufo-Addo is doing elite capture. If he says he is using oil revenues to pay school fees for children, is it elite capture? He says when he assumed office, the school feeding programme covered 1.6 million and has since moved to 3 million children, is it elite capture? he quizzed. If you look at the expansion of the social relief space, in this country today under Akufo-Addo, is this what you call elite capture. If it is elite capture then it means he wants every Ghanaian to rise up to the level of so-called elites, he said. The new agreement will enable the country to use a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Agyapa Royalties Limited, to secure about $1 billion to finance large infrastructural projects. The agreement said to be in line with the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) Act, 2018 (Act 978), was passed without support from the Minority in Parliament. Source: Myjoyonline.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 Canada has decided to cancel a coronavirus vaccine development agreement with the Chinese pharmaceutical company CanSino due to delay in the shipping of drugs. Beijing [China], Aug 30 (ANI): Canada has decided to cancel a coronavirus vaccine development agreement with the Chinese pharmaceutical company CanSino due to delay in the shipping of drugs. According to the South China Morning Post, it is unclear if political tensions between the two countries had anything to do with the snag at the Chinese customs. Chinas National Research Council said that The agreement between the NRC and CanSino had been reviewed prior to signature by CanSinos collaborators in the Chinese Government the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology who had provided funding to CanSino. Due to the delay in the shipment of the CanSino Covid-19 vaccine candidate doses to Canada and as CanSino has now completed phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials elsewhere, this specific opportunity is over and the NRC is focusing its team and facilities on other Covid-19 priorities, the council said. Also Read: UNSC adopts resolution to promote womens role in Peacekeeping; India congratulates council Also Read: Tibetan Election Commission in-exile begins voter registration process for 2021 general elections The Council said it has turned to its North American partners for collaboration and will go ahead in its COVID-19 vaccine development programme.We are also actively pursuing discussions with other partners to collaborate on other vaccine candidates and will announce these collaborations as they are confirmed, it said. CanSino, earlier this week, had refuted that ties had been cut, however, the government-funded body has now confirmed that clinical trials of vaccine candidate Ad5-nCoV would not go ahead in Canada. According to the South China Morning Post, Ad5-nCoV, developed by China military scientists is among the leaders to produce a Covid-19 vaccine. The National Research Council had signed an agreement with CanSino to conduct phase 1 trials in May. (ANI) Also Read: Chinese researcher arrested for stealing trade secrets: US authorities Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Pompeo has failed to fill dozens of senior positions at the State Department, and hundreds of career diplomats have left or been driven out in political purges. Morale is at a historic low: In staff surveys, there has been a 34 percent increase between 2016 and 2019 in those who say the State Departments senior leaders did not maintain high levels of honesty and integrity. Maybe thats because Pompeo himself has defied legal mandates from Congress, skirted a law restricting arms sales to Saudi Arabia, tasked staffers with carrying out errands for himself and his wife, and fired the inspector general who was investigating his violations. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Russia Sends Two Su-27 Fighters to Intercept US B-52H Bomber Over Baltic Sea Sputnik News 06:27 GMT 29.08.2020(updated 06:50 GMT 29.08.2020) The Russian military reported multiple incidents over the Baltic Sea and the Black sea in August, with dozens of NATO aircraft approaching Russian borders in a major spike of reconnaissance activity. Russia scrambled two Su-27 fighter jets in order to intercept an American strategic bomber over the Baltic Sea, National Defence Management Centre announced on Saturday. The pilots approached the US aircraft and returned to their airfield after the bomber moved away from the Russian border without violating it, the centre stated. "On 28 August, Russian air defence control systems detected an air target approaching the Russian state border over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. To identify the air target and prevent violation of the Russian state border, two Su-27 fighters from the Baltic Fleet's air defence forces on duty were scrambled", the statement said. "The flight of the Russian Su-27 fighters was done in accordance with international law", the Russian military stressed in an official statement. Earlier this week, the Russian forces had to scramble a fighter jet to intercept military aircraft from the US, Germany and Sweden over the Baltic Sea. Recently, US reconnaissance aircraft have been approaching Russian borders increasingly frequently, with more than twelve such incidents reported in August alone. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 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... SUNY Oneonta will close for two weeks to in-person classes and other campus activities after 105 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the past two days on the Otsego County campus, according to state officials. That represents positive tests for about 3% of the students and faculty on campus just one week into the semester, SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said today. This is the first college campus in New York to close temporarily because of Covid-19 cases since students returned to classes for the fall semester. That means no in-person teaching during the next two weeks on the campus, a SUNY official confirmed. Were pretty outraged about this, one parent, Dale Willman, said today by phone. As of 1 p.m. today, Willman said, he was getting news about the outbreak at his daughters college through news reports. The college had not sent any update to parents or students, he said. The school did not require any Covid-19 testing before students returned to campus, according to the universitys website. Nor were students required to be tested once back on campus, a SUNY official and two parents of college students confirmed this afternoon. Instead, students were required to self-quarantine at home for seven days prior to their arrival on campus, the guidance reads. The length of quarantine will be extended if a student is coming from a state listed on the governors travel advisory list or another country. Classes at SUNY Oneonta started on Monday. Officials ramped up testing on Friday after a small group of students tested positive. Personnel and equipment was deployed from Upstate Medical University to administer rapid tests to all students. As of today, 105 people have tested positive, Malatras said shortly before noon. Five students have been suspended, he said. Three campus organizations have also been suspended. Officials say a number of large parties were held last week. Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged other students across the state to follow safety guidelines and avoid large gatherings. I get it, he said during the same conference call today. You go back to college. You want to see your friends. Part of the college experience is socializing. But if guidelines arent followed and virus spreads, he said, its also a concern for that local community. The state is also setting up three free rapid testing sites for people who live in the Oneonta community, according to Cuomo The tests -- with results that come back in 15 minutes -- will be open to all city residents by appointment. The locations will be announced Monday. Malatras is expected to give an update from campus this afternoon. Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. Kelly Stewart Harcourt was not happy with Donald Trump being compared to George Bailey (Image by RKO Radio Pictures) Kelly Stewart Harcourt, the daughter of legendary Hollywood actor Jimmy Stewart, has sent a letter to the New York Times condemning a Republican convention speaker for comparing Donald Trump to her fathers character in Its A Wonderful Life. Stewart played George Bailey in the beloved 1946 fantasy, which revolved around the building and loan banker considering suicide on Christmas Eve, only to be saved by his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, who reveals how George has impacted the lives of the people in Bedford Falls. Read More: The best Christmas films of the 21st century In her speech at the G.O.P. convention Monday night, Natalie Harp, a cancer survivor, made reference to the film Its a Wonderful Life, comparing Donald Trump to George Bailey, the main character in the film, played by my father, Jimmy Stewart, wrote Stewart Harcourt. Cancer activist Natalie Harp speaks after being called on stage by U.S. President Donald Trump (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Given that this beloved American classic is about decency, compassion, sacrifice and a fight against corruption, our family considers Ms. Harps analogy to be the height of hypocrisy and dishonesty. Harp, who also works on the advisory board member of Trumps campaign, not only said that the current President of the United States is akin to George Bailey, but she even compared his 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton to Lionel Barrymores villainous Mr Potter. Read More: Brendan Gleeson artfully channels Donald Trump in new 'The Comey Rule' trailer In the classic Jimmy Stewart film Its A Wonderful Life, George Bailey is given a great gift the chance to see what the world would be like without him. Tonight Mr President, wed like to give you that same gift, because without you wed all be living in Pottersville, sold out to a crooked Mr. or I should say Mrs. Potter with no hope of escape except death itself. Originally a box office failure, Its A Wonderful Life was still nominated for five Academy Awards, and it is now regarded as one of the most popular and inspirational films in American movie history. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Reuters National Post August 28, 2020AMSTERDAM, Aug 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) The Dutch government wants to prosecute members of private groups and communities who fail to report sexual abuse in their organizations, a move that comes after Jehovahs Witnesses rejected demands to tackle the under-reporting of abuse.A 2019 report commissioned by the government to investigate sexual abuse involving Jehovahs Witnesses found few cases were being reported to police, but group leaders dismissed calls for change and said they were being discriminated against.Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker said that had spurred him to analyze how a law that punished organizations for failing to report sexual abuse could be structured.This makes it clear to me that the leadership (of the Jehovahs Witnesses community) does not see or does not want to see the gravity of the situation. The leadership is leaving vulnerable victims out in the cold, he said in a letter to parliament published late on Thursday.Victims of sexual abuse in the Netherlands have the same right to access help, care and justice, regardless of which community they belong to, he added, promising a progress update on the potential legislation later this year.The 2019 report, carried out by the University of Utrecht, found that about 80% of the 751 members who came forward to speak with researchers had reported abuse to leaders within the community. Three quarters said the response was inadequate.Only 28% of them made an official report to the police, the research found. Almost half of the cases involved incest.In order to provide more urgent support to victims, Dekker said he had allocated government funding to the Reclaimed Voices foundation, a charity supporting sexually abused children within the Jehovahs Witness community.The government has also requested that support network Slachtofferhulp Nederland (Victim Support Netherlands) broadens its services to specifically help victims of sexual abuse from closed communities.Iva Bicanic, director of the Dutch-based Centre for Sexual Violence, said establishing a reporting point within communities for victims to come forward was a good initiative, but was unlikely to have an immediate and far-reaching impact.Its too simplistic to think that abuse within closed communities will immediately be reported, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.Much more is needed from within the community itself, it needs to agree to a whole new code of conduct. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps, Editing by Helen Popper; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org) Anne Mitchell and Joni Hauser were to marry in June at Oaklands Mills College. But unlike those getting married in the early months of the pandemic, the Berkeley couple and their event planner had several months to execute a Plan B. The only thing in common with their original wedding, pretty much, was the date. Their June 20 date was significant to the couple in a number of ways: They met in mid-June; they liked that it was near the solstice; it was during Pride month; and it was close to the anniversary of the landmark 2015 Supreme Court case Obergefell vs. Hodges that granted same-sex couples the right to wed in all 50 states. We wanted to show our respect and gratitude for those who came before and fought to make it possible for us, said Mitchell. Wedding planners say that most couples whose dream weddings have been ruined by the pandemic are choosing to reschedule. Many will get married on weekdays next year or in off-season months, since choice venues had their weekend dates already reserved. 2021 is fully booked, unless I want to take on more in a year than I usually do, said Stacy Wichelhaus, event planner and designer at They So Loved events in San Francisco. But for those who dont want to wait, Mitchell and Hausers nuptials give a glimpse of how weddings can look right now and, without a vaccine, may continue well into the foreseeable future. The recent San Francisco wedding at Sts. Peter and Paul Church that ignored restrictions and infected not only the wedding couple but numerous guests made headlines around the world and serves as a cautionary tale. Other couples are rising to the moment. Theyre hiring Zoom producers, getting food delivered to remote guests and adapting in ways that may linger even after the pandemic is past. The Mitchell-Hauser wedding was held during the day, in their own yard. Most guests watched it streamed live on Zoom, although 26 local friends and family attended a socially-distanced ceremony and reception. Judge Tara Flanagan, an Alameda County Superior Court judge, began her officiating by acknowledging the Ohlone and Chochenyo peoples on whose land they were standing. The brides wore matching blue flowered suits made by Wild Fang with masks sewn from the same fabric by an independent artist. At the luncheon, the couple sat at their own table with guests surrounding them, one household or pod per table, the meal packed in a picnic basket atop each one. Those getting special food or drinks from the bar were kept at least 10 feet away, using a transfer table to make all pickups contactless. We have to make sure everyone feels safe, both staff and guests, said Hugh Groman, chef/owner of Hugh Groman Catering, who agreed to pivot from the Mills College wedding to Plan B in the front yard. Tosca Productions Making everyone feel safe amid a pandemic means gloves and masks for staff, masks for guests and plenty of hand sanitizer stations. Customized masks are the new must-have wedding accessory. That years-old cupcake fad will continue. And most likely, no dancing. It could be safe if you danced only with your pod, but youd need a larger than usual dance floor, said Groman. And if you are serving alcohol, it would be hard to manage people. No matter what, we aint doing no hora. (The traditional Jewish wedding dance requires holding hands with whoever is next to you.) Hauser and Mitchell notified their neighbors, assuring them they were observing safety protocols, and in a pre-wedding email, the couple instructed guests to remain masked except when at their tables and asked that they disinfect the bathroom after use. DJ Airsun played music, facilitated the Zoom and emceed, often giving reminders about maintaining social distance. We know this is a lot of information, the couple wrote to their invitees. We are hoping that by letting you know this beforehand, we can all feel safe, relax and enjoy our time together. Jamie Chang, founder of Los Altos Lets I Do This intimate and virtual weddings, has joined with other vendors she works with to plan smaller-scale events. With rules in flux, Changs packages now include a totally remote wedding with flowers; cake and drinks for two shipped to the couples home and a virtual host and tech guru ensuring the festivities run smoothly; and a socially-distanced ceremony with a few people in person, followed by a reception live-streamed from home. Guests dance to the same music played by a DJ in their own living rooms, toasts are given and a caterer delivers the same meal to locals, while an edible snack is shipped to those out of town. Zoom breakout rooms are used to create tables, where guests can mingle in a smaller setting. Tosca Productions Jordi Miller and Sam Pollock did exactly that at their recent wedding. Visiting with our guests in the breakout rooms really did feel like going from table to table, Miller said. The Albany couples June 28 wedding was supposed to take place at Tilden Parks Brazilian Room in Berkeley, with a brunch for 150 following. First Millers bridal shower on April 4 turned into a Zoom shower, but the fact that she felt so well celebrated by more people than could have come in person made her feel OK about a Zoom wedding, too. 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 wedding itself took place in the courtyard of Oaklands Temple Beth Abraham, which the groom grew up attending, with 13 guests in person. Rather than the elaborate brunch buffet they had envisioned, guests got individually-wrapped bagel sandwiches from Berkeleys Boichik Bagels. While it was too late to cancel the personalized yarmulkes that had been ordered, a friend of the bride improved on the theme by sending masks for the in-person celebrants that she had embroidered with each guests name. Once I started getting that my big wedding wasnt happening, I began to think about how I can make this fun for people, said Miller. While some vendors were canceled, Miller and Pollock added Zoom producer Lindsey Sachs, who toggled between the people who were there and those who werent, said Miller. Wedding planners say that even after the pandemic ends, live-streamed weddings are here to stay. I think having a virtual aspect to your wedding will remain long after COVID. It provides an opportunity to invite more people, to share and celebrate with those who couldnt make it either for travel, health or conflict issues, Chang said. Its an additional way to connect with people, so while the in-person aspect will always be desired, having a hybrid wedding expands those opportunities. While these couples made peace with not having their dream weddings, ultimately, they came through the experience married and feeling celebrated by their friends and family. Getting engaged and choosing to spend your life with someone is something to be celebrated, no matter what, Chang said. Just because things are different doesnt mean these milestones should be missed. Alix Wall is an East Bay freelance writer. Email: Culture@sfchronicle.com Billionaire Justin Hemmes is dating much-younger model Madeline Holtznagel more than two years after confirming his split from designer, Kate Fowler. The property tycoon, who turned 48 on Wednesday, was spotted aboard his luxury jet Bombardier Challenger on Saturday, celebrating his birthday week with Madeline, 24, and several of their friends. When asked about his new romance with the youthful stunner, a coy Justin told The Daily Telegraph: 'We hang out a bit.' New romance: Billionaire Justin Hemmes, 48, (left) is in a new relationship with model Madeline Holtznagel, 24, (right) - more than two years after confirming his split from designer, Kate Fowler Despite his wealth and endless model companions, Justin told the publication that he 'doesn't think you need money to be happy.' 'For me, I think working hard, getting lots of exercise and keeping the mind active is what is most important,' he added. With her stunning features and her sizzling Instagram feed, it's no wonder Justin took a liking to Madeline - who is the younger sister of Australia's Next Top Model finalist Simone Holtznagel. Madeline was one of the four models who was permitted by pub baron Justin to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic at his $60million mansion in the exclusive Sydney suburb of Vaucluse. Loving life: The property tycoon, who turned 48 on Wednesday, was spotted aboard his luxury jet Bombardier Challenger on Saturday, celebrating his birthday week with Madeline, 24, and several of their friends True love! With her stunning features and her sizzling Instagram feed, it's no wonder Justin took a liking to Madeline - who is the younger sister of Australia's Next Top Model finalist Simone Holtznagel The businessman himself stayed in the country at another of his properties with his two young daughters, Alexa, 4, and three-year-old Saachi. He shares his two children with his ex-partner Kate Fowler, 29, who he announced he had split from in July 2018. Kate is the older sister of Victoria's Secret supermodel Georgia Fowler. Home: Madeline was one of the four models who was permitted by pub baron Justin to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic at his $60million mansion in the exclusive Sydney suburb of Vaucluse The Merivale boss told The Sydney Morning Herald at the time: 'Kate and I have the utmost love and respect for each other. 'At the beginning of 2018, Kate and I decided our friendship and respect for family life would become the focus of our relationship,' he continued. 'We love our children dearly and for now, continue to live together happily in our family home. 'Kate is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful woman. As for what the future holds, I am not sure.' In August 2018, it was claimed Justin was dating a then-single Australia's Next Top Model star Montana Cox. The brunette beauty denied the reports, telling The Sydney Morning Herald that they are 'just friends'. By PTI KOLKATA: The committee formed by the West Bengal government to study the New Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is of the view that certain features of it lacked clarity while several others may not be applicable to the entire country, almost each state of which has a different cultural heritage, a member of the panel said on Sunday. In a vast country like India, which has a diversified socio-economic condition, a common yardstick cannot be applied to all states especially at the primary and secondary levels of education and this has been enunciated in the report, the member said. "Certain features of the New Education Policy, such as redesigning of class 10 board exams and reforms in primary schools, lack clarity. In a country of 130 crore population, you cannot thrust a uniform education policy on all states, regardless of their linguistic heritage and customs," he told PTI. "What can be applicable to Manipur, what is relevant in Punjab, may not make sense in West Bengal or Tamil Nadu," he said. After the Union Cabinet approved the NEP late last month, state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee set up the six-member committee of academicians, saying that the state government will convey its opinion on the new policy to the Centre after the panel submits its report. The panel has submitted its around 100-page report to the higher education department on August 23 but the state is yet to communicate its view on the policy to the central government. The report incorporated observations of all members of the panel who include Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das, Indologist Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri and educationist Pabitra Sarkar, but only the education minister can reveal its contents, another member of the panel said. Education minister Chatterjee had earlier slammed the NEP, calling it a "copy of the system prevalent in western countries". According to NEP, students will have to undertake school examinations at pan India level in grades 3, 5 and 8, which will be conducted by an appropriate authority. Board exams for grades 10 and 12 will be redesigned. The policy has also advocated a "broad-based, multi- disciplinary, holistic undergraduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification". Police have arrested the owners of the Kerala-based finance firm against which over 200 cases have been filed by various depositors and investors alleging fraud of around Rs 2,000 crore, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday. Police had earlier issued a lookout notice against the board members, including managing partner Thomas Daniel Roy of 'Popular Finance'. "Police have arrested Thomas Daniel and his wife Prabha, also a partner, from Changanassery. A team headed by Dy SP K G Simon will probe the case. South zone IG Harshita Attaluri will oversee the probe," Vijayan told reporters. He also said the assistance of the Interpol will be sought as there are "suspicious transactions related to foreign countries." The police had yesterday taken into custody the two daughters of the owner-couple from New Delhi Airport from where they were allegedly trying to escape to Australia. Popular Finance, headquartered in Pathanamthitta district, has been engaged in the business of gold loans since 1965 and has 284 branches spread across five states. The matter came to light after all the branches of the firm were reportedly shut following uproar by customers who sought to withdraw their deposits from the company which has allegedly gone into losses. According to police, the company owes around Rs 2,000 crore to at least 1,500 depositors. Cases have been registered under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code including Sections 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). Meanwhile, many depositors and investors today staged a sit-inin front of various offices of the firm seeking towithdraw their deposits. Also read: Unlock 4.0: What is allowed and what is prohibited; all you need to know Also read: Reliance's Rs 24,713 crore deal with Future Retail includes Rs 12,000 crore debt Ottawa, Aug 30 : Activists in Montreal have toppled a statue of Canada's first Prime Minister, John A. MacDonald, who was linked to policies that killed many indigenous people in the late 19th Century, the media reported on Sunday. Video captured the moment the statue's head flew off and bounced on the pavement nearby, the BBC reported. Quebec Premier Francois Legault condemned the incident as "unacceptable". "Destroying parts of our history is not the solution," he said in a tweet on Saturday. "We must fight racism, but destroying parts of our history is not the solution. Vandalism has no place in our democracy and the statue must be restored," the premier added. Earlier on Saturday, a peaceful demonstration calling for defunding the police took place in central Montreal. A leaflet distributed at the protest described MacDonald as "a white supremacist who orchestrated the genocide of Indigenous peoples with the creation of the brutal residential schools system", according to Canadian broadcaster CBC. MacDonald was Prime Minister for 19 years in the 1860s-1890s and is remembered for his nation-building policies but he also created the residential schools system, said the BBC report. For more than a century, the system forcibly removed at least 150,000 indigenous children from their homes and sent them to state-funded boarding schools. Many children were abused and some died, and they were were forbidden from speaking their own language or practising their culture. A government report in 2015 called the practice "cultural genocide". He was also accused of allowing famine and disease to kill many indigenous people and his government forced some First Nation communities to leave their traditional territories, withholding food until they did so. Gerald Katz, 79, poses for a portrait at his home in Cherry Hill, NJ on August 27, 2020. Katz has been ordering his diabetic test strips through the mail for 10 years, but had to switch suppliers this summer after his strips were delivered one month late due to delays in the U.S. postal service. (Rachel Wisniewski / For The Inquirer) Read more Gerald Katz was getting more agitated by the day. For the past decade, the 78-year-old Cherry Hill resident had been ordering diabetic test strips by mail a week or two before he ran out and, like clockwork, a fresh box of supplies arrived within five days. But in June, Katz, who has type 2 diabetes, encountered a problem: His new box of test strips, which he needs to check that his blood sugar level is in a safe range, was nowhere to be found. He checked the packages tracking number online daily, but when it stalled at a sorting facility in South Jersey, Katz went to his local post office to see what was taking so long. I went to the post office and they said, Well, we cant find out. Katz had no choice but to buy test strips at a nearby pharmacy, and had to foot the bill himself because his insurer had already paid for the ones lost in the mail. Financial challenges and operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service have resulted in late and lost mail, concerns that mail-in ballots wont be counted in time, and, for some, delayed prescription medication deliveries. While plenty of people are still getting their packages as scheduled, others say they are waiting much longer for their prescriptions to arrive in the mail, even after the problems have drawn national attention and congressional hearings. The coronavirus pandemic drew a wave of new customers to mail-order pharmacies, which offered a convenient way to stock up on medications while adhering to new social distancing rules. Under many insurance plans, mail order is more economical and may even be required; for others, it has been a matter of personal choice. But now doctors worry that mail delays could jeopardize the health of patients who are counting on the Postal Service to get them essential medications. The most common types of prescriptions filled by mail order treat chronic health conditions, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart problems, and must be taken daily to be effective. When this first hit in March, a lot of people who had a choice [of mail-order prescriptions] said Im interested now, said Jacqueline W. Fincher, president of the American College of Physicians and a doctor in Georgia. Now the concern is: Are they actually going to get it? READ MORE: Senate Democrats investigating whether USPS changes held up prescription drug deliveries The three largest mail-order pharmacy services OptumRX, Express Scripts, and CVS all said they are not experiencing significant or widespread increases in customer complaints about prescription delays. OptumRx said it works with all major carriers to help ensure timely shipments of home delivery prescriptions and will continually monitor our shipments and make adjustments as needed. Express Scripts also said it is not experiencing any unusual delays in deliveries and is in contact with all national delivery carriers daily so we know if theres the potential for weather disruption or other issues and we adjust accordingly to ensure that patients receive their medications. Trey Hollern, a spokesperson for CVS Health, said the company is closely monitoring the situation. CVSs mail-order business primarily handles three-month supplies of medications for chronic health problems; these orders are mailed from a distribution center by ground or air. The pharmacy also allows customers to request delivery for orders placed with their local CVS store, which are sent through the local post office. READ MORE: The head of the USPS said he was suspending changes. But Philly mail delays arent getting better The Department of Veterans Affairs, which fills a majority of its prescriptions through the mail, has disputed reports of delays for veterans, and said deliveries typically arrive in three to five days, though in July delivery times averaged 2.86 days. Its just gone' Patients tell a different story. Stephen Johnson, 67, of Philadelphia, said the medications and supplies he relies on to manage his type 2 diabetes used to arrive within a couple days, but lately hes been waiting almost two weeks. The most frustrating part: The CVS pharmacy that mails one of his prescriptions is just a few blocks from Johnsons home, but he has mobility issues that prevent him from picking up the order in person. Johnson, who worked for the Postal Service for 25 years, said he is sympathetic to the challenges his former employer is facing. But this is medicine, he said. Its a red and white box that says Priority Mail. READ MORE: Changes to the Postal Service leave an Upper Darby mail carrier exhausted, yet eager to serve his residents According to the tracking number Karen Faulkner received for her prescription eye-drop order, the package bounced between sorting facilities and post offices in New York, Connecticut, and Philadelphia for 13 weeks before disappearing. Faulkner, 55, of Salford in northern Montgomery County, orders the eye drops from an online pharmacy in Canada, where they cost about $100, compared to the more than $300 she would pay in the U.S. The deliveries typically came within four weeks and during the early months of the pandemic were taking up to six weeks but none had ever gone missing. Faulkner waited and waited, and when she finally called the medical supplier, They said, Well, it looks like its just gone. The company agreed to resend the prescription, and in the meantime Faulkner scrounged up some samples from her eye doctor. I technically could go without them, but my eyes get extremely dry and itchy and irritated, she said. READ MORE: When medication prices are unaffordable, patients travel abroad for a better deal For others waiting on mail-order prescriptions, delivery delays are more than a minor irritation. Some of the most common drugs people have delivered by mail order are really important drugs they need to maintain their health and ensure the effectiveness of their treatment, said Juliette Cubanski, deputy director of the program on Medicare policy at Kaiser Family Foundation. Taking these medications daily is important to make sure they work effectively for patients and delays in mail delivery could impact their ability to adhere to their medication regimen. After Rakiya Venables 18-month-old son was recently diagnosed with asthma, the Philadelphia mother promptly ordered the medications and supplies her babys doctor prescribed. She chose mail delivery to protect her family from potential exposure to the coronavirus. But as the packages delivery date was pushed back again and again, Venable began to worry about whether it would come before she ran out of the samples from her sons doctor. Hed just been diagnosed. I was trying to keep him comfortable but also say hopefully he doesnt need [the new shipment of medication] because he only has a certain amount left, she said. The package eventually arrived about a week after tracking indicated it would but Venable wont be using mail order for her sons medications again. Any risk of exposure to the virus is outweighed by the risk of having to ration or go without potentially live-saving medicine, she said. Mail orders rising popularity Mail-order pharmacies have steadily grown in popularity over the past several years in part due to insurance plan designs that favor them over retail pharmacies. OptumRx, Express Scripts, and CVS are all part of insurance companies that can save money by keeping prescription processing in-house. People can still fill a prescription in person, but their plan may require them to pay more than if they ordered it through the mail. About 17% of seniors with a Medicare drug plan some 7.3 million people and another 6.6 million people covered by large employer health plans already used a mail-order pharmacy for at least one prescription as of 2018, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. READ MORE: The loss of employer-sponsored health insurance can be a serious concern for older people In the early weeks of the pandemic, mail-order use rose 20% compared to the same time last year, as people rushed to stock up on medications while avoiding unnecessary outings, according to a report by IQVIA, a health-care analytics and research company. Mail orders have since subsided and as of late July, mail-order fills were just slightly up from the same time last year. Nick Goede, 38, of Havertown, switched to mail delivery for prescription refills in March because of the COVID-19 lockdown. The new routine worked well for a few months, but by June, deliveries that used to arrive in a day or two were taking a week. On one occasion, the psychiatric medication refill Goedes wife was waiting for arrived the day she took the last pill she had. It was a close call that left Goede uncomfortable his wife could experience withdrawal symptoms if she missed doses. According to the tracking they go to the post office, then go to a sorting facility, then back to the post office, then sometimes back to the sorting facility, he said. The whole situation is just frustrating. READ MORE: Have you noticed problems with mail in your area? Tell us about it. He said he plans to keep mail delivery for less critical medications, but has resumed trips to the pharmacy to pick up more important prescriptions. After Junes test strip mishap, Katz decided to switch medical suppliers in early July. That meant getting a new monitoring device that would be compatible with the new suppliers test strips. Soon after making the change, the long-lost package of test strips now useless arrived. Inquirer reporter Harold Brubaker contributed. The Democratic and Republican national conventions in the US ahead of November's elections, while successful on both sides, appear unlikely to sway voters, but rather confirm pre-existing allegiances At the conclusion of the Democratic and Republican national conventions in the United States, both parties shared pretty dark visions on the other. The Democrats slammed Trumps leadership, in terms of handling the coronavirus pandemic and uniting the country, while Republicans depicted Biden as a trojan horse for socialism. At both conventions, the parties did a good job of strengthening their voter bases. President Trumps Republican Party emphasised a strong message of law and order, hailing law enforcement, despite waves of protests against racial injustice and police brutality spurred by the murder of George Floyd and the recent shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Many of these protests turned into violent riots over the last couple of weeks. Vice President Mike Pence underlined that, You wont be safe in Joe Bidens America," painting the election on 3 November as a choice between chaos or a state of law. Former Vice President Joe Biden said, I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It is time for us, for we the people, to come together. And make no mistake: United, we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America. Both parties suggested that the fate of America would be decided on Election Day. For the Democrats, a second term of Donald Trump means the end of democracy. For Republicans, Biden's genial manner is a foil to obscure the enactment of Bernie Sanders socialist agenda. These messages are intended to motivate voters. "But they also speak to the fraying of America's social fabric over the past six months, Matthew Continetti, resident fellow of the American Enterprise Institute and the author of The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine, told Ahram Online. The Democrats devoted a large portion of their national convention to highlighting Bidens personality traits and political career, showing how he helped a 13-year-old overcome a stuttering problem. Biden himself has suffered from stuttering, but managed to overcome it. However, Democrats did not devote much DNC coverage to Bidens plans if he is elected president. Biden has repeatedly promised that he will only raise taxes on Americans making over $400,000 a year, and that he will not raise taxes on the middle class. Instead, Democrats heavily criticised President Trumps policies and leadership on the Covid-19 pandemic, race issues, and foreign policy. Furthermore, Democrats seemed more united than ever in their national convention as the partys most prominent leaders fully stood behind Biden. It was clear last week that even Bidens ideological opponents such as Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, who are far-leftists stand with Biden even if they do not agree with many of his policies. On the other hand, the national convention of the Republicans featured many African American speakers, to counter the Democrat and the mainstream medias consistent labelling of Trump as a racist. Republicans are hopeful that they could get more African American votes than they did in 2016. These votes could be highly significant in various battleground states, such as Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. President Trump has repeatedly said that he has done more for African Americans than any other president besides Lincoln, who urged passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery. The Republicans had the advantage of going second, as the incumbent presidential party traditionally does, and they capitalised on it. After the Democrats confidently assumed that everyone thinks Trump is a racist and xenophobe, his convention spotlighted former Governor Nikki Haley, the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab, India, and Senator Tim Scott, whose family went from cotton farming to Congress in one lifetime, Michael Barone, senior political analyst at The Washington Examiner, told Ahram Online. At the end of the day, both parties are playing politics to undermine the other. The Democrats avoid subjects such as the violent riots. The Republicans avoid the coronavirus topic. The Democrats had little to say to the white voters without college degrees who swung the election to Trump four years ago. They did not discuss the surge in violent crime and general disorder in America's cities. And they did not dwell on the rise of China. The Republicans tried to cast as wide a net as possible, featuring speeches from people of all ethnicities. They also pinpointed messages to working-class people in the upper Midwest whose votes will be decisive, Continetti told Ahram Online. The most recent polls still suggest that Biden is leading. Biden has a sizable lead over Trump, and in most simulations of the electoral college outcome. The national conventions have not changed that. The conventions had a small audience compared with the traditional in-person conventions about 25 percent lower than in 2016. Thus, the immediate impact of the television coverage has been more limited in 2020 than in the past. Attitudes about the candidates are more fixed than usual. With fewer undecided voters likely, there was less chance that either candidate would net a significant advantage from the conventions, Steven Smith, professor of political science at Washington University, told Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Starting car cold weather winter storm Experts say it's not a good idea to warm up your car in winter. Here's why. A Little Common Sense About Private Property Commentary Its the denouement of the silly season, so I suppose we shouldnt be surprised that the commentariat is abuzz with silliness. I understand that competition for the title of the silliest entry is stiff. But I am inclined to give the palm to In Defense of Looting: A Riotous History of Uncivil Action, one of the most repellent effusions of malignant left-wing nonsense in recent memory. I suspect that its publication is also one of the most cynical gestures in recent memory. The book has been floating around in one form or another for a year or so in the tenebrous shadows where the bleatings of the lumpen intelligentsia circulate. But some enterprising genius at Hachette, recognizing that rebarbative anti-social political absurdity is enjoying a new fashionableness now decided to dust off the text and give it a new push. The fact that the author, Vicky Osterweil, was born as Willie imparted an extra frisson of politically correct excitement to the book. I wrote about this preposterous exercise in sweaty, adolescent neo-Marxist exhortation yesterday. I hesitated before doing so, frankly, because even to repeat Osterweils arguments (or, to be more accurate, contentions) is to grant them a legitimacy they dont deserve. In brief, Osterweil advocates violent lootingthe mass expropriation of property, mass shoplifting during a moment of upheaval or riotas a form of revolutionary emancipation. This declaration is one of those disarming moral thunderclaps that renders candid response nearly impossible. To argue against it would be to treat it far more seriously than it deserves. One doesnt, as Nietzsche said, refute a disease. But Osterweil makes one assertion that I think is worth repeating as an admonition. Its this: The right to property is innately, structurally white supremacist. Ergo, the author says, support for white supremacy involves a commitment to property and the commodity form. This is really just the old Marxist pabulum dressed up in a Ku Klux Klan gown. These days, you cannot go wrong by claiming that something, anything, is evidence of white supremacy, beginning with Frosty the Snowman. It has a twofold advantage. First, it effectively silences debate; most people wont risk being tarred (if I may use the word) with the brush of white supremacism. Second, it imbues the speaker with a gratifying though minatory nimbus of unearned virtue. Lust for Equality For centuries, political philosophers of a non-Marxist inclination have understood that the lust for equality, which is the motor of the attack on private property, is the enemy of freedom. That lust underwrote the tragedy of communist tyranny. The rise of political correctness has redistributed that animus over a new roster of issues: not the proletariat, but the environment; not the struggling masses, but reproductive freedom, gay rights, the third world, diversity training, and an end to racism and xenophobia. In Defense of Looting is a specimen case of the genre. At first, it looks, in Marxs famous mot, like history repeating itself as farce. But when we take on board what is happening in the streets of Portland, Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, and many other cities that are home to the activities of Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and similar enemies of law and order, we can see that it would be a rash man who made no provision for a reprise of tragedy. Marxists always object that they are fired by benevolence. They want to help the poor, the environment, the downtrodden. They want to rid the world of racism and other oppressions. This attitude of abstract benevolence is all but ubiquitous in modern Democratic societies. Although of relatively recent vintage, it has insinuated itself deeply into the tissues of the body politic. In 1794, James Madison acidly observed that I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents. How far we have come! The modern Welfare State has left Madison far behind. It represents the triumph of abstract benevolence. Its chief effects are to institutionalize dependence on the state, while also assuring the steady growth of the bureaucracy charged with managing government largess. Both help to explain why the Welfare State has proved so difficult to dismantle. Is there an alternative? Yes, and it isor at least it wasa well-known alternative: the philosophy of Thomas Malthus and his famous Essay on Population, first published in 1798. The key passage is that we are indebted for all the noblest exertions of human genius, for everything that distinguishes the civilized from the savage state, to the laws of property and marriage, and to the apparently narrow principle of self-interest which prompts each individual to exert himself in bettering his condition. As Malthus observes: The substitution of benevolence, as the master-spring and moving principle of society, instead of self-love, appears, at first sight, to be a consummation devoutly to be wished. But alas! That moment can never arrive. On the contrary, the exaltation of benevolence is a prescription for misery, for in suppressing self-interest one also suppresses the force through which mankind has achieved whatever moral and intellectual triumphs it can claim. Private property is indeed an impediment to universal benevolence, but universal benevolence is no more than a phantom. Abolish private property and the result would be not the extinction but the enhancement of selfishness: Were there no established administration of property, every man would be obliged to guard with force his little store. Selfishness would be triumphant. The subjects of contention would be perpetual. This is but common sense. But as the intemperate ravings of the trendy Osterweil remind us, common sense is a most uncommon virtue. Roger Kimball is the editor and publisher of The New Criterion and publisher of Encounter Books. His most recent book is The Fortunes of Permanence: Culture and Anarchy in an Age of Amnesia. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Spain's health minister, Salvador Illa, says that if current measures to stop coronavirus contagion are adhered to, there will be no need for other measures. "Nothing makes us think that we will have to return to a situation like that in March." In an interview with the newspaper La Vanguardia, Illa states that the situation with the pandemic is different to how it was in March and that "we must stabilise the curve and lower the contagion". "There is an increase in the number of cases. We have to control these cases, but they do not at present threaten the health system." He attributes the increase to mobility since the state of alarm ended and to the improvement in the early detection of cases. He stresses that "we cannot afford" an increase in pressure on the health system "If we assess the data as a whole, we see that more than half are asymptomatic, that the average age is much lower (around 40), that there are milder cases and that hospital pressure is around five per cent. Fortunately, the number of deaths is very different." The number of cases does, nevertheless, need to be stabilised. If it is not, "early response plans" agreed with regional governments in June will be activated. These allow for various scenarios and phases. On the return to school, Illa explains that the government has been working on the criteria "for a long time", with 2,000 million euros being invested in education in Spain's regions. He reminds parents not to allow their children to go to school if children show any symptoms. Regarding a vaccine, he states: "If I had to make a forecast, and based on the data I have at present, I would say that in December we could start vaccinating groups who need it the most." John Ratcliffe made the decision because the administration got tired of intelligence leaks, Trump says. US President Donald Trumps top intelligence official has informed Congress that his office will no longer give in-person election security briefings on Capitol Hill, a move that raised concern among legislators about the publics right to know about foreign interference in the upcoming presidential election. Trump said on Saturday that National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe made the decision because the administration got tired of intelligence about election security leaking from Congress. They leaked the information and whats even worse, they leaked the wrong information and we got tired of it, Trump told reporters while attending a briefing on Hurricane Laura in Orange, Texas. He did not offer details to support his statement. Senator Angus King, of the state of Maine, said the idea that the national intelligence directors office would stop briefing Congress on foreign threats to the US election is an outrage and that written updates were flatly insufficient. Americas election indeed, our foundation of democracy itself is under threat as we face weaponised disinformation from global foes around the planet, King, a member of the Senates intelligence committee, said in a lengthy statement. To stifle and limit the American peoples awareness of this fact cannot be explained or allowed. Ratcliffe, who oversees the nations intelligence agencies, sent formal notification letters Saturday to the Senate and House leadership and the chairmen and ranking members of both chambers intelligence committees. In the letter, Ratcliffe wrote: I believe this approach helps ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the information ODNI provides the Congress in support of your oversight responsibilities on elections security, foreign malign influence, and election interference is not misunderstood nor politicised. Betrayal of the public White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who was with Trump in Texas, said legislators will still be sent full written readouts. Meadows said Ratcliffe is going to make sure there are proper tools for their oversight. Earlier this month, the nations counterintelligence chief, William Evanina, issued a statement saying US intelligence officials believe Russia is using various methods to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and that people linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin are boosting Trumps reelection bid. US officials also believe China does not want Trump to win a second term and has accelerated its criticism of the White House, Evanina wrote. On Saturday, Democratic legislators criticised Ratcliffes decision. This intelligence belongs to the American people, not the agencies which are its custodian, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep Adam Schiff, the Democrat who chairs the Houses intelligence committee, said in a joint statement. The American people have both the right and the need to know that another nation, Russia, is trying to help decide who their president should be. Pelosi and Schiff called the decision a betrayal of the publics right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy. An official with the House intelligence committee said the decision was unexpected because Ratcliffes office earlier had reached out to schedule an in-person briefing to the committee on September 17. Shinhan Investment's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul / Korea Times file By Kim Bo-eun Shinhan Investment's prospects of joining the five major brokerages in becoming a mega investment bank have been clouded by its involvement in a scandal involving Lime Asset Management. Shinhan's brokerage unit not only distributed Lime's trade finance fund, but was also involved in designing the investment vehicle with Lime. Investors have been unable to redeem their investments based on Lime's mismanagement of funds. Lime has been disbanded after its executives were found to have been involved in multiple irregularities. The executives are currently on trial. The Financial Supervisory Service alleged that Shinhan Investment drew investors for the fund despite being aware at the time of the possibility that investors may not be able to retrieve their investments. Prosecutors have sought an eight-year prison term for a manager at the brokerage who headed its prime brokerage service division. Shinhan Investment has denied the allegations raised against its prime brokerage division. "We cannot accept the part of the FSS' dispute settlement document regarding the prime brokerage division," the brokerage said in a statement last week. If the court rules that Shinhan teamed up with Lime in covering up mismanagement of funds, as the FSS contends, it will likely pay a heavy price. The major distributors of Lime's trade finance fund, including Shinhan, have decided to adhere to the FSS' order to nullify contracts with investors of the funds and pay back their principal investments, considering the uproar from investors and to avoid an uncomfortable situation with financial authorities. Meanwhile, the three other distributors of the Lime fund Woori and Hana banks and the brokerage Mirae Asset Daewoo contend that they were unaware of the situation regarding the fund. They are preparing to receive compensation from Shinhan Investment , which they claim shares primary responsibility with Lime for the situation. Apart from having to compensate other distributors of Lime's funds, Shinhan Investment also faces FSS sanctions that will possibly bar the brokerage from being able to become a mega investment bank, as it had been planning. The FSS will hold a meeting reviewing sanctions for Shinhan Investment next month. In the case the authority decides to issue an institutional warning, order suspension of business activity, or revoke Shinhan's license, this will bar Shinhan Investment from receiving regulatory approval to become a mega investment bank for up to five years. This also applies in the case executives or employees of the firm receive warnings, are suspended from work or advised to be dismissed. Shinhan Financial Group in August last year issued 660 billion won in capital for Shinhan Investment, to help its brokerage unit raise its equity capital to 4 trillion won. Shinhan Investment also conducted an organizational overhaul in July last year to expand investment banking divisions. Brokerages need to meet the equity capital requirement of 4 trillion won to apply for a license from the Financial Services Commission to operate as a mega investment bank. Shinhan Investment had intended on applying for the license before the end of this year. Shinhan had hoped to become the sixth brokerage to become a mega investment bank. The existing five are Mirae Asset Daewoo, NH Investment & Securities, Korea Investment & Securities, Samsung Securities and KB Securities. Hana Financial Investment and Meritz Securities are also vying for the position. Prince Charles has issued a warning over the rise of populism in a veiled apparent reference to the election of Donald Trump and increasingly hostile attitudes towards refugees in Europe. The Prince of Wales said there were deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s, adding that evil religious persecution was taking place across the globe. The suffering doesnt end when they arrive seeking refuge in a foreign land," he said in the pre-recorded message for BBC Radio 4's Thought For The Day. We are now seeing the rise of many populist groups across the world that are increasingly aggressive to those who adhere to a minority faith. All of this has deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s," he said. My parents generation fought and died in a battle against intolerance, monstrous extremism and inhuman attempts to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe. Citing UN statistics, he added that a "staggering" 65.3 million people abandoned their homes in 2015 5.8 million more than the year before. The suffering doesnt end when they arrive seeking refuge in a foreign land," he said. "We are now seeing the rise of many populist groups across the world that are increasingly aggressive towards those who adhere to a minority faith." The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters He went on to urge listeners to remember this Christmas how the story of the Nativity unfolds with the fleeing of the holy family to escape violent persecution. While the prince did not make direct reference to Mr Trump, his address will be widely linked to the billionaire's rise to power. It came as the President-elect signalled he may be intent on pushing through a proposed Muslim 'registry'. Thank you Prince Charles for calling out the creeping trend of modern authoritarianism in which Trump and Putin are significant players," one Twitter user wrote. The heir to the throne's address also comes after an apparent surged in far-right and nationalist sentiment across Europe, which appeared to gather momentum in the wake of the UK's Brexit vote. Front National candidate Marine Le Pen is expected to reach a second-round run-off in next year's French presidential elections, while similar political parties have also seen an increase in support in countries including Germany, Austria and Netherlands. The speech was the third time Prince Charles has appeared on Thought for the Day. He first did so on the fiftieth anniversary of VE Day in 1995 and then again in January 2000 to mark the new millennium. An 18-year-old northern New Jersey resident will not have to pay a $2,500 bill to cover police overtime expenses after she organized a Black Lives Matter protest in her hometown. Mayor Mario Kranjac of Englewood Cliffs says the bill for police overtime that was sent to Emily Gil last month has been rescinded. Kranjac confirmed the action to the Associated Press on Saturday without additional comment. Gil, 18, received a letter earlier this month from the mayor seeking payment of $2,499.26 'for the police overtime caused by your protest,' NJ Advance Media was the first to report. A civil liberties advocate called the move 'shocking.' Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Mayor Mario M. Kranjac (left) says he has rescinded a $2,500 bill that was sent to Emily Gil (right), 18, earlier this month 'for the police overtime caused by your protest' Gil organized a Black Lives Matter rally (above) on July 25 that lasted 90-minutes. Days later, she was handed a bill from the mayor for $2,500 to cover 'police overtime' Gil, a recent high school graduate, had organized a protest (above) on July 25 in the town, just across the river from the uppermost parts of Manhattan Kranjac said in another letter that he rescinded the bill after reviewing the local ordinance he had cited earlier, WLNY-TV reported. 'I was told that all private events requiring police overtime should be paid for by the organizers. It was never intended as a fine, but rather as a fee,' Kranjac said, the station reported. Gil, a recent high school graduate, had organized a protest on July 25 in the town, just across the river from the uppermost parts of Manhattan. She said she called for action like increasing affordable housing in the town, and chastised Engelwood Cliffs for not implementing it over the years. The town's letter said she had not met with officials before her protest, requiring them to hastily come up with security plans. Gil said she didn't meet with them in person over coronavirus concerns, but made an offer to meet via Zoom, which wasn't accepted, and then officials stopped responding to her. She said she had reached out to the mayor after receiving the bill but had received no response. Gil said she called for action like increasing affordable housing in the town, and chastised Engelwood Cliffs for not implementing it over the years Gill says the protest was small and peaceful, with 30 to 40 people attending Protesters attend the July 25 rally outside of the Englewood Cliffs police department The rally mixed Black Lives Matter messages with demands for more affordable housing City officials said that organizers did not give them enough notice to prepare for the rally Kranjac earlier told NJ Advance Media that protesters' rights of free speech and assembly were respected, and that Gil was wrong to link affordable housing to her protest. 'As with any privately-sponsored event that takes place in the borough requiring police safety, an invoice was sent to the organizer for police overtime since it would be unfair to require our residents to financially support a private event,' he said. Four Democratic members of the towns Council said in a statement that they would seek to cancel the bill and called on the Republican mayor to apologize to the teenager. Jeanne LoCicero, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, told The Associated Press, 'the idea of sending a bill to protesters is shocking.' She said while it's been attempted before, she hadn't heard of any other town trying something similar over the protests of recent months. There have been 42 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 according to the latest figures reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. There have been no new virus-related deaths recorded, leaving the total number of lives lost to the coronavirus in Ireland at 1,777. The latest cases include 15 associated with outbreaks or close contacts of a confirmed case while six cases were identified as being from community transmission. There were 24 in Dublin, six in Limerick, and the remaining 12 located in Carlow, Clare, Galway, Kildare, Longford, Offaly, and Sligo. There is now a total of 28,760 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. Read More Of the cases notified from midnight of Saturday, August 29th, 20 are men and 22 are women with 71% under 45 years of age. As children across Ireland return to school, the President of the Irish College of General Practitioners reassured parents, the evidence shows schools are a low-risk environment for COVID transmission. Expand Close Dr Mary Favier of the Irish College of General Practitioners / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Mary Favier of the Irish College of General Practitioners Speaking on RTE's Brendan O'Connor programme, Dr Mary Favier urged parents to be be vigilant for symptoms, but evidence shows that children are more likely to contract COVID at home, rather than at school. "The reality is that children have been getting COVID across the summer, very few of them in Ireland, but they have, and the evidence is that schools are a relatively low-risk environment," she said. "The evidence, while it's limited because there haven't been many kids going to schools over the summer internationally, is that its children that bring COVID into schools rather than get it at school. Dr Favier said children with runny noses who are otherwise well can go to school, but if they have additional symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath, they could need testing and should stay home from school. She said where a child is indicated for testing, as well as their immediate family members, must restrict their movements for 48 hours. The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has admonished Ghanaians not to use nose masks as chin guards as this will not help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Ms Josephine Nkrumah, Chairperson of the Commission, said gradually many people had wrongfully redefined the usage of the nose masks and that while some used it as chin shield others put it in their pockets and only used it when confronted by security personnel, adding; this is a dangerous phenomenon. Ms Nkrumah said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after leading Commission members to educate the public on the preventive measures of the disease on some principal streets of Accra. The NCCE Street Campaign messages include: "Wear your face mask," "It is a face mask, not a chin mask," "Face mask is for the face not the pocket," "Arrest the spread, comply with COVID-19 protocols," and "The future of Ghana is in my hands, I dont shake hands." She said since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Commission had periodically reviewed its educational and sensitisation campaign aimed at leaving no one behind. Our civic educators have entered shrines, churches, mosques, markets, travelled to hard-to-reach communities and other places with the message on adherence to the COVID-19 preventive protocols, Ms Nkrumah said. We are now hitting the streets to educate pedestrians, street hawkers, and patrons of commercial and private vehicles to understand the need to observe all the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health Services preventive protocols. She said the adoption of the street campaign was part of a strategic move to ensure that all Ghanaians were well informed about the COVID-19 preventive measures. Let us come together to work, educate and caution all to stay safe from COVID-19. It is a collective responsibility, which would lead to the eventual stoppage of the pandemic". Ms Nkrumah said the NCCE had been able to achieve remarkable successes in the COVID-19 campaign because of the support from government. She said governments support of GH2.5 million through the Office of the Chief of Staff, and the 50 Suzuki vehicles from the National Security Council had contributed immensely towards stemming the spread of the disease through public education. We allocated these vehicles to the hotspots that had been identified by the Ghana Health Service. This helped us a lot in our education and awareness creation on the pandemic," she said. Ms Nkrumah said the National COVID-19 Trust Fund also supported the Commission with logistics and tools, including vehicles, public address systems, computers and some funds for maintenance purposes. She commended the Church of Pentecost for also supporting the Commission with operational vehicles. Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, NCCE Deputy Chairman, said the Commission wished to deepen awareness because in terms of visibility it had a challenge and the street campaign was, therefore, one activity expected to lower the kind of complacency some people were exhibiting. We need some level of enforcement to serve as deterrent to those who think that the disease does not exist. And with the drop in our active cases, we need to learn lessons from other countries who really thought they had won the battle against the disease only to have a second wave. We do not want to encounter that in Ghana, he said. Mr Akuamoah said: COVID-19 is real, it come to my office, I encountered it in my office, I went into self-isolation and so nobody should be complacent, we should all observe the preventive protocols. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe At least one person was killed and five others wounded in a drive-by shooting while they were dining under an outdoor tent at a restaurant in the Morgan Park section of Chicago on Sunday. There are reportedly several casualties following the shooting at Lumes Pancake House in the 11600 block of Western Avenue. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, Fox32 reports. The other five were rushed to a nearby hospital. Three adults were listed in critical condition at Christ Hospital, WGN-TV reported. Two other adults were listed in good and fair condition at Little Company of Mary. The Chicago Police Department says its detective are on the scene investigating. The CPD is urging anyone with information to submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com. Emergency vehicles are seen near Lumes Pancake House in the Morgan Park section of Chicago on Sunday, where at least one person was fatally shot and five others were wounded Multiple people have been shot during an incident at a restaurant in Illinois on Sunday Earlier on Sunday, two police officers were shot in a struggle with a suspect during a traffic stop in Chicago, prompting a third officer to return fire, injuring the suspect. The two officers spotted a gun in the suspects vehicle during the traffic stop in Garfield Park, Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown said during a news conference. When the suspect refused to get out of the car, the officers shattered the vehicles window. A struggle ensued and both officers were shot, Brown said. A third officer arrived during the struggle and shot the suspect. The wounded officers were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital. 'The quick response and thinking of their supervisors, their sergeant, likely saved precious time for their treatment,' Brown said. 'That really is important when you have bleeding, gunshot wounds. That time is critical to get the treatment started.' One officer was shot twice and is in serious but stable condition, Dr. Hayden Hollister said. That officer was expected to have surgery Sunday morning. Police said in a statement that the officer was shot in the chest. The other officer was shot once in the arm and was in good condition. The suspect was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in an ambulance. His condition was listed as stable, news outlets reported. The names of the officers and the suspect were not immediately released. Brown said the officers are in their early 20s and are a part of the 'summer mobile citywide team recently formed to address violent crime.' Brown also said the officers were wearing body cameras. The footage would be reviewed and more information released when it becomes available, Brown said. The officers involved will be placed on administrative duties for a month, which is routine. The incident, including officers use of force, will be investigated by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, according to the police department. Kolkata: Questioning the restrictions imposed on cash withdrawal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said the government cannot simply snatch away economic rights of the people. Modi Babu, public are not beggars. Why are there still restrictions on cash withdrawal?, Banerjee asked in a statement. 50 days are now over. How can you take away the rights of citizens to withdraw their own hard-earned money? A government just cannot snatch away peoples economic rights, she said. The Reserve Bank of India said last night that cash withdrawal limit from ATMs would be increased to Rs 4,500 per day from the current Rs 2,500 from January 1. There has been no change in the weekly withdrawal limit, which stands at Rs 24,000, including from ATM, for individuals and Rs 50,000 for small traders. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation in his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat at 11 am on Sunday. Wishing the nation on occasion of Onam, the prime minister said that people are celebrating the pious festival with a sense of discipline amid the coronavirus pandemic. He also hailed the country's farmers in his address saying that they have proved their mettle even during teh coronavirus pandemic. Making an appeal to start-ups to come together to work towards increasing India's share in the global toy industry, PM Modi stressed on the need for a self-reliant India. Here are the highlights from today's Mann Ki Baat by Prime Minister Modi: 12.00 pm: PM Modi Mann ki Baat Talking about the importance of teachers, PM Modi said, "In a few days from now on Sept 5th, we will celebrate Teachers Day. Whenever we think of successes we have had during the course of our lifetime, we are almost always reminded of one teacher or the other. I'm happy that our teachers". 11.55 am: PM Modi on social distancing Safeguarding our health by observing 'Do Gaj KiDoori, Mask Zaroori', following social distancing norms & ensuring to wear masks will help us defeat corona. I urge you to follow these guidelines. I pray for your good health: PM Modi on MannKiBaat. 11.49 am: "There are many business apps and also gaming apps such as Is Equal To, Books & Expense, Zoho Workplace and FTC Talent. Search about them on the Net and you will find a lot of information about these apps, says PM Modi. 11.45 am: PM Modi on KutukiKids Learning app PM Modi said that under Atma Nirbhar Bharat app innovation challenge, an application called the KutukiKids Learning app is an interactive one for children. He added that children can easily learn many aspects of maths, science through stories and songs via this app. He further stated that there is also an app for the microblogging platform, and its called KOO, where "we can place our opinion and interact in our mother tongue via audio, text or video". Under #AatmaNirbharBharat App innovation challenge, there is an app- KutukiKids Learning app. This is an interactive app for children in which they can easily learn many aspects of maths, science through songs and stories: PM Modi on #MannKiBaat https://t.co/zhv6qoNklh pic.twitter.com/mza8ceVMsO ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 11.37 am: PM Modi urges entrepreneurs to 'team up for toys' Making an appeal to start-ups to come together to work towards increasing India's share in the global toy industry, PM Modi stressed on the need for a self-reliant India. 11.32 am: Toys bring out creativity in children: PM Modi Addressing the nation, PM Modi said that toys not only entertain a child's mind but brings out his/her creativity as well. Acknowledging the importance of toys in the lives of Indians, he said that they give flight to our aspirations. 11.27 am: India has the ability to become toy hub, says PM Modi Some parts of the country are developing as toy clusters, such as Channapatna in Ramnagaram (Karnataka), Kondaplli in Krishna (Andhra Pradesh), Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, Dhubri in Assam, Varanasi in UP etc. Our country has a rich tradition of local toys, there are many skilled artisans who possess expertise in making good toys: PM Modi. 11.23 am: PM Modi stresses on nutrition Addressing the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that September should be observed as a 'nutrition month' adding that the correct amount of nutrition received during childhood helps in ensuring a child's proper physical and mental development as well as health. 11.17 am: PM Modi lauds farmers Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the country's farmers in his address saying that they have proved their mettle even during teh coronavirus pandemic. 11.13 am: PM Modi urges nation to go local I urge our start-up to 'Team up for Toys', this matches our call for Vocal for Local. I urge our young brothers to make games in India and also on India, says PM Modi. 11:07 is: PM Modi address to nation Onam is being celerated with gaiety and fervour. This festival arrives in teh month of Chingam. During this period, people buy something new, decorate there homes, prepare Pookalam, enjoy Onam-Saadiya. Variety of games and competitions also held. 11.05 am: PM Modi 'Mann Ki Baat' This is a time for festivals but at teh same time, there is also a sense of discipline among people due to teh coronavirus situation, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 'Mann ki Baat' Spain struggles to put in place basic income scheme People queue for supplies from a food bank in Madrid on May 16, 2020. In late May, Spain rushed to launch a minimum basic income scheme due to the pandemic which has hit the country hard and devastated the economy Three months after Spain rushed to launch a minimum basic income scheme to fight a spike in poverty due to the coronavirus pandemic, the programme is at a dead-end because of an avalanche of applications. The measure was a pledge made by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's leftwing coalition government, which took office in January, bringing together his Socialist party with far-left Podemos as the junior partner. The scheme -- approved in late May -- aims to guarantee an income of 462 euros ($546) per month for an adult living alone, while for families, there would be an additional 139 euros per person, whether adult or child, up to a monthly maximum of 1,015 euros per home. It is expected to cost state coffers three billion euros ($3.5 billion) a year. The government decided to bring forward the launch of the programme because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has hit Spain hard and devastated its economy, causing queues at food banks to swell. Of the 750,000 applications which were filed since June 15 when the government started accepting requests, 143,000 -- or 19 percent -- have been analysed and 80,000 were approved, according to a social security statement issued on August 20. - 'Months of waiting' - But Spain main civil servant's union, CSIF, paints a darker picture. "Nearly 99 percent of requests have not been processed," a union spokesman, Jose Manuel Molina, told AFP. The social security ministry has only really analysed 6,000 applications while 74,000 households that already receive financial aid were awarded the basic income automatically, he added. For hundreds of thousands of other households, the wait is stressful. Marta Sanchez, a 42-year-old mother of two from the southern city of Seville, said she applied for the scheme on June 26 but has heard nothing since. "That is two months of waiting already, when in theory this was a measure that was taken so no one ends up in the streets," she added. Story continues Sanchez lost her call centre job during Spain's virus lockdown while her husband lost his job as a driver. The couple has had to turn to the Red Cross for the first time for food. "Thank God my mother and sister pay our water and electricity bills," she said, adding their landlord, a relative, has turned a blind eye to the unpaid rent. - 'Rushed everything' - A spokeswoman for the ministry acknowledged that the rhythm "was perhaps a bit slower than expected" but she said the government was working to "automate many procedures" so processing times should become faster from now on. "The launch of a benefit is always difficult ... and this situation is not an exception," she added. But Molina said this was a new situation, that was made worse by years of budget cuts to the public service which has lost 25 percent of its staff over the past decade. "The problem is that they rushed everything, did it without training and a huge lack of staff," he added. The social security branch charged with the basic income scheme has only 1,500 civil servants, who also process most pension applications, Molina said. These officials are facing an "avalanche" of requests, which already match the number of pension requests received in an entire year, he added. About 500 temporary workers have been recruited as reinforcements but their assistance is limited because they do not have the status of civil servant, so they cannot officially approve requests for financial aid. Demand is expected to increase. The government has said the measure was expected to benefit some 850,000 homes, affecting a total of 2.3 million people -- 30 percent of whom were minors. When the scheme was launched the government said all it would take is a simple online form, but this is a problem for many low-income families without computers and internet access, especially since the waiting time for an in-person meeting to apply is about two months, according to the CSIF union. emi/ds/mg/cdw Firefighters in Cork have brought a "large commercial fire" on the southside of the city under control. It broke out at Togher Industrial Estate near the Kinsale Road Roundabout at around 3pm this afternoon. Deportations have plummeted to their lowest level on record, putting Priti Patel under renewed pressure to toughen up the immigration laws. Figures show that the number of illegal immigrants, visa overstayers and foreign criminals leaving the UK fell by an astonishing 34 per cent last year. The figures were quietly released last week and could fall even further after it emerged Home Office lawyers are discreetly dropping challenges to dozens of asylum and immigration cases before they are even heard by judges. There are now fresh calls for the Home Secretary to clamp down on the record number of migrants making the treacherous trip across the Channel. Sir John Hayes, chairman of the new Common Sense Group of Tory parliamentarians, said last night Ms Patel was trying to do the right thing, but added: She needs the support of Parliament to deliver on what the public expect a radical change of the law on asylum and immigration. Figures show that the number of illegal immigrants, visa overstayers and foreign criminals leaving the UK fell by an astonishing 34 per cent last year. Pictured, a group of people thought to be migrants being brought into Dover on August 27 People are sick and tired of our borders which we voted to take back control of being seen to be porous. Sir John said Britain must continue to offer asylum to those fleeing war, but that many migrants were being exploited by criminal gangs to reach Britain. He added that legislation was needed to tackle the problem of migrants being encouraged by lawyers to game the system and keep launching legal attempts to avoid deportation even if their asylum claims failed. Official figures show there were just 5,304 enforced returns of foreign nationals in the 12 months to June and 8,088 voluntary returns. There are now fresh calls for the Home Secretary Priti Patel to clamp down on the record number of migrants One in five of all those kicked out of the country was Romanian, followed by Albanians (13 per cent), Brazilians (10 per cent), Poles (9 per cent) and Lithuanians (5 per cent). The Home Office admitted that the number of enforced returns was the lowest number since records began in 2004, but claimed the fall was mainly down to the Covid-19 pandemic. Between April and June 2010, when the Coalition came to power, 3,739 people were subject to enforced returns. In the same period this year, as lockdown came into effect, the figure was just 366. A year earlier, it stood at 1,849 still less than half of the 2010 figure. A new report also shows how the Home Office is challenging fewer immigration cases, leading to more people being granted leave to remain. At the start of June, the Home Office withdrew challenges to decisions in 33 out of 181 cases. Last week, the department became embroiled in a row over a Dads Army-style video it had promoted, using the phrase activist lawyers when talking about legal efforts to halt the removal of migrants. Ms Patel was said to be furious after legal challenges forced the Home Office to abandon a charter flight to Spain carrying 23 migrants who had reached Britain by boat. Their lawyers successfully argued that they were risks to themselves or others in detention, so the plane never took off. Ms Patel in Dover on August 10. She has admitted the system is broken and has privately told Tory MPs she is devising ways to prevent migrants claiming asylum in the UK that will send the Left into meltdown Alp Mehmet, vice-chairman of pressure group Migration Watch UK, said: This is not something that has happened just because of coronavirus. The Home Office has been doing less and less to return people over the years, and even when they have jumped through hoops to return a small number, their efforts have been thwarted in the courts. Ms Patel has admitted the system is broken and has privately told Tory MPs she is devising ways to prevent migrants claiming asylum in the UK that will send the Left into meltdown. The Home Office said: We are committed to removing dangerous foreign national offenders and those with no right to be in the UK and who do not comply with our immigration laws. Days after Hurricane Laura slammed into Louisiana, hundreds of thousands of people remained without electricity Saturday, with the situation especially dire in Lake Charles, a city near the coastline where nearly all 80,000 residents have been without power for days and many have no water. President Donald Trump arrived Saturday in the troubled city, where residents were beginning to pick up the pieces after the hurricane that made landfall Thursday as a Category 4 storm. Trump walked along streets where downed power lines were strung along the ground and several large trees had crushed roofs. He briefly chatted with a group of men who were using chain saws to cut and remove one large tree that had fallen across a road. "We have water in some locations, but it's a trickle," Mayor Nic Hunter said in a telephone interview, describing an overwhelmed water system that has frustrated residents and public officials alike. More than an inconvenience, though, the electrical outages have been deadly, as several people who turned to generators to power refrigerators, lights and air conditioners have been overcome with fumes. At least seven people have been killed by carbon monoxide from generators, including four members of a family found dead in a home in Lake Charles. A fifth member of that family was taken to a hospital. Their generator was located in a garage and the deadly gas was able to seep into the house through a garage door that was left open, the mayor said. Another man in the Calcasieu Parish died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator, as did an 84-year-old man and an 80-year-old woman in the same home in Allen Parish, said health officials, who warned people never to place generators in homes or in closed garages. The city's largest hospital, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Health System, whose phone lines were down, had to evacuate patients to other hospitals and was operating only its emergency room. The hospital said on its website that pregnant mothers should leave the area because the hospital was not providing obstetric services except in emergencies. The power failure in Lake Charles could continue for weeks, the mayor said, and people have been racing to buy more gasoline to provide power to their homes. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "This is just way, way worse than Rita," said Brett Geymann, 58, a former state lawmaker who lives in Moss Bluff, a suburb of Lake Charles, referring to the powerful hurricane that struck the area in 2005. He has been running a generator to operate his family's refrigerator. "There is just destruction everywhere." In addition to the deaths tied to generators, five other people have died in Louisiana, four from falling trees and one person who drowned. In Texas, at least three deaths have been tied to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. Geymann said residents were increasingly worried about the lack of water as they contemplated not having flushable toilets or being able to wash their hands in a sink, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. "Getting to meet them, and hear their stories, is just something super special. I know from speaking with other people that they enjoyed our presence just as much as we enjoyed theirs, and they inspire us to be better." Cadet Second Lieutenant Alexis Nyce. An attempt by far-right demonstrators to storm Germany's Reichstag following a protest against the country's Covid-19 restrictions has been condemned by senior officials. Hundreds of protesters breached a security barrier and raced up the steps outside Berlin's parliament building late on Saturday before being stopped and dispersed by police. Some of those involved had held the flag of former imperial Germany, which is used by the Reichsburger far-right group. Germany's president Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the use of Reich flags and right-wing provocations was 'an unbearable attack on the heart of our democracy.' 'We will never accept this.' he said. Protesters at the Reichstag building in Berlin as demonstrators tried to storm in at the end of a rally against restrictions related to the new coronavirus pandemic Protesters stand in front of German riot police who stand guard at the Reichstag in Berlin Mr Steinmeier said people had the right to express their anger about the coronavirus restrictions and to question them publicly, including with demonstrations. 'My sympathy ends where protesters allow themselves to be used by enemies of democracy and political agitators,' he added. Police used pepper spray to drive back the protesters, who earlier in the day had participated in a large rally through the capital. About 300 people were arrested in front of the Reichstag and following an incident at the Russian embassy, police said. Germany's president Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the use of Reich flags and right-wing provocations was 'an unbearable attack on the heart of our democracy' Police used pepper spray to drive back the protesters, who earlier in the day had participated in a large rally through the capital. Pictured: The earlier demonstration Interior Minister Horst Seehofer added: 'The Reichstag is the domain of our parliament and the symbolic centre of our democracy. 'It is unbearable that troublemakers and extremists misuse it for their own purposes.' Berlin's top security official, Andreas Geisel, praised three officers who had stood alone against the protesters outside the Reichstag until reinforcements arrived. But opposition parties criticised the police's failure to station sufficient officers around parliament despite public warnings from far-right extremists that they planned to try to enter the building. Robert Habeck, the co-leader of Germany's Green party, called for a thorough investigation into the incident. About 300 people were arrested in front of the Reichstag and following an incident at the Russian embassy, police said. Pictured: Police at the parliament building The earlier demonstration, called by the Querdenken 711 movement, had seen around 38,000 people turn out to protest against the nation's lockdown measures 'The fact that Nazis with imperial war flags try to storm the Bundestag recalls the darkest period in German history,' he said. 'An incident like on Saturday evening must not be allowed to happen again. 'I expect interior minister Horst Seehofer to decisively combat right-wing extremism at all levels.' The earlier demonstration, called by the Querdenken 711 movement, had seen around 38,000 people turn out to protest against the nation's lockdown measures. The group believes the preventative regulations infringe on the rights and freedoms set out in Germany's constitution, the BBC reported. The protest was initially banned but later allowed to go ahead on the condition those taking part adhered to coronavirus measures including social distancing and wearing masks. Germany, which has seen 9,297 deaths due to coronavirus, relaxed lockdown measures in April. Citizens do, however, face a minimum 45 fine if they are seen not wearing a face mask. People are required to wear masks on public transport, in shops and in some public buildings such as libraries and schools. Despite the protest, opinion polls show overwhelming support for the Covid-19 measures imposed by the German government. An official said this development is not linked to simultaneous polls, as the latter refers to holding Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together in the Indian context New Delhi: The government is discussing the possibility of having a common electoral roll for Lok Sabha, assembly and local body elections to avoid discrepancies and bring uniformity in the voters list, officials said on Saturday. At present, the Election Commission prepares the electoral roll or voter list for Lok Sabha and assembly polls. The state election commissions, which are altogether separate bodies as per constitutional provisions, hold elections for local bodies such as municipalities and panchayats in their respective states based on their own voter lists. Several state election commissions use the draft voter list of the EC to formulate their own rolls. The draft EC roll is often divided into wards for local body elections. Now, the Centre is exploring the possibility of having a single voter list for Lok Sabha, assembly and local body polls as this can help bring in uniformity and also save costs involved in an entire exercise getting repeated for making separate voter lists, officials said. There are provisions in the Constitution that empower states to formulate their own laws to hold panchayat and municipal polls. States also have powers to either have their own voter lists or to adopt the one prepared by the EC for assembly polls. "The government is discussing whether there can be a single electoral roll for these three types of elections. Now, states have to be persuaded to adopt the central electoral roll ( the one prepared by EC)," explained a senior functionary. According to another functionary, it is "desirable" to have one common electoral roll as at present an entire exercise gets repeated for the same purpose. "Money is also spent for the same exercise twice. One roll can be good for voters also and there would be no discrepancy in local body and assembly voter lists," he said. Often discrepancies have been noticed when names of voters are missing in one of the lists. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister's Office organised a meeting on the issue where top officials of the Law Ministry and the EC gave their views on the present status and the future possibilities. Asked whether the proposed single electoral roll was linked to the idea of holding simultaneous elections, a government official said the two are not linked as simultaneous polls typically refer to holding Lok Sabha and assembly polls together in the Indian context. The Election Commission, the Law Commission and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Personnel Ministries have supported the idea of a single voter list in the past also In a letter written to the government in November 1999, the Election Commission had said that separate rolls prepared by the EC and State ECs "not only create confusion among the electors because their names may be present in one roll but absent in the other, or vice versa, but also result in duplication of effort and expenditure." In its report on Demands for Grants (2016-17) of the Law Ministry, the standing committee had also pointed out that ?as of now, the EC and State Election Commissions have separate electoral rolls. "They carry out registration of voters and updation of electoral rolls separately. The numbers of voters in their electoral rolls usually vary," it had said. An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of police lost his life and three terrorists were killed by security forces in an encounter that broke out at Pantha Chowk in Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar on Saturday night. The encounter ensued after terrorists fired upon a checkpoint manned by Police and CRPF at Pantha Chowk, a police official said. The joint parties of the forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation there. During the search, terrorists fired upon search parties again, who retaliated, leading to an encounter, said the official. The operation is underway and more details are awaited. Donald Trump is trying to set up a meeting with Jacob Blake's family during his visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday after the shooting victim's father said the president should have called earlier this week and mother says she missed his call. The president's daughter-in-law Lara Trump revealed to Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace that Trump has reached out to Blake's family and wants to meet with them this week. 'He's reached to the Blake family. I don't know if they were able to connect yet. And I don't know for sure if that's on the agenda,' Trump said during her interview Sunday morning. 'I'm sure, given the opportunity, he'll be more than happy to do that. But I haven't gotten that information just yet.' The White House announced Saturday that Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday following days of protests in the city after another police shooting of a black man. Trump is already scheduled to meet with 'law enforcement and survey damage from recent riots', White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters aboard Air Force One Saturday. He did not say at the time if the president will meet the family of Blake, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot multiple times in the back by police officers. Ben Crump, Blake's attorney who also represents George Floyd's family, said the Blakes have not yet made any contact with the president. 'The Blake family has not been contacted at this time. Blake family is very respectful of all our elected officials, and as his mother says, she prays for all of our elected officials,' Crump told CBS News' 'Face the Nation' on Sunday. He added: 'So, we will see.' 'They're focused on trying to march for their son because he'll never be able to stand up for himself unless a miracle happens,' Crump said. Lara Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law and adviser, said Sunday that the president has reached out to Jacob Blake's family to set up a meeting as he visits Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday Blake's mother, Julia Jackson (left), said earlier this week that she missed a call from the president. She also said she does not blame President Trump for the unrest and said she 'has the utmost respect' for him Lara Trump said of the upcoming trip: 'Well, I think the message is that he cares about each and every American. And, you know, this is a situation where you've seen, sadly, that throughout this country, in Democrat-run cities, there the people that are in charge, the mayors of these cities have let their citizens down. They have not upheld the laws. They have not protected their citizens. They have not protected small businesses.' She claimed Trump's intention in the trip is to make known that 'he cares about every single American in this country.' 'I think all these mayors, the Democratic mayors that are playing politics instead of looking out for the safety of their citizens should look to this and say, hey, the president has offered all of us this opportunity and they should take it,' she said of mobilizing the National Guard to settle the situation. Blake's mother told CNN Thursday that they did not support the violent riots that have overtaken Kenosha, and other parts of the country, since their son was shot following a tussle with police. 'To use my child or any other mother or fathers' child our tragedy to react in that manner is just not acceptable and it's not helping Jacob,' Blake's mother, Julia Jackson, said. 'For President Trump, I'm sorry I missed your call,' she continued in her interview with Don Lemon on Thursday. 'I'm not mad at you, at all. I have the utmost respect for you as the leader of our country. Like I said before, and I'm not saying this to him directly, we should always get the details from the right source before we start throwing bricks.' Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is also set to travel to an undisclosed location on Monday to 'condemn violence, and to note that chaos has unfolded' on Trump's watch, the New York Times reported. While details of Biden's travel plans are not yet known, some have speculated that he could be headed to Kenosha as well. Blake's father, who is also named Jacob Blake, had a different opinion than the victim's mother, suggested it was too late for Trump to asked for a meeting with him after this son was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer and has been left paralyzed from the waist down it is still unclear if the paralysis is permanent. The White House announced Saturday that Trump visit Wisconsin on Tuesday to 'meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent riots' in the fallout from Blake's shooting in Kenosha Following an hourlong conversation earlier this week with Biden and running mate Kamala Harris, Blake Sr. said it was like 'speaking to my uncle and one of my sisters.' 'They were so comforting that you almost forgot how the situation was really playing out,' Blake Sr. told CNN Friday. 'It was like I was speaking to my uncle and one of my sisters literally, literally.' When asked by CNN in a separate interview Friday if he wanted to hear from Trump, Blake Sr. said, 'It is too late. He should have called four days ago.' When asked if Trump had tried to reach out, Blake had replied: 'That's a negative.' The visit is certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence. Lara Trump, who is married to the president's son Eric, said that the riots have likely changed some voters' minds. She was responding to Kellyanne Conway's remarks that 'the more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is' for her father-in-law getting reelected. 'It certainly paints a very clear picture,' she said. Trump has been running his reelection campaign on a law-and-order mantle, denouncing protesters as 'thugs' while voicing his support for police. Protesters march with the family of Jacob Blake during a rally against racism and police brutality in Kenosha on Saturday He has also repeatedly offered to send in the National Guard or federal assistance to quell the unrest. Blake, 29, took at least half a dozen shots in the back in front of his small children as he tried to get into his car last Sunday, in an incident that triggered an outpouring of anger over yet another shooting of a black man by white police. During the rally against police brutality and racism on Saturday, his father, Jacob Blake Sr, called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests before a tense calm set in the past three nights. 'Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing,' he told a gathering at a park that was the hub of protests in support of his son, Jacob Blake Jr. 'Stop it. Show 'em for one night we don't have to tear up nothing.' The shooting of Blake has turned the mostly white city of 100,000 people south of Milwaukee into the latest flashpoint in a summer of nationwide demonstrations against police brutality and racism. Blake, who is a father of six, has been left paralyzed after cops shot him multiple times in the back as he entered his car last Sunday Jacob Blake's father pleaded for peace during a rally at Civic Center Park in Kenosha on Saturday Blake will likely participate via video from his hospital room in a court hearing next week about criminal charges that predated the shooting, his lawyer told Reuters on Saturday, adding he would plead not guilty. Anger at Blake's shooting, captured on video that went viral, led to street skirmishes; protesters hurled firecrackers and bricks at police in riot gear who fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets. On Tuesday night a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, and two of them died. In Kenosha on Saturday, people painted messages of unity on boards protecting storefronts after many businesses were burned to the ground in arson attacks and vandalism. People march in support of Jacob Blake and his family to the Kenosha County Courthouse on Saturday Residents hoped calm would hold for a fourth night as protesters, some wearing 'Justice for Jacob' masks, spoke about the need for racial justice. The 17-year-old suspect in Tuesday night's killings, Kyle Rittenhouse, surrendered to police on Wednesday near his home in Illinois close to the Wisconsin border. Kenosha officials have been criticized for videos showing law enforcement agents giving him water before the burst of violence and acting chummy with armed militia men in the streets. Trump has repeatedly condemned the protests that have rocked the country since the death of George Floyd in May, as he presses a law and order message while fighting an uphill battle for re-election in November. He has not specifically commented on Rittenhouse or Blake. LAHORE : Around 200 Pakistani nationals stranded in India due to coronavirus induced travel restrictions will return to their country on September 3, according to media reports. They will be travelling back home through Wagah-Attari border crossing which will be specially opened for their return, reported ARY News. As per the report, the Pakistani nationals got stuck in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Pakistan's High Commission in Delhi made efforts to ensure their repatriation to the country after being approached. According to the latest data available on Dawn, the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan stand at 295,636 while the death toll stands at 6288. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Tax hikes of up to 20bn are being considered by the Treasury to deal with the cost of the coronavirus crisis. Ministers are looking at raising capital gains tax and corporation tax in the November Budget, according to The Sunday Times. The money could be clawed back from pensions, businesses, the wealthy, and foreign aid, the newspaper said. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering hiking corporation tax from 19 per cent to 24 per cent in order to boost revenue by 12bn next year, the report indicated. Capital gains tax might also be paid at the same rate as income tax, under the ideas being looked at. Recommended Tories and Labour tied in new opinion poll Pension tax relief could also be slashed under measures being considered by the Treasury to help pay for the Covid-19 crisis, The Sunday Telegraph reported. The newspaper also said that raising fuel and other duties was also being looked at. A revamp of the inheritance tax system and the introduction of an online sales tax was also being considered. The international development budget could also be caught up in Treasury reappraisals due to the cost of the pandemic, it was claimed. The aid budget has already been cut by 2.9bn from 15.8bn this year, due to the contraction in the economy caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the government insists it still meets its obligation to provide 0.7 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to international development. Treasury sources told the PA news agency that they do not comment on what may, or may not be, in the upcoming Budget. Adam Marshall, the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said he was "very concerned" by reports the Treasury is considering a rise in corporation tax. Dr Marshall told Times Radio: "I very much hope that this is the Treasury flying kites rather than settling policy, because we do not want to make a choice between a strong recovery with lots of investment and risk-taking by businesspeople or a short-term repair of the public finances. "We've got to give the recovery space to build and grow. If the Treasury snaps back to orthodoxy immediately it would be a really damaging mistake. If the Treasury piles taxes onto businesses, "you tell them that it's not a good environment to invest in, it's not a good environment to take a risk, you will hamstring the recovery", he warned. "So let's nurture the embers of that recovery first and then repair the public finances, not get them the wrong way around." Former work and pensions secretary Damian Green said that he would not to see the triple-lock protection on pensions dropped. "I would be very wary of the government going down that route. It was a manifesto commitment to keep it," Mr Green told Times Radio. "I wouldn't do it. "The other one on that list that I particularly wince at is the thought of breaking the commitment on foreign aid. I'm proud of the fact that Britain is one of the few countries that meets its commitment to have a small part - 0.7 per cent - of our GDP spent on foreign aid and I would certainly want to see that continued." Mr Green, who was effective deputy prime minister to Theresa May and now heads the One-Nation Conservative caucus in Westminster, said: "I think this raft of things... feels like a standard pre-Budget Treasury kite-flying to see what people will make of this. "Clearly the Chancellor faces some unpalatable options because he's rightly spent many many billions of pounds supporting the economy and individual workers over the past few months." Press Association U.S. President Donald Trump hit the campaign trail on Friday by holding a rally in Londonderry in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, a day after accepting the Republican Party's nomination for reelection. Speaking to supporters at an airport, Trump again laced into his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, while lashing out at demonstrations calling for social justice that have at times turned chaotic and violent. George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died from asphyxiation after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May. His death sparked massive demonstrations against police brutality and racism, as well as social unrest in some U.S. cities. Biden, in a statement on Friday, accused Trump of "bringing his message of division, lies, and chaos to New Hampshire." "They are not protesters. Those are anarchists, agitators, rioters, looters," Trump said. "It has nothing to do with George Floyd. They have no idea who he is. If you ask them 'Who's George Floyd?' they say 'I don't know.'" In 2016, Trump lost the Granite State to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton by fewer than 3,000 votes. His campaign has identified the state as a flip opportunity for him as it faces limited options to expand the electoral map. Pence made campaign stops in the states of Minnesota and Michigan on Friday afternoon. Biden said on Thursday that he will begin traveling to the battleground states after Labor Day, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. The Government of Ghana has rejected accusations by Nigeria of intimidation and maltreatment of Nigerian nationals in Ghana. In a six-page response signed by its Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ghana particularly denied several allegations by Nigeria and provided detailed explanations showing it was incorrect to suggest Nigerians were being targeted for maltreatment in Ghana. The Government of Ghana notes, with concern, a statement, dated Friday, August 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture and signed by the Federal Minister, Hon. Lai Mohammed, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concerning current relations between Ghana and Nigeria. Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries the statement said. Mr. Nkrumah said Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by the Nigerian Federal Minister is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified. The Information minister used the opportunity as a first step, to provide a more reflective account of events, while urging both countries to pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters. The statement by the Government of Ghana also assured that President Akufo-Addo, who currently has a very excellent relations with his Nigerian counterpart will engage President Buhari with a view to develop immediately a framework for validating claims of ill treatment of citizens of either country, and ensure citizens enjoy the full exercise of their rights, while respecting the sovereignty and laws of both countries. Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The officers, both men, were taken to Stroger Hospital. Doctors were able to stabilize the officers wounds and as of Sunday afternoon, one officer remained in serious condition and the other officer had been upgraded to good condition, according to Officer Ana Pacheco, a police spokeswoman. One was shot in the chest and arm; the other just in the arm. "China will see its status continue to rise in the world economy with closer ties, and the country will provide more extensive market opportunities for other countries," said Chinese President Xi Jinping at a recent symposium with experts on economic and social work. China's development will enter a new stage, creating a new development pattern which takes the domestic market as the mainstay and allows the domestic and foreign markets to boost each other, he stressed. China's high-level opening up is a valuable positive message for global economic development, which is a consensus reached by international observers that pay close attention to China's development in the post-pandemic era. They believe that any statement that conveys China's determination in opening-up deserves close attention, saying the symposium has released a signal of China's willingness to participate in global trade and economic governance. The international society is actively exploring the ways of China's future development, and expecting to share with the county the dividends to be created by its new development pattern. As the world is going through huge changes unseen in a century, China continues to analyze domestic and global economic development in a comprehensive, dialectical and long-term view. The country always remains sensitive to changes, responds to them with well-judged actions, and is ready to adjust the approach when necessary, so as to bring more quality, efficiency, equality, sustainability and security to its development. The new development pattern that takes the domestic market as the mainstay and allows the domestic and foreign markets to boost each other, is a strategic decision made by China after analyzing the current situation. By promoting development in a practical manner, China is creating new opportunities for the development of the world. The Chinese economy, while building a new development pattern, will still act as a stabilizing anchor for the world economy. Facing rising protectionism and unilateralism, as well as a sluggish world economy, the global industrial and supply chains are suffering non-economic impacts. Achieving a success to control the COVID-19 epidemic and resuming work and production, China is the first country in the world to turn economic growth from negative to positive. International observers generally believe that a stable domestic economic cycle in China will better contribute to the stability of the global economic cycle, and China's economic recovery has injected strong confidence into the world economy shadowed by the pandemic. Jim O'Neill, chair of the Chatham House noted that China's domestic demand potential will further create opportunities for global enterprises. The Chinese economy, while building a new development pattern, will keep being a major engine for global growth. At present, a new round of technological revolution and industrial reform is accelerating, while traditional drivers are showing a decreasing motivation for economic growth, which poses a more pressing need to improve innovation capability in the high-tech sector. China's efforts to improve its independent innovation capability, make breakthroughs in core technologies, and realize innovation-driven growth not only conform to the country's internal demand of pursuing high-quality development, but also meet the expectation of the international society to promote global growth. William Jones, the Washington Bureau Chief of Executive Intelligence Review, noted that innovation is a major force driving the current world economic development, and China, by laying high importance on high-quality development, is indeed creating a source of wealth for the future, which not only benefits the country itself, but also the rest of the world. The Chinese economy, while building a new development pattern, will keep creating new opportunities for common development. International economic connectivity and exchanges are necessary for global economic development. Opening up is still a fundamental policy of China. The new development pattern is by no means a closed domestic cycle, but an open one in which domestic and foreign markets boost each other. Even facing the impacts from COVID-19, China has still been fulfilling its responsibility as a major country to promote win-win cooperation while expanding opening up. It further shortened its negative list for foreign investment; the China International Fair for Trade in Services attracted thousands of enterprises from the world; the exhibition booths of the third China International Import Expo have all been booked. China's practical methods and initiatives demonstrated the country's resolution to opening up, and its measures are of vital importance for global economic recovery, said Argentine scholar Santiago Bustelo. China's new development pattern is energetic and full of potential. The country has always been concentrating resources to do its own affairs well. It will soon finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and embark on a journey to fully build a modern China. This is a beautiful chapter of common development between China and the world, which signals China's grand vision to achieve win-win results with its global partners. A Chinese pharmaceutical maker is in talks with several countries to get emergency approval to use an experimental Covid-19 vaccine, developed with the Chinese military, before the completion of large-scale safety and effectiveness trials, according to a senior executive at the company. Early distribution by CanSino Biologics Inc. would give the company a head start over rivals by making its vaccine the first to go into public use internationally outside of clinical trials, although initial doses would likely be directed at health-care workers and others deemed essential, such as military personnel and police. The effort shows the intensity of the race to become the first to develop a vaccine, though public-health experts say immunizing people widely before large-scale tests are completed could present serious health risks. Chinas military has already approved the use of CanSinos vaccine before the completion of large-scale final testing, usually known as Phase 3 trials, according to a filing the company made with the Hong Kong stock exchange. Pierre Morgon, senior vice president for international business at CanSino, said getting the vaccine out to millions of people now, before its clinical trials are complete, would broaden the base of knowledge about the drugs safety and effectiveness. By comparison, final-stage experimental trials typically involve several thousand participants. Such early distribution would require the countries to authorize the drug for emergency usage. It helps to build the safety database and certainly build the confidence in the fact that the vaccine is safe. If, in the meantime, if it is demonstrated as being effective in the Phase 3 trials, then it might be an accelerator for future contracts for vaccine supply," said Mr. Morgon. The vaccine has been shown to promote an immune response, and no serious safety concerns have emerged in early human trials involving smaller groups, according to the company and trial results published in the Lancet, a prestigious international medical journal. Mr. Morgon declined to name all of the countries the company is talking to, citing the discussions confidentiality. He said they include Pakistan and countries in Latin America as well as some developed nations. So far, no countries have agreed to approve the drug on an emergency basis, Mr. Morgon said. The quest for a Covid-19 vaccine has turned into a fierce international competition, with national honor seen to be at stake, as well as lucrative contracts to supply the vaccine and the ability to get economies motoring again for those countries with access to the immunization. Russia alarmed health professionals and regulators around the globe this month by saying it had become the first country to register a Covid-19 vaccine, even though it hadnt completed trials or published test results in a reputed scientific journal. Vaccine developers across the world are rushing to finish trials before the end of the year. Negotiating deals for emergency-use authorization would allow CanSino to leapfrog others in the race. But vaccines, intended for large numbers of healthy people who dont have the disease, are virtually never approved for widespread use before the completion of large-scale trials. Its breaking all the global conventions around science and ethics. Its a huge gamble," Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health law at Georgetown University, said of any country authorizing emergency use of a vaccine before it completes tests. Most medications that pass early phases of testing for safety and effectivenessas CanSinos vaccine hasdont succeed in the larger final-stage trials, he said. You might end up rolling out a vaccine that causes enormous hazards in the population or is ineffective. If its ineffective, then the public is going to assume theyre immune and go about their business and spread Covid[-19] like mad," said Prof. Gostin. The Trump administration, despite criticism, has approved the emergency use of some drugs and therapies to treat Covid-19. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned in recent days against emergency use of a Covid-19 vaccine. Dr. Fauci has also indicated that the U.S. is unlikely to use a Chinese or Russian vaccine because of doubts over testing procedures. Instead, the U.S. has spent billions of dollars paying for some potential vaccines to be manufactured in advance of completing tests, but only for distribution after successful trial results come in. A senior Pakistani official confirmed that emergency use of the CanSino vaccine was discussed with the company and among a domestic expert committee. The official said that such an option is being kept under consideration but that it wasnt presently necessary, as coronavirus cases and deaths have declined sharply over the last couple of months. Nevertheless, Pakistani officials fear that the disease could come roaring back in the winter. Even if multiple vaccines are successfully developed, there will be a severe shortage until at least 2022, experts say, because there isnt manufacturing capacity available to make enough for the whole worlds population. CanSino is about to enter final-phase trials in Russia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, according to officials in those countries. CanSino is also in talks for trials with Brazil and Mexico, according to Chinese state media. Petrovax, CanSinos local partner in Russia, said it wasnt aware of the Chinese company approaching the Russian government for emergency-use authorization. A Brazilian health ministry official said that it would make available a vaccine of proven effectiveness to the countrys population as soon as it has access to one, but declined to comment on whether it is talking with CanSino. Officials in Saudi Arabia and Mexico didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Three of the six vaccines already in final trials globally are Chinese. Trials are separate from emergency-use authorization, but the two could potentially run in parallel in some countries. China has been especially proactive in rolling out CanSinos vaccine candidate. It was the first that authorities approved for human clinical trials in March. Earlier this month, Chinas intellectual property regulator granted the countrys first Covid-19 vaccine patent to the CanSino vaccine. Countries that have expressed interest in early emergency use of the vaccine intend it for critical workers such as health-care personnel, vulnerable groups and people deemed essential for the proper functioning of the state, Mr. Morgon said. In some countries, that list could also include armies and police forces. A large country might be able to buy one to two million doses from CanSino under the plan, said Mr. Morgon. CanSino has developed its vaccine jointly with the Chinese Military Academy of Medical Science. Mr. Morgon said the vaccine had already been given to thousands of soldiers. Chao Deng, Thomas Grove and Georgi Kantchev contributed to this article. Write to Saeed Shah at saeed.shah@wsj.com Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Gautam Chintamani By Traditionally, actions revealed more than words. But in the new world, the same actions reveal different things. A few days ago, when Aamir Khan met the Turkish First Lady, Emine Erdogan, he incurred the wrath of social media. However, this was not the first time that the actor met the Turkish premier, directly or indirectly or ruffled feathers across the spectrum. In 2017, Khan had met with the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, photos of which flooded the internet after this latest visit. While it would appear that its the same Khan and the same Erdogan, a lot has changed between then and now. The reaction to most celebrity actions operates on two planes. One deals with the opinion per se, while the other works on a much-broader theme of the individuals worldview. In the case of a celebrity, as with most people, the former is short-lived, and its propensity to change depends on the stance that follows. The latter tends to be more deep-rooted. When it comes to public stance, Khan seemingly tends to side with the popular (read politically correct) notion irrespective of the era or the dispensation. A few years ago, the standing joke among those who wrote on films was that every time an Aamir Khan film released there would be a social stance that the actor was bound to pick up. The most popular was at the time Rang De Basanti released. Khan met Narmada Bachao Andolan activists and gave statements on how he was expressing his concern for the displaced people. In some way, there is no difference between the Aamir Khan of 2017 and the Aamir Khan of 2020. Both visits to Turkey were work-orientedthis time Khan was on a location recce for Laal Singh Chaddha, his remake of the multi-Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump. Khans public display, in the manner of speaking, is mostly in sync with his socio-political stance. He was conspicuously missing in the photo-op with Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israeli PMs Shalom Bollywood interaction with the fraternity. There is also probably no change in Erdogans views on India, only that in the last one year Turkey has made its anti-India stance extremely vocal and public. The Turkish premier, who fancies himself as saviour of Islam and Muslims, is pushing for a non-Arab alliance where Pakistan would play a significant role. The two have been cosying up against India. While most commentators once again await the answer to a question celebrity actions poseShould celebrity action not consider the changing geopolitical reality?some of us can ponder about an offshoot of Khans visit to Turkey. If the waters around it change, does the ship of Theseus, still intact with all its components, fundamentally change? By Invitation Gautam Chintamani Film historian and bestselling author gautam@chintamani.org The decision by some dentists to discontinue treatment for medical card holders is hitting the most vulnerable in society, according to TD Ruairi O Murchu, who says people in residential care are left with nowhere to go for dental treatment. The Sinn Fein deputy is highlighting the situation where some people in residential settings in Louth were told at the start of August that their dental practices would no longer be providing new care for medical card holders. Dental practices have told these patients that treatment can be pursued under Louth Community Care, but Mr O Murchu says he understands that they are not taking patients unless it is an emergency. This has been confirmed by the HSE, following a representation by the Dundalk TD, who told him in a statement: The HSE dental service is also facing major backlogs, as a result of service restrictions during the height of Covid 19, and reduced capacity currently, due to new work processes, enhanced infection prevention and control measures, and redeployment of some dental staff. If any of the patients you are representing are experiencing pain, and have difficulty accessing treatment, the HSE dental service can arrange for them to be seen as an emergency. A number of dentists have withdrawn from the DTSS (Dental Treatment Services Scheme) which looks after medical card holders, because of funding allocated to the scheme. This is coupled with the high Covid-19-related costs for dentists that they believe are not sufficiently covered by the Department of Health. A number of dentists, including some in Dundalk, have told their medical card patients that they will no longer provide treatment for them, though treatment which is currently underway will be completed. In a statement, the HSE said there are dentists who remain in the DTSS and are willing to treat medical card patients, but Mr O Murchu says he is aware that patients are finding it extremely difficult to source another dentist locally. Mr O Murchu said medical card holders, particularly those with disabilities, are facing the dreadful choice of having to either forgo treatment or face the burden of having to pay for dental treatment out of the 203 disability allowance they receive each week. He said: The HSE statement acknowledges that there has been a withdrawal of dentists from the DTSS and it is the Department of Healths intention to revise the DTSS and engage with the Irish Dental Association. However, there seems to be little urgency about this and, in the meantime, medical card holders, including those with disabilities, are facing worry and concern in relation to their dental care. While the HSE says it will facilitate patients moving to another dentist, there is no guarantee that the dentists will be local and there could be an added travel burden for those with disabilities. The government is asleep on this issue it has been flagged to them for months and still, there is no resolution in sight. In the short term, the government needs to engage with dentists and provide an interim solution so people are not left without care. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is being felt in major industries in the region, including the real estate market, where developers are eyeing a reduction in unit prices by as much as 25 per cent and also company mergers to minimize business risks and significantly increase the ease of doing business, according to Maximiliano Development Management Services (MDMS). A Saudi-based development management service company, MDMS provides interior and architectural designs including engineering services. As uncertainty continues, real estate developers are deploying a range of measures and policies to mitigate the ongoing challenges and boosting their position and deepening their relationships with their employees, investors, end-users and other stakeholders. MDMS Managing Director Engineer Marwa A. Murad said: "One of the major risks facing the real estate market is the inability of buyers to pay the instalments so strategies must be adopted such as the reduction in unit prices by 25% in the event of cash sales and small developers who may face the risk of bankruptcy might consider merging with another developer to protect its business." "Since the virus outbreak, there has been a stiff competition between real estate developers and it will intensify as the unprecedented crisis has created a supply-demand imbalance in the sector," she explained. Murad pointed out that the risk facing the real estate market was the inability of customers to pay the instalments, thus causing a delay in the construction work. "As a result, developers may require a shorter period for the instalments which eventually leads to an oversupply of units, thereby creating a negative business cycle," she observed. The depth and breadth of the coronavirus outbreaks economic impact on the real estate sector are still uncertain but real estate players will be well served to take immediate action to improve their businesses and also keep an eye on a future that could be meaningfully different," added Murad. MDMS is a key player in the growing construction industry in Saudi Arabia. During the last three years, it had been working closely with the National Housing Company to develop housing projects for Saudi citizens. The company had collaborated with the National Housing Company for the sale work of the Murcia project, one of the largest projects in Riyadh, which is the construction of more than 5,000 housing villas and apartments. MDMS is also the sales consultant for the Murcia project phase 1 and 2 and successfully sold 90% of the phase 1 units, it added.-TradeArabia News Service The 2019/2020 academic calendar for Nursery, Primary, JHS 1, and SHS 1 has been postponed to 2021. The next academic calender will resume January 2021, according to President Akufo-Addo in his 16th address to the nation. The President further pointed out that while government "fully appreciates" the financial burden that the continuous stay at home by school-children has on parents, it is a "necessary price to pay" if the spread of COVID-19 is to be curtailed. "The Ghana Education Service, after further consultations, has decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all nursery, kindergarten, primary, JHS 1 and SHS 1 students. The next academic year will resume in January 2021, with appropriate adjustments made to the curriculum, to ensure that nothing is lost from the previous year. "The relevant dispositions will also be made so that the presence, at the same time, in school of all streams of students, can occur in safety. "I appreciate fully the inconvenience and the financial burden the continued stay at home of children are posing to parents and guardians. Fellow Ghanaians, these are a necessary price to pay in our efforts to protect the lives of our children, as well as to limit and contain the spread of the virus in our country," President Akufo-Addo stated. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video EDITORS NOTE: NJ Cannabis Insider produces exclusive weekly content and monthly events geared toward those interested in the marijuana and hemp industries. To subscribe, visit njcannabisinsider.biz. Legislation removing the federal prohibition on marijuana, taxing the drug to provide to communities hardest hit by the war on drugs, and expunging cannabis-related convictions will come before the U.S. House when it returns from its August recess. The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote in November, and had been waiting action by the full House. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or More Act, would remove the federal ban on marijuana, currently scheduled as a Class 1 controlled substance. That would give states carte blanche to legalize it, give banks the ability to offer credit cards and checking accounts to legal cannabis businesses, and make it easier to study any medicinal benefits of pot. The legislation also would require federal courts to expunge prior marijuana convictions, tax marijuana to fund job training and other programs and loans to minority-owned small businesses wanting to enter the cannabis industry, and provide aid to communities hardest hit by the war on drugs as so many residents were arrested and jailed for possessing weed. The announcement by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., was welcomed by proponents of legalizing cannabis. After many months of hard work and collaboration, we finally have a chance to end the failed policy of prohibition that has resulted in a long and shameful period of selective enforcement against people of color, especially Black men, said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. As people across the country protest racial injustices, theres even greater urgency for Congress to seize this historic opportunity and finally align our cannabis laws with what the majority of Americans support, while ensuring restorative justice. The measure goes much further than the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, or States Act, which has more Republican support in the House and therefore a better chance of winning approval in the GOP-controlled Senate. Five Senate Republicans have co-sponsored the States Act while none have added their names to the More Act. But the States Act has no social justice element, drawing opposition from some leading proponents of removing the federal ban on cannabis, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., an original co-sponsor of the More Act and sponsor of his own Marijuana Justice Act. This war on pot has not been a war on pot, Booker said last year at the National Press Club. It has been a war on black people and brown people and low income people. This is not about legalization of marijuana. Thats too simplistic. This is about restorative justice. Its about equal justice under the law. NJ Cannabis Insider is a weekly subscriber-based trade journal produced by NJ Advance Media, which has also produced several live events. For more information, you may reach us via email here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Daewoo E&C employees take part in the company's home repair activities for underprivileged households in this photo provided by the company, Sunday. / Courtesy of Daewoo E&C By Baek Byung-yeul Daewoo Engineering & Construction (E&C) has been actively expanding its corporate social responsibility programs both domestically and abroad in order to help contribute to COVID-19 relief efforts, the leading construction company said Sunday. Daewoo E&C said it is pursuing social contributions that are not a one-time activity, but a long-term activity that allows as many of its employees as possible to consistently contribute to local communities where the company is doing business. For small business owners in Korea, who have been struggling with economic downturn caused by the virus pandemic, Daewoo E&C said it decided to reduce rent fees by 30 percent for two months for the owners who are doing business in the company-owned buildings. On May 12, the company's employees and families donated 5 million won and 500 face masks made by themselves to Eastern Social Welfare Society. The employees also delivered 630 face masks to merchant associations of Bangsan Market and Jungbu Market, both in central Seoul. The construction firm also said its employees have visited people living in dilapidated houses in Seoul every year to carry out repair work. From freshly wallpapering or painting walls to changing a kitchen sink, they have provided various kinds of support for neighbors in need. The company's efforts to contribute to a better world can be seen in other countries as well. The company has participated in a campaign named "Lighting Children" to produce non-hazardous solar lanterns and deliver them to children in countries with energy deficiencies. In 2019, solar lanterns produced by Daewoo E&C's employees and their families were delivered to 80 households in Malawi. As a result, families using the solar lanterns could save fuel costs, which accounted for 30 percent of household income. With the saved money, the families were able to purchase educational items, the company said. To be more responsible member of the global community, the company's civil project division has also supported local residents in a region of Ethiopia. Last year, the company provided oil and flour every month for AIDS patients at Zeway, a highway construction site in Ethiopia, and provided 40,000 liters of bottled water every Sunday, contributing to relieve water shortages. "Daewoo E&C has been operating various kinds of corporate social responsibility programs so that it can let its employees spontaneously take part in volunteer activities in our communities. Under our motto Build Together, employees of Daewoo E&C will continue to put efforts into making a better world," a company official said. (Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing criticism from some Conservative MPs following a series of U-turns over recent months. With Parliament set to return on Tuesday, the mood on Tory benches will not be helped by a new poll by Opinium putting Labour at level pegging with the Conservatives for the first time since July 2019. Charles Walker, vice-chairman of the 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers, said it was becoming increasingly difficult for MPs to defend Government action as policies can be abandoned quickly by ministers. MP Walker, usually seen as a loyalist to the prime minister, told the Observer: "Too often it looks like this government licks its finger and sticks it in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. "It is becoming increasingly difficult for backbenchers now to promote and defend government policy as so often that policy is changed or abandoned without notice. "Whether this approach is by design or by accident, the climate of uncertainty it creates is unsustainable and erodes morale." The handling of the coronavirus crisis a especially the fiasco over exam results a has provoked public concern from some Tory MPs throughout the summer. A U-turn over whether English secondary-school pupils should wear masks in some situations also caused disquiet among some backbenchers over how the situation was being handled. A snapshot survey by Opinium put the Tories and Labour neck and neck on 40%. The Liberal Democrats, who elected former Cabinet minister Ed Davey as leader this week, stood at 6% in the poll. By Shaun Connolly, PA Political Correspondent source: PA Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Sushant Singh Rajputs house manager Samuel Miranda has reportedly revealed that the actor was worried about the management of his finances, and his health was deteriorating. Samuel revealed these details to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during questioning, as per an India Today report. Samuel said workers at Sushants former residence Capri Heights and the actors girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty told him that the house was haunted. He also claimed to have been told that Sushant would sometimes come out of his bedroom at night, and give the idol of a god a hug and take it back to his bedroom. This happened after the actor returned from his Europe trip with Rhea and her brother Showik. Samuel said that it was after this experience at his house that Sushant moved to Rheas residence. He has also revealed that the actor was not feeling well. He would often stay alone in his room and wouldnt speak to anyone. It was then that his ex-manager Shruti Modi and Rhea suggested that he should move to Waterstone Club to feel better. The report states that there was still no improvement in the actors condition and he used to cry a lot of times. His sisters came to meet him at the club and reportedly started asking him about his finances after which the actor started crying. He was also supposed to go with them but later refused to go. Also read: Milind Soman throws birthday party for wife Ankita Konwar: So proud that you ran your 29km for 29 years so comfortably In a recent interview with India Today, Rhea had shared the details of their Europe trip. She had said, When we reached Italy, we stayed at a Gothic hotel, which we didnt know at the time of booking. In our room, there was a dome-like structure, which I didnt like. I asked him that we should change our hotel, but he insisted on staying there. He told me that there was something there and he felt it. I told him that its a bad dream as I thought that people get such ideas in such places. But he insisted on living in that hotel despite me telling him to change it. His health deteriorated there and he started having anxiety attacks. When I asked him what is happening, he told me that in 2013, he had a depressive episode. He told me that the same doctor advised him to take Modafinil, (the medicine that) he took on the flight. He told me that he was fine after that. After that, now he was feeling more depressed and anxious. Then we cut short the trip and returned. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 03:52:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The UN-backed government of Libya on Saturday appointed a new defense minister and a new chief of staff. Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj said on Monday that he would reshuffle the cabinet or appoint a crisis government, following protests in several cities in western Libya against the political, economic and security instability as well as lack of basic services. Serraj also pledged to work on providing the basic services for the people, mainly electricity and water. Libya has been suffering insecurity and political instability ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Enditem Over 1.7 lakh people have responded so far to Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Sorens call on Twitter, seeking students opinion on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Exams (JEE)-Main exams. More than 45,000 students are likely to participate in the upcoming exams across 40 centres in five cities. Chief minister Soren took to Twitter last night and posted a poll, calling students to share their opinion over the NEET-JEE exams which are scheduled in September amid the Covid-19 pandemic. ALSO WATCH | Explained: JEE-NEET exams amid Covid | What students must do; NTA rules I want to particularly ask and seek feedback from all my young engineer and doctor friends. Will students face huge difficulties if #JEENEET exams are postponed? Soren had tweeted. People responded to the CMs call, which seeks vote on any of three options - Yes, No and Dont Know. The voting will come to an end on Sunday late night. Also read: Flying to India for NEET amid Covid-19 risk stressful, impractical, say aspirants in Gulf nations In another tweet, the CM said, Tonight Im worried & tensed as India continues to report over 75,000 Covid-19 cases every single day. Yet our union education minister @DrRPNishank ji (Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank) is not even remotely concerned about safety & health concerns of lakhs of students made to write #JEENEET exams in September. Earlier, the chief minister had written to the union education minister demanding postponement of the examinations. When the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya was asked if this exercise would help in postponing the exams, he said, Let the exercise get completed. Thereafter, we will say on it. Reacting on the development, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said, This is actually unprecedented. A chief minister is holding a referendum on the Supreme Courts earlier judgment. This is being conducted at a time when the state has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court and hearing of which is pending. Shahdeo said, I think the chief minister should put all his energy to conduct the examination smoothly and in a healthy manner instead of making a strategy to spoil students career. The National Testing Authority, the nodal body to conduct the examinations, and the central government are supposed to hold JEE-Main and NEET between September 1 and 6 and on September 13, respectively. JEE-Main and NEET are for undergraduate engineering and medical aspirants, respectively. From Jharkhand, more than 45,000 students would appear for both the examinations. Around 23,000 students would write the JEE-Main, while 22,000 would appear for NEET examinations. The exams will be conducted at 40 centres spread across five cites-Ranchi, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Hazaribag and Jamshedpur. Ranchi has a maximum of 25 centres. The district administrations of respective cities have begun preparations to conduct free and fair examinations. The administration officials in Ranchi said all Covid-19 protocol including mask, social distancing and sanitization would be followed strictly. In view of the examinations, the Jharkhand government has also allowed operation of intra-state bus service, hotel and restaurants from September 1 under the fourth phase of unlock. The theme was clear from the time the huge crowd flowed into Civic Center Park on Saturday afternoon. They want justice, and they want it now. Several impassioned speakers including Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and Congressman Gwen Moore took to the stage, and the crowd estimated between 1,000 and 2,000 joined in with that passion during a rally in support of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Kenosha man who was shot seven times last Sunday by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey. Kenosha resident Tim Mahone, chairman of the Mahone Fund, said the grace shown by the Blake family this past week should serve as a template for the community to follow in the days that will follow. They have done nothing but ask for peace and justice, Mahone said. Lets also make sure we pray for a speedy recovery for Jacob, and that his children, who witnessed such a tragedy, can heal. Its going to be a long road for his family. Lets make sure we pray for them. Mahone said he wants the community to continue to work together for progress, but also acknowledged the gap that still remains in order to arrive at a positive ending. Seven bullets later, we recognize just how little progress weve made in this community, he said. Seven bullets later, we recognize that Dr. (Martin Luther) Kings dream is just a dream, a dream unfulfilled, a reality unrealized. Seven bullets later, we recognize the work of my parents has been called upon to heal this community, to use love and kindness, just like the Blake family. Pastor Lawrence Kirby of the Acts Church of Kenosha told the crowd he views injustice as more of a human problem than a racial one. And that fact needs to strike a chord with everybody, he said. Every American ought to have a problem with injustice in our nation, Kirby said. In a prayer, Kirby asked for the nation to come together as one. Let each one of us live a life that will bring justice in the community that we live, he said. Blake remains hospitalized in Milwaukee and is paralyzed, according to family members. The Wisconsin Department of Justice last week released the names of the two other officers involved in the shooting. They are Vincent Arenas and Brittany Meronek. Neither Arenas or Meronek fired their weapons, according to the DOJ report. Sheskey and Arenas both used tasers as they attempted to stop Blake during a domestic investigation in the 2800 block of 40th Street. All three remain on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation. Politicians make pleas Mahones speech was sandwiched between Moore and Barnes, and all three also used their time on stage to implore the crowd to use their passion at the ballot boxes as well. Its that change in the elected officials that all three said will go a long way in helping close the divide. Let us not forget what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said so many years ago, that we need to march on them ballot boxes, Moore said. ... Keep your eyes on the prize. Were going through one of the worst things weve ever experienced. Barnes echoed that message. It is vitally important that we get out to vote, he said. However, we have to look at Nov. 3 as a mile marker, not a finish line. We have to keep on fighting and organizing until justice is won. ... I look out into this crowd, and I look at the Blake family and see resilience, beauty, hope and strength. I see some of the strongest people Ive ever seen in my life. But that strength is because of the years, the generations, the centuries of injustice, pain and hurt that weve gone through. Moore said she grew up in Racine and has many connections to Kenosha, which brought the incident much closer to home. This is personal to me, Moore said. I am the mother of two black men, and I shiver every time they walk out the door. Barnes said the size and diversity of the crowd in attendance was uplifting to him, because hes hopeful brighter days can be ahead for the community. One thing I want to happen after this is all done, is I want us to get together like this in happy times, he said. I want us to be together like this when things arent so dark and bleak. I want us to come together to celebrate, because thats how we build real movements. Barnes cited the mission statement of the Kenosha Police Department when he said that its imperative that justice be equal for everyone. Were not asking for much, he said. Were just asking them to live up to their word. We just want them to do what they said theyre going to do for everybody. Thats not too much to ask. Gov. Tony Evers last week called lawmakers into a special session to take action on a number of bills aimed at reducing the prevalence of police brutality. We are heartbroken and enraged, but we are steadfast in our demand for justice, Kenosha resident Tanya Mclean, who helped organized the event, said in a press release. The attempted murder of Jacob Blake by Kenosha police is not an isolated incident its part of a brutal, racist system that took the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and countless other Black and brown victims of police violence. Were here to demand an end to police violence and systemic racism in Kenosha. No more piecemeal reforms and useless committees. No more bandaid solutions over the bullet wounds. The time for transformational change is now. The event began with a gathering at the Regimen Barber Collective, 1345 52nd St., followed by a march into the park. IN PHOTOS: Scenes from this week in Kenosha Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week? local It has been more than a decade since everyone onboard survived US Airways flight 1549 ditching into New Yorks Hudson River beside Midtown Manhattan. The unforgettable image of the passengers and crew crowded onto the wings and escape slides awaiting rescue, as the plane floated in the icy waters, was flashed around the world. The pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, known as Sully, was the hero of the hour, and New York Governor David Paterson famously said: We had a Miracle on 34th Street. I believe now we have had a Miracle on the Hudson. What happened? On 15 January, 2009, Flight 1549 was scheduled to fly from New Yorks LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, and continue on to Seattle. Sully, an air force veteran and commercial pilot since 1980, was joined in the cockpit by first officer Jeffrey Skiles. There were also 150 passengers and three cabin crew on the Airbus A320 when it took off at 3.25pm. US Airways Flight 1549 after it ditched into the Hudson River on 15 January, 2009, following a bird strike. (Flickr/Greg Lam Pak Ng) Skiles was in control and visibility was clear, when at 3.27pm the plane struck a flock of Canada geese at an altitude of 2,818 feet (860m). The size of the bird strike caused both engines to flame and shut down. Sully took control of the aircraft and Skiles attempted an engine restart. The plane entered a glide descent, picking up speed to 240mph. Sully placed a mayday call to LaGuardia and attempted to turn back, but realising they wouldnt make it, asked to be cleared to land at Teterboro in New Jersey. Permission was granted but, losing altitude, Sully radioed: We cant do it Were gonna be in the Hudson. Heading south west, parallel to Manhattan, the plane passed less than 900 feet (200m) above the George Washington Bridge and Sully commanded passengers and crew to Brace for impact. Impact At 3.31pm the plane ditched in the middle of the river opposite West 50th Street near the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Intact and upright, the aircraft began to drift south with the current. Passengers were evacuated through the four over-wing and two front exit doors, and were encouraged to climb over seats to speed the process up. Water was entering the plane through the back and the tail-end began to dip. Sully walked the cabin twice to make sure everyone got out before leaving the plane himself. Rescue crews secure a US Airways flight 1549 floating in the water after it crashed into the Hudson River in 2009 (Getty) The temperature was below freezing and many passengers had to stand in water on the inflated slides or the wings. Some fell or jumped into the river. Two NY Waterway ferries were first on the scene and began to take passengers onboard. Remarkably all were accounted for in just 25 minutes. There were just five serious injuries and 78 people received medical treatment. What happened next? The plane was moored by World Financial Centre in Lower Manhattan before being transported to New Jersey for examination, which confirmed the bird strike incident. Subsequent investigation using flight simulators found that only half of attempts to land at LaGuardia or Teterboro succeeded. Sully testified before the National Transportation Safety Board that attempting to reach an airport could have killed those on board and potentially more on the ground. The board ruled in his favour and commended the crews decision-making, teamwork and performance during the evacuation. Other favourable factors were the aircraft being equipped with life vests, rafts and slides, nearby vessels, the fast response from emergency crews, and favourable visibility. Some passengers suffered post-traumatic stress in the aftermath, and many simply couldnt believe they had survived. Each received an apology from the airline, financial compensation, and had their tickets refunded. Some baggage was even recovered. The crew were lauded by both president George W Bush and president-elect Barack Obama, who invited them to his inauguration five days later. They received a standing ovation at the Super Bowl and keys to the city from Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Much of the focus of attention was on Sully, who retired the following year. In 2016 he was portrayed by Tom Hanks in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie Sully. Nigerias On Air Personality (OAP), Oladotun Ojuolape Kayode has expressed grievances over the death of popular movie star, Chadwick Boseman. Boseman who for four years was diagnosed with colon cancer, didnt let it get in way of his movie career, as he continued starring in movies that became adored by many. Out of all movies he starred in, Black Panther seemed to be one that was most loved by movie fans in the World. His death, came as a shock to many, most especially to people who were fans to some of his movies. Nigerians took to various social media handle to mourn Boseman, while others prayed his soul to rest in peace. The latest to express sadness on the actors death, OAP Dotun says i will do well to update my children about the hero exploits of late Boseman, adding that he is going to tell his story to his children, as he is now their new superhero. A man has died after a polar bear attacked a camping site on Norways Svalbard Islands in the middle of the night. Campsite manager Johan Jacobus Kootte, 38, was rushed to hospital in Longyearbyen after the animal targeted the area, which sits more than 500 miles north of the Norwegian mainland, just before 4am on Friday. Dutch national Mr Kootte was declared dead by medics soon after arriving in hospital, a government statement said. A post-mortem will be conducted at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsoe, north of the Arctic Circle. The polar bear was shot by an onlooker and later found dead in a car park by the nearby airport. No-one else was injured in the attack, but six people were admitted to hospital with shock. The victim was reportedly the fifth person to be killed by a polar bear in the archipelago in nearly 50 years. An estimated 25,000 bears live in the Arctic, while the archipelago is home to almost 3,000 people and almost 1,000 bears, according to the Norwegian authorities. Deputy governor Soelvi Elvedah said the tragic incident was a strong reminder that we are in polar bear country and must take the precautions to secure ourselves. He said: Polar bears can be found all over Svalbard and be encountered anywhere throughout the year. The most recent fatality was a British teenager, 17, who was on a British Schools Exploring expedition when he was attacked near the Von Postbreen glacier in 2011. A local authority website advises visitors and locals to carry firearms with them while leaving settlements, warning polars bears could be found anywhere. It urges people to stay as far away as possible to avoid situations that could be dangerous for you and for the bear. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Perhaps the coronavirus has given people more opportunities to do their social distancing by heading offshore. Or maybe 2020 has simply been a good year for fishing. Over the summer, three new saltwater fishing records have been established. The new records for the summer and the ports where the anglers were fishing from are: Skipjack tuna - Lilly Kirkland, Sullivan's Island, June 3, 28 pounds, 0.8 ounces. Snowy grouper - Christopher Corgill, Goat Island, June 20, 35 pounds, 12.8 ounces. Golden tilefish - David Lowe, Murrells Inlet, July 4, 27 pounds, 12.8 ounces. "This year has been exceptionally productive with the state records program," said wildlife biologist Kayla Rudnay, who coordinates saltwater fishing records for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. "I don't think it's ever been this busy in terms of (saltwater fishing) records. I guess it's the quarantine and people are fishing more. That's a giant assumption, but it's been much more busy with phone calls and qualifications. "This whole pandemic situation has had challenges, but it has been good to see people get out in nature more and use our resources more. It makes all of us in the natural resources world want to make sure we are protecting our resources effectively in the way we should." SCDNR's state records program is certainly a way of recognizing outstanding catches, but it also is a tool for fisheries managers. Rudnay said the state records program began in the late 1960s but there are recognized catches that predate the program's beginning. The oldest recognized catch is a 65-pound great barracuda caught out of Georgetown in 1948. Another early record is Walter Maxwell's 1,780-pound tiger shark caught in 1964 off the Cherry Grove Fishing Pier. Rudnay said the first state record application was drafted in 1970, and in 1972 the first official certificate was designed. "Prior to that, there was no official acknowledgement of your catch. It was just recorded and filed away," Rudnay said. "In 1973 the first formal rules were drafted. We went from verifying species over the next five years to a detailed interview process. This was the first time scale accuracy was addressed." Rudnay said during her research for a presentation to the Marine Advisory Board she discovered mention of an unfounded rumor that fishermen thought they qualified for a financial reward for catching a record fish. "It was a complete rumor and it made me chuckle. But people have really been into this whole state record thing and they really like the acknowledgement. They take it pretty seriously," she said. Over the years, additional requirements have been added, including a detailed examination of the fish, witnesses to the weighing of the fish and a procedure for protests. "In 2008, we began taking additional biological samples. We came to the realization that it's of huge importance to stock assessments and other management decisions by having samples from the biggest of each species," Rudnay said. "It raised questions of how big do these fish get. To have biological samples of these biggest of each species is huge for the scientific world." One of the most recognizable things biologists do is removing the otolith (ear bone) from the fish and then dissecting it in order to age the fish. "Fish lay down a growth ring every year ... like rings on a tree trunk," Rudnay said. "We also started taking genetic and reproductive samples as well." Unlike the International Game Fish Association, there are no line class records; just the heaviest of each of the 86 species. Like IGFA, you must break the existing record by a certain amount or it will result in a tie. For fish under 50 pounds, the catch must be at least four ounces heavier than the existing record; for fish 50-100 pounds, the new record must be at least eight ounces heavier than the existing record; and for fish that weigh more than 100 pounds, the new record must be at least 16 ounces heavier. Five species currently have ties, including the commonly caught spot. There is an eight-way tie for the spot with weights ranging from one pound, one ounce caught in 1967 to one pound, four ounces caught in 2001. Rudnay said she often gets calls about species that are not included in the program, but SCDNR has certain guidelines. Fish must be frequently encountered. They must be popular recreational targets. They also must be easily identifiable. Rudnay said they want to avoid a situation where a fish could easily be mistaken for another species, particularly if one of the species is prohibited. The species also must be part of a healthy population. To take a look at state records and the rules for qualifying, visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/saltrecs/records.html. A handful of species were added a couple of years ago, and some of those species are still vacant. They are smooth dogfish, spiny dogfish, yellowedge grouper, yellowfin grouper, lionfish and ocean triggerfish. There also are a number of records that won't be broken until state or federal regulations are changed. Current state slot limits make the state record for red drum (75 pounds) and black drum (89 pounds) unbreakable. Federal regulations prohibit the retention of the following species on the state record list speckled hind grouper, Warsaw grouper, bigeye thresher shark, dusky shark, sandbar shark, sand tiger shark, silky shark and longbill spearfish. Assistance available with deer tags With the 2020 deer season underway in Game Zones 3 and 4 and soon to begin in Game Zones 1 and 2, most hunters should have already ordered or received the tags necessary to legally hunt deer this year. Pre-ordered tags began being mailed in late July. If you still need to order tags, or have not yet received a set of base tags that you were anticipating, help is available. For assistance with a set of tags that has not arrived as expected, or to request a free set of base tags, call the SCDNR's Columbia Licensing Office at (803) 734-3833. You can also visit SCDNR Licensing offices in Columbia, Charleston, Clemson, York or Florence (you must wear a mask when visiting SCDNR offices statewide). Addresses can be found at dnr.sc.gov/admin/regions.html South Carolina deer hunters who have an annual or three-year hunting license and big game permit, combination license, or sportsman license that was valid on Aug. 15 should have automatically received a base set of deer tags in the mail. Lifetime, Senior, Gratis, and Catawba license holders that requested deer tags last year should have automatically received a free base set of tags also. Youth and Disability license holders must still request their free base set of tags. To purchase extra antlered or antlerless tags in addition to your base tags, as well as other licenses or permits, call 1-866-714-3611 or visit dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html. If you have a scheduled hunt coming up soon and have not gotten tags for some reason, you can also print a set of temporary tags. Information is available at dnr.sc.gov/deertags/tagsnow.html America's Boating Club Americas Boating Club Charleston will offer a safe boating class for all ages from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sept. 26. Successful participants earn the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Boater Education Card. The cost is $25 for adults with youngsters 12-18 free. The class is not recommended for children under 12. Bring a bag lunch. In addition, the club also has two-hour seminars on Rules of the Road scheduled Sept. 1 and Emergences on Board on Sept. 29. All classes will be held at 1376 Orange Grove Road, Charleston. To register call 843-312-2876 or email lynes@tds.net. Duck Calling Contest rescheduled The 2020 South Carolina State Duck Calling Contest has been rescheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cooks Mountain in Wateree Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area, located off U.S. Highway 378 between Columbia and Sumter. It originally had been scheduled to be held in March during the Palmetto Sportsmen's Classic but was postponed because of the coronavirus. For information, contact Jesse Tucker at 864-706-2545 or Marc Ackerman at 843-708-8869. Warrior Surf Foundation Fishing Tournament Folly Beach-based nonprofit Warrior Surf Foundation will hold its inaugural Keepin' It Reel Fishing Tournament Oct. 24. Fishing hours are 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Participants ages 13-16 (youth) and 17-plus (adult) can launch from any dock or public landing in Charleston to catch sheepshead, redfish and flounder. Entry fees are $25-$40 in the youth division and $50-$65 in the adult division, depending on which categories you register for. There's also a "You've Been Schooled" category for participants who must use a child's pole. All entry fees will go towards WSF's 12-week program to help Veterans struggling with PTSD, transitional issues and other mental health challenges. For more information, and to register visit warriorsurf.rallyup.com/fishingtournament. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks to the media after meeting with the U.S. Senate Minority Leader and House Speaker on coronavirus relief at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 7, 2020. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) Treasury Issues Guidance on Trumps Payroll Tax Break WASHINGTONThe Treasury Department on Aug. 28 released long-awaited guidance for businesses on how to implement President Donald Trumps payroll tax relief plan. Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 8 that postponed the collection of the employee-side payroll taxes paid from Sept. 1 through the end of the year. The three-page notice by the IRS clarifies that the payroll tax break applies only to wages below a biweekly threshold of $4,000. It also makes employers primarily responsible for paying the deferred taxes next year. The good news for employers is that they only have to pay attention to the $4,000 per pay period, according to Pete Isberg, vice president of government relations at payroll processing firm ADP. Thats the only threshold. So that makes it a lot easier for employers to calculate and determine whos eligible, he told The Epoch Times. The most surprising part of the guidance, according to tax experts, is that employers are liable for repaying the amounts deferred, while many had expected that the employees would pay them with their annual IRS Form 1040 tax return. Employers have the burden of accruing and accounting for the amounts that were deferred and then starting in January, evenly over a four-month period, withhold those taxes and pay them to the IRS, Isberg said. The implementation raises some questions for companies and employees. What if the employees leave their job? They might defer some taxes in September and October and then they might leave or change jobs. Does the employer have the opportunity to collect those deferred taxes before the person leaves? Isberg asked. The current Social Security tax rate is 12.4 percent, divided evenly between employers and employees, up to the taxable maximum of $137,700. The CARES Act signed into law in March allowed companies to defer the employer portion of payroll taxes from March 27, 2020, through the end of the year. In order to provide some temporary relief for workers, Trumps executive order permits companies to defer the employees obligation to pay the 6.2 percent taxes. However, implementation would be optional for companies. The program might be optional for employees as well, according to Isberg, but that isnt addressed in the guidance. Assuming that employer wants to give employees the option to defer or not deferwhich they probably willhow do you administer that? Thats a question you actually have to pose to 100 million workers in the next few days. Explaining to employees, record keeping, and administering all these will be a big workload for employers, he added. Workers will get a net pay increase of 6.2 percent from September to December if their employers opt into the payroll tax deferral. The next year in January through April, however, itll be exactly the opposite. They will start paying their 2021 Social Security taxes also in January, so its almost like they will have a double deduction for Social Security tax in the first four months of 2021, Isberg said. Trump said earlier that he expected Congress to pass legislation forgiving those deferred taxes. While the administration can delay the collection of taxes, only Congress can forgive those taxes permanently. Its unclear whether Congress will approve that. Neither the Republican HEALS Act nor the Democratic HEROES Act, which are currently being negotiated, includes a payroll tax cut. The business groups urge Congress and the Trump administration to work together to provide permanent tax relief to employees. If this were a suspension of the payroll tax so that employees were not forced to pay it back later, implementation would be less challenging, business associations led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce stated in a letter on Aug. 18. But under a simple deferral, employees would be stuck with a large tax bill in 2021. The administration is negotiating the final stages of the accord with some of the same people who are responsible for holding Mark the head of the Haqqani network is the deputy emir of the Taliban. Once any pullout is announced, the Trump administration has little leverage to pressure the Haqqani network to release Mark. As it is, the government lost its best leverage when it signed the deal nearly a month after he was captured. We have asked to meet with the president. We have asked him to call Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the political chief of the Taliban. We have asked if neighboring Pakistan could find out what the Haqqani network wants in exchange for Mark. We have made our case on TV. But each morning when we wake up, we fear that we will hear the news that the president has announced that the U.S. war in Afghanistan is over without first using the awesome power of his office to get Mark home as part of that deal. If you think this cannot happen, there is a precedent that makes this very real for us. In 2015, President Barack Obama reached a nuclear deal with Iran. Shortly after the deal was concluded in 2016, several American hostages were released, but left behind was Robert Levinson, a former F.B.I. agent working for the C.I.A. who had disappeared in Iran in 2007. This year, the Trump administration concluded that he had died in Iranian custody. We fear that Mark will be left behind as well, as the Trump administration pushes a larger policy objective. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. The Congress on Sunday claimed that satellite imagery shows China has installed missile sites on the eastern borders at Naku La and Doka La, posing a threat to India's security, and demanded that the government take the nation into confidence on the issue. Addressing a joint virtual press conference, Congress leaders Rajiv Shukla and Gaurav Gogoi said the government should discuss the issue during the Monsoon session of Parliament and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should respond to the concerns of all. Government sources maintained that the armed forces were keeping a close watch on activities at the border. The two Congress leaders questioned the government's "silence" on the issue. "We would urge the government of India to take the nation into confidence. The government should also discuss the issue in Parliament along with coronavirus, and clarify what threat it poses to the country's security," Shukla told reporters. Gogoi, the Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha, said this is a matter of grave concern that affects national security and could have dangerous consequences. "This is a very dangerous step and we have consistently reminded the Modi governments of the strengthening of the military by expansionist China, but the Indian government and the prime minister have remained silent," he said. The two leaders said the government must spell out its action plan to deal with the situation. - A group of fraudsters have been contacting Kenyans stuck in India through social media platforms - The suspects have been conning Kenyans with the promise of evacuating them from the Asian nation - They have been selling them fake tickets at exorbitanly high prices The ever opportunistic and timely fraudsters in Nairobi have now decided to expand their territory to international 'markets' specifically targeting Kenyans in India. This became evidential after a number of Kenyans who were stuck in India following lockdown fell prey to a group of fake travel agents selling non-existent air tickets to them. READ ALSO: COVID-19 scandal: Kenyans ask MPs to initiate CS Kagwe impeachment process A Kenya Airways plane taking off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Photo: Kenya Airways Source: Depositphotos READ ALSO: William Ruto asks Murathe to leave Jubilee for supporting Raila: "Mnatuongelesha nini?" In a report by Daily Nation, a group of Kenyans stuck in the Asian country had paid up to KSh 90,000 for air tickets to travel back home. India closed its borders and restricted travel in and out of major cities in the country after the outbreak of COVID-19. The fraudsters have been contacting them through social media platforms and through a Whatsapp group which was created by two local travel agencies. Members of the syndicate which is believed to be run by a former Nairobi MP have been claiming to have connections with an airline in the Middle East and would sell them evacuation tickets. READ ALSO: Timothy Muumbo: Late ex-Nairobi police chief yet to be buried 5 years after his death One flight was allegedly scheduled to depart from India on August 14 and travellers were required to pay between KSh 79,000 and KSh 90,000. For Fred Kinyua who had taken his friend to India for cancer treatment in February, he was asked to pay KSh 90,000 but became suspicious of the deal when agents got irritated with his many inquiries. While some were told to pay KSh 79,000, I was told to pay 90,000. They will remove you from the WhatsApp group if you ask questions or go against their rule, said Kinyua. Contacted for comment over the matter, Kenyan High Commission in India said they were not aware of such flights and warned Kenyans in the Asian nation against falling prey to such fraudsters. A plane taking off from an airport in Mumbai, India. Photo: Daily Nation Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kevin Omwenga: Mfanyabiashara mwenye utata azikwa Kisii The Kenya High Commission is not in a position to seek clearance for a non-Kenyan airline, Willy Bett, the Kenyan High Commissioner to India said. Barely a week ago, India aviation minister extended the suspension of international commercial passenger flights till August 31. In May, over 500 Kenyans were evacuated from India following a formal request from the Kenyan government. However, hundreds of others who were receiving medical attention were left behind with their caregivers. 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 Its likely that an employee who is under surveillance will feel the monitoring is unfair and question their loss of privacy, particularly if they are working in their own home. Photo: Getty The idea of your boss monitoring your every move while you work sounds like dystopian fiction, but it is the reality for some employees. ActivTrak, WorkSmart, Work Examiner and Teramind are just some of the tools being used by businesses to keep an eye on their staff. Workplace surveillance technology was first developed to tackle the problem of employees wasting time at work, for example, by scrolling social media or doing online shopping. But with more people now working from home, away from the prying eyes of bosses, companies are using apps and programmes to keep tabs on their productivity. But is it actually beneficial for businesses to engage in employee surveillance? There are a number of ways in which companies can keep track of their employees, including taking note of what they type, recording their internet activity, using a devices webcam and taking screenshots. Technology can also allow employers to track how idle someones computer is. READ MORE: Can employers limit staff toilet breaks? There may be legitimate reasons for checking up on workers, for example, a business may want to protect itself in the case of possible lawsuits. However, its possible for employers to go too far and cross ethical boundaries. It is important to consider the impact of surveillance upon employee engagement and motivation, says Gillian McAteer, head of employment law at Citation. The COVID crisis is recognised to have taken a toll on the mental health of many employees and this could be compounded if employees feel that they are being micro-managed and under constant scrutiny. In extreme cases they may even feel that the monitoring is to such an extent that it breaches trust and confidence in the employment relationship which could give rise to a claim for constructive dismissal. An employer might be nervous about allowing remote staff to work out of sight, but monitoring them can be terrible for morale. Employees wont feel trusted, which can lead to staff seeking work elsewhere. Story continues Its likely that an employee who is under surveillance will feel the monitoring is unfair and question their loss of privacy, particularly if they are working in their own home. Surveillance can also lead to people being afraid to take breaks, which can negatively impact their wellbeing and lead to burnout. People arent machines and wont be working every minute of the day, but being away from their computers may lead to stress and anxiety. Is it legal for an employer to spy on employees? The Data Protection Act doesn't prevent employers from monitoring workers, according to Acas. However, employers should remember workers are entitled to some privacy at work and must tell employees about any monitoring arrangements and the reason for it. Before implementing measures, the business should consider what they are trying to achieve and whether the proposed way of monitoring is necessary to protect their legitimate interests or goes beyond it, McAteer says. In particular, they will need to ensure that there is no infringement of the individuals right to privacy or data protection rules. READ MORE: How employers can make the most of remote working in the future In terms of data protection, most businesses would probably choose to rely on legitimate interest to justify processing this data but it is important that they can show that the need for monitoring outweighs the potential impact monitoring might have on the employee, she adds. This is why it is so important to ensure the measures taken do not go beyond what is strictly necessary to meet the business needs. If an employee is unhappy with the way in which their work is being monitored, they should speak to their employer to try to resolve the issue. If the matter remains unresolved they can report the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office or bring a civil claim in respect of breach of their rights under the data protection legislation, McAteer says. They could also resign and claim constructive dismissal where they feel the employers conduct has led to a fundamental breach of trust and confidence in the relationship. PODCAST Debutante: Race, Resistance & Girl Power BY NAKKIAH LUI AND MIRANDA TAPSELL Nakkiah Lui, left, and Miranda Tapsell's podcast, The Debutantes, may focus on Aboriginal debutante balls, but it is really about so much more. Credit: Because its Nakkiah Lui and Miranda Tapsell, I was in anyway. But I was even more especially in when Lui described Henry VIII as a feudal f...boy, and then, later, asked the question of how to make polite small talk when your hobbies are politics and sex, like mine are? Lui and Tapsells new Audible podcast, The Debutantes, is about Aboriginal debutante balls in this country, a tradition that dates back to 1968. But it is really about so much more. It is a feminist reckoning between the desire to be beautiful for a night and participation in a tradition created to commodify women for marriage. It is a wrestle with the question of whether First Nations Australians and other people of colour should engage with institutions they have been historically barred from, or whether they should tear those institutions down. It is about knowing the ways of your oppressor so you can outwit him. The secret son of late Fleetwood Mac legend Peter Green has revealed he went to court for a DNA test to prove his paternity in 2017, after the rocker refused to acknowledge him. Liam Firlej, now 34, was born following a years-long romance between Green - who died aged 73 in July - and Liam's mother Janina, which began around 1980 when Green was in his 30s and Janina aged 18. Liam said he grew up worshipping the co-founder of the iconic band - whose hits include Albatross, Need Your Love So Bad and Black Magic Woman - and that he was desperate for the star to reunite with him. Father: The secret son of late Fleetwood Mac legend Peter Green (above in 2004) has revealed he went to court for a DNA test to prove his paternity in 2017, after the rocker refused to acknowledge him (pictured late 1960s) He told The Mirror: 'I feel upset that he's dead but also so angry that I was never given the opportunity to have a father in my life. 'I feel like I was swept under the rug. I used to try to forget about him and the whole situation. 'It would work for about six months, then I would keep on hearing the music and think "I just can't escape this." It still drives me insane.' Green, an influential blues rock guitarist, from Bethnal Green in London, formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood after a stint in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - filling in for Eric Clapton. Wanting recognition: Liam Firlej, now 34, (above) was born following a years-long romance between Green - who died aged 73 in July - and Liam's mother Janina, which began around 1980 when Green was in his 30s and Janina aged 18 Green and Fleetwood wanted John McVie to join the group on bass, and named the band Fleetwood Mac to entice him - a strategy that was ultimately successful. Under his direction, the band produced three albums and a series of well-loved tracks including Black Magic Woman and Oh Well. Green left Fleetwood Mac after a final performance in 1970 as he struggled with mental health difficulties and spiralling drug use, later sleeping rough. He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent time in hospitals undergoing electro-convulsive therapy during the mid-70s. Heyday: Green, an influential blues rock guitarist, from Bethnal Green in London, formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood after a stint in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - filling in for Eric Clapton (pictured 2004) Childhood: Liam was raised by his grandmother Maureen (pictured as a child) after his mother Janina signed over parental rights. Maureen also pleaded with Green to acknowledge his son Iconic: Green left Fleetwood Mac after a final performance in 1970 as he struggled with mental health difficulties and spiralling drug use, later sleeping rough (pictured second right in 1969 with John McVie, Danny Kirwan, Mick Fleetwood, and Jeremy Spencer) The band continued with a transformed line-up featuring a core group of Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie and Christine McVie. This phase gave rise to their huge albums Fleetwood Mac and Rumours. Liam said after repeated attempts to contact his father and get his recognition, he went to the High Court in 2017 in a DNA battle to prove he was Green's son - and admitted it was the 'happiest day of my life' when his paternity was proven. He now believes the electro-shock therapy Green was given in the 1970s for his mental health issues, damaged his brain and prevented him being a dad to his son. Support worker Liam said Green and his mother Janina had a 'rocky' relationship after their first meeting in 1980 and that the musician used to kick her out of the house. Wanting a father: Liam said he grew up worshipping the co-founder of the iconic band and that he was desperate for the star to reunite with him (pictured in a school photo) The pair were not together when Liam was born, with Liam claiming Green slammed the door in Janina's face when she visited his home to introduce him to his son. Liam was raised by his grandmother Maureen Firlej after a struggling Janina signed over parental control of her son. He recalls that Green rarely visited him, but once appeared at his nursery school with 'wild hair and long nails' with staff telling the musician he was 'scaring' the children. Liam knew who his father was at a young age and said he would dance around the living room to his songs. His grandmother Maureen also attempted to persuade Green to contact his son and pay child maintenance, to which Green allegedly responded that she 'couldn't prove' he didn't look after his son. Rock legend Liam claimed Green slammed the door in Janina's face when she visited his home to introduce him to his son (pictured 1985) Liam revealed in his early 20s, he was given an address and phone number thought to be Green's, and he wrote him several letters. He said Green then rang him with the father and son chatting 'about life' on several calls before Liam lost his phone - with further letters to the star receiving no answer. Liam said he resorted to turning up at one of Green's gigs in 2010 but claims he was banned from speaking to him. Tragic loss: Liam said he resorted to turning up at one of Green's gigs in 2010 but claims he was banned from speaking to him (Green pictured in 1969) Last-ditch attempt: The star's son said in desperation in January 2015, he decided to turn up at Green's home in Canvey Island, Essex to ask for a DNA test - but was rebuffed The star's son said in desperation in January 2015, he decided to turn up at Green's home in Canvey Island, Essex to ask for a DNA test. He claims Green 'hid behind the door' and appeared fearful before saying he was in poor health. Liam said when questioned about his son, Green said he 'didn't know about that' and tried to contact Janina on the phone. In his quest to be recognised by his father, Liam met up with original Fleetwood Mac bass player Bob Brunning - who died in 2011- to discuss his father, as well as writing to solicitors and messaging Green's family members on Facebook. He told The Mirror: 'I feel upset that he's dead but also so angry that I was never given the opportunity to have a father in my life (pictured as a child) Liam now has a relationship with one of Green's daughters, Rosebud, who the star shares with ex wife Jane Samuels - but said he still feels like the 'black sheep' of the family. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac for comment. Now Liam has proven he is indeed Green's son, he may be entitled to some of Green's estate, but details of his will have not been revealed yet. Memory: Liam recalls that Green rarely visited him as a child, but once appeared at his nursery school with 'wild hair and long nails' with staff telling the musician he was 'scaring' the children (Green pictured in 1996) Liam said he is now working on a documentary about his father's stint in Munich where he took LSD at a party. This incident was seen as a significant point in decline of Green's mental health. Green remerged from obscurity on a number of occasions, forming the Peter Green Splinter Group in the late 1990s with Nigel Watson and Cozy Powell. They released nine albums between 1997 and 2004. In his footsteps: Liam now has a relationship with one of Green's daughters, Rosebud, who the star shares with ex wife Jane Samuels - but said he still feels like the 'black sheep' of the family In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other past and present members of Fleetwood Mac. His death was announced on July 25 in a statement from his devastated family, which read: 'It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. Mick Fleetwood paid tribute to his band co-founder, calling Green 'my dearest friend' and said they 'trail blazed one hell of a musical road for so many to enjoy'. Tragic loss: His death was announced on July 25 in a statement from his devastated family, which read: 'It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep' (pictured 1960s) In a statement , 73-year-old Fleetwood said: 'For me, and every past and present member of Fleetwood Mac, losing Peter Green is monumental. 'Peter was the man who started the band Fleetwood Mac along with myself, John McVie, and Jeremy Spencer. 'No one has ever stepped into the ranks of Fleetwood Mac without a reverence for Peter Green and his talent, and to the fact that music should shine bright and always be delivered with uncompromising passion.' Fleetwood added: 'Peter, I will miss you, but rest easy your music lives on. I thank you for asking me to be your drummer all those years ago. We did good, and trail blazed one hell of a musical road for so many to enjoy. 'God speed to you, my dearest friend....... Love Mick Fleetwood.' Is Joe Biden forfeiting the law-and-order issue to Donald Trump? So it would seem. "Republicans Use Law and Order As Rallying Cry" was the top headline on The New York Times' front-page story on Vice President Mike Pence's acceptance speech at Fort McHenry Wednesday night. The Wall Street Journal Page One headline echoed the Times: "Pence Accepts Nomination as GOP Puts Focus on Police." In his address, Pence charged Biden with sinning by silence in failing to denounce the rioters, looters and arsonists who have for months attacked police and pillaged Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Kenosha and other cities. Said Pence: "Last week, Joe Biden did not say one word about the violence and chaos engulfing cities across this country. "Joe Biden says that America is systemically racist, and that law enforcement in America has ... 'implicit bias against minorities.' When asked whether he'd support cutting funding to law enforcement, Joe Biden replied, 'Yes, absolutely.' "Joe Biden would double down on the very policies that are leading to unsafe streets and violence in American cities. ... You will not be safe in Joe Biden's America." Now, it is inexact to say Biden would "defund" the police. When the big agenda item of Black Lives Matter was first raised, Biden rushed to say he would reform the police and increase spending. And, late Wednesday afternoon, probably after seeing an advance of Pence's speech, Biden tweeted from Delaware about the chaos that has engulfed Kenosha since Sunday night's police shooting of Jacob Blake: "Needless violence won't heal us. We need to end the violence." Biden's belated and tepid condemnations of the riots and pillaging of America's cities by "peaceful protesters" gone rogue night after night testifies to the dilemma in which he finds himself. It is three months since George Floyd ceased to breathe under the knee of that Minneapolis cop. But it is also three months to the election. And the political tide is turning, visibly and hard, against the arsonists and anarchists conducting the nightly rampages against cops across America. The weariness of the public with the riots is palpable. The claim that these are but the understandable excesses of "peaceful protests" is getting stale. And the reaction against the riots and ruin in the Black communities, for whom they are allegedly being conducted, is growing. Black leaders in urban areas are saying we want good cops, but we also want more cops to protect our people from gun-toting gangbangers who are running up rising weekly kill rates. Tuesday, video surfaced of a mob of radicals surrounding, berating, cursing and threatening a woman at a D.C. diner. Her crime? She had refused to submit to demands she raise her fist in a Black Power salute and proclaim, "Black Lives Matter!" "White silence is violence!" screamed the mob. It looked like a training exercise for aspiring Nazi Brown Shirts. We are beginning to see how this all unfolds. And from here, it looks like the Democratic left is going to be the loser on all counts. First, the big mandate -- "Defund the police!" -- has backfired. The Biden media daily testify to its unpopularity by insisting Biden never endorsed it. Where police department budgets have been cut, shooting and homicide rates have soared. And Biden's refusal to endorse the mandate tells you what Democrats' polls are telling them. The police bill passed by Nancy Pelosi's House featuring restrictions on chokeholds has been ignored by the Senate, and Republicans do not appear to be suffering for having ignored it. The smashing of statues, which has escalated from Columbus to Catholic missionaries and saints, to Confederate generals and statesmen like Lee, Jackson and Jefferson Davis, to the four presidents on Mount Rushmore -- Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, TR -- is now seen even by liberal elites as excessive. Eventually, the country is going to go with law and order, for, no matter how the liberals recoil from the phrase and its associations with Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon, without law and order there is no justice and there is no peace. What Nixon said in '68 remains true: "The first civil right of every American is to be free from domestic violence." The mega-demand of BLM and its collaborators -- reparations for slavery and segregation -- is not wildly popular. Yet, reparations, which ultimately involves trillions in wealth transfers, is an issue on which Biden will have to choose between the Bernie-BLM-AOC wing of his party and the Scranton Democrats among whom he was raised. The decisive question: Are the nation's police forces shot through with systemic racism and overpopulated by white cops who relish using violence on Black folks? Or are our police the first of the first responders, the thin blue line standing between America and anarchy? The Republicans have chosen. They stand with the cops. And if and when Biden comes out of the basement again, he is going to have to take a stand. Declaring evenhanded neutrality won't cut it. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The donor was young and from Western Australia. For now, that's all Yvonne Wilson knows. She'll write the family a letter when she can find the right words. It's hard just so soon, amid the heavy drug regime and deep emotional conflict of being an organ recipient a gift of hope from the despair of others. Leigh and Yvonne Wilson at their Indented Head home. Yvonne's kidney transplant amid the coronavirus pandemic was a "miracle". Credit:Medibank Other words are easier. "Miracle" is how the 67-year-old describes getting the interstate kidney to Melbourne late last month, even as Victoria's second wave COVID-19 cases were surging and hopes for easing border restrictions were already weeks gone. "Wonderful people" is for the army of physicians, nurses, pilots, drivers and administration staff who juggle the risks of patients contracting COVID-19 while ensuring life-saving organs are identified, tested for safety and moved quickly across state lines so as not to be wasted. Hundreds rally against racial injustice in the city where a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times last week. More than a thousand people have taken part in a Kenosha rally to protest against police violence, nearly a week after a police officer shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times, leaving the 29-year-old Black man paralysed from the waist down. Marchers on Saturday chanted No justice, no peace! as the march began and Seven bullets, seven days a reference to the number of times Blake was shot on Sunday. Those leading the march carried a banner reading Justice for Jacob as they made their way towards the Kenosha County Courthouse, where several speakers railed against racial injustice and urged people to vote for change in November. There were seven bullets put in my sons back Hell yeah, Im mad, said Blakes father, Jacob Blake Sr. He said he wants to ask the police, What gave them the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? Im tired of this. Im tired of this. Blake Sr asked members of the crowd to raise their fists in the air with him. We are not going to stop going in the right direction. Were going to the top were gonna make legislation happen because thats the only thing that they recognise, he said. He also urged protesters to refrain from the looting and vandalism that he said detracted from the push for progress. Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing, he told a gathering at a park that was the hub of protests in support of his son, Jacob Blake Jr. Stop it. Show em for one night, we dont have to tear up nothing. Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic abuse call on Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake seven times in the back. Blake is recovering in a Milwaukee hospital. The shooting, which was captured on mobile-phone video, sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality, just three months after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody touched off months of nationwide demonstrations. Protesters have marched on Kenoshas streets every night since the shooting, with protests at times devolving into unrest that damaged buildings and vehicles. On Tuesday, two people were killed by an armed civilian during a demonstration. Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois who had gone to the protests armed with a semi-automatic rifle, is currently being held without bond and awaiting an extradition hearing on returning him to Wisconsin to face six criminal counts, including first-degree intentional murder, attempted murder, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor. The commander of the National Guard said on Friday that more than 1,000 Guard members had been deployed to help keep the peace, and more were on the way. Jacob Blakes sister Letetra Widman, centre, and uncle Justin Blake, left, [Morry Gash/AP Photo] Conflicting accounts Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said this week that police confronted Blake when they were called to the home of a woman who had reported her boyfriend was present without permission. Officers then tried to arrest him. Kaul said efforts to subdue Blake with a Taser failed, and that investigators later recovered a knife from the floor of the car that Blake was leaning into when he was shot. On Friday, the Kenosha police union defended the officers actions, saying Blake was armed with a knife, fought the officers and was given several chances to cooperate before they used deadly force. Blakes lead lawyer, Ben Crump, has said his client was not armed with a knife and did not provoke or threaten police. In the mobile-phone footage recorded by a bystander, Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of an SUV to his driver-side door as officers follow him with their guns drawn and shout at him. As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV, an officer grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire. Three of Blakes children were in the vehicle. The man who recorded the video, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he heard police yell at Blake, Drop the knife! Drop the knife! before gunfire erupted. White said he did not see a knife in Blakes hands. Handcuffed to hospital bed Blake had been handcuffed to a hospital bed after the shooting, which authorities said was the result of an outstanding arrest warrant, until Friday, when the warrant was vacated, one of his lawyers, Pat Cafferty, told Reuters News Agency. The warrant was based on a criminal complaint filed against Blake in July, based on statements made by his ex-girlfriend, the mother of three of his children, that was released to Reuters on Friday. The woman told police Blake broke into her home on May 3 and sexually assaulted her before stealing her truck and debit card. After India on Saturday announced that it is withdrawing from a multilateral military exercise in Russia next month, a week after confirming its participation in the exercise that is also expected to be attended by the Chinese and Pakistani troops, BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy has praised the country's decision. 'We cannot dilute our anger at China' Taking to Twitter, the Rajya Sabha MP said, "Good that India has withdrawn from the military exercise in Russia where China is to participate." He added that India cannot dilute its anger at China crossing the mutually agreed LAC and "squat on at least 60 square km of Ladakh's undisputed land." Good that India has withdrawn from the military exercise in Russia where China is to participate. We cannot dilute our anger at China crossing the mutually agreed LAC and squat on at least 60 square kms of Ladakh's undisputed land. Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 29, 2020 In a late-night statement, a defence ministry spokesperson said India has decided not to send its contingent to the exercise in view of the Coronavirus pandemic and "consequent difficulties". However, PTI reported that people familiar with the development said China's participation in the exercise was a major factor behind the decision. Last week, India had conveyed to Russia that it will participate in the strategic command-post exercise to be held in the Astrakhan region in southern Russia from September 15 to 26. 'India has decided not to send a contingent' "Russia and India are close and privileged strategic partners. At Russia's invitation, India has been participating in many international events. However, in view of Pandemic and consequent difficulties in exercise, including arrangements of logistics, India has decided not to send a contingent this year to Kavkaz-2020," Defence Ministry Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu said. He said the decision has been conveyed to the Russian side. READ | 'I feel like Vidura': Subramanian Swamy draws Mahabharat reference to JEE, NEET exams Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh for over three-and-half months. Both the countries are holding talks at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the dispute. READ | NEET-JEE row: Subramanian Swamy won't take his 'last chance'; reasons why as CMs move SC Around 20 countries including all member-nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) including China and Pakistan are expected to participate in the Kavkaz exercise. India's decision not to participate in the military drill comes ahead of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's scheduled visit to Russia next week to attend a crucial meeting of the SCO. READ | Subramanian Swamy speaks on Sushant's death case; calls for 'new renaissance' in Bollywood In June, a tri-services contingent from India participated at the Victory Day Parade at the iconic Red Square in Moscow to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. A contingent from China had also attended it. READ | Subramanian Swamy ridicules 'media trial' howls in Sushant case, says 'audience is judge' (With agency inputs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, August 31 2020 COVID-19 has not only strained the health of many survivors but also their relationships with friends and neighbors. A 24-year-old survivor of the illness in Surabaya, East Java, who asked to be identified as Ayu said some of her colleagues greeted her coldly when she returned to work from a month of self-isolation and a hospital stay in late July. Ayu, who works at a bank, said some of her colleagues appeared to be avoiding her, and she noticed that some were no longer asking her to eat lunch with them. She felt like an outcast. One of her senior male colleagues indirectly accused her of infecting several other employees, including himself. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login On Monday, I and an army of academics stepped back into the classroom. Well be joined by our colleagues in the coming weeks in campuses across the country and state. As the states number of new COVID-19 cases continues to drop, my private university has done what many public schools in Connecticut are doing, and reopened for in-person classes, with significant modifications. Weve staggered schedules. Some of our classes remain online. We are masking up, socially distancing, wiping down, and creating as safe a learning environment as possible given what we know about the virus right now. Schools have taken into account multiple concerns - including, lets be honest, financial ones - and decided we can do this. We have been preparing for this since we moved online in March - sometimes, in my case, reluctantly so. This summer, I and my colleagues attended multiple Zoom meetings, watched training videos, and learned to navigate a new computer system. We read journals. I joined social media teacher groups (I recommend Facebooks Pandemic Pedagogy, if theyre still accepting members). We have been training for months while we watched scientific research in real time tell us that the best practices we prepared for last week have been abandoned in favor of new practices proven to work better. Is a safe distance six feet? 10? 26? Other college re-openings have been rocky. Fairfield University is retesting students after some issues with earlier lab results. UConn evicted some students from campus housing after a viral video showed them at a large dorm party with no masks and no social distancing. University of North Carolina moved classes online just 9 days after students began moving on campus. Early contract tracing did not find that infections came from classrooms or labs or other spaces under staff control. The virus was spread in social settings. (In Danbury, a recent spike in cases can be traced to social gatherings, as well, said Mayor Mark Boughton.) University of Notre Dame moved online in response to that schools spiking virus cases and a student newspaper plea that the school not force the campus journalists to write obituaries. My campus feels deserted. Faculty members arrive to teach, and then we leave. Office hours are on Zoom, which means office hours can be any time. This new world hardly resembles the one we left in March - except for the constant that makes teaching worth the effort, the students. On Monday, as I was setting up a computer in class, the students had seated themselves far apart from one another. Everyone had a mask on, worn properly. Then in walked a student whod struggled last semester. You cannot appreciate the mountains some of these young adults climb until theyre sitting in your office, wiping away tears, and matter-of-factly laying out a plan of action. For a while, this student talked about dropping out, but there she was, holding her phone aloft to show me the app that said she was clear to be on campus - she had no symptoms and her COVID-19 test came back negative. And then she smiled - or at least I think she smiled. Behind her mask, it could have been a grimace, but I choose to think it was a smile from a student who along with the rest of us is bravely facing the unknown. I wanted to come around the desk and hug her. It will be that kind of semester. These are dangerous times. We are welcoming students from all over the country - the world, even. We are trying to reduce the spread of the virus and create a bubble where we - and this is always true but never more than now - are only as strong as our weakest link. One silly party, one thoughtless dorm tryst, and we are sunk. If that happens, at best we go back to the dark days of March, and move everything online. We dont have to talk about the worst. Some of these students have lost loved ones to the virus, yet here they are, determined, serious, ready to learn. So: Dear parents who trust us with your college-aged students: I will do everything in my power to teach your children. I will stay up late thinking up new ways to introduce concepts they'll need to succeed after graduation. I am not alone in this, either. I am adding to my responsibilities a promise to do what I can to keep your child safe. I will enforce social distancing and demand masks and do everything within the confines of my classroom to deliver your student home safely at Thanksgiving, when my school goes online until the end of the semester. I will remind your child that the weekends are tempting, and that it's easy to let down your guard, but that doing so puts us all at risk for a really ugly virus. I will talk about the greater good, and the decency of regular people who take care of one another. We will get through this, together. I will do everything with that as my goal. Sincerely, Your child's professor, who means every word Labour and the Conservatives are tied neck and neck in the latest opinion poll following a slump in support for Boris Johnsons party over the last five months. The Tories had a 26-point lead over their rivals in March when Jeremy Corbyn was still leader and have led every voting survey by Opinium since July 2019. However, the companys latest poll for The Observer shows both the Conservatives and Keir Starmers Labour Party on 40 per cent, with Ed Daveys Liberal Democrats on 6 per cent. It follows a series of government U-turns during the coronavirus pandemic, including its policy on this years A-level grades, free school meals and the NHS surcharge. Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner said the Conservative slump in the polls was not surprising. She tweeted: The Tories have been woeful over a range of issues that matter to the public, they have been incompetent, inept and useless. Staggering from one crisis to the next, U-turn after U-turn, Puerile excuses, Blaming others for their failures, it cannot carry on. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A killer whale (orca in the fjord of Skjervoy, northern Norway AFP/Getty Tory MP Charles Walker expressed frustration with the leadership, telling The Observer that the recent string of U-turns was not a sustainable way to approach the business of governing and government. He added: It is becoming increasingly difficult for backbenchers now to promote and defend government policy as so often that policy is changed or abandoned without notice. The climate of uncertainty it creates is unsustainable and erodes morale. The poll by Opinium, based on an online survey of 2,002 adults between 26 and 28 August, also found that Keir Starmer still has a net approval rating of +14 compared to Boris Johnsons net disapproval of -8. Meanwhile nearly half of voters (47 per cent) disapproved of the governments handling of coronavirus, compared to 31 per cent who approved. It also found that 48 per cent of British adults disapprove of Gavin Williamsons performance as education secretary and 40 per cent say he is most responsible for the recent A-level turmoil. With most schools reopening for the new academic year next week, 63 per cent of parents back the return of primary school pupils and 60 per cent support the return of secondary school pupils. More than half of adults surveyed, 52 per cent, supported making masks compulsory for children in school, with 19 per cent opposed. Additional reporting by Press Association A volunteer of Shia Muslim community at the Shia Jama Masjid, Kashmiri gate during Muharram on August 30, 2020 in New Delhi. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, mass processions have been cancelled this year, with devotees observing a muted Muharram and mostly remaining indoors. The number of reported Covid-19 cases across the globe surpassed 25 million on Sunday, with the U.S., Brazil and India leading the grim count, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The coronavirus has killed more than 843,000 people worldwide since it emerged from Wuhan, China, late last year, with the Americas reporting the bulk of fatalities. The U.S., Mexico and Brazil represent more than 40% of the global death toll, according to Hopkins. Reported Covid-19 cases surpassed 10 million in late June, then doubled just over six weeks later on Aug. 10, according to the data. "This virus is going to be with us for a while. Without a vaccine, it's going to be with us for years," Carissa Etienne, director of Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization's regional director for the Americas, said during a news briefing Tuesday. "Reopening does not mean that the fight is over." Some European countries have started to report a recent resurgence. France's prime minister, Jean Castex, said the virus has spread rapidly among young people, forcing the government to intervene. Castex said France "must do everything to avoid a new confinement," The Associated Press reported on Thursday. Infections in Spain, which has the highest case count among European countries, have climbed to nearly 440,000 cases since the country lifted its lockdown in late June, according to Hopkins. The U.S. continues to struggle with the world's worst outbreak and largest reported case count, though the growth in new cases appears to be leveling off after a summer of surging outbreaks. The U.S. reported an average of 42,000 new infections a day over the last week, a decline of more than 3% from the prior week, according to a CNBC analysis of Hopkins' data. New cases in the U.S. peaked at 67,317 daily cases on July 22, based on a seven-day average, after a resurgence of cases ripped through the Sun Belt states in June and July. "The current plan wearing a mask, watching your distance, washing your hands, supplemented by smart testing, according to the state plans, surge testing and extreme technical assistance by CDC as well as our craft teams continues to yield results," Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir told reporters last week. However, health officials are concerned that the coronavirus may spread to America's heartland. As of Sunday, cases were growing by 19% or more in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, according to a CNBC analysis of Hopkins' data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield recently told Dr. Howard Bauchner of the Journal of the American Medical Association that there are worrying signs in the middle of the country where cases appear to be plateauing but not falling. Redfield said the area "is getting stuck," which is a concern as seasonal influenza threatens to overwhelm hospitals and cause preventable deaths. "We don't need to have a third wave in the heartland right now," he said. "We need to prevent that particularly as we're coming to the fall." The U.S. is gearing up to distribute a vaccine, which is expected some time early next year, as part of the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed. Health officials have said there's no returning to "normal" until a vaccine is distributed. On Wednesday, the CDC proposed guidelines for who would receive the first doses once a vaccine candidate is approve, prioritizing health-care workers, essential personnel and vulnerable Americans, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has said the initial supply of vaccine doses is expected to be limited and won't be widely available to Americans until "several months" into 2021. The federal government has spent billions in vaccine development, locking in a minimum of 800 million doses as soon as the immunizations are cleared later this year or early next year. However, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn told the Financial Times he's willing to consider granting emergency authorization for a vaccine before phase three trials have been completed. Russia registered a vaccine, called "Sputnik V," on Aug. 11, though scientists warn that its candidate has only gone through phase one and phase two clinical trials and not large human trials to prove the vaccine's efficacy. Russia said it would begin phase three trials in August. CNBC's Will Feuer, Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 16:15 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417a5bd 1 National #COVID19,COVID-19,stigma,#stigma,contact-tracing,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free COVID-19 has not only strained the health of many survivors but also their relationships with friends and neighbors. A 24-year-old survivor of the illness in Surabaya, East Java, who asked to be identified as Ayu said some of her colleagues greeted her coldly when she returned to work from a month of self-isolation and a hospital stay in late July. Ayu, who works at a bank, said some of her colleagues appeared to be avoiding her, and she noticed that some were no longer asking her to eat lunch with them. She felt like an outcast. One of her senior male colleagues indirectly accused her of infecting several other employees, including himself. "I now realize who my true friends are [not] people who are there only during good times [but] those who stick with you during both good and bad times," she told The Jakarta Post. Ayus experience is not unique. A recent survey by the LaporCOVID-19 (Report COVID-19) community, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Indonesia (UI) faculty of psychology, found that stigma surrounding COVID-19 patients and survivors had persisted six months into the outbreak. The survey was conducted from Aug. 7 to 16 and polled 181 respondents aged 18 and above who had tested positive for, had recovered from or were suspected to have COVID-19. Half of the respondents were medical workers. The study found that 55.25 percent of respondents had become the target of gossip, 33.15 percent had been shunned and 24.86 percent had been treated as virus spreaders or carriers. The survey showed that 9.39 percent of respondents had been bullied on social media, 4.42 percent had been rejected from public facilities, 4.42 percent had not received assistance, 3.31 percent had been expelled from their homes and 0.55 percent had been laid off. After recovering from COVID-19, 4 percent of respondents said they were treated by the public worse than they had been treated during the illness and 14 percent said they were treated just as poorly. Ayu tested positive in mid-June, after she lost her uncle to COVID-19. She eventually lost her aunt as well, who died in an intensive care unit. Not long after her test came back positive, Ayu's neighborhood unit (RT) head shared documents revealing not only her family's COVID-19 statuses but also their full names and ID card numbers on a neighborhood WhatsApp group. Her cousin, who had also tested positive and was staying with her grandmother in a nearby neighborhood, was accused of breaching self-isolation one evening to go on a date with her boyfriend. "The man and woman that the neighbors saw that night were actually my mother [who had temporarily moved to the house to take care of Ayus grandmother] and her brother [who lives there], she said. They had to go to the hospital to sign papers to get my aunt on a ventilator as soon as possible. Some experts have said that the stigma of COVID-19 in Indonesia is as bad as that of HIV/AIDS. The opprobrium has exacerbated the countrys persistent struggles with containment, testing and tracing of the virus as many people are reluctant to ascertain their true statuses. A significant share of the countrys cases are believed to remain undetected. Read also: Stigma, precarity deter Indonesians from getting tested for COVID-19 "Six months into the pandemic, [the stigma] persists. I imagined that after the first three months, it would subside, but it hasnt," said urologist Akmal Taher, a member of the national COVID-19 task forces expert team. In February, before Indonesia had reported any confirmed COVID-19 cases, residents of Natuna, Riau Islands, protested the government's decision to use a facility on the island to quarantine Indonesians returning from Wuhan, China. A month later, Indonesia's first two confirmed cases suffered privacy breaches and were the targets of false reports. One of the two described the ordeal as mentally draining. Some people suggested that the patient's profession had caused her to contract the virus. Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto announced after the discovery of the cases that the female patient was a dance teacher and had danced with a Japanese citizen at a club. The minister said the Japanese citizen, who later tested positive, was a close friend of the patient. Following the ministers statement, the patient faced rumors that a Japanese man had rented her. She clarified that the Japanese citizen was actually a woman and that she did not know the person well. Read also: Privacy breach, fake news take mental toll on Indonesia's first COVID-19 cases Siska Verawati of the Center for Indonesia's Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI), which has sought to empower community health centers (Puskesmas) in Jakarta and Bandung, West Java, during the outbreak, said that in certain areas, the stigma stemmed from RT management and heads themselves. Amplified by misinformation and an incomplete understanding of COVID-19, Siska said, the stigma had disrupted tracing and testing efforts because people were often dishonest about their symptoms. She said the government's constantly changing COVID-19 policies had created further confusion. "Puskesmas workers are indeed frontline health workers. But to break the chains of transmission, communities should come together and be on the front lines to fend off stigma. There should be good narratives that COVID-19 is our common enemy and that it's real, Siska said. Read also: Theyre our brothers and sisters: Jokowi asks for understanding for Wuhan evacuees quarantined in Natuna "Something that's missing from [the government's] public communication are the voices of people who have experienced [COVID-19] emotional messages that are [...] based upon real facts and the voices of those who have tested positive and been stigmatized," said UI social psychology researcher Dicky Pelupessy, who was involved in the LaporCOVID-19 survey. Dicky urged the government to create localized but standardized public communication initiatives that targeted people of all backgrounds and provided accurate information that was easy to understand. Akmal of the COVID-19 task force acknowledged that there was not yet a specific strategy to tackle the stigma surrounding the disease. He cited the limited number of studies on Indonesian public perception of the disease. He claimed it was not that the government was inconsistent with its messaging but that new evidence and studies were continuing emerge so policies had to be adjusted periodically. But he believed that certain public communication strategies were urgently required to facilitate tracing. He suggested that such efforts start with communities and said the task force would help with the funding. Abubakar Abdulqudus appeared worried on his way to school in the early hours of Thursday, August 13. He is one of the Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) students writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), a prerequisite examination for promotion into Senior Secondary School. Abdulqudus worry was not the fear of the English Language examination set to hold at 9:00 a.m. that day, but the concern about the danger that coming to school amidst COVID-19 posed to his family. The class captain of the 136 students sitting for the promotion examination in Ansarudeen Society High School, Kishi, Oyo State, said that while the use of face mask was made compulsory for every student, social distancing was difficult to achieve in the hall. The school also lacks basic amenities such as chairs, desks, toilets and potable water for students. PREMIUM TIMES findings revealed that buckets and sanitisers provided for the school were only used for a week after resumption. Since then, the buckets have been kept in the Home Economics laboratory due to difficulties faced by students to fetch water while the hand sanitizers have been exhausted, hence constant washing of hands is no longer practised in the school. The use of facemask is only made compulsory but as you can see, the hall is not big enough to accommodate the 136 students writing the examinations. From what I read from pages of newspapers, theres no social distancing in the school, the student said. We spent a week washing our hands before going to class and since then, we just come to school and go to class and there is nothing like handwashing again. Schools reopening Four months ago, the federal government ordered the closure of schools following the rise of COVID-19 pandemic, but on July 21, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State asked Pry 6, JSS 3 and SSS 3 students to resume for their examination from July 30. The state then announced August 10 for the commencement of the JSS 3 promotion examination. The federal government took the same step by asking students in the exit classes to resume on August 4. Conditions set by the federal government include the provision of hand sanitisers, water and soap at strategic locations within premises of schools, and ensuring social distance. The guidelines for the reopening of schools also stipulated effective response if anyone exhibited symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection. Following this development, PREMIUM TIMES visited a rural community, Kishi, in Oyo State, to report happenings as students return to school. Kishi is a rural area in the northern part of Oyo and the headquarters of Irepo Local Government Area. It shares borders with Kwara State. The town is about 250km from Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. Already, a United Nations (UN) and World Health Organisation (WHO) report revealed that over 800 million students worldwide lack basic handwashing facilities at schools thus increasing the risk of coronavirus contagion. Students writing exam used to illustrate story More than a third of the over 800 million children who lack these basic facilities are from sub-Saharan Africa. And from this newspapers findings, Kishi is one of the communities where children are most at risk. Handwashing buckets without water For several hours, our correspondent waited for the Principal of Ansarudeen Society High School to ask why the school defied protocols directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Other teachers available also refused to respond to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries on why authorities decided to keep the buckets in Home Economics laboratories amidst rising cases of the deadly virus. Only the principal will answer that, one of the teachers said during a second visit to the school. The situation in Ansarudeen was the same in other schools visited by our correspondent in the community. Handwashing materials in Iba Kishi Community Grammar School has had no form of water supply since 1976 when it was established. While the institution has toilets, getting water is an arduous task. Students were writing examinations when our reporter visited the school. The school has a total of 905 students for the current academic session. There are 135 students writing ongoing JSS examinations while 110 students would be writing WAEC, the principal of the school, Amos Solomon, told PREMIUM TIMES. There is no well nor borehole but we beg owners of boreholes around to help us with water anytime we are in need. Weve written several letters to the Oyo State Government requesting for a borehole or any means of getting water but our letters are left unattended to. So, how do we ensure that students properly wash their hands when theres no water to do so. We have to lock the toilet to avoid being messed up by students, because there is no water, Mr Solomon lamented. This was also the case in Adasobo Grammar School. One of the students, Princess Isaac, told PREMIUM TIMES that they have been mandated to bring water from their homes every day for hand washing. Since there is no water in the school, those whose houses are closer to the school fetch water to fill the bucket and thats how weve been maintaining the protocols. The only thing is that sometimes, the water finishes so early in the morning and we just have to let go till the next day. Students with face masks but no social distancing at Iba High Sch PREMIUM TIMES had a separate experience at Iba High School. Although the school lacks water, there is a borehole adjacent to the college which makes difficulties faced by students less demanding amidst COVID-19 crisis. But like others, the school lacks good toilets for proper sanitation. Irregular facemasks, social distancing The most difficult of all to achieve by students and teachers in schools visited by our correspondent is social distancing. The halls being used to write the Junior School Certificate examination are not designed to meet the standard of WHO and NCDC on social distancing. Moreover , PREMIUM TIMES observed the non-use of face masks in the community at large. Simon Joseph Adasobo Sch vice principal addressing students to use their face masks None of the teachers and students in Adasobo Grammar School was wearing a face mask when our reporter visited the school. But when our correspondent introduced himself to the Vice Principal, Simon Joseph, he swiftly addressed the students saying where are your nose covers. Didnt I tell you to be using it always, even when it was evident that he was also breaching the rule. Advertisements I say you must put your nose cover anytime you are coming to school, he shouted at the students and ordered one of them to bring out the bucket and sanitiser so that students arriving late could fill them with water. READ ALSO: None of the students in the school as of the time of our visit had washed his or her hands, they all told PREMIUM TIMES. A student, who asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES that she would have preferred to stay back home to avoid being exposed to risk if the ongoing examination was not compulsory. Mr Joseph could not disclose the number of students who registered for the examination to PREMIUM TIMES. Students not observing social distancing at Iba High Sch Unlike Adasobo school where the use of face masks was virtually non-existent, there was full compliance when this newspaper visited Iba High School. Both members of staff and students had their noses covered on Thursday morning. The major compliance not met at Iba High School is social distancing. For the vice principal, failure to comply with the social distancing rule is due to lack of facilities. A female student, Blessing Chikunovu, who spoke with our correspondent, lamented that students writing Junior School Certificate examinations are forced to bring chairs from their respective homes to write their examination, a claim that was corroborated by the authority of the school. Chikunovu Blessing at Iba High School The fact that we are made to bring chairs from home is sad. There is need for improvement because even the hall meant for examination is not in good shape. COVID-19, as said by many, is real but we are not being looked after enough not to contract it. I may be conscious enough to come with sanitizer from home but what about others. The reopening of school is good but it is at the detriment of our lives, Blessing said. Oladipupo Dorcas, the school vice principal, noted that there are various abandoned projects not making learning conducive for students. We have written to the government to provide chairs but nothing has been heard. The hall can even affect student mentality. We have been trying our best as directed by the government but the major problem we have is lack of adequate facilities as there are 120 students taking the ongoing examination in the small hall. Examination hall in Adasobo Grammer Sch Examination hall in Iba High Sch Before schools reopened, PREMIUM TIMES understands that some teachers were trained on how to manage COVID-19 crisis if they suspect any in their schools. But, none of the teachers was available in all schools visited by our correspondent in Kishi. Also, while the NCDC, in its guidelines for school reopening, mandated that schools should establish and adequately equip dispensaries and clinics as appropriate, the schools in this community lacked infrared thermometers or functional clinics that can cater to sick students. Learning with cows However, while the challenge of COVID-19 exists, the major concern of parents is the lack of security in most schools visited. This newspaper observed that schools visited in Kishi are without gates and fences which give room for trespass. At different instances, our correspondent saw herds of cattle and rams within the schools premises and classrooms. Adewale Kazeem, PTA Chairman in Ansarudeen High School Adewale Kazeem, the PTA chairman of Ansarudeen High School, while speaking with our correspondent, lamented that most schools in the community are not conducive for children. He also criticised the failure of the government to listen to the plea of parents in protecting the lives of their wards. There are not enough classrooms in most of the schools in Kishi for conducive learning and social distancing is difficult. These schools do not have fencing and cows find their ways into classrooms and even disrupt learning, he said. Government is trying but theres need to do more because we are not satisfied with the preparation said to have been put in place and your findings also revealed a lot. Rams in Iba High School We only trust God that they [children] will be safe because we arent comfortable with structures of schools. I hope they provide necessary chairs for conducive learning. Encroachment by Fulani is disastrous because sometimes, they may have encounter with them and only God knows what will trigger unfortunate actions. A community leader, Jimoh Aliu, told PREMIUM TIMES that As parents, we are only praying. The government has done what they consider necessary even though we have problem with school structures which is what is obtainable in many rural communities. We do hope that things get better one day. Rams in Ansarudeen School premises Another parent, Ramatullahi Wahab, said: School resumption is a great thing but we must understand the risk attached to it following unpreparedness. She urged authorities to send their team to grassroots to observe the level of compliance so that schools management would be on their toes in ensuring the safety of children and teachers in their custody. Weve Tried Our Best Govt When contacted, the Chairman of Irepo Local Government Area, Hasif Adedidran-Sulieman, said the government has tried its best. From our level, we shared face masks around and we expect that people do the needful after sensitization. The only problem we have with our people is that they dont believe it exists and can even get to Kishi even when we have evidence that the disease is not a joke. We held a series of meetings with schools heads but it is expected that some would breach. The council chairman also claimed that residents were immune to COVID-19 because of the tropical nature of the environment in Africa, a narrative not backed by scientific facts. Over 50,000 people in Nigeria have been infected with COVID-19, including over 3,000 in Oyo State. Nigeria has also recorded over 1,000 deaths from the virus. We have succeeded in our part. We dont have test gadgets to test our people but we are certain that we are safe because theres heat here and community people take dry gin often that reportedly combat COVID-19, the council chairman said as he declined comments on the lack of infrastructure in the schools. Dilapidated examination hall at Ansarudeen High School When confronted with our findings, the states commissioner for health, Basir Bello, blamed the situation on the schools. Nigerians have problems with compliance, he said. No matter the extent of provision, it is sure that some schools most especially in the rural communities would defy protocols. Thats the problem of Nigerians on any policy made by the government. What you are saying is the fact but thats not peculiar to Oyo rural communities alone. We cannot say because we dont have some amenities, students should not go back to school. You are working now as a journalist and you dont want students to continue their lives too? On his part, the education commissioner, Sunkanmi Olaleye, said the government had tried its best but will revisit many schools in rural communities to fact-check PREMIUM TIMES claims. The Oyo government did not disclose the amount made available to schools to help them comply with COVID-19 protocols. Mr Olaleye also declined enquiries on matters relating to funding. We tried from our end to release necessary things needed when we asked schools to resume. We knew classes would be enough in observance of social media rules in the sense that only the terminal classes were asked to resume. Now that you have noted some lapses, our Local Inspectors of Education would be in those schools and others in various rural communities. Dilapidated toilet at Ansarudeen When questioned about lack of potable water, toilets and decayed infrastructure, the commissioner said: Even in your house, do you always have water. We are in this thing together. Parents can also monitor the schools of their children and provide what schools lack. Education advocates The Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE) and founder of #FollowTheMoney, Hamzat Lawal, expressed worry over this newspapers findings. He, however, called for education stakeholders to rise to the need of education in rural areas. Your findings about the schools in the rural community is worrisome. Government said they have budgeted and released funds to provide adequate facilities but even before now, many of our schools have no toilets and the ones with toilets do not have water which threatens the hygiene of students most especially the girls that are often forced to stay out of school during their menses. COVID-19 has shown that theres a need for us to take the education sector more seriously. For three months while schools were locked down, adequate provisions ought to have been made. We cannot disconnect all of these from corruption. Up till now, no one could tell how much they spent in reopening these schools. Im more worried about the grassroots where potable drinking water is even a problem let alone schools. Ansarudeen School signpost Education stakeholders need to rise up to this challenge. Weve written FOI letters to various governments to give us break down on their spending so far, but unfortunately, none has responded. All they are giving us is the incident report and without financial information, you cannot build public trust. A senior lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Kehinde Ayoola, also decried the unpreparedness of the government towards the reopening schools. Im not comfortable with the reopening of schools because there is a lot not put in place. All needed is for parents to personally equip their children and pray for safety. This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its COVID-19 Reality Check project. Susan B. Anthony walked into a Rochester, N.Y., barbershop that doubled as a voter registration office on Nov. 1, 1872, and threatened to sue startled officials unless she was allowed to register to vote. The suffragist was arrested and charged with voting illegally after she cast a ballot for Ulysses S. Grant four days later. Anthony wouldnt live to see Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby announce on Aug. 26, 1920, that the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote had been formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution. But four prominent Fredericksburg-area women referred to the decades-long struggle Anthony and other suffragists underwent and urged everyone to exercise the hard-won right to vote in a 100th anniversary celebration held Wednesday on the front steps of Fredericksburgs City Hall. Organized by the Womans Club of Fredericksburg, the gathering also included about a dozen members who wore yellow roses, a symbol of the womens suffrage movement, and hoisted signs reading 100 Years of Voting Women Women Vote and Celebrate. A crowd of about 50 people, including some parents who brought their children, gathered to watch. A driver passing by honked in support as club President Bev Rawlings opened the program by saying she was joined by a group of talented and accomplished women. These included the speakers: Fredericksburg Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, city schools Superintendent Marci Catlett, Germanna Community College President Janet Gullickson and Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Meg Bohmke. We stand today on the shoulders of hundreds of women, hundreds of women. We know many of their names and there are so many that are not so familiar, but we are indebted, absolutely indebted, to the women who fought so long and so hard along with Susan B. Anthony, said Greenlaw, who became Fredericksburgs first female mayor in 2012. She added that this was a very important milestone in an unfinished journey since it took a number of subsequent laws to ensure equal access to the vote for all citizens. Greenlaw then read a proclamation that noted that the 19th Amendment fundamentally changed the role of women in the countrys civic life, and that women today are running for public office in unprecedented numbers. It also encouraged all citizens to commemorate and declare the week of Aug. 26 as the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. Catlett, who is the citys first Black superintendent, pointed out that the 19th Amendment gave only some women the right to vote, since segregation was still the law of the land. She paid tribute to the many Black women who participated in the suffrage movement. These included activist and journalist Ida B. Wells, who planned to march with the Illinois delegation in the first suffrage parade in Washington in 1913. Wells was told to either not participate or to march in the back, and initially complied by falling back to the rear of the parade. But she courageously emerged from the crowd halfway through the march and claimed her spot alongside the white participants from Chicago, Catlett said. Founders of Catletts beloved sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, were at rear of the parade, too, and were met with cheers and jeers, the superintendent said. They were spit on, beaten, slapped, and bystanders tried to pull them off the float. They persevered, and were instrumental in the fight for the right to vote for all women, she said. That process would take 50 years after the 19th Amendment was approved, she said, due to such discriminatory practices as poll taxes and Jim Crow laws. Because of the efforts of brave women such as Wells and others, it is unacceptable to not exercise the right to vote, Catlett said to applause. Gullickson, GCCs first female president, also urged people to register to vote if they hadnt already, learn about the candidates and issues, and to talk to their children about the importance of voting in the upcoming presidential election. She said that her mother, a school teacher who was born in 1921, never failed to vote, and would tell people if she were here today not to neglect that right. It is the single most powerful weapon in any kind of democratic change in our great country, Gullickson said. She also urged people to brag about voting and to brag about being an educated voter. There are so many people now in our society who brag about things which arent democratic with a small d, which arent what our foremothers had in mind, Gullickson said. You brag about your vote, because by exercising that vote, we are changing our country. Bohmke ended the program by talking about that fateful day in 1871 when Anthony was arrested for voting, and the speech she gave in defense of her actions. In it, she pointed to the preamble to the Constitution, which begins: We the people of the United States. Anthony argued that it did not say the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. Not giving women the right to vote was downright mockery of the democratic republic government, as she stated, Bohmke said. Anthonys words didnt impress the federal judge, who ordered the jury to find her guilty. The 19th Amendment wouldnt be ratified until Aug. 18, 1920, when Tennessee became the 36th state to pass ratification by one vote. Virginia, which voted no in 1920, didnt show its support for womens suffrage until it officially ratified the 19th Amendment on Feb. 21, 1952. Today, women not only have the right to vote, but Bohmke is one of four women, including the first Black female, who serve on the Stafford Board of Supervisors. I am very proud to be an elected official in Stafford County and I truly believe that a mix of men and women on any elective board is really best for the community, she said. I am very thankful for the opportunities that I have had as an elected official to make critical decisions that affect our community and our region. Livingston, Calif., Aug. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present an unprecedented challenge to our nation, and its workforce. This has been felt strongly in the meat and poultry industry, and geographically in Californias Central Valley, the heart of agriculture for the Western United States. In recent months, Foster Farms Livingston Poultry Complex located in Merced County experienced 392 positive cases, and 8 employee deaths related to complications associated with COVID-19. The illness and deaths occurred despite Foster Farms having promptly implemented a comprehensive set of employee protective measures that strictly adhere to CDC guidance. We are gratified that 239 of our coworkers have been cleared to return to work and grieve with the families and loved ones of those who died. At the Livingston poultry plant, which is the largest component of the complex, symptomatic cases are in decline following a July peak. Recent results from Foster Farms testing of 2,500 employees at the Livingston poultry plant indicate a COVID-19 prevalence level of less than 1%. While we are very encouraged by these results, we recognize that they do not fully rule out the possibility of community spread within the facility, which remains classified by the Merced County Health Department as an outbreak. We can never allow for any measure of complacency, which potentially affects the health and welfare of our employees. Foster Farms very much appreciates the concern of the Merced Public Health department, and their significant efforts to mitigate COVID-19 prevalence. We agree that the best approach to ensuring the future safety of our Livingston plant workers is to begin anew with a clean slate. Foster Farms will close the main Livingston processing plant on Tuesday evening, September 1 and not resume operations until Monday evening, September 7. During this downtime, the company will complete two rounds of deep cleaning and two rounds of COVID-19 testing covering all 1,400 plant employees. The testing program will ensure that all workers first reentering the plant on September 7 will be free of COVID-19. Concurrently, Foster Farms will have completed two rounds of testing for all other major processing and logistical facilities that comprise the Livingston Poultry Complex. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in making available test kits and other material support which will enable Foster Farms to complete testing with the least impact on the food supply. During the period of downtime, cleaning and testing, the Merced Public Health Department will be welcome to observe activities to ensure their proper administration. We further agree with the Merced Public Health Department that opportunities exist to enhance social distancing, add to professional healthcare staffing that will oversee COVID-19 programs, and improve COVID-19 related employee communication. Most importantly, we are committed to the ongoing exchange of data, and open lines of communication with the Merced Public Health Department, which is at the core of tracking and resolving COVID-19 cases before they reach outbreak status. COVID-19 is not the product of a company any more than it is the fault of a people, or a community. It is a scourge that companies like Foster Farms and communities like Merced County can work together to defeat. Foster Farms joins our nation in looking forward to a time when we are rid of COVID-19. We look forward to building an ongoing relationship with the Merced Public Health Department to help ensure the health and betterment of the greater community where we live and work. ### The Government of Ghana has rejected accusations by Nigeria of intimidation and maltreatment of Nigerian nationals in Ghana. In a six-page response signed by its Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ghana particularly denied several allegations by Nigeria and provided detailed explanations showing it was incorrect to suggest Nigerians were being targeted for maltreatment in Ghana. The Government of Ghana notes, with concern, a statement, dated Friday, August 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture and signed by the Federal Minister, Hon. Lai Mohammed, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concerning current relations between Ghana and Nigeria. Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries the statement said. Mr. Nkrumah said Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by the Nigerian Federal Minister is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified. The Information minister used the opportunity as a first step, to provide a more reflective account of events, while urging both countries to pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters. The statement by the Government of Ghana also assured that President Akufo-Addo, who currently has a very excellent relations with his Nigerian counterpart will engage President Buhari with a view to develop immediately a framework for validating claims of ill treatment of citizens of either country, and ensure citizens enjoy the full exercise of their rights, while respecting the sovereignty and laws of both countries. Attached is a copy of the full statement. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video One person was shot dead as protesters from rival groups clashed late on Saturday in the U.S. city of Portland, which has seen frequent demonstrations for months that have at times turned violent. Police said the violence took place in Portlands downtown area and that they had made arrests. A political rally is caravanning throughout downtown Portland. There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators," Portland police said on Twitter. Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests." A local NBC affiliate quoted police saying one person had died in a shooting. No details about the identity of the deceased were provided. I can confirm a shooting, one person deceased, in the area of SW 3rd and Alder, and that we are in the early stages of a homicide investigation," a police representative was quoted as saying by KGW News. Demonstrations against racism and police brutality have swept the United States since the death in May of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Tensions between rival protest groups have roiled downtown Portland every night for nearly three months following Floyds death. [nL1N2FN22A] President Donald Trumps administration in July deployed federal forces to Portland to crack down on the protests. 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 ruling Communist Party of Nepal's central secretariat meeting scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled as two senior ministers are in self-isolation after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokharel and Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa are self-isolating at home after a staffer at the Crisis Management Center (CCMC) tested positive for the virus. Both ministers are the members of the CCMC. A source close to the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) said the decision to stay in home isolation was taken as a precautionary measure as the staffer had recently attended a CCMC meeting in Kathmandu. Both Pokharel and Thapa regularly attend the CCMC meetings as key members of the body constituted by the government to ensure effective measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the ministers have already undergone tests to check if they have contracted the virus, a senior member of the CPN Standing Committee said, adding that the new date of the meeting will be fixed as soon as their reports arrive. The ministers are also the members of the nine-member Secretariat body of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). The meeting was supposed to deliberate and endorse the report submitted earlier by a six-member panel headed by General Secretary Bishnu Paudel to resolve the intra-party feud in the CPN. This is the second time the Secretariat meeting of the NCP has been postponed recently. The meeting was earlier deferred for Saturday as another senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal was in home isolation after nine security personnel, including his driver, tested positive for the virus. The CPN is passing through a crisis after senior leaders of the party including executive chairman Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda demanded that K P Sharma Oli resign from both as Nepal's Prime Minister and the party chief. Collage artists rummage through books and magazines, destroy them, then jigsaw the scraps into a beautiful madness. As American society roils through the upheaval of a pandemic, racial injustice and economic collapse, Albuquerques 516 Arts invited 40 collage artists from nine countries and several indigenous nations to reconceive the times we live in through Radical Reimaginings. The resulting exhibit is available at 516arts.org. Affordable and democratic in its means, collage boasts a history of contributing to activism and inspiring new ideas. Picasso and his fellow cubist Georges Braque coined the word. Techniques of collage were first used at the time of the invention of paper in China, around 200 B.C. Latin American artists turn it into posters, particularly during political unrest. Women used it to express themselves in their diaries during the repression of Victorian England. Collage has a long history as a feminist medium, said Suzanne Sbarge, exhibition co-curator. Ric Kasini Kadour, the publisher of Kolaj magazine, is the exhibit co-curator. Collage is my favorite medium, personally, because I am a collage artist myself, Sbarge said. It continues to be used in activism in many cultures. The forms process of destruction and reconstruction mirrors the times we are experiencing, she said. Its accessible to those with no artistic training. Collage can subvert images and text from the political environment with a sense of playfulness. The cut-and-paste aesthetic is just conducive for radical thinking, Sbarge added. The curators also asked these invited artists to respond to the fragment I want to reimagine in their artistic statements. The Brooklyn, New York-based Lorna Simpson combines images of minerals such as turquoise and variscite (a green mineral) with old photographs of Black women to connect the figures with nature. In one collage, the gemstone transforms into a womans glorious, beehive hair. Simpson asks her viewer to imagine valuing Black beauty as naturally as we value jewels. Albuquerque artist Karsten Creightneys No Surrender confronts the viewer with a line of warriors. Yucca, prickly pear and pitaya dulce sprout from the desert foreground. Clouds sift through a red sky. The scene of resistance is an invitation to join, to stand with those protecting the land. I want to reimagine the United States of America without white supremacy, Creightney writes in his artists statement. As a place in which indigenous peoples land rights matter, and the promises made by our government to African and Native Americans are finally honored. I want to reimagine our values such that children learn that Harriet Tubman and Chief Joseph were founders of a better America. In That Sinking Feeling, Corrales artist Neal Ambrose-Smith says he wants to reimagine a world where the National Gallery of Art collects contemporary native work. The Salish-Kootenai, Metis-Cree, Sho-Ban artist is the son of Corrales Jaune Quick-to-see Smith. The Washington, D.C.-based institution recently purchased a piece of her work, the first painting by a Native American artist to hang in the museum. I think they imagined we were all gone? Ambrose-Smith writes in his statement. I want to reimagine cultural sensitivity as innate rather than alien. In his statement, Mexico Citys Jay Berrones asks, How would it feel to live in a skin firmly rooted in my Mexican identity unadulterated by assimilation into oppressive Anglo-American society? Berrones emerged from a culinary background, a major influence on his work. Today he replaces the edible ingredients with discarded scraps found in the overlooked corners of bookstores. The voices of Black, Latinx, native and white Americans mingle with those from Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Canada, France, and Germany across the exhibition. To not seize this moment and begin the work of reimagination is to give into ruination, to cede hope, Kadour writes. 516 Arts will host a free virtual round table of Women in Collage at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at 516arts.org. _WebHeadline>EXCERPT: Affordable and democratic in its means, collage boasts a history of contributing to activism and inspiring new ideas. Online Visit 516arts.org to view Radical Reimaginings, which features 40 artists from nine countries Iran Accuses Pompeo Of Living In An 'Imaginary World' Radio Farda August 29, 2020 In a series of tweets, the Islamic Republic foreign ministry officials have dismissed the U.S. Secretary of State's Mike Pompeo's remarks about returning the international sanctions on Iran. Accusing Secretary Pompeo of "living in an imaginary parallel world," the spokesman for the Islamic Republic Foreign Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, argued that since Washington is not a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, it cannot call for the snapback of the UN sanctions on Tehran. After extending it for four times during the last two years of Barack Obama's and first two years of Donald Trump's presidency, the White House withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed batches of devastating sanctions on the clergy-dominated Iran. Pompeo reiterated on August 27 that the United States would make sure the UN international sanctions against Iran return on September 20. Firing back sarcastically, Khatibzadeh maintained, "The hands of the clock only move in the imaginary parallel world of Pompeo." The Islamic republic Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, for his part, dismissed recent threats of the United States for imposing sanctions against any country that stands against their snapback measures. "After thrice being rejected by SC (United Nations Security Council), US now threatens sanctioning [sic] anyone and any entity that comes between US and its snapback," Zarif wrote in a tweet on Friday, August 28. "Obviously they don't understand [the] law or UN. Maybe they can grasp this: You divorced the JCPOA in 2018. Your name on the marriage certificate is irrelevant," Zarif added. Nonetheless, the U.S. still insists on being a party to the UNSCR 2231, if not the nuclear deal itself and has sent a letter to the UN Security Council to activate the snapback or trigger mechanism. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran- accuses-pompeo-of-living-in-an- imaginary-world-/30810059.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan visited Iraq on Thursday, August 27, for the first time since he was appointed the kingdom's foreign minister last year. Referring to the visit on his Facebook page, Faisal bin Farhan also mentioned his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who recently visited the United States. Saudi Arabia wants to enhance relations with Iraq and prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran's influence in the Arab country. Baghdad also seeks more economic ties with Riyadh, especially in the energy sector. Iraq has serious electricity shortages and partly relies on Iran for natural gas to power its electricity generating plants. The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) newspaper, The National, reported that energy contracts were expected to be signed as a result of the Saudi foreign minister's visit to Iraq. In 2018, Riyadh offered Baghdad to supply Iraq with very cheap electricity instead of importing it from Iran. Speaking to Bloomberg at the time, Iraqi Ministry of Electricity spokesman, Musab Serri al-Mudaris, confirmed that Riyadh had agreed to build a 3,000-megawatt solar power plant (three times the size of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant) in Saudi Arabia within a year and sell the electricity to Iraq at a steep discount. Saudis offered Iraq $ 21 megawatt per hour, which is a quarter of the price of Iran's electricity exports to Iraq. Faisal bin Farhan's visit to Iraq comes a week after Mustafa al-Kadhimi traveled to the United States. During the visit, U.S. companies signed an $ 8 billion energy contract with Iraq. The United States is working to end Iraq's dependence on Iranian natural gas and electricity imports. After meeting his Saudi guest, al-Kadhimi referred to Saudi Arabia as "a true partner of Iraq," adding, "Iraq is looking forward to building distinguished relations based on the deep legacy of the two countries' historical ties." For his part, the kingdom's chief of diplomacy said that his country was looking forward to the upcoming visit of al-Kadhimi to Riyadh to strengthen cooperation and activate the agreements concluded between the two sides. Advertisement In the past 24 hours, 41,860 samples were sent for testing, Shailaja added.Thiruvananthapuram district continues to lead with 532 cases, of which 497 were local infectees.With Onam festivities beginning and the state government allowing people to do festival shopping, activity picked up across markets and roads in the state.Long-distance bus services also have been resumed and it remains to be seen what the impact will be when the festivities end early next week.At present, there are 1,94,431 people under observation, which includes 19,125 people in hospitals while the total hotspots in the state number 599.Banks and state government offices will remain closed from Friday till Monday.Source: IANS Congratulations to Peter Henderson, of Warkworth, who is a recipient of a gift basket from Chocolate Brown. Peter was nominated by Dave Parker, who wrote: "Since arriving in Warkworth almost 10 years ago, Peter has thrown himself into so many voluntary community causes. I am aware, for instance, that he has involved himself in many Lions Club projects, the Kowhai Festival, the Great Debate, Lights Festival and the Christmas Parade as Santa on occasions. He is also chair of the Town Hall committee, on the Food Rescue committee, a volunteer on the Jane Gifford and recently helped instigate Caremongers. He was a big force behind the Australian bushfire appeal. Peter, with his wife Carols support, has worked tirelessly, along with great teams, to keep Warkworth alive." Chocolate Brown www.chocolatebrown.co.nz To nominate someone you know who deserves a chocolate thank you, email editor@localmatters.co.nz In a conversation with The Washington Post on Sunday, Love said that he had learned about his firing through cable news on Saturday and received official notice of his termination Sunday morning. He declined to answer more questions until Monday but said he was talking to attorneys about his situation. Picture this: A birthday party going on in a plush home on Nepean Sea Road in South Mumbai during the current lockdown with a well laid-out table with food and wine. No, there are no crowds and no social distancing rules are being violated. The 30-something host celebrates his birthday virtually with his group of friends, simultaneously eating a meal together ordered by him for everyone to enjoy his special day. The restaurant ensures the same menu is delivered to everyones homes in time. Everyone is online courtesy a digital platform and except for the physical presence, the bonhomie and excitement are palpable. Dining experiences are perhaps never going to be the same post-COVID and stepping into restaurants, especially a packed indoor space buzzing with people, is already a distant memory. Indeed, the pandemic has redefined the way we eat and even celebrate special occasions. While the first three months were almost spent by everyone following You Tube recipes, including Instagram-friendly banana breads and whipping up Dalogna coffee, it has now become relatively easy, as home deliveries abound and acceptance of this way of life is higher. Over the past five months, chefs and across the country have faced their biggest challenge of how to keep their business going. Standalone restaurants and Five Star hotels, may not be open for dining-in currently, but their kitchens are operating with skeletal staff and safety protocols for home deliveries. They are sparing no efforts to ensure that your favourite food is hygienically prepared, packaged and delivered in a contactless manner to the guests, who are understandably anxious. Both Gourmet Couch and Flavours, are responsible dining initiatives from ITC Grand Central and ITC Maratha in Mumbai that bring back the taste of familiar flavours. Gourmet Couch, brings home the culinary legacy of ITC Hotels' finest cuisine from their award-winning Italian, Pan Asian and North West Frontier kitchens. Amit Kumar, General Manager, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai, opines, "In a world where change is the order of the day, it is important for brands to keep innovating, exploring and identifying new business opportunities. ITC Hotels unique gourmet experiences Gourmet Couch & Flavours have received an overwhelming feedback from diners across the city. With the backing of the brands We Assure programme, our diners are assured of stringent hygiene and safety protocols for enabling home delivery of food across the city. The demand for luxury culinary experiences comes from high net-worth households and celebrities who are frequent visitors to fine-dining establishments and are increasingly conscious about hygiene practices. 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 Whats more both Gourmet Couch and Flavours by ITC Hotels, are not only home-delivered but also available on online platforms. An exclusive ITC Hotels F&B App has also been launched in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, to cater to the rising demand of home delivery of gourmet offerings. Ashwin Mathur, Hotel Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, informs, One can celebrate lifes small and big moments at home with an unforgettable meal, featuring specials from the extensive Gourmet Delivery and Takeaway menu from San:Qi or Cafe Prato. From til wala jhinga, San:Qis dal khaas, sushis, signature Chinese preparations to Cafe Prato selections, such as Bombay toastie, Four Seasons club sandwich, wild mushroom risotto, one can order any of these. They have also introduced an array of dips, sauces and condiments that serve as an ideal accompaniment for pastas, sandwiches, breads, and sweet boxes for special occasions, which one can enjoy in the safe precincts of ones home. Saptami at Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, with Executive Chef Suresh Thampy at the helm, has curated a varied multi-cuisine menu and ensures you enjoy a Chinese meal or a Pasta or Mutton Rogan Josh, at home with familiar flavours minus the ambience. Vegetarians too can look forward to their favourite dishes from Soam, Babulnath which offers a limited menu, safely delivered. And if it is fast food you are after, the likes of McDonalds and Mojo Pizza, come to your rescue. And if the lockdown is getting monotonous, fret not. Hotels are not merely sending you food safely, but keeping you engaged too. Grand Hyatt Mumbai offers Chefs Table, a self-cook and assemble, DIY experience, where the Hotel sends all the ingredients with recipe cards to your home. Their Chef personally assists you virtually to cook and relish the dishes. This meal covers soup, salad, mains and a dessert and one can choose from host of options as per the cuisine of your choice. Hand-sanitising stations at the restaurant entrance, service staff in PPE, gloves, masks, serving food on long wooden planks slid onto the table, paperless menus and self-service from the kitchen counter, well might become the new normal in dining once restaurants re-open. So, for the time being, diners are making the most of this safe home-dining experience. What lies in store for diners in reality, only time will tell. Students in Lagos State have expressed pleasure with the announcement by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu that schools would reopen in Lagos State from September 14. The governor had on Saturday announced that tertiary institutions will be allowed to open from September 14th, 2020, while primary and secondary schools may be reopened on September 21. The students, under the aegis of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, commended the state government for the reopening. The Amir (president) of the MSSNLagos, Miftahudeen Thanni, made this known in a press statement after the announcement on Saturday. He, however, urged the state to ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols in schools. Thanni said, We are joyous with this development. However, we appeal that basic amenities should be provided. Considering that markets and other open places have been opened, there would be no convincing reason to shut schools down. But we must ensure that schools are well-prepared to accommodate these pupils and ensure that this does not lead to community transmission. We urge the government to provide the required facilities and ensure a thorough compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. While we call for the cooperation of parents, teachers, lecturers, and students in ensuring that the government does not regret reopening schools. " The students reiterated calls for the provision of palliatives for private schools in the state. We also appeal to government across all levels to assist private schools with palliatives. This will help to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on the schools and their teachers. This has been done in other sectors and education should not be left out. We are scared that there may be a massive job loss in many private schools with COVID-19 not likely to go away any time soon, the statement added. SIGNED Miftahudeen Thanni, Amir, Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit. 08173291878 They said a tractor trailer that had been stopped on the right shoulder began to pull back into the travel lanes. As it did, the police said, a van struck it from behind. The tractor -trailer left the scene and continued southbound, the police said, Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 18:18:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YANGON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities seized 8.8 kilograms of heroin in Mandalay region, according to a release from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the joint police force made a seizure in Pyin Oo Lwin township on Friday. Heroin worth 616 million kyats (456,296 U.S. dollars) were confiscated from a trailer truck. The township police filed a case against 11 suspects in connection with the case and further investigation is underway under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, the release said. According to a latest release issued by the President's Office, a total of 1,298 drug-related cases were registered across Myanmar while 1,991 people were charged in connection with the cases as of August 22 this year, since the formation of the Drug Activity Special Complaint Department on June 26, 2018. Enditem A Niagara Falls native his sharing his expertise to help develop a surveillance system to identify future waves of COVID-19. Justin Boutilier, an assistant professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, is part of a team that will create the system based on emergency department data. With COVID, and most infectious diseases, the emergency department is like the canary in the coal mine, the 29-year-old said. They see everything first, so we want to try to gather that information and use what they see and apply molding and prediction methods to that information to forecast whats coming. According to Wisconsins BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine, also a partner in the project, emergency department records are a rich source of data because patients suffering from emerging infectious diseases tend to first go to the ER for care. Identifying pending crises, even a few days earlier, would allow health officials to prepare for an increase in patients and provide a proactive public health and hospital response. While the ongoing project is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the approach could also apply to other public health emergencies identifiable through an emergency department, including opioid overdoses. Boutilier, a graduate of A.N. Myer Secondary School, is a professor of industrial and systems engineering. Most of his research is focused on health care. His latest project is the second time hes joined the fight against the global pandemic. In April several U.S. companies transitioned their production lines and began manufacturing personal protective equipment in order to meet demand. The situation created a logistical challenge how to best match buyers with new suppliers that didnt exist the month before. Boutilier helped to create an automated online platform to connect manufacturers with potential customers based on urgency, order quantity, production capacity and geographical location. That project has been going all summer and, while its a bit quieter now, I expect it will continue to at least the end of 2020, he said. Boutilier and his wife Julia Whidden, also a Myer grad, had planned on returning home for an extended vacation over the summer and were looking forward to spending time with family and friends in Niagara Falls and eastern Canada. Those plans were sidelined due to the pandemic. Whidden is the founder of a non-profit agency called Terranaut Club, which offers extracurricular science and nature programs for girls. While in-person programs were cancelled due to COVID-19, the program is offering a free online summer series. Lebanon's ambassador to Germany Mustapha Adib is poised to be designated prime minister on Monday after winning the support of major parties to form a new government facing a crippling financial crisis and the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion. Adib is set to be designated just ahead of a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who is centre stage in international efforts to press Lebanese politicians to address a crisis seen as the worst since the 1975-90 civil war. The previous government led by Hassan Diab quit on Aug. 10 over the port blast in which a massive amount of unsafely stored chemicals detonated. The post of prime minister must go to a Sunni Muslim in Lebanon's sectarian system. Adib's candidacy won vital political backing on Sunday from former prime ministers including Saad al-Hariri, who heads the biggest Sunni party, the Future Movement. President Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is due to meet parliamentary blocs on Monday in the official consultations to designate the new premier. He is required to nominate the candidate with biggest level of support among MPs. Lebanon's dominant Shia parties, the Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Amal Movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, will both name Adib at the consultations, a senior Shia source said. The Christian Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), a political ally of Hezbollah which was founded by Aoun and is led today by his son-in-law Gebran Bassil, will do the same, Bassil told Reuters. Adib has a doctorate in law and political science and previously served as an adviser to Najib Mikati, a former prime minister. He has served as ambassador to Germany since 2013. Once designated, the process of forming a new government will get underway. Until a new administration is agreed, the Diab government continues in a caretaker capacity. Lebanon's financial crisis is seen as the biggest threat to its stability since the civil war. The currency has lost as much as 80% of its value since October and savers have been locked out their deposits in a paralysed banking system. Poverty and unemployment have soared. Lebanon launched talks with the International Monetary Fund in May, after defaulting on its huge debt, aiming to secure financial support but these have stalled amid divisions on the Lebanese side over the scale of losses in the financial system. Search Keywords: Short link: UN envoy welcomes 'commonalities' shared by Syrians in Geneva talks 29 August 2020 - Syrian opponents meeting in Geneva as part of efforts to find a peaceful end to nearly a decade of conflict in their country have found common ground on which to pursue further discussions, UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen said on Saturday. Speaking to journalists in the Swiss city after a week of "challenging" stop-start talks, interrupted by the discovery that four participants had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Mr. Pedersen insisted that "several areas of commonalities" had been found. "There are still very strong disagreements and, you know, my Syrian friends are never afraid of expressing those disagreements. But I was also, you know, extremely pleased to hear the two co-chairs saying very clearly that they thought also there were quite a few areas of commonalities. And what I'm looking forward to is hopefully when we meet again, that we will be able to build on those commonalities and bring the process further forward." He added: "I am confident that we have been able to build a little bit of confidence, a little bit of trust, and that we can build on this and continue the work that we have started, we would see progress in the work of the committee. But as I have said, progress is happening, it's of course up to the Syrians themselves within the Committee." Hoped-for trust-building gestures from the Syrian Government and the opposition, including progress on the release of abductees and detainees, had been elusive, he said. "The issue of abductees, detainees and missing persons, as you know, has been one of my so-called five priorities from when I started, and it's an area where I'm afraid we haven't seen enough progress. But of course, it is my hope that with the continued calm on the groun,d and with progress on the political track, that we could also see some progress on this front." Call for nationwide ceasefire Highlighting the keen global interest in the Geneva process, given the presence of several major regional and international nations inside Syria, the Special Envoy reiterated his call for a nationwide ceasefire, beyond the fragile truce largely holding in Syria's northwest. "It is calmer and that is obviously conducive to the talks that we are having," Mr. Pedersen insisted. "But at the same time, I think we have agreed the principle that the talks that are happening here in Geneva do not depend on the situation on the ground. We are, you know, in all my briefings to the Security Council, this is one of the key issues I am addressing, and appealing for the parties to make sure that we develop this calm into what we have called in line with Security Council Resolution 2254, a nationwide ceasefire." UN-facilitated talks The third session of the UN-facilitated discussions of the Syria Constitutional Committee's small body convened in Geneva after a nine-month break caused by differences over the agenda, which were resolved by March, and then by COVID-19 restrictions. Earlier negotiations to decide the make-up of the Committee' s larger body were held in Geneva at the end of October 2019. The larger body comprises 150 participants: 50 each from the Syrian Government, 50 from the opposition, and 50 from civil society the so-called "middle third" - who hail from different religious, ethnic and geographical backgrounds. Under the Committee's rules of procedure and terms of reference agreed by participants, the small group of 45 people is tasked with preparing and drafting proposals. These are then discussed and adopted by the larger body, although the 75 per cent decision-making threshold means that no single bloc can dictate the Committee's outcomes. Up to the Syrian people At the start of the week, Mr. Pedersen told journalists that meetings had been "constructive" and that a "clear agenda" for the session had been agreed. Owing to the interruption caused by the COVID-19 development, Mr. Pedersen explained that he would continue discussing the agenda for the Committee's next meeting separately with the two co-chairs, Ahmad Kuzbari from the Government and Hadi Albahra for the opposition. But as the UN-facilitated process belonged to the Syrian people and their representatives, it was up to them set a new date for the next round of talks, the Special Envoy insisted. He also reiterated his confidence that the process would result in a fair representation of the wishes of all Syrians, in line with its terms of reference agreed by the co-chairs. "It is stated in the terms of reference that to be able to proceed, in the end we would need consensus or a 75 per cent majority," he said. "And this is of course something in place exactly to be able so that we can move that all the sides know that they cannot force their views upon the other if we are to reach, you know a new constitutional reform, it will have to be built as I said either on a strong consensus or bringing people together with a 75 per cent majority." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Fines Company for Goods Made With Suspected Forced Labor in China By Rong Shi August 29, 2020 Earlier this month, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued its first penalty for goods made with forced labor under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015. The agency levied a fine of $575,000 against the Chinese entity PureCircle, a company accused of using prison inmates in China to produce the food sweetener stevia. The fine against PureCircle is one of a series of actions over forced labor taken up by CBP in the past year. Since September 2019, the agency has issued 11 moratoriums on the importation of forced labor products into the United States, four of which were directed at Chinese companies. "As part of its trade enforcement responsibilities, CBP is dedicated to vigilantly monitoring U.S.-bound supply chains for links to forced labor, including prison labor, and will act to deter and disrupt the importation of merchandise made with forced labor practices," Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner of CBP's Office of Trade said in a statement. She continued, "The use of forced labor is not just a serious human rights issue, but it also brings about unfair competition in our global supply chains. CBP's goal is to ensure that goods made by forced labor never reach U.S. consumers." So far this year, U.S. law enforcement authorities have stepped up scrutiny of a range of products from China suspected of being manufactured through forced labor. "We've had a very active year this year in terms of issuing withhold release orders," Smith told VOA. In just the past few months, CBP has targeted several Chinese companies for allegedly selling products made with forced labor to American consumers. Lenovo also targeted On Monday the Associated Press reported that the U.S. Commerce Department has imposed sanctions on Lenovo, a Chinese manufacturer that supplies laptops to U.S. public schools, due to its alleged use of forced labor. On August 11, CBP issued a moratorium on all U.S. ports of entry for imports from the Hero Vast Group, a Chinese clothing company. On 1 July, CBP officials at the port of Newark detained a shipment of products and accessories suspected of being manufactured with human hair from Xinjiang, China, indicating a possible violation of human rights under forced labor and imprisonment. On June 17, CBP issued a moratorium on the release of all U.S. ports of entry for the detention of all or part of imported goods made from products produced by Lop County Meixin Hair Product Co. Ltd. (Meixin) in Xinjiang, China. The official at CBP told VOA that each case is based on a "reasonable suspicion" of the use of forced labor. "So essentially what that means is that when goods arrive at a port of entry and we have identified that they are likely to have been produced using forced labor," Smith added. 'Proving' products are free from forced labor Li Qiang, executive director of China Labor Watch in New York, told VOA that CBP's "reasonable suspicion" policy is to identify and withhold goods first. "As long as your company's products come in, I'll have to detain you first, and you'll have to provide evidence that you're not using forced labor," Li said. Li said that this places a heavy burden on companies suspected of using forced labor effectively assuming guilt and forcing importers to prove their innocence. "Now some multinationals must strengthen the management of their supply chains to prevent orders from flowing to places where forced labor is used." CBP's Smith said that, to ensure that they do not send products made through forced labor into the U.S., importers not only have to comply with the law themselves, but also keep an eye on their supply chains and make sure their supplies also comply with U.S. law. "So our expectation is that they will be looking not only at the supplier that they buy directly from, but, for example, the supplier's supplier. So if there is a shipment of apparel garments that comes into the United States and that the importer that brings it into the United States will not only be looking at who makes that garment, but who makes the fabric or who grows the cotton that goes into the fabric," Smith told VOA. Prison labor sweetener PureCircle USA is a U.S.-based subsidiary of PureCircle Biotech, a joint venture between China and Malaysia based in Jiangxi, China. In 2016, an NGO accused it of importing several products made by prison inmates into the U.S., including stevia and its derivatives exported by a company in Inner Mongolia. The CBP's $575,000 fine against the group came four years after that initial accusation, pointing to how difficult it can be to win judgments against companies. CBP said in a statement, "The action against PureCircle stems from an investigation into stevia produced in China by Inner Mongolia Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao Agricultural and Trade LLC ("Baoanzhao") that CBP initiated after receiving an allegation from a Non-Governmental Organization. That investigation led CBP to issue a Withhold Release Order (WRO) in May 2016. The WRO remains in effect." PureCircle USA has denied importing products made by forced labor before 2016, saying that it agreed to a penalty amounting to only 7% of the amount originally proposed by CBP in a settlement with CBP to avoid "extensive litigation requiring travel to China during the COVID-19 pandemic." Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal University of New Mexico researchers stopped a clinical trial earlier this month after finding no benefit to treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma from people who survived the disease. Those researchers were surprised last week when President Donald Trump announced that the Food and Drug Administration had given emergency approval to expand the use of that therapy, describing it as a very powerful treatment. We were surprised by the FDA coming out with the (emergency use authorization), said Dr. Michelle Harkins, the division chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at UNM. Theres so many questions we dont know. Plasma has already been used across the country on tens of thousands of patients with COVID-19, including some in New Mexico, Harkins said. As many as 70,000 people have already received plasma in some capacity, according to the Associated Press. The university medical center has taken a limited approach with the therapy, Harkins said. As part of a research study published this month in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, 12 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at UNMH received plasma as part of a clinical trial. After receiving the transfusion, the patients were monitored for 14 days to measure coronavirus antibodies in their blood. After the monitoring period, the UNM researchers there were 11 UNM employees listed as authors to the journal article found no evidence the plasma treatment produced an immune response. So the study was brought to a halt. Harkins said the school is planning to participate in two additional clinical trials using plasma therapy. And she said there was no evidence the treatment hurt their patients. A plasma therapy treatment includes taking blood plasma from people who previously recovered from COVID-19 and then transfusing that plasma into a patient battling the disease. The idea is that antibodies created by the former patient will help the current one. The practice has been used for a century to ward off other diseases like measles and the flu. Earlier this month, the Mayo Clinic, which has developed a protocol for administering plasma to COVID-19 patients across the country, said preliminary data suggests the treatment may help COVID-19 patients recover, according to the Associated Press. But Harkins said that the initial study at UNM led to more questions than answers. Its not clear who is the best candidate for the treatment, how big of a dose they should receive and when they should receive the plasma. And there were problems with the plasma itself. She said that the plasma samples the hospitals received had widely different concentrations of antibodies. Several things could contribute to that, Harkins said. Perhaps people with a more severe case of COVID-19 create more antibodies than those who report mild systems, and its not known how long those antibodies will stay in the body, she said. The UNM researchers concluded that pre-screening convalescent plasma donations to find those with high antibody levels may be necessary. We were initially very excited about convalescent plasma because of its use in helping treat other viral infections, Harkins said. I want to be able to use it if I think it will help my patient, rather than randomly administering it. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: As many as 1,754 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Trend reports citing the ministry. According to Sadat Lari, 103 more people have died from the coronavirus over the past day. Sadat Lari added that the condition of 3,759 people is critical. The official said that Iran's Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan, Qom, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, East Azerbaijan, Kerman, North Khorasan, Semnan, Yazd, Zanjan, and Qazvin provinces are considered 'red' zones. So far, more than 3.2 million tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 373,500 people have been infected, and 21,462 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 321,400 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Two brothers, ages 7 and 9, were killed early Sunday morning and their parents injured in a hit-and-run accident in North Philadelphia that police say will result in murder and related charges against the alleged driver of the vehicle that struck the familys. Police said the accident occurred at 12:42 a.m. when a vehicle traveling north on Kensington Avenue struck the familys vehicle, which was eastbound on Hunting Park Avenue in the citys Juniata Park section. The vehicle on Kensington Avenue left the scene but broke down about 300 feet away, and the driver and a passenger ran off, police said. They were caught a few minutes later at Frankford Avenue and Unity Street. Witnesses at the crash site identified the passenger, and the driver of the vehicle was arrested, police said. He had not been identified as of late Sunday afternoon, but police said the District Attorneys Office had approved two counts each of third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle, and involuntary manslaughter, numerous assault charges, and other offenses. Both boys had been in the back seat and were ejected from their vehicle, police said. The 7-year-old died of head trauma at St. Christophers Hospital for Children at 1:50 a.m.; his brother at 2:11 a.m. of blunt force trauma injuries, also at St. Christophers, police said. Their mother, 28, who had been riding in the front seat, was listed in stable condition at Einstein Medical Center with a spinal fracture and facial cuts, police said. The father, 34, who had been driving, also had sustained facial cuts but declined treatment to accompany his sons to the hospital. Theres an old adage that says political campaigns dont really start until Labor Day. So lets compare the position President Trump will be in a week from Monday to the position he was in on Labor Day of 2016. Four years ago, Trump was the candidate of a party whose establishment was in open revolt against him. His fund-raising was lagging. Liberals hated him. Many conservatives doubted him. Now, hes an incumbent president who can raise money at will. As of last week, Trump had raised $1.21 billion to a mere $699 million for Democrat Joe Biden. The Republican establishment is solidly behind him. Meanwhile the partys conservative base is not merely pleased by Trump, but ecstatic. That raises a question: If Trump won in the last cycle against a candidate who was thought to be the strongest her party had to offer, why cant he defeat a candidate who has some of the most prominent flaws ever seen in a major party nominee? Joe Biden is not just the oldest person to be nominated for the presidency, he is also the first who is widely thought not to be in the running for a second term. The anybody-but-Trump vote may turn out to be enough to get Biden elected. But if I were a Democrat, Id be wishing for a candidate who could do what Trump does: campaign. The day after Trump delivered his acceptance speech from the White House, he was off to New Hampshire for a rally. Thats tough in the time of Covid-19, but the event was scheduled for an airplane hangar with lots of space. Masks were handed out at the door. Among the volunteer workers was one former New Jersey pol who has escaped to the Granite State. I have never seen a Republican president run for re-election with this degree of support in the party, said Rick Merkt, a former assemblyman from Morris County who is now running for a seat in New Hampshires lower house. While the Trump campaign was in chaos at this point in the last cycle, now its a well-oiled machine, Merkt said. They have a large staff of people up here, he said. Im stunned at how well-organized and well-funded they are. Meanwhile the Republican base is more fired up in this cycle, he said. That marks an important distinction with the Democrats. Trumps support is base-up; its not top-down, Merkt said How different is that from the Democrats? U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew shares that sentiment. Like Merkt, Van Drew is a former member of the New Jersey Legislature on the Democratic side. But after getting elected to Congress in 2018, the Cape May County dentist made national news by voting against Trumps impeachment and then switching to the GOP. When he spoke on the final night of the Republican Convention, Van Drew said he made the switch because the Democratic Party had moved from liberal to radical. This new Democrat Party wasnt just for higher taxes now they were for open borders against our police and against our God-given rights. When I phoned him, Van Drew said the leaders of his former party made a big mistake with the tone of their convention. The Democratic Convention was sort of dour and sour: Americas really not that good a place. Weve just got all kinds of problems, he said. They made you feel down. This convention makes you feel good. Van Drew credited Trump for hiring as his campaign chief Bill Stepien, a Jersey guy who was Chris Christies political expert. Hes run quite a few campaigns against me, Van Drew said. Hes smart. He has a good feeling on what the average person is thinking. What that person is thinking is similar to what he or she thought in the days of Ronald Reagan, he said. Ronald Reagan said theres nothing wrong with telling Americans theyre good people and we are the shining city on a hill, Van Drew said. Hes doing to some degree what Ronald Reagan did. The comparison with Biden is striking, Van Drew said, Its such a sharp contrast, he said. Whats Biden gonna do if he gets elected, hide out in the White House basement? Actually, Biden has come out of the basement but not far out. In a televised prebuttal to Trumps Thursday night speech, Biden could be seen to be in what looked like a living room. You could tell because in the background someone was opening a door to take a German shepherd out for a walk. (And then theres the fact that he lied about Trumps statements on disinfectants.) So thats progress, I guess. But if I were a Democrat, Id be looking for a way to get my man out to get some earned media. Thats the news coverage that can be more valuable than paid ads - if the candidate handles it right. Trump is the master of earned media. As for Biden, hes still got some time to master it eight days to be exact. ADD - WILL WE EVEN KNOW THE WINNER? The Democratic push for mandatory mail-in ballots could easily lead to chaos if some states results are still outstanding after Election Day. This article from The Hill warns of what could be in store: Political commentators are warning Americans not to expect to learn on election night who won the 2020 presidential election because it will take days or even weeks to count the expected surge in mail-in ballots. Actually, we will be lucky if we know who won by January 20, 2021, which is Inauguration Day. That is one scary takeaway from electoral war games conducted in June by a bipartisan group of political operatives, former government officials and experts organized by the Transition Integrity Project. The simulated election crisis scenarios make the 2000 Florida recount in Bush v. Gore look like a political lovefest. " " Farmers accidently discovered Emperor Qin's terracotta army in 1974. China Photos/ Getty Images On the morning of March 29, 1974, seven farmers set out to dig a well. It was the drought season in the northwestern Chinese village of Xiyang, where the men toiled to break through the parched earth in search of water. When they had descended about 13 feet (4 meters) underground, the farmers struck something hard. But it wasn't root or rock. Much to their astonishment, they uncovered a decapitated head made of terracotta pottery. Baffled, they sifted through the surrounding earth. Lo and behold, it was littered with similar clay shards. After alerting government officials of their bizarre findings, archaeologists were dispatched to the site. The experts knew that the farmers' land stood near the burial ground of Qin Shi Huangdi (pronounced cheen shhr huang dee), China's first emperor. Ancient historical texts described Qin's opulent mausoleum, embellished with mountains of gold and constellations made of pearls and precious gems. As they delved deeper into the initial dig site, the archaeologists quickly realized that the emperor's burial complex extended much farther than previously assumed. Advertisement That clay head the farmers found belonged to a statue of a Chinese warrior. But it wasn't some random statue, submerged alone in the ground. Emperor Qin had commissioned thousands of terracotta soldiers to guard his magnificent tomb. For more than 2,200 years, an estimated 7,000 life-size terracotta generals, infantrymen, archers and cavalrymen flanked the eastern side of the mausoleum. An armory filled with intricate suits of armor constructed from limestone plates could protect them against whatever foe dared to enter the emperor's tomb. Their open hands gripped bronze swords, spears and crossbows, poised to attack at any moment. The terracotta army constitutes only a fraction of the artifacts contained in Emperor Qin's mausoleum. More than 14 years following the discovery, archaeologists have excavated at a deliberately slow pace to protect the artifacts. Yet the more archaeologists find, the more they learn about this ancient Chinese culture and Emperor Qin's rule. Though the clay warriors stand silently, they have many tales to tell. A police officer stands between Police Appreciation rally attendees and counter-protesters at the City Hall in Houston, Texas, on June 18, 2020. (Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images) Texas School District Removes 8th Grade Assignment Likening Police to KKK After Backlash A Texas public school district has called off a controversial assignment that featured a political cartoon collage comparing police officers to slave owners and Ku Klux Klan members, following outrage from parents and law enforcements groups. The cartoon in question was distributed as part of an 8th grade social studies assignment at the Wylie Independent School District (ISD), which is located in Collin County, northeast of Dallas. The five-panel cartoon shows the progression from slave ship captain to klansman to modern-day police officer, all pressing their knee into the neck of a black man who is saying I cant breathe, an apparent reference to George Floyds death in Minneapolis police custody. 8th grade teachers in a school outside of Dallas, TX (@WylieISD) gave students a home work assignment comparing police officers to slave owners and the KKK. This is abhorrent and disgusting, and only further widens the gap between police officers and the youth in our community. pic.twitter.com/ELfbjWQu9Z Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) August 20, 2020 The assignment was given in a Cooper Junior High social studies class where students were learning about the Bill of Rights, and the cartoon was intended to educate them on political satire, a Wylie ISD spokesperson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, noting that the cartoon, which was not approved by district officials, was chosen by an unnamed teacher. Wylie resident Amber Jennings told the Star-Telegram that she didnt think its appropriate for teachers to hand out material like this to 8th graders. Dont indoctrinate our children to think this way, Jennings said, adding that she has taught her two kids to respect their elders, including police officers, and expects them to develop their own opinions about police officers without anyone forcing it on them. The graphic came to the attention of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who denounced the assignment, saying that comparing police officers to the KKK is beyond unacceptable. Its the opposite of what must be taught, Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The teacher should be fired. Im asking the Texas Education Agency to investigate and take action. The governors comment came after Joe Gamaldi, vice president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, sent a letter to the school district demanding an apology and the removal of the cartoon, which he called abhorrent and disturbing. We are willing to sit down with anyone and have a fact-based conversation about our profession, Gamaldi wrote in the letter. But divisiveness like your teachers showed does nothing to move that conversation forward. The school district quickly withdrew the cartoon from the assignment, saying in an apology that they were sorry for any hurt that may have been caused through a social studies lesson that included political cartoons that reflected negatively on law enforcement. David Fitzsimmons, the Ohio-based cartoonist who is responsible for the controversial cartoon, wrote in an op-ed on Arizona Daily Star that his cartoon diagrams historic roots of our systemic racism. Im impressed the National Fraternal Order of Police is directing its fury at an illustration revealing how our present horrors are mere echoes of our cruel past, Fitzsimmons wrote. Perhaps it requires too much moral courage, or honest clear-eyed reflection, for the National Fraternal Order of Police to funnel their fury at the few racist police officers who disgrace their oath and their badges by disproportionately murdering African Americans. Guests gather to watch U.S. President Donald Trump deliver his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination on the South Lawn of the White House August 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images During the final night of the Republican National Convention Thursday, a crowd formed on the White House South Lawn to hear President Donald Trump speak, with little social distancing or mask wearing. With a crowd estimated at around 1,500, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said "a number of people" on site would be tested for COVID-19, according to Bloomberg News. An official release from the Trump campaign did not specifically mention masks or testing, saying that the company Patronus Medical is conducting "strict protocols" that will be "in full compliance with multiple guidelines." Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. On the final night of the Republican National Convention, about 1,500 people gathered on the South Lawn of the White House to hear President Donald Trump speak. The crowd didn't appear to observe social distancing and few people in attendance wore masks. The Trump campaign issued a vague statement ahead of the speech that didn't specify any testing protocols. Chairs being assembled on the lawn in the late afternoon drew initial concern for their lack of spacing, with most of the spots sitting only inches apart. Then, once the crowd began forming around sunset, a lack of mask wearing became apparent to reporters and photographers on the scene. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said "a number of people" at the event will be tested, according to Bloomberg News. The Trump campaign's statement on coronavirus protocols for the final night of the convention was vague, and did not specify what the testing situation would be or whether masks would be mandatory. Story continues "Patronus Medical, a leading medical, safety, and health company, has worked in partnership with the Republican National Committee to make certain proper protocols are in place to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals at convention venues." "These strict protocols are in full compliance with multiple guidelines set forth by the United States Centers for Disease Control, the District of Columbia Department of Public Health, and other leading authorities on health safety." Even though coronavirus research has found far fewer outdoor transmissions, packed areas like stadiums have been traced to "superspreader events." A prominent Harvard Medical School professor tweeted his concerns. Like other Trump campaign events, mask wearing was scant as attendees waited for the president to speak. People wait for US President Donald Trump's acceptance speech for the Republican Party nomination for reelection during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on August 27, 2020. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images Mask wearing at Trump rallies has been a lingering issue of the 2020 campaign since the debacle in Tulsa back in June. While it is unknown precisely where he contracted the virus, former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died from COVID-19 a little more than a month after the Trump Tulsa Rally, where he was in attendance. He was hospitalized with the virus two weeks later. Two days after Cain announced positive test result, he expressed support for the Trump campaign's decision not to require masks at the Mount Rushmore Fourth of July rally. Some attendees did wear masks Pat Cipollone (R), White House counsel for U.S. President Donald Trump, looks on as Trump prepares to deliver his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination on the South Lawn of the White House August 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump gave the speech in front of 1500 invited guests. Alex Wong/Getty Images Several notable Republicans were spotted on the South Lawn Guests gather to watch U.S. President Donald Trump deliver his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination on the South Lawn of the White House August 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a staunch Trump defender in Congress, has flouted mask wearing mandates on the floor and was not wearing one Thursday night US Representative (R-OH) Jim Jordan talks with another attendee ahead of US President Donald Trump's acceptance speech for the Republican Party nomination for reelection during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on August 27, SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, on the other hand, masked up and posed for the camera US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is seen giving a thumb's up ahead of US President Donald Trump's acceptance speech for the Republican Party nomination for reelection during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on August 27, 2020. AUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images Read the original article on Business Insider Within the span of about five days in March, our nations school system moved from the unthinkable to the inevitable. To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, schools closed, and millions of students from kindergartners to high schoolers moved to a fully remote learning model. Now, as a new school year begins, districts are grappling with how to reopen, while remote learning has left students, especially the most vulnerable learners, even further behind. Its a crisis for education, but its also an opportunity to put everything on the table and consider ideas that would have been impossible before COVID. Outdoor school, long relegated to the Waldorf fringe, is getting a serious look. The pandemic is forcing conversations about equity in education, and both parents and teachers are asking how we can reimagine the school day to prioritize student well-being and mental health. In other words, as schools adapt to COVID, what changes could actually transform education for the better? Moving learning outdoors COVID-19 is an airborne pathogen, meaning that one of the best ways to mitigate risk is to step outside into the open air. Yet, rather than move in-person school outdoors, districts have doubled down on virtual learning. On Monday of the week everything shut down, 100% distance learning seemed preposterous. By Friday, it was inevitable, says Vanessa Carter, an environmental literacy content specialist at San Francisco Unified School District. The pivot was, lets get everyone in front of a screen. Is it any crazier to try to get kids 100% outside? (Carter notes that the ideas here are her own, and not meant to represent SFUSD decisions or current planning.) Research shows that spending time in nature builds resilience and self-confidence in kids; reduces obesity and attention deficit disorder symptoms; and improves focus, behavior and learning. During the pandemic, it would also mean giving students in-person instruction rather than teaching via screens. Just to get kids back to in-person learning would be huge, for our youngest learners especially, says Carter. To start, use what you have. Move whiteboards and tables and chairs outside. Dont reinvent the wheel. Carter acknowledges that there are challenges to taking learning outside. Not all schools have outdoor campuses or parks nearby, not all parks are created equal, and not all neighborhoods are walkable. To make outdoor learning sustainable, schools would need infrastructure like tents and outdoor furniture, as well as more staff. Dont leave it to schools to figure out how to pay for this, says Carter. Could a government stimulus program support outdoor learning? Corporate sponsorships? With so much philanthropy being directed to COVID response right now, perhaps districts could appeal directly to environmental nonprofits and donors. OPTIMISM METER Hopeful: Given the renewed attention education has received in recent months, these potential fixes don't feel as fictional as they once did. See More Collapse And if outdoor learning starts by moving the classroom model into a yard or a park, it can grow beyond teaching regular curriculum in a new environment. We have this pretty remarkable workforce of environmental and outdoor educators and science educators in the Bay Area, says Carter, pointing to staff members from childrens museums, science museums and organizations like the YMCA and NatureBridge who are cleared to work with children. What if some of the funding to support education during COVID was routed through these organizations to redirect staff to schools, to support teachers with outdoor learning? Then the question becomes: How do we get kids outdoors? For schools near the Presidio, its easy; for campuses in the Tenderloin or Chinatown; its more challenging. Given that many tech companies have announced they will work from home for at least the next year, could there be a way to redeploy the fleet of tech buses that shuttles city dwellers to Silicon Valley? There are a mountain of obstacles to this making sure buses are certified to transport kids, finding the funding to hire more drivers, especially since SFUSD just laid off all its bus drivers. But if this would allow in-person learning to take place, and potentially enable the district to rehire essential bus drivers, its a challenge worth tackling. And when school finally goes back to normal, we should still think twice before herding kids back into the classroom all day. Being outside more I think youll see students are more calm and that there are tremendous mental health benefits, says Carter, who also believes that truancy rates would decrease. Weve tried the more, more, more approach, she says of the conventional classroom. Its not working. That may be the strongest argument for a long-term shift to more outdoor learning that it actually improves outcomes for kids. After the pandemic, lets try to remember that. Prioritizing student well-being Chronicle illustration from Getty Images elements We wont know the full mental health toll of the pandemic on children for years to come, but we do know this: As millions of families face financial hardship, the illness or loss of loved ones, prolonged uncertainty and the complete obliteration of normal routines, its a recipe for increased rates of anxiety and depression in kids and adolescents. Its also an opportunity for schools to rethink how they support students mental health. Some schools are already doing this by building social-emotional learning (SEL) lessons focused on how to manage and regulate emotions, build relationships and show empathy into their curricula. But the pandemic is a chance to try bolder ideas. Especially since there is evidence that for some kids, getting a break from the pressure cooker of academic expectations and after-school commitments has been better for their mental health. Even as we long to get back to before, its important to ask if before was really that great. We already had an epidemic of anxiety among children, teens and college students in the United States. This forced pause could be a time for educators and school administrators to reconsider how we support mental health at school. Wendy Mogel, clinical psychologist and author of the parenting book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, suggests an approach that is radical in its simplicity: Talk to the children. If the question is, How can we redesign the school day or focus on social-emotional learning to make kids less stressed? talk to them and see what they have to say. Mogel offers a set of questions that focus on student well-being: What do you miss most about school? What are you relieved about not having to do? What was the hardest part about the school shutdown, and what did you enjoy? What did you discover about the way you like to learn? You need someone who is really good with kids a youth pastor, the school psychologist to ask the questions, she says. In Mogels experience, one of the biggest contributors to anxiety and stress in students is schools focus on conventional academic learning over creative intelligence, experiential learning and citizenship. Ideally, art, science and SEL would be woven into an integrated curriculum, says Mogel. And adding SEL to the Core Curriculum would give it both pride of place and legal standing. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. She also advocates for more time outdoors and in nature, more hands-on learning through all five senses and learning through fellowship. Weve taken this whole complicated, rich creature, which is a child, and distilled it into numbers and rankings. It causes so much anxiety and depression in both kids and parents. Leyla Bologlu, a pediatric neuropsychologist in San Francisco, notes that for children with learning differences, anxiety and self-doubt are heightened in classroom settings, and for some, during remote school as well. However, distance learning has forced educators to pace differently and shorten instruction periods for younger students. The benefits of that suggest better ways to support differentiated learners when in-person classes restart. We need to rethink how scheduled children are, she says. How many adults work more than 8 or 10 hours? We ask our children to work those hours. Because motor skills and cognitive skills develop in tandem (Its not uncommon to see language bursts follow a major motor milestone, Bologlu says), Bologlu has been excited by the increase in physical activity on her street. In some ways we are getting back to important developmental basics, she says. She suggests schools add more body breaks into the school day and longer transition times between academic subjects. To pull all of this together and create accountability, Mogel says schools should create a position of director of mental health. Think of it as a sanity czar. This person would need to be really adept at interviewing kids and handling parents, she says, and to show that the position is truly valued, pay them a lot of money. Digging into equity issues Chronicle illustration from Getty Images elements From access to high-speed internet to proximity to outdoor space to the scramble to form learning pods, almost every COVID adaptation has exposed inequities in education. Lately, the conversation has turned to an uncomfortable question: How do we feel living in a country where private schools can potentially reopen with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as COVID consultants while public schools cannot? This is an opportunity for everyone public schools and independent schools to rethink how we educate, teach and learn, says Deborah Sims, a former Bay Area school administrator and superintendent, who now works as an education consultant. She notes that all the things that disadvantage kids during remote learning not having a private place to work, access to WiFi or an adult at home able to help also make regular school harder. Schools were already starting to have these conversations around equity, but the pandemic has accelerated them, says Sims. When schools return in-person, it could be an opportunity to rethink how much work students are asked to do at home now that we are more aware of the ways that privilege plays a role. Just consider the inequity baked into a school rite of passage: the elaborate science or history project. One childs parents go out and get all sorts of supplies and help their kid build a pyramid that could go in a museum, says Sims. The other child doesnt even have access to materials or an adult at home during the day to help. The solution is not to stop doing projects. Its to restructure the school day so that more of the work can be collaborative and done during school hours. Heres the good news: Local districts are already thinking hard about how to tackle many of these challenges. SFUSD is working to make sure that every student in the district has a device and hot spot for remote learning. Educators are recognizing that outdoor education and a stronger focus on SEL may be key to getting through the pandemic, and when its over, well have what amounts to data from thousands of mini pilot programs. At that point, schools will need to ensure that the changes that have positive benefits for kids more unstructured time during the day, outdoor learning, SEL and wellness as part of the curriculum dont fall away as soon as we go back to normal. This is a chance to rethink education for the better. For all kids. Anna Nordberg is Bay Area feelance writer. Email: Culture@sfchronicle.com Those are who keeps you safe, Wright said through a megaphone. We keep us safe. Were going to fight to abolish this (expletive) system, not reform it, because its doing exactly what its intended to do. And were also going to focus on transforming our communities to serve people, to serve us. State media says Sudan Revolutionary Front alliance from Darfur and southern states inks agreement with government. Sudans main rebel alliance has agreed on a peace deal with the government aimed at ending 17 years of conflict, official news agency SUNA said on Sunday. The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), an alliance of rebel groups from the western region of Darfur and the southern states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, inked a peace agreement with the government late on Saturday. A formal signing ceremony is planned for Monday in Juba, the capital of neighbouring South Sudan, which has hosted and helped mediate the long-running talks since late 2019. Senior government officials and rebel leaders signed their initials on protocols on security arrangements and other issues late on Saturday, SUNA reported. However, two rebel movements rejected part of the deal a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur, and a wing of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), headed by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. What the deal covers The final agreement covers key issues around security, land ownership, transitional justice, power sharing and the return of people who fled their homes due to war. It also provides for the dismantling of rebel forces and the integration of their fighters into the national army. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and several ministers flew to Juba on Sunday, the news agency said, where he met South Sudan President Salva Kiir. Hamdok said finding a deal had taken longer than first hoped after an initial agreement in September 2019. At the Juba declaration in September, everyone expected peace to be signed within two or three months, but we realised that the questions were of one great complexity, Hamdok said. However, we were able to accomplish this great work, and this is the start of peace-building. The rebel forces took up arms against what they said was the economic and political marginalisation by the government in Khartoum. They are largely drawn from non-Arab minority groups that long railed against Arab domination of successive governments in Khartoum, including that of toppled strongman, Omar al-Bashir. About 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur since rebels took up arms there in 2003, according to the United Nations. Conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile erupted in 2011, following unresolved issues from bitter fighting there in Sudans 1983-2005 civil war. Forging peace with rebels has been a cornerstone of Sudans transitional government, which came to power in the months after Bashirs overthrow in April 2019 on the back of mass protests against his rule. Previous peace accords in Sudan, including one signed in Nigeria in 2006 and another signed in Qatar in 2010, have fallen through over the years. The last time Abe met with Sisi was in August last year on the sidelines of the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development Following Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes recent resignation announcement, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a statement on Facebook on Saturday praising Abe as a patriotic statesman who gave much to his country. Abe, who served for around eight years as Japans prime minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party, announced his resignation on Friday over a resurgence of his ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease from which he has suffered for many years. The Egyptian president wished Abe a speedy recovery and praised him for being a friend and a supporting partner to Egypt who made great contributions in enhancing cooperation and friendship between Egypt and Japan. Abe, 65, became Japans longest serving prime minister last year, ruling since 2012. This is not the first time Abe has resigned over health issues. In 2007, after only one year in office, he resigned and handed the reigns over to chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda. The last time Abe met with El-Sisi was in August last year on the sidelines of the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). The two sides discussed enhancing cooperation in the fields of basic education, higher education, culture, technology, energy and transport. They also discussed the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum in northern Egypts Giza governorate, as well as encouraging more Japanese companies to invest in Egypt. Search Keywords: Short link: Tibet remains deeply devoted to Buddhism where the Dalai Lama is revered as the spiritual head despite his self-exile to India since 1959 Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a "new modern socialist" Tibet, constructing an "impregnable wall" against separatism in the sensitive Himalayan region and "sinicisation" of the Tibetan Buddhism, the official media reported on Saturday. Xi, also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), in his address to the seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, said that efforts must be made to build Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, Xinhua news agency reported. Underlining the need to fully implement the CPC's policies on governing Tibet for a new era, Xi, in a comprehensive address on the Himalayan region, called for efforts to build a "new modern socialist" Tibet. He told officials attending the two-day symposium that they should make efforts to "ensure national security and enduring peace and stability, steadily improve people's lives, maintain a good environment, solidify border defence and ensure frontier security," the report said. Tibet, officially referred to as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), remained deeply devoted to Buddhism where the Dalai Lama is revered as the spiritual head despite his self-exile to India since 1959 after China took control of the region in 1950. It also shares borders with India, Bhutan and Nepal. President Xi said that the work in Tibet must insist on maintaining the unity of the motherland and strengthening national unity as the focus. "It is necessary to strengthen the education and guidance of the masses, extensively mobilise the masses to participate in the struggle against separatism, and form an impregnable wall for maintaining stability," he said. While Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and "splittist" who seeks to split Tibet from China, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate says he only seeks greater rights for Tibetans, including religious freedom and autonomy. The 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a crackdown on an uprising by the local population in Tibet. India granted him political asylum and the Tibetan government-in-exile is based on Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh since then. Xi also spoke of "sinicisation" of the Tibetan Buddhism. "It is necessary to dig out, sort out and publicise the historical facts of the exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups in Tibet since ancient times, guide the people of all ethnic groups to see the direction and future of the nation, deeply realise that the Chinese nation is a community of destiny, and promote exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups," Xi said. 'Sinicisation' broadly refers to bringing non-Chinese communities under the Chinese culture and political system being pursued by the CPC under the broad definition of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since 1959, Tibet has been witnessing periodic incidents of violence, unrest and protest against Beijing. China asserts that Tibet has been its part since the 13th century and will remain so forever. "It is necessary to actively guide the Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to the socialist society and promote the sinicisation of the Tibetan Buddhism," Xi said. He said that since the sixth symposium in 2015, Tibet has made comprehensive progress and historic achievements in its various undertakings. He noted that Tibet has achieved sustained stability and rapid development, constituting a major contribution to the overall work of the CPC and the state. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, when he took over power, policies on governing Tibet for a new era have taken shape, Xi said, stressing that the CPC leadership, the system of socialism with the Chinese characteristics and the system of regional ethnic autonomy must be upheld to carry out work related to Tibet. Besides Xi, Premier Li Keqiang and other senior leaders of the CPC, official in-charge of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the party and government of various cities and provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces took part in the meeting which concluded here on Saturday. The movie is set to air without interruption on ABC from 8 p.m.-10:20 p.m., Eastern. The rest of the 10 p.m. hour of primetime will be filled by Chadwick Boseman -- A Tribute for a King, produced by ABC News. ABC News said the special will celebrate Bosemans storied life, legacy and career, and the cultural imprint he made on- and off-screen. It will feature tributes that have poured in from celebrities, political figures and fans across the world, special words from those who starred alongside him and knew Boseman best, and shine a light on the medical condition he privately battled. While Belarus continues to be rocked with protests for three weeks, President Alexander Lukashenkos government cracked down hard on the news media on August 29. It not only deported some of the foreign journalists but also withdrew the accreditations of several others who were reporting on the anti-government protests prevailing in the nation. Several international media outlets reported about their journalists being deported from the country. Two Moscow-based journalists of international media agency, AP who were constantly covering the demonstrations in Belarus were sent back to Russia on Saturday. Moreover, the organisations Belarusian journalists were directed by the government that their press credentials were revoked. The Belarusian Association of Journalists said that the accreditation has been taken away from at least 17 Belarusians working for different outlets. From Germanys ARD television to BBC and from US-funded radios to other outlets, many journalists were reported to have been either sent back or have their licence revoked. Lauren Easton, APs director of media relations said in a statement that the organisation decries the blatant attack on the freedom of the press in the European nation and called for the government to reinstate the credentials of independent journalists. In the same line, executives of other media outlets directly impacted by the latest development along with foreign governments have criticised the move. The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms this blatant attack on press freedom in Belarus. AP calls on the Belarusian government to reinstate the credentials of independent journalists and allow them to continue reporting the facts of what is happening in Belarus to the world, said Lauren Easton. Read - Belarus President Lukashenko Brings Teenage Son To Frontline As Protests Intensify Read - EU FMs On Belarus, Greece-Turkey Tension, Navalny UN on Belarus govts move United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reportedly said that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has time and again called for the journalists to be able to do their job in an environment that is free from harassment. Germanys Foreign Minister Heiko Mass reportedly summoned the Belarusian ambassador after the detention and expulsion of the foreign journalists in Minsk and said that this attack on press freedom is another dangerous step toward more repression instead of dialogue with the population. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has consistently called for journalists to be able to do their work free from harassment, anywhere in the world, Stephane Dujarric said. Read - Belarus Leader Cites Alleged NATO Threat To Shore Up Rule Read - EU Agrees Sanctions On 20 Belarus Officials Inputs/ Image: AP In an interview with NewsX for its special segment NewsX A-List, Founder and CEO of DigiValet Rahul Salgia has opened up about how Through is revolutionising the check-in process at hotels. Rahul Salgia, Founder and CEO of DigiValet, recently got into an exclusive chat with NewsX for its special segment NewsX A-list. Giving us an insight into DigiValet, Rahul Salgia said, DigiValet is known for its guest-room solutions. We have some of the most iconic hotels in the world on our clientele. DigiValet is installed in hotels like Ralphs in Singapore, Armani in Burj Khalifa in Dubai, The W in London. We serve some of the most iconic hotels to offer the best guest-room experience that want to offer to their guests. As the world grapples through Covid-19 pandemic, DigiValet has come up with a unique contactless check-in solution called Through that can potentially revolutionise the hotel industry. Talking about Through, Mr Salgia said, Through is a new offering for contactless check-in. When a guest has an upcoming reservation, he receives an SMS from the hotel, saying that you have an upcoming reservation and displays a personalised link. The moment the guest clicks on the link, he gets re-directed to the check in page where he can put his id, credit card details and thats all. He doesnt need to go to the front office to give his card, take his credit card back, probably share anything with the front office. Thereby, keeping himself and the front office executive safe. In this process, the guest also saves a lot of time. Nobody wants to wait in a queue or wait at the front office to get a key. This is not just a contact less solution, this is a change in the way check-ins are going to happen in the future, Mr Salgia added. Also Read: If you have a dream, just go ahead and start it, the universe will conspire, says Naren Kumar, CEO & Co founder, IamHere Also Read: Opportunity in adversity: Pandemic forced us to accept and adapt to online tutoring, says Minal Anand founder and CEO of GuruQ When asked if it was the pandemic that inspired him to come up with the idea of Through, Mr Salgia shared, We had the technology to do contactless check-in, which we were using for luxury hotels for in-room personalised check-in. When the pandemic happened, we realised that there would be a new world. We thought we should re-purpose the technology that we have, to produce something that will be suitable for contact-less check-in, avoid personal check-in and make this whole solution usable even after the pandemic. He expressed, This is something we designed during the pandemic and then the whole thought was to democratise the technology. We thought we offer our technology to a few luxury hotels but why not democratise this and make it available to every possible hotel. Our entire team worked overtime from home and made the technology possible for hotels as they are opening now. On his plans to offer the technology to other industries, Mr Salgia said, Through is specifically designed for hotels but DigiValet is getting into more verticals. We are getting into healthcare as hospitals are trying to bring in patient-room solutions. We are also trying to bring in solutions for senior living residential solutions for senior living and service residences. Starting a business, especially if it is novel, is not easy. Mr Salgia too had his share of challenges. He told NewsX that while starting out, his challenges were primarily two-fold. Firstly, when you come up with an innovative idea, you try and take it to customers. Everyone likes innovative ideas but the next question they ask is where is it installed and who is using it. It is a quite ironic. They want the most novel idea but at the time they want it to be proven. The second challenge was the Made In India tag. Today, all Indians feel a sense of nationalism when we speak of Made In India but it was not the same 10 years ago. India and premium products dont go together. Normally, premium products come in from Europe or Germany so we also had that baggage in those days. Gradually, people approached us when they had technology challenges and threw a challenge at us saying, If you can fix this, then you have the job. The turning point came when we were able to successfully deliver it. People started believing that an Indian company like DigiValet can deliver such solutions, he added. Sharing his views on Atmanirbhar Bharat and how self-reliant is India in the technology space, Mr Salgia said, I have a different opinion on technology and Atmanirbhar Bharat. While we have 200 billion dollar software industry, we are not even close to being a leader in product technology. There is a long way ahead. We have great amount of talent and technology but we dont use it for ourselves. We are only outsourcing jobs. We are working for other companies. This is the time when entrepreneurs in India have to realise that we have to build technology and worlds best products in India. This is just the beginning. If people think in the right direction, time will not be far when we can actually make great world-class technology products. Only then, we would be able to rightly call ourself Atmanirbhar. When asked what are the challenges for India in becoming truly Atmanirbhar, Mr Salgia responded, Technology entrepreneurship is quite a gamble. I would say entrepreneurship is lacking among large groups. Secondly, the investment ecosystem isnt as conducive in other countries like United States. After hotels and hospitals, DigiValet is now working towards offering technological solutions to senior and residential living. He said, Senior living would be on a priority, as we believe that the trend to move to communities focused on later life is on rise. Not just in western world but also in India and some of other markets. Moreover, Technology will play an important role in making life comfortable for later lifers. We are already building these products, already signed some contracts with some interesting projects in London and some other markets, where we will be using technology to monitor their goals like walking steps, water consumption, health targets and how they are working towards them. We are also working on a very innovative technology to predict what would be the impact of aging on people so we are bringing a lot of solutions around senior people. All of our residential solutions are going to be self-use. The residential market is very large and diverse. We are trying to focus on few markets and few services where we can make it a successful model and then grow it towards larger community, he added. On a parting note, Mr Salgia gave a piece to advise to all new age entrepreneurs, especially those who dream big but quit quickly. He said, Dont run for valuation. Once you have a successful business, when you have customers believing in you, everything will happen. This is a reverse trend to what is happening right now but that is the mantra to success. Also Read: Every dark cloud has a silver lining says, Shahnaz Ahmed, chairperson and Managing Trustee at Springdale High School As waves of schools and businesses around the country are cleared to reopen, college towns are moving toward renewed shutdowns because of too many parties and too many Covid-19 infections among students. With more than 300 students at the University of Missouri testing positive for the coronavirus and an alarming 44 per cent positivity rate for the surrounding county, the local health director Friday ordered bars to stop serving alcohol at 9pm and close by 10pm. Iowa's governor has ordered all bars shut down around the University of Iowa and Iowa State, while the mayor of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, did the same in the hometown of the state's flagship university. What we're seeing in our violations is they're coming late at night, said Stephanie Browning, head of the health department for Columbia, Missouri. Big groups gathering. They're not wearing their masks, they're not social distancing. In Utah, the city council in Provo overrode a mayoral veto to pass a mask mandate, which includes a $500 (374.5) fine for organising large mask-less gatherings, days before students return to Brigham Young University (BYU) from around the country. Recommended College towns fear semester will cause uptick in coronavirus cases But the council was nevertheless worried that college students sharing dorms, bathrooms and showers could become super-spreaders and bring the virus off campus, council chair George Handley said. We're already seeing what's happened across the country at other universities, he said. But a recent warehouse party organised by a BYU student's promotional company called Young/Dumb also raised concern when pictures of hundreds of revellers without masks surfaced online. BYU, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has its own rules requiring masks on campus. Requirements for indoor public spaces in town will help people stay healthy and businesses stay open, Mr Handley said. This is actually about preserving our way of life, it's not about destroying it contrary to what some people say, Mr Handley said. The outbreaks since students began returning to campus in the past few weeks have heightened tensions between colleges and their towns and led to recriminations between local politicians and university officials. Meanwhile, California announced a four-tiered, colour-coded plan Friday for gradually reopening businesses after abandoning a reopening attempt earlier this summer. It requires counties to meet certain benchmarks showing progress in controlling the virus. In Arizona, another deadly hot spot this summer, a drop in transmission numbers allowed the Phoenix and Tucson areas to reopen gyms and some bars. The US has recorded over 180,000 deaths from the coronavirus and 5.9 million confirmed infections. Worldwide, the death toll is put at more than 830,000, with at least 24.5 million cases. Drugmaker Gilead Sciences said Friday that US regulators are now allowing use of experimental antiviral drug remdesivir for all patients hospitalised with Covid-19. It said the Food and Drug Administration has expanded its emergency use authorisation, which lets doctors administer the IV drug during the pandemic. Until now, that was limited to patients with severe Covid-19. Remdesivir previously was shown to shorten treatment by about four days for hospitalised patients with severe disease, compared with those getting standard supportive care. Surging infection numbers around the US have been blamed in part on young people ignoring mask and social distancing requirements. In Iowa's Story County, home to Iowa State, 74 per cent of new cases over the past seven days were among people ages 19 to 24, Governor Kim Reynolds said Thursday. In the same time period, 69 per cent of new cases in Johnson County, the home of the University of Iowa, were in that age group. It is increasing the virus activity in the community, and it's spilling over to other segments of the population, Ms Reynolds said. Fuelled in part by clusters where college students are returning to classes, Kansas has had its highest seven-day increase in coronavirus cases. Governor Laura Kelly said outbreaks on college campuses and fraternities and sororities are at least a factor in the surge. We cannot continue to go down this path, she told reporters Friday. The University of Alabama has recorded over 500 cases on campus since the fall semester began last week. In closing the town's bars Monday for the next two weeks, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said that an unchecked spread of the virus threatens both the health care system and the local economy if students have to be sent home for the semester for remote learning. Three of North Carolina's largest public universities have abruptly halted in-person undergraduate instruction and directed students to move out of the dorms after hundreds tested positive following their return to campus. More than 800 have been infected at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and over 670 at North Carolina State. Leaders at UNC-Chapel Hill, which has shifted to online classes, wrote an open letter on Thursday to the mayor outlining steps the university is taking to curb off-campus parties. We recognise the very real problems with the behaviours of some of our fraternities and sororities, the letter said. Oyeronke Popoola, a 17-year-old freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill who moved out of her dorm, said that administrators, not students, deserve most of the blame for the virus-related problems after they ushered students back to campus. Recommended Rise in Mississippi coronavirus infections tied to fraternity parties They should've put everything online from the beginning, but they wanted the money, she said. And she said fraternities and sororities weren't the only ones at fault among the students: I feel like Greek life gets a lot of blame, which is understandable, but there are other students who were meeting without masks. The problems did not change the thinking of other schools around the country. The University of Virginia announced Friday that it is moving ahead with plans to offer in-person instruction for the fall semester, after delaying the start of classes for two weeks to assess the spread of Covid-19. We know some will be delighted to hear this news and others will be disappointed, a university statement said. To be frank, it was a very difficult decision, made in the face of much uncertainty, and with full awareness that future events may force us to change course. AP TOKYO>> Japans longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said he is stepping down because a chronic health problem has resurfaced. He told reporters Friday that it was gut wrenching to leave many of his goals unfinished. Abe has had ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and has said the condition was controlled with treatment. Concerns about his health began this summer and grew this month when he visited a Tokyo hospital two weeks in a row for unspecified health checkups. He is now on a new treatment that requires IV injections, he said. While there is some improvement, there is no guarantee that it will cure his condition and so he decided to step down after treatment Monday, he said. It is gut wrenching to have to leave my job before accomplishing my goals, Abe said Friday, mentioning his failure to resolve the issue of Japanese abducted years ago by North Korea, a territorial dispute with Russia and a revision of Japans war-renouncing constitution. He said his health problem was under control until earlier this year but was found to have worsened in June when he had an annual checkup. Faced with the illness and treatment, as well as the pain of lacking physical strength I decided I should not stay on as prime minister when Im no longer capable of living up to the peoples expectations with confidence, Abe said at a news conference. In a country once known for its short-tenured prime ministers, the departure marks the end of an unusual era of stability that saw the Japanese leader strike up strong ties with President Donald Trump even as Abes ultra-nationalism riled the Koreas and China. While he pulled Japan out of recession, the economy has been battered anew by the coronavirus pandemic, and Abe has failed to achieve his cherished goal of formally rewriting the U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution because of poor public support. Abe said he achieved a stronger Japan-U.S. security alliance and the first visit by a serving U.S. president to the atom-bombed city of Hiroshima. He also helped Tokyo gain the right to host the 2020 Olympics by pledging that a disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant was under control when it was not. Recently, the coronavirus impact on the economy was a blow to Abe, who was stuck at home and lacking an opportunity to make any achievement or show off his friendship with Trump, and was pushed into a corner, said Koichi Nakano, an international politics professor at Sophia University in Tokyo. Abe continued to bolster Japans defense capability to respond to Americas needs, Nakano said. For those who believe the Japan-U.S. alliance is paramount, that was his major achievement, he said. But Abe bulldozed his expanded defense policy and other contentious issues through parliament, repeatedly neglecting public opinion, Nakano said. Trump paid tribute to his great friend Abe, telling reporters about Air Force One that he was surprised to hear of his resignation. We had a great relationship. And I just feel very bad for him. Because it must be very severe. Look, for him to leave he loves his country so much and for him to leave, I just cant imagine what it is. Hes a great gentleman and so Im just paying my highest respect, Trump said. Abe is a political blue blood who was groomed to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. His political rhetoric often focused on making Japan a normal and beautiful nation with a stronger military and bigger role in international affairs. Abe, whose term ends in September 2021, is expected to stay on until a new party leader is elected and formally approved by the parliament, a process which is expected to take several weeks. Abe became Japans youngest prime minister in 2006, at age 52, but his overly nationalistic first stint abruptly ended a year later because of his health. In December 2012, Abe returned to power, prioritizing economic measures over his nationalist agenda. He won six national elections and built a rock-solid grip on power, bolstering Japans defense role and capability and its security alliance with the U.S. He also stepped up patriotic education at schools and raised Japans international profile. Abe on Monday became Japans longest-serving prime minister by consecutive days in office, eclipsing the record of Eisaku Sato, his great-uncle, who served 2,798 days from 1964 to 1972. But his second hospital visit Monday accelerated speculation and political maneuvering toward a post-Abe regime. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and sometimes polyps in the bowels. People with the condition can have a normal life expectancy but serious cases can involve life-threatening complications. After his recent hospital visits were reported, top officials from Abes Cabinet and the ruling party said he was overworked and badly needed rest. His health concerns came as his support ratings plunged due to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its severe impact on the economy, on top of a stream of political scandals, including his own. There are a slew of politicians eager to replace Abe. Shigeru Ishiba, a 63-year-old hawkish former defense minister and Abes archrival, is a favorite next leader in media surveys, though he is less popular within the governing party. A low-key former foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, Defense Minister Taro Kono, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of coronavirus measures, are widely mentioned in Japanese media as potential successors. Abe was often upstaged in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, a former governing party conservative who is seen as a potential prime minister candidate by some. But she would have to first be elected to parliament to be in the running for the top job. Analysts say no major change of policy is expected whoever succeeds Abe, though Japan may return to an era of short-lived leadership. The end of Abes scandal-laden first stint as prime minister was the beginning of six years of annual leadership change, remembered as an era of revolving door politics that lacked stability and long-term policies. When he returned to office in 2012, Abe vowed to revitalize the nation and get its economy out of its deflationary doldrums with his Abenomics formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. Perhaps Abes biggest regret was his inability to fulfill a long-cherished goal of his grandfather and himself to formally rewrite the pacifist constitution. Abe and his ultra-conservative supporters see the U.S.-drafted constitution as a humiliating legacy of Japans World War II defeat. He was also unable to achieve his goal of settling several unfinished wartime legacies, including normalizing ties with North Korea, settling island disputes with neighbors and signing a peace treaty with Russia formally ending their hostilities in World War II. Abe said he will focus on his treatment for now and continue his political activity and support a new administration as a lawmaker. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:27:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Police cadet Derrick Terance Fasseu is on duty in Yaounde, Cameroon, April 23, 2020. (Photo by Jean Pierre Kepseu/Xinhua) Officials of Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) have urged police of the sub-region to tighten security in a bid to curb border crime. YAOUNDE, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Officials of Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) have urged police of the sub-region to tighten security in a bid to curb border crime. "The heads of states of Central Africa have emphasized on the importance of free movement of people, capital and goods in the sub-region and they can't have that free movement if we don't prevent crime," Shey Jones Yembe, CEMAC Commissioner for Infrastructure told reporters in Cameroon's capital city, Yaounde on Saturday during a ceremony to officially confirm Cameroon as the headquarters of Central African Police Chiefs Committee (CAPCCO). "This (the headquarters) will ameliorate cooperation between the countries. It will act like a hub. CAPCCO is consultative," Yembe added. He said, since the creation of CAPCCO in 1997, police have been working in close cooperation with Interpol as part of a strategy to strengthen police effectiveness, fine-tune strategies and seek solutions to the problems of crime and public safety in the sub-region. CAPCCO is made of representatives from eight countries including Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, and the Republic of the Congo. (Natural News) The conservative Media Research Center (MRC) is calling on concerned Americans to submit comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging it to review a contentious portion of federal law at the heart of the battle over free speech online. (Article by Calvin Freiburger republished from LifeSiteNews.com) Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act immunizes websites from being held liable for the third-party content they host, such as posts or tweets by social media users. This provision has been credited with helping the internet thrive, and in recent years, it has been seen as a potential means of addressing the increasing control internet platforms exert over right-of-center content. The MRCs Free Speech Alliance (of which LifeSiteNews is a member) is currently working on gathering as many public comments to the FCC as possible urging the commission to review how Section 230 is currently interpreted and applied. Big Tech is currently immune from lawsuits regarding censorship due to a small part of a law from the mid-1990s, reads the landing page where readers can submit comments. Section 230 protects the tech giants from being sued for their content, and censorship of that content. MRC calls an FCC review the first step in holding Big Tech accountable but warns, Were not the only ones submitting comments. Big Tech is strongly opposed to any changes to their current sweetheart deal. Their friends on the left are leaving comments and doing everything they can to oppose a rule change. The effort is meant to help support an executive order President Donald Trump signed in May, aimed at tweaking how federal agencies interpret and enforce Section 230. The order essentially directs the FCC to propose an administrative rule that would spell out what it means for the tech giants to carry out their takedown policies in good faith, national security attorney Stewart Baker explained. It is critical for the survival of the conservative movement that we unite in defense of our right to express ourselves online without threat of being censored by the social media giants, MRC president Brent Bozell said. Protecting our freedom of speech is something that should not only be important to conservatives, but to all Americans. Facebook, Twitter and Google/Youtube own the most widely used online platforms for speech in the world. Facebook, Twitter, and Google/Youtube have full control over what we say, hear, write, and read. It is immensely important that these platforms remain neutral. This effort is a response to numerous ongoing controversies over suppression and discrimination that have only intensified in recent months against conservative content across Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. From Facebook, two whistleblowers came forward recently to attest that the platform aggressively discriminates against conservatives on a global scale for the purpose of influencing election outcomes. One provided footage of content moderators openly discussing how they would like to delete every Donald Trump post I see on the timeline and delete all Republicans for terrorism if they so much as post a photo wearing a MAGA hat. Cognizant service delivery manager Demian Gordon can also be seen saying he would not hold staff accountable for taking down Trump posts on the grounds that they gotta get the Cheeto (Trump) out of the office. The other described witnessing moderators deleting on average 300 posts or actioning 300 posts a day in a way that just targeted conservatives or favored liberals, with personnel equating Trump supporters with violent hate groups, while expressly making an exception for overtly-hateful posts by the moderators LGBT allies in the name of supporting Pride Month. Twitter set off a firestorm in May when it placed a fact-check on a Trump tweet pertaining to the fraud potential of mail-in voting, then censored another Trump tweet warning that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, pertaining to the Minneapolis riots, for supposedly glorifying violence. As for YouTube and its parent company, numerous leaked private conversations shows that Google is willing to enforce its far-left ideology through its ostensibly neutral services and platforms. Psychologist and technology researcher Dr. Robert Epstein warns that Google could use its vast power over search results for news and video to shift as much as a tenth of the vote toward former vice president Joe Biden in the falls presidential election. Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com Shocking and unbelievable as a middle age man, Mr. Obinwanne Chiafo of Ezeama Mgbagbuowa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State was alleged to have broke the head of the mother of his eight children, Mrs. Chiamaka Okechi. It was gathered that the 27-year-old Chiamaka, was forced into the marriage at the age of 13 and started giving birth immediately which forced her dropping out of school. Chiamaka who is currently nursing head injury inflicted on her by supposed lovely husband, told journalists that her 13-year-old marriage has been tales of woes as she has endured several forms of violence and abuses from her spouse. The mother of eight stated that she is currently living in a mud house without any significant source of livelihood apart from her little subsistence farming within her immediate environment. Chiamaka, who said she hails from the same village with her, narrated how the father of her children severely battered her, forcefully ejected her from their matrimonial home since five years ago, including taking custody of her six children and denied her access to them. She further noted that he married two different women, after he forcefully evicted her and had never objected to his marriage, but despite that he still come to her parents house to assault her severally. She disclosed that her estranged husband returned in 2019 to ask for forgiveness, which she accepted only to got her pregnant for the eighth child and abandoned her again. Unfortunately, Chiamaka reeling on pains said that on August 21, 2020, her tormentor- in -Chief came to her house, and unleashed terror on her. According to her, on that fateful day, Obinwanne violently kicked down her door, dragged her on the floor and attacked her. Hear her: He pounced on me kicking, and started punching me very hard all over my body, including several heavy blows that landed on my chest. Despite my screaming as a result of the excruciating pain, he kept on and brought an iron and hit my head causing me severe head injury. When I failed down, he ran away thinking that I had died. She further narrated went to Police station at Aguobu Owa, Ezeagu LGA, the next town to report the incident and unfortunately police asked her to bring money, which she couldnt afford. She stated that because of police lack of interest, people directed her to Women Aid Collative (WACOL), a group fighting for rights of women to sought help. Chiamaka who is currently, staying with the rights group, lamented that the greatest challenge facing her now was that is unable to go back home for the past three days out of fear that the perpetrator could return and carry out his threat to kill her. In her plea, she further stated that I want WACOL and law enforcement agencies to assist me to arrest this man, because I dont want to die, and I have nobody to run to. Please help me she pleaded. Speaking to newsmen, the Founder and Executive Director of WACOL, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, said that her organisation would support her to gets justice and treatment for her injury. Ezeilo who is the Dean Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria Nsukka, disclosed that WACOL had given Mrs Chiafo N10, 000 to take care of her immediate needs adding, She will also receive medical treatment, free legal aid, counselling and psycho -social support. WACOL legal clinic will also follow up with relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that the perpetrator is arrested and properly charged for grievously bodily injury, including murder threats, she vowed. When contacted, the state police public relations officer, Daniel Ndukwe, said that he was not aware of the incident and promise to find out. Washington: US President Donald Trump should not visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city where protests erupted last week after a black man was shot in the back by a white police officer, the state's Democratic lieutenant governor said on Sunday. The Republican president, who has taken a hard stand against racial protests in the country, will visit the Midwestern city on Tuesday, the White House said late on Saturday, raising concerns among Democrats that this may worsen the strife. Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. Credit:AP "They centred an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what's going on in Kenosha," Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes told CNN, referring to last week's Republican National Convention. "So I don't know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely don't need that right now," he added. The Congress Rajasthan in-charge and national general secretary Ajay Maken hit out at the BJP on Sunday, accusing it of killing democracy using money power and misusing investigative agencies. During his first visit to Rajasthan after he was appointed the partys Rajasthan in-charge, Maken addressed party workers in Alwar districts Shahjahapur and alleged that the BJP killed democracy in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and Manipur. But when they tried doing so in Rajasthan, they faced defeat, he said. Across the country, they (BJP) killed democracy by using money power and misusing the CBI and ED. The braves of Rajasthan... at least 102 MLAs have proved that no matter how much money is offered or pressure is mounted, we will not bend. We will protect the democracy, the way Congress fought with British and got freedom, Maken said. The senior Congress leader, however, warned that there would be more such attack on democracy in the days to come. We have to be prepared for them and by no chance should allow democracy to be defeated in Rajasthan, he said. Maken is also the member of a three-member central panel set up by the Congress to address issues of disgruntled MLAs including Sachin Pilot. The panel would help evolve a mechanism to ensure better coordination between the government and the party in Rajasthan as well as among all factions. During his visit to Rajasthan, Maken would hear out senior leaders, office bearers of the partys state unit, former and present legislators and ex-MPs. The aim of the visit is to strengthen and reorganise the party at block and district levels. On Monday, Maken is scheduled to meet leaders and workers of Jaipur division at state party office. Such meetings will continue for the next two days in Ajmer and Kota, in which about 50-60 leaders of every district would attend, Congress leaders said. When Veronica and Edmundo Navarro married in the Philippines in 1975, they never expected theyd both be diagnosed six months apart with the same form of lung cancer 45 years later. We never imagined that we would take it literally: In sickness and in health, said Veronica Navarro, 68, with a laugh. We took it literally like, youre sick? Ill get sick too. The same illness. The two have mostly been inseparable since they met at work in a manufacturing plant in metro Manila during 1973. Even when they immigrated to Jersey City around 2000 for work in Manhattan, theyd commute in the morning together and meet back at the turnstile in the evening to go home. They did that for years while they raised their six children. But one day in September 2019, Edmundo Navarro, now 71, went to work alone. His wife was undergoing a routine ultrasound that would initially diagnose her cancer. Her lung collapsed during the procedure and she was transferred to the intensive care unit at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. I was afraid like the rest of the family, said her husband, who left work early to rush back to the hospital once he learned his wife was on a ventilator. We were all praying and we thought that really, she might not make it. Six months later, her husband started coughing up blood. He was still caring for her at their Jersey City home as she underwent rounds of chemotherapy and radiation for stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer. He would undergo the same endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy as his wife. When he came to, he was greeted by the same doctor who was treating his wife. He knew what that meant: cancer. His was stage 4. He underwent 3-D stereotactic radiosurgery to treat six cancerous lesions that spread to his brain. She was put on a 12-week course of chemotherapy and radiation. Veronica Navarro is now in remission, but her husband will continue taking targeted immunotherapy medication for the rest of his life. The couple has still been able to find happiness throughout their battle. Their seventh grandchild was born last month during the same weekend as their 45th wedding anniversary on Aug. 16. And Edmundo celebrated his 71st birthday surrounded by relatives at his sons home in Summit the following week. It was like a celebration of life, Edmundo Navarro said of the anniversary. It really was. Veronica Navarro will complete her 26-week regimen of immunotherapy on Sept. 18. Edmundo Navarros tumor has shrunk and five of the six lesions that spread to his brain are no longer there. The two have even found a silver lining in their diagnoses, too. The fact that he has the same illness as mine, Im very grateful in a way because I know how more or less he feels, Veronica Navarro said. I can relate. Their battle The two have turned their appointments at the Frederick B. Cohen Comprehensive Cancer Center at Newark Beth Israel into outings. The doctors schedule their appointments at the same time so they can come in together. They greet the security guards and are in cheery moods around the nurses at the hospital now, but there have been difficult moments for them. The large tumor that was found in Veronica Navarro was wrapped around her aorta, a main artery by the heart. Dr. Sari Jacoby, an oncologist at the Frederick B. Cohen Comprehensive Cancer Center, broke the news about her cancer diagnosis in the intensive care unit. By the time I got there, I hear the whispers of hospice and, you know, the tears in the room, said Dr. Jacoby. The patient herself was writing because she was totally, mentally with it, even though she was on the ventilator. And she just wrote the words, I need to fight. Dr. Sari Jacoby an oncologist at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Wednesday, August 19, 2020.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Both Edmundo and Veronica Navarro have been fighters. Theyve continued to work from home throughout their treatments: he as a chief compliance officer for a retirement fund and she as an administrative assistant at the United Nations. Theyve each been going to their appointments regularly, even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Each patient at the Frederick B. Cohen Comprehensive Cancer Center takes a rapid saliva COVID-19 test before entering the hospital. The Navarros have grown close to Dr. Jacoby and during the last year and had nothing but praise for her. Veronica Navarro has even made masks for Dr. Jacoby and her children, one with a Minnie Mouse on them and another with a Fortnite pattern. I was telling her at one point, in the midst of [the coronavirus], I cant find toilet paper anywhere, said Dr. Jacoby. Apparently, according to their daughter, they have more stockpile of any good you could possibly think of. So she not only brought me toilet paper, she brought me like Charmin 2-ply, a whole pack. She was super excited. She was like, This is just you Dr. Jacoby. No one else. The two shared their story with NJ Advance Media to highlight their symptoms so that others wont delay seeking treatment. Veronica Navarro said she first had back pain, was diagnosed with adult asthma and had a persistent cough that wouldnt go away with antibiotics or steroids. The two of them also started coughing up blood and were fatigued. While she never smoked, her husband once did. If youre smoking, quit, Veronica Navarro said. Celebration of life Family, faith and unconditional love have helped the couple get through their battle, they say. Theyre devout Catholics their large family is still growing. Compassion, empathy, affection, understanding, that will all come into the picture, Veronica Navarro said. If you truly, truly care for one person and you love one person, its unconditional. Whether hes vomiting, or hes in a good mood or a foul mood, you dont love him because hes not cranky. Even in his crankiness, you love him. So you have to be patient. Veronica and Edmundo Navarro celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary five years ago, before their cancer diagnosis.courtesy of Patricia Navarro Their 35-year-old daughter, Patricia Navarro, moved in with the couple to help take care of them, too. She put her career on hold and has been taking them to appointments while managing their medical bills. The one thing you really also learn as an outsider, or at least a caretaker, is that attitude really changes things, their daughter said. It plays a significant role in everything. Edmundo Navarro is still oxygen dependent, but his confidence has risen with each treatment and test result. I think I have a very good chance of surviving because I survived the worst part, he said. So I was more looking at the brighter side. But at the same time, [I was] preparing. The couple, at one point, secured their final burial plots. Edmundo Navarro said he estimates hell have at least five more years, which he considers a gift. He was told when he was first diagnosed that his life expectancy would only be six months without treatment. I think Ill be able to celebrate our 50th anniversary, he said with a smile. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. PODGORICA: Montenegrins started voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election in which neither the long-ruling pro-Western party nor a rival pro-Serb and pro-Russian alliance are tipped to win a majority of seats. At stake is the political future of President Milo Djukanovic. He leads the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and has governed Montenegro since the start of the break-up of federal Yugoslavia in 1990 and through the dissolution of its union with Serbia in 2006. Staunchly pro-Western Djukanovic overseen Montenegros ongoing efforts to qualify for membership of the European Union and was instrumental in securing its accession to NATO in 2017. The Podgorica-based Center for Monitoring and Research (CEMI) pollster set the turnout at 54.1% by 1 p.m., up from 39.9% from the same time during election four years ago, mainly because parties have all asked supporters to vote by noon. Polling stations will close at 8 p.m.(1800 GMT). First partial results are due around 10 p.m. The vote pits the DPS against an alliance of mainly Serb nationalist parties, For the Future of Montenegro, which wants closer ties to Serbia and Russia. Led by university professor Zdravko Krivokapic, it is backed by the powerful Serbian Orthodox Church, which holds daily protests against a law adopted last December that allows the state to seize religious assets whose historical ownership cannot be proven. Montenegrins who identify as Serbs account for about a third of the 620,000 population. On election day in 2016, authorities thwarted an attempt by Russian agents and a group of Serb nationalists to topple the government, assassinate Djukanovic who then served as the prime minister, halt the countrys accession to NATO and bring a pro-Russian alliance to power. Moscow repeatedly dismissed accusations of involvement as absurd. After voting in the capital Podgorica, Djukanovic told reporters he was convinced that a majority of Montenegrins will opt for countrys European future, and (for) those parties that are creating and implementing such a political programme." The DPS has 42 deputies in the outgoing 81-seat parliament, but polls suggest neither it nor the nationalists are on course to secure an absolute majority, making them reliant on coalition partners to form a government. Opposition leaders and democracy and rights watchdogs have accused Djukanovic and his party of running Montenegro as their own fiefdom with links to organised crime. They deny this, and Djukanovic - who faces re-election as the president in 2023 - and his top associates have in turn accused Serbia and Russia of using the church and the pro-Serb opposition to undermine the independence of the mountainous coastal republic. At the polling station in Cetinje, senior cleric in the Orthodox Church in Montenegro, Metropolitan Amfilohije, voted for the first time in his life in a bid to get the electorate to vote against the ruling coalition. He said he did not expect the election to cause any unrest. 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 FAILED WORLD HAS NOTHING NEW TO OFFER YOU. NO ONE IS BETTER THAN ANYONE*** #IT'S VANITY THE BIBLE IS RIGHT#. Throughout history or generations; men have sort to use evil, wickedness, and greed to despise,and deprived one another of their existence. Culture with its tribal eccentricity, its related ideology is the most awful and evil thing. Science which is meant for good has been twisted and with its evil consequences to humanity degradation or putting others down Consider the science the police states use determine to which tribe or race needs policing most. We surely have benefited from it. Gender stupidity has made men and women fight an unending unreasonable wars from generations to generations. It has taking some nations even up until this civilization to give women and children their equal rights. As a child, my parents made me know how both of them were very important in my life. Parents and Elders deserve respect and courtesy than they currently receive. The latest craze is false/fake prophecies, news, etc, with this situation/cancer ascending to dangerous proportions. Our political leaders have become liars, selfish, exploiting the very people who votes them to power or office to serve them. National resources are being used and shared among the self-appointed leaders by hook or crook. Votes are being rigged to install puppets governing bodies also serving the same few and self-acclaimed leaders. Workers are woefully stealing from their employment. Certain parts of government institutions have become the means to prosperity. GHOST employees and bloated invoices are used to line the pockets of only a few. Contracts are given to inner circles of the ruling elites. State properties are virtually given away to departing governments or party affiliates. Appointments of officials have become a game of chess. Law and justice is badly damaged or broken down. Judges are now political appointees even in the most or so called democratic and developed world. They preach or cry justice in other countries when there's mounting evidence of corruption and injustice in their own. Sadly some tribes have been stifled so much to result to lack of confidence in themselves, some race/tribes/klans or nations want to impose their own superiority over other mankind and nations. Both United nations and its leaders, and its manner of steering just and order world ought to change. It is not fit for purpose. The latest display of lack of leadership and funfair in the Security Council system, suggests it needs a very good and fair reformation. Economic and or our Governing structures have been abused systematically by wicked, greedy, selfish men to deprive others of their existence. Most governing bodies are but the shadow of themselves. But answering always to an unseen people or pulpits. Education which was supposed to develop mankind is even used to cheat on the very vulnerable their system has produced.Yet the result we see today is that all mankind irrespective of wherever they come from never get the same and fair conditions in every field of study,or never, do equally well. Classification of society is another evil way the greedy, selfish, and wicked persons have used throughout generation and it continues to get even worse. Today, the developed world is awashed with food banks serving the poor. Whilst Trillions of wealth are stuck in bank accounts of the few who steal. I am not disputing the fact that there are genuine hard working people. But how many of all of them truly can face the truth within themselves how they made their own wealth. Without the use of the vulnerable people as a result of their actions in becoming rich have caused. The reasons are that tribalism and politics divide every nation on the earth.The earth is suffering from this failed world. Even laws are clandestinely made to favour one social class over the majority. With one class committing crimes and getting away free, whilst many languish in jails for no or little crimes. I believe human equality and creation as it is supported by Science are undisputed.If a brown person's body organs or blood can replace that of the light skinned person ( or Visa versa) then with favourable result. Then what is it?. As for those who have taken over the church with masterly, cleverly, acts,staged managed systems. The earlier they begin to fear God and REPENT the better it's for them. Collecting unbibilical donations from the poor to line their pockets even during the current pandemic( shamefully asking donations or payment to their bank accounts. This is very despicable, gruesome, thuggery, not in the name of my God and JEHOVAH. During when unemployment has plummeted, are these soulless. Who asked them to build big church auditoriums. Where in the HOLY Bible did God asked for this stupidity and INSANITY. God is saying let My people go and WORSHIP me from within them and the manner I have ascribed in my WORD. Their shame have started unfolding, and they can't do anything about it. Or the ANGER of God will not have MERCY on them. As for those who are faithfully representing God do not lament as the system tries to choke you up. REMEMBER they've done it to our Lord Jesus Christ and failed, so failures they are and will always be. "PUT NO FURTHER BURDEN ON MY CHILDREN IN MY NAME OR DESIST FROM YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING". If what the world is facing is not enough a sign then we truly lack knowledge or wisdom and haven't respect for history. At least the last world wars have taught us there is NO winning side when it comes to settling desputes among nations and BRETHREN with wars instead of talking peace. We're always worst off anytime we have fought BATTLE against each other. The world which comes out of the last war is never better than before. SHAME ON YOU FAILED WORLD; GIVE GOD HIS RECOGNITION AND CHANCE. Less than 24 hours after a fatal shooting that sparked a war of words between Portland mayor's and the president, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Sunday night announced her plan to end violence in the state's largest city after months of protests. Brown called on multiple law enforcement agencies state and local to assist the Portland Police Bureau and announced plans for a community forum to protect the right to free speech. The announced plan comes after a man fatally shot on a Portland street amid clashes between supporters of President Donald Trump and protesters was identified as a "good friend" of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, founder Joey Gibson said Sunday. While Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and other city officials expressed their condolences during a Sunday afternoon press conference, Brown blamed Patriot Prayer for instigating violence. 'Fighting corruption, big government': What is the right-wing group Patriot Prayer linked to Portland confrontations and who is Joey Gibson? The right-wing group Patriot Prayer and self-proclaimed militia members drove into downtown Portland last night, armed and looking for a fight," Brown said in a statement. "Every Oregonian has the right to freely express their views without fear of deadly violence. I will not allow Patriot Prayer and armed white supremacists to bring more bloodshed to our streets." She added: Time and again, from Charlottesville to Kenosha to Portland, we have seen the tragic outcome when armed right-wing vigilantes take matters into their own hands. Gun violence is never, ever the answer." Brown's plan calls for the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office to "prosecute serious criminal offenses, including arson and physical violence." Under the plan, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will hold individuals for violent behavior. Plus, the Oregon State Police will assist PPB and wear body cams while doing so. Story continues The governor is also asking the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and the City of Gresham Police Department to support Portland police. The Oregon State Police is also providing two dozen body cams to the Portland Police Bureau. A man is treated by medics after being shot during a confrontation on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. Fights broke out as a large caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump drove through the city, clashing with counter-protesters. Also, the United States Attorney and the FBI will commit additional resources, according to Brown's plan. Change will not come overnight, and, as we have seen in these last months, it does not come easily either," Brown said. "But we are building a more just future." It was not immediately clear whether the shooting Saturday night was related to the confrontations, police said. Patriot Prayer supporters have frequently clashed with Black Lives Matters protesters in the embattled city since Memorial Day, when the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody prompted protests nationwide. Fact check: Portland, New York, Minneapolis and Chicago are not bankrupt after protests A Sunday press conference didn't provide much detail about the shooting. Portland Police Bureau Chief Chuck Lovell said he didn't know whether it was politically motivated and added the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made. He and other officials called for peace. "The issue with firearms is very troubling to us, but people do have a constitutional right to carry firearms legally," Lovell said. "So, it's hard to prevent. Some of the instances that take place, you're talking split-second, a couple of seconds. A lot of times we're not right there to see things happen. "I think the best we can do is message to people that we want a safe city and we ask them not to come downtown to these other places with firearms. Not engage in violent acts of crime." Wheeler also called for those seeking "retribution" for the shooting to "stay away" from the city, calling the fatal shooting a "potential flashpoint." A Black Lives Matter protester yells at a supporter of President Donald Trump during a rally and car parade on Saturday night in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein) "That's why I'm asking people, if you're from out of town and you're reading something on social media, please understand, if you're reading any facts on social media, they're probably wrong, because we don't have all the facts yet." He added, "This is not the time to get hotheaded because you read something on Twitter that some guy made up in his mother's basement." Trump responded with a Twitter barrage Sunday morning aimed at protesters, Wheeler, Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden and top Democrats in Congress. During the press conference, Trump tweeted again, saying Portland "will never recover with a fool for a Mayor." He called Wheeler "weak and pathetic" in another later tweet. Videos of Saturday's shooting circulated on social media, and Portland police pleaded with the public to aid the investigation. "If anyone can provide information about this case, I ask them to please reach out to our detectives," Lovell said. "This violence is completely unacceptable, and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible." Kenosha in crisis: 'It's surreal in the worst possible way': Kenosha reels after Jacob Blake shooting and a week of violence Police said a caravan of hundreds of vehicles carrying Trump supporters from a rally in nearby Clackamas slowly rolled through downtown. Officers responded to fights, disturbances and collisions and made some arrests Saturday night. By around 8:30 p.m. local time, the caravan had left downtown. The shooting took place about 15 minutes later. Photos from the scene showed the victim wearing a Patriot Prayer hat. Gibson said he arrived shortly after the shooting and was briefly corralled in a nearby gas station by angry protesters. Lovell didn't provide any additional details on the victim during Sunday's press conference. I cant say much right now. All I can do is verify that he was a good friend and a supporter of Patriot Prayer, Gibson said. 'A very dark history': Oregon's racist past fuels protests against injustice in Portland Trump took to Twitter on Sunday, again urging local leaders to call in the National Guard. Residents of Portland and other cities led by Democrats are disgusted with their leadership and with top Democrats in Washington, Trump said. "Wheeler is incompetent, much like Sleepy Joe Biden," Trump tweeted. "This is not what our great Country wants. They want Safety & Security, and do NOT want to Defund our Police!" Biden issued a statement Sunday condemning the "violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right." He challenged Trump to do the same. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., national co-chairman for the Biden campaign, was among Democrats pushing back hard Sunday. Richmond, said on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that Trump "keeps talking about what Biden's America would look like. Well, this is Trump's America." Brown, the governor, said Trump has "encouraged division and stoked violence." Wheeler echoed Brown during Sunday's press conference. "I'm going to do the work that I need to do here in my local community with my local officials to take accountability for what's happening on our streets and I'd appreciate that either the president support us, or he stay the hell out of the way," he said. But, Wheeler is drawing scrutiny in his own city. Several civil rights groups and protest coalitions have called for his resignation. This could all have been prevented, said Bobbin Singh, executive director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center. "There were 100 different decisions that could have led us on a different path." Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown seeks peace after 'Patriot Prayer' shooting Our country can never repay the debt of being under constant protection of the Indian defence forces and the special intelligence units that are working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year looking for information and trying their best to prevent one terror attack after another. We get up in the morning and read about how terrorist groups are intercepted mid-way and how the special forces avert bomb blasts, but barely realise the kind of work that goes into reaching that point. To recognise their extraordinary contribution when it comes to the safety of their fellow countrymen, we take a look at some of their greatest, most successful missions. Here are five times India's Defence Forces averted massive terror attacks in the country: 1. Vehicle-Borne IED Blast Averted - Pulwama (May 2020): #WATCH J&K: In-situ explosion of the vehicle, which was carrying IED, by Police in Pulwama. Major incident of vehicle-borne IED explosion was averted by Police, CRPF & Army after Pulwama Police got credible info last night that a terrorist was moving with an explosive-laden car pic.twitter.com/UnUHSYB07C ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2020 Security forces detected a car equipped with explosives in the Pulwama district of Jammu Kashmir on May 28, 2020. It was a white coloured Hyundai Santro fitted with an improvised explosive device which was flagged by the Pulwama Police. While the terrorists who were planning the attack were able to slip away, the forces managed to trace the car and the Bomb Disposal Squad conducted a controlled explosive search to get rid of the bombs and avert a major terror attack. A few houses were damaged due to the blast but the locals were extracted from the venue. 2. ISIS Attack Prevented - New Delhi (August 2020): Delhi: ISIS operative arrested in Dhaula Kuan area, 2 IEDs weighing 15 kgs defused by NSG team https://t.co/WiyNETsAA3 pic.twitter.com/sBau7oG1fL Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) August 22, 2020 Identified as Abdul Yusuf Khan, the ISIS operative was planning to conduct a terror attack in the national capital with two IEDs with 15 kilos of explosives. The terrorist was on his bike when he was intercepted by special forces in Dhaula Kuan. The National Security Guard commandos carried out a search operation near Buddha Jayanti Park, retrieved the bombs and defused them at Ridge Road's Buddha Jayanti Park within hours, in a swift manner. 3. Republic Day, Saved - Srinagar (January 2020): In a major success the Srinagar Police busts Jaish Module. Two grenade blasts in Hazratbal area worked out. Major attack averted ahead of Republic Day.Five terror operatives arrested.Huge Expolsive material recovered. J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) January 16, 2020 India was able to celebrate the 2020 Republic Day in peace thanks to the Srinagar Police that busted a module of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed on January 17, 2020. Amongst the weapons and equipment recovered by the police were a suicide vest laded with explosives, a remote control IED, 140 gelatine sticks and 40 detonators. "It appears that they were planning a major IED/Fidayeen attack leading up to 26th January 2020. Moreover, their primary aim behind the attacks was to subvert the return of normalcy in the region. Further investigation is underway to ascertain their role in other similar incidents in the city, and more arrests and recoveries are anticipated," the official statement said. 4. Protected Air Force Base From Blind Attack - Pathankot (July 2018): Times of India - Twitter On a July morning in Pathankot, security forces prevented what could have been a horrible manslaughter, when they countered a Jaish-e-Mohammed attack on an air force station. According to reports, the terrorists were hiding around residential homes in the Cantonment area. Aware of a potential attack in the region, the forces had started the search for the group 12 hours before the actual encounter. Two terrorists were shot dead but unfortunately, three of our Air Force personnel also lost their lives in the firefight. 5. Preventing Mass Knifing & Poisoning - Tamil Nadu (July 2019): BREAKING: NIA arrests 14 more people linked to TN-based radical Islamic outfit Ansarulla, busted following raids in Chennai/Nagapattinam on Saturday. Total 16 persons arrested so far. Ansarulla, NIA claims, was planning terror attacks with aim of establishing Islamic rule Bharti Jain (@bhartijainTOI) July 15, 2019 The National Investigation Agency (NIA) caught hold of 16 terrorists associated with the ideologies of Al Qaeda who had formed a terror group called Ansarulla and were preparing to carry out multiple attacks with the intention of establishing Islamic rule in India. The NIA issued a statement after the arrest, according to which the accused were actively recruiting individuals to strike terror in India and have also been routinely posting videos and other jihadi propaganda material exhorting their supporters to conduct terrorist attacks using various methods including the use of explosives, poison, knives and vehicles, as means of attack. By PTI LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee's former chairman Nirmal Khatri on Saturday hit out at Ghulam Nabi Azad, saying whenever he has been in-charge of the party in the state, the Congress has "suffered miserably". Khatri on his Facebook page, while citing an interview given by senior Congress leader Azad, said, "In the interview, he (Ghulam Nabi Azad) has referred to some states, and claimed that it was on his strength that the Congress formed the government in those states." "But, in the interview, he forgot to mention about Uttar Pradesh. Whenever you (Azad) have been the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has suffered miserably," he added. Azad was among the 23 Congress leaders who wrote to party chief Sonia Gandhi, seeking an active and full-time leadership of the grand old party among other organisational changes. Khatri said, "In 1996, Azad entered into a poll pact with the Bahujan Samaj Party during the UP polls. The results were nothing special. And, in the 2017 UP Assembly elections, he entered into an alliance with the Samajwadi Party, and the seat tally dipped to seven, the lowest so far. In other words, whenever he became the in-charge of UP, the Congress took the back gear." Khatri, who is also a former Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Faizabad, said, "From 1977 to 1980, Azad was not seen in active role. But, when he felt that the Congress can bounce back to power, then in 1979 he courted arrest during a protest." "On the other hand, lakhs of Congress workers had already undertaken 'jail bharo aandolan' in 1977 in the country. Azad ji as compared to your struggles, lakhs of Congress workers struggled with the Nehru-Gandhi family," he said. The former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief said, "Azad in his interview had said that for the past 23 years, elections to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) were not held. The question is that when in these 23 years, he himself was a nominated member to the working committee, why he did not raise the question then?" "I also feel that elections should be held at every level. But, leaders like you understood the nominated way a better one, and derived pleasure from it," Khatri said. "Azad had also said that whether the integrity of the country was under threat. I am of the view that there is no threat to the integrity of the country, but there is a certain threat to the integrity of the Congress," he added. CBI: US lawsuit to seize Iran's assets in Germany doomed to failure IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Aug 29, IRNA -- The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) dismissed a lawsuit filed in the United States to force a European financial provider to transfer Iranian assets to the US. "The move by the US is doomed to fail like similar American legal attempts that have ended in Iran's favor in recent years," the Central Bank of Iran said. On Friday, Deutsche Boerse said that it would take steps to defeat the suit filed in a New York court seeking to require Clearstream to surrender assets. The German company said it considers the claims by creditors in the US to be unfounded. The Central Bank of Iran announced that the issue is related to securities belonging to the CBI which has remained in Clearstream institution and has nothing to do with Germany. Iran is seriously pursuing the case to prevent the potential confiscation of nearly $1.7 billion in securities belonging to Iran and held by Clearstream, a company based in Luxembourg which is a subsidiary of Germany's stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse. 2050**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Controversial media personality Sam Newman has called on fellow Melburnians to take to the streets to protest Stage Four lockdown. Tensions over Victoria's restrictions boiled over once again when anti-lockdown protesters clashed with police in a dramatic stand-off in the city's north on Sunday night. The extraordinary scenes prompted the 300-game AFL champion and former Footy Show host to weigh in on the debate. AFL champion and former Footy Show host Sam Newman is known for his polarising views 'Of all the protests that we have put up with, how about a quarter million of us gather in the CBD to take the City/State back, before EVERY previous march will have been pointless,' Newman tweeted on Sunday night. 'And hopefully a state day of coordination. Any takers? #StateofSurvival.' After one Melburnian suggested Newman had 'incited a riot' with his comments, he added: 'There'll be no rioting. No looting. No arson. No violence. Just an expression of desperation for our sanity.' The tweet sparked 1000 likes and hundreds of comments on a day Victoria recorded 114 new cases and another 11 deaths. Fellow Melburnians desperate to regain their freedom joined the bandwagon. 'Just tell me when and where never protested before but this is the most important thing we have faced in my lifetime. We ordinary Victorians must take our state back,' one man wrote. Another added: 'A protest at some point needs to happen so our political class can get a sense of the real opposition to the unbalanced measures put in place.' Sam Newman was flooded with responses following his plea to Melburnians on Sunday night Melburnians were out and about enjoying the weather on Saturday, despite stage 4 lockdown World class MMA Fighter Vic Vik Grujic invited Newman to the Freedom Day mass gathering planned for next Saturday in Melbourne's CBD. Another fan commended Newman on his wording. 'You didn't even mention what march, and even mentioned a State Day of coordination. Could be a march for Prostate Cancer. Or even a Pro Dan Andrews march. Could be a march of social distancing examples. Very cleverly worded,' one man posted. But not everyone supported Newman. 'I have read your tweet three times and it's still incomprehensible. But good luck with whatever self-indulgent, poorly conceived action you're proposing,' one woman posted. Another added: 'Of all the things you have said, this is highly irresponsible, you know your position, is this what the would want posted, it's with these people's lives that you earned your living.' Others warned Newman to expect a knock on the door from Victoria Police. 'Finally Sam, you're going to jail. Passed onto Victoria Police for inciting stupidity,' one person commented. Another added: 'Careful Sammy. You will have 10 police cars at your door for that tweet.' Metropolitan Melbourne is subject to stage four restrictions including an evening curfew and a ban on travelling beyond a five-kilometre radius of home until at least September 13 amid reports strict lockdown measures will be extended. Regional Victoria is under stage three restrictions which allows residents to leave home for essential purposes. Newman's tweet sparked a divisive reaction from the public (comments pictured) Earlier on Sunday, the premier left Victorians furious when he repeatedly spruiked a mysterious 'plan' out of lockdown. Mr Andrews mentioned the 'plan' 22 times during Sunday's press conference but refused to go into further detail. 'These case numbers are too high for us to open up, and they are still too high for us to put forward a definitive plan,' he said. 'Now, there will be a plan. It will come soon.' The premier fears new cases numbers would 'explode' again if restrictions are relaxed too soon. 'Once we see these numbers fall further, once we have certainty - and that will be quite soon - we will be able to talk in more definitive terms about what the weeks and months ahead look like,' Mr Andrews said. Melburnians (pictured on Saturday) remain in Stage 4 lockdown until at least September 13 On Sunday night, confronting footage taken in Broadmeadows, in Melbourne's north, showed dozens of men dressed down in tracksuits and masks making their way through the streets as traffic was brought to a standstill. The protesters claimed, when asked, that they were simply getting their daily exercise, which they are permitted to do within a five kilometre radius on their homes. At least six people were arrested during the protests and police have not ruled out issuing further infringement notices. Victoria's stage four restrictions are due to end in two weeks, but the Premier has indicated they will likely be extended. Pictured are anti-lockdown protesters clashing with police in Melbourne's north on Sunday night The protesters claimed, when asked, that they were simply getting their daily exercise, which is one of just four legal reasons to leave home in Melbourne The latest protest comes anti-lockdown walkers were doused with pepper spray and struggled with police in Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east last Wednesday as community frustration with draconian Stage 4 restrictions reached boiling point. Police issued $15,000 in fines and arrested four men. Tensions in Dandenong had been flaring for days after a large group of residents decided to start walking at the same time and place. ROWER Vicky Thornley is back on the water after suffering a broken elbow. The Olympic silver medallist, who lives in Bix with her husband Ric Egington, discussed her recovery from the injury as part of a live cooking show which was broadcast online. Thornley, 32, who is training in the single scull for the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo, was demonstrating her recipe for lentil and cauliflower curry as part of the Celebrity Cookalong fundraising initiative. Participants stream themselves cooking a recipe in their kitchen and encourage viewers to donate to a charity of their choice. Thornley chose Kids Out, which supports disadvantaged youngsters. She was cooking alongside four members of Wallingford Rowing Club who won a prize draw to appear with her. Rob Hines, one of the four, asked how her elbow was after she came off her bike in May and had to have specialist surgery at the Wrightington Hospital, near Wigan. Thornley said she had just been discharged for her surgeons care following a final check-up and had her first session back on the water earlier in the week. She is also back on the ergometer and lifting weights as her arm has healed enough to take the strain. She had been previously training on a Wattbike, a type of exercise bike. Thornley, a member and former captain of Leander Club in Henley, said: It has been 12 weeks now and its pretty good, actually. Its fixed together by plates and screws and stuff so I couldnt work my tricep as it would have been pulling on the fracture site. I had to really be conscious of not lifting anything above head height. My tricep basically went to sleep for several months and now Ive got to build it back up along with the rest of my upper body, which I also couldnt train. That meant lots of Wattbiking, which is fine as you can trust that itll keep you fit enough. You have to put a bit more time in but as long as Im training Im happy because Im moving towards a goal and not just stuck or not improving. I was doing three or four hours and theres a mental benefit in learning to cope with really, really boring sessions. I listen to fitness podcasts, to the radio or even watch Netflix on my phone. Ive got into the Dynasty remake, which is properly cheesy with loads of amazing outfits so its perfect viewing. I went through three seasons because its so easy and you dont have to concentrate much. Thornley said she had to be patient with herself after getting back into a boat. She said: I broke my elbow just as they were lifting the ban on training [as part of the covid-19 lockdown]. I hadnt been out sculling for five months and thats by far the longest Ive ever gone. Youre expecting to feel rubbish so you tell yourself, Itll be okay just enjoy it and focus on getting your legs back. By the second day I was thinking. Right, I should be fine now but of course it isnt like that. I was getting annoyed with myself that I couldnt balance as well but its like riding a bike. Once you get a couple of sessions behind you, it all starts to feel more normal again. Thornley said she wasnt bothered by the postponement of the Olympics to next summer as it would give her more time to improve her speed and forget her struggles with over-training in 2018, which forced her to take time off. We were obviously thinking it was going to come and there was a lot of uncertainty when it was first being discussed, she said. Athletes dont like that as they want to know what theyre building towards, so once we knew where we stood, it was much easier to get your head around. Its like Okay, the goals have changed but lets move on. Its challenging but you have to recalibrate. Theres definitely frustration and peoples reactions depend on their particular circumstances. I believe you can turn anything into a positive and exploit it to your benefit, so for me it was another year to get quicker. However, its different for people who are starting their careers. Some people whove been selected for their first Olympics are going to find it tough but the most important thing is that it happens next year, whatever form it may take. Thornley said she had become more passionate about food in recent years and was learning to take a more relaxed approach to nutrition and training when on holiday. She said: When I was younger I didnt really know about cooking, but I lived with someone who was really good, which increased my interest and now I come up with my own recipes. Maybe its a Getting older thing but I love it now. Like a lot of athletes, I find my perception of meal size is quite warped some people might look at my portion and think it could serve six. I generally relax when Im on holiday and eat things that arent seen as athlete foods ice creams, beer, wine and so on but generally I like eating healthily. Id never choose to spend two weeks eating fast food because youd feel rubbish. I used to find it hard to switch off and felt pressure to always train but when I went away this year, apart from general activity, I allowed myself to totally rest. I knew my body needed it and it felt really good. I used to think I was bulletproof until I got over-trained and realised theres a limit to how far you can push yourself. Ive learned my lesson, hopefully. As she finished making her curry, she said: I hope this tastes all right I havent made it for a while. I used to struggle to eat sweet chilli sauce but Ive got better over the years and now I really like it. Her guests said they enjoyed the recipe, with several saying it was the first time they had cooked a curry. Thornley told the Henley Standard: It was lovely to take part alongside some fellow rowers and I was very grateful for their support. They seemed to like the dish, which was the main thing, so it was a great experience for a good cause. Kids Out is an amazing charity and its always the small charities that struggle the most at a time like this. Im glad to have had this opportunity to help them. More than 30 other famous faces took part in the Cookalong, including Sir Ian Botham, comedians Ronni Ancona and Sally Phillips and model Imogen Thomas. Beheaded bodies of two minor boys who have been missing since Friday were recovered on Sunday morning from the Kanthali area of Berhampore in Bengals Murshidabad district. Eight people were detained by the police for questioning while tension gripped the area. The families of the two boys have alleged that the crime was committed by some local youths who threatened the minors after they were found catching fish from an inundated field. According to the police, the murdered boys, Manjarul Sheikh, 15, and Tanjarul Sheikh, 16, were cousins. Their fathers work as labourers in Saudi Arabia. Since there was heavy rainfall in the region, lowlands and agricultural fields were inundated. On Friday morning, Manjarul and Tanjarul went to the Hijaler math area with a small boat to catch fish. They were not seen again. The families looked for the boys for two days. On Saturday, officers from Berhampore police station went to Kanthali after receiving a complaint but the boys could not be traced. A search operation was launched again on Sunday morning when the beheaded bodies were spotted near a bush. The severed heads were recovered about 40 meters away. Firoza Bibi, an aunt of the boys, said, The fathers of the two boys work as labourers in Saudi Arabia. The boys were catching fish to financially help their families. Some local youths threatened them in connection with fishing at Hijaler math. We informed the police after we found their boat, fishing net, sandals and their clothes near Hijaler math. There are several stab injuries on the bodies, said Firoza Bibi. A mob thrashed four local youths when police were taking them to the police station for questioning. Superintendent of Police, Murshidabad, K Sabari Rajkumar said, We are investigating the murders. So far we have detained eight people for questioning. Raids are on. KENOSHA, Wis. Jacob Blake Sr. spoke with conviction in his voice on Saturday, but when he spoke about his son, it quivered. Visiting his son in the hospital this week, he grabbed his hand and told him, I love you. Then my baby said, Daddy, why did they shoot me so many times? Blake Sr. said. I said, Baby, they werent supposed to shoot you at all. Jacob Blake Jr., who's 29, was shot seven times by a Kenosha police officer who was responding to a domestic situation. The incident is now under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. In the week since the shooting, Kenosha has been the epicenter of marches and protests. The Blake family led Saturday's march, and thousands followed from 52nd Street down to Sheridan Road to the Kenosha County Courthouse, where several members of the Blake family spoke, along with activists, supporters and elected officials. Jacob Blake Sr., Jacob Blake's father, speaks during a Justice for Jacob Blake march and rally in Kenosha on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Retired Rev. Tony Larsen walked with his guitar. He played songs of unity as people sang along. Black and white as one, he sang. Well walk hand in hand. The Rev. Monica Cummings of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist said it had been a long week for her. Im just tired and weary, Cummings said. "We want the mayor, the Kenosha County sheriff and the chief of police all to resign," Cummings said. "Incompetence all played a part in what transpired in terms of the death of the two guys Tuesday night." Bradford Community Church is next to a car lot that was set on fire Sunday night. The blaze spread to the church's marquee, which read "Black Lives Matter." Kenosha protests: Two people killed and one injured from shootings during Kenosha protests over Jacob Blake Watch: Protest march for Blake as Kenosha curfew looms Rich Null, who grew up in Kenosha, marched in solidarity with the Blake family. "I think more voices is better than a few," he said. He hopes the rally pushes officials to conduct a transparent investigation into Blake's shooting. Story continues Wisconsin Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Moore of Milwaukee spoke, saying she is mad as hell. Hundreds of marchers walk down 52nd Street during a Justice for Jacob Blake march and rally in Kenosha on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Family, friends and supporters joined in the march and rally for Blake, who was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer during a domestic disturbance call on Sunday, Aug. 23. The incident has sparked several nights of unrest that included the death of two people and seriously injury to another. Im the mother of two Black men and I shiver every time they walk out the door walking while Black, talking while Black, thinking while Black, Moore said, adding that federal legislation needs to be passed to hold police departments accountable. We need to march on the ballot boxes until we can elect leaders and put judges in place that will love mercy and justice, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes echoed Moores call to vote. We have look at Nov. 3 as a mile marker, not the finish line, Barnes said. We have to keep on organizing until justice is won. Barnes said when he looks at the Blake family he sees resilience, beauty, hope and strength. That strength is because of the years, the generations, the centuries of injustice, of pain and hurt that weve gone through, Barnes said. Unfortunately were still dealing with some of the same challenges that our people have been dealing with decades ago. Barnes urged the crowd to continue demanding accountability and justice from police departments and justice is the bare minimum. Justice should be guaranteed to everyone in this country, Barnes said. Blake Sr. said he was especially angry when he saw his son, who is now paralyzed from the waist down, handcuffed to the hospital bed. Where was my son going? Blake Sr. said. They already put him in the bed. What was the shackle for? Blake's handcuffs were removed Friday. After destruction and violence on Monday and Tuesday, including a shooting that killed two people and wounded one, Blake Sr. called for calm and civility. If we tear it up, we have nothing, Blake Sr. said. I dont want you all to be homeless. I dont want you to be store-less. I dont want you not to be able to buy your sons, daughters and grandbabies the food and the milk that they need ... show them for one night, we dont have to tear up nothing. At least a thousand National Guard members are in Kenosha, and the city has a 7 p.m. curfew. The site of the rally was mostly clear after 6 p.m. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jacob Blake march in Kenosha: Thousands march with Blake family The images have been liked and shared by thousands on social media. Its something happy and something that warmed peoples hearts, Autry said. They are such a great example in relationship and faith. Daughter Christina Nelms said there have been ups and downs in her parents 60 years of marriage, which has resulted in three children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Although loving, they are not a mousy couple. They are both strong-willed, she said. I will just say they are not the type to beat around the bush when they have opinions or feelings. They are equally as passionate when they are being sweet to each other and supporting each other. They met in David City, where they were both teaching. It caused quite a stir among their students when Marvin asked Lucille to a high school football game. NASA satellite images show huge burn scars from the two biggest wildfires blazing in the Bay Area. The Aug. 26 images from the MODIS infrared spectroradiometer aboard NASAs Terra satellite show the burn areas from the LNU and SCU lightning complex wildfires in deep or bright red, according to a NASA blog post. NASA also used its Worldview tool to indicate each burn scars size in square miles. The LNU fire in the northeast Bay Area and the SCU fire in the southeast have grown into the second- and third-largest wildfires in modern California history since igniting in lightning storms Aug. 17-18, according to Cal Fire. As of Sunday morning, the LNU Complex was 375,209 acres and 56% contained, and the SCU Complex was 377,471 acres and 50% contained, Cal Fire reported. NASA / NASA / The NASA images are a reminder of threats posed by wildfires long after blazes are extinguished and rainy season comes. Areas downhill and downstream from burn scars are far more susceptible to debris flows and flash flooding. According to the National Weather Service, because of vegetation loss and soil exposure, Rainfall that would normally be absorbed will run off extremely quickly after a wildfire, as burned soil can be as water repellant as pavement. In one deadly example, heavy rain in areas burned by the December 2017 Thomas Fire in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties triggered mudslides in Montecito that killed 23 people the following January. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California 2 1 of 2 Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Show More Show Less According to a post from the U.S. Geological Surveys California Water Science Center, Some of the largest debris-flow events occur during the first post-fire storm season. Anna Buchmann is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @AnnaBGedit Loading Some of the victims fired with anger. Mustafa Boztas, who was injured in the attack, told the terrorist he was "just an insignificant killer who's lonely, scared and left alone to suffer all eternity. Ahad Nabi, whose father Haji Mohammed Daoud Nabi was shot at the Al Noor mosque, told the terrorist he was weak. He called him a sheep with a wolfs jacket on. I am strong and you have made me stronger, Nabi said. Others wanted the killer to know that his creed was a failure, and that his act had served only to bolster the ideals of Kiwi society he so hated its diversity, unity, peace and tolerance. Zahid Ismail, who lost his twin brother, Junaid Ismail, in the attack, said his family would look after his brothers children, who will become confident, proud Kiwis who will live in the same place their daddy lived. Junaids sister Raesha Ismael said the massacre had made her stronger internally. Illustration: Reg Lynch Credit: After the events I dont feel I have to hide my faith at work anymore, she said. Other victims elevated the grace of the faith the terrorist hated. Janna Ezat, who survived the shooting but lost her son, said to the killer: "In our Muslim faith, we say, if we are able to forgive, forgive. I forgive you." Angela Armstrong, daughter of Laura Armstrong, who was killed inside the Linwood Islamic Centre, said the crime had led her to a greater understanding of the faith to which her mother converted. Previously she had listened to the medias narrative about Islam, rather than my own mum ... Mum tried to tell me about the goodness at the heart of Islam. Loading The more I listened, the more it seemed to me this public grief, this testimony of damage, was the grace-filled antithesis of everything the terrorist stood for. The Christchurch terrorist was always going to get the maximum sentence. So why did all these people feel compelled to speak about the unspeakable damage he had inflicted on them? Victim impact statements can be tendered privately to a judge, but these were spoken in open court, as a public act that was profoundly social, a counter to the anti-social nihilism of the killer. It is inherent to our humanity that we have our hurt acknowledged. We see over and over how healing that acknowledgment can be in reparation for crimes and other wrongs. The statements also inspired empathy, which is probably the best revenge you can get on a murderous white supremacist who wants Westerners to see Muslim people as sub-human. Julia Quilter, associate professor of law with the University of Wollongong, says victim impact statements have two primary functions. First, they inform the sentencing court about the harm caused by the crime, in order to influence punishment via sentencing. "The other important factor is an expressive function," Quilter says, "to allow victims to move beyond being a witness and allow a therapeutic process, tied to the idea of therapeutic justice." The terrorists aspiration for a white-pure West is the mirror of Islamic State's utopia of a caliphate. He is the same as what he hates. He expressed belated remorse for his crimes but the judge rejected it as insincere. Dostoyevskys great novel is a literary depiction of guilt. What guilt should Australia feel? The Grafton-raised terrorist was radicalised online but he was made in Australia. He was stunted by online gaming culture and the rankest corners of the white supremacist internet. Loading The ideas if you can elevate them to that from those corners are no longer marginal. In the mainstream politics of Trump, folk who espouse those views are very fine people. In Australia, the Christchurch terrorist had been an avid follower of the United Patriots Front. And the anti-Islamic sentiment from some of our political leaders looks extremely ill-advised in retrospect. What can we do to honour the Christchurch dead, and pay tribute to the unspeakable pain of the living? Patrol the borders of our public debate with unstinting vigilance. Harden our stance to the creep of extremism. Demand policy that forces online giants such as Facebook to account for the hatred to which they give a platform. Listen to victims. Stacker looks at which states produced the most maple syrup, corn and other major crops in 2019, using United States Department of Agriculture data. From almonds to wheat, farming injects more than $130 billion into the U.S. economy annually. The federal probe agency said it has frozen four HSBC bank accounts containing Rs 46.96 crore after conducting raids at multiple premises New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case against companies which allegedly ran numerous Chinese betting apps and websites in India, and moved crores of funds across the shores by using "lax regulatory" mechanism of online wallets, according to a statement. The federal probe agency said it has frozen four HSBC bank accounts containing Rs 46.96 crore after conducting raids at multiple premises of companies involved in running Chinese betting apps. This is the second action of a central probe agency against Chinese entities operating in the country. The Income Tax Department had early this month raided a Chinese national and his Indian associates for allegedly running a hawala racket using shell firms. The ED said searches were carried out at 15 locations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Pune on Friday under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). "Searches were conducted on the registered offices of the companies, their directors and chartered accountants involved in illegally running online betting apps from websites which are hosted from outside India," it said on Saturday. "During the course of search, ED has seized 17 hard disks, five laptops, phones, crucial incriminating documents and has also frozen Rs 46.96 crore held in 4 HSBC Bank accounts," the statement said. The money laundering case is based on an FIR filed by the Telangana Police in Hyderabad against the accused early this year under various sections of the IPC and the Telangana State Gambling Act, the Prize Chits and the Money Circulation Scheme Act, it said. The police FIR was filed against Dokypay Technology Private Limited, Linkyun Technolgy Private Limited and others, and three people, including a Chinese national, were arrested. Those arrested were identified as Yan Hao, the Chinese national, Dhiraj Sarkar and Ankit Kapoor. The ED said these men were adopting a "novel modus operandi for doing online betting scam". The probe found that "with the help of some Indian chartered accountants, some Chinese nationals floated multiple Indian companies, it said. "Initially dummy Indian directors were used to incorporate the companies and after some time Chinese nationals travelled to India and took directorship in these companies," the ED said. The agency said it found that some locals were hired and "used to open bank accounts with HSBC Bank and trade accounts with online wallets namely Paytm, Cashfree, Razorpay, etc." The agency alleged that these "online wallets had lax due diligence mechanisms and their non-reporting of suspicious transactions to the regulatory authorities helped the accused companies to launch pan-India operations". The ED said it suspects that "apart from indulging in banned activities like online betting, this network of companies with their reliance on online wallets and their lax regulatory systems could have been used for hawala transactions as well". Detailing role of the online wallets in its statement, the agency said, Analysis of two bank accounts of Dokypay Technology Private Ltd revealed that in the last year, the account has seen collection of Rs 1,268 crore out of which Rs 300 crore came via Paytm payment gateway and around Rs 600 crore was transferred out via Paytm payment gateway." "Account analysis of Linkyun Technolgy revealed a similar pattern. It was also found that outward foreign remittances to the extent of Rs 120 crore (was made) from these accounts," it added. "Large unexplained financial transactions are also seen with other Indian companies who are running online Chinese dating apps for Indian customers," the ED said. Talking about the modus operandi, it said once bank accounts were opened, the "internet access credentials were couriered by the Indian employees to China" and major payment instructions came from the beneficial owners who were safely ensconced in China, it said. "Accused companies floated large numbers of similar looking websites which were hosted through Cloudfare, USA. These websites attracted gullible persons to become members and to place bets on various online apps which promised attractive rewards on simple games of chance," it said. The agency said these entities hired a network of agents to attract new customers for these betting games. "These agents created closed Telegram and WhatsApp groups and attracted lakhs of gullible Indians. Referral codes were used to privately invite new members. This also helped the sponsoring member to earn commission. Paytm and Cashfree were used to collect money and pay commission to all these agent members," it said. Hundreds of websites were created to promote online betting under the garb of e-commerce, it said. The ED found that all such websites were "not activated daily". Some were activated for placing bets and information on daily active websites was shared with members using Telegram groups, the statement said. The agency said the probe in the case is still underway and it is in the "process of obtaining information from online wallet companies, HSBC Bank, ROC. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Japan, US Agree to Further Cooperate to Develop New Missile Defence System, Reports Say Sputnik News 09:57 GMT 29.08.2020 TOKYO (Sputnik) - Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono and US Defence Secretary Mark Esper have agreed to further cooperate on developing a new missile defence system, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Saturday. The agreement was reached during a meeting in Guam focused on security cooperation and partnership, as well as regional issues. According to the news agency, the officials discussed interaction in missile defence after Japan abruptly refused to deploy US Aegis Ashore land-based missile defence systems. In addition, the ministers discussed the situation in East China and South China seas in connection with the increased activity of Beijing in the region and agreed on the inadmissibility of changing the status quo unilaterally by force, as well as on the importance of the rule of law and freedom of navigation. Japan abandoned its plans to deploy two US missile defence systems in June. According to the Japanese defence minister, the measure was no longer reasonable, as it would cost the budget some $1.86 billion to fix existing technical issues. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "I am glad that metro has been permitted to start its operations from September 7 in a phased manner," Kejriwal said. New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday welcomed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) decision to resume its services for the public in a phased manner in the fourth phase of unlockdown from September 7. Earlier this month, the Chief Minister had said that Metro services should be resumed on an experimental basis. In a major development, metro rail has been allowed to operate from September 7 in a graded manner by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs. "As per the latest guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Unlock-4, Delhi Metro will be resuming its services for public from September 7 onwards in a calibrated manner," said Executive Director (Corporate Communications), Anuj Dayal. The Executive Director added that further details on the functioning of the metro and its usage by the general public will be shared once the detailed standard operating procedure is issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in the next few days. The Metro services were halted on March 22 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Recently, the DMRC has said that all measures are in place to combat the spread of the virus and efforts will be made to make the travel safe for the passengers. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:39:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BUDAPEST, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The number of registered coronavirus infections in Hungary rose by 292 over the past 24 hours, the record number since the outbreak of the epidemic in Hungary, according to the latest official numbers published on Sunday. The previous daily peak goes back to April 10, with 210 new daily infections registered. "As the data on new infections show, the epidemic is not over, the number of active infections is rising again, so it is still very important to maintain discipline, and follow general hygiene rules," the government said in a statement on its official site dedicated to COVID-19. The Hungarian government has decided to reintroduce the border controls that were in force during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. From Sept. 1, foreign citizens cannot enter the territory of Hungary, expected for "very necessary cases," and 14-day official home quarantine would be mandatory for Hungarian citizens returning from abroad, according to the government. Schools in Hungary will restart on Sept. 1. The government underlined the responsibilities of parents and teachers: "It is paramount in the forthcoming start of school that asymptomatic, or sick children should not be allowed to go to school or kindergarten." Hungarians should continue to avoid places where there are many people indoors, keep social distancing, wash hands often and thoroughly, and wear a mask in shops and on public transport, the government said. According to official figures, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Hungary stood at 5,961 on Sunday, with 3,759 recoveries and 614 fatalities. Enditem The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 14, Rabiu Yusuf, has been confirmed dead. Mr Yusuf, who was recently promoted, was deployed to Katsina to head the newly created Zone 14, comprising Kaduna and Kastina states. He was yet to officially resume at his new posting. Prior to his latest promotion, the deceased had served as the commissioner of police in Kano State. The spokesperson of the Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the death of the official on Sunday morning. He died after a brief illness on Saturday, Mr Isah told PREMIUM TIMES. The incident occurred after a day-long demonstration by tens of thousands of people opposed to the wearing of masks and other government measures intended to stop the spread of coronavirus. Police ordered the protesters to disband halfway through their march around Berlin after participants refused to observe social-distancing rules, but a rally near the capitals Brandenburg Gate took place as planned. Footage of the incident showed hundreds of people, some waving the flag of the German Reich of 1871-1918 and other far-right banners, running towards the Reichstag building and up the stairs. Police confirmed on Twitter that several people had broken through a cordon in front of Parliament and entered the staircase of the Reichstag building, but not the building itself. Stones and bottles were thrown at our colleagues, police said. Force had to be used to push them back. Advertisement Earlier, thousands of far-right extremists had thrown bottles and stones at police outside the Russian Embassy. Police detained about 300 people throughout the day. Berlins regional government had tried to ban the protests, warning that extremists could use them as a platform and citing anti-mask rallies earlier this month where rules intended to stop the virus from being spread further were not respected. Protest organisers successfully appealed against the decision on Friday, though a court ordered them to ensure social distancing. Failure to enforce that measure prompted Berlin police to dissolve the march while it was still in progress. During the march, which authorities said drew about 38,000 people, participants expressed their opposition to a wide range of issues, including vaccinations, face masks and the German government in general. Some wore T-shirts promoting the QAnon conspiracy theory while others displayed white nationalist slogans and neo-Nazi insignia, though most participants denied having far-right views. Germany has seen an upswing in new cases in recent weeks. The countrys disease control agency reported on Saturday that Germany had almost 1,500 new infections over the past day. Germany has been praised for the way it has handled the pandemic, and the countrys death toll of some 9,300 people is less than one-fourth the amount of people who have died of Covid-19 in Britain. Opinion polls show overwhelming support for the prevention measures imposed by authorities, such as the requirement to wear masks on public transport, in stores and some public buildings such as libraries and schools. Along the route were several smaller counter-protests where participants shouted slogans against the far-rights presence at the anti-mask rally. MADISON, Wis.>> The Kenosha police union on Friday offered the most detailed accounting to date on officers perspective of the moments leading up to police shooting Jacob Blake seven times in the back, saying he had a knife and fought with officers, putting one of them in a headlock and shrugging off two attempts to stun him. The statement from Brendan Matthews, attorney for the Kenosha Professional Police Association, goes into more detail than anything that has been released by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which is investigating. The Sunday shooting of Blake, a Black man, put the nations spotlight on Wisconsin and triggered a series of peaceful protests and violence, including the killing of two people by an armed civilian on Tuesday. Blake is paralyzed from the shooting, his family said, and recovering in a Milwaukee hospital. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, who leads the state Justice Department, said in a statement Friday evening that the agency is trying to conduct an impartial investigation and can neither confirm nor deny the unions version of events. Ben Crump, an attorney for Blakes family, did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. He said earlier this week that Blake was only trying to break up a domestic dispute and did nothing to provoke police, adding that witnesses didnt see him with a knife. Crump has called for the arrest of the officer who shot Blake and for the two other officers involved in the shooting to be fired. Cellphone video shows Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and another officer following Blake with their guns drawn as he walks around the front of a parked SUV as they responded to a domestic dispute. According to Matthews, the officers were dispatched there because of a complaint that Blake was attempting to steal the callers keys and vehicle. Matthews said officers were aware that Blake had an open warrant for felony sexual assault before they arrived. Blake was armed with a knife, but officers did not initially see it, Matthews said. The officers first saw him holding the knife while they were on the passenger side of the vehicle, he said. The bystander who recorded the shooting, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he saw Blake scuffling with three officers and heard them yell, Drop the knife! Drop the knife! before gunfire erupted. He said he didnt see a knife in Blakes hands. State investigators have said only that officers saw a knife on the floor of the car. They have not said whether Blake threatened anyone with it. Matthews said officers made multiple requests to Blake to drop the knife, but he was uncooperative. He said officers used a Taser on Blake, but it did not incapacitate him. Blake forcefully fought with the officers, including putting one of the officers in a headlock, Matthews said. A second stun from a Taser also did not stop him, he said. As Blake opened the drivers door of the SUV, Sheskey pulled on Blakes shirt and then opened fire. Blakes three children were in the backseat. Based on the inability to gain compliance and control after using verbal, physical and less-lethal means, the officers drew their firearms, Matthews said. Mr. Blake continued to ignore the officers commands, even with the threat of lethal force now present. The state Justice Department has released almost no information about Sheskey or the other two officers, Vincent Arenas and Brittany Meronek. An annual Kenosha Police Department report indicates Sheskey was hired as an officer in 2013. In an August 2019 interview with the Kenosha News, Sheskey said he had always wanted to go into law enforcement, noting that his grandfather served the city as a police officer for 33 years. What I like most is that youre dealing with people on perhaps the worst day of their lives and you can try and help them as much as you can and make that day a little bit better, Sheskey told the newspaper. And that, for the most part, people trust us to do that for them. And its a huge responsibility, and I really like trying to help people. We may not be able to make a situation right, or better, but we can maybe make it a little easier for them to handle during that time. Sheskey, who appears to be white based on photographs and video, was moved to the bike patrol in 2017, according to the Kenosha News interview. He was among a group of officers named in a handwritten federal lawsuit filed last year by a man in the Kenosha County jail, Lathan Steven Ward, who accused the officers of damaging his door while they were breaking it down to execute a no-knock warrant in August 2018. He also accused the officers of racial profiling and causing him pain and shame. U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller dismissed the case, ruling Wards allegations werent sufficient to sustain the lawsuit. Before Sheskey joined the Kenosha Police Department he worked for the campus police department at University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha from the fall of 2009 to the spring of 2013. He served in various roles, including as a dispatcher, enforcing parking regulations and as a police officer, university records show. Investigators have not said how many complaints may have been filed against Sheskey, whether his superiors ever disciplined him or whether he earned any commendations. Arenas has been with the Kenosha Police Department since February 2019 and previously served with the U.S. Capitol Police Department from June 2017 through January 2019, authorities said. Arenas served in the Marines from 2012 to 2017 and did not do any combat deployments, the Marine Corps said. Meronek joined the Kenosha police force in January. She received a technical diploma from the criminal justice law enforcement academy at Gateway Technical College in May, according to school records. The Associated Press has filed a request under Wisconsins open records law with both the state Department of Justice and the Kenosha Police Department for the officers service records. Government agencies typically take weeks or months to turn over documents in response to such requests. Sheskey and Meronek did not respond to emails sent to possible addresses for them and Arenas did not return a phone message left at a possible phone number for him. No one returned messages left at possible telephone numbers for officers family members. No one answered the door Thursday at Sheskeys home. At D.C. march, families decry two systems of justice Athlete power: Shut up and play is tossed from the game 2 people shot to death during protest over Kenosha shooting Frustrated NBA players wonder again whether they should play There is one big irony about the Government secrecy around the publication of the National Broadband Plan contract last week, including the huge number of redactions therein. It is that there's arguably no need for the secrecy. Compared to a year ago, how much hostility to the National Broadband Plan (NBP) can anyone now really detect? It may be the opposite. Listening to friends and workplace groups, it seems that a good chunk of the country is now thinking about setting up work on a semi-permanent basis from home, with many living in what would be deemed a "rural" area for the purposes of the NBP "intervention" plan. If ever there was a less hostile climate for state-subsided fibre broadband to over 500,000 rural homes, isn't it now? So why redact so much information? Why not actually walk the walk on promises of "transparency"? One might suppose that it's understandable to withhold some details on intricate financial deals involving subcontractors, perhaps because revealing them might cause friction with other subcontractors (who may not have negotiated deals as good). But "operational performance" issues? Or the Minister's oversight of the "deployment subcontract procurement process"? Or contract "termination factors"? What this might now do is to resurrect what could (and should) have been a non-event into a new bout of intrigue around the process, perhaps culminating in pressure on the Comptroller and Auditor General's office to act as a public champion in examining the bits we're not being allowed to know. It's all Tok On Friday, Dunnes Stores were thought to be preparing a bid to buy TikTok. Okay, they weren't. But given the assortment of would-be suitors currently lining up, would it really be that astonishing if they were? This week, we learned that Walmart - yes, Walmart - is the latest company to declare its intention to buy the US operations of TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. The US retailing giant would do it jointly with Microsoft, it claims. And what would it do with TikTok? "We believe a potential relationship with TikTok US in partnership with Microsoft could add this key functionality and provide Walmart with an important way for us to reach and serve omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace and advertising businesses," it declared. "We are confident that a Walmart and Microsoft partnership would meet both the expectations of US TikTok users while satisfying the concerns of US government regulators." I can see it now. "Bing bong! Cleanup in aisle two!" Done as a Trump lip-synch. I can't be the only one to struggle to think of a brand less suited to run a platform like TikTok than Walmart. Maybe that's the point, though - maybe Walmart has no real intention of following through, but wants everyone to think that it's morphing into something capable of doing much more modern things than being a warehouse for discount nappies and Nepalese-made TVs. It's just as hard to imagine the reported front-runner, enterprise corporate software firm Oracle, managing TikTok. Then again, given that Oracle founder Larry Ellison has spent a fair amount of time defending Donald Trump, Oracle may have a genuine inside track. Let us not forget that the only reason TikTok is up for sale is that the current US administration is on a regulatory rampage against Chinese-owned corporate assets. Ultimately, it may not matter who buys TikTok. We all know that Facebook will simply 'iterate' and keep launching clone services until it eventually overtakes it (for previous instruction, see Instagram). Trump's way or the Huawei Speaking of Chinese tech companies, the next few months may be decisive in whether Huawei sees off the American threat or becomes a case study in how global economic trade politics can throw a dominant tech firm to the curb. New US sanctions forbidding the sale of American-sourced chip technology to the Chinese telecoms and smartphone giant could really hurt Huawei in a way the company hasn't yet experienced. The ban, being pursued by an almost evangelically anti-Chinese White House, illustrates how complete the US stranglehold on much of the semiconductor industry is. Even firms outside the US can't supply Huawei because their own technology is partially based on American-sourced components, software or processes. And because many mainstream and political pundits can't resist a horse race, many now describe the issue in spy thriller terms, rooting for one side or the other rather than asking what is actually going on. Unless a Biden White House changes course, the net result of this may be a permanent fork in the road from a technology ecosystem perspective: tech designed in America and tech designed in China. For the moment, Europe is dependent more on America than China for the tech underpinning our everyday services, whether online or physically in our hands. But in choosing to divide it all up, the Americans may soon make some Europeans pick another path. In the short term, anyone buying a new Huawei phone this year can immediately see the painful conclusion. I'm currently road-testing what should be one of the great leaps forward in phone technology - Huawei's Mate Xs 'folding' phone. When I show friends the device's main trick - the ability to fold out to a thin, square-sized tablet, making everything larger and more readable, there are oohs and aahs. Yet when I tried to send an article remotely on it last week, it was excruciating given the lack of work service apps I normally rely on (Google, Chrome, Docs, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook). My guess is that the type of business-oriented phone buyer who might read a column like this one just won't want to battle through the hurdles, no matter how gorgeous or ahead-of-the-rest Huawei's physical handsets are. FBI investigating possible Turkish plot to assassinate Pastor Andrew Brunson Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The FBI is reportedly investigating a possible assassination plot to murder Pastor Andrew Brunson who was imprisoned in Turkey for two years on false terrorism charges. Brunson was freed and allowed to return to the U.S. in October 2018 after Turkey came under intense diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration. He had been serving as pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church at the time of his arrest. Now a mob boss has claimed he was asked by the Turkish government to murder Brunson. Serkan Kurtulus made the astonishing claim a month after his arrest in Argentina in June, International Christian Concern reports. He claimed that members of Izmir AKP approached him to assassinate Brunson with the aim of blaming the Gulen movement, an Islamic community in Turkey at odds with the AKP the party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Brunson was accused by Turkey of links to the Gulen movement, which is named after its leader, the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Turkey is attempting to have Kurtulus extradited from Argentina to stand trial over the alleged supply of illegal firearms in Syria and the death of a Russian pilot in 2015. While Kurtulus has claimed asylum in Argentina, the FBI is reported to have asked the country to question him over his claims regarding Brunson. ICC said Argentina has not yet responded to the request. Commenting on Kurtulus' claims, ICC said: "Many regard Brunson's imprisonment as an attempt by Turkey to force the US to extradite Gulen. "His imprisonment shows how Christians in Turkey are often used for political maneuvering by the authorities, who have no regard for religious freedom. "Whether or not Kurtulus' claim is true, it shows how the Turkish authorities' approach towards Christians can be integrated into the social mindset." Originally published at Christian Today Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Junior Process Officer with Norwegian wygaso z dniem 2020-09-01 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia ogoszenia to: oferta zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa wycofana z naszej bazy zleceniodawca zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc pracownikow rekruter zmodyfikowa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych nieprawidowy adres WWW ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Administracja biurowa, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Administracja biurowa Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Junior Process Officer with Norwegian, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Junior Process Officer with Norwegian Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: odz, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca odz Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne ogoszenia, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: But these are relatively small complaints. Gorras well-conceived, exhaustively researched book probes historys refusals. He begins with Intruder in the Dust and one characters striking reverie about the moments before the ill-fated charge that led to the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg. Faulkner writes, For every Southern boy there is a fantasy about the instant before loss became inevitable, the still not yet when its all in the balance. This fixation on the horizon of defeat, Gorra maintains, is part of the collective delusion the South called the Lost Cause. The noble suffering of genteel Southern ladies, the Confederacy led by gallant men of principle, slavery as a necessary and essentially benign institution these elements distort into a mythologized Southern history, what Gorra describes as a Valhalla that snapped the threads of time itself, so reluctant has their society been to accept that wars verdict. That verdict, of course, was the end of slavery, mourned and avenged ever after. Faulkner did not shrink from this reality. As Gorra writes, Few historians and fewer novelists of his day saw the hobbling vainglorious past so clearly, and few of them made slavery so central to their accounts of the war. Those vainglorious texts include The Clansman (1905), chock-full of Negro rapists, pure white women and a heroic Ku Klux Klan and the inspiration for the film The Birth of a Nation (1915). In the years after, antebellum fairy tales proliferated, works like Gone With the Wind, with its hoop skirts and happy darkies. By the time of that novels publication in the 1930s, North and South alike had recast the war as a battle over states rights, clearing a path for white supremacy to gallop forward into Jim Crow and beyond. In his urgency to make the case for Faulkners merits, however, Gorra overcorrects with regard to his faults. What to do about the Faulkner who famously said of the civil rights struggle: Go slow now. And worse: If it came to fighting Id fight for Mississippi against the United States even if it meant going out into the streets and shooting Negroes. Gorra isnt an apologist, but he does go to great lengths to avoid saying the obvious. He mentions Faulkners infamous alcoholism as a factor that may have influenced his more incendiary comments. Of Faulkners often lacking depictions of Black characters, Gorra writes, Still that absence isnt precisely a lacuna, a hole in his thinking. Once again we need to ask what Faulkner isnt writing here. We need to read for the unspoken, for the stories that peep around the edges of the ones hes chosen to tell. The thing is, I dont expect Faulkner to properly inhabit Blackness. His triumph is his inhabitation of whiteness, his searing articulations of its ruination, brutality and shame. Gorra mounts a further defense by separating the man from the writing, as though the writing made him better than he was; it made the books better than the man. But thats a dodge and, most significantly, its not the point. Of course William Faulkner, Mississippi-born in 1897, great-grandson of a slave-owning Confederate colonel, was a racist. But in Faulkner, as is the case in all of America, racism is not the conclusion to any argument. It does not preclude further discussion; it demands it. Nearly 500 Vietnamese citizens return from Africa and some other Asian countries Nearly 500 Vietnamese citizens from some African and Asian countries were brought home on two repatriation flights which landed safely at local airports on Sunday. 140 Vietnamese citizens from African countries are brought home on August 30. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese Embassies in South Africa and Qatar sent staff to airports in Pretoria and Doha to help 140 Vietnamese citizens complete check-in procedures for the flight home which was conducted by Qatar Airways. Another flight operated by the national flag Vietnam Airlines also brought home more than 340 citizens from Macau, China on August 30. Passengers on the two flights include children aged under 18, the elderly, the ill, pregnant women, workers with expired visas and labour contracts, students without accommodations, stranded tourists, and those in disadvantaged circumstances. After landing safely at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho International Airport in Can Tho Province on August 30, all passengers and crew members of the two flights were given health check-ups and sent to quarantine areas in line with regulations. To date, as many as 113 repatriation flights have been arranged by Vietnamese authorities since April 10 to help over 32,008 local people stranded abroad due to Covid-19 return home, the ministry said, adding that more such flights are set to be conducted in the coming time. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Mobile air monitoring staff and equipment are being deployed this weekend to the Southeast Texas area to help with the Hurricane Laura response, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Dallas office announced Sunday. Texas Commission on Environmental Qualitys sent a request for assistance to FEMA, which then gave EPA the assignment, according to an EPA news release. By PTI MUMBAI: The CBI called actress Rhea Chakraborty for the third consecutive day on Sunday for questioning in the case of death of her boyfriend and filmstar Sushant Singh Rajput, a police official said. The 28-year-old actress is accused of abetting Rajput's suicide. Her brother Showik Chakraborty was also called by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the fourth day in a row for questioning in the case, the official said. Rhea Chakraborty and her brother reached the DRDO guest house at Kalina in Santacruz, where the probe team is stationed, around 10.30 am, he said. A Mumbai Police vehicle escorted the car in which the two arrived at the guest house, he said. Rajput's manager Samual Miranda and domestic help Keshav also reached the guest house in the morning. Earlier, Rhea Chakraborty was questioned for nearly 10 hours on Friday and allowed to return home under police escort as a large number of media personnel were present outside her building. ALSO READ | Sushant Singh Rajput case: Maharashtra minister urges CBI to probe film director Sandeep Singh's role She was quizzed for around seven hours on Saturday. Her brother is being questioned by the CBI since Thursday. On Saturday, the CBI also questioned Rajput's flatmate Siddharth Pithani, cook Neeraj Singh and accountant Rajat Mewati at the guest house. Rajput (34) was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra on June 14. Rhea Chakraborty had been earlier questioned by the Mumbai Police in the case. The Enforcement Directorate has also quizzed her in a related money laundering case. The Supreme Court last week upheld the transfer of an FIR, lodged by Rajput's father in Patna against the actress and others for allegedly abetting his son's suicide and misappropriating his money, to the CBI. It had been intended as a fun business venture at their 1million home after their seven children had flown the nest. But the 90-a-night bed and breakfast set up by former Army major Steve Marcham and Diana Groves has sparked a nightmare dispute with neighbours. Fellow residents of their exclusive private road near the New Forest have launched a legal action aimed at shutting down the B&B, saying it is a 'breach of covenant' a binding condition written into property deeds or a contract by a seller. Steve Marcham and Diana Groves (above) turned their 1million seven-bedroom home in Ringwood, Hampshire, into a 90-a-night bed and breakfast Neighbours on the private road have launched a legal action to shut the B&B (above), saying it is a 'breach of covenant' a condition written into property deeds or contract by a seller But Miss Groves, 64, said: 'The neighbours are ganging up on us because they hate us so much. It's not like we are running a brothel. We are being financially blackmailed by them.' She and former Grenadier Guard Mr Marcham, 65, an MBE, began advertising for guests to stay in their seven-bedroom home in Ringwood, Hampshire, last year. But the move provoked a furious response from neighbours who complained over noise caused by guests in the swimming pool and cars clogging up the drive. The feud later descended into accusations of spying and eavesdropping between the warring neighbours, who were once friends and enjoyed parties together. Residents on the lane, where house prices average 925,000, are now suing over the covenant. Experts warn the use of the law could set a 'damaging' precedent and threaten other B&B owners across Britain. Miss Groves said: 'Now we are being taken to court and it's in the hands of a judge. We've already had to pay out 2,300 and have been told we could end up paying 20,000. 'It's had a huge impact on us as it has taken a lot of the fun out of running this B&B and in the process we have felt intimidated in our home.' Miss Groves warned that if the action against her is upheld it could set a dangerous precedent for other B&B owners in Britain. Pictured, aerial view of Avonhurst Bed and Breakfast Neighbours on the lane, where house prices average 925,000, complained over noise caused by guests in the swimming pool (above) and cars clogging up the drive Mr Marcham and Miss Groves decided to turn two bedrooms into B&B accommodation in May 2019. But they were stunned two months later to receive a solicitor's letter on behalf of their neighbours. It said residents had 'continually heard guests using your swimming pool' and had 'seen numerous cars parked at your property'. It added: 'You are clearly not using Avonhurst as a private dwelling house in the occupation of one family and you are causing nuisance and annoyance to your neighbours. 'Our clients consider and are advised you are in breach of your restrictive covenant.' Covenants, which are common across the UK, ban property owners from carrying out certain acts, including using a home for anything other than a private dwelling. Miss Groves has warned that if the action against her is upheld it could set a dangerous precedent for other people who run businesses from home. The former IT sales worker said it could see residents suing neighbours for offering piano lessons, childminding or even working from home. The feud later descended into accusations of spying and eavesdropping between the warring neighbours, who were once friends and enjoyed parties together Miss Groves, 64, and former Grenadier Guard Mr Marcham, 65, an MBE, began advertising for guests to stay in their seven-bedroom home near the New Forest last year The couple have launched an online petition against the action at change.org. They say online: 'When we purchased Avonhurst we were aware of this covenant and were told it was to stop further development of the land. We have now had written confirmation of this information from the property developer who bought the land.' The couple add: 'We have made repeated requests for our neighbours to speak to us about any concerns they may have. However, all our requests have been ignored.' David Weston, of the Bed and Breakfast Association, said: 'We are concerned about the situation she faces and the damaging precedent it could set preventing any kind of home-based business if that literal wording succeeded.' The five sets of neighbours in the dispute did not want to comment or could not be contacted. Last week, I received news from two of my former BBC colleagues about the death of Charles Allen, the historian who had striven to present a balanced view of modern Indian history, and in particular, but not exclusively, of the role of the British in that history. In his obituary in Outlook, Zareer Masani, a historian himself and BBC radio producer as well as presenter, said Allens death deprived modern Indian history of one of its best informed, most balanced, and yet most modest voices. In his obituary published in The Guardian, David Loyn, my successor as BBC Delhi Correspondent said, Charles never hid the dark side of Empire but wanted it fairly represented. In his prodigious output of 25 books, Charles wrote about many disputed issues in Indian history some of which have political implications today; so, I thought I would be justified in devoting a column to him. He was a member of the sixth generation of his family to be born in India. His father was a political officer in the hills of the Northeast but he was educated in England. Extraordinarily for someone who achieved such distinction as a historian, he did not go on from school to university and he had no formal academic education. Allen first came to the publics notice with his BBC radio series called Plain Tales from the Raj, programmes based on fascinating interviews with Britons who had served in many different occupations in pre-Independence India. The interviews were conducted between 1972 and 1974. His books on the British Orientalists, late 18th century scholars such as William Jones who founded the Asiatic Society in Calcutta to promote Oriental studies and suggested links between European languages and Sanskrit argued that they had rediscovered Indias past achievements. This inevitably involved him in controversy with Edward Saids famous scathing dismissal of Orientalism. Allen argued, What Professor Said and his many supporters have consistently failed to ask is where would we be without the Orientalists? They initiated the discovery of South Asias past. The past the Orientalists revealed is grist to the mill of political theories based on the concept of Indias glorious past. Although Allen was no imperialist and was particularly critical of British racism inevitably, his view of the work of the Orientalists also challenged the schools of history, including Hindutva, which see no good in the British record. But the most prominent denigrator of the Raj is the Congress politician Shashi Tharoor. When speaking in public, Allen would point out that it was a British official, Sir John Munro, who persuaded the rulers of the two Kerala princely states, Travancore and Cochin, to moderate the oppressive behaviour of their Namboodari and Nair castes. This opened the way to the progress in their states that Tharoor is justifiably proud of. The last time I heard from Allen, he said he was working on a book and hoped to finish it before cancer ended his life. Fortunately, he succeeded by working right up to the end. The book, Aryans, The Search for a People a Place and a Myth, will certainly ruffle feathers among politicians, especially in the Sangh parivar, when it is published next year. According to Masani, it is based on genetic data collected and analysed by Harvard University that confirms the DNA of upper castes in Northern India was Indo-European. This, of course, supports the theory of Aryan migration and challenges the Hindutva view. The arguments about Aryan migration will go back and forth but there is no doubt that Charles Allen, like the Orientalists he admired, has deeply enriched the study of Indian history. The views expressed are personal (Natural News) The Chinese state media has expressed its support for Joe Biden as American president, claiming Biden would be smoother for the communist regime to deal with than President Trump. In an August 19 Global Times piece, Chinese analysts stated that the U.S. was likely to remain tough on China should Biden win the election. But tactically, the U.S. approach would be more predictable, and Biden is much smoother to deal with than Trump a viewpoint that is shared by many countries, they added. Biden and Trump are both running on a platform of being tough on the current Chinese regime. However, Biden only mentioned China once in his speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination. The mention came when he pledged to stop Americas dependence on China for medical supplies should he be elected. White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro criticized the Democratic National Convention for failing to mention the role of the Chinese regime in causing the coronavirus pandemic. He told reporters that there hadnt been a word about how the Chinese Communist Party infected America with a deadly virus that has killed more than 160,000 Americans, contributed to the unemployment of 40 million Americans, and cost trillions of dollars in physical and monetary stimulus. He added: What I think is happening here is the Democratic Party and the Chinese Communist Party have entered into a common cause to defeat Donald J. Trump, and their whole strategy is based on blaming this administration for a global pandemic created by the Chinese Communist Party. In an August 7 statement, National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina said that their assessment found that China would prefer Trump does not win reelection because they view him as unpredictable. Of course, they are not too thrilled about his increasingly hard stance against the CCP. In recent months, the Trump administration has taken a slew of actions into countering CCP threats, including human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, the security risks posed by Chinese technology and apps, and military aggression being seen in the South China Sea. Institute of International Relations Professor Li Haidong told the Global Times that it is a consensus around the world that Biden would be smoother to deal with, saying: For China, because Biden was vice president during Obamas term, and had a lot of prior experience dealing with Chinese leaders, we would expect to facilitate more effective communication with Biden if he wins. Could China interfere in the presidential election? President Trump recently claimed that should Biden win the November election, China will essentially own the United States and Americans will need to learn how to speak Chinese languages. In a document released by the Trump campaign outlining his second term agenda, one of the 10 core priorities listed is ending the U.S. reliance on China, which appears right after topics such as jobs and eradicating COVID-19. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro said that he feels the Chinese medias open push for Biden should be a bigger story given the fact that intelligence suggests that the Chinese government is interested in interfering in the election. Speaking to Fox News, National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe said that China poses a bigger threat to U.S. national security than any other country in the world and worried that they could engage in election influence and interference. Ratcliffe said the Chinese threat is significant and that he would be committing intelligence community resources to understanding the threat and gaining intelligence to counter their activities. It may not get a lot of media airtime, but the fact that communist China would prefer to see Biden in the Oval Office should be setting off alarm bells among American voters. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com FoxNews.com President Trump tweeted late Saturday that the U.S. is "planning to cut" its military presence in Iraq, without elaborating further. The big picture: Trump's tweet linked to an OAN article reporting that American troop numbers in the region would decline from 5,200 to 3,500, a number also reported by the Wall Street Journal and Stars and Stripes. Coalition forces left three Iraqi bases in March, including the U.S.-led coalition withdrawal from K1 Air Base. The White House and Defense Department did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment. The end of World War II came quietly on the deck of the USS Missouri, in Tokyo Bay, on Sept. 2, 1945. Thousands of American sailors, soldiers and newsmen watched as the members of the Japanese delegation came aboard and walked in front of a battered felt-covered mess table on which the surrender documents had been placed. Gen. Douglas MacArthur took his place behind the mess table and faced the Japanese delegation. We are gathered here, he said, representatives of the major warring powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be restored. The issues, involving divergent ideals and ideologies, have been determined on the battlefields and hence are not for our discussion or our debate. It is my earnest hope, continued the 65-year-old MacArthur, his hands shaking visibly, indeed the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past. As Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, it is my firm intentions to discharge my responsibilities with justice and tolerance, while talking all necessary dispositions to insure that the terms of the surrender are fully, promptly, and faithfully complied with. MacArthur stepped back and motioned for Japans new foreign minister Mamoru Shigemitsu to sign the surrender document. Soon, MacArthur and the representatives of the other Allied nations added their names to the document. Let us pray that peace be restored to the world and that God will preserve it always, MacArthur said. These proceedings are closed. At that moment, as if on cue, the sun came out for the first time that day. As the Japanese delegation departed a stunning aerial display of more than 2,000 Allied planes flew in formation over the Missouri. From New York to San Francisco, and in every town in between, people rushed into the streets to give thanks and to hail the end of a time of shortages and sacrifice and to be thankful that the war had ended and go back to a world, a world without war. Seventy-five years have passed since the end of the second World War. But we still live in its long shadow. Of the 16 million Americans that served in the war, no more than just over 300,000 now survive. The number of people in the world who can say that they bore arms in World War II is dwindling to zero. All over the world, veterans associations are winding down because their members are too few or too frail. World War II is moving from living memory, and into the pages of history. Within a generation or next, there will be no one left who has childhood recollections of such things as air raids or the sight of uniformed men passing through the streets. Wherever they are in the world, war cemeteries have a significance of their own, whether they take the form of a few simple gravestones in a corner of a churchyard or the many military cemeteries at the battlefields where the soldiers fell. At one site the memorial reads: When you go home, tell them of us and say: For your tomorrow we gave our today. Guy Kusano is a resident of Brussels. Sorry! This content is not available in your region TROY, N.Y. Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly announced the winners Friday in the Looking Forward to Change writing contest. Winners from each age bracket will receive a prize, including an iPad for the first-place winner, as well as Walmart gift cards for the second and third place. The students wrote of their personal experiences and observations with regard to racism in our communities. But, more importantly, each essay shared ideas about moving forward and educating each other to work toward understanding and acceptance. For instance, Mackenna Pashley, 10, donated books about black culture and history to her local library and to other families in her community. Mackenna hoped that with her gesture, we could make people understand that they should care. Taquasha Jones, 14, a student at Columbia High School said, People are racist and they dont even realize it. Taquasha explained that pushing tough issues to the side allows kids to assume and spread ignorance. Shiquinta Wheatley, 17, from Troy, wrote, the community should come togetherwith children of all ages and races getting to know each other. I am impressed by all of the students and families who took the time to participate in the contest, Donnelly remarked. I hope this is the start of a meaningful dialogue on this important topic. Thank you once again to the East Greenbush Walmart for their donation of prizes for this program, Donnelly added. The winners names and their schools are listed below: *10 12 years old: * First Prize Mackenna Pashley, Hoosic Valley * Second Prize Kimelah Griffin- Sprague, Red Mill Elementary * Third Prize Cole Franklin, Knickerbocker Middle School *13 15 years old: * First Prize Violet Dupuis, Averill Park * Second Prize Taquasha Jones, Columbia * Third Prize Ada Wu, Emma Willard *16 18 years old: * First Prize Jordanne Brazie, Berlin Central * Second Prize Katie Asenbauer, Columbia High * Third Prize Shiquinta Wheatley, Troy High Swiss proxy advisor InRate has backed concerns raised by activist shareholders in Aryzta over the number of board roles held by the company's candidate for chairman. The board has nominated Andreas Schmid as the new chairman to take over from Gary McGann, who is due to step down from the role and from the board at next month's EGM. The InRate report recommends shareholders oppose the election of Schmid and support the rebel shareholder group's candidate, Urs Jordi, as chairman. Activist shareholders in Aryzta, led by Swiss firm Veraison and Spain's Cobas, own more than 20pc of the company. This latest proxy report comes after two other proxy firms backed Schmid. Last week shareholder advisory group Ethos backed the Aryzta board's nominee to take over as chairman of the Swiss-Irish company. Shareholder advisory group ISS also backed Schmid. However, it said that the shareholder group had made a compelling case for change at board level. The InRate note claimed that Schmid had "too many significant third-party mandates". The advisory firm says that while Schmid has announced that he will resign from some directorships in the event of his election as chairman of Aryzta, it is not clear which directorships he would resign from. When announcing Schmid as a nominee for chairman, Aryzta said he has "many years of operational and strategic management experience at the head of leading international food, retail and service companies." He is chairman of the listed Airport Zurich AG since 2000. Bihar Governor on Saturday notified amendments in statute for the appointment of assistant professors in the state universities to relax some norms for Bihar candidates. The notification was approved by Governor-cum-Chancellor of Universities Phagu Chouhan after the opinion of vice-chancellors and state government on the amendments, which will give candidates from Bihar a fair chance of competing. Bihar is likely to advertise for over 5,000 vacancies of assistant professors in its seriously understaffed universities and colleges. Last year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had also warned that delay in filling up vacant positions of faculty members will be viewed seriously and could lead to appropriate actions by the UGC against such institutions. However, soon after the statute for appointed was notified by the Raj Bhawan on August 10, concerns were expressed over some of the clauses that could affect the prospects of candidates, who did their Ph.D from state universities and where the 2009 UGC regulation could not be implemented on time. JD(U) MLC Sanjeev Singh also wrote to the chief minister and the chancellor in this regard, highlighting the issues confronting candidates from Bihar. Sensing the problem, barely a couple of days later, chief minister Nitish Kumar announced in his Independence Day address that the concerns of the candidates from Bihar would be addressed and the Raj Bhawan would look into the matter. Within a couple of days, the draft of amendments reached the Raj Bhawan. As per amendments, doctorates, who got registered for the Ph.D programme with Bihar universities prior to July 11, 2009, would be governed by the then existing ordinances/ bylaws/ regulations of the institutions awarding degrees and exempted from National Eligibility Test (NET), State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) or State Eligibility Test (SET),subject to fulfilment of certain conditions. The conditions include award of degree through regular mode after evaluation by at least two external examiners and open viva voce. The candidates should also have two research papers, including one in peer-reviewed journal, and presented at least two papers in conferences or seminars funded by UGC or other national level research organisations. The Dean (Academic Affairs/ Faculty) of the concerned university will certify it, says the notification. Another change has been that 2009 Ph.D regulations of the UGC would now be effective from the date of notification in the universities concerned, as different universities notified it on different dates after the Raj Bhawan notification in 2012. Applicants who got registered and obtained their Ph.D degrees form the universities in Bihar during the period of July 11, 2009, till the date of UGC regulation in the universities shall also be exempted from NET/ SLET/ SET if their degrees conformed to the above mentioned five conditions, say the amendments in the notification. The third change is that the seven-point weightage to M.Phil has been done away with. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An ecoduct in Netherlands (Source: Twitter - @ErikSolheim) Industrialist Anand Mahindra has highlighted an environment-friendly infrastructure option called ecoduct. Taking to his Twitter platform, Mahindra tweeted to Union Roads Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari by quoting Erik Solheim, Executive Director - UN Environment. He said: The perfect way to coexist. @nitin_gadkari ji if you can make this a standard feature when building highways through particular zones, we will give you a standing ovation! Solheim tweeted to highlight the utility and conservational aspect of ecoducts, stating: Isnt this beautiful? Development can coexist with Nature! This is a wildlife bridge known as ecoduct in the Netherlands Flag of Netherlands which provides a safe crossing path for wildlife amidst the danger of highways. The perfect way to coexist. @nitin_gadkari ji if you can make this a standard feature when building highways through particular zones, we will give you a standing ovation! https://t.co/vEN0FeIcLN anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) August 29, 2020 He is also the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and has previously served as UN Environments Special Envoy for Environment, Conflict. In previous posts as Norways Minister for Environment he put in place the Scandinavian countrys Nature Diversity Act and Norwegian Climate and Forest Initiative. An ecoduct or wildlife bridge provides a safe crossing path for wildlife amidst the danger of highways. These were first constructed in France during the 1950s and have been now commonly adopted across European countries including the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. They provide safe passage through overpasses and underpasses to protect and re-establish wildlife such as: amphibians, badgers, ungulates, invertebrates, and other small mammals. Beijing: China has said it is pulling ahead in what could be the final leg of the global coronavirus vaccine race, with four of seven possible candidates in last stage human trials - more than any other country. However, some are concerned about the quality of the vaccines and that they are being used to gain political leverage. Beijing is so confident of its inoculations that authorities have been administering vaccines for more than a month before clinical studies conclude, authorities revealed last week. The initial announcement of a vaccine will primarily be a political event. People deemed at higher risk of infection, such as border officials and state-owned enterprise employees working overseas, have received jabs, after the government approved them for emergency use, according to state media. Soon, transport and service workers are expected to be vaccinated. "Giving untested vaccines means that there is no guarantee that they are going to work, so people could wrongly assume that they are inoculated when they are not," said Nicholas Thomas, a health security expert and professor at the City University of Hong Kong. PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Suspected militants attacked Pakistani troops amid a search operation in a former Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold in the northwest near the Afghan border, triggering a shootout that killed three soldiers, the army said Sunday. It said four soldiers also were wounded in the attack in South Waziristan, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The army provided no further details, but South Waziristan had served as a militant base until recent years when Pakistan said its operations there had cleared the area of the Taliban. No group claimed responsibility, although Pakistani Taliban have been blamed for such previous violence in the region, where militants have a presence. According to a recently released U.N. report, more than 6,000 Pakistani insurgents are hiding in Afghanistan, most belonging to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban group, which often attacks Pakistani military and civilian targets. Read more about: Three men have been arrested after clashes between police and anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne's northern suburbs on Sunday. In the video footage taken in Broadmeadows during the afternoon, more than 30 protesters - mostly young men - are seen chanting and yelling at police while disrupting traffic before running away from officers. A 22-year-old man from Broadmeadows, an 18-year-old man from Broadmeadows and a 17-year-old boy from Craigieburn were arrested during Sunday's anti-lockdown protest. The trio is expected to be issued fines for breaking the Chief Health Officer's stay-at-home directions, as well as traffic-related offences. Britons will 'have to learn to live with coronavirus' and treat it as an everyday risk, according to one of the country's most eminent statisticians. David Spiegelhalter, Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at Cambridge University, said the virus was unlikely to disappear but that people could and should adapt their lives to cope. 'We are never going to get rid of [the virus] completely. 'This is going to be one more risk like road accidents, like terrorism that is just going to be there and we are just going to have to learn to live with it,' he said. His comments during a webinar organised by the Royal Society of Medicine come as an analysis by The Mail on Sunday shows the risk of catching Covid-19 has plunged over the summer. Britons will 'have to learn to live with coronavirus' and treat it as an everyday risk, according to David Spiegelhalter, Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at Cambridge University The vast majority of neighbourhood areas in England and Wales described as 'Medium Super Output Areas' with each having around 8,000 people have been virtually virus-free for the past month. Only one in five has registered three or more confirmed cases. And while the number of daily new cases edged up during this month with 1,522 reported last Thursday it is still less than a third of the 5,000 recorded during the peak of the pandemic in April. Despite the rise in cases, the number of people in hospital has continued to fall. On June 1, 6,635 were in hospital with confirmed Covid-19 across the UK. At the start of August, that number had dropped by more than 80 per cent to 1,204. By last Wednesday the latest date for which figures are available it was 764. Coronavirus-related deaths have followed a similar downwards trajectory from 135 on June 1 to 27 on July 1, 11 on August 1 and nine on August 26. Paul Hunter, Professor of Medicine at the University of East Anglia, said hospitalisations and deaths were not rising, despite the recent uptick in cases, because it was now younger people tending to become infected, who were more resilient to Covid-19. This trend is supported by Public Health England figures showing the median age of a person testing positive for the Sars-Cov-2 virus has fallen from 46 in early June to 34 in mid-August. 'A lot of this increase is in young people people in their teens, 20s, 30s who don't die of Covid-19,' said Prof Hunter. While urging people not to be complacent, he said there could be further increases in cases 'without seeing any impact on deaths'. Prof Spiegelhalter said the public had not fully appreciated the importance of the fall in the average age of those infected. 'Your risk of dying doubles every five to six years. There's more than a 10,000-fold variation in risk [of dying of Covid-19] between the elderly and the young,' he said. The geographical pattern of the pandemic has also changed. The number of daily new cases edged up during this month with 1,522 reported last Thursday but it is still less than a third of those during the peak of the pandemic in April During the first wave it affected large swathes of the population, particularly in big cities, with the virus radiating out from London. Now it appears to be focused in places with high Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) populations. These communities are at higher risk due to health and socio-economic factors, but the trend has accelerated over time disproportionately affecting South Asian communities in particular. Almost all the towns subject to local lockdowns over the summer, including Leicester, have large South Asian populations. By contrast, there are swathes of rural Britain, notably South West England and East Anglia, that appear to be almost Covid-free. Prof Spiegelhalter said he had 'some sympathy' with critics of a national lockdown 'because people who live in areas in which there is very little circulating virus have to endure enormous sacrifice'. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The Kannywood film industry was thrown into mourning on Saturday over the demise of popular actress Fadila Mohammed known as Lollipop in the industry. Fadila died after a protracted illness in Kaduna, where she lived with her parents. Upon the announcement of the death of the actress, relatives and well-wishers including her colleagues in the film industry trooped to her home in Kaduna to condole with her family. Her colleagues also shared their moment with the late actress on their Instagram pages. They all prayed that her soul rests in peace and shared pictures of their moments with the late actress. Fadila died on Saturday in Kaduna. In his condolence message, Ali Nuhu, who shared a picture of him and the late actress, said the Industry would surely miss her. My daughter, I pray that your soul rests in peace. We will miss you dearly, Ali said. Rahama Sadau, Adam Zango, Sani Danja, Maryam Yahaya, Fati SU, Ummah Shehu, Nuhu Abdullahi, Maryam Booth all condoled with the family and prayed that Aljannah is her final home. Hassana Dalhat, a Kannywood commentator, told PREMIUM TIMES in Kaduna that the late actress was a phenomenon in the movie industry. I have known Fadila for as much as I know the Kannywood. She is very humble and friendly to all and a very good actress. You can follow her outstanding acting skills in movies like Hubbi and lots more. FALLS TOWNSHIP >> In an effort to be fiscally responsible while ridding Falls Township Community Park of Canada geese, the Falls Township Supervisors approved a multi-faceted, year-long geese mitigation plan at a one percent savings over 2021. Stepped up geese management efforts began in 2015 and have significantly reduced the number of geese at the park, Falls Township Parks and Recreation... Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal A scam to import jewelry from the Philippines and sell it in the United States as authentic Native American jewelry has resulted in fines and other penalties for two New Mexico residents and their businesses, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Mexico. Jawad Khalaf, 72, owner of Sterling Islands Inc., of Albuquerque, and Nashat Khalaf, 73, owner of Al-Zuni Global Jewelers, of Gallup, on Thursday were sentenced to pay $300,000 to the Indian Arts and Crafts Board and forfeit their interest in nearly $288,740 seized by investigators. In addition, U.S. District Judge James O. Browning sentenced Jawad Khalaf to two years supervised release and 150 hours of community service, and Nashat Khalaf to two years supervised release and 20 hours of community service. Separately, Sterling Islands Inc. and Al-Zuni Global Jewelers are subject to five years oversight by the U.S. Probation Office. The defendants pleaded guilty in April to misrepresentation of Indian-produced goods and services in an amount greater than $1,000. Another defendant, Taha Shawar, 49, owner of Bullion Jewelers in Breckenridge, Colorado, remains a fugitive. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service led the investigation. We stand ready to bring the power of the law to bear upon those seeking to profit from cultural theft, said John Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. Meridith Stanton, director of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, said, The Land of Enchantments identity and economy relies heavily on Indian art and culture. Consumers must have confidence that the Indian art they are purchasing in New Mexico is authentic, she said, and Indian artists and economies must be protected from unfair competition. Assisting in the investigation were agents from the Albuquerque FBI office, Homeland Security, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. A man is treated by medics after being shot during a confrontation in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 29, 2020. (Paula Bronstein/AP Photo) Man Killed in Portland Shooting as Violence Continues Across the City One person was shot and killed late Saturday in Portland, Oregon, police said. It wasnt clear if the shooting that happened shortly before 9 p.m. in the citys downtown was linked to fights that broke out between anti-police protesters and some pro-Trump counterprotesters. A pro-Trump rally, consisting of a caravan of about 600 vehicles, had just finished their Trump 2020 Cruise Rally in Portland event when the shooting occurred. Pro-Trump rally organizer Alex Kyzik pleaded with rally attendees to leave the downtown area. Theres a lot of people who are trying to make violence or incite violence, and I ask everybody to please leave downtown, he said in his Facebook posts. An Associated Press freelance photographer heard three gunshots and then observed police medics working on the body of the victim, who appeared to be a white man. Portland Police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street. They responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. Police did not release any additional details and were at the scene investigating late Saturday. A man is being treated by medics after being shot during a confrontation in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein) Portland has been the site of nightly protests for more than three months since both peaceful protesters and violent rioters took to the streets to decry the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while he was being arrested by police. Hundreds of rioters have been arrested by local and federal law enforcement since late May. The caravan was the third Saturday pro-Trump rally seen in the city. The pro-Trump rally had gathered earlier in the day at a suburban mall and drove as a group on a planned route to downtown Portland, getting the attention of counter protesters who had their own protest planned for Saturday night. As they arrived in the city, protesters attempted to stop them by standing in the street and blocking bridges. Videos from the scene showed sporadic fighting, as well as some in the caravan firing paintball pellets at opponents and using bear spray as counter-protesters threw things at the caravan. Police made several arrests over clashes before the deadly shooting hours later. Portland residents have been advised by the police to avoid the downtown area. Two days earlier, President Donald Trump referred to Portland in his speech at the Republican National Convention as a Democrat-run city plagued by lawlessness and violence. Trump has repeatedly called on Portlands leaders to request support from the National Guard for local law enforcement in restoring law and order in the city. Early Saturday morning, anti-police protesters set fires outside a police union building prompting police to declare a riot. The Black Lives Matter rioters usually target police buildings and federal buildings. Some in the community, including black Americans, have decried the violence, saying its counterproductive. An accelerant was used to ignite a mattress and other debris that was laid against the door of the Portland Police Association building, police said in a statement. At least one dumpster had also been set on fire in the street nearby. The commotion followed a sit-in in the lobby of the Portland mayors condominium building Friday night requesting that he defund the police. The Associated Press contributed to this article. A French magazine apologized Saturday after portraying a Black lawmaker as a slave, as Frances government and officials across the political spectrum decried the publication. The legislator, Danielle Obono from the far-left party Defiant France, said the publication flies in the face of those who complain that free speech is threatened by the fight against racism and sexism. You can still write racist s- in a rag illustrated with a Black French parliament member repainted as a slave, she tweeted. The extreme right odious, stupid and cruel. The magazine, Valeurs Actuelles, which caters to readers on the right and far right, apologized in a statement Saturday. Deputy editor Tagdual Denis told BFM television that the image wasnt designed to wound Obono and denied that it was an attention-getting ploy. But he added: What I regret is that we are always accused of racism ... we are politically incorrect, its in our DNA. Anti-racism activists said the publication reflected a creeping acceptance of extremist views, fueled by social media. Prime Minister Jean Castex from the conservative Republicans party tweeted: This revolting publication calls for unambiguous condemnation. ... The fight against racism will always transcend our differences. The junior minister for equality and the only Black member of the French government, Elisabeth Moreno, tweeted that I dont share Danielle Obonos ideas, but today I offer her all my support. A similar refrain came from politicians from multiple parties, including the treasurer of Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally party. Obono, who was born in the former French colony of Gabon, said later on BFM that I hurt for my republic, I hurt for my France. She called the publication a political attack on her and others who fight against the racism, stigmatization that millions of our compatriots are subjected to. France saw multiple protests in June and July against racial injustice and police brutality inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyds death at the knee of a policeman in the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist who raised eyebrows when he gave an interview to Valeurs Actuelles last year, has pledged to root out racism. But he also insisted that France will not take down statues of figures linked to the colonial era or the slave trade, as has happened in other countries in recent months. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The news is filled with reports of President Donald Trump's "assault" on the U.S. Postal Service. Democrats and some in the media say the president is deliberately slowing mail delivery and crippling the Postal Service so that it cannot handle an anticipated flood of voting by mail in the presidential election. Barack Obama said Trump is trying to "actively kneecap" the Postal Service to suppress the vote. Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the House back into session "to address the sabotage of the Postal Service." What is going on? A look at the facts simply does not support the Democrats' allegations. First, the Postal Service can handle voting by mail. According to its annual report, it delivered 142.5 billion pieces of mail in fiscal 2019. That's 471 million per day, to nearly 160 million delivery points. This year, it delivered census forms and stimulus checks, which was about 450 million pieces of mail. A national presidential election would involve less than half of that. That's simply not a problem. Second, the Postal Service is going broke but doesn't need more money for the election. It has lost money for a long time. The coronavirus relief bill gave it $10 billion in borrowing authority. Now House Democrats want $25 billion. But their new bill makes no mention of giving the Postal Service money to handle the election. Rather, it's an old-fashioned bailout. And the Postal Service has about $14 billion in cash right now, and is not projected to hit insolvency until late next year. The new postmaster general is trying to reform the Postal Service. Former shipping executive Louis DeJoy -- yes, he's a Trump donor -- is pushing a pilot program to reduce overtime and streamline deliveries. It basically involves letter carriers making deliveries at the start of their day rather than the end so as to incur less overtime. That's all it is. Yet Democrats and some in the media have characterized it as an effort to sabotage the Postal Service. It's not. Nor are routine Postal Service moves to relocate collection boxes and retire some sorting machines. That is entirely in line with Postal Service efforts to deal with a declining volume of mail since the advent of email two decades ago. Nevertheless, DeJoy, in an effort to soothe worried minds, has said he will suspend reform efforts until after the election. But what about the nightmare scenarios we've seen in the press? News accounts have been filled with stories of Americans who depend on the Postal Service for the delivery of medicine and checks. Many such stories are serious but anecdotal; there's no way to know at the moment how widespread they are. And people who keep track of the Postal Service suspect many stories are rooted in workforce availability problems related to the coronavirus pandemic, plus the changes in operations -- for example, closing a facility to clean it during an outbreak -- that have become part of life during the pandemic. Think about it: Of course the pandemic is affecting the Postal Service, just like it is affecting everything else. Then there are Trump's statements. Much discussion of the mail issue has conflated the request for $25 billion for the Postal Service with a request for $3.6 billion to the Election Assistance Commission for states to implement mail-in voting. The president has repeatedly added confusion to the situation. In discussing the Postal Service, he hasn't made a case against universal mail-in voting, which does not exist in the United States. He hasn't made clear why Democrats want $25 billion for the Post Office. He suggested that not agreeing to the $25 billion was a way to stop universal mail-in voting, which it is not. He hasn't addressed the serious problems at the Postal Service, which need attention and do not have anything to do with voting. In all, he has left the issue more confused than it was beforehand -- and that was saying something. But now, Democrats smell victory. The Washington Post recently published a story headlined "Trump's assault on the U.S. Postal Service gives Democrats a new campaign message." Put aside the casual use of the word "assault." The fact is, Speaker Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and other top Democrats are jumping into the Postal Service controversy with both feet. As with the Russia collusion allegations, they're enjoying a loud, uncritical megaphone in the press. No doubt they'll keep it up until Nov. 3. But shouldn't someone, sometime take a look at what is actually happening? Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesBY: ADAM KELSEY, ABC NEWS (WASHINGTON) -- After bursts of deadly violence erupted amid racial justice protests in Oregon and Wisconsin this past week, the acting chief of the Department of Homeland Security said Sunday that state and local leaders in the two states are standing in the way of federal law enforcement officials. "If the governor had taken action early on, after day one, day two of some of that violent activity occurring there, we probably -- a lot of this could have been avoided," acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said on ABC's "This Week," referring to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where three people were shot Tuesday, two fatally, during protests following the shooting of Jacob Blake by police last weekend. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was captured on video in Kenosha armed with a rifle and has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths. Another person was killed in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday amid clashes between President Donald Trump's supporters and protesters who have been demonstrating for racial justice equality since George Floyd's death in May. At times throughout the summer, Portland protesters also faced harassment from far-right activists and attempts by the federal government to rein in their activity. "I think this points to a larger issue that we've seen in Portland for the last three months. And that is local and state officials, not allowing law enforcement to do their job and really to bring this violent activity -- night after night after night -- to a close," Wolf told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl. "We've asked the governor, we've asked the mayor to step in. They don't have the resources." Federal law enforcement agents were deployed to the city in July to protect property, including a federal courthouse. The move came against the wishes of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, but despite Wolf's claim, no action was taken to prevent the officers from conducting their work. Local leaders and protesters also argue that the agents, from DHS, the U.S. Marshal Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, were antagonistic and amplified the violence and destruction. "We will be happy to provide resources to bring this violence to an end across the ideological spectrum left or right, the violence needs to end." Wolf said Sunday, adding a message to local officials, "If you see this activity, take early action, bring law and order to your streets, and we can address and really avoid some of the violent activity that we're seeing." "Is there a consideration of sending in more federal law enforcement, even in the defiance of local leaders?" Karl asked, with the situations in both cities still unsettled. "All options continue to be on the table," the acting secretary responded. Such a law and order message was the centerpiece of Trump's nomination acceptance address, capping the Republican National Convention on Thursday, echoing the themes of national security that dominated much of his 2016 campaign. Given the repetition, in addition to the ongoing protest violence, Karl challenged Wolf on whether Trump has fallen short on his pledges of safety to Americans. "Did he fail to keep that promise? He said safety was going to be restored beginning on Jan. 20, 2017," Karl asked. "Absolutely not," Wolf responded. "Again, what we see across cities and across states -- local law enforcement, first line of defense; state law enforcement; and if both of those fail, then obviously the federal government can step in, and we need that -- we need that request from the state governors." "You need to have some conviction, and you need to bring in (federal) law enforcement to do their job," he said. Wolf was the subject of criticism Tuesday after a naturalization ceremony he participated in at the White House was later broadcast during the RNC -- one of several instances during the convention in which executive branch officials engaged in political activity, a potential Hatch Act violation. On "This Week," Karl asked Wolf whether he knew the event would be aired at the convention, leading the acting secretary to describe his involvement as routine and repeat the administration's position that there was no wrongdoing because the non-political citizenship ceremony was pre-recorded and made publicly available, and that the Republican National Committee simply chose to air it during the convention. "Respectfully, that was not my question. My question was: Did you know when you took part in that ceremony that it was going to be used that night at the Republican convention?" Karl pressed. "No," Wolf said. "What I knew is, again, participating in a naturalization ceremony -- we had a number of (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) employees there as they do every naturalization ceremony, making sure that that ceremony goes on without a hitch, that we're giving that oath of allegiance to those individuals there. Again we'll continue to do that because that's our mission at the department." The acting secretary further responded to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe's decision to suspend in-person briefings on election security and foreign interference to members of Congress, instead transitioning to written reports. Wolf agreed with the suggestion that the election cycle is at a stage during which increasing amounts of information should be shared, but stated, as Ratcliffe also claimed, that the change was made to combat leaks of sensitive intelligence. "The Director of National Intelligence deals with classified information, providing that information to Congress. He has seen, I have seen, and others have seen that information leak, time and time again," Wolf said, noting that briefings will continue on unclassified matters. In a later interview on "This Week," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., responded to the decision, calling it a "complete outrage." "I think the House is going to have to subpoena the director of intelligence in order to get information, which is crazy," she said. "We are going to have to demand the information to protect our election." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 16:30:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli tanks hit Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, Israel's army said on Sunday, as militants in the Palestinian enclave have continued sending into Israeli explosive balloons. A military Israeli spokesperson said in a statement that overnight tanks hit military posts belonging to Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip. The spokesperson said the fire was a response explosive and arson balloons sent towards southern Israel during Saturday. According to Israel's Fire and Rescue Service, the balloons caused at least 25 fires during Saturday. There were no immediate reports of casualties on both sides. Israel has carried out almost daily attacks in Gaza since Aug. 6, saying the attacks are a response to balloons attached with explosives or incendiary materials. Egyptian security officials have been shuttling between Israel and Gaza in a bid to broker a renewal of an informal cease-fire. Enditem Kishore Biyani, popularly known as KB among colleagues and considered as the pioneer of modern retail in India taking convenience shopping to the masses, is finally bowing to the winds of change blowing across the sector, giving the control of what he nurtured for over three decades to Reliance Retail. Biyani (59), who started his business in 1987 by launching Manz Wear which later adopted the brand name of Pantaloon, has agreed to hand over the control of his retail empire to relatively new entrant Reliance Retail, a part of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, in a Rs 24,713 crore deal. Biyani, a man known for thrifty approach to running the business, has been spreading himself too thin as the need for capital increased to expand his retail business amid increasing competition from new players like Reliance Retail as well as the advent of e-commerce, which he had dismissed as challengers initially. Many a times he has been forced to divest assets to pare mounting debt of his retail empire, a business which is always considered to be cash consuming. In 2012, he sold his majority stake in Pantaloons chain to Aditya Birla Nuvo for Rs 1,600 crore, which included Rs 800 crore of debt transfer. Back in 1992, he had listed Pantaloon on the bourses to raise funds for expansion, store improvements and marketing and from there it was never a look back for him, as he created an entire ecosystem for retail including logistics and also mentored many other entrepreneurs and brands. Again in 2012, Biyani had also sold a majority stake in Future Capital Holdings to US-based private equity Warburg Pincus to raise funds and exited from a stationery joint venture with US-based Staples by selling its entire stake to the partner. At that point of time, his group was laden with debt of around Rs 5,000 crore. Similarly, in 2013 Future Lifestyle Fashion Ltd (FLFL) divested minority stakes in ethnic wear firm Biba Apparels and designer Anita Dongre-owned AND for Rs 450 crore. In August last year Biyani had sold 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons to Amazon.Com NV Investment Holdings LLC. Future Coupons held 7.3 per cent stake in Future Retail. Biyanis Future group ran into financial trouble earlier this year after his listed entity Future Retail defaulted on debt repayment and lenders invoked pledged shares, a drastic low for a man who in 2019 was listed as the 80th richest Indian with USD 1.78 billion (around Rs 13,016 crore) wealth by Forbes. Various rating agencies like Standard & Poors and Fitch downgraded credit ratings of Future Retail after the default and invocation of pledged shares by lenders. According to some report, the debt of Future Group has now expanded to around Rs 13,000 crore and most of the shares of the promoters group are pledged. When things came to a head, Biyani agreed to a deal on Saturday under which Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), a step down subsidiary of Reliance Industries, will acquire popular Future brand stores such as Big Bazaar, fbb, Foodhall, Easyday, Nilgiris, Central and Brand Factory. In order to consummate the deal, key group companies including Future Retail, Future Lifestyle Fashions, Future Consumer, Future Supply Chains and Future Market Networks will merge into FEL and will pass on the ownership of retail and wholesale business along with that of logistics and warehousing business to RRVL. After this transaction, FEL will retain the manufacturing and distribution of FMCG goods and integrated fashion sourcing and manufacturing business and its insurance JVs with Generali and JVs with NTC Mills. Biyani, an alumnus of Mumbais H R College started his journey selling stone-wash denim fabric in Mumbai in the 1980s. According to persons near him, Biyani who owns a battery of brands and made fashion statement affordable for the masses, is known for his simple and traditional lifestyle. His dream was of making available to everyone what only the rich could afford and launched his own label, says Biyanis profile on the portal of Future Group. During this journey he also invested and mentored many other entrepreneurs and brands. He embodies the organisations credo, Rewrite Rules, Retain Values and considers Indianness as the core value driving the organisation, it says. Biyani, who started his entrepreneurial journey when he was 26 year-old by opening first Pantaloons store in Kolkata, will now have to seek a fresh beginning when he is set to enter 60s. The death of the suit has long been a fixation of men around the globe. In the past two decades, work attire has been less focused on a two-piece suit than smart-casual: jeans, a sweater, and relaxed but smart shoes will suffice. The tie has made a beggarly attempt to stay in mens wardrobes. Adidas Ozweego trainers are the new Oxfords. While mens fashion collections in recent seasons from the likes of Tom Ford, Givenchy, and Alexander McQueen spelled a return to formal tailoring, the reality of the situation is much more despondent, especially in the case of mid-market mens clothiers. In America, multiple brands known for their tailoring offering filed for bankruptcy. Among them, the parent company of Mens Wearhouse and Jos. A Bank, and J Crew all noted sellers of formal clothes and suiting. Even Brooks Brothers, the retailer which has outfitted all but four United States presidents, succumbed to the pressure of the pandemic in early July. Euromonitor International, a market research provider, forecasts that retail sales of mens suits in the United States will plummet 24% to approximately $1.5bn (approx 1.26m) this year. In 2015, sales were $2.1bn (approx 1.77m), but they have fallen steadily, despite global sales of suits inching upwards. Across the fashion industry, revenues plummeted further than analysts had even expected. In the case of labels such as Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, sales were down as much as 66%. It would appear that now is the time to give customers the things that will make their lives easier as they are largely confined to the home office with the occasional visit to recently reopened restaurants: shirts, sweatpants, casual shoes. Here, in Ireland, Louis Copeland, founder of the eponymous mens fashion stores, said that suiting had performed well up until the outbreak of the virus. When the mandated lockdown was imposed in March, customers gravitated towards less dressy styles as men were no longer in the office and June weddings were cancelled or rebooked with fewer guests. Copeland said online sales of more casual pieces such as t-shirts and sweaters were off the Richter scale". Damien Paul, head of menswear at retailer MATCHESFASHION.com, noticed an uptick in looser, less formal, and unstructured styles with men buying blazers and trousers separately. He said: If we look at the types of suits that have been selling during the last five months, we can see a definite shift towards different fabrics and textures; loose linen has been doing particularly well as we'd expect in the warmer months. We are also seeing brighter and soft colours becoming increasingly popular recently as men have relaxed their attitudes towards dressing for work while working from home. Bayu Mudjahid, a menswear style advisor at John Lewis, said that the recent launch of their free virtual styling advice service for men has encouraged the stylists to think about why a man buying a suit is actually doing so. When on Zoom with a client, it is important to discuss why the customer is purchasing the suit, says Mudjahid. With the new working from home lifestyle men are certainly being more free in their approach to the formality we once knew, said Paul. Workplace formality has long been under siege. The suits influence, once a symbol of power preferred by men from politicians to businessmen who wanted to convey the image of running the world waned over the years. The weight of its symbolism was upended at the turn of the decade by tech executives such as Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs who preferred t-shirts and hoodies, turtlenecks and jeans, respectively, but still made billions of dollars. Furthermore, the things that have made mens fashion tick in the 2010s are luxury streetwear and sneakers. Men like Virgil Abloh, known for both of those things, rose to the top of Louis Vuittons menswear division. He is now responsible for ushering in a cooler, younger clientele. Kim Jones, another designer with his finger on the pulse of mens fashion, welcomed streetwear brand Stussy to collaborate with the storied house of Dior. Even storied Italian tailoring brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Brioni, and Canali, have in recent years expanded their casual offering alongside their more traditional suiting business. Brands such as Officine Generale have championed casual tailoring since its inception, getting ahead of the office trend. Officine Generale straight leg trousers 205 However, all is not lost for the suit. Since reopening on June 8, Louis Copeland said: "Theres been a resurgence of made-to-measure suiting. Although weddings are resuming in smaller numbers, he finds that men are trickling back in to have suits made for rescheduled weddings and other events. Similarly at MATCHESFASHION, while tailoring was performing well at the start of the pandemic, the website was not seeing as much interest for evening styles. In recent weeks, theres been a distinct gear shift towards event tailoring and we expect to see the pick-up in this trend continue into next year as special occasions and events are rescheduled, said Paul. Marrakshi Life jacket 405 MATCHESFASHION.COM Mudjahid asserts the longevity of the suit based on unchanging dress codes at special events and weddings and the relaxed interpretations of tailoring that men have been drawn to in recent years: "Whilst its true that office workwear has been relaxing from its strict formal dress code in recent times, the suit still has a vital role to play in every man's wardrobe. These investment pieces are still at the forefront of mens spending habits, said Paul. Casual tailoring from Officine Generale However, the nature of the role suiting will play will largely be defined by an official return to the office and the manner in which events change in years to come. For now, the emphasis is on relaxed styles. Relaxed tailoring is becoming more key in our customers wardrobe, said Paul. Despite the current landscape, Copeland remains hopeful: When people return to normality theyll want to dress up. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, One. This cherished motto gives succinct meaning to our cultural identity as a country: The United States. Approved by the Continental Congress in 1782, the 13 colonies committed themselves to this pithy but powerful statement. After much rancorous debate and questionable compromises, the Constitution of 1789 became the foundation and framework of the United States of America. Slavery, states rights, taxation, individual rights, and the power of the federal government were left to future political battles and the judicial system. Slavery brought on a civil war that threatened the existence of the United States. As it so often is with history, the currents of change after the war gave a more complex meaning to Out of many, One. In the twentieth and into the twentieth-first century, even more difficult domestic and global upheavals have occurred. Domestically, more and more Americans call into question the sham freedom of former slaves bound by the chains of Jim Crow and economic serfdom. To the rest of the world, the Statue of Liberty today looks more like a papier mache doll than the once-powerful icon of freedom and leadership in the world community. Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold Penned in the aftermath of the Great War that radically altered Europes political and cultural landscape, William Butler Yates wrote these prophetic words in the poem The Second Coming. Yeats ominous words in the aftermath of World War I transcend time and place. In a world on edge, threatened by totalitarianisms rebirth and exacerbated by COVID-19 and its economic fallout, The Second Coming speaks as well to the globally enmeshed countries and cultures about to enter the third decade of the twenty-first century. It is also not difficult to associate the special relevance of these words with the existential challenges Americans grapple with today. These prescient words will live on because of the moral relativism and political complexity resulting from globalization. We are only beginning to understand our predicaments brought on by the loss of individual and social identity. What will happen to the Rule of Law? Will there be a new center that will hold? Will things fall apart? Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18) If there is a center, a powerful vision, things will not fall apart. Perhaps no one embraced the fundamental and global value of vision more than Viktor Frankl in Mans Search for Meaning. His words counter the pessimism above. Hope is the engine powering the search and we see it in Danbury, if only we look for it. Hope drives immigrants to reach our shores sometimes by any means possible. They are the ones who continue to create the United States. The citizens of Danbury are witnesses to the energy of those who are our neighbors: men, women, and children from distant places such as Brazil, Ecuador, Central America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia more generally. The sparkle in their eyes, the imagination in their minds, and their can-do attitude is the creativity that makes Danbury and beyond One out of many. The moral power of America is on display in their lives and work from which we must not turn our backs. Compare the dynamism of E Pluribus Unum, with the vagueness of the popular political catch-phrase: The Ties that Bind. What are these Ties and what do they bind? One the one hand, the reader is left to imagine the many meanings, which, unfortunately and all too often, look to the past and invite one to view the motto through the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, in mourning for a culture that never existed except in the imagination of selective memory. The term is too often politicized and vacuous. On the other hand, there is much to be said for The Ties That Bind families together through the Sunday dinner at Nanas, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Passover, Ramadan, weddings, and funerals. This is the short list; the full naming would be too expansive. The Constitution is the foundation and guarantor of the rule of law. By no means a perfect document in 1789 nor in 2020, the stability and future of the American experiment is weaker and cloudier today because of many loopholes, personal aggrandizement, and the flouting of those trip wires which have sounded alarms not heard or recognized by those in power. As Americans, we must not be deaf to the sirens alerting us, but hearing them is only a first step. Action must follow. We must not be overcome by the torpor-inducing mantra: It cant happen here. John R. Wilcox, a Danbury resident, is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Manhattan College in Bronx, NY. (Natural News) Jacob Blake had an outstanding arrest warrant for sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct in connection with domestic abuse. Police were responding to a domestic incident at a home in the area when Blake was shot, though nature of the dispute is unclear. Although viral video showed a cop shooting Blake while reaching for something in the car, another video from a different angle showed him brawling with the cops on the pavement. In 2015, Jacob Blake was charged with resisting arrest causing a soft tissue injury to a police officer while pulling a gun at the bar for which he was facing upto 8-1/2 years in prison. (Article republished from GreatGameIndia.com) Jacob Blake, 29, was shot seven times by a cop in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday. Police were responding to a domestic incident at a home in the area, though nature of the dispute is unclear. The viral video shows Blake walking toward an SUV as at least three cops follow with guns drawn. Blake appears to ignore police orders to stop and tries to get into the drivers side of the SUV. Thats when at least seven gunshots were heard; Blakes kids were inside car as the events unfolded. .@KenoshaPolice shoot unarmed #JacobBlake in the back multiple times in front of his children even though witnesses told them he was trying to break up a fight. How long this madness? pic.twitter.com/WNUjnHyYAl Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) August 24, 2020 Although, the viral video didnt show what happened before Blake started walking away from the cops. Video filmed from another angle shows Blake and at least two cops wrestling on the sidewalk near the car. In the clip, Blake is seen extricating himself from the brawl and walking toward drivers side of the SUV. Read more at: GreatGameIndia.com The Queen has finally been reunited with William, Kate and their three children for the first since the country was plunged in coronavirus lockdown, according to reports. Almost exactly five months after the Queen told Britons 'We will meet again' in a now historic address to the nation, she had her first socially distanced meeting with all five of the Cambridges. It was the first face-to-face meeting involving the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis since lockdown began in March, reports The Sun. William and Kate and the three children are said to have visited Balmoral, in Scotland, where the Queen and Prince Philip have been in a Covid- secure 'bubble' since the beginning of August. The Queen, pictured with Prince Philip earlier this month, has finally reunited with William, Kate and their three children for the first since the country was plunged in coronavirus lockdown, according to reports It was the first face-to-face meeting involving the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis since lockdown began in March, reports The Sun According to the Sun, sources say the Queen spent time with her great-grandchildren while outside on the royal estate. Prince Edward, Sophie of Wessex and Princess Anne were also reportedly at the 50,000-acre estate this weekend. The source told The Sun: 'Like every family, they've been desperate to get back together and over the moon it was possible this weekend. 'They've all been up there for a few days and although there are very strict procedures with social distancing, they've been able to find ways of seeing each other outside. 'It's obviously been a difficult year for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh seeing the country dealing with the pandemic, so they were all keen to go there to show their support.' The Queen, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, have been in Scotland since August 4. The couple, who were previously isolating at Windsor Castle, travelled by car to RAF Northolt, in west London, where they boarded a private jet to Aberdeen airport, where they were met by a driver and whisked off to Balmoral, roughly an hour away. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Scotland for the start of their summer holiday. The couple travelled by private jet from RAF Northolt, in west London, to Aberdeen airport where they were met by driver, pictured The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had been isolating at Windsor Castle with a reduced household since March 19. Pictured, the quiet streets around Windsor last month They are expected to remain there until early October and will be joined by family members throughout their stay. Princess Eugenie is believed to have visited earlier this month with her husband Jack Brooksbank, while it is not known if Prince Andrew has made the trip yet. It is thought staff at the estate are minimising their contact with people outside the royal household in order to create a 'Balmoral bubble' designed to keep the Queen and Prince Philip safe. The couple had been isolating at Windsor Castle with a reduced household since March 19. Although she has been unable to carry out many engagements in person, the Queen remained active in her royal duties, taking part in video call meetings and conducting her weekly audience with the Prime Minister via telephone. Balmoral: The Royal Family's summer retreat A group of aides have already travelled up to the Scottish home of the Royal Family to prepare the castle for the couple's arrival. The Queen and Philip will stay in the main castle, pictured Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848. In the autumn of 1842, two and a half years after her marriage to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria paid her first visit to Scotland. They were so struck with the Highlands that they resolved to return. A further visit to Perthshire and then Ardverikie encouraged them to seize the opportunity to purchase Balmoral. After Queen Victoria bought the Castle in 1852, plans were made to build a new castle about 100 yards north-west of the old building designed by the city of Aberdeen architect William Smith. On 28 September 1853 the foundation stone of the new Castle was laid by Queen Victoria. Prince Albert took a great interest in the design and construction which was completed by 1856, also in the Scottish Baronial style. The Castle is constructed from local granite, which was precision cut using the modern machinery of the day, producing a much smoother finish to the building than usual. Prince Albert set about landscaping the area, starting a programme of improvements lasting several years, which was done in accordance with a model he had constructed in sand. The main works were completed by 1859 and included new houses, stables, workshops and schools. Royals continue to make improvements to the castle and the ruggedly beautiful surroundings have captivated generations of royals since. The Queen has visited Balmoral almost every year of her reign and it holds a special place in her heart. Advertisement Meanwhile the Duke of Edinburgh came out of retirement to perform a long-distance royal engagement with his daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cornwall, who remained in Gloucestershire. The couple were most recently seen together at the wedding of their granddaughter Princess Beatrice, 31, and property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who tied the knot in secret on July 17 at Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor. That same day the Queen knighted Colonel Sir Tom Moore, 100, in recognition of his extraordinary fundraising efforts. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, both 38, have been spending lockdown at their Norfolk home Amner Hall with their children, Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two. Prince William last month revealed his patience has been tested while homeschooling his children in lockdown, and that he's been struggling to teach Year 2 maths. Prince William has revealed his patience has been tested while homeschooling his children in lockdown, and that he's been struggling to teach Year 2 maths. He is pictured, right, in September with Princess Charlotte (left), Kate Middle (second left) and Prince George (second right) as the royal children attended their first day of school for the year Prince George is in his final year of infant school at Thomas's Battersea, in south west London. His little sister Princess Charlotte joined him in September and is currently in the reception class. But the royal children have been homeschooled since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which Prince William admits has been a struggle. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Lives That Peter Crouch Podcast, which was recorded partially via Zoom and partially at Kensington Palace in March, the heir said: 'I've found it pretty testing, not going to lie, trying to keep the children engaged in some kind of work, it's been an interesting few months. 'I've learned through homeschooling that my patience is a lot shorter than I thought it was, that's probably been the biggest eye opener for me, and that my wife has super patience,' the duke revealed. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said hell have an announcement this week on commercial casinos, one of the very few businesses that remain completely shuttered since the coronavirus pandemic hit months ago. Cuomo has been criticized for excluding the states four commercially run casinos from any reopening efforts, even as gambling establishments run by Native American nations have reopened. Casino owners have warned the delayed reopening effort could cost the state 5,000 jobs. Were trying to find a balance, Cuomo said today during a conference call with reporters. I understand peoples anger and frustration. I do. But like with malls, movie theaters and other businesses that attract large groups, Cuomo said hes worried about lack of social distancing and recirculating air in large spaces. Yet he said he gets frustrations from people who are waiting to get back to their jobs. Most casino workers have been furloughed. I understand their point, Cuomo said. I understand the economic reality, I understand the feeling that you see other things, other places opening up. But you still cant get back to work. The states four commercial casinos and 11 racinos and video gaming parlors have been closed since March. The Native casinos arent bound by state law, but they are voluntarily following coronavirus precautions like frequent sanitizing, mandatory face coverings for staff and customers, and social distancing. Vernon Downs has ended its racing season early. Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. SOUTH HAVEN, MI Three people were taken to Bronson South Haven Hospital Saturday afternoon after being involved in a water rescue near the south beach. According to South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES), officers responded at 1:50 p.m. to reports of a man and woman in the water on the lake side of the pier. Witnesses told SHAES that the woman had been swept into the water by waves and the man went into the water to try and rescue her. The woman was able to reach the beach, and a SHAES responder in the vicinity went into the water and brought the man to shore, with the help of bystanders. South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) responded to an incident off the South Beach on Saturday afternoon at 1:50... Posted by South Haven Area Emergency Services on Saturday, August 29, 2020 All three people were taken to Bronson South Haven Hospital, SHAES said, and an air care helicopter was on standby from Kalamazoo. SHAES said the National Weather Service had issued a beach hazard warning for the lakeshore, and red flags signifying no swimming were posted at the time of the incident. READ MORE: 2 teens rescued after being swept off pier into Lake Michigan Officer fires shots at stolen vehicle after 100 mph chase through Lowell, police say Husband faces murder charge in South Haven womans killing Seneca Falls, N.Y. An Upstate New York woman was arrested Sunday on charges she lied to police about a hit-and-run crash 10 days earlier. Seneca Falls police say 28-year-old Rebecca L. Castro, of Newark, backed into a vehicle parked outside Sauders Store, a grocery store on River Road in Seneca Falls. After the crash Aug. 20, Castro left the scene and failed to report it to the owner or police, according to Seneca Falls police. Castro then drove to another location, called police and reported the crash happened there, Seneca Falls police said in a news release. After 10 days of investigating, police determined Castro lied to them about where the crash happened. Seneca Falls police arrested Castro on Sunday, and charged her with leaving the scene of a property damage accident and falsely reporting an incident. She was released on an appearance ticket and will answer the charges at a later date in Seneca Falls Town Court, police said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:45:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 3,731 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, when tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims gather in their holy city of Karbala for the religious rite of Ashura. The latest COVID-19 infections have raised the total nationwide number to 231,177, according to a ministry statement. The statement also reported 68 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 6,959, while 3,860 more recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 172,880. The new cases were recorded after 20,193 testing kits were used across the country during the day. A total of 1,587,326 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement. The latest infection spurt came as tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims converged on Karbala city, some 110 km south of the capital Baghdad, to commemorate Ashura, a Shiite festival which marks the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Muhammad. This year, the ritual of Ashura was accompanied by intensified health preventive measures to avoid further spread of coronavirus, official Iraqi News Agency reported. Dozens of tents spread in and around Karbala to serve free food and drinks as well as masks and gloves for the pilgrims. Iraq has been taking a series of measures to contain the pandemic since February when the first COVID-19 case emerged in the country. 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 More than 3,100 people in Spain have been forced to evacuate as an out-of-control wildfire in the southern region of Andalusia continues to rage, according to the authorities. The blaze broke out on Thursday in the mountains near the town of Almonaster la Real, 120km (75 miles) northwest of the city of Seville. It has already scorched 100 square kilometres (38.5 square miles). Expand Close A helicopter at work trying to tackle the blaze (A Perez, Europa Press via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A helicopter at work trying to tackle the blaze (A Perez, Europa Press via AP) Sixteen helicopters and eight planes are helping more than 500 workers tackle the blaze, including firefighters and army emergency personnel who worked around the clock this weekend. Juan Sanchez of the Andalusia Forest Fire Department said weather conditions were playing a key role, adding: It is very difficult to say when the wildfire will be under control. The wind dropped overnight making their task a little easier, but the authorities expect the fire will be fuelled by strong winds later on Sunday. Crews were also struggling to reach all affected areas because of the rugged terrain, officials said. A further 70 people were evacuated on Saturday because of a wildfire in Mula, a small town in Spains southeastern region of Murcia, while firefighters are also trying to extinguish two wildfires in the western region of Extremadura. Antonio Cahilig, a Muni operator who had been with the transportation agency for 19 years, died early Saturday morning after falling severely ill while on duty, Muni officials said. The officials said Cahilig, 61, had been traveling northbound on Noe Street on the 24 Divisadero route in San Francisco shortly after 5 a.m., when the illness struck. The bus he was driving struck nearby parked cars, but Muni said the vehicle was empty and no one was injured. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died. Cahiligs wife of 35 years, Jennifer Cahilig, told The Chronicle on Saturday that he was the type of person to hand over whatever bills he had in his pocket to people experiencing homeless on the street. I feel lucky that he picked me out of all the females, she said through tears. He was loving, caring, supportive. He was pure. He was real. Thats what he was. When it came to work, Cahilig was serious and by the book, she said, and was well-known by people taking transit and community leaders. She said at times, they would walk down the street in San Francisco, and he would exchange pleasantries with passersby. Courtesy Cahilig family He would always say hi to people and Im wondering, How do you know all them? she said. But he knew a lot of people. He was just a friendly person. Cahilig was born and raised in San Franciscos Richmond District. As a youth, Jennifer Cahilig said, he delivered newspapers for The Chronicle. He served four years in the Army before working as a pastry chef for a Marriott hotel near San Francisco International Airport. His skills in the kitchen, particularly his way of decorating wedding cakes, garnered praise, she said. After nearly 20 years as a pastry chef, he joined Muni as an operator. Jennifer Cahilig said he was a longtime staple in San Franciscos lowrider community, where he would cruise with friends and compete against other motorists with his 70s-era Lincoln Continental outfitted with hydraulics, his multicolored vehicle bouncing to the beat of music blasting from his car. 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. Jeffrey Tumlin, Munis director of transportation, said in a statement that the SFMTA family are grief-stricken at the loss of Antonio. On behalf of all the staff at the SFMTA, I extend my deepest condolences to Antonios family and friends, Tumlin said. His dedication, and that of all our customer-facing, essential workers, is the pride of our agency. Cahilig leaves behind three adult children and two grandchildren. Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez The captain of an RAF Voyager was arrested on suspicion of drink-flying moments before his jet was due to take off. Military police stopped the refuelling tanker as it was taxiing down the runway at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The pilot and one crew member were arrested after allegedly failing a breathalyser test and taken to a military detention centre. An insider said it came after station commanders became aware of a riotous party at the base the night before in which fire extinguishers were set off as a prank. The captain of an RAF Voyager (pictured: library image) was arrested on suspicion of drink-flying moments before his jet was due to take off The source said: An officer who got rudely woken up by the party decided to get his revenge on the Voyager crew by tipping off top brass at the air base. The Voyager got as far as the runway hold short location before military police ordered it to stop. They had really infuriated people the night before with their behaviour so somebody was always going to get their own back. When people found out the drunken crew were due to fly the next day they had to brief the chain of command because at that stage there was a serious safety issue. Military police stopped the refuelling tanker as it was taxiing down the runway at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus (pictured in 2013 with a British Typhoon fighter jet landing) Voyagers known as the petrol stations of the skies support sorties by RAF Lightning and Typhoon strike aircraft used for precision bombing of Islamic State strongholds in Iraq. The RAF confirmed last weeks incident but declined to answer questions about the nature of the Voyagers mission. A spokesman said last night: We are aware of an incident at RAF Akrotiri and it would be inappropriate to comment while an investigation is ongoing. By Express News Service KOCHI/PALAKKAD : In a huge relief to the family of 30-year-old Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, sentenced to death by a court in Yemen for murdering a Yemen national Talal Abdo Mahdi, an appeal court in Yemen on Saturday granted an interim stay on the death penalty imposed on her. However, the court has not mentioned the duration of the stay. Advocate K L Balachandran, who has been appointed the counsel by the NRI (Keralite) Commission to assist Nimisha Priya in the case, told TNIE that there was a stay on the death sentence and the execution will be delayed. He said they will hire a senior counsel from Yemen to argue her case before the Supreme Judicial Council.Balachandran said a seven-member committee comprising two employees of the Indian embassy in Sanaa, a few social workers and himself, has been constituted to finalise the discussion on seeking pardon after paying the blood money of Rs 70 lakh. Tomy Thomas, Nimishas husband, said they have received a communication from the lawyers office that the court had accepted the petition and a hearing will be held soon. Tomy has been desperately trying to raise `70 lakh as there have been discussions about a possible pardon by paying blood money. Nimisha, who hails from Palakkad, was found guilty of murdering Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017 and disposing of his body in a water tank at her house after chopping it into pieces. Though she has been convicted of the murder, Nimisha has pleaded for help submitting that lack of proper legal aid had resulted in her conviction and that she was a victim of physical torture and death threats at the hands of Talal. Already, the trial court in Yemen had awarded life imprisonment to co-accused Hanan, who helped Nimisha in the crime. The duo was arrested in August 2017. The US has has been investigating whether Clearstream violated US money laundering and Iranian sanction laws for years. Photo: Getty Iran has said that it will legally counter a lawsuit filed in the US by creditors who are seeking to seize $1.7bn (1.3bn) of its assets held by the Deutsche Boerses (DB1.DE) Clearstream unit. Earlier, the German stock operator said that creditors had filed the suit in New York in an effort to require Clearstream to hand offer the assets that reportedly belong to Irans central bank. Clearstream says the claims are groundless and that it will take steps to defeat them. After repeated legal defeats in Luxembourg, the US plaintiffs are seeking legal action in US courts against Clearstream. Serious legal action is also underway to counter these measures, deputy governor of the Iranian central bank, Amir Hossein Tayyebi Fard, said in a statement. There were no details given on which legal avenues Iran will take and when it will proceed to prevent the seizure of its assets. READ MORE: The legacy of Abenomics explained as Shinzo Abe steps down Its not the first time that the US has targeted Luxembourg based Clearstream. In 2019 a Luxembourg judge ruled in favour of Clearstream, refusing to enforce a US ruling that would help victims of the September 11 attacks, claim Iranian assets held by Clearstream. The US has also been investigating whether the clearing house violated US money laundering and Iranian sanction laws for years, with Deutsche Boerse denying the allegations. A New York court also awarded plaintiff over $7bn in damages, after it found evidence that Iran provided material support and resources to al Qaeda for acts of terrorism. The militant group took responsibility for carrying out the hijacked plane attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and on the Pentagon, in Washington. Iran has denied any involvement with the militant group and the September 11 attacks. Another 1,715 people have tested positive for coronavirus today in the biggest daily rise in 12 weeks. The last time Britain's daily case load was this high was on June 4, when 1,805 people were diagnosed in just 24 hours. Today's disturbing increase brings the country's total cases to 334,467. But, in a positive sign, the country's death toll is remaining low as just one person died after testing positive for the disease bringing the UK's total fatalities during the pandemic to 41,499. Figures on Sunday are usually smaller due to a delay in processing over the weekend. Another 1,715 people have tested positive for coronavirus today in the biggest daily rise in 12 weeks But, in a positive sign, the country's death toll is remaining low as just one person died after testing positive for the disease bringing the UK's total fatalities during the pandemic to 41,499 There were no new deaths in Scotland for the fourth consecutive day. Wales and Northern Ireland each had no new fatalities for the third straight day. Scotland reported 123 new cases, taking the total number of positive infections to 20,318. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the public not to be alarmed as the number of people in hospital due to Covid-19 rose by three to 258, with five people in intensive care, a rise of two from the previous day. But she did add that the cases would be carefully examined and were of course 'a worry.' '123 Covid cases reported today,' she tweeted. 'The circumstances and any connections/patterns are being closely examined, and Test & Protect is working hard to break transmission chains. While the increase is of course a worry, it is important to note that the positivity rate remains below 1%.' Another 49 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours, the nation's Department of Health said. No new deaths were reported, leaving the total at 560. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the public not to be alarmed as the number of people in hospital due to Covid-19 rose by three to 258 It comes after the Health Secretary has warned that nationwide restrictions cannot be ruled out should England see a spike in coronavirus cases this winter. Matt Hancock also hinted that restrictions may not be eased over Christmas to avoid an 'uptick' in the number of Covid-19 cases. Speaking to The Times, Mr Hancock said countries in others parts of the world were already experiencing a second wave, adding it was 'a very serious threat'. But he said the UK was managing to keep the number of new cases 'flat' through the test and trace system and local lockdowns. Describing the worst-case scenario, he said the UK could be battling bad flu and a growth in coronavirus as people spend more time indoors. He continued: 'Cases go up again, and we have to use very extensive local lockdowns or take further national action. 'We don't rule that out, but we don't want to see it.' BBC's Newsnight reported that a 'reasonable worst-case planning assumption' presented to the Government warned there could be up to 81,000 excess deaths directly attributed to Covid-19 between July and next March. The broadcaster said the scenario was laid out in a document signed off by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) for the Cabinet Office at the end of July. It comes after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that nationwide restrictions cannot be ruled out should England see a spike in coronavirus cases this winter His comments come as local Covid-19 restrictions were eased in northern England, which will allow social gatherings between two homes from Wednesday in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley, Hyndburn and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees. Mr Hancock told The Times that a second wave could be 'avoidable but it's not easy', with schools reopening next week presenting new challenges in stopping the spread of the virus. In an interview with ITV News, Mr Hancock said: 'We're doing a huge amount of planning to make sure that the NHS is prepared and can cope to make sure that people can have as much freedom to enjoy Christmas, to enjoy winter, as possible.' But when asked whether there will be special rules to allow more people to visit one another over Christmas, Mr Hancock suggested it could lead to a rise in the number of people catching the virus. 'The danger of a rule like that is that it increases the spread of the disease,' he said. 'I mean, there are an awful lot of things I'd love to be able to do, but the risk of them is that we see an uptick in the disease. 'Hence, we've had to take decisions that you wouldn't ever want to.' One Jammu and Kashmir policeman got martyred and three terrorists was killed in an encounter that broke out between security forces and terrorists in Panthachowk area of Srinagar on Saturday (August 29) night. The encounter started after terrorists fired upon joint check post of CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police. The martyred policeman has been identified as ASI Babu Ram. Security forces said that the operation is still on. The bodies of terrorists have been recovered with arms and ammunition. They were affiliated with Pakistan-based terror group Laskhar-e-Taiba. The identity of the slain terrorists is being ascertained. According to security foces, terrorists attacked joint naka party of security forces on the main road near Panthachowk after that search operation was launched by joint team of Police, 20 and 50 RR and CRPF in Dobey Mohalla. A police officer said, As the joint team cordoned the suspected house, the hiding terrorists opened fire at search party. The firing was retaliated by the joint party and encounter started." IGP Kashmir confirmed the exchange of fire between the security forces and the terrorists. Police sources said that 2-3 terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area. According to reports, the entire area has been cordoned off and firing is currently on from both sides. Beverley Callard as Coronation Street barmaid Liz McDonald. Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images Coronation Street icon Beverley Callard has revealed her future on the ITV soap is in doubt after minor hip surgery went badly wrong. The 63-year-old visited her GP with a niggling hip compaint in March of this year, and subsequently needed routine key-hole surgery to fix the issue. Despite being told the operation was a success, the Liz McDonald legend found herself in unbearable pain, and a later scan revealed her hip had crumbled during the procedure meaning she needed it replacing. Read more: 'EastEnders' stars kiss through plastic screen in social distancing loophole Following the replacement last month, Callard has had to relearn how to walk on two legs and left her considering a future where she cannot walk or earn a living. Speaking to The Mirror, she opened up about the worst six months of my life. She said: I have been in the most excruciating pain you can imagine like teeth grinding inside my hip. But worse than that was the mental torture of thinking is this the end for me? Beverley Callard attends the TV Now Awards on May 22, 2010 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Phillip Massey/FilmMagic) A huge part of me thought Id never be able to return to Coronation Street that I wouldnt even walk again. Liz is famous for mini skirts, stockings and high heels shoes. Not crutches and a mobility scooter. I thought I wouldnt be able to do my job any more. She went on to describe the ordeal as absolute hell. Read more: Coronation Street's Sam Aston and wife welcome baby born six weeks premature The last Corrie scenes featuring Liz, filmed before the coronavirus lockdown, aired in June. Last month her characters son Steve McDonald, played by Simon Gregson, explained his mothers disappearance on the soap by mentioning she was on holiday in Spain. Callard also revealed in the interview she had planned to work one more year on the soap before leaving the role for good. However, with her future prospects now in doubt, she hinted she may have to re-think her decision, as you dont leave a job like Corrie without plans. Occupation Television presenter and journalist. Age 50. Relationship status Married. Best known for Her work as a news anchor. Currently Promoting her new podcast. Georgie Gardner: "Tim is a wonderful father and has enabled me to have a big job. He is calm and consistent, which is good for me." Credit:James Brickwood Theres a statue of my maternal grandfather, Robert Rowell, in Derby, in the far north-west of Western Australia. An accountant by trade in Perth, he became a stock, station and shipping agent in the Kimberley from 1938 to 1970. He was a man of great vision and an influential businessman and community leader. In that remote region of the country, he was the contact for key visitors. He was part of the welcoming party for the Queen and Prince Philip when they visited Koolan Island, north of Derby, in 1963. He instilled in me a great appreciation for the Australian outback and for Indigenous people, and Im so grateful to him for that. My father, Preston, was a stockbroker. He taught me to appreciate the simple things in life. He took my siblings Katie and John and me crabbing and mushroom picking during winters in Perth. Wed come home and feast on beautiful, simple produce. I adored that about him. British roboticist Dr. Peter Scott-Morgan, who has motor neurone disease, began in 2019 to undergo a series of operations to extend his life using technology. (Photo credit: Cardiff Productions) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Aug 30 : An Intel veteran that helped late physicist Stephen Hawking to speak is now working with Peter Scott-Morgan, a British roboticist who has undergone several operations to head off the incapacity that comes from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease (MND), the same affliction as Hawking suffered. Lama Nachman, Intel fellow and director of Intel's Anticipatory Computing Lab, and her team that includes Indian-origin scientists developed the Assistive Context-Aware Toolkit, a software that helps people with severe disabilities communicate through keyboard simulation, word prediction and speech synthesis. Nachman's team works on context-aware computing and human artificial intelligence (AI) collaboration technologies that can help elderly in their homes, students who might not thrive in standard classrooms and technicians in manufacturing facilities. "I've always felt that technology can empower people who are most marginalized. It can level the playing field and bring more equity into society, and that is most obvious for people with disabilities," Nachman said in an Intel blog post. In 2017, Scott-Morgan received a diagnosis of MND or ALS that attacks one's brain and nerves and eventually paralyses all muscles, even those that enable breathing and swallowing. Doctors told the 62-year-old scientist he'd probably die by the end of 2019 but Scott-Morgan had other plans. He wants to replace all his organs with machinery to become the "world's first full cyborg". Scott-Morgan began his transformation late last year when he underwent a series of operations to extend his life using technology. He now relies on synthetic speech and has developed a lifelike avatar of his face for more effective communication with others. For almost eight years, Nachman helped Hawking communicate his almost mythical intellectual achievements through an open-source platform she and her team helped develop, called the ACAT. For Hawking, it was a tiny muscle in his cheek that he twitched to trigger a sensor on his glasses that would interface with his computer to type sentences. For Scott-Morgan, Nachman's team added gaze tracking, which allows him to stare at letters on his computer screen to form sentences, as well as word prediction capabilities. "I've always had this interest in figuring out the latest and greatest technologies and playing with them and breaking them and fixing them," Nachman said. While Hawking wanted more control over his conversations, Nachman said that Scott-Morgan is "open to greater experimentation and the idea of he and the machine learning together". "As a result, we have been researching how to build a response-generation capability that can listen to the conversation and suggest answers that he can quickly choose from or nudge in a different direction." Nachman said that Scott-Morgan is willing to forego control in exchange for intuitive collaboration with his AI-powered communication interface because of the speed it affords him. Nachman said some of her team's research focuses on people who cannot move any part of their body, not even a twitch of their cheeks or eyes. For them, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) include skullcaps equipped with electrodes that monitor brainwaves, like an electroencephalogram test. Its safe to say that business has been anything but usual for the Estacada School District this year. Like most entities across the globe, the Clackamas County school district found itself having to be more inventive and adaptive than perhaps ever before, as it looks for ways to support the 1,750 students and 240 employees who walk the halls of its four schools. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Oregon at the end of February, Estacada swiftly took action. Before it was mandated, the district closed schools to transition to distance learning. This was one of the key pieces that helped us out early on, said Maggie Kelly, the districts director of communications and community relations. It allowed us to have additional planning time to support our staff and give lead time to families who needed to make important decisions surrounding child care. Estacada School District is a winner in The Oregonian/OregonLive's 2020 Top Workplaces competition. Maria Warren, with student Stas Enacheiv, teaches a hybrid summer math class on July 15, 2020, in the Estacada Middle School building for seventh-graders transitioning to eighth grade. Ten students are taking the class in-person while another 10 attend remotely via Zoom.Randy L. Rasmussen/For The Oregonian/OregonLive This level of leadership is one of the many reasons the district secured a spot as a winner in The Oregonian/OregonLives Top Workplaces competition. The district is a first-time winner this year, in the competitions ninth year. Estacada Middle School science teacher Brooke Kottkamp said that the districts effort for transparency in how decisions that affect teachers are being made and weekly one-on-one phone check-ins makes her feel both supported and heard. Kottkamp said she was impressed with how the district had the infrastructure in place to move our student body into a virtual learning environment quickly and efficiently. This spring, the removal of face-to-face instruction meant the loss of crucial school-sanctioned programs that kids across the district depend on, like free lunch. Fifty percent of the students attending Estacada schools receive free or reduced lunch. Estacadas nutrition services staff teamed up with the transportation staff to deliver meals to kids, through their regular bus routes. This plan was implemented on day one of school closures. Then there were the less tangible side effects, such as the mental well-being of teachers and students. Estacada ramped up its mental health services to ensure that teachers and families had access to virtual care providers and increased personal protective equipment for frontline responders, including transportation, nutrition services and custodial teams. Estacada School District is a winner in The Oregonian/OregonLive's 2020 Top Workplaces competition. A student in summer math class at Estacada Middle School for seventh-graders transitioning to eighth grade sits near a screen showing classmates who are attending remotely via Zoom on July 15, 2020.Randy L. Rasmussen/For The Oregonian/OregonLive Months later, racial justice protests began in Portland and other cities following George Floyds death in police custody in May. Kelly said equality and inclusion has been a long-time priority and mission within the Estacada district. The administration strives to attract a diverse talent pool, believing its important for students to see themselves reflected in their educators, said Kelly. While diversity is a priority, she acknowledged the district still has a long way to go and is continuously looking for ways to be inclusive. Remote learning provided the opportunity to better serve minority students. Kelly said, We know there are equity issues surrounding virtual learning and we want to close gaps for our minority students. In an effort to keep these gaps from widening during distance learning, the district has increased translation services, as Spanish-speaking families are having to play a more active role in education at home. Additionally, given the higher poverty rate in the Estacada School District, employees delivered 90 internet hotspots to all students in need and worked with families to provide subsidized internet services through partnerships with local providers. After soliciting and implementing feedback from employees and empowering them to know that they are experts in their field, Kelly said, Estacada is offering two schooling options for the fall: a hybrid track that allows students to receive in-person education twice a week, and a fully remote option. The district is also working with community partners to create a subsidized childcare program for staff members. Read more Top Workplaces stories at oregonlive.com/topworkplaces. Keep up with Oregon business and economic news by subscribing to our Oregon Business Insights newsletter. The government of Commonwealth of Dominica has said that underworld don and India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim is and has never been a citizen of the island country. "Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is not, nor has he ever been, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica, neither through the Citizenship by Investment Programme nor any other means. As such, any publication by any media or by any person purporting otherwise is strictly false," said the Dominican government in a statement. "It has long been the responsibility of the Citizenship by Investment Unit to ... Temple University started classes on Monday and is now suspending all in-person instruction through at least Sept. 11. Read more With more than 100 positive cases of the coronavirus, Temple University announced Sunday that it would shut down in-person classes for two weeks, similar to a move the University of Notre Dame made earlier this month after cases spiked there. Temple also will join with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health in an intensive effort to test, contact-trace, and minimize further spread, President Richard M. Englert said in an email to the campus community Sunday. The health department is expected to conduct more than 300 tests on Temples campus Monday of students who were identified as having close contact with an infected person or are symptomatic, Temple spokesperson Ray Betzner said. The cases appear to be linked to small social gatherings off campus, Englert said in his email. The city health department on Saturday warned students to avoid all social contact with people outside their homes or apartments. READ MORE: Temple resumes classes, with far fewer students on campus We are hopeful, of course, that we will be able to return to the full hybrid program in place at the start of the semester, Englert said, but any such decision will be driven by the data and public health guidance available at the time. The decision comes less than a week after classes started on the North Philadelphia campus. Last Monday, the first day of classes, Temple had just 10 cases. By Friday, cases had jumped to 58. Now, the university is at 103, Englert said, noting that the university had conducted more than 5,000 tests in the last two weeks. None of the cases appear to be serious at this point, he said. Most of these students testing positive are asymptomatic; a small number have mild to moderate flu-like symptoms, Englert said. Temple becomes the second large university in Pennsylvania to shift course in the last week. With 119 cases, Bloomsburg University announced last week that it would revert to online classes. Other schools around the country have taken similar steps after recording hundreds of coronavirus cases, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which now has 1,025 cases. READ MORE: Bloomsburg University reverts to largely remote instruction after 90 coronavirus cases are reported Notre Dame, which has 570 cases, stopped in-person classes for two weeks, and the school said it would begin resuming them this week after cases started to drop. Despite urging by faculty union leaders and the schools student government association to keep almost all classes online, Temple moved forward with its plan and started the semester with a mix of in-person, hybrid and remote classes. But it was not business as usual. About 8,900 students were on campus for the first day of classes, about a third of the normal number for opening day. Temple enrolls about 39,000 students. Both faculty union and student leaders said that Temples decision to revert to online classes was a step in the right direction but that a temporary pause isnt enough. Shutting classes down for two weeks isnt going to stop any of the off-campus behaviors that led to the uptick in cases in the first place, said Quinn Litsinger, president of the Temple Student Government Association. The university needs to keep classes online all semester and empty its student housing, except for students who need to be there because of housing issues or other challenges, he said. Betzner said moving students out of residence halls isnt under discussion at this time. He said not many cases are coming out of residence halls. I dont think weve got a dozen cases from students in university housing, he said. The universitys dashboard notes that 99 of the 103 cases were among students on campus, but that just means that they were known to be in a Temple facility during the time they were infectious. Litsinger, a junior political science major from Cherry Hill, said he is taking all his classes online. He was supposed to have one class in person but switched it. I wasnt comfortable going into a class once a week, he said. The Temple Association of University Professionals, the faculty union, has been calling on the university for weeks to hold all classes online that arent absolutely required to be in person. Steve Newman, union president, applauded the decision to switch gears, but also said more action is needed. We hope the administration listens to its students, faculty and neighbors in North Philadelphia and follows what the science is telling them and extends this through the end of the semester, he said. The decision made for a long day of driving for Michael Lukasavage, 19, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Dallas in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and his mother. He had gone home on Thursday after catching a bad case of poison ivy, and he was on his way back to campus on Sunday when the message about online classes went out. He checked with his roommate, who didnt intend to come back. I didnt really want to sit alone in my room for two weeks, so I packed my stuff and left, he said, as they were driving back to Dallas. He had only one class in-person, he said. He hopes the school stays online for the rest of the semester and tries to reopen again for in person classes in the spring. Temple drew harsh criticism from some for even starting in-person classes. You are literal criminals for opening in the first place, tweeted the Temple University Coalition for Change. Some are worried that the infection rates mounting on campus could endanger the surrounding community. STOP PUTTING NORTH PHILLY RESIDENTS IN HARM FOR ONCE IN LIFE, a student wrote on social media. this is so sad & stupid that im embarrassed this is gonna be my alma mater. James Garrow, a spokesperson for the city health department, said spread into the local community is a concern and one of the reasons we are coming after this so hard and really working closely with Temple, because we want to stop that before it starts. The health departments new guidance on social gatherings for college students also applies to other schools. While the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, La Salle and Chestnut Hill College all moved to largely remote instruction, St. Josephs University and Thomas Jefferson University also are still holding some in-person classes. Under Temples plan announced Sunday, all classes will shift to a remote mode through at least Sept. 11. Only classes that are deemed essential by a dean will be held in person during the two weeks, the school said. The university on Monday will launch a help line for those in the campus community with concerns, at 215-204-4400. READ MORE: 'Avoid all social gatherings. Philly issues new rules for students; Temple bans gatherings of all sizes Staff writer Stephanie Farr contributed to this article. U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech as the 2020 Republican presidential nominee during the final event of the Republican National Convention on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, August 27, 2020. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is asking President Donald Trump to back out of a visit to the city of Kenosha planned for Tuesday, saying in a letter on Sunday that Trump's presence "will only hinder our healing." The letter from the Wisconsin Democrat comes as Trump is scheduled to travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin to meet with law enforcement officials in the city days after a Black man, Jacob Blake, was shot in the back seven times by a White police officer and paralyzed. "I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state," Evers wrote in the two-page letter to Trump. "I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together," he added. The White House confirmed that the president would travel to the Wisconsin city on Saturday evening after the president suggested that he would "probably" make the trip. Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said no meeting between the president and Jacob Blake's family had yet been confirmed. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Evers' letter. Earlier on Sunday, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also criticized Trump's planned trip, saying on CNN that the president's remarks at the Republican National Convention last week suggested it would prove divisive. Blake, 29, was shot during an arrest Aug. 23 that was caught on tape and sparked protests against police violence. During demonstrations two days later, two protesters were fatally shot. Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old, has been arrested and charged with their murders. The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating Blake's shooting. Ben Crump, an attorney for Blake's family, said on CBS's "Face The Nation" on Sunday morning that his clients had not yet been contacted by the White House, but that "we will see," noting that Blake's family was "very respectful of all elected officials." The Blake family spoke with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris for about an hour, Crump said. Lara Trump, a campaign advisor and the wife of the president's son Eric Trump, said on "Fox News Sunday" that President Trump had reached out to the Blake family, but noted that she was unsure if the two sides had yet been able to connect. The president's visit to Wisconsin, a key swing state that he narrowly won in 2016, comes as the president trails former Vice President Biden in national surveys of November's presidential contest. A CNBC/Change Research poll from earlier in August found Biden leading Trump narrowly in Wisconsin, 49-46, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4%. Trump has sought to gain the upper hand against Biden on issues of law and order, and has framed the widespread protests against police brutality in Portland, Oregon, Kenosha and other cities as illustrations of the weakness of local Democratic officials. During his Thursday address to the Republican National Convention, Trump warned that a Biden victory could unleash "violent anarchists, agitators and criminals." Barnes, Wisconsin's lieutenant governor, said on CNN Sunday that the president's comments at the RNC created "animosity" and "division" and suggested that Trump's visit to the city would not be helpful. "I don't know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful. And we absolutely don't need that right now," said Barnes, who led the Wisconsin delegation at the Democratic National Convention, which took place the week before the RNC. Trump has said little about Blake's shooting, though he said Friday that he was "looking into it very strongly" and that he had seen video of the arrest. "I'll be getting reports, and I'll certainly let you know pretty soon," Trump said. "But, it was not a good sight. I didn't like the sight of it, certainly. And, I think most people would agree with that." This article will reflect on the compensation paid to Mike Struthers who has served as CEO of Empire Metals Limited (LON:EEE) since 2018. This analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness of CEO compensation when taking into account the earnings and shareholder returns of the company. Check out our latest analysis for Empire Metals How Does Total Compensation For Mike Struthers Compare With Other Companies In The Industry? According to our data, Empire Metals Limited has a market capitalization of UK5.4m, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth UK63k over the year to December 2019. That's a notable decrease of 24% on last year. Notably, the salary of UK63k is the entirety of the CEO compensation. For comparison, other companies in the industry with market capitalizations below UK150m, reported a median total CEO compensation of UK148k. This suggests that Mike Struthers is paid below the industry median. Component 2019 2018 Proportion (2019) Salary UK63k UK67k 100% Other - UK16k - Total Compensation UK63k UK83k 100% Speaking on an industry level, nearly 67% of total compensation represents salary, while the remainder of 33% is other remuneration. Speaking on a company level, Empire Metals prefers to tread along a traditional path, disbursing all compensation through a salary. If salary dominates total compensation, it suggests that CEO compensation is leaning less towards the variable component, which is usually linked with performance. A Look at Empire Metals Limited's Growth Numbers Empire Metals Limited has seen its earnings per share (EPS) increase by 31% a year over the past three years. In the last year, its revenue is down 87%. Shareholders would be glad to know that the company has improved itself over the last few years. It's always a tough situation when revenues are not growing, but ultimately profits are more important. While we don't have analyst forecasts for the company, shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Story continues Has Empire Metals Limited Been A Good Investment? With a three year total loss of 85% for the shareholders, Empire Metals Limited would certainly have some dissatisfied shareholders. So shareholders would probably want the company to be lessto generous with CEO compensation. In Summary... Empire Metals pays CEO compensation exclusively through a salary, with non-salary compensation completely ignored. As previously discussed, Mike is compensated less than what is normal for CEOs of companies of similar size, and which belong to the same industry. However we must not forget that the EPS growth has been very strong over three years. Although we would've liked to see positive investor returns, it would be bold of us to criticize CEO compensation when EPS are up. But shareholders will likely want to hold off on any raise for Mike until investor returns are positive. 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. In our study, we found 6 warning signs for Empire Metals you should be aware of, and 5 of them shouldn't be ignored. Arguably, business quality is much more important than CEO compensation levels. So check out this free list of interesting companies that have HIGH return on equity 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 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 New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes SC judge Arun Mishra declines farewell invitations over COVID pandemic India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Aug 30: Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra, who is superannuating on September 2, has declined farewell invitations of bar bodies citing "severe situation and sufferings the world over" on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Justice Mishra, who became an apex court judge on July 7, 2014, is demitting office on Tuesday and is all set to pronounce key judgements in cases including timelines for payment of AGR dues by telcos and the award of punishment to activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a contempt case. The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Confederation of Indian Bar have extended the invitations for the farewell functions to the outgoing judge. Amit Shah to be discharged soon after recovering from Coronavirus "I am grateful for your kind invitation inviting me in the farewell function... I have always considered the bar as the mother of the judiciary, and it would have been a great pleasure to attend said function. "However, taking into consideration the severe situation and sufferings the world over on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, my conscience does not permit me to participate in any farewell function," Justice Mishra wrote to the bar bodies declining the requests. He, however, assured the bar bodies that he would visit them as and when the situation normalizes. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 23:15 [IST] A statement by Prof Pat Utomi, Co Chairman of the NCFront Steering Committee on his maiden visit to the NCFront National Secretariat in Abuja at the weekend, marking the beginning of consultations to ratify the strategy and activity chart of the NCFront. Sunday, 30th August, 2020 Dear Compatriots, members of the NCFront Steering committee and members of the Fourth estate of the realm, NCF Staff and Volunteers. I am delighted to have finally overcome COVID-19 lockdown and be visiting the National Secretariat of the NCFront, as we launch into a national tour of sharing the NCFront testament for organizing to save and create a New NIgeria that works for all On behalf of the networks of Thought Leaders of conscience in Nigeria, who have subscribed to a citizen activation movement called the National Consultative Front, NCfront, I am pleased to present our short to medium programme for rescuing and saving Nigeria from a wave of troubling negative trends. After a series of webinars, robust conversations on several social media groups, and brainstorming sessions, we have noted some unpleasant trends which if unchecked threaten the legitimacy of the Nigerian State and its democratic order. Our goal is to check the slide and restore popular trust in Democratic way as well as in our institutions, currently being suffocated by the politics of State capture and power erosion with attendant consequences, which include violence in Nigeria at large, which begs the question of the traditional definition of the State as the sovereign with a monopoly of (lawful) use of violence. Equally threatening the social order and state legitimacy are widespread culture of corruption, the gulf between Government and the people as well as the state and society. Challenging economy, even as we approach the end of the age of crude oil, others are failing state-owned enterprises, and the disastrous state of both education and health care among a variety of other challenges are critical issues requiring urgent citizens' engagements. These matters are beyond partisan but all constitute existential threat to Nigeria as a nation. Most of us believe that to solve these problems and save our dear nation from these leadership pandemic, all citizens ought to take ownership of the problems and act in ways that can lead to their resolution. However, many presently do not act as citizens for a variety of reasons. We, therefore, believe the first duty of enlightened leadership is to wake up the citizen. We, thus see NCfront as first and foremost, a web of networks of people of conscience awakening citizen consciousness that will prompt action that can and will redeem the land. Therefore, our commitment, as NCFront is to create the structures, work plan and inspiration to make this different from similar initiatives in the past that stop at talking. Here and today, our goal is simple and focused. To move Nigeria forward because the consequence of failure is staring us in the face already. But how can we do the needful. We need the structure, systems and transforming leadership impetus. STRUCTURE The structure of the emerging people's movement as conceived will be given direction by a Steering Committee with co-chairs which will be coordinating a web of clusters of stakeholder groups. Each cluster will determine its general operating mode within a framework proposed by the steering committee which has already defined who we are, our values, and goals as Stakeholders and members of the NCFront Among these clusters are concerned Professional Groups, Youth Groups, Trade Unions, Artisan Groups, Women Groups, Students Leagues, Committed Political Parties, and an Elders Committee of Statesmen, and Business Leaders. In the preceding weeks, we have had consultations with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Movement, Youths and Students Leaders and Elder Statesmen like Dr Christopher Kolade, Dr Uma Eleazu, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chief Olu Falae, Dr Kunle Olajide among others and intend to advance nationwide to continue these consultations with eminent elder statesmen and women of conscience. The steering committee in its guardian role will offer alternative views to those advanced by government's public policy, where they are at variance with synthesis of positions thrown up by the Think Tanks servicing the NCfront. This is particularly urgent because opposition parties are not doing enough in the area of shadow government politics MODUS OPERANDI The launching of a Citizens' owned and driven mega party movement calls for an open invitation to all citizens who desire system change in Nigeria, or feel a need to rescue and save the country from the direction its current trends seem to point, to urgently register on the NCFront website and then proceed to form a cell of not less than 12 and no more than 20 people of conscience. Each of these cells shall be required to meet weekly on a format to be clearly spelt out by the National Secretariat in discussing issues of importance to the Nation and their local communities, while proposing relevant interventions for the NCFront and Government to undertake. ACTIVITY CHART OF NCFront: On International Democracy Day, September 15, the NCFront is planning to interface with the National Assembly on critical issues of constitution and electoral reforms and also through a Grand National webinar will discuss issues that affect the development of our democracy, which include, electoral laws, process, and convention of Political Patties, internal democracy in political parties, money politics, the systems of recruitment and socialization of leaders based on ideas, values and worldviews. The role of the judiciary in the current loss of regard for elections will be equally periscoped. Again, on October 1, the NCFront plans, at a Grand National Summit, to focus on why a country of great promise is now the poverty capital of the world 60 years after independence and therefore intends to launch an initiative for Executive vocational education and a major conversations on policy that will seek to move Nigeria from a culture of sharing to one of production and human solidarity of Neighbours Caring for Neighbours. Central to this philosophy of economic thrust is the building the nexus of a common cause between a rural agriculture class, an artisan class, an emerging peoples entrepreneurial class producing values and productive middle class workers. This people's solidarity shall be the basis for policy prescriptions of the movement in seeking to elevate the dignity of Labour to a central place in Nigeria, even as we promote justice, and fairness to all because of dignity domiciled in all people as an inalienable gift of God. We shall therefore spare no cost where human life is concerned It is on this note that I hereby invite all people of goodwill and conscience to join us on this journey of National restoration and renewal. Thank you all for your support! Patrick Utomi Co-chairman, NCFront. #NCFront! #Agenda for New Nigeria!! Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 12:55:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Security staff stand guard near the site of a gunfight at Pantha Chowk on the outskirts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 30, 2020. Three militants and a policeman were killed early Sunday in a gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three militants and a policeman were killed early Sunday in a gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The fight broke out at Pantha Chowk on the outskirts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "In an overnight gunfight that continued until early morning, three militants were killed in Pantha Chowk area here," a police official posted in Srinagar said. "While fighting militants a policeman was also wounded. Though he was immediately removed to the hospital, he succumbed there." According to police officials, the three militants first fired upon a checkpoint manned by police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Pantha Chowk. However, no damage was caused during the attack. Following the attack, government forces launched a search operation to trace the militants who opened fire again leading to a gunfight that continued throughout the night. On Saturday three militants and a trooper were killed in a fierce gunfight in Pulwama district. On Friday, four militants were killed in a similar gunfight with government forces in the adjacent Shopian district. A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Enditem The family of Bangladesh's main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has sought an extension of six more months on her suspended prison sentence for the former prime minister's treatment, according to a media report. The government had in March released Zia for six months on a condition that she would stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, receive treatment and not travel abroad. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had said that Zia was freed on humanitarian grounds after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's approval. The 74-year-old opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 8, 2018. Zia's family filed a plea with the government for an extension of the suspended prison sentence as the six months allotted to her in March will come to an end on September 24, the Dhaka Tribune reported. A M Ehsanur Rahman, one of Zia's counsels, said that an application, signed by the BNP chief's younger brother Shamim Eskander, was sent to the home ministry on August 25. The BNP chairperson did not receive proper treatment due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Her family wants the extension for her treatment, the counsel was quoted as saying in the report. Home Minister Kamal confirmed that they have received an application which was sent to the law ministry for its consideration and "further steps will be taken after considering the legal basis of the application, the Dhaka Tribune report said. Zia served thrice as the premier since 1991. Her party suffered a miserable defeat in the 2018 elections bagging only six seats in the 300-seat parliament. Her conviction on "moral turpitude" charges debarred her from contesting the polls. She was sent to jail in February 2018 by a local court on charges of embezzling foreign donations meant for an orphanage, named after her slain husband and president Ziaur Rehman, during her premiership between 2001 and 2006. Rehman, a military ruler-turned-politician, was the founder of the BNP. She was convicted in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated. International 1 killed in Portland as Trump supporters clash with protesters A caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump drive in downtown Portland, Ore., Saturday.(AP) Washington, Aug 30 (IANS) | Publish Date: 8/30/2020 9:35:23 AM IST One person was shot and killed in Portland, the largest city in the US state of Oregon, after supporters of President Donald Trumps clashed with anti-racism protesters, according to police. The incident took place on Saturday at 8,46 p.m. as police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street, Xinhua news agency quoted the Portland Police Bureau as saying in a statement. It said police officers have secured the entire block at the crime scene and are investigating the shooting as a homicide, adding no suspect information is being released at this time. There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators. Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests, it tweeted. The US has witnessed massive protests against racism and police brutality after George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed African-American man, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. In his acceptance speech of the Republican Partys nomination on Thursday night, Trump did not address the issue of racism, but instead touted job numbers for African-Americans and doubled down his support of law enforcement agencies. A pictorial biography on senior lawyer and chairperson of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), Lalit Bhasin, was released on Saturday by eminent jurist Fali S Nariman. The coffee table book titled Lalit Bhasin A Lifetime Dedicated to Law was released at a function organised at Narimans residence in south Delhi. Bhasin, who has been at the forefront of promoting interests of law firms in India through SILF, which was founded in 2000, said that the book is dedicated to the legal profession and lawyers of the country. Bhasin, 81, was born in Rawalpindi, which is now in Pakistan. His father TR Bhasin was a well-known senior lawyer whose last assignment was as counsel for the Khosla Commission, constituted in 1970 to probe into the disappearance of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Bhasin pursued law from Faculty of Law, Delhi University and started his law practice in 1962. The book, published by Matrix Publishing Group, captures Bhasins life from his pre-Partition days as a child in Rawalpindi to his shift to Delhi and rise in Delhi legal circles. Life was not a bed of roses after Partition when we were uprooted from Rawalpindi. It was a period of struggle. What I have tried to convey in this book about me is that one can start from scratch and yet achieve ones goals if one has the mission in mind and work towards it, Bhasin told HT. Bhasin said that Sanjay Sethi, who is the CEO of the Matrix Group, contacted him a couple of years ago, saying he wanted to bring out a coffee table book about Bhasins life as a lawyer. He really prevailed upon me to bring out this book. Thereafter, I devoted a lot of time with him since we had to capture about 81 years of my life out of which 58 years were (in) the (legal) profession, Bhasin said. This is an excellent book and makes for a very interesting read, Fali Nariman said at the launch. Bhasin has previously served as chairperson of the Bar Council of Delhi and is also the current president of the Bar Association of India, which is a federation of various lawyers bodies. My mission has been to give back to the society and to help legal professionals, particularly the junior members of the bar who might not have libraries or resources. I also wanted to make Indian legal profession known throughout the world. We have been able to do that through the Bar Association of India and through Society of Indian Law Firms which have placed India on the world map of the legal profession. Now, Indian lawyers are considered as second to none. I am very happy to see Indias legal profession emerge as a force to reckon with, Bhasin said. The Westland Whirlwind was a remarkable twin-engined fighter which served Britains Royal Air Force during the early stages of WWII. The type had great promise, being one of the fastest fighters of its day when it flew for the first time in October, 1938. With a top speed of 360mph at 15,000, it had a potent armament suite as well, wielding four 20mm cannon in the nose. Unfortunately, the type fell victim to teething problems, especially with its Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines; other aircraft types eventually superseded the Whirlwind in its intended roles. Production ceased in January, 1942, with the RAF retiring their fleet in December, 1943. Just over a hundred Whirlwinds served in the RAF, which fielded three squadrons of the type (Nos.25, 137 and 263), largely in ground and maritime attack roles. Sadly the type is now extinct, with the last complete airframe going to the scrappers during the late 1940s. Even so, the Whirlwind maintains a cult following within the historical aviation community, and its absence in any museum represents an important gap with respect to telling the complete history of the air war in Britain during WWII. The Whirlwind Fighter Project hopes to address this issue, and is already well on the way with the construction of a brand new fuselage. They have started a fund-raising effort to help them reach fruition, so please do click HERE to help if you can. To fill us in on the details with the projects progress so far, the British-based teams Chris Hayward picks up the story here The Whirlwind Fighter Project by Chris Hayward Back in the mid-fifties my Dad decided that I should have a hobby of some kind, so he went into Woolworths in Clapham and brought one of those plastic kits that you could get in a plastic bag and if I remember rightly cost about 2 bob or just 20 pence to younger readers born after currency decimalization in 1970. My dad also brought a tube of polystyrene glue which if inhaled a little too much over the period of construction, often made one light headed! This model kit turned out to be the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I. Many a young lad at the time started on this aircraft. All went well under my dads guidance, until we got to the bit of card with all the markings on it. A great deal of head scratching ensued at this point until he decided that the best way to apply the markings was to cut them out with scissors and glue them to the model! It was some time before I learnt that that was not the way to do it. But this is irrelevant, because from this point on, I got hooked by plastic kits and that enthusiasm has never gone away. I remember one day going into Woolies and obtaining a model of a small twin engine RAF fighter one which I soon became utterly fascinated with. This turned out to be remarkably charismatic, though largely unknown Westland Whirlwind Mk.I. Sadly, the very last Whirlwind was dismantled at Westlands factory in Yeovil, Somerset during 1947 after serving a short time as the Company hack. Rumor had it that it somehow still survived, buried under the perimeter track at the airfield, however, this is now believed untrue, as several eye witnesses remember seeing it towed down to a scrap yard a short distance away. A very sad end to what was an advanced aircraft for its time. The Project About eight years ago, there was a discussion on the Flypast forum between Stuart Hawkins, Mike Eastman, Gunnar Olsen and Matt Bearman, as to whether it was possible to build another Whirlwind. Some had tried in the past, but due to the lack of design drawings, many of which had been destroyed during a severe flood at the Yeovil factory, most considered it a nearly impossible task. However, it turned out that Gunnar Olsen, based in Norway, had been working on a set of CAD drawings for the framework using photographs of crashed Whirlwinds. These photographs had enabled him to follow frame lines and rivet lines so that he could build up the plans in a methodical manner. We approached the original manufacturer, Westland, to see if they would let the project have the surviving plans so that the full layout could be completed. They agreed, but only on the stipulation that the aircraft would never fly. We felt that a Whirlwind on the ground would be better than no Whirlwind at all so we said Yes please! Next we began to collect any surviving parts. However, other than some items recovered from a crash site in Scotland, there was very little remaining apart from a couple of windscreens, and various cockpit instruments common to many aircraft at the time of manufacture. There was also a small selection of parts on display at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum in Hawkinge. The crash-remains of Whirlwind P6966 did offer up both Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines though. For those who may not have heard of this engine, Peregrines were the ultimate offshoot of the Rolls-Royce Kestrel V-12. They are exceedingly rare, however, as the Whirlwind was the only production aircraft ever to use them. Both of P6966s Peregrines were badly damaged in the wartime crash though; furthermore, they are now in the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust museum in Derby. I was asked if I was prepared to do some research for the project, but soon found out that it was not one of my better ideas. I did visit the Public records office at Kew several times over several years, but when we decided to become a more formal organization, I became secretary, which I am happier about. We have progressed well, and are now in the situation of having a fuselage, partly constructed by the world-renowned Airframe Assemblies restoration shop on the Isle of Wight. Steve Vizard founded this amazing company, one which has been involved in practically every airworthy Spitfire or Bf 109 restoration in the world. It was Vizzard who carried out the original dig on P6966 in Scotland back in the 1970s, he still has a passion for the Whirlwind. Our ultimate goal is to build a full-scale, accurate reproduction of Whirlwind Mk.I P7056 Pride of Yeovil, and the completed airframe will go on display at the Kent Battle of Museum Trust in Hawkinge. Towards that noble end, please do visit our website at www.whirlwindfighterproject.co.uk to see progress and to find out how you can help us preserve the history of this remarkable fighter aircraft. France won't ban Huawei as relations with China remain 'stable and mature' Global Times By Zhang Han Source: Global Times Published: 2020/8/29 17:27:07 Last Updated: 2020/8/29 19:46:09 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday (French time) met with French President Emmanuel Macron during his ongoing European tour and the two discussed a wide range of topics including co-developing a COVID-19 vaccine and France's pledge not to ban Chinese tech company Huawei. Wang said that the pressing task is to restart bilateral exchanges in all areas in an orderly manner while keeping regular COVID-19 containment measures in place, including strengthening coordination and cooperation in the research and development of COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines, the Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday. Macron said that France highly appreciates China's commitment to making any COVID-19 vaccine it develops a global public good, and is ready to deepen cooperation with China in the fight against the virus and to push for more results in bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture and other areas. He also said he looked forward to visiting China again at an early date. After the meeting, Macron told the media that France will not exclude Huawei from its 5G network construction, but will favor European suppliers such as Ericsson and Nokia, Associated Press reported Saturday. Chinese analysts noted that France has its own pace in dealing with politics, trade and diplomacy. Prioritizing 5G providers within the region is France's response to recent pressure from the US, after the UK excluded Huawei from its network. Macron's pledge shows the country doesn't always dance to the US tune nor has it completely joined its anti-China camp, they said. Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Saturday that trade and economic ties are the country's stable bond with China and that France also wants a multilateral and stable world as China does, meaning the two countries share common grounds for cooperation despite conflicts in some areas. China-France relations have a stable economic basis and both sides want to add stability to a world of uncertainties and to support multilateralism and a rules-based economic system amid US unilateralism and protectionism, Cui said. China-France trade was worth $58.6 billion in 2019 and the top leaders of the two countries communicated closely on epidemic control and bilateral relations during the past weeks, Xinhua reported. China's leading position in the global vaccine research and development also helped widen the ground for bilateral cooperation, Cui said. Cui also noted some elements in China-France and China-Europe relations, including ideological changes inside Europe. "There is a trend inside Europe that more people are raising ideology issues or using it to differentiate friend and enemy, which contributes to political frictions and is unfavorable to China-France relations," Cui said. France was first to cut its extradition treaties with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after the national security law for Hong Kong was initiated. France and Europe are more aligned with the US politically, and escalating China-US tensions have prompted European countries to become more explicit in their criticism over conflicts such as Hong Kong-related affairs, Cui said. But sour relations with China are against the interests of France, which will not completely fall into the US camp, predicted Cui. During his meeting with Macon, Wang said that Europe is an important force in a multipolar world, and China and Europe have always been partners instead of rivals with their consensus far outweighing differences. China will continue to encourage Europe to maintain strategic independence in accordance with its own fundamental and long-term interests and to strengthen practical cooperation with Europe, analysts said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Major Custard ($2.40) maintained his perfect three-year-old season with a commanding 1:55.3 score in the $84,790 Ralph Klein Memorial for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, which shared top billing on Saturday's (Aug. 29) Century Downs card with the $94,100 Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial for sophomore fillies. Brandon Campbell pointed Major Custard to an easy lead over Criminal Record (Kelly Hoerdt) on approach to the first turn, and a tepid :59.1 first half practically sealed the deal for the gelded son of Custard The Dragon. With three-eighths to go, Major Custard picked up the pace enough to evade the first-over advance of Horse (Ryan Grundy) past three-quarters in 1:27.2. On the far turn, Horse worked briefly into a narrow second over Criminal Record, and Trip Hammer (Nathan Sobey) tipped three-wide off cover while cornering for home, but Major Custard was driven clear of his challengers upon straightening and won by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:55.3 while kept to task. Criminal Record narrowly held second after pulling pocket and giving futile chase, doing so over the ground-saving Speaking Of Art (Keith Clark). Michael Campbell trains Major Custard, whose seven wins in as many starts this season also include open-length scores in the Alberta Marksman and Plainsman stakes events, for the JJJ Stables and Jim Marino. Jessies Girl ($22.60) passed all eight of her rivals en route to a 1:56.4 victory in the $94,100 Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial for three-year-old fillies. Jessies Girl was nowhere to be found in the early stages while Century Gianna (Hoerdt) sprinted clear from post 8 and threw down a :28.2 quarter while tracked by Blue Star Dreaming (Mike Hennessy) and even-money favourite Rockinwithcustard (Campbell). With a circuit to go, Century Gianna's stablemate Watch Me Boogie (Dave Kelly) advanced in the outer tier, forcing an outer flow that buried Rockinwithcustard at the pegs through a backed down :59 half mile. Watch Me Boogie tired upon reaching the backstretch, which prompted Miss Itunes (Nathan Sobey) to push to the fore with three furlongs to go. And while she pushed clear of a gasping Century Gianna at three-quarters in 1:27, Jessies Girl and driver Jamie Gray had circled three-wide from ninth into second and stoutly closed ground on the final turn. Jessies Girl struck the front at the top of the stretch and easily reeled in Miss Itunes but her main danger came in the form of Blue Star Dreaming, who found room to vacate traffic and give chase. Jessies Girl dug in to prevail by a diminishing length in 1:56.4 over Blue Star Dreaming, while Miss Itunes had enough to narrowly hold third over Rockin With Lou (Keith Clark). Jessies Girl (#3, right) withstood the late challenge of Blue Star Dreaming to win the Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial at Century Downs. Jessies Girl (#3, right) withstood the late challenge of Blue Star Dreaming to win the Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial at Century Downs. Rockinwithcustard finished seventh after severe traffic woes and some instances of an awkward gait in the stretch. Doug Stout trains six-time winner Jessies Girl, a daughter of Badlands Hanover, for owner-breeder Derek Stout. The undercard featured a trio of Alberta Lonestar divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, two of which were captured by their respective odds-on favourites, as well as two Alberta Starburst splits for rookie pacing fillies which both saw the heavy public choices prevail. Dragon Energy ($2.90) took top honours among 19 male juveniles in the Lonestar with a 1:57.1 mile in line to Dave Kelly. The Nathan Sobey-trained son of Custard The Dragon and Tik Tik Vroom extended his undefeated career record to three-for-three with a one-length victory over Codename Cigar Box. Kelly Hoerdt's Had A Hard Handle ($2.30) also prevailed at odds-on with a 1:58.3 score. In the other division, Shark Week ($7.10) outpaced 4-5 choice Lovin Up On You and scored by four lengths in 1:57.3 under Mike Hennessy. Of the 17 fillies to contest the Starburst, Graceful Horizon ($3.30) proved best with a 1:57.1 mile in her division, parrying a strong first-over attack from Burning Hot and winning by 1-3/4 lengths in line to Kelly. The Chris Lancaster trainee is now two-for-two in her young career. Custard Smoothie ($2.30) captured the other division with an 8-3/4 length drubbing of Overactive in 1:58.4. Brandon and Michael Campbell teamed up with the daughter of Custard The Dragon. To view Saturday's complete results, click the following link: Saturday Results Century Downs. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:32:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close An elephant is seen during an annual Buddhist procession at Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya, a historic Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Aug. 29, 2020. The procession consists of traditional local dances and various cultural dances, in addition to the elephants that are usually adorned with lavish garments. (Xinhua/Tang Lu) Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:33:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - KATHMANDU -- The Nepali government on Sunday confirmed record high deaths from COVID-19 and the record daily spike in cases in a single day. "A total of 14 persons died in the last 24 hours taking the total number of deaths from the pandemic to 221," said Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population at a press conference on Sunday. Nepal on Sunday also reported infections of 1,221 persons in the last 24 hours, which is a record high single day spike. - - - - KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday called for his compatriots to care for each other in the face of challenges including those caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, ahead of the country's national day to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of independence. In a televised address, Muhyiddin urged Malaysians to care for the country, work towards maintaining the peace and harmony Malaysia presently enjoys and push the country forward to be more successful in various fields. - - - - KAMPALA -- Uganda's national taskforce charged with spearheading the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is to review the reopening of schools after they were closed back in March following the outbreak of the virus in the country, a top government official said on Sunday. - - - - BEIJING -- A Chinese central government spokesperson on Sunday expressed strong condemnation of and sent a stern warning against a smear on the mainland's assistance with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's fight against COVID-19. Such a smear by Hong Kong-based anti-China troublemakers shows a gross disregard of Hong Kong residents' safety and health and is malicious, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council in a statement. Enditem Some of the world's biggest airlines have called on the British and US governments to introduce testing at airports to end quarantine and help unlock 200billion in trade between the two nations. Industry heavyweights have written to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, his US counterpart Elaine Chao and the acting US homeland security chief Chad Wolf demanding a testing trial between New York and London by the end of next month. Shai Weiss, the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, and Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye are among those to have signed the letter, which has been seen by The Mail on Sunday. High hopes: Virgins Shai Weiss, right with Richard Branson, signed a letter to Ministers The others are Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, whose members include British Airways and easyJet, and Nicholas Calio, who runs Airlines for America. They argue a trial should be established while detailed discussions are taking place on the exact testing needed. They say such trials should focus on routes with the biggest economic impact, highlighting the 200billiona-year trade between the UK and the US. In the letter, the bosses say: 'We believe it is vital these trials focus primarily on those markets which can quickly deliver the maximum economic impact for our recovery. 'Nowhere is this more evident than in the UK-US market, where air travel provides the backbone for the wide ranging and deep-rooted relationship between our two nations.' They continue: 'We therefore urge both the US and UK to work closely to deliver and establish a testing trial between New York's Newark and JFK airports and London Heathrow by the end of September to gather real world evidence and data that can be used to scale up testing efficiently in the future. This would help align the UK and US with the ongoing progress of other nations.' Earlier this month, Heathrow airport began offering tests to passengers for 150 in a move that Holland-Kaye hoped would put pressure on the British Government to lift quarantine measures. Karma Agagowei, the councilor representing Ward 6, Sagbama Council Area of Bayelsa State, has died from gunshots he sustained while returning from a party congress in Yenagoa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Agagowei was attacked by gunmen along Opolo while returning from a Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) ward congress on Saturday night. Mr Agagowei was taken to two different hospitals, Gloryland Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, Yenogoa, but was allegedly denied treatment for lack of a police report. He died shortly afterwards. NAN reports that another person, who was with Mr Agagowei at the time of the incident, was attacked with machetes by the hoodlums but fled with the injury. When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in Bayelsa, Asinim Butswat, said the command had not been briefed on the incident. (NAN) Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 14:26:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- One person was shot and killed on Saturday night in downtown Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, after tensions between a group of U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters and anti-racist protesters escalated, according to local police. The incident took place at 8:46 p.m. local time (0346 GMT Sunday) as police officers "heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street," said Portland Police Bureau in a statement. It said police officers have secured the entire block at the crime scene and are investigating the shooting as a homicide, adding "no suspect information is being released at this time." "There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators. Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests," it tweeted. George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died from asphyxiation after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May. His death sparked massive demonstrations against police brutality and racism, as well as social unrest in some U.S. cities, including Portland. In his acceptance speech of the Republican Party's nomination for reelection on Thursday night, Trump did not address the shooting or the issue of racism, but instead touted job numbers for African Americans, doubled down his support of law enforcement agencies, and blamed the unrest in those cities. Enditem BERLIN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Leading politicians on Sunday condemned protesters who stormed the steps of Germany's Reichstag parliament building, some of them holding far-right flags, during mass marches against coronavirus curbs a day earlier. Police in the nation's capital were able to prevent demonstrators from entering the building, but the day saw hundreds of arrests, pockets of violence with injured police, and the forced break-up of one mass protest. Finance minister Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democrats, the junior partner in Angela Merkel's conservative-led ruling coalition and candidate to succeed her as chancellor, said Germans must do everything possible to prevent such scenes. "It is unacceptable that some now appear in front of the Bundestag building, the Reichstag building, the most important symbol of our democracy, the parliament, with symbols from a bad dark past, flags that have nothing to do with our modern democracy," Scholz told journalists at a brief news conference outside his party's headquarters in central Berlin. Some 3,000 far-right sympathisers and extremists were among the tens of thousands of protesters on Saturday, according to Berlin's interior minister. Demonstrators broke through a barricade to access the steps of the Reichstag, one of Germany's most structures that was renovated with a glass dome by architect Norman Foster after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Scholz's comments were echoed by politicians including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the chair of Merkel's Christian Democrats, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. "I'm truly incensed," Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Twitter. (Reporting by Elke Ahlswede, Reinhard Becker and Tom Sims; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Raissa Kasolowsky) Pupils face being disciplined for coughing at classmates, using another year group's toilets or even joking about coronavirus. As many schools prepare to reopen tomorrow, strict new behaviour policies have been introduced to enforce social distancing requirements. Parents have been warned that their children could be suspended from school if they cannot abide by some of the rules designed to reduce the risk of infection. And with many schools deciding it is unsafe to put badly behaved children together in detention or alternative classrooms, they will be sent home. One of the most punitive behaviour policies has been introduced by Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings, East Sussex, which makes it clear that even playground jibes about the pandemic are banned. In a letter home this month, Jerome Scafe, an associate principal, set out the school's new 'coronavirus red lines'. Pupils face being disciplined for coughing at classmates, using another year group's toilets or even joking about coronavirus. Pictured: Pupils at Longdendale High School in July It warned: 'The following behaviours may result in a fixed-term exclusion: deliberate or malicious coughs/sneezes at any point; humorous, inappropriate comments or statements related to the coronavirus; purposeful physical contact with any other person; repeated failure to follow instructions within an appropriate timeframe resulting in the student needing to be removed from lesson.' Byron Academy in Acton, West London, has a new behaviour policy which states: 'Some behaviours (eg coughing deliberately on another person) that were previously 'simply' anti-social, are now potentially extremely serious.' A pupil who 'wilfully ignores or refuses to follow instructions relating to hygiene routines and social distancing between year group bubbles' will be moved and if teachers conclude it is putting others at risk 'then parents should expect that their child may be excluded'. And John Flamsteed Community School in Derby said: 'Students will have specific lavatories that they can use at break and lunchtime this must be adhered to. 'Should a student decide not to respect these, this will be treated as a very serious disciplinary matter.' Around the country, pupils will have to get used to very different rules. Most schools will require them to arrive in their PE kit on days when they have sport but some have introduced exercise activities such as yoga for which they will not need to change out of their school uniform. As many schools prepare to reopen tomorrow, strict new behaviour policies have been introduced to enforce social distancing requirements. Pictured: Pupils at Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow this month One of the most punitive behaviour policies has been introduced by Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings, East Sussex, which makes it clear that even playground jibes about the pandemic are banned. Pictured: Stock image All schools are asking pupils to go back to wearing uniform but some say it must be washed every day and that ties must not be worn to avoid infection. Others are bringing in coloured lanyards to make it easier to identify members of different year groups. Many children will have to spend all day in the same classroom, even eating lunch at their desks, to avoid mixing with other groups. Books and bags are banned in lots of areas but pupils attending Charter Academy in Portsmouth will be weighed down. It said: 'As our water fountains will remain switched off, we recommend that your child brings a two-litre water bottle or two one-litre bottles so they have plenty to drink during the day.' North Ormesby Primary Academy, in Middlesbrough, has put a the short film on the internet so that pupils can see what awaits them when they arrive through the gates again on Thursday. John Flamsteed Community School in Derby said: 'Students will have specific lavatories that they can use at break and lunchtime this must be adhered to.' Pictured: Stock image A more detailed version has also been produced for parents, to save them having to wade through pages of safety guidance and advice. One of the changes the 250 pupils will notice when they get back to their classrooms is that they will no longer each have their own plastic cup or bottle for drinking water, because of the risk of infection. Instead, the school has bought about 1,000 disposable but recyclable plastic cups that cannot be left lying around. Principal Craig Nicholson said: 'They're 'pointed' cups so they can't be left anywhere. When a child needs a drink they have to either finish it or pour it down the sink before it goes in the bin. It eliminates any possibility of them spreading infection.' Pupils at North Ormesby which is part of the Academies Enterprise Trust chain will be wearing uniforms again. The school wants them to be washed each night but Mr Nicholson admitted: 'It's just guidance, it's not something that we're going to police rigidly every single day.' Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been jailed in China since 2018. The act is seen as retaliation for the detention of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. In 1948, 49-year-old former government official Janos Kovrig is staring at the beams of his barrack in a Hungarian internment camp. In 2020, his grandson, ex-diplomat Michael John Kovrig, is eyeing, just as hard, the concrete ceiling of a Chinese prison cell. Their alleged crimes are different but equally dubious. Seven decades, three generations and two continents apart, the two men share the same fate, state detention. In a year, Janos would escape from Budapest to become Jean in Paris, then John in Toronto. As of today, Michael remains in China. Will he share his grandfathers luck? Icy wind whistles through the Japanese military airplane as it whirs above the Manchurian plains on a February morning in 1933. Toronto-born Archibald Steele of the New York Times and his 34-year-old colleague Kovrig grip their seatbelts, shouting at each other just to make themselves heard. Excited to be the only foreign journalists at the Sino-Japanese frontlines, the two greenhorn war correspondents are seizing the moment. Ironically, their opportunity opened up because of militarist Japans ambition to dominate China, and the Great Depression that had deprived both young men of their previous jobs. Its the year Adolf Hitler is sworn in as Germanys chancellor and Franklin D. Roosevelt takes the oath of office to become Americas 32nd president. Joseph Stalin is brutalizing much of the Soviet Unions population with a man-made famine, while the League of Nations, the doomed predecessor to todays UN, fails in its efforts to mediate between Japan and China. A dark milestone of East Asia plunging into the Second World War, the Battle of Rehe (a.k.a. Jehol, todays Chengde) falls into the two young mens laps. Reporting on a bloody conflict that would later be downplayed by historians as mere prewar skirmishes, Steele and Kovrig become China Hands. They are experts on a still wildly exotic land that tickles the curiosity of their western readers. A month later, Russian words break the silence in the dimly lit room of the Harbin German Club, in the Sino-Russian borderland. It is 8 oclock on a sombre March evening as the chairman of the local Hungarian Association greets his two guests. Next to him, quietly clasping their hands in front, stand the Dutch consul, a familiar face in the Hungarian community, and an improbable visitor, Janos Kovrig. Patiently waiting for his exiled compatriot to finish his compliments in the resident lingua franca, Russian, Kovrigs eyes run over the crowd assembled before him. He sees open and honest faces, men in their mid-40s wearing their frayed Sunday best, looking intrigued as the host introduces him. Veterans of the Great War, these refugees from Siberian captivity had fought in Austro-Hungarian uniforms against the Tsars army, while Kovrig was winning awards as a student playwright back in the hinterland. Had he been just a decade older, he could have ended up here. Here, at the periphery of Eurasia, abandoned by his home country, he would have tried to make a living in a harsh land of extremes. These few dozen ex-prisoners of war had escaped from Russia to the Chinese northeast while he was studying agronomy and law. By the time Kovrig earned his doctorate and left for the Dutch Indies in 1928 to work at a sugar factory in Java, these men were marrying Russian women, emigrants of the Bolshevik Revolution. Opening small businesses, they put down roots in Chinese Harbin. Then the great 32 flood struck, wiping out the little wealth these immigrant families had painstakingly gathered. At about the same time, Kovrig was let go from his job at the Javanese plantations. However, while his generous severance covered a tour around half of the globe across China, Japan and the U.S. to Europe, these ex-Austro-Hungarians lost everything and had little hope to ever repatriate. If the Japanese hadnt launched their attack against Rehe, while Kovrig was already lecturing on his Chinese Impressions to Tokyo audiences, he wouldnt have had to return to China for a second time. He wouldnt have taken that military airplane to report on the fighting, and ultimately, he wouldnt have stumbled on the forgotten Hungarians of Manchuria. At the Harbin German Club, the host cuts short Kovrigs reminiscing. But let me turn it to Mr. Kovrig, the reporter of the Budapest newspaper Magyarsag, the host says. He came to record everyones personal information and forward your claims to the authorities in Hungary. Following a few words of encouragement to the listeners to share their stories, everyone engages in an animated discussion in their mother tongue. It turns out the greatest challenge for the impoverished Hungarians is that the Japanese puppet regime treats them as stateless persons, requiring them to register as citizens of the new state, Manchukuo. They complain to Kovrig about the threatening prospect of incarceration, which awaits them if they are unwilling or unable to pay the exorbitant fees required for the necessary paperwork. The new authorities here dont recognize the Netherlands consul to issue our passports, as they used to while this was China, says shoemaker Mr. Liska. The cobbler prides himself on his custom-made shoes, sported even by the last Chinese emperor, Puyi, and his concubines. I will see what I can do promises Kovrig, as he shakes hands with the men whose pitiable situation touches him deeply. The next morning, deputy foreign minister Mr. Sugihara, a future Righteous Among the Nations awardee for his role in saving Jews in 1940s Lithuania, proves his compassion. He understands Kovrigs request to settle the Harbin Hungarians ordeal and finally agrees to recognize their representation by the Dutch consul. Cant believe I just did this! Many thanks, Mr. Kakehi, Kovrig tells his guide as they exit the massive government building in Harbin. May I buy you lunch in the Armenian cafe? asks the Japanese man in a heavily accented but polite Hungarian. I guess I cant say no to my family origins, winks Kovrig, whose Transylvanian ancestors had migrated from the Caucasus, centuries earlier. The Alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan enables the cooperation of a more Asian Asia and a more European Greater Europe, writes Janos Kovrig in a foreign affairs analysis published in 1940. On the eve of Hungarys joining the Axis Powers, he is a councillor at the ministry of agriculture, a government job with stable income and clear loyalties to the state. The ambitious globetrotter has come a long way since his adventures in the Far East. His reports from the inaccessible Sino-Japanese frontlines and dingy rooms of the Hungarian enclave made him famous in the right circles of Budapest. His Chinese travelogue is selling well, he has published in the Foreign Affairs Review, and even dips his toe into fiction. He regularly lectures on the politics, culture and economics of East Asia at various events for the educated public. He gives talks everywhere, from the esteemed Geographic Society to the far-right Turanist Society. By 1943, his successful combination of journalism and agronomic expertise lead to his appointment as press secretary and editor of the countrys leading agricultural weekly journal. His experience of Japanese modernity as a young man will eventually inspire him to dream up the first agrarian propaganda movie in Hungary. Although his career had been a glittering success, Kovrigs role heading the agriculture ministrys Press Propaganda Department gave him and his family reasons to fear postwar retribution. Indeed, in 1946, Kovrigs arrest by the Communist-controlled secret police would make headlines in Budapest. As he was a political functionary of the fallen regime, the vindictive Peoples Court readily finds him guilty of inciting the public in his articles for the continuation of the war. Although a careful reading of Kovrigs wartime writings doesnt support the prosecutors politically motivated allegation, thats more than enough to earn him a long sentence as part of a labour force of one of the dreaded internment camps. Icy wind blows across the deck of the Scythia, as the ocean liner, chartered by the International Refugee Organization, leaves the port of Le Havre, France, on Dec. 8, 1950. The Kovrigs are bound for Halifax; the Canadian-Hungarian violinist Geza de Kresz, an old friend, is waiting for them in Toronto. Fifty-one-year-old Jean, 41-year-old Claire and 10-year-old Benoit lean against the bulwark, all gazing wordlessly at the steel-blue waves. Their IRO visas in his heavy coats pocket, the now middle-aged Kovrig recalls the kitchen table of the little house in the sleepy working-class suburb of Paris. There, he had written his resume, jotting down all that would be relevant for employment and a new life in the Free World. The 1950s have just started, and the U.S. and the Soviet Union are locked in a nuclear Cold War. American-led United Nations troops are in retreat in Korea, battling against Chinese forces. The Iron Curtain has firmly divided Eastern Europe from its Western siblings. The Scythia is the Kovrigs way out after years of detention and flight. Finally, they had escaped. Seventy years later, the grandsons fate remains unclear. What will it take for Michael to regain his freedom? Matyas Mervay is a historian of China and Eastern Europe and a Ph.D. candidate at New York University. CM Sarbananda Sonowal said that the proposed Autonomous Council for the Moran community would start functioning shortly Guwahati: The Assam government would send to the Centre soon the report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted for preparation of modalities for granting of ST status to the six ethnic communities of the state, said Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. He also said that the proposed Autonomous Council for the Moran community would start functioning shortly. The chief minister said this in a meeting with a delegation of various organisations of the Moran Community in Guwahati on Saturday. The six communities are Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran and Tea Tribes. Sonowal said the state government is making sincere efforts to solve the issues affecting the Moran community and the GoM constituted by the state government for preparation of modalities for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the six communities had initiated consultations with all stakeholders and would soon submit its report, which would then be sent to the Union government. The chief minister said that the state government is making all out efforts to ensure granting of ST status to the six communities without affecting the rights and privileges of the existing scheduled tribes. He also said that the proposed Autonomous Council for the community would start functioning shortly. Sonowal said the history of the Moran community as announced earlier by the state government would be published soon and expressed hope that the book would present a detailed picture of the rich heritage, culture and contribution of the community to the growth of Assamese society. He also said that various steps have been taken by the state government for the holistic development of the community. The representatives of the Moran community submitted a memorandum to the chief minister in the meeting highlighting their various demands. A delegation of Baghjan Milanjyoti Sangha also submitted a memorandum to the chief minister in the meeting demanding early release of compensation to the affected families of Baghjan gas oil fire incident and capping of the damaged gas well. The chief minister assured the delegation to discuss the issues with Oil India Limited (OIL) authorities for an early solution. Representatives of the All Assam Bengali Yuva Chatra Federation and All Assam Gorkha Students Union also met the chief minister and submitted memorandums highlighting various demands of the organisations. Coinciding with the 57th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, over 600 Jewish organizations published a full page advertisement in Friday's New York Times with a joint letter "affirming unequivocally that Black Lives Matter." The letter, whose signatories include three Jewish denominations which collectively represent more than half of all Jewish people in the U.S., can be read in full here. According to Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, the joint letter, originally released in June, was "coordinated by a diverse group of Jewish activists from across a range of religious, political, gender, and racial identities who saw emerging attempts among some politicians and media outlets to drive a wedge between Jews and black-led movements, along with efforts to delegitimize black-led movements by using anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and dog whistles." The letter has now been signed by 624 Jewish organizations, denominations, and synagogues, ranging from small congregations to major groups, whose millions of members constitute the majority of all Jewish people in the U.S. The letter begins: "We speak with one voice when we say, unequivocally: Black Lives Matter. "We support the black-led movement in this country that is calling for accountability and transparency from the government and law enforcement. We know that freedom and safety for any of us depends on the freedom and safety of all of us." It goes on to say: "Anti-Semitism is part of the same machinery those politicians use to blame Black and brown people, people who are immigrants, people who are Muslim, and more. But whether they generate division and fear based on our religion, our skin color, or how long we've been here, their goal is to keep us from working together to win the things we all need to survive and thrive. "When Jewish people join together with our neighbors across racial and religious differences, as we have in the past, we can protect each other and build the future of freedom and safety we all deserve. "By supporting this movement, we can build a country that fulfills the promise of freedom, unity, and safety for all of us, no exceptions. Pull Quote Jewish tradition teaches us that justice is not something that will be bestowed upon us, it is something that we need to pursue, and that the pursuit is itself sacred work. We'll show up for each other every time one of us is targeted because of our differences and reject any effort to use fear to divide us against each other. "Jewish tradition teaches us that justice is not something that will be bestowed upon us, it is something that we need to pursue, and that the pursuit is itself sacred work. We'll show up for each other every time one of us is targeted because of our differences and reject any effort to use fear to divide us against each other." Jared Jackson, founder and executive director of Jews in ALL Hues, said that "there have always been black Jews in movements for black liberation and in Jewish communities; we know that racism and anti-Semitism are connected, and we are targeted and harmed by both." "This is an important moment in our struggle for collective liberation, and our support for black lives is unquestionable," said Audrey Sasson, executive director of New York-based Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. "I'm proud to represent one of so many organizations joining together to send a clear message that we stand with black-led movements for liberation." Rachel LaForest, chief program officer at Bend the Arc, said that "when we join together across racial and religious differences, when we rise as one, we can build a new America where it is safe to sleep, walk, drive, shop, jog, live, and love while black." The BBC's new director general is considering reversing the decision not to sing Rule Britannia! at the Last Night of the Proms, it has been reported. Tim Davie, who takes over on Tuesday, is understood to believe his predecessor Lord Tony Hall's move wreaked 'terrible damage' to the BBC, insiders have told the Sun. The Last Night of the Proms has been hit with controversy surrounding the BBC's decision to remove the lyrics from Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory after critics claimed the patriotic anthems were 'racist'. Classical-music enthusiasts have to watch the show from their sofas this year due to coronavirus restrictions as performers remained spaced out in a socially-distanced arrangement. The BBC's incoming director general Tim Davie is understood to be considering reversing the unpopular decision to perform Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory without lyrics Ex-marketing executive Davie could immediately change the policy on not singing the lyrics at this year's Proms when he takes up the role this week. An insider told the Sun: 'Tim's immediate priority will be to undo the terrible damage done by Tony. 'Tim has a chance to do a big, crowd-pleasing U-turn on a policy that is wildly unpopular. 'Tim has already insisted on an announcement making clear that Rule Britannia will be sung at next year's Proms.' As it stands, the patriotic songs will be played by an orchestra only on September 12, supposedly because the lack of an audience will diminish their impact. God Save the Queen and Jerusalem will still be played in full at the event, led by Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska, 35, which will take place without an audience and with limited performers. Two thirds of voters in an exclusive Daily Mail poll wanted the 157.50 television charge scrapped and 59 per cent believed the BBC was wrong over the Rule Britannia singing row Critics have accused outgoing BBC boss Lord Tony Hall, pictured, of 'walking into a completely unnecessary and absurd row about culture' after the decision about the Proms was announced The 1902 lyrics of Land of Hope and Glory are associated with Cecil Rhodes the British imperialist whose statue is being removed from an Oxford college. The decision to use instrumental versions of the patriotic anthems for the summer festival has drawn widespread anger - with staff at the corporation also venting their frustration at bosses' apparent submission to 'woke' activists who find the anthems offensive. One senior insider said: 'This is another example of the BBC walking into a completely unnecessary and absurd row about culture. 'It makes a lot of us despair when this kind of thing happens again and again. 'There's lots of things you can say about both of the songs and they are not up to the minute. But that's the case with 99 per cent of our culture one way or the other.' And ex-BBC chairman Michael Grade launched a blistering attack on the corporation, calling the decision 'idiotic' and a 'ghastly mistake' by bosses who have 'lost touch' with the British public. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week opposed the BBC's decision. He said: 'I think it's time we stopped our cringing embarrassment about our history.' The 1902 lyrics of Land of Hope and Glory traditionally performed are associated with Cecil Rhodes the British imperialist whose statue is being removed from an Oxford college The compromise was drawn up after incoming director general Tim Davie - who takes over on 1 September - intervened to insist both Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory were performed in some form. It comes as an exclusive Daily Mail poll reveals growing public discontent with the broadcaster. Two thirds of voters want the 157.50 television charge scrapped and 59 per cent believe the BBC was wrong over the Rule Britannia singing row. BBC's new director-general Tim Davie 'will clamp down on presenters making money by hosting corporate events and rein in their use of social media' as part of plan to restore impartiality at corporation By Luke Andrews for MailOnline The BBC's new director-general will clamp down on presenters making money by hosting corporate events and restrain their use of social media, it has been reported. Tim Davie, who takes over on Tuesday, is said to be planning to 'shame' stars out of taking controversial jobs and moonlighting for international companies by forcing them to declare the earnings publicly alongside their six-figure salaries. He will also allegedly be taking an iron fist to the broadcaster's social media policy and reminding employees, including the highest paid, that they cannot post what they like. The expected move is believed to be part of Davies vision of putting impartiality at the heart of the BBC and ensuring it is worthy of the expensive 157.50 annual licence fee. It follows accusations the broadcaster has become a victim of 'woke group-think' and the broadcast station for Black Lives Matter. He will reportedly crack down on presenters taking extra work. Naga Munchetty was criticised after she agreed to appear in a corporate video for Aston Martin last month A source close to Davies told the Sunday Times: 'Tim sees impartiality as the cornerstone of the BBC. 'We need to think about whether there are things that happen with outside interests and on social media that can erode trust and confidence.' Another added: 'Outside work causes BBC managers major headaches and often they'll turn a blind eye. I've always thought it could be our version of the MPs' expenses scandal.' BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, the North America editor Jon Sopel, Question Time host Fiona Bruce and business editor Simon Jack have all been criticised for taking top ups to their hefty salaries. They are all required to request approval from line managers before taking on extra work outside the corporation. Jon Sopel, North America editor, was slammed last year for speaking at a tobacco conference Davie will take over from Tony Hall (left) on Tuesday and make his maiden speech on Thursday Former No 10 adviser launches a TV rival to 'woke wet BBC' A former Downing Street adviser is behind a secret new project to set up an impartial television news channel to rival the crisis-hit BBC, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Sir Robbie Gibb who was a senior BBC executive before becoming Theresa Mays director of communications at No 10 is spearheading a drive to raise funds for GB News. The 24-hour station, due to launch early next year, aims to capitalise on growing discontent over the BBC, with sources describing it as an antidote to the woke, wet Corporation. The BBC has been rocked by a series of controversies over whats seen as its politically correct agenda, culminating in public outrage over its decision last week to perform Land Of Hope And Glory and Rule Britannia without their patriotic lyrics at the Last Night Of The Proms. Advertisement Munchetty, who earns up to 195,000-a-year, was warned last month that she faced a 'conflict of interest' after appearing in a corporate video for crisis-hit car maker Aston Martin. She is believed to have earned up to 10,000 for the gig where she questioned the company's vice-president Peter Freedman on how workers are being 'protected' despite the pandemic. Aston Martin made 500 redundancies in June. Sopel, who earns 240,000, was attacked by health campaigners last year after he was paid to address executives at the tobacco giant Philip Morris's staff conference in Miami. Newsnight's policy editor Lewis Goodall came under pressure when he was accused of 'off the scale' bias for writing for a Left-wing magazine attacking the government's handling of the exam crisis. Goodall claimed his article looked at the handling of exams by all political parties. Davies is also set to address allegations of bias levelled at the corporation in his maiden speech on Thursday, after Lord Hall stands aside. The Sunday Telegraph says he will touch on the findings of an internal review by former director of Global News Richard Sambrook, which raised concerns about a 'small minority' of journalsits working for the corporation whose conduct online had triggered complaints. A source told the newspaper last night: 'Tim buys into the idea of impartiality properly and you are going to hear a lot more about that in the coming months.' A second added: 'It would be surprising if an incoming director general did not set out his broad aims and objectives when he takes over the reigns. It would be surprising if he did not touch on the issue of impartiality, given it is such a live issue.' Newsnight Policy editor Lewis Goodall came under pressure when he was accused of 'off the scale' bias for writing an article critical of the government in a left-wing magazine As many as 14 Conservative MPs have written to the corporation to call on it to fulfil its role of being impartial. The government previously boycotted BBC Radio 4's Today programme amid allegations of bias. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 04:31:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The outlawed Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood group is heading towards full disintegration after the recent arrest of its Acting Supreme Guide Mahmoud Ezzat and the loss of many of its top leaders, Egyptian experts said. The experts also confirmed that the Egyptian security services have fully controlled the banned group, whose most leaders have been in jail since the army ousted late Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, also a top leader of the group, in 2013 after mass protests against his one-year rule. Egyptian authorities announced on Friday that they have arrested the acting supreme guide of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group Mahmoud Ezzat in Cairo. "Ezzat, head of the Brotherhood's International Organization, was arrested in an apartment in New Cairo's fifth settlement neighborhood," the interior ministry said in statement. The group interim leader has founded an armed wing that carried out major terrorist operations in Egypt since June 30, 2013, according to Egyptian authorities. The terrorist operations included the assassination of the former general prosecutor Hisham Barakat in 2015, police Colonel Wael Tahoon in 2015, top-ranked army officer Adel Ragei in 2016, and the attempted assassination of the general prosecutor's former aide Zakaria Abdel-Azim in 2016. Ezzat has also orchestrated the deadly car blast outside the country's national cancer hospital in 2019 that killed 20 people in the capital Cairo. Promoted as a member of the group's guidance bureau in 1981, Ezzat has been sentenced in absentia for a life term on accusations of espionage with the Palestinian Hamas movement. The 76-year-old leader was named the group's acting supreme guide in August 2013, replacing Mohamed Badie who currently serves life sentences over violence charges. "There is no doubt that the arrest of Ezzat is a heavy blow to the Muslim Brotherhood, because he is one of its historical leaders, and he has been the supervisor of all armed activities and terrorist acts carried out by the group since 2013," Khaled Okasha, Director of the Egyptian Center for Thought and Strategic Studies, told Xinhua. Okasha, a former police brigadier general, added that Ezzat was one of the founders of armed movements affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Hasm, the Revolutionary Brigade, and Revolutionary Punishment. "He also managed these organizations along with being the acting supreme guide for the group since 2013," Okasha said. The expert explained that Ezzat had great influence in the group, pointing out that there is no other leader in the group, even among those outside Egypt, can assume his position. "The group is facing an internal impasse that pushes it into a very dark path. I believe the Brotherhood is heading towards a stage of fragmentation and final dissolution of the group inside Egypt, but will act from outside Egypt as an international organization. Its Egyptian leaders living abroad will try to promote through the media that the group is still present on the Egyptian arena," Okasha said. He added that the arrest of Ezzat was a "successful security blow to the group which has been adopting terrorism under his leadership." However, Okasha stressed that the confrontation with the group remains open until it is completely eliminated or the group clearly and explicitly announces that it will respect the law and it commits to not threaten the Egyptian society with any form of violence. For his part, professor Mukhtar Ghobashi, Vice President of the Arab Center for Political Studies, said Ezzat is a "valuable catch," noting he would reveal many of the Brotherhood's secrets, especially during the past seven years. Ghobashi told Xinhua that it is a success for the Egyptian security services to arrest Ezza, whose group has always claimed that he is not based in Egypt. However, Ghobashi said that Ezzat's arrest does not mean the end of the group, as there are many group's cadres abroad who will fill the gap soon. "This means the end of the Brotherhood will happen, but it will take long years," the expert said. Meanwhile, Ahmed Ban, a researcher specializing in Islamic groups affairs, said that the Muslim Brotherhood group "has died clinically" after the arrest of Ezzat. "The arrest of Ezzat will have an impact on the group, but it is not the largest effect, given that the group lost a large number of its top leaders in recent years and it is still acting," the expert said. He added that the group is currently suffering from the absence of leadership that must be reflected in all its activities. "The government has largely controlled the group which currently has no leadership," Ban said. "This will definitely affect the group globally, not only in Egypt." Enditem Second year Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) students, are to resume 5th October, according to President Akufo-Addo. In his 16th COVID-19 address to the nation, the President said: "reopening of schools: the decision has been taken by the Ghana Education Service (GES) after consultation with the relevant stakeholders for SHS 2 and JHS 2 students to return to school from 5th October to 14 December 2020 to complete their academic year Junior High Schools are to operate with a class size of 30 and Senior High Schools with a class size of 25. According to the President, SHS 2 and JHS 2 students will be in school for ten (10) weeks to study and write their end of term examination SHS 2 students in boarding houses will return to their various dormitories on 5th October while days students will commute from home respecting the COVID protocols. All of these students will be given face masks, veronica buckets, and many more. Meanwhile, all JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video When we say Warangal, we are pretty sure your mind instantly conjures up the glorious image of the Thousand Pillar Temple or the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam, which serves as the emblem of Telangana State, both images synonymous with the city. But what we think is Warangal, which was originally the capital of the great Kakatiya dynasty, is soon going to be synonymous with innovation and entrepreneurship as well. At least the cornerstone has been laid in the form of SR Innovation Exchange (SRiX), an incubator (though it has evolved to be much more than that) at SR University (formerly SR Engineering College), the same 140-acre educational institution that climbed right to the top of the table in the category of Private Institutions in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA 2020). There is no doubt about the fact that SRiX has had a significant role to play when it comes to achieving this feat. SRiX | (Pic: SRiX) When it was time to start Helmed by the former executive director of TiE Hyderabad, Sreedevi Devireddy, the state of art facility that is SRiX was inaugurated on March 5, 2018 by Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development KT Rama Rao. Before you wonder what's so special about the incubator, let us address the question. Supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and eventually, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and AICTE as well, this Technology Business Incubator (TBI) has roomy workspaces, a well-equipped IoT workshop, makerspace and prototyping facilities as well. They have supported over 31 start-ups till date from Gurugram, Bengaluru and even Hyderabad, which is just a three-hour drive away from Warangal. "The opportunities that we have in the metros should ideally be available across the country. This is one way to enable innovation anywhere and eventually, even put a stop to migration," says the CEO of SRiX Devireddy. Devireddy gives credit to SR University's A Varadha Reddy Chancellor and A Madhukar Reddy, Secretary-Cum-Correspondent for having the vision to encourage the formation of SRiX This two-floor massive building stands tall and proud, and indeed, is the glory of SR University, but before it was built, the dynamic Devireddy needed to know exactly what was needed. In a bid to understand, the National Entrepreneurship Awardee toured the facility of Kerala Startup Mission and the incubators at IIT Madras and IIT Bombay. But she did not stop there. Being a Chevening Research Science and Innovation Leadership Programme (CRISP) fellow in 2018, she visited catapult and innovation zones in the UK with a one-point agenda to understand how one can give wings to start-ups. "My biggest takeaway was that we must start big, we must begin with all facilities instead of opting for an incremental rise in facilities," says the Governing Board Member, S R Univeristy. Which is why SRiX, which focuses on start-ups in the agriculture, IoT, AI and ML space, is a one-stop-shop for innovators. "Because when entrepreneurs with their innovation mindset, faculty with a strong forte in research and experienced Corporate experts come together, one-of-a-kind start-ups are born," she points out. Devireddy with KT Rama Rao during the inauguration of SRiX | (Pic: SRiX) Warangal has no airport which puts it at a locational disadvantage. So how did Devireddy, who identifies herself has a hardcore Hyderabadi, manage to shift to Ekashila Nagaram (a city known to have been carved from a single stone) and how does she ensure that SRiX also continues to attract budding innovators? "Well, Hyderabad is a short drive away and honestly, I don't miss it much. And as far as the innovators go, all it takes is for them to visit us and they are convinced," she explains. The mentor pool and the support that they offer, from legal, accountancy and even filing for IPR, all this is enough to convince any hustler that they will never walk alone if they shake hands with SRiX. She hopes that initiatives like these will keep youngsters from running away to Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Speaking of youngsters, she informs us that they are very focused on nurturing student entrepreneurs, hence, they have as many as eight student start-ups incubated with them and have supported more than 220 Student innovators in the past 2 years. "If you have passion for solving problems that are staring you in the face, then you have the potential to be a disruptor ," says Devireddy For you, dear disruptors Since Devireddy wants to disrupt the notion of an incubator, the former entrepreneur has a word of advice for the other disruptors, or those who want to be one, especially in the context of the ongoing pandemic. "A disruptor is the one who rethinks assumptions to identify creative opportunities. For some time now, many start-up ideas were considered disrupting and they were doing good business too. Corona has filtered them out. But if you are a true blue disruptor, no one can stop you," affirms the innovation evangelist. A stickler for the basics, the entrepreneurial powerhouse reminds us that research and knowing your market is paramount in laying the right groundwork for your start-up. From starting her career as a student advisor to spending 22+ years in various organisations, Devireddy feels like, "I have been jogging so far and now, it's time to run." What the Pride of Telangana 2019 awardee means is that she has miles to go before she sleeps and she intends to take SRiX with her. Meet two start-ups incubated at SRiX Running on full battery Arun Sreyas and Gautham Maheswaran | (Pic: RACEnergy) The future is electric and if all goes well, RACEnergy will have a huge role to play in it. Virtually incubated at SRiX, this start-up started in 2018 builds battery swapping stations so that vehicles can simply swap instead of waiting to charge their EVs. "Since we are a product-driven company, our focus is hardware. There are few incubators with a strong focus on IoT and hardware and SRiX is one of them," says 25-year-old Arun Sreyas, alumnus of BITS Pilani, who founded the start-up with Gautham Maheswaran. They have their own one-acre facility in Hyderabad, where they are based out of and where they are developing products. Their pre-orders have started and they're looking to launch next year. Try before you buy Mohan Ponnada and Tagore Navabothu | (Pic: Varaha Innovation Studios) How many times have you wished you could try that smashing outfit that you saw online before actually buying it? Varaha Innovation Studios can make it happen. Their AR-enabled 3D avatar enables you to try on those clothes before you put your money on it. Founded by Mohan Ponnada and Tagore Navabothu in July 2018, this virtual trial room of theirs is called Wonder. SRiX, where they are virtually incubated, connected them to investors and organised feedback sessions too. "We have signed up with seven different platforms and are in the process of uploading their inventory. By the first week of September, we will go live with the first virtual mall and by mid-September, we will be live on five platforms," says 33-year-old Mohan. Collaborations that became milestones: - July 2020: They entered into a partnership with TiE Hyderabad to offer incubation support for the women entrepreneurs - February 2020: They partnered with Tech Mahindra to offer XELERATE, a three-month acceleration programme - November 2019: InnovationX 2.0 was organised by SRiX for student innovators - July 2019: They launched Deep Tech Catalyser 1.0 a pre-incubation programme for companies in the AI and ML space - In January 2019: They entered into a pact with UK's Cranfield University to provide start-ups with business development and academic expertise For more on them, check out srix.in Users can rent 1TB of storage space for $5.99 per month ( 438 approximately), 4TB of storage space for $9.99 ( 731 approximately) and 8TB of storage space for $17.99 ( 1,316 approximately). Cloud storage has gained immense popularity among the users in the past couple of years. Now, Western Digital has found another unique way of providing the additional storage space that they need to store their data such as photos, videos and documents. The company has launched a new service called Monthly Subscription Program where it rents hard disk (yes, you heard it right!) based on their requirements. What happens is that when users avail a particular plan, Wester Digital sends them a hard disk drive on which they can store their data until the end of their service plan. Once the plan ends, users can either renew the contract or end it. They will have to return the hard disk to the company if they choose to end the contract. ALSO READ: Here are the best hard drives under 10,000 in India Users can rent 1TB of storage space for $5.99 per month ( 438 approximately), 4TB of storage space for $9.99 ( 731 approximately) and 8TB of storage space for $17.99 ( 1,316 approximately). Alternatively, users can also purchase these hard drives for $99.99 ( 7,312 approximately), $179.99 ( 13,162 approximately) or $279.99 ( 20,475 approximately) respectively. Now, the interesting bit. Renting this storage space isnt as easy as purchasing additional storage space on iCloud or buying an external hard disk. Western Digital will evaluate your credit history -- like the way they do before approving your loan -- before providing you with its service. This means that it can also deny you its service! We may evaluate your credit history before providing you the Service. As such, we may obtain a credit report from a consumer reporting agency (i.e., credit bureau) to determine your creditworthiness. If you fail to pay your bill on time and in full, we may submit negative information to a consumer reporting agency, which will negatively impact your credit report, the company wrote in its terms of use. ALSO READ: SanDisk 1TB Pendrive for USB Type-C smartphones launched in India: Check price, specs Thats not it. The company also says that it will make live performance recordings of users data without the consent. Live performance recordings made without the consent of all performers, the company added. Its clear that Western Digital is trying to breakthrough in the cloud storage space. But a price as high as the company is charging coupled with its controversial policy may not necessarily be the best way to go about it. Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. B.S. writes: Great Rail Journeys, which is based in York, cancelled our 10,000 railway tour of the southern US because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has told us it will not even consider giving us our money back until after the end of March next year. We paid by credit card, so we made a claim to Barclaycard but this was rejected as it appears the rail company, or its bank, told Barclaycard we had been given a refund credit note. Out of steam: Couple paid 10,000 for a cancelled rail trip to the southern Unites States If there are two industries that have suffered particular damage to their reputation during the Covid-19 outbreak, they are travel firms and insurance companies and you have suffered at the hands of both. Great Rail Journeys wanted to give you a credit note for use next year if travel proves possible. However, you pointed out that you and your wife are well into your 70s, so forking out for another travel insurance policy for next year would be prohibitively expensive, particularly given the cost of medical treatment in the US. Your planned railway tour was expensive enough at 9,970, but it would certainly have been impressive, taking in stops at Nashville, Atlanta, Memphis, New Orleans and perhaps best of all for railway fans Chattanooga, the city made famous by the Glenn Miller Orchestra's recording of Chattanooga Choo Choo in 1941, the first song to be awarded a gold disc for over a million sales. Sadly, your own Chattanooga choo choo never left the station. Great Rail Journeys agreed that you were entitled to your money back. It told you: 'Under the 2018 Package Travel Regulations, there is a 14-day window within which to make that refund.' But it added: 'However, these are unprecedented times, and rather than one tour being cancelled, the restrictions put in place by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other equivalent bodies worldwide, have hit a significant part of our and other tour operators' programmes for 2020.' So, along with other travel agents and tour operators, Great Rail Journeys wanted to kick the refund can as far down the road as possible. It was offering you a credit note with the incentive of a separate voucher for 15 per cent off the cost of a holiday. If Great Rail Journeys went bust, the credit note but not the discount voucher would be covered by its tour operator's bond. Barclaycard honoured your chargeback claim and returned the 9,970 to your account, but the York company objected and reinstated the charge. Great Rail Journeys told me it had written to you with the offer of a credit note and discount voucher, and it explained: 'Having not heard to the contrary, we wrongly assumed that Mr S was happy with that.' The company now says it accepts that you are not happy. Barclaycard had already got the message and started a second chargeback. Great Rail Journeys told me on Wednesday last week that it had dropped its objections, and your 9,970 would be refunded immediately. It will also let you keep the 15 per cent discount voucher in case you are tempted by a future trip. Barclaycard has confirmed that, after hearing from you, it did not agree with the rail company's position so was happy to continue with the second chargeback claim. And, very fairly, staff at the card company also issued a temporary credit to your account so you would not be charged even one day's interest on the 9,970 while the payment was in dispute. Isn't 1,528 credit enough? J.R. writes: An elderly couple who are friends of mine have been trying for months to get Scottish Power to sort out their bills. They are both over 80 and totally confused and worried. They have been told their direct debit is to increase to 221 a month, yet they have not had a proper bill for several years. From what I can make out, Scottish Power has not been charging them for electricity. In December last year they were told they were 1,528 in credit. Problems: No utility company can claim top marks for administration, and Scottish Power is certainly no exception. You have done a grand job, helping your friends. Judging by my mail bag, no utility company can claim top marks for administration, and Scottish Power is certainly no exception. After I asked staff what had gone wrong with your friends' bills, they admitted the whole problem went back to 2012, when they mistakenly used the same meter reading for both day and night meters, and then carried the mistake forward to every bill that followed. Scottish Power told me: 'We corrected the meter readings in December, but did not clarify any overcharges at that point this was an error on our part.' The firm has issued an apology and says it collected 597 incorrectly. This has been credited back to your friends' account, and Scottish Power has added 100 by way of saying sorry. WE'RE WATCHING YOU Serial fraudster Sami Raja has finally swapped a life on the beach for eight years behind bars, more than a year after he jumped bail in London and fled to Dubai. Raja, 33, from Grays, Essex, was part of a gang that cheated investors out of 2.4million. Between January 2012 and August 2013, their companies Harman Royce Ltd and Kendrick Zale Ltd sold almost worthless carbon credits for up to 6.50 apiece, with claims they could double in value. In fact, there was no market that would allow investors to turn their carbon credits back into cash at any price. Raja was convicted in January 2019 of six counts of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering, but absconded to Dubai and was not in court to hear his sentence. Since then, he has posted photos on social media of his luxurious lifestyle, including trips to the Maldives. Officers from the City of London Police secured a European Arrest Warrant and Raja was detained when he travelled to Athens last month. He was brought back to the UK on Wednesday and appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, where he was ordered to begin his sentence. Hayley Wade, who led the investigation for the police, described Raja as 'a callous and greedy individual'. She added: 'Raja cruelly targeted elderly individuals with the intention of defrauding them of their life savings.' Raja has been on The Mail on Sunday's radar for years. He was a salesman with corrupt stockbrokers White Square Investments, and was also behind investment firm Elite Gems Ltd, which I exposed as a scam in 2015. And he was a director of ripoff company Gallisard Ltd, which marketed rare earth metals with false promises of 60 per cent profits. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/30/2020 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoilers Warning: This report includes spoilers revealing if Colt and Jess are still together or if the : Happily Ever After? couple has broken up.] ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT So did Jess and Colt's relationship fall apart or did Colt win back Jess' trust and they're still together now? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT So is Colt dating Vanessa now, like Jess has claimed, or are they really just friends? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Colt Johnson is trying to fix his relationship with Jess Caroline despite keeping a couple major secrets from her on Season 5 of : Happily Ever After?, so did Colt and Jess' romance crash and burn or are they still together now?Colt first starred on Season 6 of with his former wife, Larissa Dos Santos Lima, followed by Season 4 of : Happily Ever After?.Colt and Larissa tied the knot in June 2018 but their divorce was finalized on April 30, 2019.It apparently didn't take long for Colt to move on to Jess, a Brazilian redhead who was living in Chicago and working as an au pair at the time Season 5 of : Happily Ever After? filmed.Colt decided to visit Jess in Chicago behind Debbie's back when Jess only had six months left in the United States because her J-1 visa was nearing its expiration date.Colt and Jess hit it off sexually and began developing an emotional connection, but Jess was worried about Colt's "friend from the gym," Vanessa.Colt promised Jess he had stopped talking to Vanessa, but Colt told the cameras he was still best friends with Vanessa and nothing would ever change that. Colt apparently felt guilty for lying to Jess about it, but not guilty enough to come clean.Knowing her visa was expiring soon, Jess suggested she could apply for a new visa, either for "studying" or a K-1, meaning Colt would have to marry her for her to stay in the U.S.Colt told the cameras it was "too early" to be talking about a K-1 visa, but he said he could see a future with Jess and didn't want her to move back to Brazil.When Colt finally told Debbie about his new romance, Debbie felt Colt was rushing into something too soon. She therefore decided to join Colt on a trip to Brazil to meet Jess' parents to make sure he wouldn't make any rash or bad decisions.Fans were then introduced to Vanessa, who was invited to Colt's house for dinner since she agreed to watch his cats while he and Debbie took off to Brazil."I met Vanessa during the last few months of my marriage to Larissa. We started talking online, and eventually, we decided to meet at a casino, and we just kind of hit it off," Colt said."Jess has never met Vanessa. She doesn't even understand who Vanessa is, and she's so jealous of her. I told Jess I wouldn't talk to Vanessa anymore, and I was wrong to lie to Jess, but Vanessa is my best friend and she's been there a lot longer than Jess has."However, Colt admitted he had sex with Vanessa one time."Honestly, I have a crush on her. I think she's a great girl," Colt confessed. "But I don't think she returns the favor, and so I moved on."Vanessa said she was going through a divorce of her own when she met Colt and Colt had been there for her. She said they were best friends, but Debbie wished Colt and Vanessa would date.Prior to Colt's trip to Brazil, Larissa actually called Jess on the phone to warn her about how Colt was an alleged manipulator and womanizer."Colt is a demon," Larissa told Jess during the call. "I know that everything's perfect with him from the [beginning] but he changes and turns into someone mean."Larissa called Colt "dangerous" and said he might sabotage Jess' status in the United States given he was trying to deport Larissa. Larissa told Jess that Colt would drop her once he doesn't need her anymore and he's "very shady.""I believe Colt cheated on me. Colt is nasty, so Jessica should be careful and [not] trust him anymore," Larissa said, adding that Debbie is "a wolf" and "insane."Jess was pleasant to Larissa on the phone but decided to trust Colt and continue dating him.After 14 hours of traveling, Colt and Debbie arrived in Barra Velha, where Jess' family lives.During their car ride to the hotel, Colt and Jess discussed baby names -- Dominick for a boy and Katrina for a girl -- with Colt saying he'd probably like to have children down the road.Debbie didn't think Colt ever wanted to have kids, so she was surprised to hear that and began worrying Jess was going to persuade Colt to settle down, get married and have a child just so she could get a Green Card and stay in the United States.Colt then checked Debbie into a hotel and she was feeling exhausted. Debbie snapped at Jess that she just wanted to be left alone so she could rest, and Jess thought Debbie was "grumpy," "rude" and didn't like her."Now I understand why Larissa called me and said, 'Jess, be careful,' because Deb is terrible. She's really bad with me. Scream with me. She's rude and she's not good. [I'm scared] about the rest of [our] vacation," Jess told the cameras.Debbie apologized to Jess later on for coming off upset and mad, but she still felt Jess was using her son for a Green Card."I don't think Jess understands the type of bond that Colt and I have. If she tries to break it, she's going to be in for a rude awakening," Debbie told the cameras.At Jess' family barbecue, Jess put Colt on the spot and asked her boyfriend in front of everyone, "What do you want with me?""I want a family with you. I want a family with your daughter. I didn't plan on meeting her, but I did, and I fell in love with her immediately. I wasn't looking for a relationship," Colt shared, before telling Silvio, "I think your daughter is the best person I've ever met."Jess' relatives suggested the pair could get married right away at their home, and that's when Debbie spoke up and said things were "moving too fast." Debbie asked Jess, "Why the rush?!... I don't want him divorced in six months."Jess became very defensive and said she and Colt were moving at a good speed."I'm different," Jess snapped back. "You compare me and Larissa."Jess insisted she loved Colt and depended on Colt for nothing, and she claimed she wasn't trying to get a Green Card.Jess and Debbie then began shouting over each other at the table, and Debbie felt insulted and disrespected.At one point, Jess waved her hand near Debbie's face to quiet her, and Debbie couldn't believe it. Jess then vented, "Son of a b-tch, f-ck you." Colt announced that was quite enough, and Debbie called Jess' behavior "out of line" and "aggressive."Debbie warned Colt there were major red flags with Jess, such as her behavior while drinking, and Colt felt "caught in the middle" between the two women he loved.However, Colt still asked Jess' father Silvio for permission to propose marriage to Jess without telling Debbie.Silvio said he liked Colt a lot and Colt had shown good character, so he hoped Colt and Jess would get married -- and soon."[If Colt gets engaged], that's a terrible mistake and I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it... If it's a bad relationship, I will do everything in my power to sabotage his relationship."When Colt and Jess stopped by Debbie's room to invite her out to hang out with Jess' friends, Debbie mentioned how Vanessa had sent her a video of their cat Ivy. When Debbie mentioned Vanessa's name, Jess' mouth dropped open and she said, "What?"Colt told Jess that Vanessa was just watching their cats, but Jess immediately got angry and said, "F-ck you," to Colt."You say no talk more to Vanessa. Just friend. And frequents your house," Jess said.Debbie insisted Vanessa was her friend and offered to watch the cats for her, but Jess yelled out, "Am I crazy?! Vanessa is a b-tch.""No, she's not," Debbie said. "She's a really good person.""Good friend [who] wants sex with Colt," Jess countered.Jess believed Vanessa was Colt's "friend with benefits," and Colt noted he and Jess seemed to have "trust issues." Debbie agreed if Jess couldn't trust Colt then they were going to have some real problems.Colt said Vanessa was "just a friend" and he had been "nothing but faithful" to Jess. Colt admitted he was starting to see Jess for who she really is -- someone who supposedly "hides demons" and isn't just a sweet, fun-loving girl.Jess stormed off, and Colt didn't run after her because he just wanted Jess to calm down. Jess vented her boyfriend was "not man enough" since Colt chose to talk to Debbie before working things out with her.Debbie dubbed the situation "a repeat of Larissa," but it was obvious to Colt that his mother wanted to break up his relationship."I love [Jess]. Jess may have reacted badly and stormed out, but I can't really blame her because I lied about Vanessa. I want to try to fix things," Colt said in a confessional.Jess said Colt had sent her screenshots of a conversation he had with Vanessa in which Colt allegedly told Vanessa, "I love Jess... Leave me alone. Go, I don't need you in my life. I trusted this, but it's fake."Jess got Vanessa's number from Colt's phone and texted her, asking about her relationship with Colt. Jess learned Vanessa and Colt were still talking and so Colt had definitely lied to her and maybe even faked his text-message exchange with Vanessa.When Jess and Colt reunited in their hotel room, Jess threw her high heels at Colt from across the room."You lied!" Jess shouted. "Look this! Read!"Jess shoved a phone in Colt's face and he said, "What are you talking about?""Vanessa talk. You still friends," Jess screamed. "You talk every day! You are crazy! Read it. '[She's] not my friend.' You lie!"Jess said she didn't want to talk to Colt, but Colt pleaded with her to stop fighting with him. Jess was prepared to leave Colt alone, but Colt said, "She's a friend. I'm allowed to have friends."Jess wished Colt luck and said he had lost her because he's a liar."Can you please stay so we can talk?" Colt asked."No, go back to America. Bye!" Jess responded.Colt begged Jess for just five minutes to talk but she yelled, "No," at him and just tried to get away from him."Don't touch me. You are a bad guy, a trashy guy," Jess said.Colt followed Jess into an elevator and then outside of the hotel, and Jess said she planned to "f-ck" another guy during Colt's last day in Brazil because he was "trash.""No, trash is better," Jess griped.Colt said the thought of Jess sleeping with another man broke his heart, and he said, "I'm sorry." But Jess told Colt to go "die," and Colt confessed, "I was going to marry you! I was going to propose to you!"Jess then took off in a cab, and Colt said he was "freaking out" and felt like he was going to pass out. Colt said he had seen Jess jealous before but never violent."I never imagined this would be my last night in Brazil, maybe my last night with Jess," Colt told the cameras.But it wasn't their last moment together. Colt approached Jess the next morning after she had some time to cool down. Jess said although she was furious Colt had lied to her, she didn't sleep with her ex-boyfriend out of respect for Colt.Jess said Colt always thought he was "right" but he wasn't right about lying. Colt told Jess that Vanessa was "just a friend" and if he wanted a relationship with Vanessa, he would be in one.Colt told Jess that he loved her and had asked her father for permission to marry her, but it seemed like Jess was considering breaking up with him.Colt reiterated how he wasn't hooking up with Vanessa, and Jess replied that was because her face, body and sex is better than what Vanessa could bring to the table.Jess agreed to take Colt back as long as he'd keep their relationship between them and act like more of "a man" and "big boy.""After what happened last night, I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with Jess," Colt shared in a confessional."But I still care about her and I still love her. When I look at her, I still see that nerdy little girl who loves cats, and I hope after everything, we can just say we're even and try to move on with our lives."On the way to the airport when Colt and Debbie had to leave Brazil, Debbie told Jess that her behavior was "not okay" and she had hurt Colt.Colt pointed out Debbie was trying to "antagonize" Jess a little bit, and he said he looked forward to seeing Jess again."I don't think Jess is the right girl for Colt. I think Jess needs to move on and Colt needs to move on," Debbie vented in a confessional.After a few weeks of being back in America, Colt said his relationship with Jess was rocky. Jess apparently didn't trust Colt after he had lied to her about Vanessa."Because we're back being long distance, it's gone from bad to worse. We fight almost every day and we've broken up a few times," Colt told the cameras.Colt was then shown FaceTiming with Jess, and he asked her to visit him in Las Vegas because he still loved her and wanted to salvage their relationship.Jess noted she didn't want to meet Vanessa if she visited, and Colt said that was fine."I want you, you're my girl," Colt said, before inviting Jess to stay in his bedroom at his house.Jess didn't think Debbie would be happy with that, but Colt said Debbie seemed to have the wrong impression of his girlfriend. Colt hoped the girls would get along and have "good times and good vibes," but Jess said she was still working on trusting Colt again."I really want to move forward with her... but I haven't been 100 percent honest with Jess. I've been sad about what happened between Jess and I, and one of the times Jess and I broke up, I was lonely and so I started to talk to other women," Colt confessed to the cameras.Colt felt the need to be honest with Jess and explain what happened in order for them to have a healthy relationship, but he didn't want to break the bad news to Jess over the phone because he figured she would break up with him immediately."Jess is going to lose it when she finds out about the girls I've been talking to. I know I can't hide this from her if we're going to have a future together," Colt explained in a confessional.Colt admitted to Debbie that he still loved Jess and wanted to be with her, but he had been keeping another secret from Jess as well -- that Vanessa had moved into his home with Debbie as a "roommate" following her divorce.Vanessa apparently moved in with Colt and Debbie a few days after Colt returned home from Brazil. Colt explained that Debbie had invited Vanessa into their home when Vanessa needed a place to stay.Colt believed his chances of Jess forgiving him and staying with him would be better if they discussed everything in person. Colt, however, realized he had an uphill battle with Jess in trying to convince her that she could trust him and he's a good guy in general.Colt first sparked dating rumors with Jess in June 2019, just two months after his divorce from Larissa was finalized, In Touch Weekly reported.Colt and Jess reportedly went public with their relationship in July of last year.Jess called Colt her "person" on Instagram, revealing they had already been together for "a while," and Colt dubbed Jess his "muse" for drawing, a hobby he apparently picked up in his spare time, In Touch reported."I'm with him because I want and because he wants," Jess reportedly explained."We have chemistry... The important thing is how he treats me. He makes me laugh and he's nice. We like the same movies and songs."Colt reportedly went on to post photos and sketches of diamond engagement rings on Instagram, the magazine reported in September 2019, leading his followers to believe he was ready to pop the question to his girlfriend."Looking for someone that makes jewelry," he captioned the image on his Instagram Stories. "DM me please."Colt and Jess only dated for a few months last year and decided to break up by October 2019, Starcasm reported.The pair now appear to be on bad terms, and it seems Jess is furious at Colt.Jess took to her Instagram Stories in early August and claimed Colt and Vanessa went to the extreme of creating a fake text exchange in which Colt repeatedly told Vanessa to stop contacting him. (These are the text messages Jess seemed to refer to on : Happily Ever After?'s fifth season).Jess said they were designed to falsely convince her that Colt's friendship with Vanessa was over and Vanessa wasn't a threat."This is the proof how they lied and manipulated me the entire time. When I started to suspect about their affair, I questioned him and he sent those screenshots to me," Jess wrote, sharing receipts."He is a liar, a cheater, a [piece] of trash hiding under his mother skirt."In addition to posting Colt's alleged text messages to Vanessa that made Colt look like he loved Jess and wanted nothing to do with Vanessa, Jess wrote to her followers, "Vanessa told me he called her and both agreed to fake the conversation, this way I would calm down and he could finish the [Happily Ever After] season with me. Then after that they could be together (like they are now)."In July 2020, Jess and Colt's mother Debbie also lashed out at each other on social media.Jess accused Debbie of sabotaging her relationship with Colt behind her back and not teaching her son how to treat women, but Debbie reiterated how Jess seemed to be using Colt for a K-1 visa and permanent stay in the United States.And back in April 2020, Jess accused Colton of sharing nude photos she had sent him during their relationship.Starcasm reported that Jess publicly flipped out on Colton and called him out for being an alleged abuser."I am tired of all the abuse I had in my old relationship and I still have it!" Jess reportedly declared in the first of a series of posts on her Instagram Stories."Enough, I can't take it anymore! I'll tell you the whole truth... no woman needs to go through this."Jess then reportedly wrote the following message to her Instagram followers: "I am really nervous right now about a DM I just received by a guy who says he is Colts Johnson friend my ex boyfriend, a guy who uses women to stay relevant on the show. He is the only person who I trusted to sending private pictures while we were dating long distance.""Now I just got this DM from his friend and he told me Colt sent it to him. Everyone already knows Colts loves to leak pictures of his small penis. But I never could imagine he could get that far and leak images that I trusted on him."She continued, "I know [revenge] p*rn is a crime and I need some legal guidance. If you are an attorney or law enforcement please tell me how I can proceed to make this sicko stop. I am located in New York. Thank you."Jess also wrote a long message that she tagged Larissa in."Don't be silent about abuse! Do not be silent by threats, do not be afraid, do not be ashamed! Today I'm going through this, if I don't speak tomorrow it will be another. Women, get help! I do not wish that even for the worst enemy, all the suffering that goes on, all my [friends know], how much I cried and suffered," Jess reportedly wrote."Today I am happy and he keeps trying to abuse my psychologically! Every day is a new DM from someone related to him, calling me names and now sending pictures I sent him in the past.""I will not shut up, I will fight for me and for all! Let's get together, let's empathize! We are in 2020 where we women... [have] rights!"Jess continued, "In the middle of 2020, we can't leave men [looking like] hero, like the good man of the mother! Man who plays with women for fame, where he said that Brazilian is all whore and crazy and would be great for him, discloses my photos, disrespects many women!"Jess vented enough is enough and women must put an end to situations like that."He should be banned from this show forever, he had not [done] anything nice to anyone. He likes attention and money and will do whatever he has to do to get TV time again," Jess concluded.Jess also shared a screenshot of a DM message Colt's alleged friend Sena had sent her with a nude bathroom selfie of Jess attached.In addition, Jess posted another screenshot of a text exchange she allegedly had with another male friend of Colt's from last year, Starcasm reported.The unidentified male friend claimed he had seen a "whole gallery" of nude photos of Jess -- and Larissa as well -- while looking through Colt's phone."I didn't show anything [last year] out of fear, but this is repeating itself and I won't shut up," Jess reportedly admitted.Larissa apparently had Jess' back and re-posted the screenshots to help her out and spread the word.Following her relationship with Colt, Jess moved on with musician Brian Hanvey and Colt went on to date Vanessa, who was newly-divorced at the time, Starcasm reported.According to court records, Vanessa and her husband of nearly seven years finalized their divorce in early October 2019.In early July 2020, the @tote_the_memes Instagram account, a fan account, shared screenshots of direct messages Vanessa allegedly exchanged with a follower revealing numerous details about her relationship with Colt.In the messages, Vanessa alleged she actually lived with Colt "before Jess was in the picture."Vanessa also reportedly said she was the person who drove Colt to the airport when he flew to see Jess in Chicago -- and she picked him up once he returned to Las Vegas.However, Vanessa reportedly claimed she was never Colt's girlfriend and they are not dating now."Never was an official girlfriend. I couldn't take him seriously," she allegedly wrote in one text message."Honestly it was never anything. I could never stop going out with other men which is why he never stopped talking to women."Vanessa reportedly believes Colt "is not happy with himself," which supposedly "breaks" her heart. However, she insisted Colt is "always going to be family" to her "no matter what sh-tty things he's done.""I wish he'd get help. I tried to help him, but couldn't. I hope he finds some self worth one of these days."Colt is not Vanessa's type, according to the alleged exchange, and she "couldn't" see past that. She apparently prefers "bearded tattooed men."Since Colt apparently didn't fit the bill, Vanessa is reportedly dating someone else now.The Instagram account also allegedly obtained a photo of Vanessa and her bearded boyfriend and a text message in which Vanessa wrote, "I'm actually dating someone else. Which is why you see [Colt] follow/unfollow me all the time. He's a very jealous person."And Colt just confirmed in his late July interview with ET that Vanessa is just a friend, and he called themselves "kindred spirits.""She's someone in my life I can always count on," Colt shared.Colt also reiterated in an early August interview with Us Weekly that he and Vanessa are still just friends."I have no idea what the future holds," Colt told Us."I mean, I didn't even think 2020, it would be like this at all. So it's hard to say what tomorrow will be, but Vanessa is a great friend, you know, she's my best friend and right now it's been enough."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! AMHERST Leaders of the UMass College Democrats said over the weekend that they regret that a letter disinviting Holyoke mayor and congressional candidate Alex B. Morse from College Democrats events was made public and that the letter sparked homophobic language back at Morse. But the College Democrats said they were making a good-faith effort to make their members feel safe and not working with the campaign of U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield. Neal, Morses opponent in Tuesdays primary, has flatly denied that he or his campaign had anything to do with the letter. The primary election for the 1st Massachusetts Congressional District is Tuesday. There is no Republican candidate so the winner Tuesday is the winner in Novembers general election. The executive board -- in a statement made public on its Twitter account -- said its president at the time, explained to the rest of the executive board that he had been working with the president of CDMA to put together a private letter to send to Morse disinviting him from future events. Morse, 31, was a part-time lecturer in political science at UMass from from 2014-19. The university has hired an attorney to investigate as to any violations of federal Title IX sex discrimination rules. The letter, which was leaked to the Massachusetts Daily Collegian student newspaper, said Morse contacted male college students after meeting them at College Democratic events through dating apps and a private portion of the photo-sharing program Instagram. We understood the purpose of the letter to be to make College Democrats events safer not to censure Morses sex life or pass judgement on his use of dating apps, the message from UMass College Democrats on Twitter this weekend said. A majority of our (executive) board members agreed to sign on in good faith, believing it necessary for the well-being of our members based on what wed been told. The letter, and subsequent communications from the state College Democrats, make the point that students might have felt intimated by Morse due to his positions as mayor, a lecturer at the university and as a prominent progressive politician. The letter said the college students were as young as 18. Subsequently, another member of the UMass College Democrats has said the allegations might have been an attempt to hurt Morses campaign by a student who was a former student in Neals UMass class and hoped Neal would get him a job. College Democrats of Massachusetts have since said there were more than one complaining recipient of communications from Morse. Morse has said in multiple interviews that he has had relationships with students at area colleges. But that no student he dated was among members of the classes he taught. He maintains all of his relationships have been consensual and his actions were not in violation of any policies for UMass faculty. Hes said he needs to be more mindful in the future of how power dynamics play out in relationships. UMass bans relationships between employees and anyone they grade or supervise the University discourages relationships between teachers and any student at all. The first of two planned back-to-back SpaceX Falcon 9 launches was called off Sunday because of bad weather, but the company succeeded later in the day, taking advantage of improving conditions to launch an Argentine remote sensing satellite on a spectacular trip to an orbit around Earth's poles. It was the 100th flight of a SpaceX rocket since 2006, the 92nd for the Falcon 9 family, and the first since 1969 to send a rocket from Cape Canaveral on a southeasterly trajectory, flying over Cuba on the way to the polar orbit required by its satellite payload. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral Sunday evening, boosting an Argentine remote sensing satellite into an orbit around Earth's poles, the first such flight from Florida since 1969. / Credit: SpaceX Adding to the drama, the Falcon 9's previously flown first stage flew itself back to a pinpoint landing at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, rocking the Space Coast with twin sonic booms heard as far away as Orlando. It was only the second Florida landing out of 12 recoveries so far this year, SpaceX's 59th overall. Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin watched the launch from his home a few miles south of the Air Force station, tweeting "well done @SpaceX" for a landing "in my backyard." Falcon 9s launch and first stage landing in my backyard. Well done @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/SzkQKowwBh Dr. Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) August 30, 2020 SpaceX had planned to launch two Falcon 9s Sunday just nine hours apart, the shortest span between two orbit-class U.S. launches since 1966. The double header fell into place after a dramatic last-second "hot-fire abort" early Saturday of a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy rocket carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite. Leading off the Sunday flight plan was a Falcon 9 set to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into space from historic pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The SAOCOM 1B mission would follow suit from the nearby Air Force station. But the Starlink booster was not hauled out of its hangar until early Sunday, and SpaceX later said in a tweet the team had called off the launch attempt "due to inclement weather during pre-flight operations." The next opportunity to get the Starlinks off the ground is Tuesday at 9:29 a.m. Story continues The weather appeared no-go most of the day for the SAOCOM 1B flight, but storms diminished as the day wore on and by the time the second launch window rolled around the Falcon 9 was cleared for takeoff. The mission got underway at 7:18 p.m. when the booster's nine first stage engines ignited, throttled up to full thrust and propelled the rocket away from pad 40 under a still-cloudy sky. Joining the Argentine satellite in the rocket's nose cone were two small hitch hiker satellites added to the flight under a "rideshare" arrangement. All earlier Falcon 9s launched from Florida climbed away to the east or northeast. To reach a polar orbit from Cape Canaveral, the SAOCOM 1B Falcon 9 took off on a southeasterly trajectory and then carried out a "dogleg" maneuver once clear of Florida's coast to bend the flight path more directly south. A split-screen view of the Falcon 9's first stage descending to touchdown at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. / Credit: SpaceX In 1960, falling debris from a malfunctioning rocket reportedly killed a cow in Cuba, prompting protests in the island nation. All polar orbit missions since 1969 have taken off from Vandenberg where rockets remain above the Pacific Ocean all the way to orbit. SpaceX initially planned to launch SAOCOM 1B from Vandenberg, but sought permission to move the flight to Cape Canaveral to ease ground processing issues. The company presumably won government approval for the move in part because of the dogleg maneuver, which minimizes overflight of populated areas, the rocket's high altitude by the time it reaches populated areas farther downrange and because the Falcon 9 features an automated flight safety system. The AFTS is designed to quickly terminate a flight if an impending catastrophic problem is detected. The 6,720-pound SAOCOM 1B requires a polar orbit to enable its cloud-penetrating radar to observe the entire planet as it rotates below. The spacecraft will work in concert with an identical L-band radar mapper launched in 2018 along with Italy's COSMO-SkyMed X-band satellites. Bound for a 360-mile-high orbit, the $600 million SOACOM system is designed to monitor soil moisture and a range of other factors affecting the agricultural sector, collecting high-resolution data around the clock regardless of cloud cover. "One of the main targets of the SAOCOM satellites is to provide information for the agriculture sector," Raul Kulichevsky, executive and technical director of CONAE, Argentina's space agency, told Spaceflight Now. "One of the things we develop is soil moisture maps, not only of the surface, but taking advantage of the L-band capabilities we can measure the soil moisture 1 meter below the surface of the land. So this is very important information." CDC predicts spike in COVID-19 cases this month, then a decline "See Us Unite" campaign looks to address hate Trucker shortage could make it harder to fill your tank this summer Some Pennsylvania colleges reopened for students this semester, and now more than 250 students and staff have tested positive for the coronavirus across the state. Young people are often criticized for socializing in large groups during the pandemic, but as many as 75% of young adults have reported increased mental health issues in recent months. To learn more about the health of young people and how we cover this topic, I asked health reporter Bethany Ao about her job and what particular issues shes focusing on in the pandemic. Lauren Aguirre (@laurencaguirre, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com) The week ahead This weeks most popular stories Behind the story with Bethany Ao Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face along the way. This week we chat with health reporter Bethany Ao, who covers young adults with an eye toward mental, sexual, and preventative health. Why did you become a reporter and what drew you to covering health? I became a reporter because I loved writing and asking questions about things I didnt understand. Years later, Ive learned that while sometimes we can get bogged down with other responsibilities ultimately thats still what its about! I started at the Inquirer as a features reporter but switched to my current beat because I was excited by the opportunity to tell stories about a population that flies under the radar both in local news and health coverage in general young people. I came into the beat wanting to write stories that made them feel like someone was paying attention to the health issues that they face, like mental health. How is your job different now than before the pandemic? What I was doing before the pandemic now feels light years away. Before the pandemic, I was still learning the ropes of health reporting, like how to read research papers. I had a whole list of stories I really wanted to get to. But then everything was upended by COVID-19, and I spent months mostly writing about the impact social distancing had on mental health. And then the protests happened, so I wrote about why communities of color are more at risk for mental health issues due to racial stressors and problems in our society. Im slowly returning to some stories I wanted to write before the pandemic happened now, but I approach everything with what I call a COVID lens. So much has changed since March, and my beat is no different. What is a developing story youre keeping an eye on or continually reporting on? All the behavioral health experts I talk to have mentioned how in a matter of months, the country will probably be facing a mental health crisis. Im not an alarmist person, but when everyone brings it up in interviews, its definitely something I have my eye on. Im particularly interested in how this affects young people. We know that mental health was already something this age group struggled with before all of this, especially those who identify as Black or LGBTQ. Im also interested in how teletherapy and telehealth will continue to shape the mental health landscape. Many therapists have talked about how theyve been able to continue providing services through those platforms, and Im intrigued by whether this shift will be permanent. What is a story you wrote recently that youre proud of? I recently finished reporting a story about the mental health issues graduate students face. It was a story I started in February, but its been on my mind for years. I have a lot of friends who are currently graduate students, some of whom deal with depression and anxiety, and writing this story helped me gain a better understanding of all the problems in academia that can really chip away at someones mental health. Plus, I wanted to open a conversation in mainstream media about the challenges they face I think so often when we talk about mental health on college campuses, we lump graduate students in with undergraduates, who have a totally different experience. Is there a news story that skated under the radar that you thought was interesting or important to know about? The New York Times published an investigation recently about privacy concerns with Talkspace, an app that connects licensed therapists to clients via text message. Its an app that colleges and workplaces are increasingly partnering with to help make therapy more accessible to people who may not be able to afford it otherwise. I thought the story was really intriguing it talks about how even though Talkspace is trying to lower the barrier of entry to therapy, they are first and foremost a company that may not be above mining really sensitive conversations between clients and therapists for data. As telehealth continues to be incredibly relevant in our lives, this is a real concern for many people. What is something you wish more people understood about your job? That Im really mindful of each and every one of my subjects experiences. With mental health, people experience things like anxiety and depression in totally different ways, and its important to acknowledge that. Also, that I get many of my story ideas from people emailing me about things theyre thinking about, so please dont hesitate to reach out! Email Bethany Ao at bao@inquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @bethanyao. Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly I love this adorable dog and I hope this photo brings a smile to your face too. Thanks for sharing, @milliethebluecorgi! Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out! Tips for going back to school safely from CHOP doctors Whether your kids are going back to school in person or virtually, safety is probably top of mind. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia brought together two of its experts to field some of the questions parents are grappling with as they decide what is best for their child. Their advice includes choosing a good mask for your child and teaching them safety rules before going back to school in person. For virtual learning, establishing a routine will help your child be more focused on school. Check out the rest of their tips here. What were Ordering: delivery. Even with the uptick in demand during the pandemic, local restaurants are facing challenges managing deliveries in-house. Watching: Phineas and Ferb The Movie . It just premiered on Disney+ and is sure to be fun for the whole family. Listening to: The Killers. Their new album is a lesson in the fine art of the arena anthem, my colleague Dan DeLuca writes. Comment of the week Feel good story!! Enjoy the piano young man! You may have to stay in that apt. for a while now that the piano is there! :-) beenaround on An impromptu performance leads to a gift of a vintage Steinway piano. Your Daily Dose of | Medical workers Medical workers around the world have posted photos on social media from the front lines, and Steve Derrick is painting their portraits. He wanted to show these front-line workers that others do notice and care. He started mailing the portraits to the subjects and eventually started getting requests from family members, medical workers, and even their patients, too. Nigeria has criticized what it calls the "incessant harassment of its citizens in Ghana and the progressive acts of hostility towards the country by Ghanaian authorities". The statement from Information Minister Lai Mohammed says Nigerians in Ghana are "being made... objects of ridicule". He lists a number of issues including: The demolition in June of a property belonging to the Nigerian diplomatic mission in the capital, Accra. Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo apologized over the incident The "aggressive and incessant deportation" of Nigerians The closure of shops belonging to Nigerians. Mr. Mohammed says the Nigerian government is "considering a number of options aimed at ameliorating the situation" but does not say what those are. Earlier this week, Ghanas Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey summoned Nigeria's charge daffaires to complain about comments attributed to her Nigerian counterpart. Geoffrey Onyeama is alleged to have said that the crackdown on illegal foreign retail business in the country was for political gain. In a series of tweets, she described the comment as "most unfortunate" and noted that the Ghanaian government was not targeting any particular nationality in this exercise. Ghanaian law bars foreigners from engaging in the retail business, especially in market areas and local business owners are putting pressure on the authorities to enforce the law, reports the BBC's Thomas Naadi in Accra. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been strained in recent months following trade tensions and the demolition of the Nigerian diplomatic building. PRESS RELEASE Nigeria Will No Longer Tolerate Harassment of Its Citizens in Ghana - FG pic.twitter.com/sU5s3bgMQa Fed Min of Info & Cu (@FMICNigeria) August 28, 2020 Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Hundreds of parents, children, educators and public health workers rallied at the Massachusetts State House Sunday morning, standing in solidarity against the flu vaccine mandate announced by the Department of Public Health earlier this month. This demonstration, hosted by No Mandatory Flu Shot MA and Oppose Overreach - Health Choice 4 Action MA, aimed to protect a parents right to choose whether or not their child should receive an influenza vaccination to attend school. Attendees lined Beacon Street in Boston, holding signs advocating, My child, my choice, among other statements condemning Gov. Charlie Baker and other state officials for the push to make the student flu shot permanent. The protesters demanded Baker rescind the mandate. I have four children and I want to protect my right to their education without being coerced into receiving a flu vaccine, which I dont believe in, said Renee Vanderzicht, who has elementary, middle, and high school-aged children in Uxbridge Public Schools. State public health officials announced that flu immunization will be required for all children 6 months and older who are attending Massachusetts pre-school, kindergarten, K-12 and college. State officials say the new vaccine requirement will aid in reducing flu-related illness amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Several parents who attended the rally claim their children have faced adverse effects from vaccines, including Vanderzicht, who questioned why mandating a flu vaccine should be made in connection with a childs education. Im for freedom of choice, Vanderzicht said. Parents should have the freedom to know what they are putting into their childrens bodies, to have the right to decide what they feel is best for their families and not have an education dangled in front of their face if they dont comply with something they dont agree with. We will not comply, was the chant heard over and over as the crowd gathered outside the State House. Several parents brought their children to the rally. Candice Edwards, of Sutton, who organized the event, noted several parents who are against the mandatory flu immunization are from families who fully vaccinate their child against other diseases. If you want to go get the flu shot, go get the flu shot, but do not use our children as pawns, Edwards said. You dont coerce parents and tell them that their children in order to get an education that they have to go and get a flu shot. We will not comply. Edwards, who said her son suffered adverse effects from his diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) vaccination as a child, said part of this fight is to keep exemptions from vaccinations in place. According to the Department of Public Health, students will be required to receive a flu vaccine by Dec. 31, 2020, for the 2020-2021 influenza season, unless a religious or medical exemption is provided. Weve been fighting tirelessly to keep religious and medical exemptions, but that will be next, Edwards admitted. Theyre going to take this away from us. We want the mandate repealed, but we also need to be sure our exemptions stay intact. Whats going to happen with the flu shot? Additional exemptions include K-12 students who are homeschooled and higher education students who are off campus and engaging in remote learning only, according to DPH. Protesters gathered in Boston Sunday over the flu vaccine mandate for students in Massachusetts. This new flu immunization requirement to enter school in January is in addition to existing vaccine requirements for those in child care and students in preschool, K-12 and colleges in Massachusetts. Students who are learning remotely are exempt, according to DPH. Alex Flett, who was a school nurse in the Billerica School District, spoke to the crowd, encouraging parents to advocate for their childrens rights even if that means questioning medical professionals. She argued that several vaccines, including the influenza immunization, are not based on a risk safety test. Also, Flett questioned where the research was to state whether flu vaccines affect fertility and pregnancy. Before instituting a mandate, Flett and others are asking that more research be done, and evidence be put forward on the dangers of influenza vaccines. Flett questioned choice and asked why parental permission is being kicked aside when it comes to receiving a flu vaccination. Flett, whose two-year-old son has suffered from brain infections, is asking public health officials to consider designated hand-washing times, increased intake of vitamin C, among other tactics to put into place to combat the flu before instituting a mandatory vaccine. Just as any child with a life-threatening allergy or Celiac disease must review an ingredients list...shouldnt we review the disclosed ingredients in an annual injection? Flett asked the crowd. When children pack or buy their lunch, dont they have a choice on what they eat that day? Why has a medical treatment become non-elective? Related Content: The Congress Sunday questioned the "alacrity" exhibited by the Centre in ordering a CBI probe in the Sushant Singh Rajput case and sought investigation into alleged BJP links of Sandeep Ssingh, the producer of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is under the scanner in a related drugs case. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi asked who in the BJP is trying to "save" Ssingh, who produced PM Narendra Modi, the posters of which were unveiled by the then Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Singhvi alleged the film producer who claimed to be Rajput's close friend made 53 calls to the Maharashtra BJP office in the last few months. "Who he was seeking security from," Singhvi asked. He said political parties do not get into Bollywood matters. "But if a suspect is linked to the ruling party, the country wants to know who is he connected to and who in the BJP is trying to save Sandeep Ssingh. "Was Sandeep Ssingh the reasons for showing alacrity in ordering a CBI probe? Why are such people linked to the BJP?" he asked. Singhvi said Fadnavis and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari should answer as to why Ssingh made these many calls to the Maharashtra BJP office and who was his boss. The Congress leader said Ssingh's closeness to the ruling party is evident from the fact that he made the biopic on PM Modi. "He is not a common person as none other than the then CM Devendra Fadnavis released the posters of this film." On the drugs angle coming up during the investigation into the Rajput death case, Singhvi asked what was the Fadnavis government doing at the time as it was in power in 2017 and 2018. He also alleged that a case of assault on a minor Swiss national was lodged against Ssingh on March 29 in Mauritius, as per documents available from the Indian embassy. Singhvi also alleged that even though his company had shown losses, Ssingh was the lone film producer the Vibrant Gujarat in 2019 signed a Rs 177-crore agreement with. The Supreme Court had last week upheld the transfer to the CBI an FIR lodged by Rajput's father in Patna against actress Rhea Chakraborty and others for allegedly abetting his son's suicide and misappropriating his money. . We invite you to make a gift to support the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellows! The Carter Center is pleased to announce a challenge grant of $100,000 by Carter Center supporters Larry and Diana Brown. The mental health journalism fellowships program was founded in 1996 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter based on an essential premise: give journalists the resources they need to report on mental health one of the worlds most underreported health issues to help dismantle through storytelling the stigma that millions of people face every day. Progress in the Fight Against Mental Health Stigma Over the past two decades, more than 220 journalists from the United States, Latin America, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Romania, and South Africa have been awarded the highly-competitive fellowships. Today, our fellows work within their newsrooms and beyond to report on mental health challenges and transform their communities in the process. Our goals are to: 1. Increase effective and accurate reporting on behavioral health issues 2. Equip journalists with the tools needed to produce high-quality work that reflects an understanding of behavioral health 3. Develop a diverse cohort of better-informed journalists who can more effectively report on behavioral health across evolving and emerging platforms Statement by the Editorial Board of the Yoruba Referendum Committee (1) The Constitution Review Committee of Nigerias National Assembly under the Chairmanship of Senator Omo Agege has announced its intention to present the Draft of a new Constitution for Nigeria by the first quarter of 2021. This Draft is to be based on, among others, the Report of the 2014 National Conference as well as the 2018 Report of the APC Committee on Federalism chaired by Nasir El-Rufai, current governor of Kaduna State. As a prelude, the Constitution Review Committee has asked members of the public to submit memoranda. (2) Our experience with previous Conferences and Summits aimed at Reviewing Nigerias Constitution, from the IMF debates, Political Bureau, Niki Tobi's Constitutional review, Abubakar's consultations, Obasanjos All-Parties Technical Review Committee, Jonathans Conference, to various National Assembly Retreats on the Constitution, all ended up in the archives of unwanted materials and shows the disdain to which the Peoples of Nigeria had been and are being subjected. (3) A Constitution is the basic law, the Grundnorm of a society. It embodies the socio-cultural essence of the People; it aggregates their existential paradigms. Therefore, it is not simply a series of legal codes that can be altered at will. However arbitrary alteration of the Constitution has been a regular practice in the country, Nigeria, and this occurs always without reference to the people who are to be governed by the Constitution. (4) Based on the above , the National Assemblys pursuit of a Constitutional Review denies the faulty foundation of the 1999 Constitution; this pursuit is merely an attempt at filibustering the quest for True Federalism; it is a pursuit to rather abridge the right of Self-Determination or Autonomy of the various Peoples and Nationalities of Nigeria and therefore True Federalism by the required concurrence of 24 states Legislative Assemblies which may not share similar existential prerogatives or desires. (5) The 1999 Constitution, the Jonathan Conference and the APC Committee on Restructuring neither presented nor represented the Nationalities as the Federating Units. The conceptualization implicit in these attempts and the implementation of outcomes of such meetings denied the participating Nationalities the freedom to choose their representatives whose direct voices were needed on such crucial aspect of Restructuring the polity in Nigeria. (6) The Jonathan Conference promoted the ridiculous position of states as the Federating Units and proposed State Constitutions as a necessity. Yet, States, as we have them in Nigeria, are administrative entities, which were not even created by the residents but by military fiat. A country can have any form of administrative unit, which was why Aguiyi Ironsi replaced the Regions with groups of provinces which are now more or less the states. Indeed, every Union or Federation in the world is based on a Union of Peoples which may now be administered either as states (administratively) as in the US or (geographically), as Regions as in Germany. For a Federation or Union to exist, therefore, the Peoples inhabiting such a geographical space must make that decision due to their inalienable rights. (7) A State Constitution is meaningless outside the definition of the Federating Unit in and of itself. In other words, the issue is not about "State Constitution" but about the Peoples that want to create a Union. Such that if the issue is about Federating Units being in existence, (and it is) such Federating Units are not the states, but the PEOPLES, who are already in existence and can decide to administer themselves as they deem fit, be it as states, regions, cities, villages. (8) The APC Committees Report on Restructuring promotes some degree of devolution of powers to the Federating Units. Devolution implies the sanctity of the Center and denies Federalism as a relationship between co-equal partners hence cannot be the solution as it retains the power to take back what it has given away. True Federalism, on the other hand, implies (i) re-imagining of the Center, the re-creation of a Center which will ensure the redevelopment of the human capabilities of the various Nationalities that have been in abeyance since Colonial intrusion and (ii) addressing the combined and uneven social and economic development of the country. (9) The APC Committee chose to make the recreation of the Center a matter for the future by saying that there will be a consequential (Constitutional) amendment if the recommendation that states (Federating Units) exercise control over their natural resources within their respective territories and paying royalties to the Central government is accepted. If States (meaning Constituent Nationalities) exercise such control, all elements of a dysfunctional Post-Colonial State will be neutralized as its architecture will become dependent on the prerogative of the States where all the fundamental indices of development such as planning and execution of social, cultural, micro and macro-economic issues will be vested in the Federating Nationality. Since the current Constitution is the pertinent and pervasive problem that must be resolved, the question of its consequential amendment does not arise. (10) In Nigeria, the post-Independence Nation-State exists in contradiction to the right and consequently the ability of the Nationalities to maintain their God-given Identity. This contradiction thus denies the Nations the ability to pursue micro and macro-Economic policies that will result in the development of social and economic relationship between the various Nationalities within Nigeria and their Diaspora, and which, for the Yoruba Nation, are the Yoruba in other West African countries, Brazil, Cuba, the U.S, the West Indies and South America without the overriding legislative power of the Nigerian Union. (11) The above, and more, are why the Yoruba Nation is putting forward, a new Central Structure for Nigeria as a Multi-National State: a Federal Nigeria, through a valid Federal Constitution, to be known as The Union of Nigerian Constituent Nationalities, with a Federal Presidential Council, whose members will be selected or elected from each of the Nationalities as Federating Units and from whom a Head of State will be selected or elected as the primus-inter-pares with an agreed term. (12) This will be essentially achieved through Referendums among the various Nationalities in Nigeria. For the Yoruba Nation, the Yoruba Referendum Committee is working towards convening of the Yoruba Consultative Assembly for the twin purposes of calling on the State Houses of Assembly to pass the Bill for a Referendum into Law as well as ratifying, rejecting, or renewing the Draft Yoruba Constitution as the alternative to the 1999 Constitution. (13) The Referendum will become the practical manifestation of the Will of the People through which Nigerias and Yoruba Nations Grundnorm can confidently assert their being of We, The People. KENOSHA, Wis. - With chants of One person, one vote! and No justice, no peace! a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a Wisconsin courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence and share messages of change, a week after an officer shot Jacob Blake in the back and left the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed. The diverse group of protesters also chanted Seven bullets, seven days! a reference to the number of times Blake was shot last Sunday as they marched toward the courthouse in Kenosha. There, Blakes father, Jacob Blake Sr., gave an impassioned call for changing a system he described as fostering police brutality and racial inequities. There were seven bullets put in my sons back. ... Hell yeah, Im mad, said Blake Sr. He said he wants to ask the police what gave them the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? Im tired of this. Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic dispute call last Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake in the back. Blake Sr. told reporters on Saturday that his son is heavily sedated, but he has regained consciousness. Hes in a lot of pain, he said. I just wish I could pick my baby up and make it all right. He called for Sheskey to be charged and for the other two officers at the scene to be fired. Several of Saturdays speakers encouraged the crowd to vote for change in November, and to push for changing legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform. Justice is a bare minimum, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said. Justice should be guaranteed to everybody in this country. Blake Sr. asked those at the rally to raise their fists with him. We are not going to stop going in the right direction. Were going to the top ... were gonna make legislation happen because thats the only thing that they recognize, he said. Blake Sr. also referred to the May 25 death of George Floyd, a handcuffed Black man who died after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck. Said Blake Sr., We all have a knee on the back of our necks, every day. One of Blakes sisters, Letetra Widman, said she felt recharged to stand up not just for Jacob, but for all the people who have not gotten justice. Captured on cellphone video, the shooting sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after Floyds death touched off a wider reckoning on race. Protesters have marched in Kenosha every night since Blakes shooting, with some protests devolving into unrest with damage to buildings and vehicles. On Tuesday, two people were killed by an armed civilian. The commander of the National Guard said Friday that more than 1,000 Guard members had been deployed to help keep the peace, with more on the way. Most people dispersed from the protest on Saturday before a 7 p.m. curfew. More than an hour after curfew, law enforcement officers, including some wearing U.S. Marshals Service identification, surrounded about a dozen people gathered outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse and made several arrests. President Donald Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent demonstrations that turned violent, White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters travelling with the president Saturday night. Trump, who toured hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana and Texas earlier Saturday, had told reporters that he probably would visit the city. Asked to weigh in on Tuesdays shootings in which 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was charged, Trump demurred and said its under investigation and that we are looking at it very, very carefully. Aniyah Ervin, a 16-year-old from Kenosha who is Black, said Saturday that the week has been surreal. Although she protested against racial injustice over the summer, she said there had been a feeling that police brutality was not a problem in Kenosha. But, she said, Blakes shooting shows it can happen anywhere. Will Turner, who is Black, said he brought his two children from Madison for the march to show them the power of peaceful protesting. Investigators have said little about what led to Blakes shooting. The Kenosha police union said Blake had a knife and fought with officers, putting one of them in a headlock as two efforts to stun him with a Taser were unsuccessful. State investigators have said only that officers found a knife on the floor of the car. In the cellphone video recorded by a bystander, Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of an SUV to his driver-side door as officers follow him with their guns drawn and shout at him. As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV, an officer grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire. Three of Blakes children were in the vehicle. The man who recorded the video, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he heard police yell at Blake, Drop the knife! Drop the knife! before gunfire erupted. White said he didnt see a knife in Blakes hands. __ Forliti reported from Minneapolis. Associated Press reporters Jennifer Peltz in Kenosha, Kathleen Foody in Chicago and Jill Colvin in Orange, Texas, also contributed. ___ This article corrects a reference in the fourth paragraph to a domestic dispute call, instead of a domestic abuse call. BEIJING/SHANGHAI : China's new rules around tech exports mean ByteDance's sale of TikTok's US operations could need Beijing's approval, a Chinese trade expert told state media, a requirement that would complicate the forced and politically charged divestment. ByteDance has been ordered by President Donald Trump to divest short video app TikTok - which is challenging the order - in the United States amid security concerns over the personal data it handles. Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp are among the suitors for the assets, which also includes TikTok's Canada, New Zealand and Australia operations. However, China late on Friday revised a list of technologies that are banned or restricted for export for the first time in 12 years and Cui Fan, a professor of international trade at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said the changes would apply to TikTok. "If ByteDance plans to export related technologies, it should go through the licensing procedures," Cui said in an interview with Xinhua published on Saturday. China's Ministry of Commerce added 23 items - including technologies such as personal information push services based on data analysis and artificial intelligence interactive interface technology - to the restricted list. It can take up to 30 days to obtain preliminary approval to export the technology. TikTok's secret weapon is believed to be its recommendation engine that keeps users glued to their screens. This engine, or algorithm, powers TikTok's "For You" page, which recommends the next video to watch based on an analysis of your behaviour. Cui noted that ByteDance's development overseas had relied on its domestic technology that provided the core algorithm and said the company may need to transfer software codes or usage rights to the new owner of TikTok from China to overseas. "Therefore, it is recommended that ByteDance seriously studies the adjusted catalogue and carefully considers whether it is necessary to suspend" negotiations on a sale, he added. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. China's foreign ministry has said that it opposes the executive orders Trump has placed on TikTok and that Beijing will defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. MOSCOW -- In the early hours of August 24, officers of Russias Federal Security Service in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, arrived at the home where 14-year-old Alyona Prokudina lives with her parents. They confiscated the girls laptop computer and other possessions, her family says. They also detained the teenager and took her, involuntarily, to a psychiatric clinic. The reason, according to her sister Daria Glinskaya, is that Prokudina was part of a social-media chatroom dedicated to the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in the United States. According to authorities, a plot to attack a local school was discussed. Prokudinas was one of several homes raided this month in the Siberian region, according to lawyers involved in Prokudinas case and law enforcement officials cited by media outlets in Krasnoyarsk-- part of a broader clampdown across Russia following a spate of school attacks in recent years. According to TVK6, a local news agency, nine teenagers in all, including Prokudina, have been involuntarily placed in a psychiatric clinic in Krasnoyarsk over the past week. All are accused of belonging to a closed community on the VK social-media platform that was dedicated to the Columbine shooting that took place in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999. Two teenagers armed with guns and explosives killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves. Irina Miroshnikova, the Krasnoyarsk Region childrens rights advocate, told RFE/RL that psychiatric evaluations of minors in Russia are illegal without the express permission of their parents. In the case of Prokudina, she said, its hard to tell whether this permission was given voluntarily or involuntarily, through intimidation and threats. 'They Started Turning The Place Upside Down' Glinskaya told RFE/RL that officers from the security service, known as the FSB, cited Prokudinas link to the closed community as justification for their search. They showed some papers, apparently a search warrant, Glinskaya said. Then they started turning the place upside down. She said that her mother unwittingly authorized Prokudinas forced psychological examination by signing a document that was handed to her by the officers. The girl still hasnt returned home, she said. Its only now we understood that we shouldnt have signed anything, she said. But when youre facing 10 armed men in masks and body armor, theres no time for rational analysis. Prokudinas mother Olga Pronina said that after officers took her daughter away, she called the FSB for information about her. They told me that for safety reasons she wont be released until September 1, the start of the new school year, she said. Prokudinas relatives deny that she was involved in any plans to attack a school. An assistant to Miroshnikova told the state-run TASS news agency that several parents say their children are being examined against their will. The assistant was also quoted as saying that the children have been banned from receiving visits from relatives due ostensibly to safety precautions connected to the coronavirus pandemic. We know that law enforcement came to several families where the children were registered on that social-media group, but not all the parents gave permission for their transfer to the psychiatric hospital, the assistant was quoted as saying. Though firearms are significantly harder to access in Russia than in the United States, the country has seen a wave of knife incidents at schools and several involving guns or improvised explosives in the past three years. In June, the FSB in Volgograd said it had detained a teenager suspected of plotting a school attack. In February, two teenagers in Saratov were arrested on suspicion of planning a gun-and-bomb attack in a local school. And in April, authorities in Krasnoyarsk arrested a 14-year-old boy they said was intent on attacking his school. Earlier this month, a court in the Saratov region sentenced a teenager to 7 years in prison for assaulting students and teachers at his school with an ax and homemade firebombs. Before the attack, officials said, the teenager had written a message on social media professing admiration for the two teenagers who carried out the massacre at Columbine High. Vladimir Vasin, a lawyer working with families of the teenagers committed to psychiatric treatment in the Krasnoyarsk region, acknowledged the need for law enforcement to help prevent future attacks, especially ahead of the new school year. But he was skeptical that Prokudina and others like her posed a threat. I can understand the authorities fight against terrorism. But they didnt find anything during the raid of her home, he told RFE/RL. In my opinion, the child must be released." RFE/RL correspondent Matthew Luxmoore reported from Moscow; correspondent Svetlana Khustik, of the Siberia Desk of RFE/RLs Russia Service, reported from Krasnoyarsk Panicked investors are offloading Sydney homes at heavily discounted prices in a desperate bid to fast track sales as coronavirus bites the market. Some investors with CBD and inner city apartments are slashing up to $250,000 from the original price listed before the pandemic hit Australia's shores earlier this year. While prices for all housing categories across Sydney has dropped in recent months, the inner city unit market was one of the hardest hit. Advertised unit prices in Sydney's CBD are down 15 per cent compared to a year ago, according to SQM Research's Asking Prices Index. This three bedroom unit in the Sydney CBD has had $250,000 slashed from original price Listed in March, the same Kent Street apartment remains on the market 'The inner city unit market is Sydney's weakest and will probably remain so until international travel restrictions are lifted,' My Housing Market economist Andrew Wilson told the Realestate.com.au. Among the biggest savings is a three bedroom, two bathroom unit at 361-363 Kent Street originally listed at $1.55million. It remains on the market at $1.3million, the price it last sold for in 2017. A few blocks away in the same street, a one bedroom unit has been slashed by $50,000 to the discounted price of $730,000. A one bedroom in nearby Clarence Street was listed for $1.05m but remains on the market six months later at the reduced price $960,000. There are also plenty of bargains in the nearby inner-city suburb of Ultimo. This one bedroom unit in Wattle Street Ultimo had a $826,000-$855,000 price range Six months later, the Wattle Street unit remains on the market and slashed up to by $95,000 A one bedroom unit in Wattle Street is currently listed at $735,000-$760,000, almost $100,000 below the original $826,000-$855,000 price range. A two bedroom unit in the same suburb was originally listed $1.2m but has since been slashed by $200,000 to $1.03m. If the plummeting prices in the inner city are still out of reach, there are still bargains across Sydney. One couple recently snapped up a home for $300,000 less than the pre-COVID listing price in Warriewood on Sydney's northern beaches. 'We first thought we had no chance, we were so used to being outbid, but the owner needed to sell in a hurry our offer was accepted over another couple because we already had pre-approval for the loan. They didnt,' the buyer said. Mortgage Choice director and broker James Algar said buyers can snap up a bargain if they act quickly and already have loan pre-approval. Police stopped a planned protest against schools charging exorbitant fees during the pandemic months at Sukhna lake on Sunday morning. The protesters had planned to cycle all the way to the UT advisers house in Sector 7. Around eight protesters were detained by the police and their bicycles were taken to the Sector 3 police station. The protest was planned by a body, Parents Unity for Justice. At around 10am, the members started congregating near Sukhna lake, before the police stepped in. One of the members, Kuldeep Kumar, said, Only a few members had gathered, and we were maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, but the police stopped us. He added that the body is not against charging fees during the lockdown, but it should be reduced keeping in mind the hardships being faced by people. Police said they had detained a few of the protesters and let them go after a few hours with their bicycles. ComebackTown is published by David Sher for a more prosperous greater Birmingham & Alabama Click here to sign up for newsletter. (Opt out at any time) Todays guest columnist is Will Ferniany. Health care plays a major role in the Birmingham economy and touches every one of us. With 14 hospitals in the metropolitan area, 12 ambulatory surgery centers in Jefferson County, and hundreds of physicians offices, there are more than 63,000 people directly employed in medical/surgical health care in our area. It is no secret that COVID is affecting hospitals during the crisis, but the effect on hospitals, health care, and our economy as we move into a post-COVID period will be transformative not only for health care, but also for Birmingham, Alabama, and the entire nation. The most immediate change will be in telemedicine Prior to COVID, UAB Medicine physicians provided an average of 7 telemedicine visits per day. During the pandemic, this number moved up to more than 2,100 telemedicine visits, and we expect that we will provide approximately 35%-40% of our ambulatory visits via telemedicine in the future. Most patients and providers appreciate the convenience of telemedicine visits, when appropriate. However, there are ramifications to increased telemedicine; the most obvious will be less urgent care clinics and fewer physician offices needed. Fewer people going out for care also means less being spent on gas, food, and other purchases, as well as fewer employees needed in physician offices. The most far-reaching change may be in how we pay for health care The Great Recession of 2008, which left millions unemployed and without health insurance, combined with the Democratic administration and Congress led to the Affordable Care Act. The COVID crisis has put a spotlight on the weakness in an employer-based insurance model and fee-for-service payments, and millions more are now unemployed and without health coverage. There will be pressure to change our insurance system. And with the possibility of a Democratic Congress and president, we may have the opportunity and political will to make real changes and move away from the fee-for-service system. I dont think it will be a Medicare for all solution, but it could be a Medicare option or voucher system combined with a national (not state) Medicaid plan. These changes will take some time, and in the interim, Alabama should expand Medicaid to provide coverage to hundreds of thousands of people who need it. Additionally, expansion of Medicaid will help our COVID-crippled economy. Addressing Health Disparities Because COVID has heightened our awareness of social determinants and underlying structural issues, there will be an increased focus on health disparities and how we can better/more proactively address the needs of black, brown, and low socio-economic communities. To address the health equity issue, UAB Medicine is starting a Community Health Equity Program with our alliance partner St. Vincents and Cooper Green. UAB also has the Healthy Alabama 2030 program to improve health status throughout Alabama. Other changes we will see include: The probability that more rural hospitals will close. More nursing and physician shortages as people decide to retire early. The need for more mental health and addiction services as depression, suicides, and drug abuse increase. In addition, there will be a significant amount of professional/clinician burnout that will manifest itself over both the long and intermediate term. Hopefully we will see increased funding for public health, as our public health system has been underfunded for decades. Had it been adequately funded, our response to COVID may have been more effective. It is truly a time of great change in the health care and the ramifications of these changes will impact each of us in Birmingham. Dr. Will Ferniany is Chief Executive Officer of UAB Health System, an 11-hospital academic health system that includes VIVA Health and the UAB Medicine/Ascension St. Vincents Alliance. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking about the upcoming NEET and JEE, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that the aspirants wanted him to do a Pariksha Pe Charcha in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat. JEE-NEET aspirants wanted the PM do Pariksha Pe Charcha but the PM did Khilone Pe Charcha. #Mann_Ki_Nahi_Students_Ki_Baat, the Congress leader tweeted. JEE-NEET aspirants wanted the PM do Pariksha Pe Charcha but the PM did Khilone Pe Charcha.#Mann_Ki_Nahi_Students_Ki_Baat Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 30, 2020 The Congress leaders remark comes after Prime Minister Modi, addressed his monthly Mann ki Baat radio programme earlier today. In the programme, the Prime Minister also talked about making toys for the world and highlighted the ability of India to become a toy hub. The comments of the Congress leader came even as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) are scheduled to be held in September. Notably, protests are being held by students and Opposition parties against the decision to hold the exams amid the ongoing pandemic. Ministers from six Opposition-ruled states have also moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to postpone the exams reviewing its earlier order in the matter. The Supreme Court had on August 17 dismissed a petition seeking the postponement of the NEET and JEE scheduled to be held in September 2020 observing that the career of students cannot be put under jeopardy for long. WATERLOO Juanita Williams has always had a passion for public and community health. Her heart steered her in that direction, although her career path as a registered nurse has never been in a straight line. Her resume includes stints as a health educator for migrant workers, critical care and cardiac rehabilitation nurse, womens program coordinator, maternal and child home health nurse, clinical development coordinator and public health nurse. Williams poured her energy into each and every job. She knew that the experience and knowledge she gained would serve her well if she ever found the dream job that fulfilled her passion. She joined Allen Womens Health in Waterloo seven years ago. Finally, shed found the perfect fit. This is what I was aiming for my whole life. I want people to have a better quality of life. I work with a team of like-minded women and serve a diverse mix of people Hispanic, Burmese, Congolese, African American and others. I finally found my passion. Its been a winding path. All my skills and strengths coalesced into this. All Ive done in my career has been woven together and shaped me as a person and a nurse. Williams has been chosen as one of the Top 10 Nurses in the Cedar Valley. She was surprised by the recognition. I just felt undeserving. So many other nurses deserve this, and I feel so tremendously honored. I have the strengths of an older nurse, a variety of experience and a lot of wisdom. When youre working with younger nurses, you realize they have their strengths and skills, too, and theyre savvy about technological things. There is generational diversity in nursing, and we all have our strengths, she explained. Nurse practitioner Kathi Bower nominated Williams for the honor. I think about characteristics such as passion, dedication, empathy, activism, engagement in the community, love of diversity and so on. Juanita embodies each and every one of those characteristics and more, said Bower, who works with Williams at Allen Womens Health. She takes time to care for the whole patient mind, body and spirit, and she makes people feel heard, loved and fully cared for, she wrote in her nominating letter. Williams, who grew up in Huntington Beach, Calif., has an undergraduate degree in psychology and earned her nursing degree from St. Louis (Mo.) University. She is working on a masters degree in health education at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. After serving as womens health coordinator for Mercy Health Care in Des Moines, Williams and her family moved to the Cedar Valley where she worked as a home health nurse caring for an infant with special needs, and later as a psychiatric nurse at Covenant Medical Center. Then she transitioned into clinical development and educational roles. I kept searching for a way to a get a foot into public health, said Williams. I loved my jobs, but they didnt fulfill my passion. She moved to a job with the Black Hawk County Health Department directing the First 5 Program, a Department of Health effort to educate health professionals to identify special needs before children reach age 5. She later served as a recruiter at Allen College of Health Sciences, before coming to Allen Womens Health. Advocacy and volunteerism also are important in her life. It wasnt an important value when I was growing up, but in nursing school and after moving to Iowa, those values evolved. I saw nursing as helping patients, but what Ive also realized about health care is you have to be involved in policy. Health care isnt just the patient. Its advocating for justice and equality in our policies, and the way we deliver health care to patients, Williams explained. Her husband, Dennis Harbaugh, comes from a strong family given to volunteerism one of the gifts that Iowa has given me, she said. They have two sons, Jesh and Jordan. She is co-founder of the Harbaugh-Williams Education Promise Fund, a scholarship program which encourages African-American males to stay in school and attend college. She is active in her church, Unitarian Universalists and volunteers for a range of activities, including IrishFest. She is a member of Iowa Nurses Association and a past board member of the Global Health Corps. I feel so proud that I had the resilience to not give up and settle, that I kept pushing myself to find and fulfill what is deep in my heart, and found a place that uses all of my skills. It was a long and winding career path. I love and respect my coworkers, and I just love the patients. Together with a good team, you can accomplish so much more than you can individually, Williams said. I want people to have a better quality of life. Juanita Williams Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By PTI Malayalam cinema star Fahadh Faasil, one of the most versatile actors of his generation with critically acclaimed films like "Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum" and "Kumbalangi Nights" to his credit, says it is important for him to have the freedom to choose his characters and they need not be the lead roles. The National Award winner said his constant effort has been to ensure the liberty where he is not stuck in a particular image. "What excites me is the film as a whole. I don't want to be good in one scene or be good in a bad movie. The film as a whole needs to be communicated well," Faasil told PTI in a Zoom interview. Citing the example of "Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum", the film for which he won the National Award, the actor said he was initially offered a different role but decided to opt for the character of chain-swallowing thief later. "When I function like that, I have the freedom to choose my characters and they need not be the lead role. The constant effort is to not repeat myself as I don't want to get bored of my work," he added. The actor was launched in the industry by his filmmaker father, Fazil, at the age of 19 with romantic film "Kaiyethum Doorath" in 2002 but left for the US when the movie flopped. Seven years later, he made a comeback with a role in "Kerala Cafe" and Faasil has since worked hard to build an enviable filmography in Malayalam cinema. The 38-year-old actor has been praised for his performance in, "Trance", "Maheshinte Prathikaaram" and Tamil film "Super Deluxe" among several more. Asked whether there was an attempt to build a legacy of great roles, Faasil said he is not someone who plans future. "I am not a future guy. I just owe it to my audience here. I never want them to wonder why this guy did this role. Even for my bad films, I want them to think that he was trying at least. "I feel I am answerable to them. Also, I don't want to do anything that takes away the freedom I have to do what I want to do, the way I want to," he said. After "Kumbalangi Nights", he has now produced "C U Soon". The actor, who also features in the movie, is excited about the thriller where most of the story unfolds through screens, which has become a way of life during the coronavirus pandemic. Most of the film was shot during the lockdown and created on the edit table, he said. "'C U Soon' is a very emotional story. It's about suffering. People are now on FaceTime and Google. The experience that we want to give for this film is that you might feel that the characters are on the other end of the phone. It could be that personal. "The attempt is for the movie to go to the audience and experience it with all the emotional backing the script or the narrator deserves. People are very familiar to WhatsApp and other apps, but a film on that ground is going to be fresh," the actor said. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, "C U Soon" is about a software engineer from Kerala (Fahadh) who has been assigned by his family to help his Dubai-based cousin (Roshan Mathew) find his missing fiancee (Darshana Rajendran), after she leaves behind a video-based suicide note. Fahadh, who has worked with Narayanan on the 2017 hit "Take Off" and the yet-to-be-released "Malik", said he had tremendous trust in the director. With "Vishwaroopam" films, "Uyare", and "Ennu Ninte Moideen" as credits, Narayanan is primarily a brilliant editor. "I was very sure about what Mahesh can do with something like this. He was the one who gave me the idea of redesigning the film on the editing table. Let's focus on design on the lenses when we shoot it, let's shoot it in one single frame and redesign it. It's because of him that the film happened." Also starring "Choked" star Mathew and Rajendran of "Virus" fame, the film begins streaming on Amazon Prime Video from September 1. Fahadh said there has been a constant effort from his side to achieve harmony in his films though he has failed sometimes. "Cinema shouldn't take away respect from women. Films should eventually result in people respecting each other or human beings being in love with each other more than anything. It's an art form and it has to be executed for better harmony. It's not that people get influenced and change their life, but if you can have some goodness that people can take home, then some good (will be done). "I have failed drastically in a few films. But even if one person gets the message, we have to ensure that they get it rightly," he added. Streamers have helped his films to be discovered beyond his ardent followers in Malayalam cinema and the actor believes it has opened the possibilities for many more stories to be told. Asked about whether there was a chance for him to make a Hindi film debut like Mathew and Dulquer Salmaan, Faasil said he should first get a script that excites him. Hindi cinema debut may or may not be a possibility for Faasil but one actor that left a mark on him was Irrfan Khan. Faasil shared an emotional letter with his fans following Irrfan's death in April from a rare form of cancer. In the letter, the actor shared how he discovered Irrfan while he was studying in the US and how the actor left an indelible mark on him. Asked what prompted him to write the letter, Fahadh said he had never spoken or met Irrfan but his passing felt a deep sense of loss. "I knew I would terribly miss him. He felt like someone I knew and the fact that I would miss him was a little unbearable. That's why I sat down and wrote that night. "I am going to miss the actor he is. It's not just me, think about the filmmakers who would never find the right guy to do a million characters. I have heard a lot of beautiful stories about him from Mr (Vishal) Bhardwaj," he said. Bhopal: Heavy showers in several parts of Madhya Pradesh for the past couple of days has caused a severe flood-like situation in the state. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan took an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Vidisha on Sunday (August 30, 2020). He stated that in the last two days, as heavy rains hit large parts of the state, over 7,000 people from 454 villages of 12 districts were evacuated. "Eight people have died in wall collapses and swollen nullahs so far," Chouhan said. As of now, 9,300 people are staying in 170 relief camps in the state. The CM informed that efforts were on a war-footing to evacuate a further 1,200 people who were stranded in as many as 40 villages in the state. "I informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the flood situation this morning. I spoke to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last night for help," he said. As many as three helicopters of the Indian Air Force have been pressed into service to help in evacuation while request has been made for two more choppers. A column of 70 Army personnel are working and have evacuated people from flood-hit areas in Hoshangabad, more columns of the military have been requisitioned, Chauhan said. Heavy rains pounded nine districts of the state, including Hoshangabad, Sehore, Chhindwara and Narshinghpur, leading to a rise in the level of the Narmada river at some places in the last two days. While more rains are expected in the next 24 hours. Authorities in Indore, Ujjain, Shajapur, Ratlam, Dewas, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Mandsaur and Neemuch have been alerted. Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department centre in Bhopal said that a well marked low pressure area causing rains in the state has advanced over west Madhya Pradesh and (adjoining) eastern Rajasthan. The pressure system is likely to shift to Rajasthan by 7 pm or 8 pm. Friday marked the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, during which American civil rights leader the Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his I Have a Dream speech. Though the crowd for the 2020 march Friday was smaller than expected, thousands came to protest police killings of Black American Jeanette Carlson, an anti-apartheid activist who with her husband fought against the racist South African government, and who with her family was eventually deported, died on Aug. 18 at her home in Silver Spring, Md. She was 91. Her daughter Meredith Carlson Daly confirmed the death. She said her mother had a bone marrow disorder. In her native South Africa, Mrs. Carlson was a leader of the Black Sash, an organization of white women that protested the disenfranchisement of the Black majority. Its members wore black sashes as a sign of mourning for the death of constitutional rights, including the right to vote, for nonwhites at the hands of the government. Mrs. Carlson led one of the Black Sash chapters in Johannesburg, rallying against apartheid nearly every week outside courthouses and on roadsides. She expanded her chapters work to include educational seminars and pro bono legal work. Prithviraj Sukumaran, the multi-faceted is all set to play the lead role in the first-ever virtual production film from India. The movie, which is directed by newcomer Gokulraj Bhaskar, is expected to go on floors very soon. Recently, the sources close to the project revealed some exciting updates regarding the Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer. As per the latest updates, the untitled project is a two-hero project. Prithviraj Sukumaran is playing one of the roles, while a popular actor from another film industry will appear as the other character. Reportedly, the makers are in talks with some of the leading actors of various languages for the role, but nothing has been finalised yet. The reports also suggest that the makers have been considering three titles for the project. However, the team is planning to have the same title for the film in all languages and is waiting for the approval of the film chamber for the same. Prithviraj Sukumaran, the lead actor will reveal the title officially once the title gets approved by the film chamber. The Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer has been planned as a multi-lingual, which will be simultaneously shot and released in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi languages. The project will feature an extensive star cast including some of the most famous names of all these five industries. As per the reports, Prithviraj Sukumaran has decided not to kickstart any of his announced projects, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the actor will be completely concentrating on the virtual production project, which will be shot in the renowned studios of Kochi, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The Gokulraj Bhaskar directorial is jointly produced by Supriya Menon and Listin Stephen, under the banners Prithviraj Productions and Magic Frames. Also Read: C U Soon, Maniyarayile Ashokan & Kilometers And Kilometers: Movies To Watch Out for This Onam! Mohanlal And Priyadarshan: 'Our Best Film Is Yet To Come' The court has issued notices seeking replies from the Centre, the channel and its chief editor Suresh Chavhanke. The plea will be heard on 7 September New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Saturday refused to vacate its stay on the telecast of a programme on Sudarshan TV about a "big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service". In an interim order on Friday, the high court had restrained the channel from airing the programme 'Bindas Bol' which was scheduled for telecast at 8 pm last evening. A special hearing was held on Saturday post 7 pm by Justice Navin Chawla on a plea filed by Sudarshan TV and its editor-in-chief seeking to vacate the stay order on telecast of the programme, a lawyer said. The channel submitted that the Supreme Court, on another petition, on Friday has refused to restrain pre-broadcast ban on Sudarshan TV from telecasting the programme. An advocate associated with the case said the judge asked the channel to first respond to the notice issued to it by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which has sought a clarification after receiving several complaints. The court asked the channel to submit by 1 September, its reply to the ministry, represented through central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, which will decide it within 48 hours and place the decision before it. The advocate said the court was also of the opinion that while in the matter before the Supreme Court the transcript was unverified, here the video clipping has not been disputed by the channel. In the high court, the main petition was filed by former and present students of Jamia Millia Islamia University, contending that the proposed broadcast sought to defame, attack and incite hatred against JMI, its alumni, and the Muslim community at large. The high court had issued notices seeking replies from the central government, Sudarshan TV, and its Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke on the petition, which has been listed for further hearing on 7 September. The petitioners' counsel had shown a video clip of the trailer that was released by the TV channel for 'Bindas Bol' and said it shows the programme could be in complete violation of the programme code. He had said an irretrievable damage would be caused to the petitioners if the programme is allowed to be telecast. In the apex court, the petition was filed by advocate Firoz Iqbal Khan. The top court had said it has to first circumspect in imposing a prior restraint on publication or the airing of views. In the high court, the petition by Syed Mujtaba Athar, Ritesh Siraj and Aamir Subhani sought a direction to prohibit the telecast of the programme and to take down the trailers and all videos of the broadcast which are uploaded on the Internet by them. It said the trailer was uploaded by the channel's editor-in-chief on 25 August on social media and the petitioners came to know about it on August 27 when it went viral. "The respondent no. 4 (Chavhanke) has openly incited his target non-Muslim audience by fearmongering that 'jihadis' or terrorists from Jamia Millia Islamia would soon hold positions of authority and power like that of collector and secretary," it said. The plea said if the proposed broadcast is allowed to go ahead, it would present a clear danger to the security of the petitioners as well as that of other students and alumni of Jamia Millia Islamia including those who cleared the Civil Services Exam in 2020 as well as the Muslim community at large. It claimed that this would leave them open to the imminent threat of violence, including the possibility of lynching. "This would amount to an extremely egregious violation of the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed to the petitioners under Article 21 of the Constitution," the plea said. It said a prima facie case is made out that the proposed broadcast amounts to hate speech and criminal defamation and fatally compromises the right to life and liberty of the petitioners. Gov. John Bel Edwards said Sunday that, while gains are being made, restoring power to the Lake Charles area after Hurricane Laura is going to be a "long and difficult process." Edwards told reporters that initial estimates of downed towers in the wake of the historic storm totaled about 170, including 70 large structures. That tally has since been increased to about 500 towers that were damaged or destroyed. "That gives you some sense of the work that has to be done to get power back in Lake Charles," Edwards said. "We have a long road ahead of us," he said later. "The recovery is going to take a while and it is going to take a lot of effort." +7 'Tarps are like gold': Lake Charles begins Hurricane Laura recovery without power and reliable water LAKE CHARLES A day after the most powerful storm to strike Louisiana in a century and a half roared through, this city of nearly 80,000 peop "A significant percentage of this state's population's lives are upside down this afternoon," the governor said. Hurricane Laura slammed into Cameron Parish about 1 a.m. Thursday, a Category 4 storm and just below Category 5 and upended southwest Louisiana as well as parts of north and central Louisiana. The death toll is 14, including eight who died from carbon monoxide linked to generators. The number of power outages statewide has been trimmed from more than 600,000 to 368,000 as of 3 p.m. Sunday. More than 17,000 line workers are on the ground making repairs the most ever including more than 13,000 Entergy repair men and women from 29 states. "That is a big number of outages," Edwards noted. "It is going to be a long and difficult process to restore the power. I know they are going to work as fast as they possible can. "I know this is difficult," Edwards added. "We are asking for patience. Allow these crews to get where they need to go. Give them the space they need." The issue is complicated by the fact that dozens of water systems were also damaged by the storm. Some of those will come back to life when power is restored. But uprooted trees triggered by the storm also damaged some water lines, meaning those repairs will need more time aside from the restoration of power. 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 The governor said there are particular concerns about water systems in Lake Charles, Sulphur and DeRidder. Edwards said that, while he hopes to get an idea on how long it will take to restore power when he meets with Entergy officials on Monday, residents should rely on their local utility and water system leaders for updates on repairs. The storm forced thousands of residents of southwest Louisiana to evacuate before and after the storm. Edwards said 8,962 people are sheltering in 45 hotels statewide, including 29 in New Orleans. Hotels are being used to avoid the typically crowded hurricane shelters used in the past to trim chances for the spread of the coronavirus, a worry in the best of times made worse by the storm exodus. +2 Here's how the Louisiana petrochemical industry held up after Hurricane Laura, offshore Major operators of oil, gas and chemical plants and pipelines in the path of Hurricane Laura appeared to have just limited damage Thursday, wi Another 5,875 people, and possibly as many as 8,000, are sheltering in hotels in Texas. "We do want to thank the state of Texas for being a good neighbor to our people while they are in need," Edwards said. The governor said the number of positive cases for the virus is 1,645 since Friday, including 532 that date back to July. The death toll from COVID-19 the illness causes by the virus rose by 27. A total of 6,241 members of the Louisiana National Guard are fanned out statewide helping with hurricane recovery. They have delivered 893,000 bottles of water, 473,000 meals, over 36,000 bags of ice and about 14,000 tarps. Members of the National Guard are also delivering generators. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. MECOSTA COUNTY -- Health officials confirmed three new coronavirus cases in Mecosta County over the weekend. The District Health Department No. 10, on Sunday, reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case. On Saturday, two new cases were also confirmed putting Mecosta County's new total to 79 cases. As of Sunday, Mecosta County has administered 8,538 diagnostic tests and 370 serology -- looking for antibodies -- tests, totaling 8,908 tests, according to michigan.gov. Forty-nine individuals are listed as "recovered," which the health department defines as a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who is alive 30 days after date of confirmation. Statewide, Michgan saw an increase of 1,390 coronavirus cases on Sunday alone. The DHD No. 10 serves residents in Mecosta, Crawford, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Newaygo, Oceana and Wexford counties. This is Sunday's breakdown of coronavirus numbers in the health department's jurisdiction: Cumulative total: positive COVID-19 cases in the DHD No. 10's jurisdiction. positive cases in Crawford County positive cases in Kalkaska County positive cases in Lake County positive cases in Manistee County positive cases in Mason County positive cases in Missaukee County positive cases in Newaygo County positive cases in Oceana County positive cases in Wexford County Deaths: 23 deaths from COVID-19 in the DHD No. 10's jurisdiction. Deaths are included in the positive cases listed above. 5 deaths in Crawford County 4 deaths in Kalkaska County 1 death in Manistee County 2 deaths in Mecosta County 1 death in Missaukee County 6 deaths in Oceana County 4 deaths in Wexford County Recoveries: 1,034 recoveries from from COVID-19 in the DHD No. 10's jurisdiction (based on whether individuals are still alive 30 days past the confirmed date). 81 recoveries in Crawford County 31 recoveries in Kalkaska County 15 recoveries in Lake County 31 recoveries in Manistee County 84 recoveries in Mason County 49 recoveries in Mecosta County 25 recoveries in Missaukee County 237 recoveries in Newaygo County 436 recoveries in Oceana County 48 recoveries in Wexford County The state lists the total recovered at 76,151 cases, as of Aug. 28, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to July 29. As of Sunday, there are 102,017 confirmed cases and 6,473 confirmed deaths in Michigan. A group of around 20 people gathered in Coolidge Park to raise awareness for child sex trafficking on Saturday afternoon. Many carried signs bearing messages like Children dont just disappear and Save our children. Organizer Mandy Gladden was one of the first to arrive, and she succinctly described the goal of the rally. This is just to bring awareness of human trafficking to our community and child trafficking, Ms. Gladden said. Once I became a mom, I really kept my eye out on stuff thats happening around me, and its been brought to my attention that its an ongoing problem. One of those in attendance was Jesus Walker, who said he knows family and friends who have been affected by sex trafficking and other similar crimes. He said he hoped he can have a positive impact or footprint on our city and hopefully the world. Its as simple as End pedophilia and end the sex rings and put more funding to doing that. Another rally-goer was Amy Hodgson, who echoed these sentiments. She said the issue of sex trafficking is not a partisan one, and that she hoped for unity on this front. She advocated for harsher penalties for those involved in trafficking children. We dont feel like this is being taken as seriously as it needs to be taken, and once it is, maybe all of us can start coming together, Ms. Hodgson said. I just read an article where a guy got one year for raping a child. How does it make sense when you can go to jail for 20 years for having marijuana. Where does that make any sense at all? Fellow organizer Kindred Miller took the microphone shortly before the march started. She said the rally was strictly about raising awareness of child trafficking, and said the issue is far more widespread and common than many believe. We all have a responsibility to watch out for one another and take care of each other, and thank you all for coming out for this, Ms. Gladden said. No matter how big or small, we know that the children need us and that needs to end. I hope all of you can make it out [to future events] and we can make a change in our community. Georgia native Joshua Abernathy said this march will not the be last event hosted by this group. He said he hopes to hold a rally every month, starting with one in Calhoun in September. The ultimate goal is to march with 1,000 people in Atlanta, in order to put pressure on the government to pass legislation that would more harshly penalize child traffickers. Human sex trafficking is not a conspiracy, Mr. Abernathy said. Its a problem that disproportionally affects north Georgia and the Chattanooga areas. What were doing forward is were starting a campaign called Let Them Know. He said the campaign will be a three-pronged one. He said the campaign will support victim, let communities know what they can do to fight child and sex trafficking and the signs of sex trafficking, and letting the government know there is a want and need for reform in how sex trafficking is handled. Were going to be in Calhoun Ga. on Sept. 26. Were going to get local elected officials and local leaders there, Mr. Abernathy said. This is not a partisan issue, so dont let it become one. Ms. Kefilwe Rhoba Moalosi 30.08.2020 LISTEN The Project Manager for Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) of African Union Development Agency NEPAD, Ms. Kefilwe Rhoba Moalosi has described as Fantastic Initiative the provision of free hot meal for final year Junior High School students by the Government of Ghana amid COVID-19 pandemic. She, therefore, advocated for other AU member states to emulate the shining example of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for ensuring that children from poor homes did not go to school or study with hunger in spite of the global economic challenge posed by COVID-19. The Ghana Government through the Ghana School Feeding Programme under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is providing one hot meal for all the 584,000 students and 146,000 teachers and staff from over 17,440 public and private Junior High Schools across the 16 regions of Ghana as part of measures to contain the spread of the pandemic. The initiative is in fulfilment of an earlier promise by President Nana Akufo-Addo in his 15th address to the nation on the update of Ghanas COVID-19 mitigation measures. According to the NEPAD official, she is yet to receive or hear of a similar initiative by any of the AU member states implementing the school feeding programme to support vulnerable students especially those who go to school on empty stomachs. Ms. Moalosi who was in Ghana somewhere last year to participate in the Ghana School Feeding Programmes innovative nutrition training and cooking demonstration for caterers said that Ghana had been a leader in the Home-Grown School Feeding implementation in Africa. She applauded the strong linkage between school feeding caterers and local farmers in Ghana aimed at increasing local food production, reducing poverty among local farmers, promote the consumption of locally produce crops and boost the local economy. Ms. Moalosi revealed that AUDA-NEPAD and World Food Programme (WFP) are mapping up new strategies to improve on the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme in all schools across the member states when schools are resumed. She encouraged Governments of AU member states to invest more in the school feeding programme to reduce malnutrition and hunger among pupils especially in the deprived rural schools. A Saddleback Church volunteer works in 100-degree heat loading donated groceries into a vehicle at a pop-up food donation site at Savanna High School in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 18, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) OCs Largest Pantry Serves 2.4 Million Pounds of Food Amid Pandemic ANAHEIM, Calif.Saddleback Church operates what has become Orange Countys largest food resource for people in need, rising from among the top 10 facilities to become No. 1 amid the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, Saddleback volunteers have distributed more than 2.4 million pounds of food at more than 300 grocery distribution events throughout Orange County; the church has also served locations in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. Saddleback has been feeding our community for over 10 years, Ashley Eure, the churchs communications minister, told The Epoch Times. When COVID hit, we scaled up our distribution to meet the rapidly increasing need. Every Southern California Saddleback campus has contributed to putting on food distributions and caring for the physical and spiritual needs families are facing right now. Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church encourages church members to serve their communities by following the example of Jesus, Eure said. Pastor Rick has said that, as Christians, we are called to step into the places of pain. In a time when the world is scared and hurting, instead of running away from that, were going to run towards the pain and meet people where they are, she said. The church works in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank and The O.C. Food Bank to help provide the food for distribution. The congregation also collects food donations throughout its local church campuses. A group of volunteers from the church gathered to serve some 1,000 vehicles in the parking lot of Savanna High School in Anaheim on Aug. 18. They were understaffed and the heat was intense, but the volunteers greeted people with smiles as they handed over boxes of groceries. Once food donations are collected throughout the county by volunteers, they are taken to a warehouse in Lake Forest, where groceries are sanitized, sorted, prepared in boxes for individual distribution, and loaded onto semi-trucks to be handed out to needy families at designated local drive-through sites. The Saddleback Church Food Pantry is Orange Countys largest food distribution center, in Lake Forest, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) A volunteer sorts food at The Saddleback Church Food Pantry in Lake Forest, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Just in July, weve had over 1 million pounds of food donations, Adam Ermisch, the director of the Saddleback Church Food Pantry in Lake Forest, told The Epoch Times. It takes about 100 volunteers to run the ministry on site. We even have church staff members furloughed that are here volunteering. Many other volunteers who have been laid off or facing challenges from other places are using their time to serve here as well. One such volunteer is Tim Homan. I have been homeless for years, which I take personal responsibility for, but I am now five months sober from drugs, he told The Epoch Times. A nice lady and her niece invited me to check out Saddleback Church months back, and soon after that, I got invited to the food pantry to get food for myself. After many visits, I was then invited to start serving at the food pantry; and now, I am a volunteer leader. I went from working for nothing to working for God, and I told God, I would give Him my best here with His help. Tim Homan, formerly homeless, was a beneficiary of Saddleback Churchs food pantry, and now leads volunteers at the pantry. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) During the process of collecting, organizing, and distributing food, church staff members labor to sanitize everything from food donation packages to coolers to the tents that provide shade. Maria Trujillo, the family and community engagement specialist for Anaheims Savanna High School, said her community is happy to have Saddleback set up at the school. Its been such a blessing having Saddleback here. Not only to our school site but to the community. We have parents calling us and telling us this, she told The Epoch Times. Its been great to see how the church has come here and shown such empathy and love for the families. About 5,000 families are being served a week through various pop-up food pantries across Orange County, said Rana Muncy, mission central support director for Saddleback Church. Before the pandemic, 2,500 families were receiving food monthly. Cars line up to receive food distributed by Saddleback Church at Savanna High School in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 18, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Standing near the long line of vehicles waiting to receive groceries at Savanna High School, Muncy told The Epoch Times: We ask people how they are doing, and they just open their lives up to us. They share their life and sometimes their struggles. We then ask if they would like prayer, and if they do, we pray with them. Francisco Esquival and his son, Matthew, collected a box of food and were headed home, when a young female volunteer offered to pray with them and they accepted. They all paused together under the shade of a tree, then parted ways with smiles. Francisco Esquival and his son, Matthew, pray with a Saddleback Church volunteer at the pop-up food donation site at Savanna High School in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 18, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) More than 450,000 people are at risk of going hungry each month in Orange County, including seniors living on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, and those without homes, according to one of Saddlebacks partners, Second Harvest Food Bank. One in six children in Orange County is at risk of hunger. The Saddleback Church food pantry ministry distributes boxes of groceries to families in the cities of Anaheim, Corona, Irvine, Lake Forest, Laguna Woods, Rancho Capistrano, and San Clemente. Information on receiving or giving help can be found on the church website at Saddleback.com/connect/ministry/food-pantry. Mumbai: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has questioned the Centre and Maharashtra government on how brick kilns in the densely-populated Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are being allowed to function because they contribute to the worsening of air quality and also cause a potential health hazard for the public. A brick kiln is a traditional method of baking bricks in an insulated chamber or clamp, which is similar to a large oven, by stacking unbaked bricks with fuel under or among them and then setting the fuel on fire. Traditional brick kilns use clay, while the comparatively modern ones use fly ash and other industrial waste for brick manufacturing. A study by the air pollution research group, Urban Emissions, has identified that brick kilns account for 2.3% of all particulate matter (PM2.5) sources for Mumbai. Also read: Maharashtras decision on final-year varsity exams to be announced by Monday The western NGT bench, comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member Siddhanta Das, directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) authorities to study the impact of permitting brick kilns in MMR and submit a report within three months. The matter was heard on July 1, while the order was published on August 28. The case will be heard next on October 10. NGT was hearing a January 2, 2018, application by the environment group, Vanashakti, that had sought action both closure and penal -- against brick kiln manufacturers operating without licences and environment clearance in the MMR. The plea had expressed concern about the desertification in the Tansa valley region. It had drawn the tribunals attention to villages in the Thane and Palghar regions. The application had focused on Usgaon village, which has a population of 700 people. But the plea had stated that the MPCB authorities were aware of the fact that there were 35 operational brick kilns, which were located 300 metres away from the village, and posed a grave health hazard for the villagers. NGT noted that the emissions from brick kilns could worsen the air quality in Palghar, Thane, Mumbai and Pune districts. It directed both bodies to assess different types of brick kilns, their respective source emissions based on fuel usage, their impact on degradation of top soil, carrying capacity assessment, including the number of brick kilns, evaluate their performance against background pollutant concentration and carrying capacity of the area, and assess the impact of their operation on ambient air quality. It is necessary to look at the relevant data at different locations (for) 24-hour and monthly average during the relevant months. CPCB may collect such data for corresponding months of March, April, May and June 2019 and submit them before the next date (October 10). The break-up of location of the brick kilns district-wise may also be submitted, the order stated. The operation of brick kilns in MMR should be regulated through a graded response action plan (GRAP), it added. In view of the expected higher concentration of PM emissions during winter months, brick kilns of high pollution in the region may be kept closed during this period, it further stated. The application had alleged that these illegal activities had not only caused water and air pollution but also affected the flora and fauna of the ecologically-fragile areas close to the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWLS) and Tansa river valley. The plea had also drawn attention to the negative impact on agriculture in the Thane and Palghar districts. The state government is assisting these brick kiln units in illegal manufacturing and transportation of bricks through an informal lobby of builders in the Vasai-Virar and Palghar areas. Though such units are banned in an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), such operations are underway at a rampant pace within the TWLS ESZ, alleged Stalin D, director, Vanashakti. Both CPCB and MPCB officials said they were preparing the report and it would be submitted before the next date of hearing but refrained from commenting on the matter because it was subjudice. Vanashaktis application had requested the tribunal to provide fly ash at site for brick manufacturers to avoid damaging the environment and to direct authorities to frame a comprehensive policy for regularly monitoring and inspecting brick kilns in Maharashtra. NGT directed both the bodies to provide expert opinion on the issue of using fly ash, which is a by-product for making bricks after coal is burnt at thermal power plants. Fly ash utilisation in making bricks within a 200-kilometre radius of thermal power plants helps reduce groundwater deterioration and improves air quality since it is an environmental hazard, if dumped openly or near water bodies, according to the Central government guidelines. This NGT order is most welcome because it emphasises the importance of ascertaining the carrying capacity of a region for allowing operation of brick kilns. Many places in MMR have a high number of brick kilns that continue to use old and traditional methods. The order directs the need for a cumulative impact assessment from CPCB and MPCB, said Zaman Ali, the legal counsel for Vanashakti. According to MPCBs submissions before the NGT, a site inspection of brick kilns was undertaken between August 21 and 24, 2018, in Thane and Palghar districts, along with members of Vanashakti and the state revenue department. The team had identified around 150 brick kilns in Vasai, Wada and Bhiwandi talukas. Each kiln had around 20,000 to 40,000 bricks and most of them were traditional brick kilns. Some of them had coal stored on the premises or were spotted transporting coal through trucks. The report requested NGT to direct CPCB to formulate and notify emission standards for traditional brick kilns. However, NGT struck down the report, as it did not show the total number brick kilns in the two districts and also failed to highlight whether they were complying with air quality norms. Maharashtra has over 15,000 brick kilns, producing around 17 billion bricks annually. They are located in rural areas in and around Thane, Palghar, Pune, Karad, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Kolhapur, and Sangli districts. According to the state environment department, these brick kilns are classified as orange category industries. The brick kiln units that produce more than 50,000 bricks a year require consent under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, but there are no guidelines on emission reduction or fuel technology use. MPCB records show the Thane district alone had 996 brick manufacturers since 1991 of which 33 were using fly ash during manufacturing. The district collector had recommended the cancellation of lease for the rest 963 brick kilns. However, MPCB could not verify how many of these brick kilns had been shut down over the past 29 years. . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delta College Public Broadcasting has announced its new brand and name: Delta College Public Media. The change took place in late August to better align its stations as a service of Delta College. The name of the TV station, formerly Q-TV, is now Delta College Public Media. The radio station, formerly Q-90.1 FM, is now Delta College Public Radio. Thomas Bennett, general manager of Delta College Public Media, said the new name reflects his teams work to deliver programs and services in new and innovative ways. Our mission to educate, inform and inspire the communities we serve is as relevant today as it was when we first went on the air over 50 years ago, said Bennett. Rebranding our television and radio stations as Delta College Public Media will allow us to focus all of our media services on our mission of community service. Delta College Public Media reaches hundreds of thousands of viewers and listeners in the Great Lakes Bay Region, Flint, the Thumb and beyond. It has provided community-supported media to inform and entertain since 1964, and it serves as the areas primary PBS and NPR stations. The television and radio stations, located on the lower level of Deltas main campus, is also an academic and broadcasting hub for students in electronic media, broadcasting and journalism programs. Learn more at DeltaPublicMedia.org. Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net Representative Image (Image: Moneycontrol) With uncertainty around reopening of schools that were closed in March in view of the coronavirus pandemic, shops that had already stocked up on school uniforms and stationery for the upcoming academic year (2020-21) are reporting low sales. One such shop at Delhi's Daryaganj area claims to have replaced uniforms with casual wear to stay afloat, reported CNBC TV. Talking to CNBC, NP Singh, owner of New Lyllalpur Cloth Store said, We are the third generation uniform sellers. Even demonetisation couldnt disrupt our business. Last time our business was affected during the 1984 emergency. For last six months, there has been zero sales for uniforms. Now we are diversifying ourselves to the casual clothes. While VK Gupta, owner of Rai Book Store, shared, We have been in books trading business for over 60 years and are providing services both online and offline. Nearly 50 percent of our sales are hampered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our main business is to provide textbooks to schools, and it was severly affected due to the lockdown as the most of the sales takes place in March. He added: This year, sales for creative stationery have picked up. As we hope that the situation normalizes soon, theres a need to shift 20 percent to 30 percent of our trade online. 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 uniform and stationery stores hope for schools to restart soon to boost their sales, most are looking to diversify or operate in online mode to survive. Meanwhile, India reached a grim milestone on August 30 as the countrys single-day tally of 78,761 coronavirus infections became the highest reported by any nation since the pandemic began. The world's second most populous nation is the third worst-affected globally after the US and Brazil, but its daily tallies have exceeded those of the other two countries for almost two weeks. Firefighters responding to the CZU Lightning Complex fire in Boulder Creek assess a structure fire. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) When state fire authorities announced recently that the CZU Lightning Complex fire had quadrupled in size in just one day, an audible gasp rose from the audience. Although lightning fires have been scorching the state since prehistoric times, the speed with which the SCU and LNU lightning complex fires became the second- and third-largest blazes ever recorded in California has startled emergency officials and strained firefighting resources. The fires have killed seven people, destroyed more than 2,100 buildings and made air unhealthy across the Bay Area. And things may only get worse in the future, experts say. Theres a direct relationship between heat and fire, and increasing heat is inevitable for at least a few decades, said Michael Gerrard, director of Columbia Universitys Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. If you like 2020, youre going to love 2050. So why have this year's fires burned more than 1.4 million acres of the state's scenic coastal mountains and hills surrounding wine country? After all, the Lightning Siege of 2008, when nearly 800,000 acres burned, was the first time the National Guard had been called in to help in 40 years as resources were stretched to the limit. The answer is complicated. The destiny of all wildfires is shaped by the fire behavior triangle fuel, weather and topography according to Craig Clements, a professor at San Jose State's Fire Weather Research Laboratory. But there were additional factors involved in this most recent outbreak. A summer heat wave magnified by climate change combined with tropical moisture and storm energy to create thunderstorms. The resulting lightning strikes pelted a region with a history of difficult firefighting and another area that's seen numerous fires in the recent past. A burned vehicle sits in front of a fire-ravaged residence in Boulder Creek as smoke from the CZU Lightning Complex fire fills the sky. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) The state- and locally-maintained coastal mountains in Central California, where the CZU Lightning Complex is burning, have a history of challenging firefighters. In 2016, in Monterey County north of the current fire, a firefighter died helping contain the stubborn Soberanes fire, which burned 50 homes while flames lived for months in the range's steep canyons and impassable terrain. Story continues In 2003, south of Livermore, where a part of the SCU Lightning Complex is now burning, 53 firefighters were overrun in the middle of the night and used their shelters in what may have been the second-largest shelter deployment by crews in U.S. history, Clements said. In both instances, just as is happening now, temperatures did not drop significantly overnight nor was any ocean moisture reintroduced into the landscape's higher elevations. In the summer, a high-pressure system settles over the Pacific and rotates, steering warm, dry air over the coastal range's upper elevations while squeezing cool, moist air into the marine layer below, said San Jose State atmospheric scientist Alison Bridger. "It's basically why we don't get rain in the summer," she said. Throw in an extreme heat wave, and fire risk rises significantly. "The fact we got such extremely large, fast destructive fires without any offshore winds is very unusual," said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain. "All of this hints at something which we know to be true ... the state of the vegetation, the state of the fuels was pretty extraordinary." In fact, most of the areas burning in the three lightning complex fires are considered to be in moderate to severe drought, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday. Huge chunks of each fire's footprint include areas that haven't seen fires in decades and were jackpots of dead and dry tinder. "Unfortunately, as the climate continues to warm, the table is being set for these extreme fires more often," Swain said. "It means the ceiling on how bad these fires can be is continuing to increase." The night that the hundreds-of-miles-wide lightning storm set all these fires in motion, a "heat burst" before sunrise hit parts of wine country, sending predawn temperatures in areas such as Travis Air Force Base from 80 to 100 degrees in under two hours. While experts say it probably didn't have a direct impact on the fires, it certainly didn't help matters and foreshadowed the challenging conditions to come. In this long exposure photograph, flames consume a segment of Lake Berryessa during the Hennessey fire in the Spanish Flat area of Napa, part of the LNU Lightning Complex fire. (Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images) From Tuesday to Wednesday, winds flowed downslope into the Sacramento Valley from the mountains between Oregon and California, shedding moisture along the way. When they hit the wine country hills, they were bone dry and influenced the fire's explosive growth, said National Weather Service meteorologist Cory Miller. The LNU Lightning Complex fire grew tenfold in 36 hours, from 12,200 acres the morning of Aug. 18 to 124,000 acres the following night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Sarah Johnson and the Emerald Hills Horse Ranch, in Winters, were in the fire's path. Johnson, 29, is originally from Ohio and knows thunderstorms, so two weeks ago she kicked back in a hammock to enjoy a flavor of the Midwest as lightning flashed across the horizon around Lake Berryessa and Mt. Vaca. But soon, the storms were replaced with smoke, and then falling ash. Johnson and her boyfriend were glued to their phones, listening to scanner traffic from first responders about the fire's movements. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection website was working only intermittently, overwhelmed by a surge in web traffic from around the globe. As the fire made its late-night surge Aug. 18 and 19, Johnson's boyfriend's phone began ringing incessantly, the ranch's boarders trying to reach him to warn him of the incoming fire. The couple woke up and sprung into action, waking neighbors, loading up horses as trailers arrived and helping to knock down small spot fires that dotted the ranch pasture. The ranch lost power sometime during the scramble. "It was incredibly windy and smoky and you could see a fire tornado forming, and the rate of spread was incredible," Johnson said. "The fire was just so bright, that's how we were able to see everything." Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fire consume a home in unincorporated Napa County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) Over the next several hours, their neighbors' homes burned. The fire was fast and the county's emergency alert system didn't reach many of them until it was too late, if at all, Johnson said. "I remember at one point I just stopped and looked and said, 'Where are all the fire trucks?' and it was just another surreal moment and I realized that nobody was coming," she said. There's a concern that as these fires hit the same areas again and again, they'll permanently change California, and not for the better. A moderate fire can clear out underbrush and competing trees, giving a healthy forest room to breathe. But if it visits again and again as has happened in parts of Napa County in recent years those native grasses and plants give up the fight and invasive plants move in, similar to what's happened in Southern California. Oftentimes those new species can spread fire faster. California has choices to make since fire is inevitable and megafires are increasingly possible, said Gerrard, the Columbia climate law director. Building codes can be updated. Utility infrastructure can be modernized and better regulated. Decisions on where homes are built and how forests are managed can be made with fire risk and native ecology in mind. "It's very much like managed retreat on the coastline," Gerrard said. "The hope is that recurrent, related disasters will be a wake-up call." The superstructure of a new bridge constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) over Wanganga river in Seoni district, 344 kilometres south east of Bhopal, was washed away in floods caused by incessant rain in several parts of the state since Thursday, prompting the district administration to institute an inquiry. There was damage to another bridge too over the same river, according to administrative officials. The state Congress blamed the BJP government for what it said was a sample of corruption during the BJP governments tenure. The damage to the bridges came to light on Sunday morning when the water level receded after the incessant rains continuing for more than 48 hours, stopped. At the same time, another bridge which was about 10 years old constructed over the same river near Bheemgarh was also damaged, as per administrative officials. According to the district information officer, district collector Dr Rahul Haridas has instituted an inquiry into the damage to the bridges. State Congress presidents media coordinator Narendra Saluja said, Two bridges couldnt withstand the intense rainfall in Seoni district. Construction of one of the bridges began during the previous tenure of the BJP government and its construction was completed just one month back. This is a sample of the corruption during the BJP governments tenure. However, executive engineer of PWD JP Mehra said, The bridge is new situated near Sunwara village, construction of which was completed in June this year under PMGSY. It was 150 metres long and 9.28 metres in height. Its construction involved a cost of Rs 3.12 crore. The second bridge is situated near Bheemgarh dam. Due to incessant rain and floods, all the 10 gates of the dam over Wanganga river near Bheemgarh were opened on Friday night and it caused damage to both the bridges. (With input from Azhar Khan in Seoni) Xinjiang downgrades alert level indicating COVID-19 outbreak has been fully controlled: expert Global Times By Wan Lin Source: Global Times Published: 2020/8/29 15:08:46 Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has downgraded its response level to a recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the region to low-risk as of Saturday, after no new cases have been reported for almost two weeks, leading experts to conclude that the spread of coronavirus in Xinjiang has been fully controlled. Xinjiang authorities announced on Friday that the response level of the region's five remaining districts that were at high or middle-level risk has been downgraded to low risk, effective on Saturday. The region has reported zero new confirmed COVID19 case for 13 consecutive days. As of Saturday, 752 COVID-19 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital and 208 silent carriers had been released from medical observation in Xinjiang since the outbreak in the region was first detected on July 15. There are still 74 confirmed cases and 30 asymptomatic patients in Xinjiang, in Urumqi. Another 1,396 people remained under medical observation as of Saturday. Experts said no new cases for nearly two weeks in the region indicate the anti-epidemic work has been successful. "On the whole, the epidemic in Xinjiang has been controlled," Wang Peiyu, deputy head of Peking University's School of Public Health, told the Global Times on Saturday. Wang emphasized the region should maintain regular epidemic prevention and control work and improve the testing capacity to screen out potential silent carriers as the region gradually returns to normal. Urumqi, the hardest-hit city in the region, conducted a new round of tests in key communities on Wednesday. As the outbreak ebbs in Xinjiang, many college students in low-risk areas have already returned to their schools outside of Xinjiang. More than 200 students from Xinjiang have returned to Wuhan University in Central China's Hubei Province, and 140 are currently in quarantine in the city, Li Qin, deputy minister of the Student Affairs Department of Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Saturday. Li said around 270 Xinjiang students are expected to return to the university in the coming weeks, and they will be quarantined at the school's designated isolation center. Xinjiang organized a special train for more than 900 college students to send them to their schools on Friday, according to Xinjiang railway authorities. The train started in Shihezi city in northern Xinjiang, headed east with stops in Lanzhou in Northwest China's Gansu Province, Zhengzhou in Central China's Henan Province, Hefei in East China's Anhui Province and Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province. The government will step up transportation services to meet the increasing demand of students returning to school and work in other cities, said the authorities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Paris, TX (75460) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. Much colder. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low near 20F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. President Donald Trump travelled to Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Saturday to inspect damage from Hurricane Laura and attend a briefing on the impact of the disaster and the federal response. After taking questions from reporters, the president began signing autographs for some of those in attendance, quipping that they could sell them on eBay that night for $10,000. After being asked to sign one autograph, Mr Trump sits down and calls over to a group of people near by, saying: "Come here fellas, get over here. I want a little power." Handing an autographed piece of paper to one local official he says: "Sell this on eBay tonight, you'll get $10,000." He tells another recipient that he is deliberately not putting his name on as it will be worth more without it. The visit came on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and there was an unexpected parallel to the calamitous response of the George W Bush administration to that catastrophe. The president told FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor: Youve done a helluva job, Pete, a remark reminiscent of President Bush telling the 2005 head of FEMA, Michael Brown: Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job, despite the dire situation that had unfolded in New Orleans. Thankfully, the parallels to Katrina end there. While Hurricane Laura was much stronger with wind speeds of 150mph a Category 4 versus Katrinas Category 3 the expected storm surge of up to 20 feet did not materialise. The nine feet surge that did strike the Gulf Coast was still highly damaging. The death toll of the two storms differs greatly as Laura missed more densely populated areas. At present 16 people are confirmed dead; more than half died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to the unsafe operation of mobile generators in the aftermath of the storm. The first four deaths, including a 14-year-old girl, were caused by trees falling on houses. In comparison, more than 1,800 people died in the wake of Katrina. Early damage estimates are between $25bn to $30bn, according to analysis by AccuWeather. Katrina holds the record for the most costly hurricane disaster, totalling $160bn after it submerged 80 per cent of New Orleans. With Laura, the numbers are still bleak. At least 8,000 homes were destroyed in the hurricane, 14,000 people sought shelter, and more than 500,000 consumers are still without power. At the peak of the outage that number was over 900,000 across three states. Earlier in the day President Trump met first responders and search and rescue groups at a supply warehouse, and joined in with a prayer led by a local pastor. He toured a heavily damaged neighbourhood accompanied by Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards and acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf. They observed the National Guard cutting up downed trees before attending the briefing at a local firehouse. At the meeting the president thanked local officials and first responders and noted that FEMA has already supplied 2.6 million litres of water and 1.4 million meals. President Trump briefly stopped at Cougar Stadium to greet 200 National Guard members who had assembled there in formation, before he travelled on to Orange, Texas, to survey the damage there. He was met by Governor Greg Abbott after a short flight in a small group of Osprey helicopters. The president was returning to Lake Charles to be flown back to Washington, DC, later on Saturday evening. By Associated Press JERUSALEM: White House adviser Jared Kushner on Sunday trumpeted the recent agreement by Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic relations as a historic breakthrough and said "the stage is set" for other Arab states to follow suit, but he gave no indication that any new deals were imminent. Appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, Kushner spoke a day before he is to join a senior Israeli delegation on the first commercial flight from Israel to the UAE. The flight holds great symbolic value and is a key step in what is expected to be full normalization between Israel and the UAE. The August 13 announcement makes the UAE just the third Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, and the first to do so in over 25 years. It reflects a shifting Middle East in which shared concerns over Iran have overtaken traditional wall-to-wall Arab support for the Palestinians. "Today obviously we celebrate a historic breakthrough for peace," Kushner said, adding that the deal will create "previously unthinkable" economic, security and religious cooperation. "While this peace agreement was thought by many to be impossible, the stage is now set for even more," he said, claiming he has heard optimism throughout the region since the deal was announced. "We must seize that optimism and we must continue to push to make this region achieve the potential that it truly has," said Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and chief Mideast adviser. Israel and the UAE have moved quickly to cement their ties over the past two weeks. Almost immediately, they opened direct phone lines, and Cabinet ministers have held friendly phone conversations. On Saturday, the UAE formally ended its commercial boycott of Israel, although the two countries have quietly conducted business for years. Monday's flight of an El Al plane from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi will be the first known flight of an Israeli commercial airliner from Israel to the Emirates. The two Mideast countries are expected to sign a formal agreement at the White House in the coming weeks. But so far, predictions by Israeli and American officials, including Kushner, that other Arab countries would follow the UAE have not yet materialised. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo toured the region last week, stopping in Sudan, Bahrain and Oman, three countries widely seen as candidates to establish ties with Israel, but appeared to leave empty-handed. The flurry of US diplomatic activity comes as the Trump administration presses ahead with ambitious plans to promote Arab-Israeli rapprochement even in the absence of a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had long been seen as a prerequisite for Israel to reach peace deals with all of its Arab neighbours. Gulf Arab countries, which like Israel share deep animosity toward Iran, have shown an increasing willingness to make back-channel ties with Israel public. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring "unbridled" trade and opportunities. "You will see how the sparks fly," he said. Trump unveiled a Mideast plan in January that has been rejected by the Palestinians, who say it unfairly favors Israel. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, for an independent state. The Trump plan offers them limited autonomy in 70% of the West Bank, leaving Israel in overall control of the territory, and a symbolic presence on the outskirts of Jerusalem, while handing Israel control of the city's sensitive holy sites. Netanyahu said the deal with the UAE proves the Palestinians no longer have a "veto" over regional peace. The Palestinians have accused the UAE of treason. "If we have to wait for the Palestinians, we will have to wait forever," Netanyahu said. "As more Arab and Muslim countries join the circle of peace, the Palestinians will eventually understand their veto has dissipated and they will be hard pressed to stay outside the community of peace." Mann ki Baat Highlights: India capable of becoming toy hub, says Modi India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on 68th edition of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, at 11 am on Sunday. "Tune in at 11 am on 30th August," PM Modi said in a tweet. Speaking on the toy industry, which he claimed was worth Rs 7 lakh crore, Modi said: "During these times, I have been thinking about my young friends. I have been thinking - how can my young friends get more toys. The best toys are those that bring out creativity. How can India become a toy production hub? This is necessary as toys can be used to build minds. Even Rabindra Nath Tagore has spoken about the importance of toys." Here are the Highlights: In this movement pertaining to nutrition, people's participation is also very crucial. It is public participation that makes it successful: PM If you have had opportunity to visit Statue of Unity of #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel in Gujarat, and when it opens after #CovidPandemic ends, you will have opportunity to visit this spot. You can witness nutrition related education along with fun and frolic India is a vast country with a lot of diversity in food and drink: PM Dear countrymen, a few weeks ago, while we were celebrating our Independence Day, an interesting news caught my attention. This is the news of two brave hearts of our security forces Some time ago I got to know in great detail about the role of dogs in the security of the country and also got to hear many stories too : PM You might have seen very moving scene on TV a few days ago, in which #BeedPolice were giving their canine colleague Rocky a final farewell with all due respect. Rocky had helped the police in solving over 300 cases: PM In India, #NDRF, the National Disaster Response Force has specially trained dozens of dogs. In the event of an earthquake, building collapse, these dogs are experts in searching out people trapped under debris: PM I have also been told that Indian breed dogs are also very good and capable: PM In the recent past, Mudhol Hound dogs have been trained and inducted in the dog squad of the Army, CISF and NSG; Kombai dogs have been included by the CRPF: PM And you should not forget that the big companies which exist in the world today, were also, once, start-ups: PM Dear countrymen, for our children, our students to display their optimum potential,to show their mettle; Nutrition & proper nourishment as well play very big role. The month of #September to be observed as #NutritionMonth in entire nation There are many business apps and also gaming apps such as Is Equal To, Books & Expense, Zoho Workplace and FTC Talent. Search about them on the Net and you will find a lot of information about these apps: PM There is another app called, Step Set Go. This is a fitness app and it keeps a track of how much you walked, how many calories you burnt; it keeps track of the data and also motivates you to Stay Fit: PM Similarly, #ChingariApp too is getting popular among the youth. There is an app #AskSarkar. In this you can interact through chat bot and can get right information about any govt scheme - that too through all 3 ways- text, audio, video: PM AatmaNirbharBharat App innovation challenge : Among these there is an App '#KutukiKids Learning app. This is an interactive app for children in which they can easily learn many aspects of maths, science through songs and stories: PM Dear countrymen, everyone acknowledges the capability of Indians to offer innovation, solutions, when there is dedication & sensitivity, this power becomes limitless. At the beginning of this month an app innovation challenge was put before youth of country: Modi Be it virtual games, be it the sector of toys in the self-reliant India campaign, all have to play very important role, and therein lies an opportunity too Similarly in this era of computers and smartphones, there is a big trend of computer games. These games are played by children and grownups as well. But even in these games, their themes are mostly extraneous: PM Toys should be such that in their presence childhood blooms and smiles. Let us make toys which are favourable to the environment too: PM Toys should be such that in their presence childhood blooms and smiles. Let us make toys which are favourable to the environment too: PM Further like, there is Mr. C V Raju in Vishakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh. Once the Eti- Koppakaa #toys of his village were very popular. The speciality of these toys - these were made of wood, and secondly, you would not find any angles or corners in these toys anywhere: Now, just spare a thought for a nation which has so much of heritage, tradition, variety, young population, will it feel good to have such little share in the toy market? Not at all, you too won't feel good after hearing this: PM Friends, there has been a rich tradition of local toys in our country. There are many talented and skilled artisans who possess expertise in making good toys: PM Some parts of India developing also as Toy Clusters, that is, as centres of toys. Like, Channapatna in Ramnagaram, Karnataka, Kondaplli in Krishna, Andhra, Thanjavur in Tamilnadu, Dhubari in Assam, Varanasi in UP - there are many such places, we can count many names In the National Education Policy, a lot of attention has been given on the impact of toys on different aspects of children's lives Friends, whereas toys augment activity, they also give flight to our aspirations: PM My dear countrymen, during this #Corona time, Country fighting on many fronts simultaneously. But at same time, the question that frequently comes to mind is, how my young little friends are spending their time while they remain homebound for so long: PM Even during these trying times of Corona, our farmers have proven their mettle: PM But there are limits to that. People are dying of loneliness and isolation, Kennedy said. Moreover, people with some form of dementia, they may not understand why their loved one is not visiting them, she said. Plus, theres the fact that the shutdown of visits occurred pretty much overnight. Families didnt get enough closure, she said. So I think this (upcoming change) is really meaningful. With no end to the virus in sight and no clear deadline for when residents and families would be able to see each other again Kennedy said it became crucial to come up with some interim solution. The task forces final plan isnt as simple as Kennedy had hoped the process would be. She said families will still need to jump through a few hoops to get visitation. But theyre all reasonable requests if you want to see your loved one during the middle of a pandemic, Kennedy said. Corieri said there are limits. You couldnt necessarily walk in at 1 in the morning, she said. The state of Oregon, once again, has chosen secrecy over transparency and openness in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Ive mentioned previously The Oregonian/OregonLives efforts to pry free information of interest to the public as COVID-19 began to spread through the state. From the day the first case was reported, Feb. 28, until now, we along with other journalists have pressed the Oregon Health Authority and other state agencies to release more information. The state has repeatedly cited privacy concerns in withholding information, even as other states saw their way clear to release the same information. After pressure, the state did begin releasing age ranges for those who tested positive and then specific ages, gender and home county for those who died with COVID-19. Health reporter Fedor Zarkhin asked for the number of senior care home residents and workers who had tested positive or died. The state said no, so he contacted two dozen homes himself because many nursing, assisted living and memory care homes were disclosing they had cases. Thats important information for family members. Eventually, the state relented and began posting a list of homes where there had been outbreaks of five or more cases among residents or staff along with how many people had fallen ill in each. But the state has continued to refuse to break down whether workers or residents were sick in each facility, making it impossible to know which group has been affected most. The Oregonian/OregonLive asked for ZIP code level data for cases, so we could analyze where the virus was spreading. The state agreed but still wont release information by ZIP code when the area has fewer than 1,000 residents. And it wont release the number of tests conducted by ZIP code. Wed also like to know total tests by race and ethnicity since some populations are disproportionately affected by the virus. We asked for information about how many Oregonians were hospitalized and the state demurred. Investigative reporter Brad Schmidt called the hospital systems himself and compiled the data, which eventually the state started releasing. The state would not release active cases by hospital. And we still dont know how many health care workers in the state have contracted the virus or died from it. Schmidt, a longtime member of the investigative team, has been spearheading our COVID-19 coverage. Last week was a frustrating one. First, he asked the state Health Authority for an update to the list of underlying health conditions of those Oregonians who had died with COVID-19. The vast majority of deaths involve someone with another acute or chronic illness, which could be anything from asthma to cancer. The agency earlier this year did, for two weeks, release aggregate statistics about underlying medical conditions. For instance, health officials said among the top conditions for those who died were heart disease (62%), diabetes (36%), lung disease (28%), among others. But officials quit releasing the information in reports beginning May 12. Schmidt asked for an update Aug. 4 as part of his routine reporting and had to ask three more times before health officials declined to provide it. A Health Authority spokeswoman said the data lacks sufficient detail to be useful and that has led to confusion and fear among affected groups. When asked for clarification, Patrick Allen, director of the agency, said, There have been times when we have refused to publish requested data. They are limited, and have usually involved patient privacy, or the reality of limited resources that must be, first and foremost, dedicated to fighting coronavirus in Oregon. Schmidt also asked for the data the state used to create a chart of the epidemiological spread of cases in the state. The state releases a bar chart that shows the proportion of cases that are thought to have spread through a household, close contact, or an outbreak such as at a workplace. The state refused to release the basic data it used to build the chart. Allen did not respond to questions about these specific requests but said by email, OHA has worked hard to provide a wealth of data regarding the coronavirus to Oregonians, as witnessed by our A+ rating by the Covid Tracking Project, a rating neither California or Washington have attained. We have gone well beyond data requested by the media including, for example, contact tracing data by race/ethnicity just added to our most recent Weekly Report. To its credit, the agency does have dozens of useful datapoints available online although the figures are often limited and the state wont always provide the underlying numbers used to make the calculations. Well always want more information made public. Oregons public records law is so badly broken in relation to data and the COVID-19 pandemic, Schmidt said. The health authority has repeatedly pointed to a state law governing health investigations to shield basic data from disclosure, he added. This is the same law the state has cited to say it absolutely could not release information that it later released. Schmidt acknowledges legitimate privacy concerns with health investigations. If theres a salmonella outbreak, someone shouldnt be able to file a public records request and subsequently obtain personally identifiable information about people who are sickened, he wrote in a series of tweets. But thats not this. Anonymized health data points are important for understanding whats happening, how the state is responding and areas we could improve upon, he argued. The need for transparency right now is paramount. Transparency builds faith in institutions; lack of information leads to mistrust. We are living in a 100-year pandemic, Schmidt said. I hope you appreciate The Oregonian/OregonLives efforts to bring you the most thorough information we can. We will keep pressing for more. Your subscription dollars support this vital local reporting. Thank you. And thanks, as well, to the more than 60 readers who wrote to me in support of our work, after my letter last week noting an uptick in incivility. One wrote: To you and your reporters, I say, Keep it up! What all of you do is extremely valuable, and it is (I sincerely hope that I speak for the silent majority in our community) enormously appreciated . Another said: Just a note to say THANK YOU to you and all of your journalists who are taking such huge risks to be sure we all get the real, fact-based news. Your work allows us to learn and know more, stay engaged, and feel safer. We appreciate the words of support. They are a needed tonic right now. Therese Bottomly is editor and vice president of content for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her at tbottomly@oregonian.com or 503-221-8434. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:13:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Tang Baiqing sprays fertilizers in a field in Yuhang District of Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 23, 2020. Tang Baiqing returned to his hometown after graduation from university in 2014, to start his agricultural business by planting rice, wheat, cole and other crops at his farm. So far, his farm has contracted land of more than 900 mu (about 60 hectares) in several villages, with a drying center of 1,300 square meters and a seedling raising center of 1,200 square meters. The farm also invested more than 4.5 million yuan (about 655,650 U.S. dollars) in purchase of agricultural machinery and equipment such as harvesters and transplanters to further promote large-scale and specialized production. At present the annual output value of the farm has reached 3.5 million yuan. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Gavin Williamson has insisted he will not resign and continue to 'graft away' while warning that parents who do not send their children back to school risk putting a 'huge dent in their future life chances'. In an open letter to parents, the Education Secretary acknowledged that some parents may have concerns about their children attending school in England for the first time since March, with millions set to return to the classroom from next week. However, he insisted that schools are safe, detailing measures which have been put in place to minimise infection, while reassuring parents that the health risk posed to children by Covid-19 is 'extremely low'. He also insisted that he is not considering resigning after the recent exam fiasco which saw thousands of A-level students downgraded by a computer algorithm before they had their results improved after a government u-turn. Mr Williamson said last night: 'The British people really understand we're having to do everything for the first time.' Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson in his office at the Department of Education in Westminster, London. He has insisted he will not be resigning Pupils from years 7 and 11 return to Manor High School in Oadby, Leicestershire last Wednesday As well as the exams fiasco, he has faced criticism for muddled advice over the return of children to school and has also come under fire over the use of face coverings for pupils. However, in an open letter last night, Mr Williamson told parents: 'If a child is not in school, they stand to lose far more than just a few months of learning. It could well put a huge dent in their future life chances. 'Education is a birthright, so let's make sure we get all children back - back to learning, back to playing and back to being kids again.' He also told The Sun: 'For every day they are out of school, we don't get that day back. 'I've seen it with my kids, how much they've missed school, missed their friends, missed learning.' It comes after teaching unions condemned the Government for releasing last-minute guidance for secondary schools in lockdown areas, which includes a 'rota system' limiting the number of students in attendance at any one time. Published by the Department for Education (DfE) on Friday evening, it was released just before the bank holiday weekend and only days away from the start of autumn term. In his letter to parents on Sunday, Mr Williamson said it was 'generally accepted' that children's health and wellbeing is more at risk if they do not go to school. He referred to a joint statement by the UK's chief medical officers, which said 'very few, if any' children and teenagers would come to long-term harm from the virus solely by attending school. Some of the measures highlighted by the Education Secretary include children being put in groups, or 'bubbles', to limit contact, while face coverings should be worn in communal areas of schools under local lockdown. In an open letter to parents, the Education Secretary acknowledged that some parents may have concerns about their children attending school in England It comes after teaching unions condemned the Government for releasing last-minute guidance for secondary schools in lockdown areas He said that 'huge lengths' have been taken to prepare schools for the return of pupils, adding: 'Based on this, our priority now is to get all our children back. It really is the best place for them to be.' Schools should base their plans on a four-tier system, and the extra measures for secondary schools should kick in at the second tier, according to the latest guidance released on Friday. All schools remain open at tier one, while tiers three and four mean more stringent restrictions such as closures to all but pupils in vulnerable groups or children of key workers. A tier two response will see secondary schools and colleges in a restricted area moving to a rota system, which means pupils will spend two weeks on-site followed by two weeks at home. Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green told Sky News that, while the guidelines were 'long overdue', the timing of the release of information was 'unfair' to head teachers and school leaders. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, branded the timing of the new guidance 'reprehensible' and said it showed a disregard for the wellbeing of teachers. 'It was obvious weeks ago that lockdown advice was necessary,' he said in a statement. 'The Government's decision to publish this at 9pm on the Friday of the bank holiday weekend before most schools are due to return is nothing short of reprehensible and demonstrates a complete lack of regard for the wellbeing of school leaders and their teams.' Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the advice should have been available 'months ago', adding schools had been left to 'go it alone' if they needed to organise remote learning. Chris Wise, a trained first aid volunteer whos been a regular at Portland protests this summer, walked north on the sidewalk Aug. 20 during a protest outside of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building, just as police ordered the crowd to do, he said. He was complying with police orders, he said. Still, two officers who were walking behind him passed by other protesters to put Wises arms behind his back. They told him not to resist arrest, as he recalled. So he went with them and was booked into Multnomah County Jail. Wise, like three in four of the other 700 or so protesters arrested during this summers nightly demonstrations, was booked on the same charge: interfering with a peace officer -- IPO, as it is commonly called. The charge has drawn more intense scrutiny as Oregon begins to reckon with systemic racism in its criminal justice system and other institutions. Now, the controversial charge could come off the books. Ive heard of this from people of authority that they have seen it being applied in situations where it really wasnt warranted, said Sen. Floyd Prozanski, a longtime prosecutor in Lane County. This has come up with people on both sides of the criminal justice system. Many people arrested on the charge say they were seemingly randomly chosen or acting innocuously when police grabbed them. Wise said he had no idea what he did to prompt police to arrest him. Earlier that evening, he had been shot in the face by police with a pink paintball while standing behind a line of kneeling photographers. He wondered if that was to mark him for arrest later. If everyone in the area is essentially doing the same thing, why did you move past everyone in the area who is committing a crime to arrest me for committing the same crime? Wise said. And I would argue Im not committing a crime. A person hit with that misdemeanor charge doesnt have to use or threaten any physical action toward the officer, damage property or trespass. If an officer judges that the person didnt do exactly as an officer said, that can justify a criminal charge of interference. More than 20% of protesters arrested this summer committed no other crime than IPO, according to the list of charges kept by the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office. It is by far the most common protest-related charge. Since June, nearly all arrestees charged by local law enforcement agencies have been slapped with it. It is not just a charge levied at protesters, though. Since 2014, it is one of the top charges applied to homeless people. Police officers use of the charge has grown dramatically since 2010. A report by the state Criminal Justice Commission found that statewide police-interference arrests have increased to nearly 2 times their original number over the past decade. And police level the charge disproportionately against people who look like Wise, an irony not lost on him as he protests racism in policing. Black people make up nearly 10% of those so charged even though they represent only 3% of Oregons population. The racial disparity in arrests is so stark that IPO could rival drug arrests for impact on the Black community, said Ken Sanchagrin, interim director of Oregons Criminal Justice Commission, who told The Oregonian/OregonLive he found that disparity quite concerning. Prozanski, the lawmaker who introduced IPO as a statewide crime in 1997, has started to reconsider whether it is being used correctly. He could still see the charge being useful, but he has heard from all parts of the criminal justice system that it has been misused and misapplied. He will lead a work group this fall to examine how police and prosecutors have used IPO to determine whether it should be tweaked or possibly removed from state statute all together. Prozanski worked as a deputy district attorney but now tries cases in municipal court, where he deals mostly with misdemeanors. He kept hearing accusations that interfering with a peace officer was mostly used to stack another misdemeanor on a defendants case to get a better chance of conviction or harsher sentence. Now that the Oregon Legislature has prioritized a wide-ranging examination of Oregons criminal justice system and police policies, Prozanski decided it was time to figure out if his attempt to give police a new tool to navigate chaotic situations is instead being used to punish people who shouldnt be. The charge is a Class A misdemeanor with a punishment that often ends with community service or a small fine. But the law says it can also land someone in jail for one years with a $6,250 fine. The people who face those penalties are often those with the least resources, say public defenders who demanded the elimination of IPO from state law in May, at the start of the protests against police brutality set off by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. They included eliminating the charge in a list of demands to reform the states criminal justice system. Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt declined to comment on whether interfering with an officer is a useful charge or whether it should be removed entirely. But one of Schmidts first acts in office was to say he would not prosecute hundreds of protesters charged with it and announce he would decline to prosecute anyone else arrested on that charge during future protests. If we leverage the full force of the criminal justice system on individuals who are peacefully protesting and demanding to be heard, we will cause irreparable harm to them individually and to our society, Schmidt said at the time. The prosecution of people exercising their rights to free speech and assembly in a non-violent manner takes away from the limited resources that we have to prosecute serious crimes and to assist crime victims. Portland police did not respond to repeated questions about officers use of interfering with a peace officer. CRITICS QUESTION IPOS USE Wise is a ubiquitous and notable presence at the Portland protests. Not only does he stand a head taller than most of the crowd, he spent the first couple months on a megaphone mimicking the police officer who most commonly makes announcements and admonishments over the loudspeaker truck. Wise would repeat back the warnings, but with a flip -- they were addressed to the police from his so-called Portland Protest Bureau about the polices racist policies and brutal tactics. He has also shown up about 78 nights to serve as a medic. He earned his EMT certification before deciding not to go into the field. He keeps all his training up to date and says he has dealt with broken hips, punched faces and head wounds -- including his own from a tear gas canister shot at him. Wise often served the role of de-escalator during protests, especially when they focused on the downtown Justice Center. As others would rile up the crowd, he tried to bring the tension back down. So when he was arrested, the moment was well-documented. On videos posted to social media, Wise appears compliant. He said he always follows police orders, except those that call for everyone to leave an area. He says he stays so he can administer first aid, if needed. That doesnt matter to police officials deciding to level the charge, according to public defender Chris OConnor, who is not representing Wise. The broadness of the statute allows police to arrest anyone who did not leave the area after police said to leave -- whether it makes sense to target one person or not. Its a way to get around the fact you dont have the evidence to charge someone with anything else, said OConnor, who works for the non-profit law firm that defends most people facing charges in Multnomah and Washington counties. Since its creation, IPO has been applied to a wide range of circumstances. A person can be charged with interfering with a peace officer if they are told to step back five feet but only step back four. Or, if a cop tells someone to drop a weapon but they dont do it. Oregon lawmakers made it explicitly clear that IPO was not designed to be used in instances where a person resists being arrested or tries to keep police from arresting another person: those were already crimes. It was intended to give police a tool to control a hectic situation. For instance, if an officer is trying to calm down someone in a manic episode but keeps having to ask bystanders to clear the area, the officer could use IPO to charge a person who wont stand back. Prozanski still thinks that could be a helpful tool -- but he is skeptical that is how it is being used. If we are now seeing a pattern of using of interfering with a peace officer in ways that was not intended, then I think we as a Legislature have a duty to one look at it, he said. CHARGE REFLECTS MINDSET, CRITICS SAY Tristen Edwards, an attorney with the same non-profit defense firm OConnor works for, said keeping interfering with police a crime is bad for Oregon law enforcement officers as well as residents who interact with them. IPO tells officers the way to do their jobs is if someone is not categorically submitting to you -- not basically lying down at your feet -- that person is a threat, Edwards said. She started to see her first IPO cases as an intern, she said. One client was charged with IPO because he was told to stop but walked 20 feet away and then stopped and lay down in the street, she said. She also saw cases in which homeless people were told to move their belongings off a sidewalk and arrested because they did not immediately comply. When I started, it seemed pretty clear there was an incredibly disproportionate policing of the homeless population, and I think IPO does help them achieve that, Edwards said. In 2017, interfering with a peace officer was in the top 10 charges levied against homeless people. That year, homeless people made up 52% of all arrests made in Portland. Police have increasingly used IPO to arrest homeless people since the laws creation in 1997, with numbers peaking in 2014. Since then arrests of homeless people for interfering with an officer have stayed nearly as high as drug charges. What bothers Edwards most about the charge is that she has seen it used as a blunt tool to get rid of nuisances, rather than require police to use de-escalation methods. It doesnt encourage more sensitivity or patience or even empathy in some ways, Edwards said. The charge is often the first a district attorney will agree to dismiss, Edwards said, so officials have largely ignored how benign the conduct labeled interfering can be, as well as its disparate impact on people of color and poor people. Other people would think interfering with a peace officer would mean you are attacking them or standing in the way of things theyre trying to get done, but in many cases, thats not the case at all, said Sen. Lew Frederick. In many cases, its that they dont like you saying no to them. Weve got to have a different mindset in the whole system. Frederick wants to see other misdemeanors that dont involve harm to people or property examined through the lens of race and the role of police in community safety as well. He likened their potential removal to a racial profiling bill he got passed in 2017 that in part aimed to reduce the ability of police to stop a car and search it or the occupants. The bill also reduced some drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, and within a year, fewer people were being stopped in their cars and charged with drug crimes. In the Black community, those charges dropped from 300 per 10,000 people to 50 per 10,000 people, Frederick said. Because IPO gives police broad latitude to stop anyone who doesnt do exactly as an officer says, it provides police an opportunity to search a persons backpacks or pockets, which can lead to more serious charges, such as possession of knives or drugs. Critics say that essentially creates crimes without criminal behavior -- if the person isnt brandishing the knife or displaying drugs, they would have taken that property home without incident. Those charges are used as sort of a legal weapon rather than something thats in fact a real violation that is creating safety problems, Frederick said. CRITICS QUESTION RISE IN CASES In 2017, OConnor expected to see IPO charges decline in frequency after the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that simply not leaving a space after being told to by police is not enough to sustain a charge of IPO. That was passive resistance and covered under the First Amendment, the judge ruled. The case centered on a man who was told to leave Portlands now-defunct Greyhound bus station after a quarrel with a ticket agent. He refused, even when cops showed up and ordered him to leave. They seized his bags and took them outside. When the man followed, smoked a cigarette and threw the butt on the ground, officers grabbed him and placed him in a headlock. The Oregon Supreme Court decided that his refusal was not grounds for an IPO conviction. The man would have had to be violent or actively resisted, such as running away. Similarly, depending on the facts, if individuals blocking a street simply fail to clear the street in response to a police order to move, their actions may constitute passive resistance and therefore not violate the statute, wrote then-Chief Justice Thomas Balmer. But IPO arrests did not go down. Instead, they continued to rise. In Multnomah County the county with the most arrests on the controversial charge -- 24% of IPO arrests are of Black people. Just 7% of the countys population is Black. That means Black people in the county are more than four times as likely as non-Blacks to be so charged. Countywide, convictions increased 53% over the past decade and reflect deep disparities. Native Americans experience slightly higher rates of IPO arrests than whites and are twice as likely to be convicted -- the highest rate of any racial or ethnic group. Race and class definitely play into this, OConnor said. Once you start being subjected to over-policing, your chance of IPO becomes more likely. Chris Wise is a trained first aid volunteer whos been a regular at Portland protests this summer.Dave Killen/staff POLICE SAY IPO ARRESTS ARE JUST Portland police have defended their use of IPO. When the new Multnomah County district attorney announced he would not prosecute protesters for interfering with officers nor for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and some similar charges, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell balked. He, along with Mayor Ted Wheeler, have repeatedly claimed that there are dangerous criminals at the protests and that people who arrested are committing serious crimes. If were making arrests, its because people are there with the intent to fight or commit criminal acts, Lovell told The Oregonian/OregonLive. He has said that police make good arrests. After Schmidts announcement, Portland police continued to charge most protesters booked at the county jail with interfering with officers. But they often add the charge of disorderly conduct in the second degree, a similarly broad charge that could include making an unreasonable noise or getting in a fight. Our job is to go out and make arrests and give the district attorney good cases to prosecute, Lovell said. Portland police union President Daryl Turner accused Schmidt of being ineffective and negligent in his duties even before Schmidt said publicly that he would not prosecute the most common protest misdemeanors, as well as riot, which is a felony charge. Step up and do your job; hold the rioters accountable, Turner said in a statement. If there is no consequence for crimes from the District Attorneys office, there is no reason for criminals to stop the chaos. The Oregon State Police also cast Schmidts decision as a step toward lawlessness when they left Portland after the two weeks they were expected to stay. Were in a county thats not going to prosecute this criminal behavior, said spokesman Capt. Timothy R. Fox. A WAY TO SUPPRESS PROTESTERS OHSU grad student Michael Martinez was arrested and charged with IPO in June as he was packing up the OHSU medical supply table established by a group of medical students with faculty oversight. Police had just called for protesters to leave Chapman Square and he wanted to protect the equipment and supplies. He waited two months for his arraignment, only to learn that prosecutors reporting to Schmidts predecessor as DA had dropped his charges 10 minutes beforehand. He, like many other protesters, was wary of attending protests again after he was charged for fear of another arrest and whether it would complicate his initial case. He said he finds the timing of the dismissed charges suspect. Basically, slapping protesters with an IPO -- even when they know its not going to stick -- is a way to suppress protesters from continuing to exercise their First Amendment right to speak out against police brutality, Martinez said. Wise, however, returned to protests the day after his arrest, after spending eight hours in jail. He has already had years of navigating employment with a criminal record -- a fare evasion conviction after an arrest that he says included five squad cars showing up, a gun pointed at him, six hours in jail, bench probation, a $500 fine and community service. That kind of reaction to low-level charges is part of the world he navigates as an African-American, Wise said. Having a criminal record doesnt scare me, but I can see how it scares other people, he said. Things like this, things like being arrested for interfering with an officer, shouldnt follow somebody around for the rest of their life. -- Molly Harbarger mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on Saturday termed the crisis in the party as unfortunate and asked party members to support Mulayam Singh Yadav in the family feud which has seen Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav being expelled. I appeal to the party members to stand with Netaji Mulayam Singh. Whatever is happening is very unfortunate, Amar, who had recently made a comeback to the party after a long exile, said. He was asked about the crisis in the party after supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav expelled his son Akhilesh Yadav and general secretary Ramgopal Yadav for six years after they put up candidates against the official nominees and summoned a party meet on Sunday. Amar said, The foundation of this party was laid by Mulayam Singh with much dedication and hard work. I have said this earlier and will say it now, that Mulayam Singh is the chief of SP and the father of Akhilesh Yadav as well, he said. Mulayam had on Friday said that he had taken the action against Akhilesh and Ramgopal to save the party which he had built through hard efforts. We have to save the party. The party comes first. That is why we are expelling both Akhilesh and Ramgopal, he had said. He explained that the decision was taken after Ramgopal, in his capacity as general secretary, called an emergency meeting of the party on January 1 and Akhilesh supported it. Ramgopal called the meeting after a showcause notice was issued to him and Akhilesh by Mulayam for releasing a list of candidates, parallel to the one issued officially by Mulayam. How can he (Akhilesh) release the list when the party has declared its candidates? Both Akhilesh and Ramgopal want to finish the party. I will not let it happen. I have built this party through hard work, Mulayam said. Britains Got Talent semi-finalists have been revealed after the show returned to the screen. The ITV series was forced to halt production due to the pandemic. On Sunday night, the show was back, with a pre-recorded instalment to show which contestants had made it through to the semi-finals. The dozens of acts include Aidan McCann, a young magician from Ireland, and Amanda and rescue dog Miracle a magic act from Scotland. FIRST LOOK After a tough deliberation, the Judges are finally ready to reveal who will be making it through to the #BGT 2020 SEMI-FINALS! Don't miss Britain's Got Talent: The Finalists Revealed, this Sunday, 6:30pm on @ITV and @WeAreSTV. pic.twitter.com/hjlfm19Ekb BGT (@BGT) August 28, 2020 Others to have made it through include the Chineke! Junior Orchestra and Class Dynamix, a choir from Leeds. Papi Flex, a contortionist from Belgium, and Wesley Williams, a unicyclist from Florida, also got through to the next stage, with the Golden Buzzer acts. It was previously announced that Diversity star Ashley Banjo will take Simon Cowells place on the judging panel for the semi-finals while the music mogul recovers from back surgery. The Chineke! Junior Orchestra (ITV) Cowell, 60, broke his back in a number of places after falling off a new electric bike he was testing at his house in Malibu. Banjo will join regular judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams on the panel. The final will air in October, with the winner taking home 250,000 plus a slot at the Royal Variety Performance. Papi Flex got through (ITV) Some acts will take part via videolink whilst others will perform in the TV studio without a live audience. Instead, a virtual audience will watch from their homes and their reactions will be broadcast into the studio on a giant screen. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tetsushi Kajimoto (Reuters) Tokyo Sun, August 30, 2020 10:35 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417086b 2 World Yoshihide-Suga,Shinzo-Abe Free Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join the race to succeed his boss Shinzo Abe as prime minister, Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday, as the competition heats up to succeed Japan's longest-serving leader. Suga, a longtime lieutenant of Abe's in a key supporting role, has denied interest in the top job but attracted attention with a series of interviews, to Reuters and other news organizations, in the days before Abe's abrupt resignation for health reasons. A Suga government would extend the fiscal and monetary stimulus that defined Abe's nearly eight years in office. Abe's announcement on Friday, citing a worsening of a chronic illness, set the stage for a leadership election within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP president is virtually assured of being prime minister because of the party's majority in the lower house of parliament. Suga decided to join the LDP race judging that he should play a leading role given expectations for his ability to manage crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Japan's deepest postwar economic dive, Kyodo said, citing an unnamed source. Calls to Suga's parliamentary office seeking comment on Sunday went unanswered. A self-made politician in a country of political dynasties, Suga was chosen by Abe in 2012 for the pivotal role of chief cabinet secretary, acting as top government spokesman, coordinating policies and riding herd on bureaucrats. Suga would join such candidates as former foreign minister Fumio Kishida and former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba. Even so, Laura was the most powerful storm on record to hit Louisiana, swamping Cameron Parish on the coast and moving north with devastating winds, which were measured gusting up to 140 miles an hour near Lake Charles. At least 16 deaths have been attributed to the storm. CoreLogic, a data analytics firm in Irvine, Calif., estimated that the hurricane had caused insured losses of $8 billion to $12 billion. The story here is going to be the wind damage, said Curtis McDonald, a meteorologist with the firm. Of the total estimated damage, the firm said, just $500 million was probably attributable to the storm surge. Much of the devastation has been concentrated in and around Lake Charles, a city of 78,000 heavily dependent on the oil and gas industry. Rows of small businesses downtown were ransacked by the wind and rain. Windows of the tallest building in the city were blown out. Throughout the city, modest houses had shingles and siding shorn off, and trees that had stood for decades came crashing through roofs or spilled into impassable streets. The destruction was especially brutal in Westlake, across the Calcasieu River from Lake Charles, with just shy of 5,000 residents and a skyline formed by the galvanized towers and flares of an oil refinery. The storm caused a fire on Thursday at a Biolab chemical plant in Westlake, prompting Governor Edwards to warn residents to close your windows and doors and turn off your air conditioning units. Some residents acknowledged concerns over the communitys industrial surroundings and their unwelcome consequences. But those facilities also offered stable, decent-paying jobs, a kind of promise that might be tough to find in other places. Taking a swipe at PM Modi over his toy hub push, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that JEE-NEET aspirants wanted the PM do "pariksha pe charcha" but the PM did "khilone pe charcha. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking about the upcoming NEET and JEE, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that the aspirants wanted him to do a Pariksha Pe Charcha in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat. JEE-NEET aspirants wanted the PM do Pariksha Pe Charcha but the PM did Khilone Pe Charcha. #Mann_Ki_Nahi_Students_Ki_Baat, the Congress leader tweeted. The Congress leaders remark comes after Prime Minister Modi, addressed his monthly Mann ki Baat radio programme earlier today. In the programme, the Prime Minister also talked about making toys for the world and highlighted the ability of India to become a toy hub. The comments of the Congress leader came even as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) are scheduled to be held in September. Notably, protests are being held by students and Opposition parties against the decision to hold the exams amid the ongoing pandemic. JEE-NEET aspirants wanted the PM do Pariksha Pe Charcha but the PM did Khilone Pe Charcha.#Mann_Ki_Nahi_Students_Ki_Baat Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 30, 2020 ALSO READ: Bihar assembly elections: Congress to hold virtual rallies across Bihar from Sept 1 Ministers from six Opposition-ruled states have also moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to postpone the exams reviewing its earlier order in the matter. The Supreme Court had on August 17 dismissed a petition seeking the postponement of the NEET and JEE scheduled to be held in September 2020 observing that the career of students cannot be put under jeopardy for long. ALSO READ: Unlock 4.0: Guidelines for metro travel during Covid-19 pandemic to release soon, heres what to expect These people in these areas are resilient. Theyll push through it; theyve done it time and time again, he said. Im more than confident that these people will make it through this again, but whatever we can do to help alleviate some of that pain, whether big or small, I definitely want to help out in any way that [we can]. Another aspect of the aftermath of hurricanes, he said, is the people who come together to help their neighbors and friends, no matter their differences. Everybody sticks together because theres not anybody thats not affected by this, whether its friends or family or businesses and whatnot, Jones said. Hale said they are hoping the donations continue and they can either personally take resources to the area or partner with an established organization to provide that help. The Aggie Ring and going to A&M means a lot more than just being an Aggie, you know, Jones said. It comes with selfless service, and the willingness to give back is just so immense. The support that we received from our friends and the organizations at Texas A&M has been phenomenal already. The Aggie Spirit is something totally different than anybody will ever understand, and Im very grateful. Funeral of Jim Nesbitt at his Casltrock home in Co. Derry. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Actor James Nesbitt has told how the recent burial of his father reminded him of the deep and lasting pain felt by families of the so-called Disappeared. He was speaking at a ceremony to mark the International Day of the Disappeared in Belfast on Sunday. Held on August 30 each year, it highlights the fate of individuals around the world who have been killed and secretly buried or who are imprisoned at places unknown to their relatives or legal representatives. During the Troubles, republicans killed and secretly buried 16 people three have yet to be found. More recently, Lisa Dorrian vanished after a party at a caravan site in Co Down in 2005. Police believe she was murdered. Speaking at the Wave Trauma Centre, Mr Nesbitt, one of its patrons, said: The death of a deeply loved family member is always hard to take whatever the circumstances. But to know that your loved met a violent end and not to know where they were buried for years and years brings almost unimaginable pain and anguish. That is what the families of the Disappeared have had to endure. For the families of Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh, Robert Nairac and Lisa Dorrian, that agony continues and will not begin to ease until they are brought home. Someone somewhere must have information that could lead to their remains being found. In the name of humanity they should give that information up. Mr Nesbitts father Jim passed away earlier this month, aged 91. Expand Close Jimmy Nesbitt with his father James Snr / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jimmy Nesbitt with his father James Snr At the ceremony four white doves were released to represent the disappearance of Mr Lynskey, Mr McVeigh, Mr Nairac and Ms Dorrian. The fifth dove was released for those both home and abroad who believe their loved ones are dead and are secretly buried. Artist Colin Davidson, a fellow Wave patron, recalled how Walter Simons, whose son Eugene disappeared, was among the 18 victims and survivors of the Troubles whose portraits he painted for Silent Testimony. Eugene was 26 when he was abducted, murdered and secretly buried after leaving his home near Castlewellan, Co Down, on January 1 1981. His body was discovered in May 1984 in a bog near Dundalk, Co Louth. Mr Davidson said: Walters quiet dignity was hugely impressive and it was clear that even though Eugenes remains had been returned and there was a grave to visit that feeling of profound loss had never left him. How much more acute it must be for those still waiting for the day they can lay their loved ones to rest? The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) was established in 1999 to obtain information that may lead to where the bodies of the Disappeared are buried. Geoff Knupfer, its lead investigator, said: We are down to three cases now from 16 and while Lisa Dorrians disappearance is outside the ICLVRs remit we hope that progress can be made there too. Anyone with information can be absolutely assured that it will be treated in the strictest confidence. We can only help these families if people with information come forward. Indias partnership with the United States will continue to grow whether a Republican or Democrat is elected to the White House in the November elections, external affairs minister S Jaishankar has suggested. Jaishankars assertion comes against the backdrop of the two sides competing to woo the 1.2 million Indian-American community that has emerged as a key constituency in battleground states that could settle the race with wafer-thin margins. If you look at the last four American presidents, two Republicans and two Democrats each very different from the other. Yet, each raised the level of relationship with India further, Jaishankar said in response to a question if Donald Trump was better for India, or Joe Biden. ALSO WATCH | Donald Trump Vs Joe Biden for President: Who will be better for India? For peace along border, one must adhere to agreements: S Jaishankar | Interview Each President has developed on the legacy of the previous one when it comes to India. And if you follow the debates in the US now, you will find many differences between the competing candidates, but India is a common point, Jaishankar said in an interview with Hindustan Times on Saturday. The minister stressed that though candidates criticised each other on many policies, this didnt happen when ties with India is the topic. I actually believe that India has bipartisan, or in a sense non-partisan, support in American politics. Our footprint is very wide and so is our acceptability. Different sets of politicians who disagree on many things agree on India. And I think that is a very good place to be, the minister said. Also Read: 2020 is special for Indian-Americans in US politics The approach of the two parties towards Indian Americans is seen to reflect their standpoint on India as well. Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president has named Senator Kamala Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, as his running mate. Donald Trump had been working on this constituency for quite some time, like when he accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi last September to the Howdy, Modi! event in Houston, a rare Democratic stronghold in Republican-dominated Texas. Five months later, Trump flew 17 hours to India for a quick 36-hour visit, mostly to address the Namaste Trump event in Gujarat. Also Read: Donald Trump woos Indian-American voters, with clips from Howdy Modi A majority of the Indian-Americans voters have traditionally been seen to support the Democrats; a survey of Asian Americans suggested that 55% of Indian Americans who voted in the 2016 election held a very unfavorable to somewhat unfavorable view of Trump. The US President has been trying to change this voting pattern. At the Gujarat event, he did hold out hopes of sealing a very big trade deal with India and showered praises on PM Modi who reciprocated generously. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Donald Trump took to Twitter Sunday morning to amplify messages excoriating Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and once again call for the National Guard to be deployed to the city following the killing of a man near downtown protests Saturday night. He tweeted again as Wheeler and Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell were holding a press conference Sunday, appearing to threaten to bring federal forces back into the city. He tried mixing with the Agitators and Anarchists and they mocked him, Trump tweeted of Wheeler. He would like to blame me and the Federal Government for going in, but he hasnt seen anything yet. We have only been there with a small group to defend our U.S. Courthouse, because he couldnt do it.... Challenger Joe Biden then tweeted a challenge to Trump to condemn the violence in Portland. The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. Shooting in the streets of a great American city is unacceptable. I condemn violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same. https://t.co/JRuI7ya2Wv Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 30, 2020 Police are continuing to seek information as they investigate the shooting, which took place downtown near competing demonstrations: a pro-Trump car caravan and a counter-protest by various opposing groups. The man killed was pictured in a photo published by Getty Images wearing a hat with the logo of Patriot Prayer, a far-right group based in Vancouver, Washington that has for years been at the center of Portland demonstrations that often lead to violent clashes. In a statement issued after 2 a.m. Sunday, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said this violence is completely unacceptable and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible. Lovell asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Portland police detectives. Trump responded to the killing with tweets repeating some of his re-election talking points: that he will bring law and order to U.S. cities if he wins a second term, and that Democratic mayors, governors and other local officials are to blame when protests and violence happen in their communities. The president retweeted at least a dozen tweets by various people criticizing Wheeler, including a tweet with the phone number to Wheelers city office that asked people to call and urge him to resign. The president explicitly linked Wheeler, who two days ago rebuked Trump for using Portland as a symbol of unrest in his Republican National Convention acceptance speech, to his Democratic rival. Wheeler is incompetent, much like Sleepy Joe Biden, the president wrote on twitter. Before the national outcry against police brutality in 2020, protests were already a frequent occurrence in Portland dating back to Trumps election in 2016. Trump has gone after Wheeler for more than a year. Our great National Guard could solve these problems in less than 1 hour, the president wrote in another tweet Sunday morning. Local authorities must ask before it is too late. People of Portland, and other Democrat run cities, are disgusted with Schumer, Pelosi, and thier (sic) local leaders. They want Law & Order! Our great National Guard could solve these problems in less than 1 hour. Local authorities must ask before it is too late. People of Portland, and other Democrat run cities, are disgusted with Schumer, Pelosi, and thier local leaders. They want Law & Order! https://t.co/f6LOKcf7BU Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020 Trump reiterated the claim that deploying the National Guard would squelch protests and violence, tweeting later Sunday morning that all the governor has to do is call. Gov. Kate Brown did deploy 50 unarmed Oregon National Guard members earlier this summer to support Portland police during the downtown protests. The National Guard is Ready, Willing and Able. All the Governor has to do is call! https://t.co/iRe5ExgRGO Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020 Shortly after noon, the governor issued a statement saying that for the last several years, and escalating in recent months, President Trump has encouraged division and stoked violence. Brown said she has supported the rights of Oregonians to protest, whether they are raising their voices against police brutality or her own executive orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, and she distinguished the vast majority of protesters from smaller groups causing problems. For weeks, we have also seen small groups of demonstrators from all ends of the political spectrum who are intent on committing acts of vandalism and violence, Brown said. Tragically, yesterday a life was lost in downtown Portland. We do not yet know the full circumstances of this persons death. Regardless, a life has been lost, and our hearts go out to this persons family. We will find those who were responsible, and they will be held accountable. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf blamed Brown and other local officials for failing to protect their communities. Im asking Portland officials, so thats the mayor, thats the governor and thats local law enforcement, to do their job to address any violent activity that is occurring in their streets, Wolf told CBS Face the Nation. Wolf said the federal government was prepared to send agents to Portland and other cities to protect federal buildings and assist police. When federal agents increased their presence in downtown Portland in July, the city saw some of the largest protests of the summer, with thousands of people turning out nightly. The crowds dissipated after the agents withdrew and state police agreed to protect federal buildings for a two-week period. Other Oregon public officials began to weigh in as the day progressed. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury issued a statement that the overwhelming majority of protestors (in the waked of Minneapolis polices killing of George Floyd) have engaged in non-violent demonstration to call for police accountability, racial justice and the dismantling of racist institutions ... Then last night stoked by a president who has gone out of his way to demonize this city and encourage vigilantism in service to white supremacy and his own fragile ego armed participants of a pro-Trump caravan terrorized downtown Portland, driving their vehicles and shooting paintballs and pepper spray directly at community members and journalists, Kafoury said. They came to create confrontation and were able to do so. This tragedy will be used to justify escalating violence, Kafoury warned. It will be used to paint an entire movement with a broad and misleading brush. And sadly, it will be used by the occupant of the White House to deepen divisions and fear. READ MORE: Man fatally shot after pro-Trump caravan was Patriot Prayer friend and supporter Jay Bishop Portland Mayor to President Donald Trump: support us or stay the hell out of the way Progressive community leaders call for Portland mayor, police chief to resign following deadly shooting Clashes escalate in downtown Portland after Trump rally in Clackamas Hillary Borrud and wire reports Mark McLennan took serious exception to a curse word he saw in the Star. The phrase in question? Jesus Christ. It finally f--ing happened. Only McLennan didnt object to the swear word that had been dashed out. Rather, he was unhappy with the curse that had been left in. I find the explicit quote of the words Jesus Christ, while deleting the word f--ing, inconsistent, he wrote. As a man of faith, I find the full spelling in the quote offensive. I am actually less offended by the word f--ing, which is a swear word by social convention, wrote the retired Presbyterian clergy member. Jesus Christ as a swear word is a direct affront to people of Christian faith, he stated. Full disclosure. I had to delete the full spelling of the f-word word from McLennans email in keeping with our style. Which takes us to the heart of his concern. First, some background. The phrase appeared in an Aug. 2 story in the Star written by Hamilton Spectator journalist Jon Wells about the life and death of animal activist Regan Russell. She was attending a protest outside a Burlington meat plant when she was hit and killed by a truck carrying pigs. The phrase was uttered by a man filming the aftermath of the scene on his phone as captured in a documentary by Varun Virlan. No doubt, there is a shock value to the entire phrase. Wells says he did reflect on whether that phrase was needed in the story. It was a brutal, tragic and frightening moment and his language live in that moment reflected that. To go with just the first part of the quote and clean it up to read simply It finally happened would have drained it of power and meaning, Wells told me. As for Jesus Christ, I mulled over whether to include it . . . I think in describing the death scene, it belongs there. I would never use JC in a story as an epithet casually, Wells said. In the arc of his 2,600-word piece, he thinks it was justified though he understands how it could offend. The Torstar Journalistic Standards Guide states that, swear words, sexually charged and blasphemous words should be rarely used unless in direct quotations. In publishing obscenities, we use short dashes following the first letter, except in rare cases, determined by senior editors, where spelling out the word in full is considered central to understanding the context of the news, it states. In 2014, my predecessor Kathy English polled Star readers whether they would publish an actors exclamation of Jesus Christ. Almost two-thirds 63 per cent said they would while 37 per cent said no, declaring that it was deeply offensive to Christians. It does raise the question if journalists and editors decide a swear word is essential to a story, then why dash it out? The answer there is the desire of readers. In 2014, they told English that they didnt want to see swear words spelled out. Six years on, I still dont think Star readers want to see stories laced with swear words. But the crux of McLennans concern is the inconsistency in his mind. The Star made a judgement call, deciding that the f-word would be more offensive to readers than Jesus Christ. As McLennan notes, using the term as a swear word is a direct affront, especially to those of Christian faith. In that light, Im not sure that dashing it out makes it less offensive. In this case, I agree with Wells that it drove home the shock and horror of Russells death and the impact it had on her fellow protesters. But its not a phrase that should ever be used casually by journalists. So far fortunately, it hasnt. A search of the Star archives shows it has been used only sparingly as a curse over the last 18 months. McLennan has provided a good reminder why the Star should strive to keep it that way. Last word: Readers have complained about recent Star stories that have referred to events happening in Africa rather than specifying the exact country. This lazy reporting is insulting to people from the continent of Africa whose experience is minimized to a monolith, one reader said. Fifty-five member states make up the Africa Union with a total population topping 1.2 billion people. The Star owes it to readers to be specific. It was a trip like none other. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on a mission this week to secure normalization between Arab states and Israel, a feat long considered impossible due to the political impasse of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As DW reports, only a few weeks before, the impossible became a working reality: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to normalize relations with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accord. The deal suspended Israel's annexation of occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank and opened the door for extensive relations between the two countries, including one day full diplomatic ties. On the list of countries Pompeo visited, none was more important than Bahrain. The island nation had long cooperated with Israel in areas of mutual interest and was one of the first countries in the region to welcome the deal. For many experts, it was the next candidate in line to normalize relations with Israel. However, those hopes were dashed when Bahrain's King Hamas bin Isa al-Khalifa told Pompeo his country would not move forward with the US proposal. Instead, the king said Bahrain remained committed to the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative, which calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within historical borders in exchange for normalizing relations with Arab states. "Ultimately, Manama decided to stand by the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, underscoring Bahrain's tendency to align extremely closely with Saudi Arabia on most sensitive regional issues," said Giorgio Cafiero, chief executive of geopolitical risk consulting firm Gulf State Analytics. Too much to lose For Bahrain, there is too much on the line to normalize relations with Israel without wider regional agreement, notably from its close ally, Saudi Arabia. "These hesitations could be driven by a number of factors including, for instance, Saudi Arabia's concerns that they would be identified as complicit should Manama normalize relations with Israel," said Cinzia Bianco, Gulf research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). As a regional heavyweight and religious leader, Saudi Arabia "does not have the same flexibility that other small countries have," she said. So even association by proximity to Bahrain could prompt "heavy criticism from Sunni religious quarters closer to Islamists, politically led by Turkey and Qatar," which are Saudi Arabia's regional rivals. Bahrain is also led by a Sunni Muslim dynasty that rules over a predominantly Shiite Muslim population. Beneath the polished surface of Bahraini modernization lies simmering sectarian friction fueled by human rights violations committed against its Shiite population. Since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, when mass protests sprang up across the region, Bahraini authorities have sought to contain anti-government sentiment by jailing activists and journalists and silencing critical social media content. Yet, the Palestinian cause transcends the sectarian divide, offering a potential impetus for unrest on both sides of the population. "There is sympathy for the Palestinian struggle on the part of Bahrain citizens on both sides of the sectarian divide," said Cafiero. "Bahraini officials had to contend with political risks that could have stemmed from Manama formalizing relations with Tel Aviv in terms of internal unrest and anger." Who's next? As the Palestinian cause continues to form a central part of pan-Arab sentiment, experts believe that few others plan to follow the path of the UAE. "I don't think the UAE-Israel deal paves the way for the establishment of formal and official relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar or Kuwait," said ECFR's Bianco. "In all of these countries, despite some cooling towards the Palestinian cause within parts of the Arab youth, especially in Saudi Arabia, popular opposition towards normalization is still quite high." That doesn't mean that some Arab states will suspend their back-channel ties with Israel. Instead, it means that unveiling an open secret would cause more harm than good in a region long defined by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As a result, the success of Pompeo's mission remains elusive at least for the foreseeable future. A man jumped a security gate and took a river bus before leading specialist marine police on a miles-long chase down the River Thames, officers said. Police vessels rushed to intercept the Thames Clipper boat after it was snatched from Trinity Buoy Wharf, in Poplar, east London, at about 3am on Saturday. Officers said they used their blue flashing lights in an attempt to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a complete standstill. Marine officers eventually boarded the ferry near Tower Bridge, about four miles away from where it was originally taken, before steering it to Canary Wharf dock where Metropolitan Police officers were waiting. A 22-year-old man from Chatham, in Kent, has since been charged with taking a conveyance without the owners consent, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said. Joseph Hawkridge is set to appear in custody at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday. Metropolitan Police said in an earlier statement: On Saturday 29 August at 3.10am marine support units were called to reports that a man jumped over a security gate and stolen a Thames Clipper boat from Trinity Buoy Wharf. Marine support units intercepted the Clipper with the blue lights illuminated. The vessel slowed but did not come to a stop. Marine officers boarded and took control of the vessel and it was taken to Canary Wharf dock. They were joined by local units who arrested the man, aged in his 20s, on suspicion of burglary and theft. A spokeswoman for Thames Clipper added: As this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment at this time. Uber announced the launch of a boat service in London in partnership with Thames Clipper earlier this year. The collaboration will see branded vessels operate between Putney and Woolwich, with passengers able to book tickets using the US-based companys smartphone app. It will be Ubers first permanent commuter boat service. However, the service will still be run by Thames Clippers. With the pre-surgical Ed Miliband still deprived of sleep by that "life-threatening apnoea", it behoves us to help him through the befuddlement. The advice, regarding Lord Justice Leveson's leadership of the phone-hacking inquiry, is this: stop dithering and demand that Leveson recuse himself or be removed. Who knows what this appellate judge was thinking in attending two parties at the London home of Lis Murdoch and Matthew Freud? But it seems he forged a friendship with Mr Freud after the latter offered m'lud his PR firm's unpaid time in improving the image of the Sentencing Council he leads. Whether the party-going alone should disqualify Lord L is a finely balanced conflict-of-interest call, what with Lis being the likeliest News Corp beneficiary should the inquiry end James' career. But the fact that a month ago The Sun viciously attacked Leveson and his chums over its drug-tariff guidelines "The Sentencing Council has lost its reason... What planet is it on?" removes any residual doubt. On the one hand, to recap, Lord L has Murdoch social connections, while on the other, there is the appearance of a potential score to settle with their newspapers. In an ideal world the two would cancel each other out. In the real one, at this poignant moment in public life, he has no business leading the inquiry. The Labour leader should say so in what will, God and surgeon willing, be his last public pronouncement in the guise of Ed Anoidal. * One area in which I brook no criticism of the scouser Leveson, however, is for failing to secure Ken Dodd's conviction for tax fraud in 1989. What a fine day, what a fine day it was, admittedly, for Doddy to run rings around the prosecution with tattifilarious one-liners. Yet Leveson cannot be blamed for what struck many as an unlikely acquittal. As the legal commentator Bernard Manning, the Joshua Rozenberg of the North, put it then: "What a bleedin' shock, Doddy getting off in Liverpool. They were lucky to get a fucking jury together." * It is many years now since another judge described Alastair Campbell as "an unreliable witness", and his rehabilitation gathers pace. Demanding that Mr Cameron apologise for accusing him of "falsifying documents while in government" is a masterstoke. As Ali so cunningly intuits, if he keeps insisting the dossier wasn't dodgy for another 30 or 40 years, public opinion will swing behind him. As for his typically humble strictures on Andy Coulson's incomplete vetting status, once again he excels. Ali was fully vetted to deal with highly classified intelligence himself, after all, and didn't that work out just spiffingly for all concerned? * Hats aloft to Michael Fallon, Tory party deputy chairman, on his contribution to the debate. Michael, who plans to spend the summer recess at his grace-and-favour holiday cottage two millimetres to the north of David Cameron's colon, may expect promotion to the Cabinet. Whenever the PM invites Lady Warsi to resign the chairmanship, there will be no question of her deputy taking deed poll to become Michael Fallon-His-Sword. * Two small linguistic points. First, which MP will ask the PM to cite an example of an "appropriate conversation" with News International executives over the BSkyB deal. And secondly, regarding Trinity Mirror's mantra "Our journalists work within the criminal law...", Sylvia "Sly" Bailey seems ill at ease with her tenses. "Work" is all well and good, you old Sly boots. Now what about "worked"? * Mystery continues to enshroud the identity of the old rocker to whom Mail columnist Liz Jones has been cryptically referring as her new lover. Until she outs him, as the confessional form book suggests she will, the only thing we might as well face is that he whoever the hell he might be must be quite extraordinarily addicted to love. * Admiration for Frankie Boyle grows by the week as the Glaswegian hard man ignores the hacking saga in his Sun column. Where it demanded raw courage for a leftie comic to taunt a seriously disabled child, teasing News International for organised crime would be bullying the defenceless. NEW DELHI: Three men have been arrested for shooting at the mother of a 15-year-old rape victim in south Delhis Jamia Nagar, with the police saying that they were involved with the conspiracy to frame the rape accused due to rivalry. Mohd Iqbal (46), Wasim (30), and Faisal Hussain (36) were arrested on Thursday, said Romil Baaniya, DCP (Southeast). On December 23, the mother of the rape victim was shot at when she was taking her daughter to a hospital for a check-up. She had alleged that her daughter was raped by Sajid (36), who was arrested in Uttar Pradeshs Bijnor district. During interrogation, Sajid confessed his involvement in the rape case but denied his role in the (shooting) incident. He hinted at the involvement of Faisal Hussain as he would have benefited if Sajid went to jail, said the officer. Ikbal and Wasim were nabbed last night. The two admitted their involvement in the shooting on the direction of Hussain, he added. Hussain was nabbed in Jamia Nagar last night. He disclosed that Sajid had become a challenge for him, the officer said. Hussain hatched the conspiracy soon after he came to know that Sajid was involved in a rape case. He also knew that the mother of the rape victim has filed a case against Sajid stating he had threatened her. Hussain thought if any mishap occurred with the woman, Sajid would be held responsible, he said. Hussain had provided a desi katta and four cartridges to Ikbal and Wasim to shoot the woman. Millions of used gloves, masks and PPE kits, which may find a way to landfills and oceans if left unchecked, are being turned into something extremely useful by India's 'Recycle Man'. He earned this title back in 2010 for designing P-Block, bricks from industrial paper and gum waste. Twenty seven-year-old Binish Desai, an environmentalist and innovator from Gujarat has a unique solution to India's growing problem of disposing of COVID medical waste. Desai is creating eco-friendly bricks out of PPE kits and masks in a bid to decrease environmental pressure. The Logical India According to a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the National Green Tribunal, India generates about 101 Metric Tonnes per day (MT/day) of COVID-19 related biomedical waste. This is an addition to the normal biomedical waste generation of about 609 MT/day. The bricks created by Binish contain 52 per cent of shredded PPE and masks, three percent of the binder, and 45 percent paper waste. They are water-repellant, fire retardant, and pest resistant. He also plans to introduce "eco-bins", which will help in collecting waste from hospitals, police stations, other places where the staff or people are using PPE kits and medical-grade masks. Russia lambasts U.S. sanctions amid Washington's own suspicious research People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:03, August 29, 2020 MOSCOW, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the U.S. decision to blacklist Russian research institutes, recalling that Washington itself was carrying out suspicious research both in the United States and abroad. "We consider the inclusion of three Russian research institutes in the U.S. restrictive lists to be blatant," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Commerce blacklisted some 60 research institutes around the world, including three Russian institutes, one of which was working on a COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine, alleging they were involved in developing chemical and biological weapons. Zakharova said that this U.S. move can hardly be called the right step towards cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. She pointed out that Washington has provided no proof of its accusations, while Russia stopped developing chemical and biological weapons in 1992 and finished destroying all their stocks in 2017. Currently, the United States remains the only member of the Chemical Weapons Convention that still possesses chemical weapons and it issues licenses to produce "various inventions related to the use of full-fledged chemical warfare agents, including nerve agents," Zakharova said. Russia's activities in the biomedical sphere are of a purely peaceful nature and fully comply with the obligations under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), as evidenced by the annually provided information on Russian facilities and biological activities as part of the BTWC confidence-building measures, she said. At the same time, there are questions about the biomedical activities of Washington both in the United States and beyond its national borders and there is no reason to assert that the activities carried out in U.S. biological laboratories fully comply with the BTWC, Zakharova said. She recalled that an investigation into terrorist attacks involving the dispatch of anthrax spores to the United States in 2001 revealed that the scientist who sent out envelopes with poison worked in the biolaboratory at Fort Detrick, which is the forefront of the U.S. military's biosecurity facility. "Instead of sanctions' pressure, we suggest that the U.S. side sit down at the negotiating table to discuss in a bilateral format all the accumulated issues," Zakharova said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FREDERICKSBURG Wandering through the National Museum of the Pacific War in the company of masked museum director Rorie Cartier, I kept thinking about how I had lost my last living connection to World War II when my cousin Bob died at 94 in fall 2017. Like George H.W. Bush, a fellow Houstonian he admired as both combat pilot and politician, Bob had been an impossibly young Navy flyer who was shot down over the Pacific and plucked from the water by an American submarine just before a Japanese destroyer arrived. Bob would have enjoyed wandering through the exhibits, newsreels, artifacts and interactive features that explain the geopolitical origins of the Pacific war, before tracing its course through Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima and the Pacific island chain, Hiroshima and on to the formal surrender on the deck of the Battleship Missouri, on Sept. 2, 1945. At least, I think he would have enjoyed it. Like most members of the Greatest Generation, Bob rarely talked about the war years the formative experience of his long life unless he was sure you were really interested and unless he was convinced you understood that he did not consider himself a hero. The heroes were the ones who didnt make it back, he used to tell me. I mentioned that Greatest Generation trademark to David Shields, the museums director of education. He understood. The museum, he said, seeks to reflect the characteristic modesty of the men and women who served. They werent superheroes, he noted. They were ordinary people who did extraordinary things. Thats important to remember. A picturesque German town in the Texas Hill Country would seem to be an unlikely location for a museum dedicated to the Pacific War, except for Fredericksburgs connection to a favorite son. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific fleet throughout the war, grew up in Fredericksburg. Nimitzs grandfather ran the Nimitz Hotel on Main Street; the historic building housed the modest, little museum when it opened in 1967. A partnership these days of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and the Texas Historical Commission, the museum underwent a major expansion in 2009 with the addition of the George H.W. Bush Gallery. Today its buildings and grounds cover 6 acres in the heart of town. To do it justice takes at least three hours, maybe twice that long. According to Shields, Nimitzs friends and family urged him for years to endorse the development of a Pacific War museum in his hometown. He finally, reluctantly, agreed not long before his death in 1966. He said (in Shields words), I will do this, but this is not me. The emphasis has to be on the men and women who served. My cousin never made it to the museum, but plenty of Pacific War vets have visited over the years. Their numbers are dwindling, of course (and theyre not showing up at all during the pandemic). Soon they will be gone, and what well have left are fading family memories passed down through generations and this superb museum, the only one in the U.S. dedicated to the Pacific War (which also includes the Asiatic Theater). The museums collection, fortunately, includes some 6,000 oral histories, more than 2,000 online. Its a gold mine for researchers, said Chris McDougal, director of the library and archives. We get documentarians, writers, people doing genealogy. And were still doing oral histories, quite a few done by phone now. Thanks to the collection, I got to hear the reminiscences of David Lee Tex Hill, one of the legendary Flying Tigers, American pilots who volunteered to fly for the Chinese against Japan before the U.S. entered the war. The colorful Hill was something of a legend himself. John Wayne told him he was the model for the character he played in the 1942 movie Flying Tigers. He was credited with shooting down 18 planes during the war. Here he is in 2003, age 88, in a Fredericksburg High School classroom, remembering: My first encounter was Jan. 2, (1942), I believe it was. That was the first offensive mission that went into Thailand. Newkirk was leading and Christman was on the wing and Jeb Howard and I. I was on Jebs wing. We went in there about daylight, and we were going to strafe the field, but we didnt look up and they had fighters above us. So, the first thing I noticed there were three of us in the pack, and this Jap had come in between me and Howard. He was on Howards tail, and I just pulled right up behind him, fired my machine guns and he blew up. Simultaneously, someone had made an overhead pass on me and shot 33 holes in my airplane. Im turning into this second guy coming head-on. I shot him down. Hill recalled that when he got back to the airfield, his operations officer, Charlie Mott, good-naturedly complained, Tex, you are going to hog all the missions. Mott, who outranked Hill, took the next days mission. As it turned out, it was his one and only. He got shot down and spent the whole war in a prison camp on the River Kwai. After the war, he told Hill, Tex, Ill never argue with you about a mission again. Hill, in later years a Mountain Home rancher, a San Antonio oilman and the youngest brigadier general in the Texas Air National Guard, told his oral-history interviewer that his most important mission was bombing a pontoon bridge over Chinas Salween Gorge. That stopped the Japanese, he said. If the Japanese had crossed the Salween River, China would have collapsed. Hill, who died in San Antonio in 2007, surmised that if the Japanese had not been thwarted in China, they would have made their way across Burma and India and eventually hooked up with Rommels German forces in Egypt. (Education director Shields mentioned that Japan had 3 million troops scattered across Asia at wars end.) Ill say one thing, they didnt lack ambition, Hill told his oral historian, in language a bit saltier than I can quote here. During these pandemic days, archivist McDougal spends much of his time alone among the invaluable oral histories, private papers, official documents and manuscripts that the museum continues to collect. On the floor below, a limited number of visitors each day walk past a B-25 bomber from the Doolittle raid, a tank, a Wildcat fighter, an atomic bomb casing, a eerie-looking Japanese midget sub captured after the Pearl Harbor attack and much more, all collected in an ongoing effort to make sure we dont forget. --- These days, self-guided tours of the museum are available to groups of up to 12 people. The three-hour tours start at 9 a.m. Wednesdays through Sundays at the Admiral Nimitz Gallery, located in the old Nimitz Hotel building at 340 Main St. in Fredericksburg. The last group will be admitted at 2 p.m. This Wednesday, the museum will commemorate the 75th anniversary of Japans formal surrender and the end of World War II with a YouTube broadcast at 11 a.m., followed by a livestream salute from the museums Memorial Courtyard on Facebook. djholley10@gmail.com twitter.com/holleynews Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium -- a decisive moment in the Chicano movement. On that day, tens of thousands of protesters marched through East Los Angeles against the Vietnam War and civil rights violations of Mexican Americans. While the U.S. Latino population was then less than 10%, Latinos made up 20% of all deaths in Vietnam. With its depictions of passionate protest and law enforcement violence against the demonstrators, including the police killing of Los Angeles Times columnist Ruben Salazar, the event made national and international news on this day in 1970. Yet for many, the lessons of the day have faded into history, if they were taught at all. Mis Angeles columnist Erick Galindo and LAist videojournalist Chava Sanchez spent the past week searching for the meanings behind the historic day. Read and watch more here. The Chicano Moratorium was marked Saturday with a series of events, including a march and car caravan retracing the original protest route along Whittier Boulevard. Classic cars highlighted a caravan that traveled the route of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic protests. (Josie Huang/LAist) Fernando Guerra, director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University (and a KPCC life trustee), says inequities motivating the Moratorium still exist: "Today, the number one issue is COVID-19. And again, we see the disparity of people of color bearing the brunt of the virus, the essential workers, Latinos on the front lines. So to some extent, the more things change, the more they stay the same." Found Brown Beret Cynthia Baragas by the mural for the #ChicanoMoratorium. The kids call her OG now. But she was 17 when she came from Riverside for the peace march through East LA. She recalls the chaos of that day. pic.twitter.com/ygr1nAsBDC Josie Huang (@josie_huang) August 29, 2020 (Josie Huang / LAist) The car caravan and marchers for the #ChicanoMoratorium have merged & reached RubenSalazar Park, named after the groundbreaking @latimes columnist and Chicano studies leader at Cal State Long Beach. He died 50 years ago today, killed by a tear gas canister. pic.twitter.com/gXNm8jO449 Josie Huang (@josie_huang) August 29, 2020 (Josie Huang / LAist) MORE ON THE CHICANO MORATORIUM: Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. With his hair now salt-and-pepper gray, Harold A. Franklin wore a red-striped tie over an elegant black suit with a handkerchief tucked in the lapel as he walked across the campus of Auburn University. This was the same campus he'd integrated more than 50 years ago, the same campus that assigned him a wing of a dormitory where he lived alone as the only Black student, and the same campus that denied him the chance to defend his master's thesis. "Each time, I would carry my thesis to be proof read, they'd find an excuse," said Franklin, now 86. "Sometimes, I didn't dot an 'i.' One of the professors told me: 'Yours has to be perfect because you are Black, and people will be reading yours.' " "I told him I had been to the thesis room and read the theses by White kids," Franklin recalled. "Theirs were not perfect. I couldn't understand why they couldn't accept mine." Franklin completed draft after draft. Each was rejected. Finally, he realized he was hitting a stonewall of racism. "I said, 'Hell, what you're telling me is I won't get a degree from Auburn?' " Then Franklin, a tall man who had grown up in the segregated South, told the thesis committee, "To hell with it." And he left. Years later, he would earn a master's in international relations from the University of Denver. He'd return to his home in Talladega, Ala., with his wife, Lilla Mae Sherman, and raise their son, Harold Franklin Jr. He'd teach history - at Alabama State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Tuskegee Institute and Talladega College - until his retirement in 1992. In 2001, Auburn University celebrated him as the first Black student and awarded him an honorary doctorate of arts. But Auburn never addressed the racism Franklin encountered trying to defend his thesis. Franklin remembered all this as he made his way on Feb. 19 to Auburn's history department in Thach Hall. It was just a few weeks before a pandemic would grip the country and just a few months before protests against police brutality and systemic racism would erupt in cities and small towns across America. Inside the Bond Memorial Library, a committee of four faculty members waited to hear Franklin defend a thesis that had been typed out 50 years ago. His memory was not as sharp as it had once been, and he was unsure what kinds of questions they might ask. But he was more than ready. Months earlier, Keith S. Hebert, an associate professor of history at Auburn, was reading a news story about Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey wearing blackface during a skit at Auburn more than 50 years ago. For the story, the reporter had reached Franklin for a comment. In the last paragraph was a quote from Franklin, explaining why he really left Auburn. Hebert had never heard Franklin's version. "He's told the story many times," Hebert said. "It was our fault we hadn't picked up on it." All these years, Auburn had constructed the narrative that Franklin had just left the university of his own volition. Years later, "Auburn celebrated Harold as the first Black student but never told the full story," Hebert said. The university put up a historic marker in Franklin's honor in 2015 but had never reckoned with what really happened to him. "During all those commemorations and discussions about integration at Auburn," Hebert said, "they overlooked the story about this man who was cheated out of the degree he rightfully earned." Auburn's story of racism had been whitewashed in the same way other universities and cities had cleaned up their racist history. "Atlanta tells the story that it was a city too busy to hate. Auburn has that same story: 'At least we weren't Ole Miss or the University of Alabama, where (Alabama Gov.) George Wallace stood at the school house door,' " Hebert said. The story was, "Auburn's president told Wallace, 'Please don't come.' That story whitewashes so much." The truth of it was Franklin had to sue the university to gain admission and then had to be escorted onto the campus by armed guards. "Once they got to campus," Hebert said, "they made a big deal that federal agents can't come on campus. Harold had to walk 200 yards without police protection to register. Auburn fought integration right down to the last minute." Hebert, who is also the director of Auburn's public history program, decided the history department needed to "make right" what happened so many years ago. Hebert began researching and found the department had rejected Franklin's initial proposal to write about the civil rights movement. "Here was a guy on the front lines of Black activism, and the department said, 'You can't write that.' They shoehorned him into writing the history of Alabama State College. He played nice and said he would do that. But after a while, they seemed outright hostile to him finishing it," said Hebert, who is White and grew up in Louisiana witnessing racism there. "They held him to a different standard because he was Black. It had to be perfect. It was designed to force him to leave." Hebert contacted the dean of the graduate school to get the required approval to offer Franklin a chance to defend his thesis. But Hebert didn't know whether Franklin would agree. And he didn't know whether Franklin still had his original thesis. In October 2019, Hebert drove to Sylacauga, Ala., to meet Franklin in his home. After chatting for a while, Hebert asked Franklin, who now works as a manager of a funeral home, whether he still had a copy of his thesis. He did. It was sitting beside a photo of his now-deceased wife. Hebert became Franklin's adviser, and they worked to get the thesis uploaded into a computer. "Here's a guy I've talked about in class a lot," Hebert said. "I've taught about his lawsuit in the history of Alabama class every semester. Here, I am hanging out eating lunch with this guy." Hebert drove Franklin, who no longer drives, to Auburn, and escorted him inside the library. "Normally, in a thesis defense, it is the committee and you," Hebert recalled, "but on this day, the entire faculty attended. The dean of the graduate school attended. A lot of people wished him well." Hebert asked Franklin one question. And Franklin launched into an hour-long lecture. "I asked Harold how did you end up writing a history of Alabama State University for your thesis? It was an open-ended question. I knew it would cover his life story. He quickly went to, 'I never wanted to come to Auburn anyway. I didn't want to write this thesis. And then you didn't accept it.'" For the next hour, Franklin retold his life story, explaining how he ended up at Auburn walking across a hostile campus in January 1964. Harold Alonza Franklin Sr. was born Nov. 2, 1932, in Talladega, Ala., one of 10 children to George Franklin Sr. and Henrietta Eugenia Williams Franklin. His father worked at the Alabama school for the deaf and blind. His mother was a teacher and played the piano in church. "I grew up in segregation, racism and everything else," Franklin recalled during a telephone interview. "The Ku Klux Klan ran the state. If a White person said I talked back to them, they might lynch me. In fact, when I was growing up, I remember reading a case of the Klan lynching a Black man because a White woman said she didn't like the way he looked at her." Franklin left high school during his senior year to join the Air Force during the Korean War. In 1962, he graduated from Alabama State College. As an admirer of future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, he wanted to go to law school. But Fred Gray, the famous civil rights attorney, convinced him to study history first and encouraged him to enroll at Auburn. When Auburn denied Franklin's admission, Franklin sued in a case that would become famous. "Fred Gray was Dr. King's attorney," Franklin recalled. "All the civil rights leaders had him. He was brilliant." On Nov. 5, 1963, U.S. District Judge Frank M. Johnson ruled in Franklin's favor, declaring that the denial of admission by Auburn, a state institution, amounted to discrimination. The judge later ruled that the university was required to provide Franklin living accommodations on campus. Racial tensions were thick in Alabama that year. Wallace vowed "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever," and Klansmen blew up Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four Black girls. Only a few months later, on Jan. 4, 1964, Wallace ordered troops to Auburn to stop Franklin from attending the university. An FBI agent escorted Franklin to register. "I ended up in a whole wing of dormitory by myself," Franklin said. "I had the key to the outside door. The only way you could get in the dormitory, I had to let you in." Being alone in the dorm didn't bother him much. "I was never a person who liked to be around a bunch of people," Franklin said. In classes, White students refused to sit next to him. When he completed his coursework, Franklin wrote his thesis and submitted it again and again. "They were angry with me because I sued them," Franklin recalled. "They tried to make it as difficult as possible for me to get my degree from there." In the library, the committee listened to Franklin's story so many years later. "He had a strong performance," Hebert recalled. "There wasn't a dry eye in the house. He told a powerful story." Hebert read a statement of apology. "I had read that statement a million times because I didn't want to break down," Hebert said. "It was an acknowledgment of past wrongs. I'm part of a society that committed those wrongs. A lot of White people, even my students, say, 'I didn't do anything.' But they fail to understand the privilege White people benefit from and the negative impact on others." He was supposed to be awarded his degree at Auburn's graduation, but the ceremony was disrupted by the pandemic. Instead, in June, Franklin received his degree in the mail. By then, the country was being consumed by Black Lives Matter demonstrations following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. For Franklin, the clashes felt so familiar. "I'm glad to see the protests happening now," he said. "Black people's lives should matter to everyone else. We are human, like everybody else." And deserve respect, like everybody else. Vietnam enjoys first day free of new Covid-19 cases in one month Vietnam confirmed no new Covid-19 community transmission Sunday, the first such a day since the second outbreak wave surfaced late July in the country. The national Covid-19 tally currently stands at 1,040 with 695 recoveries and 32 deaths. Two patients died after testing negative for the novel coronavirus a few times. "Patient 1039" and "patient 1040" are the two latest cases, recorded in Binh Duong Province and Da Nang City on Saturday evening. Vietnam has recorded 690 community transmissions since Covid-19 broke out in the country, 550 of which, linked to the epicenter Da Nang, have been recorded since July 25. The country recorded the first domestic case in over three months on July 25. It has since then confirmed the highest daily number of new cases on July 31 with 82 patients. The daily national count of new infections has recently seen a gradual reduction. The Health Ministry has stated that the biggest outbreaks in Da Nang, Quang Nam and Hai Duong have been put under control, but the risk of community transmission remains "very high". A medical staff collects a sample for Covid-19 testing in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh. On August 30, 19 people including a 21-month-old baby, were declared free of the virus at the Da Nang Hospital for Lung Diseases and the Hoa Vang medical center in the central city. Among the 311 active patients, 45 have tested negative once, 51 twice and 28, three times. Thirteen patients are critically ill and on life support. A 24-year-old man from the northern province of Ha Nam Province, who tested positive for the virus on August 21 in South Korea, tested negative a week later, on August 28, while 101 people whod come into close contact with him in Hanoi and Ha Nam have tested negative once. Of more than 25.1 million people infected with the novel coronavirus worldwide, over 845,000 have died to date. Victorian businesses will have to meet six conditions to ensure they are "COVID-safe" as part of the Andrews government's "road map" towards easing restrictions. The conditions include working outside wherever possible, including holding meetings outside, moving kitchens, tearooms and lunch breaks outdoors and not using recirculated air. Employers should also create "workforce bubbles" to limit the number of people with whom staff have prolonged contact. This means keeping pools of staff rostered on the same shift and reducing staff working across multiple sites. Other key conditions are effectively a continuation of the current state of play, including: staff should work from home if they can; all staff should wear masks and keep them on, including while talking on the phone or with others; soap and hand sanitiser should be widely available, and; common touch points should be cleaned regularly. Staff should also be supported to stay home and get tested even if they have only mild symptoms, and each workplaces should have a plan to close down immediately if there is a COVID-19 case. People should stay 1.5 metres apart, with a limit on the total number of staff and customers in an enclosed area, the COVID-safe principles state. President Donald Trump plans to meet with law enforcement in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this week amid nationwide unrest after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man whose familys attorney says they have yet to hear from the White House. According to CNN and Politico, Trump administration officials say the president on Tuesday will talk with police and survey damage from protests, which broke out after a white Kenosha police officer shot Blake in the back several times after Blake tried to enter a small SUV amid a domestic incident. Three of Blakes children, aged 8, 5 and 3, were in the vehicle during the shooting, which was captured on a widely-shared cellphone video. Success: Since the National Guard moved into Kenosha, Wisconsin, two days ago, there has been NO FURTHER VIOLENCE, not even a small problem. When legally asked to help by local authorities, the Federal Government will act and quickly succeed. Are you listening Portland? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2020 Trump has framed his 2020 re-election bid around law and order, consistently blaming Democratic mayors and governors for allowing violence, and blasting protesters as thugs in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. While Trump expressed sympathy for Floyds family and peaceful protesters months ago, he has also ramped up efforts to crack down on protests in several cities across the country. He and his campaign have made the case that the protests and anarchy in the streets are a picture of Joe Bidens America even though the unrest is happening while Trump sits in the White House. On Friday, Trump claimed the National Guard presence in Kenosha, at least 1,000 members, has led to NO FURTHER VIOLENCE, not even a small problem. On Sunday morning, he tweeted simply, LAW & ORDER!!! LAW & ORDER!!! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020 Benjamin Crump, who represents Blakes family, told CBS News in an interview Sunday that they have not yet heard from the White House in advance of the presidents visit to the city. The Blake family has not been contacted at this time, Crump. The Blake family is very respectful of all elected officials. His mother, she prays for all our elected officials. So we will see. Last week, Jacob Blakes mother, Julia Jackson, during an interview with CNN, apologized to Trump for missing a call from him. She noted shes not mad at Trump and has the utmost respect for him as the leader of our country. Former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, have already spoken to the Blake family for about an hour, Crump added. But (the family) are just focused on trying to march for their son, because hell never be able to stand up for himself unless a miracle happens, Crump said. Blakes family led a march of roughly 1,000 people in Kenosha on Saturday. Reuters reported that Clyde McLemore, a Black Lives Matter chapter founder near the city, said hed like to tell Mr. President that BLM members are not the thugs, not the looters. Hes blaming us, and thats not the way it is. We can't let George Floyd and Jacob Blake become just another pair of hashtags. This is a moment of action. It's long past time we reform policing, reverse systemic racism, and make our communities safer. Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 28, 2020 Crump noted that Blake suffered catastrophic injuries, including a bullet piercing his spinal cord and the loss of most of his intestines and his colon. For the rest of his life, hes going to be a shell of himself, Crump said. The Kenosha police officers union told NPR that Blake forcefully fought with officers who tried to arrest him. They claimed he was armed with a knife and shot him twice with Tasers. The Wisconsin Department of Justices Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting, which led to multiple officers being placed on administrative leave. Last week, the state DOJ identified Officer Rusten Sheskey as the one who shot Blake. *This story has been updated to note that Jacob Blakes mother apologized to the president for missing a call from him last week. Related Content: By Nandita Bose and David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats said Donald Trump should not visit the Wisconsin city where protests erupted last week after a Black man was shot in the back by a white police officer, while the Republican president said "strength" was the only way to deal with unrest. The Aug. 22 shooting of Jacob Blake in front of three of his children turned Kenosha, a mostly white city south of Milwaukee, into the latest flashpoint in a summer of U.S. demonstrations against police brutality and racism ahead of Trump's November reelection bid. Trump has taken a hard stand against the racial protests and the White House said he will visit the Midwestern city on Tuesday, raising concerns among Democrats that this may worsen the strife. "They centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what's going on in Kenosha," Wisconsin's Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes told CNN, referring to last week's Republican National Convention. "So I don't know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely don't need that right now," he added. Critics accuse Trump, who faces Democratic former vice president Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election, of seeking to exacerbate violence with incendiary rhetoric, while the president has repeatedly called in tweets for "law and order." In a statement on Sunday, Biden accused Trump of "recklessly encouraging violence." "He may believe tweeting about law and order makes him strong but his failure to call on his supporters to stop seeking conflict shows just how weak he is. He may think that war in our streets is good for his reelection chances, but that is not presidential leadership or even basic human compassion." Republicans accuse Democratic mayors and state governors of losing control of cities rocked by demonstrations that have seen outbreaks of violence, arson and vandalism. Story continues U.S. Representative Karen Bass, a Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, said Trump's trip to Kenosha would only increase tensions. "His visit has one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to agitate things," she told CNN's "State of the Union." "We're 66 days from an election and I think it's a tragedy that we have a president that is doing everything he can to fan the flames." Anger over Blake's shooting sparked three nights of unrest in Kenosha, including clashes between anti-racism protesters and armed militia members. On Tuesday, a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, killing two of them. The 17-year-old suspect, Kyle Rittenhouse, is charged with six criminal counts, including first-degree homicide, in connection with the incident, which was captured in several witness videos. His lawyers say he acted in self-defense after traveling to Kenosha from his home 30 miles (50 km) away in Antioch, Illinois, to help protect businesses during the unrest. They called his prosecution "a reactionary rush to appease the divisive, destructive forces currently roiling this country." Rittenhouse has also received support from some right-wing commentators who have hailed the former YMCA lifeguard as a hero who wanted to help law enforcement. Another flashpoint has been Portland, Oregon, where one person was shot and killed late on Saturday after three months of nightly protests since the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. The Portland shooting came after a caravan of Trump supporters drove into the downtown area where there were confrontations with protesters, according to videos posted on social media. Police urged the public to let detectives do their work before drawing conclusions about what took place. Trump sent several tweets and retweets at the weekend criticizing Portland's Democratic mayor, Ted Wheeler, and again urging him to request help from federal law enforcement. "The people of Portland, like all other cities & parts of our great Country, want Law & Order," Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. "The only way you will stop the violence in the high crime Democrat run cities is through strength!" Biden has defended peaceful protesters, saying justice must be done, but he has repeatedly called for an end to violence. In his statement on Sunday, he called the Portland violence "unacceptable." Asked on CBS' "Face the Nation" whether Trump's social media posts were heightening tensions, acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf said "absolutely not." Pressed on whether local law enforcement should crackdown on violence by pro-Trump groups as well as by anti-racism protesters, Wolf said he wanted them to "address any violent activity." (Reporting by Nandita Bose and David Morgan and Michael Martina; Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed, David Brunnstrom, Michelle Price and Mike Stone; Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Daniel Wallis) Chadwick Bosemans final tweet by his family announcing his death has become the most liked post in Twitter history. The American actor, best known for playing Black Panther in the hit Marvel superhero franchise died on Friday, August 28, after a four-year battle with colon cancer. The 43-year-old died at home in Los Angeles with his wife and family by his side. In a public statement, Twitter noted how fans are coming together on Twitter to celebrate the life of Chadwick Boseman, and the tweet sent from his account is now the most-liked tweet of all time on Twitter. The social media giant confirmed the accolade on its own account, with the caption: Most liked Tweet ever. A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever. Twitter also brought back the Black Panther hashtag emoji in honor of the late actor. Currently, Bosemans tweet has close to six million likes, surpassing Barack Obamas 2017 tweet (four million likes) that quoted Nelson Mandela. Kerala Gov shoots off letter to CM Vijayan: 'You personally assume the position of Chancellor' Kerala CM Vijayan announces 100-day action plan to address COVID-19 woes India oi-Deepika S Kochi, Aug 30: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday announced a 100-day action plan for mitigating the sufferings faced by the people due to COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing a press conference on the eve of Thiruvonam day, he announced a hike of Rs 100 in social security pensions per month and distribution of free food kits for the ration card holders in the state for four more months. Promising to appoint adequate staff in the health sector in 100 days, Vijayan said 50,000 COVID-19 tests will be conducted per day. Emphasising the need for giving a boost to the state''s health sector, the Chief Minister said primary health centres will be upgraded as family health centres as part of the action plan. "A total of 153 family health centres will be inaugurated in 100 days," he said here. Kerala has been recording a steady increase in the number of coronavirus cases for the past several days with the tally reaching 71,700 and the death toll rising to 280 as of Saturday. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 18:04 [IST] Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 10:43:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) touches elbows with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris, France, Aug. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) PARIS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China and France, as major responsible countries, need to actively promote and practice multilateralism which is essential for the well-being of most countries, especially small- and medium-sized ones, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. In talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Wang said that upholding multilateralism is the biggest consensus reached during his trip to Europe. He said that unilateralism is on the rise today as some countries ignore international agreements and refuse to fulfill their international obligations. Without multilateralism, he said, the multilateral mechanism and international order established since World War II will be seriously damaged, and small- and medium-sized countries will suffer a huge impact. "Under such circumstances, China and France, as major responsible countries, should actively promote and practice multilateralism," he said, making a four-point proposal for the two countries. First, China and France need to adhere to the concept of multilateralism. The two sides should actively promote multilateralism on various occasions, resist unilateralism and make multilateralism the consensus of the international community. Second, both sides should take multilateral actions. China supports France in continuing to play a leading role in tackling climate change. China has already met its 2020 emission reduction target ahead of schedule and is actively studying the next step. The two sides should support each other in the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China, and the World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France, both to be held next year. Third, China and France should abide by multilateral agreements. Unilateralism, including irresponsible withdrawal from international organizations or violation of international agreements, is unpopular. China and France should strengthen coordination and cooperation on international affairs, and safeguard major outcomes of international agreements and multilateral diplomacy, such as the Iran nuclear deal. Fourth, the two sides should strengthen multilateral institutions. The United Nations is the most important platform for supporting and practicing multilateralism, and the two sides should support the United Nations in playing its due central role in international affairs. Enditem Protestors in the city of Montreal supporting a movement to defund the police toppled and defaced a statue of Canadas first Prime Minister John A MacDonald. While no group has taken responsibility for the act at the Place du Canada in the largest city in the province of Quebec, there was a march in Montreal on Saturday afternoon featuring activists seeking to defund the police, and in support of Black Lives Matter and indigenous peoples. According to a video of the incident, a cluster of people scaled the monument where the statue was prominently featured and then pulled it down using ropes after unbolting it from its pedestal. The statue was also decapitated and defaced with graffiti. According to the national broadcaster CBC, a leaflet found at the site read, in part, Sir John A. Macdonald was a white supremacist who orchestrated the genocide of Indigenous peoples with the creation of the brutal residential schools system, as well as promoting other measures that attacked Indigenous peoples and traditions. Also read: Whats next as Japan PM Abe quits, potential successors Statues of MacDonald have been attacked in various parts of the country in the past but this was the first time one was brought down. Canada witnessed demonstrations in several cities, including Toronto, Calgary and Montreal, on Saturday. The act of anonymous activists came in for criticism from leaders. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante condemned the vandalism leading to the tearing down of the statue and said such acts cannot be accepted nor tolerated. She added, I understand and share the motivation of citizens who want to live in a more just and inclusive society. The discussion and the actions that are required must be done in a peaceful manner, without ever resorting to vandalism. The Premier of Quebec Francoise Legault described the act as unacceptable and added, We must fight racism, but destroying parts of our history is not the solution. Vandalism has no place in our democracy and the statue must be restored. The vandalism also faced growing criticism from national and provincial leaders across the country. Plante said Montreals public art office will secure the perimeter of the area where the statue stood and coordinate its conservation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Financially distressed Kenya Airways has been urged to revise its strategic growth plan in the wake of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic A former Sydney lawyer has been jailed for a minimum of two years for defrauding his clients of almost $1.5 million. Luke Jerome Adamson, 56, previously gave evidence in the NSW District Court that he ran into financial trouble after taking on less lucrative Legal Aid work. He was also disappointed not to have been appointed a Local Court magistrate when some of his friends were elevated to the bench. Former lawyer Luke Jerome Adamson has been sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison for defrauding clients. Credit:Nine The court heard the former solicitor, who ran a law firm in Manly and Parramatta, stole $1.49 million from 14 clients between 2009 and 2013 and covered his tracks in some cases with false records. He has since been struck off the roll of solicitors following earlier disciplinary action by the NSW Law Society. Paul Mescal is set to star in his first feature film after he was cast in Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. The Normal People heartthrob, 24, confirmed the news on Twitter on Friday, saying: 'I'm a very excited boy!'. The Irish actor will join Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley and Gylenhaal's husband Peter Sarsgaard in the film. Exciting: Paul Mescal is set to star in his first feature film after he was cast in Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, The Lost Daughter Gyllenhaal has also written the script for The Lost Daughter, which is an adaptation of the hit 2006 novel by Italian author Elena Ferrante. The plot follows Colman's character whose beach holiday takes a dark turn when she starts confronting her past. The Favourite actress will play a college professor who becomes obsessed with a young woman and a daughter during the holiday. Big role: The Normal People heartthrob, 24, confirmed the news on Twitter on Friday, saying: 'I'm a very excited boy!' Debut: Gyllenhaal has also written the script for The Lost Daughter, which is an adaptation of the hit 2006 novel by Italian author Elena Ferrante Gylenhaal said in a statement to Variety: 'When I finished reading Elena Ferrante's The Lost Daughter, I felt that something secret and true had been said out loud. And I was both disturbed and comforted by that. 'I immediately thought how much more intense the experience would be in a movie theatre, with other people around. And I set to work on this adaptation. 'I find that the script has attracted other people interested in exploring these secret truths about motherhood, sexuality, femininity, desire. And I'm thrilled to continue my collaboration with such brave and exciting actors and filmmakers.' It comes after Paul revealed that Hugh Jackman sent him a heartwarming message after watching Normal People. All-star cast: The Irish actor will join Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley and Gylenhaal's husband Peter Sarsgaard in the film Hollywood friends: Paul recently revealed he received a 'gorgeous email' from Hugh Jackman, who praised his performance in Irish drama Normal People The actors were both nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. Paul said on Variety and iHeart's podcast The Big Ticket: 'He sent a gorgeous email again when we were nominated.' 'I think the only disappointment is that I won't get to see him at the ceremony. I just hope there's some kind of Zoom [waiting room] and I could talk to him there.' Paul is nominated alongside Hugh (Bad Education), Jeremy Pope (Hollywood), Mark Ruffalo (I Know This Much Is True) and Jeremy Irons (Watchmen). Gracious: 'He sent a gorgeous email again when we were nominated,' the 24-year-old Irishman said. Paul and Hugh (pictured) are both nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Normal People has achieved huge success, and has been watched by more than 30 million people worldwide. It has also been nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series. The 12-part drama, based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel, follows the turbulent relationship between working-class Connell and well-heeled Marianne Sheridan, who is played by Daisy Edgar Jones. You can watch Normal People on BBC, or only on Stan in Australia. Glycolic acid is a common component of anti-aging products, such as lotions, because it can refresh skin on the face and tops of hands. It exfoliates the surface layer, making skin look smoother by promoting healthy cell growth to replace the dead skin cells [source: Janes]. Used together with hydroquinone, a bleaching agent, it might help minimize or erase the appearance of age spots, acne discoloration or other hyperpigmentation. The glycolic acid lotion slowly gets rid of dead surface cells, allowing the bleaching agent to penetrate so that new cells are nonpigmented. Glycolic acid lotion may also be beneficial for skin that is prone to acne. First, the acid has drying properties, which can be useful in combating oily skin. Also, as the acid exfoliates, it can clear up blocked pores and prevent future breakouts by keeping pores from getting clogged again by dead skin cells. This pore-cleaning property may also help in treatment of a similar skin condition -- folliculitis. Common in men, this acne-like disorder happens as a result of shaving nicks that can get infected with bacteria [source: Valeo]. By keeping pores open, glycolic acid may help prevent these conditions that result from dead skin cells not sloughing off naturally. Advertisement Other skin conditions that glycolic acid lotion might be used for include rosacea, a chronic inflammatory condition often characterized by a red face, and ichthyosis vulgaris, an inherited disease characterized by dry and scaly skin. A dermatologist might prescribe a mild glycolic acid wash or lotion as part of the treatment plan for rosacea to get the redness under control [source: American Academy of Dermatology]. There is no known cure for ichthyosis vulgaris, so the acid can help to manage the symptoms [source: Mayo Clinic]. As for safety, glycolic acid is commonly used in lotions and other skin care products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports a study by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel that found glycolic acid is safe to be used in cosmetics at a concentration of up to 10 percent [source: FDA]. Products with stronger concentrations may be safe in certain situations, such as when applied by an aesthetician or dermatologist. Now that you know about the benefits of glycolic acid lotion, read on to learn more about how to use it. When to Skip the Acid Some products claiming to treat or reduce stretch marks might tout glycolic acid as an ingredient. It won't hurt you, but it also probably won't do anything about those stretch marks [source: Mayo Clinic]. Moreover, when trying to camouflage under-eye circles, steer clear of products with glycolic acid because you may aggravate the problem instead of alleviating it [source: Mayo Clinic]. You shouldn't use any AHAs around the eyes because the skin there is so delicate. Remember back in May, when all anyone could talk about was a possible second wave of the coronavirus leveling New Jersey in the fall and forcing us all back into quarantine? Well, that discussion mostly has been replaced by debate over how to safely reopen schools and get kids back in classrooms. But with the official start of fall a mere 23 days away, epidemiologists and medical scientists have bad news: A dreaded second wave is almost inevitable. Its just a matter of how bad the outbreak will be in New Jersey. 30.08.2020 LISTEN The ongoing Governments initiative to provide all final year Junior High School (JHS) students, teachers and staff with free One Hot Meal a day, is receiving massive commendation from majority of parents and beneficiary students across Ghana. They insist on the provision of the free hot meal is helping the students including those from extremely poor homes to stay in school throughout and study with massive concentration. Aside from discouraging most students from running home in search of food during classes hours, parents have also been freed from their usual struggle to provide money for their wards daily. Some 584,000 students and 146,000 teachers and staff from over 17,440 public and private Junior High Schools across the 16 regions of Ghana are benefiting from the meal. Each of the beneficiary student is given GHC3.50 a day to cover for the meal for 20 days. The all-important initiative of the Government follows an earlier promise by President Nana Akufo-Addo in his 15th update on Ghanas COVID-19 mitigation measures to support all JHS students especially the vulnerable who go to school on empty stomachs due to their compliance with the safety protocols. During a monitoring tour of the programme in both Volta and Oti Regions by the National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Mrs Gertrude Quashigah, most parents, teachers and students expressed their utmost appreciation to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for being so sensitive to the plight of the JHS students amid COVID-19. The monitoring tour took Mrs. Quashigah and her team to several schools in Ketu North, Ketu South, Ho, South Tongu, Adaklu, Keta, Afadzato, Hohoe, Kpando and Ho West districts among others. Similar positive reports according to Mrs. Quashigah have been received from the other regions through GSFP monitoring team sent across the country to ensure the caterers and cooks adhere to the quality standards and COVID-19 safety measures. Briefing the media, the GSFP National Coordinator said the free hot meal is one of Governments social interventions to support the JHS students to prepare and study well for their final exams amid COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs. Quashigah said, everywhere we go chiefs and people are hailing the President for building a great future for the Ghanaian children through quality education. This is what makes Nana Akufo-Addo the best President with clear vision of moving Ghana to the next level. She admitted that though there were initial reports of some challenges of food poisoning involving students of Holy Spirit JHS in Volta Region, and branding of food packs by some NPP parliamentary candidates, all those issues had been immediately addressed. She explained that the reported food poisoning affected some 13 out of the 40 students who ate the food on the day. Mrs. Quashigah indicated that the 13 affected students according to reports from the school kept their food all day and sent them home to eat. The Food [prepared with beans] eventually went bad after keeping it for several hours, which apparently resulted in the unfortunate incident for those 13 students. The School Feeding National Coordinator emphasized that the first one week of the implementation of the one hot meal initiative has been generally successful. I have gone round many schools in many districts and I also receive daily reports from other GSFP monitoring teams across the nation, and I can proudly say that this initiative by the President for our JHS students has been massively successful. Yes, every new initiative is bound to face some challenges, but I can say emphatically that the challenges recorded are very few and thankfully we have addressed most of them - if not all. Mrs. Quashigah noted that the caterers were doing amazingly well and are ensuring that the foods are of good quality and in right quantity, served very hot, well packaged and kept under extreme hygienic condition. She said that the GSFP authorities would do whatever is required to support the caterers to reposition themselves and ensure the food is of quality, they dress well with their face masks, sanitize their hands frequently as the programme moves to its second week. She noted that the monitoring and supervision of the programme had been intensified as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Cynthia Mamle Morrison and her Deputy, Mrs. Freda Prempeh are leading the charge. LANCASTER, Calif., Aug. 28, 2020 -- During a City Council meeting on August 11, 2020, Mayor R. Rex Parris announced plans to transition to hydrogen clean fuel as part of the City's green energy portfolio. Continue Reading Hydrogen Station in Tokyo, Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota / Bloomberg Mayor R. Rex Parris, top right, announces plans to the Lancaster City Council on August 11, 2020, to transition to hydrogen clean fuel as part of the city's green energy portfolio. Clean fuel emits fewer greenhouse gases contributing to less pollution and cleaner air. "Hydrogen is becoming the go-to green fuel for power generation, energy storage, fuel cell cars, and anything natural gas has been used for. It is similar to natural gaswithout the CO2. Fortunately for us, Lancaster has a plethora of renewable energy," Mayor Parris told the Council. "I encourage the world to join me as Lancaster embarks on a brave new path." Mayor Parris outlined the benefits of hydrogen power and traced Lancaster's path toward integrating hydrogen into its power grid and fuel energy plans. He began by describing the latest trend toward hydrogen cars that many major manufactures are selling and leasing, with expectation that many more will soon follow suit. The City, which achieved its 2010 goal of becoming the first Net Zero City in the world last year, continues to be at the forefront of green energy. "We produce more clean energymostly solarthan Lancaster consumes," Mayor Parris said. "We did it thanks to very pro-business policies. It actually made us more efficient." According to Mayor Parris, Lancaster is becoming the center for companies involved in this new hydrogen economy, the next major milestone for the City. "As the world is waking up, more and more families are at risk. We must do something," Mayor Parris said. "People are taking note, which is evident in that Japan and numerous private companies with hydrogen projects are reaching out to us. Investment is just one of the many benefits we are receiving as Lancaster models the hydrogen challenge for other cities." Mayor Parris announced to the Council that the next step is to further integrate other green fuel sources, including hydrogen, into Lancaster's green energy portfolio. "It's incredibly exciting that Lancaster is going to be the pinnacle of a hydrogen-powered society for the nation," Mayor Parris said, ending on an upbeat note. "Until these hydrogen projects started coming online, I didn't think there was any hope for my grandchildren and most of your children because of the climate extinction trends. For the first time, I think we can get a handle on this. We are going to survive this and thrive because of this." Contact: 661.723.6000 cityoflancasterca.org SOURCE City of Lancaster, CA Warning: Graphic images Medics rushed to help a man who was shot and killed in downtown Portland after a large caravan of President Donald Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed in the streets. Police had not said as of early Sunday if the shooting was related to the protests. An Associated Press freelance photographer covering the events heard three gunshots Saturday night and then saw police medics attending to the victim, who appeared to be a white man. The man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group whose members have frequently clashed with protesters in Portland in the past. Street medics and protesters help to treat a man who was shot after a pro-Trump rally on August 29, 2020, in Portland. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)Getty Images Police said a vehicle caravan carrying supporters of President Donald Trump had left the area around 8:30 p.m., and officers heard gunshots around 15 minutes later. Officers arrived at the shooting scene, Southwest Third Avenue and Alder Street, within a minute, police said, but the man who was shot did not survive. The Multnomah County Justice Center, where some counterprotesters had gathered, is five blocks south of the shooting scene. Police arrive to treat the man who was shot. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)Getty Images Police said the man was shot in the chest. He was not immediately identified. Its unclear who shot him. A woman on Instagram, who goes by the name Sierra Boyne, wrote Sunday morning that she was one of two street medics on the scene immediately. I barely had time to begin an examination, she wrote, before the cops pushed and baton-ed me off of his body. That man was alive when I left and it will haunt me for the rest of my life that they screamed about having a real medic... She estimated that 20 minutes later the man was confirmed dead. Homicide detectives were looking for more evidence, acknowledging that several images and videos had been posted on social media. It is important for detectives get a full and accurate picture of what happened before, during, and after the shooting, a police statement said. If anyone was a witness, has video, or has information about the homicide, theyre asked to contact the primary detectives. -- Staff and wire reports President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden have emerged from their presidential nominating conventions with each candidate believing he has a head of steam. Trumps job approval ratings and standing in polls are perilously low for an incumbent, but Biden and other Democrats vividly remember 2016, when Trump made an against-all-odds October comeback and defeated Hillary Clinton. Five key questions as the 2020 campaign moves toward the fall home stretch: WHAT WILL A COVID-19 CAMPAIGN LOOK LIKE? Expect a flurry of travel and speeches as the candidates spend the next nine weeks desperately trying to move the needle and win new votes against the backdrop of a global pandemic. Trump is set to launch an aggressive travel schedule with multiple events a week, according to advisers. After an arena rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, early this summer drew a paltry crowd, his campaign has settled on a new format in the age of the coronavirus: packing smaller crowds into open-air airport hangars. The campaign has also been handing out masks at its events and, on Friday, told attendees they would be mandatory, per local regulations. Hes also planning a series of policy speeches and is expected to continue to use the powers of his office including signing executive orders and issuing pardons to help his prospects. Biden is planning to ramp up travel to battleground states after Labor Day after spending most of the spring and summer at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, holding mostly virtual events, with only occasional travel to tightly controlled gatherings. Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said the former vice president will be active but emphasized that Bidens events still will follow public health guidelines. That means no indoor, crowded rallies and lots of mask-wearing. Expect plenty of roundtables, meet-and-greets and question-and-answer sessions. If there are larger gatherings, the drive-in watch party outside Bidens nomination acceptance address could be the blueprint. ___ WHOSE VERSION OF THE OTHER CONVINCES MORE VOTERS? Trump will continue trying to win back suburban, female and older voters, and win over independents and people who didnt vote four years ago, by painting the election as a stark choice between law and order and anarchy and between a radical, socialist takeover and economic prosperity. Never mind that Biden has spent decades in the political establishment and California Sen. Kamala Harris, his running mate, is a former prosecutor. Trump will use every scare tactic he can muster. If his 2016 race is any indication, expect Trump to launch a scorched-earth strategy if he feels hes losing come October. Realizing his only shot then was to drive up Clintons unfavorable ratings to match his own, Trumps campaign used every trick they could think of, including inviting women who accused Bill Clinton of rape and unwanted sexual advances to appear at one of the debates. Attacks on Bidens family? Accusations hes drugged up or senile? There is no line Trump wont cross to win. Biden will continue to hammer Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy and try to make the case that the president is a selfish, corrupt figure incapable of empathy. Biden will sell himself as a steady, experienced hand with a progressive policy agenda on issues including climate action and criminal justice -- just not as progressive as Trump tries to make him when he blasts Biden as the front man for a radical takeover. Bidens campaign believes that he is enough of a known quantity that voters beyond Trumps base simply wont buy the presidents descriptions of the former vice president. If they are right, they see Trumps base-driven campaign as one that opens up a wide coalition -- from progressives who arent in love with Biden to anti-Trump moderates Republicans -- for the Democratic ticket. ___ CORONAVIRUS AND AN OCTOBER SURPRISE? Biden has defined his White House bid from the start as a moral and competency case against Trump. The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified the approach. Bidens campaign believes theres no cover for Trump with the coronavirus death toll surpassing 180,000 and climbing, cases nearing the 6 million mark, unemployment hovering in double digits and Congress at an impasse on further economic aid. In remarks Thursday before Trumps nomination acceptance speech, Harris summarized the campaigns thinking: Trumps incompetence is nothing new, she said, but in January of this year, it became deadly. She said the incumbent failed at the most basic and important job of a president ... to protect us. Trump is hoping for a late development that could be a campaign game-changer: The release of a vaccine that would mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic on his watch, before Americans vote. His administration has been doing everything it can to accelerate the process, along with hyping new therapeutics, even when its not clear they work. Well produce a vaccine before the end of the year, or maybe even sooner, he said in his convention keynote. Its unclear, however, whether science can deliver on his timetable. ___ HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE DEBATES? Theyre crucial. The conventions largely succeeded in fulfilling both campaigns objectives, so the debates -- scheduled for September 29, October 15 and October 22 -- will be the most high-profile opportunities for the candidates to highlight contrasts, animate core supporters and cajole the small but critical slice of persuadable voters. Biden and his team say they relish the idea of confronting Trump face to face. The debates will give the VP the chance to call Trump on all of his B.S., Richmond said. It also will be another chance for the 77-year-old Democrat to work to dismantle Trumps framing that Biden is too old for the job. Richmond said that narrative could backfire on Trump, himself a 74-year-old who regularly mangles syntax and offers meandering answers. Some in Trumps camp seem to agree. After months of trying to cast Biden as feeble and mentally diminished, theyre now talking up Bidens abilities as a way to try to lower expectations on Trumps side. Joe Biden is really good at debates, Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller has been saying, portraying Biden as much more skilled than Hillary Clinton. ___ HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO HAVE A WINNER? It might not be on election night. The campaigns and national parties are engaged in lawsuits across many states, arguing over rules for absentee voting amid the pandemic, and that litigation could continue if results are close on November 3. Republicans and Democrats alike are pushing their supporters to ask for absentee mail ballots, even as Trump continues to question the integrity of the election before a single vote is cast. Dont expect that landscape to change between now and Election Day -- or even for several weeks afterward. Trump has refused to say whether hell accept the results if he loses, and Clinton has warned Biden not to concede if the election is remotely close. One thing is clear, though: The Constitution sets Inauguration Day as January 20, and barring catastrophic developments, either Trump or Biden will take the oath of office that day. We cross infinity with every step; we meet eternity in every second, wrote Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore could have been talking about the beautifully labyrinthine work of the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, which works like a mathematical equation without end, and where time is as flexible as putty. Theater in Quarantines latest small-scale, digitally savvy production, Footnote for the End of Time, stages an adaptation of a Borges story about a Jewish man named Jaromir Hladik, who is facing execution by a Gestapo firing squad before the onset of World War II. Regretting the work he wont be able to finish a play called The Enemies Hladik prays to God for more time and receives it in the most peculiar way: The second before the bullets fly, time stops, and hes locked in the moment, granted a year to finish his work, if only in his own mind. Joshua William Gelbs adaptation eloquently interprets Borgess original text using poetry, music and stirring illustrations, under Jonathan Levins direction. With other digital offerings from Theater in Quarantine this summer adaptations of a comically loopy sci-fi mind-bender by Stanislaw Lem, a neurotic stranger-through-the wall story by Kafka Gelb has shown his love for slipstream literature with head-scratching conceits. These Zoom productions, filmed live from a converted closet in his Manhattan apartment and accompanied by innovative visual and audio effects, have matched the texts in their idiosyncratic approaches. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:02:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A resident walks on a flooded path in Al-Kadaro area, north of the capital Khartoum, Sudan on Aug. 31, 2020. Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday said the floods this year have led to "catastrophic and painful" losses of lives and properties. According to the irrigation and water resources ministry, the water of the Nile River at most of the upper sources has reached unprecedented levels. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua) KHARTOUM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday said the floods this year have led to "catastrophic and painful" losses of lives and properties. "The water levels of the Nile and its tributaries this year, according to the irrigation and water resources ministry, are unprecedented since 1912," said Hamdok on his Twitter account. He instructed the continuation of effective coordination among all state's institutions, while called for mobilizing all possible material and human resources to lessen the impact of the floods on the citizens, explaining that his government is working to set up plans to decisively deal with the floods in the future. On Saturday, the national council for civil defence said in its daily report that the victims of the recent rains in Sudan rose to 89 people with the collapse of more than 35,000 houses. Earlier, the irrigation and water resources ministry urged the citizens to be alert, warning of increasing floods of the Nile River over the coming days. According to the ministry, the water of the Nile River at most of the upper sources has reached unprecedented levels. Sudan often witnesses floods caused by heavy rains from June to October. Enditem 'The norm will be even less public accountability, even less transparency, tweets instead of press conferences, TV lectures rather than parliamentary debate, and greater political authoritarianism,' predicts Sunanda K Datta-Ray. Only someone born to riches like Jawaharlal Nehru would dream of a 'socialistic pattern of society' for India. Lesser mortals do not need the blistering COVID-19 experience to know that this has always been a catch-as-catch-can profit-driven society. The pandemic could tear aside pieties and posturing and unveil a more authentic India by sparking the kind of economic surge that shaped the Roaring Twenties after the Spanish flu epidemic. Of course, India does boast a certain underlying holiness that explains why, as the much-maligned Kipling put it with only slight hyperbole, 'So long as there is a morsel to divide, neither priest nor beggar starves.' Token of that goodness, my wife and I have received many kindnesses, including cooked meals, from neighbours since Narendra Modi's fateful March 25 announcement. But with different faces in different places, there are no set patterns of behaviour. Exceptions don't demolish the norm whose instinctive neoliberalism would have won applause from both Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. An economist friend used to say in the heyday of the Licence Raj that India was more than capitalist. Whereas everything had a price in normal capitalist systems, in India not merely everything but everybody had a price. People, contracts, jobs, everything was up for sale. A vibrant free market elevated politics to the lofty heights of trade. As the political crises at the height of the pandemic in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan confirmed, it transformed politicians into products. One look at the worldly assets and thriving business enterprises of our 'godmen' (supposedly the highest form of life that desi soil can evolve unless you dismiss the lot as crooks and cranks?) suffices to explain that Caesar and God are one and the same when it comes to rendering individual dues. Separation of powers is admirable for temporal governance, but when it comes to spiritual jurisdiction, it's always 'heads I win, tails you lose'. Ingenuity, resourcefulness and, of course, the profit motive have injected new vigour into the old belief that it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. India mourned 3.5 million coronavirus infections and 63,498 fatalities up to August 29, but, as during the 1942-1943 Bengal famine, no one keeps track of fortunes amassed from disease and death. It is much more comfortable to blame a distant, long-dead and unabashedly imperialist Briton. Local traders and black marketeers who hoarded grain to sell at an exorbitant price were probably loudest in their accusations. Online gaming is spiralling. So are gambling and speculation. Physical inactivity sends minds into overdrive. Similar opportunism also marks this period of lockdowns, shortages and privations. Transport operators and even state governments were quick to extract exorbitant fares when hordes of migrant workers first darkened the horizon. With trains still stalled, private cars demand thousands of rupees to ferry passengers to neighbouring states whose chief ministers don't welcome potentially virus-carrying outsiders. If any policeman spots these illegal taxis, money is as effective in salving conscience as in compensating for the absence of PPE kits in some hospitals. In recent months, courier charges have been nearly doubled and the next-day delivery guarantee withdrawn. That is, we pay more for less. Soaring prices suggest mangoes refuse to be plucked; the Ganga's hilsa maintains a safe distance from fishermen; sheep and goats have put their foot down against slaughter; and beef is exported for mlechas abroad to preserve domestic purity. Hospitals are insisting on hefty deposits and MRP on packaging means nothing. That's the new world looming ahead. A controversial coastal road reportedly being built on the quiet isn't the only change. An already virtually moribund India Post will do even less. Home delivery, takeaways, extensive digitalisation (leaving dinosaurs like this writer floundering), more online teaching and further deterioration of education will increase the scope for go-betweens, dalals in the vernacular. The norm will be even less public accountability, even less transparency, tweets instead of press conferences, TV lectures rather than parliamentary debate, and greater political authoritarianism. However, profiteering will ensure that fewer jobs, lower salaries, industrial stagnation, falling exports and agricultural disruption do not mean less disposable cash. On the contrary, post-pandemic India might swarm with variants of the British spivs who waxed rich on shortages during and after World War II. With modesty, simplicity and good taste going with the wind, it's a wonder that the proposed Ayodhya temple is content with silver bricks. One way of saving Ram from Nepal's K P Oli might be to make his temporal habitat the grandest with nothing short of gold bricks. That would befit the emerging India of Rs 10 lakh monogrammed jackets auctioned for Rs 4.31 crore and Boeings for the President and prime minister at a reported cost of Rs 8,458 crore. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com - Hakim Ziyech was unable to see out his Chelsea debut as he was forced off in the second half with an ankle issue at Brighton - His injury came just two weeks before the Blues get their 2020/21 season underway - Lampard exuded hope the winger will be in shape just in time to help his side challenge for titles Frank Lampard has confirmed the injury of summer signing Hakim Ziyech. Ziyech is understood to have picked a knee injury during his side's preseason friendly clash against Brighton on Saturday, August 29. READ ALSO: Aubameyang hints at staying at Arsenal after Community Shield win READ ALSO: Declan Rice: Frank Lampard tells Chelsea to sign West Ham star The encounter finished in a 1-1 draw, with the Moroccan winger playing a pivotal part with flashes of brilliance. However, his injury has left Lampard sweating over his fitness, with the former Ajax star now a doubt for Chelsea's campaign opener. Hakim's injury came just two weeks before the Blues get their 2020/21 season underway. Photo: Getty Images. Source: Getty Images READ ALSO: Timo Werner: German star takes just four minutes to score first goal for Chelsea The 27-year-old is said to have hurt his knee while awkwardly twisting by the touchline. Chelsea's medical team responded promptly as physios helped him limp off the pitch. Lampard later said the forward's injury will be assessed ahead of the 2020/21 season. PAY ATTENTION: Install Pitch Football app for FREE to easily access stats, news and live updates "He has a bit of a knock on his knee, a little bit of a small twist which we will have to assess, hopefully it is not too bad," the English boss told Chelsea website. Ziyech was Chelsea's first signing after their two-year transfer ban was halved by the Court of Arbitration for Sport back in December 2019. The Morocco international's is said to have made the switch in a deal valued around 44million. 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. Women are all over me, my wife should be saved and respectful -Stivo Simpleboy | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke (Newser) Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered Sunday in the capital of Belarus, beginning the fourth week of daily protests demanding the resignation of the country's authoritarian president on his birthday. The protest at the "hero city" monument honoring Minsk's suffering and resilience in World War II drew at least 100,000 people, according to a messaging app used by the opposition. Wide protests began after the Aug. 9 election that officials say gave President Alexander Lukashenko a landslide 80% win over Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a former teacher and the wife of a popular jailed blogger. Opponents contend the election was rigged. Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania because of concerns about her security, gave a withering acknowledgement Sunday of the birthday, the AP reports. story continues below "I wish him to overcome his fears, look truth in the eye, listen to the voice of the people, and go away," she said. Lukashenko, in office since 1994, has been defiant but beleaguered, unable to put down largest, most sustained wave of protests yet in this Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people. He has refused to rerun the election, which both the European Union and the United States have said was not free or fair, and refused offers to help mediate the situation from Baltic nations. Lukashenko has said he has reached an agreement with Vladimir Putin for security aid if he asks for it. The two talked by phone on Sunday, but a Kremlin statement gave few details of the conversation, other than noting that Putin congratulated the Belarusian president on his 66th birthday. (Read more Belarus stories.) THE recent call for a revolutionary government to supposedly pave the way for a federal system is wrapped with sedition, like a Mexican burrito or Turkish shawarma garnished with all the toppings, undermining the intelligence of Filipinos. Legitimate organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) readily dismissed the call and considered it an insensitive attempt to reopen the issue even in the midst of a pandemic. We may recall, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to place our country under a revolutionary government. The subject died a natural death since Filipinos already got used to this kind of threat from the President. The proponents, alleged to be Dutertes supporters adherent to revolutionary doctrines, call for a Charter change while asking for the abolition of the 1987 Constitution. It also calls for the dissolution of the two branches of government, the Legislative and the Judiciary. We may have flaws in our system of government, but I believe it is still a work in progress to have an ideal one. No democratic government is perfect. They also suggested that this be led by the incumbent President, indicative of how ignorant they are of the term revolutionary, especially when they refer to their version as similar to the Edsa Revolution of 1986. Merriam-Websters dictionary has several definitions of the word revolutionary. To mention a few: a fundamental change in political organization; the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed; an activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socio-economic situation. Wikipedia shows there were several revolutions in the world, but none topped the one that happened in the 1390s. The revolts that broke all over Persia while Timor Lenk was away were repressed with ruthless vigor while cities were destroyed, their populations massacred and towers built of their skulls. In this Covid-19 health crisis, when Filipinos are placed in limbo as to when their suffering will end, every single minute is spent by economically displaced citizens worrying as to where to get their next meal. Through the CBCP, have we prayed enough for Gods intervention? We must be mindful that God interferes in the affairs of men by invitation only. What if you threw a film festival and nobody came? That, in essence, is the challenge facing organisers of this year's Venice Film Festival, the glamorous annual competition where stars, critics, photographers and industry executives mingle on the bustling Lido, overlooking sandy beaches and the blue Adriatic. Provided, of course, it's a normal year. But in 2020, the world's oldest film festival is forced to walk a tightrope between preserving its lustre as the premier launch pad for Academy Award-winning films, while safely navigating the coronavirus crisis and averting the controversy over gender inequality that has dogged it in the past. Opening Wednesday and continuing until September 12, the prestigious event now in its 77th year will be the first international film festival since the pandemic shuttered competitions around the world. It has put in place a host of safety measures -- from limited seating to thermal scanners, to a fan-free red carpet -- to protect attendees as Covid-19 cases continue to climb in Italy and around the world. In July, festival director Alberto Barbera declared the event "saved" as he announced the 18 films among the approximately 60 presented that would vie for the top award, the Golden Lion. He promised that the festival would preserve the "liveliness of contemporary cinema". Despite its scaled-down size with theatre capacity reduced by about half, La Biennale di Venezia takes on greater importance this year due to the cancellation of rival film festivals across the globe, among them the glitzy Cannes Film Festival on the Cote d'Azur in France. - Unprecedented territory - But just days ahead of the opening, organisers are scrambling to navigate unprecedented territory amid uncertain attendance and last-minute cancellations. Whereas Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep and Scarlett Johansson provided the star firepower at last year's festival, ongoing travel restrictions -- especially a travel ban from the United States into Europe -- mean that most Hollywood elites will be no-shows, along with actors and directors from China, India and South America. Story continues Those arriving from outside Europe's Schengen zone will have to submit results of a Covid-19 test just before their departure, with a second test carried out in Venice, meaning that some attendees may have to cancel. Earlier this week, the festival announced that American actor Matt Dillon would be a last-minute substitute on the jury for Romanian director Crisit Puiu. No reason was given for Puiu's absence, but industry trade magazines noted he had given a speech earlier this month in which he said it was "inhumane" to watch movies with a mask on. Those confirmed as attending include, among others, British actress Tilda Swinton, Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, US director Oliver Stone and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen. - More women directors - The uncertain lineup of stars and dearth of top names leaves Australian actress Cate Blanchett, president of the jury, to take up the mantle of celebrity -- and social activism -- at Venice. Blanchett was the leader of the #MeToo women's march up the red carpet steps at Cannes two years ago that sought to bring attention to the lack of parity and diversity in cinema. The presence of Blanchett helps raise such awareness while the festival seeks to stanch criticism levelled in recent years over the glaring lack of women directors in festivals' top lineups. The Oscar-winning headliner told Variety magazine on Thursday that this year's eight women directors in the main competition lineup of Venice is "a direct response to the positive advances that have been made this year". Others say it is too early to tell whether a page has turned. "It's all about being consistent and diligent and believing that women make movies as well as men, and using that in the way you programme," said Melissa Silverstein, founder and publisher of "Women and Hollywood", which advocates for gender diversity and inclusion in film. Last year's festival opened under controversy after the inclusion in the lineup of French-Polish director Roman Polanski, who fled the United States after his 1977 conviction of rape of a 13-year-old girl. There were also only two female directors in the selection. In both 2018 and 2017, only one female director was represented. Blanchett said more was riding on the jury's decisions this year, given the limited opportunities for filmmakers to show their work publicly, due to the coronavirus closures. "So, whatever the deliberations the jury will make will be more impactful. I don't take that responsibility or privilege lightly." ams/bsp/kaf Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service DEHRADUN: In an effort to boost tourism revenue, one of the major sources of income of the state, Uttarakhand government has relaxed norms to visit the state and has removed the ceiling of 2000 visitors per day. Other relaxations were granted in terms of ICMR recognized COVID-19 negative report and making 'Truenat' tests acceptable. Madan Kaushik, state cabinet minister and spokesperson for the state government said, "The visitors have to register themselves on a state government smart city portal smartcitydehradun.uk.gov.in and produce Covid negative report ranging in the last 72-hours." A letter from secretary of disaster management SA Murugesan dated August 30, 2020 stated that there shall be no restriction on inter-state or intrastate movement of people and goods. The move comes after demands of relaxations by tourism sector which forms backbone of the economy of the hill state. The tourism, especially religious tourism has been hit hard in the state with thousands left struggling for ends to meet. As religious tourism has got hit badly in Uttarakhand due to Covid 19 epidemic, priests are opting for odd jobs including factory workers. The priests by working in factories are earning between Rs 8000-12,000 per month. Many also appealed to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to help them in this hour of financial scarcity. The state government had cancelled Kanwar Yatra this year in the wake of epidemic which hit religious tourism in Haridwar the hardest after Char Dham Yatra. However, the Char Dham Yatra was allowed from June 2020 for state residents and later for residents of other states too since last month giving some respite to the sector. The devotees of 'Kanwar Yatra' come from the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to Uttarakhand. Last year, more than 3.5 crore devotees visited Haridwar through the yatra in the auspicious month. Amid rising tension with the United States, China has included drones and lasers among the nearly two dozen technologies added to its restricted export list. Beijing [China], Aug 30 (ANI): Amid rising tension with the United States, China has included drones and lasers among the nearly two dozen technologies added to its restricted export list. On Friday, the ministry had said that 23 areas of innovation ranging from space materials to 3D printing, encryption and large-scale high-speed wind tunnel design had been added to the restricted export list. The South China Morning Post reported the Chinas Ministry of Commerce as saying, The main purpose is to regulate technology exports, promote scientific and technological progress and economic and technological cooperation, and maintain national economic security. Iris Pang, chief economist for Greater China from ING Wholesale Banking was quoted in the SCMP as saying that the revision of list was response for the US ban on Chinese tech companies. Also Read: UNSC adopts resolution to promote womens role in Peacekeeping; India congratulates council Also Read: Tibetan Election Commission in-exile begins voter registration process for 2021 general elections These new restrictions reflect that China owns some hi-tech patents that could disrupt other economies manufacturing, Pang said. According to the Chinese Ministry, With the rapid development of science and technology and the continuous improvement of Chinas scientific and technological strength and industrial competitiveness, it is imperative to adjust the list in a timely manner in line with international practices. On Friday, the ministry had said that 23 areas of innovation ranging from space materials to 3D printing, encryption and large-scale high-speed wind tunnel design had been added to the restricted export list. Additionally, Beijing has also revised details for 21 technologies that are already either restricted or banned, including chemical raw material production, crop breeding and biological pesticide production. (ANI) Also Read: Chinese researcher arrested for stealing trade secrets: US authorities There is a worrying trend where Ghanaians are losing their guard in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This is owing to the total disregard for the COVID-19 protocols particularly, the wearing of Nose masks. It is in this direction that the Ghana Health Service has reminded Ghanaians that the COVID is not gone yet for protocols to be ignored. According to Dr Da Costa Aboagye, Director of Health Promotion of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the public's continuous disregard for the COVID-19 safety protocols is unwise. He said such acts were dangerous and if not checked would erode the country's efforts at eradicating the pandemic. He said even though the country's infection rate remained low due to the proper measures put in place by the government and stakeholders to combat the disease in the early stages, the virus was still active in the country. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Aboagye urged Ghanaians not to be swollen-headed but rather strive to ensure the pandemic was totally eradicated. I will continue to advise Ghanaians about COVID-19 and let them know that the virus is still living with us though the infection rate has reduced due to the proper measures in place by the government. As the infection rate remains low, we have to make sure that it continues to reduce further down till we eradicate the pandemic from the country. So, people should not stop wearing their face masks, regular washing of hands, and regular exercise. This is the time to intensify them to finally eradicate it. I will plead with Ghanaians that the COVID-19 is still with us; it is not gone yet. A recent survey conducted by the GHS within the Greater Accra Region revealed that only 14 per cent of Ghanaians wore the face masks. Dr Aboagye commended the government for the stringent measures it put in place when the country recorded its first two cases of the virus. He added that, among other measures, the closure of the country's borders limited the importation of new cases, thus, helping the country to contain the disease. From the March 12th March we recorded our first two cases up to date, we have been able to trace and test over 400,000 people and out of the 400,000 people we tested, almost about 43,000 people tested positive, representing 10 percent of those tested positive. The 43,000 positive cases if it is not the proper measures put up by the government, the pandemic would have overwhelmed the country. Out of the 43,000 positive cases, about 42,246 of them have recovered and discharged and that is why we have active cases of about 1,300, he said. Dr Aboagye commended the frontline health workers, Ministry of Health, Information Ministry, the media, and other stakeholders for their continuous efforts in the fight against the COVID-19. Ghana's COVID-19 active cases as of Saturday, August 29 stood at 1,287. The total confirmed cases were 43,949, with 42,392 recoveries and discharge. The death toll, however, was 270. ---GNA It has only been a few weeks, but Mashal Naseem has already got used to shrugging off the online death threats that started pouring in when she began a campaign for justice for her father. Tahir Ahmad Naseem who his daughter remembers as the kindest and most gentle of parents was on trial in Pakistan for blasphemy when he was shot dead last month in a high-security courtroom. The teenager who pulled the trigger, Faisal Khan, was arrested after the shooting and charged with murder. But he was also feted as a holy warrior. Related: Man on trial for blasphemy shot dead in court in Pakistan Thousands have turned out at rallies in his support, selfies have surfaced online showing him grinning beside an elite police officer giving a thumbs up, and lawyers are vying to represent him. Grappling with her grief half a world away in Illinois, Mashal, 20, began to fear that the pain of losing her father would be multiplied by watching his killer evade accountability for his crime. So the university student began a campaign, seeking justice for Tahir including life without parole for his killer and reform of the laws that made him a target in the first place. An online petition she launched has drawn more than 50,000 signatures. It has also made Mashal a target for religious extremists, who have flooded her inbox with death threats and insults. I will stand for justice for my dad, and if something happens to me, at least I tried to fight for justice Ive been given some really, really nasty threats about how people want whatever happened to my dad to happen to me, she said. But they have not deterred her. I will stand for justice for my dad, and if something happens to me, at least I went in the way of trying to fight for justice. Blasphemy is an inflammatory issue in Pakistan, where even unproven accusations of insulting Islam can spark lynchings. Human rights activists say charges are frequently used to settle personal scores. Story continues The case of Asia Bibi, a Christian farm labourer who endured a decade-long ordeal over the accusation she had insulted the prophet Muhammad in a dispute with neighbours, drew international attention to the problem. People shout slogans during a protest to support Khalid Khan, the man who killed Tahir Naseem in Peshawar, Pakistan, on 31 July. Photograph: Bilawal Arbab/EPA Mashal, her sister and brother, frequently visited Pakistan throughout their childhood, but she had never even heard of the law until two years ago, when relatives called to say that Tahir had been arrested under it. It was a school night, I remember, and we got a call from one of our uncles who said that he was actually in jail. It was a complete shock to me. Her brother was only nine, and she was still in high school. She struggled at first to understand how expressing a religious opinion could be a crime that carries the death penalty. It was just so confusing for me that he stated his opinion, he stated his beliefs, and then hes locked up. It was even harder to explain to my friends and family because nobody here in the US would ever think that by simple word of mouth, you can get arrested. Tahir was not a man who seemed likely to stumble into trouble. He was born in Pakistan, and as a teenager moved to the US where he became a naturalised citizen. His jobs included working as a linguist for the military, and as a school bus driver, but Mashal said sometimes he was also a stay-at-home dad, taking care of the children while her mother went to work. He was such a kind soul, never did wrong to anyone, and if he ever got angry at us he would immediately try to make us laugh again, because he didnt want us to be upset, Mashal said. I feel like my dad he was just naive in that sense that he thought that everyone was truthful, because he himself was She believes he was lured into a trap by extremists who befriended him on Facebook. They challenged him to a religious debate, promising it would be an open discussion, but had lined up police to arrest him on the basis of views he had expressed online. You dont ever want to trust the random stranger on the internet, but I feel like my dad he was just naive in that sense that he thought that everyone was truthful, because he himself was a truthful person, she said. The two years that followed her fathers arrest were difficult, with what she describes as the bare minimum of support from the US embassy, and no sense for the family that it was a political priority. They knew about the dangers of his case, she said. And so the fact that it happened under their watch, its just disappointing. The day he was killed, the trial was drawing towards its end and his wife and children were daring to hope they might see him again. Mashal says his lawyer who has now reportedly gone into hiding thought there was a good chance he would be acquitted. She believes that is why he was shot. Now she fears backing for the killer in Pakistan, from both the public and agents of the state like police, means he may evade justice though another man who shot dead a politician over blasphemy laws was hanged two years ago for the killing. The state department has condemned the killing and called for the suspect to be prosecuted, and the Oklahoma senator James Lankford has raised Tahirs case in Congress. But Mashal says she wants action, not promises from authorities. I love that theyre tweeting about it, bringing awareness to it, but I feel like theyre empty words. She is also grieving the lack of support inside the country her father considered a second home, and fears she may never be able to visit again. Right now I know that its not ideal for me to go back, because being related to my dad could get me killed, she said. Its just very, very heartbreaking and sad that people would do this to us, to their own, that they would turn their back on us. Whatever the personal cost, as Mashal struggles to balance campaigning with work, and her pre-med degree course, she is determined to keep fighting. This is obviously my priority, I will drop everything to get justice for him. (Newser) The legendary Jacques Cousteau loved working underwater amid incredible sea life. Now his grandson Fabienhimself an accomplished aquanaut and ocean conservationistis revisiting that passion by trying to fund an aquatic habitat the Smithsonian calls an "international space station of the sea." The Proteus station would include a laboratory, video studio, and living and sleeping quarters across 4,000 comfortable square feet, if Fabien can drum up $135 million to build and run it for the first three years. He wants to place it 60 feet underwater in a biodiverse, protected area near the island nation of Curacao. "Now, all of a sudden, we have a house at the bottom of the sea, and we're able to go into the water, and dive 10 to 12 hours a day to do research, science and filming," he says. story continues below Such dreams go back decades. Jacques' three "Conshelf" undersea stations in the 1960s made headlines and sparked public interest in ocean exploration, but were comparatively cramped. A slew of similar missions followed, but only one research station remains todaythe Aquarius Reef Base off Key Largoin part because space exploration took over the public imagination. Yet the National Ocean Service says over 80% of oceans remain "unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored," and conservationists like Fabien are deeply concerned about protecting marine habitats and coastal areas amid climate change. "We're now in a new evolution of consciousness of ocean exploration," he says. "Thanks to modern technology, we're able to communicate the importance of ocean exploration." Click for the full article. (Or read about a "chilling discovery" Fabien made off the coast of Belize.) "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest is one of the hardest working men in show business. However, due to his vigorous work ethic, rumors suggest that Seacrest is taking on more than his health could manage. Incurable Illness The Enquirer claimed that Seacrest was on the brink of dying from an incurable illness. The news outlet alleged that this incurable illness adversely affected Seacrest's health and career. 'American Idol' Finale Toward the end of the singing competition produced virtually, viewers observed that Seacrest seemingly has a swollen eye and was slightly slurring while speaking. This garnered concern and numerous viewers took to Twitter to openly question if something serious was transpiring, reported Wonderwall. Work-Life Balance The television host believed that he needs to "grow up" and balance his professional and personal life due to the fact that he allots all his energy into work, reported TechZimo. Seacrest, who is in a relationship with model Shayna Taylor, thinks his commitment to his career could be one of the reasons why he has yet to settle down as he is always either at work or drained. His bustling schedule reportedly concerning some of his bosses. According to a source, "There are people at the network who are extremely worried that he is overdoing it," reported another article from Wonderwall. Also Read: Ryan Seacrest Health Scare: 'American Idol' Host Possibly Going Blind Due to Botox Injection? Claimed to Be 'Going Blind' Due to Botox Injections The National Enquirer alleged that Ryan Seacrest was going blind due to his botox injections two months ago. According to a source who alleged to know Seacrest, "It could well have been a reaction to a Botox injection administered by himself or someone else at his home..." reported Gossip Cop. 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' Multiple sources affirmed that the radio host was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome. This left his co-workers alarmed because he took a day of leave at work. Head Topics indicated that to sell the dubious narrative, a doctor who had not treated Seacrest was quoted and alleged that the host was experiencing acute fatigue syndrome. When he did not appear in on his show "Live With Kelly and Ryan," his representative stated that there is nothing to be concerned about. According to his rep, "Like many people right now, Ryan is adjusting to the new normal and finding work-home balance, with the added stress of having to put on live shows from home." Ryan Seacrest's Side Seacrest indicated his busiest working time, "There were five daily responsibilities. You lose the balance and you are drained by the end of every day and you've gotta go do it again the next day." "So that's always been a tough struggle. I mean, maybe it's perhaps why I'm not married now. So thank you for this therapy!" Related Article: Kendall And Kylie Jenner's Surprise Graduation Party Hosted by Ryan Seacrest (SEE ALL THE PHOTOS!) @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the arrest of the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah. Mr. Michael Kwadwo Peprah has reportedly been picked up by the police after a post on his Facebook page on plans to make an exposition on the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government at an upcoming press conference. In a press statement from the NDC signed by National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi, they have described the arrest of the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association as shameful as they accuse Professor Frimpong Boateng of being behind everything. Michael Kwadwo Peprah was arrested in the Ashanti region last night and is currently at the Central Police Station in Kumasi waiting to be transported to Accra, on the orders of the Environment Minister and Chief Galamsey promoter, Professor Frimpong Boateng. The NDC condemns this shameful act, which is part of a desperate scheme by the oppressive and despotic Akufo Addo-government to intimidate, harass and silence critical voices ahead of the 2020 general elections, the NDC statement has said. Below is the full statement. The National Democratic Congress, has just learnt of the arrest and detention of the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah for a post he made on his Facebook wall, ahead of the Associations planned press conference to expose the Akufo Addo-government on mining related issues. Michael Kwadwo Peprah was arrested in the Ashanti region last night and is currently at the Central Police Station in Kumasi waiting to be transported to Accra, on the orders of the Environment Minister and Chief Galamsey promoter, Professor Frimpong Boateng. The NDC condemns this shameful act, which is part of a desperate scheme by the oppressive and despotic Akufo Addo-government to intimidate, harass and silence critical voices ahead of the 2020 general elections. We are reliably informed, that as we speak, Michael Kwadwo Peprah has not been given access to his lawyers by the Police. We humbly entreat the media and CSOs to follow this matter and give it the attention it deserves. Lets us speak up against the culture of oppression and tyranny being supervised by President Akufo Addo, because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. #IstandWithMichaelKwadwoPeprah SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ. National Communication Officer, NDC DAR marks centennial of Womens Suffrage Joseph McDowell Chapter Regent Sharon Horan (left) reads the history of the Womens Rights Movement during the 100th Anniversary of Womens Votes March. Members of the Joseph McDowell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution gathered in front of the Henderson County Historic Courthouse on Tuesday to celebrate the centennial of Womens Suffrage. Mayor Barbara Volk presented a proclamation declaring Aug. 26, 2020, as Womens Equality Day in the city of Hendersonville. Afterward, DAR members silently marched up and down Main Street displaying signs that read 100 Years of Womens Votes. What began as a women's rights movement in 1840s eventually led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment on Aug. 18,1920, when women received the right to vote. On August 16, 1973, Congress approved H.J. Res. 52, which stated that Aug. 26 would be designated as Women's Equality Day. "The time period leading up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment is remembered for increased opportunities for womens and childrens education, the founding of womens clubs, health and safety reform in the areas of housing and medicine, an increase in philanthropic efforts, and mobilization on the home front to provide aid during both the Spanish-American War and World War I," Denise VanBuren, President General NSDAR, said. "Many women used the opportunities provided by advances in industrialization and a growing societal acceptance of educated, working women to engage enthusiastically in reform activities. In the early twentieth century, Hendersonville benefited from these efforts. Before they had the right to vote, members of the Joseph McDowell Chapter were instrumental in founding schools, hospital facilities, and philanthropic organizations; thereby improving the living conditions, education, and quality of life for local veterans, women, and children. Texas: US President Donald Trump has pledged more federal aid to communities devastated by Hurricane Laura, as the death toll continues to rise and residents are left without power, water and supplies. Two days after the category 4 hurricane tore through Louisiana and Texas, at least 16 people have died, including four residents from the same home who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator. Buildings near Lake Charles are flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. Credit:AP The national guard has been deployed to help the recovery efforts across the region, where thousands of houses have been destroyed, highways have been blocked by fallen trees, and water treatment plants have been battered, limiting the supply of water to tens of thousands of people. As the extent of the damage became clearer, Trump flew to Louisiana and Texas on Saturday afternoon to assess the wreckage, meet first responders, and promise federal help. Several years ago, Seo My Ty village, also known as Seo, in Ta Van commune was still a strange place even for people in Sapa town. Visitors on a tour boat exploring Seo My Ty hydroelectric reservoir Looking down from the mountain side, the hamlet lies entirely in a plane and is covered with green trees and thick fog like an oasis in the sky. Located 20 km from the Sapas downtown, Seo My Ty sits at a height of 1,600 metres above sea level. Thanks to its wonderful natural landscapes and cool climate all year round, Seo My Ty has been dubbed a miniature Da Lat of the north-west region. The village covers nearly 150 hectares with nearly 100 households, who are living around a 60-hectare hydroelectric reservoir. Floating in the clouds with jade water all year round, this is probably the highest man-made lake in Vietnam. The hydroelectric reservoir is seen most beautifully either in early morning, when the mist seeps across the lake surface followed by the first rays of sunlight shining on the water, creating a fanciful scene, or in the evening when the sun goes down and the last streaks of sunlight still linger on the shimmering lake surface. Seo is like a treasured pearl rising at a time when Sapa town has become overcrowded with the intense development of restaurants, hotels, and tourist accommodation and establishments. According to the head of the village, Hang A Tang, Seo My Ty was only connected to the national grid a couple of years ago. The roads have also recently been upgraded. Over ten years ago, villagers had to spend an entire day going on foot from hill to hill to travel to Ta Van commune. Although the villagers worked hard in the rice fields, they still lived in poverty and parents didnt have enough money for their children to go to school. The construction of the hydroelectric reservoir was revolutionary for the lives of the people in the village. Seo village has witnessed remarkable changes over recent years, and peoples livelihoods have significantly improved. Many households have taken advantage of the water source to farm salmon and sturgeon and develop tourist products and services. Seo My Ty villagers introduce a foreign tourist to their traditional brocade products. After learning of how to farm cold-water fishes from farmers in neighbouring communes, Giang A Tua opened his salmon and sturgeon farm four years ago. With three ponds farming salmon and sturgeon, his family earns an annual revenue of nearly VND200 million. Visitors to the village now can camp or take a boat tour on the hydroelectric reservoir or stay at locals houses to explore the indigenous culture and daily practices. The local authorities have encouraged local Hmong ethnic people to build tourist products imbued with their typical cultural features while providing them with training courses on developing tourism. Although the COVID-19 epidemic has posed certain impacts on tourist activities in the village, locals are still optimistic about the situation. They still maintain their normal life and are taking advantage of the lull to repair or upgrade their houses. Giang A Quas house is nestled under the shadow of an ancient tree in front of Seo My Ty hydroelectric reservoir. The 30-year-old man is an exemplary model of escaping poverty in Ta Van commune. When his homestay facility first opened in 2019, it welcomed more than 1,000 backpackers a month, helping him earn a profit of over VND20 million. The figure is encouraging for Seo My Ty tourism. Qua said that COVID-19 is not a very big concern for him and other homestay owners in the village as they want to attract visitors with their enthusiasm and hospitality. Even asthe epidemic has seen complicated developments, the villagers are still making thorough preparations for reopening their doors to tourists with even better services. Seo My Ty somehow reminds us of Sapa in the olden days when there were few construction sites and crowds didnt appear at every turn on the streets. Seo My Ty is a beautiful picture of natural landscapes and sincere hearts of ethnic groups who are living in this mountainous, peaceful and happy area. Nhan Dan Sapa Town in clouds of Vietnam Sapa, well famous in the eyes of international visitors as the town in clouds, is even more alluring with its magnificent nature, Reliances retail operation runs close to 12,000 stores, including a cash-and-carry wholesale business, in over 6,700 towns and cities NEW DELHI: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries said on Saturday it has agreed to acquire the retail and wholesale business and the logistics and warehousing business of Future Group in a deal valued at Rs 24,713 crore ($3.38 billion), including debt. Like many other store chain owners, Future Groups business has been hit by a slowing economy and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Cash-rich Reliance recently attracted investments worth close to $20 billion from backers including Google and Facebook Inc, while it sets out to make a big foray into Indias largely unorganised retail sector. Reliances retail operation already runs close to 12,000 stores, including a cash-and-carry wholesale business, in over 6,700 Indian towns and cities. Reliance will also invest 16 billion rupees, by way of preferential shares and warrants convertible into equity shares, to pick up a 13.14% stake in Future Enterprises Ltd, which would value the groups remaining business at $2.87 billion. In May, Reliance launched JioMart, an online grocery service in a move aimed at rivalling Amazons local unit and Walmarts Flipkart in the huge Indian market. Ambani plans to list Reliances digital and retail units over the next five years. Michael Gove is a no-nonsense sort of chap, unafraid to shake his fist at the Human Rights Act. In 2011, the Education Secretary vowed to crack down on unruly pupils, whatever Europe said about their rights, and last year he led the cabinet's huffing and puffing when it looked as if Abu Qatada couldn't be deported. So how surprising to learn he is the trustee of a charity dedicated to promoting, er, human rights! The Charity Commission lists Gove as one of only two trustees of something called the European Freedom Fund. The other is the neocon writer and activist Douglas Murray. Their objective is "the promotion of respect for human rights as set out in the European Convention of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms adopted by the members of the council of Europe on 4th November 1950 and the convention's five protocols". This could put Gove in a tricky position when the Tories come to replacing the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights. Still, the EFF hasn't been too busy: no money has gone in or out since it was founded in 2007. Molto strano! The boys in Brazil Mick Jagger enjoyed his gig at Glastonbury so much that he is launching his own festival. Apparently he is planning a kind of Woodstock in the jungle for November 2014, in Brazil. As yet it doesn't have a name, but it will replace the Rock in Rio event that normally takes place in September. I'm told Mick is keen to have a hippyish vibe, and that he has stipulated the closing song will be "All you need is love". Bands will be a mix of international heavyweights and local talent. My man at the Copacabana whispers that there's talk of a Beatle performing. Sadly, these days, that's a field of two. I think I can guess who he means. Jeremy's easy ride Red faces in Whitehall after the revelation that Britain's most senior civil servants are having part of their tax bill paid with public money. Among those enjoying this perk is the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, whose chauffeur-driven Toyota Prius has cost the taxpayer 172,100 over the past two years. The timing of The Daily Telegraph's story is particularly embarrassing for Sir Jeremy, whose arduous journey to work is from Clapham in south London to Westminster. Only a few weeks ago he was on record saying nothing annoys good civil servants more than lazy ones. Quite so. Hostess jolly Fresh from the excitement of JCB tycoon Anthony Bamford becoming a life peer, his wife, Carole, has sent out invitations for the launch of A Love of Food, a collection of recipes from the Daylesford farm shop. Affectionately known as "doors to manual" for her early stint as an air hostess, Lady Bamford is the darling of the Chipping Norton set, who congregate at the slick Daylesford deli on her 1,700-acre Cotswold estate. Her book is published by 4th Estate, an imprint of Rupert Murdoch's HarperCollins, and foodies from Raymond Blanc to Tom Parker Bowles are falling over themselves to praise it. "My first ever experience of organic farming and produce was at Daylesford, which from that moment opened my eyes and taste buds to a whole other level," pants chef Tom Aikens. Chums come from across the political spectrum: they once lent their Barbados villa to the Blairs, and the Camerons are neighbours. The book's launch in Islington should be quite a party. Royal paw-trait Royal portrait painter Nicky Philipps has revealed it was her decision to include the Queen's corgis in the new full-length painting commissioned by the Royal Mail. "The Queen asked how many I wanted and I said: 'All four, please'," she says. "I couldn't have just one because the Queen is always seen trailed by a pack." HMQ was, of course, "delightful", and "has the most wonderful infectious laugh". And the dogs? "The session was quite chaotic," she admits. "But they were not nearly as aggressive as people make out." Tactfully put. Smart Fossil collection Students of Bristol University are clearly braced for the brutal job market awaiting them after graduation: they have taken a musical to Edinburgh called Take It Interns, the witty story of five ad agency interns who find themselves accidentally running a campaign for bottled air. But something tells me they won't be interns for long: their other show, Morag and Keats, a film noir parody, has pulled off the theatrical coup of casting Rich Fulcher, the American comedian best known for playing Bob Fossil in The Mighty Boosh, as narrator. "We found his email address, sent him the script, and asked if he would record the part," says co-author Will Farrell. "Amazingly, he said yes. When we asked about payment, he said, 'Don't worry', and quoted that line from The Godfather: 'One day, I will ask you for a favour. You can repay me then.'" Fringe rallies round Amid the laughter in Edinburgh comes sadness. Paul Byrne, 36, brother of Mock the Week comedian Ed Byrne and a highly respected comedy director in his own right, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. The discovery was made as the Fringe Festival kicked off, and he is already undergoing chemotherapy. The comedy community is rallying round, with a gig in his honour this Wednesday at the McEwan Hall. John Bishop is travelling to Edinburgh specially and Ed Byrne, Jason Byrne (no relation), Phill Jupitus and Glenn Wool are all taking part. Fringe stand-up hit Andrew Maxwell is MC. Funds raised will go to Paul who, as a freelance, can't afford to take time off sick. Clarkson cleans up A car once owned by Jeremy Clarkson goes under the hammer next weekend. Anyone interested in snapping up a V-reg Jaguar XJR for a bargain 2,500-4,500 should head to King's Lynn. Clarkson used to complain regularly in his column about keeping the black car clean, but the auctioneers are confident of finding a buyer: "The car is bound to attract interest from people who want to be able to say, 'Jeremy Clarkson cleaned my car.'" Hard to imagine they'll be mown down in the rush. Back in the Fifties, during what was still the golden age of the British seaside, Brian OConnor used to earn pocket money working as a barrow boy in his home town of Skegness. Every Saturday of high season from the age of nine he would take his fathers wheelbarrow to the train station where, all day long, tens of thousands of visitors were disgorged for a weeks holiday. The tourists in good mood and with spending money to hand would pay local kids two or three shillings a time to wheel their luggage to hotels and guest houses. If you were quick, you could make yourself a quid on a good day, remembers OConnor. I had a wheelbarrow, but some lads would use the family pram. The town was a daily carnival, he says: Youve never seen somewhere so busy, and in the evenings, three shows a night, the biggest stars. Tommy Cooper, Sid James, they all played here. Today, Skegness, a town of 20,000 people on the Lincolnshire coast, is a much-changed place. While the resort and surrounding area still attract 4 million visitors every year, its slow decline following the advent of cheap air travel and overseas package holidays is a well told and well replicated story. Recommended British seaside resorts should not be kicked while they are down Like numerous seaside towns, it has become a ballroom shadow of what it once was. Deprivation here, as in places such Blackpool, Clacton and Cleethorpes, is rife. Educational attainment is below the national average; drug addiction and mental health issues well above. A lack of opportunity has seen young people leave in droves. Now, there are fears this slow decline of our coastal regions could be turned into catastrophic freefall by the long tail of coronavirus. Research published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation last week found three of the 10 UK areas most at risk from a Covid-19 poverty surge are coastal: Blackpool, South Tyneside and Thanet. Already the national lockdown which wiped out three crucial bank holidays has cost seaside towns across the country some 10.3bn in lost revenue according to estimates by the National Coastal Tourism Academy. But it is what is happening now and what comes next that has become the real concern. Ongoing social distancing rules have meant that, while people are once again heading to such resorts, the hospitality industries there cannot cater for them in the numbers needed to make business viable. Bars, hotels, restaurants and attractions have all had to reduce capacity, while taking on extra costs for things like cleaning and signage. Across the board, they say, even with a good late summer and even taking the governments 10,000 business grant into account there is no way they can turn a profit this year. On an individual level, staff have been let go or seasonal workers simply not taken on. To compound matters is the fact the UK has now entered the most severe recession currently being experienced by any G7 country off the back of coronavirus. Should this downturn be as deep and entrenched as many economists increasingly fear, the consequences will almost certainly hit resort towns with particular savagery: people who have just lost their jobs tend not to spend money on day trips and weekends away. What these communities are facing, says Mike Hill, MP for Hartlepool and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coastal Communities, is a perfect economic storm. At worst, he reckons, businesses could fail in significant numbers, unemployment will skyrocket and social services already stretched to the bone after a decade of austerity will face collapse. It is, he tells The Independent, no exaggeration to say the survival of these places in the way we know them is under threat. Brian OConnor (The Independent) On a beautiful August morning in Skegness, it feels bizarre such concerns exist. The pier, beach and shopping lanes are all throbbing with life. There are no real-time visitor numbers available but those who know the region best say it is as popular as ever in recent years. Since the reopening we have been inundated with visitors, says Colin Davie, Lincolnshire County Councils cabinet member for economy and place, which includes responsibility for tourism. I have never seen the coast so busy the other day every car park of every resort was full by 8 or 9am. A similar picture has emerged elsewhere. With people wary of air travel and amid confusion over quarantine rules, domestic travel has seen a mini boom. Hoseasons, cottages.com and Cool Camping all report periods of record bookings since the end of lockdown, while the term UK staycation has been Googled 500 per cent more this year than last. So popular have some resorts been, indeed, that many locals are less worried about economic collapse and more concerned with the NHS being able to cope should visitors bring in coronavirus. Such numbers come as no surprise to that one-time barrow boy, Brian OConnor, a man who even in the midst of global pandemic and historic recession refuses to be anything other than positive. Since his school days running wheelbarrows, the now grandfather-of-five has become something of an institution in Skegness. For the last 42 years he has owned the popular boating lake, adding an adjacent fish and chip stall and seafood restaurant to his empire along the way. A couple of years ago, he splashed out 260,000 on upgrades which included building a two-storey model light-house. It doesnt do anything, he says. But doesnt it look great? he beams proudly. He is shoeless and tanned and infectiously enthusiastic. He is also bullish about the future. Were a two-hour drive from 12 major cities, he says. And almost everyone in those cities will want to spend time by the sea in summer so all we have to do is make sure this is the place they come. We need to be ambitious and make sure what we offer is so good they keep coming back. Boldness is imperative, he asserts: Lets be Las Vegas on the Lincolnshire coast. Such positivity is not, to be clear, without foundation. Long-term decline or not, tourism still generates huge amounts of money for coastal resorts. The visitor economy was worth 699m to East Lindsey District Council the authority which includes Skegness last year. The corresponding figure in Blackpool was 1.58bn. It is a goose, as one councillor tells The Independent, repeatedly laying a golden egg. The problem is that, using the same analogy, it is often the only goose in town. The reliance on this single economic strand makes coastal resorts uniquely vulnerable to contractions. Here in Skegness, some 54 per cent of workers have jobs directly reliant on visitors, according to an April study by the Centre for Towns. In Newquay, that goes up to 56 per cent the highest in the UK. Worse still, decades of both public and private under-investment have left these among the most challenged places in the country. To borrow a phrase, few areas have been quite so left behind as coastal resorts. In East Lindsey, some 34 per cent of people live in areas classed as deprived, according to the Office for National Statistics. The same 2019 study found eight of Englands top 10 most deprived council wards were, astonishingly, in a single town: Blackpool. Wages in coastal communities are 4,700 a year lower than the UK average. The jobs themselves tend to be less secure with fewer opportunities for career development. Disadvantaged school pupils in towns by the sea achieve three grades lower at GCSE than those in a similar socioeconomic bracket living in inland cities, the Department for Education estimates. And austerity had a greater impact: while the countrys economy as a whole grew 17.1 per cent between 2010 and 2017, the coastal economies achieved just 7.5 per cent. All of which is to highlight the reasons behind what may be one of the bitterest ironies of the pandemic: while coastal resorts have, by and large, succeeded in keeping Covid-19 infections relatively low there have been 59 deaths in East Lindsey and no reported cases for the last fortnight these areas appear, ultimately, to be the ones which will be the most devastated by the fallout. Perry Remblance and son Harry (The Independent) Perry Remblance is bent over a stationary go-cart and elbow deep in oil when we speak. The entrepreneur runs a variety of attractions along the east coast, including this race track in Skegness, an inflatable park up in Hornsea and a couple of amusement arcades. But this morning he has a screwdriver in one hand, a spanner in the other and 14-year-old son Harry holding his toolbox as he attempts fix one of his carts. Id normally have a mechanic in doing this, he says with a shrug. But these are the times. To some extent, this is the coal face of the coastal coronavirus crisis. Remblance has been unable to take on his usual seasonal staff, while customer numbers at his indoor attractions have fallen off a cliff. Weve made them as safe as we can, he says. Sanitiser, screens, social distancing but people are still nervous. Theyre coming here but, even on holiday, I think theyre looking for ways to reduce risk, and I suppose arcades fall into that for now. He had hoped to open two new attractions next year but has shelved those plans. His fear is not just that visitor numbers will continue to be limited by distancing rules and peoples own apprehensions but that a wider recession is coming. There are so many jobs being lost, he explains. We could easily be talking about mass unemployment before things get better. And less jobs means less people taking holidays. As a business built on holidays, we need to be aware of that. It is a warning that is similarly made by Danny Brookes, a town councillor, district councillor and owner of the Indulgence homemade ice cream parlour in town. New guidelines means he has had to take out a third of tables at his cafe. Which is basically the profit margin, the father-of-two says. Hes had to let five of his nine staff go and is running a limited menu. During lockdown he lost 25,000 and has no hope of making it up this year, even with a good long summer. The result is, at 54 and after almost 25 years running such parlours, he is now considering something he would never have imagined just a few months ago: what he might do if has to wind up the business. Im not exactly making a contingency plan, he says. But Im aware I may have to make one if things dont get better. You cant run a business even one youre passionate about when its losing money. Pertinently, neither he nor Remblance nor almost anyone The Independent speaks to are critical of social distancing measures. Uniformly, they say they believe it remains necessary for public health. Yet neither of the pair are exaggerating the precariousness of their own situation either, wider evidence suggests. The Coastal Tourism Academy predicts a quarter of such tourist businesses nationwide could eventually fold as a result of the pandemic. In East Lindsey, where 17,300 workers out of 51,300, were still on furlough when the government last published figures at the end of June, the job losses would be demonstrably devastating. The answer, says Brookes, is to urgently diversify their economies, and for the government to prove it was serious about its levelling up agenda by investing in education, transport and digital infrastructure. This in turn would allow such places to move away from over-reliance on visitors and begin attracting talent here. But that has been the answer for decades, he says ruefully. And it still hasnt happened. Danny Brookes (The Independent) In the days before coronavirus existed April 2019 to be exact a House of Lords select committee highlighted many of the issues facing seaside towns. In a scathing analysis criticising perpetual underinvestment, the peers recommended a whole raft of measures should be taken: better transport links; faster broadband; increased educational opportunities; and greater funding for local services; and recognised the unique issues poverty, crime, drug use and mental health that are often rife. In our new Covid age, the necessity of such action is starker than ever, analysts suggest. But, conversely, there is also hope the pandemic may just provide the much-needed spur required for such long-term change regeneration. Two reasons for this optimism run parallel. The first is the idea staycations may be on the cusp of a new golden age. With people already looking to reduce their carbon footprint, the new health implications of air travel have arguably made domestic tourism more appealing than ever. Were predicting a massive move towards homegrown tourism in the coming years, says Colin Davie of Lincolnshire County Council. This is something were already seeing but more people are going to visit the UKs resorts and coastlines than ever. So, our job is to help our business prepare for that and be ready to take advantage of it. The windfall of such a boom, so the argument goes, should then be used to help deliver a more diverse and more resilient future economy. The second reason for optimism is that if, as seems likely, the UK is now about to enter an era of increased remote working, it is our small towns which look likely to be the biggest winners. Freed from the shackles of big city offices, so the theory goes, workers will escape to more liveable, more scenic communities. Where could be more scenic than the coast? asks MP Mike Hill. There is a real opportunity now to use increased remote working to drive the regeneration of long-neglected areas. If the government is serious about levelling up if this isnt just Tory rhetoric now is the time to invest in the infrastructure that can help bring that change. It is a point Will Jennings, co-director of the Centre for Towns and professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southampton, agrees with. He was co-author of an April study which found coastal communities, along with ex-industrial towns, were the most likely to be affected by lockdowns. One of the issues we face as a country is that, because of the dominance of London and other regional cities, people wanting to get on in the world in smaller towns can face quite tough decisions about having to relocate themselves, he tells The Independent. So, if you use the new impetus for remote working to invest in physical and technological infrastructure in these areas faster broadband and more connected transport but also investment in schools and social care provisions that would give people more options for where they choose to live. Crucially, he reckons, a country where professional development can be routinely progressed in small towns would be a country that is healthier, wealthier, happier and more environmentally sustainable. Among the wider benefits apart from the greater geographical spread of prosperity would be that businesses have a greater talent pool to choose from (because it is no longer constrained by geography); congestion in big cities would be reduced; pressure on high-use public transport eased and individual wellbeing boosted. The conclusion, says Jennings, is simple: If these are things we value, there is now a real opportunity to reimagine how the economy could work better for everyone. The Mansell family (The Independent) Back on the Skegness seafront, the Mansell family are here from Willenhall in the West Midlands for the week. Mum Sarah is a schoolteacher, dad Adam is a welder, and the two lads Jack, 10, and seven-year-old Blake are currently having the time of their lives on the piers mini motorbike track. As a family, they alternate holidays between one year abroad and one year in the UK. Why Skegness this time? Well, says Sarah, it was available at quite short notice. Not perhaps the ringing endorsement the tourist board hope for but the four have thoroughly enjoyed themselves since arriving. Its been really lovely actually, she says. The beach is beautiful. Its so big. No need to worry [about social distancing] there. They may, they say, stay in the UK next year too if the situation with coronavirus has not settled further proof perhaps that a staycation era may be beckoning. Brian OConnor, that one-time barrow boy, nods when The Independent tells him about the family a little later. The pandemic has happened and we all wish it hadnt but we cant change that, he says. What we have to do now all resorts, in fact everyone really we have to find the best way to make the most of it. The 74-year-old opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 2018 The government had in March released Zia for six months on a condition that she would stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, receive treatment and not travel abroad. (AFP) Dhaka: The family of Bangladesh's main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has sought an extension of six more months on her suspended prison sentence for the former prime minister's treatment, according to a media report. The government had in March released Zia for six months on a condition that she would stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, receive treatment and not travel abroad. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had said that Zia was freed on humanitarian grounds after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's approval. The 74-year-old opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 8, 2018. Zia's family filed a plea with the government for an extension of the suspended prison sentence as the six months allotted to her in March will come to an end on September 24, the Dhaka Tribune reported. A M Ehsanur Rahman, one of Zia's counsels, said that an application, signed by the BNP chief's younger brother Shamim Eskander, was sent to the home ministry on August 25. The BNP chairperson did not receive proper treatment due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Her family wants the extension for her treatment, the counsel was quoted as saying in the report. Home Minister Kamal confirmed that they have received an application which was sent to the law ministry for its consideration and "further steps will be taken after considering the legal basis of the application, the Dhaka Tribune report said. Zia served thrice as the premier since 1991. Her party suffered a miserable defeat in the 2018 elections bagging only six seats in 300-seat parliament. Her conviction on "moral turpitude" charges debarred her from contesting the polls. She was sent to jail in February 2018 by a local court on charges of embezzling foreign donations meant for an orphanage, named after her slain husband and president Ziaur Rehman, during her premiership between 2001 and 2006. Rehman, a military ruler-turned-politician, was the founder of the BNP. She was convicted in another corruption case later the same year, though her party claims both cases are politically motivated. In this article NVVE DIS Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs Getty Images Fire Gregg Popovich. It's the first thing one NBA executive said he would do if given the challenge of taking over one of the most successful franchises in the National Basketball Association. The long-time Spurs coach led the team to five NBA titles, and the franchise's 22-year playoff run concluded only recently, due in part to the coronavirus pandemic. At 1,277 wins, Popovich is the third-winningest coach in NBA history. So, fire Popovich? Andy Dolich, the Memphis Grizzlies' former president, laughed when told about the executive's first move. He called it a "knee jerk reaction." Instead, Dolich suggested a "deep look at the organization" to identify areas of improvement. "That's how real businesses get better," he said. The question, though: After so much dominance, so many memorable moments with David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, how do you rebuild the Spurs, sports and entertainment? How do the Spurs start another 22 years of dominance in the NBA? To find the answers, the team set up a Zoom call with three of the organization's top executives, including CEO R.C. Buford and general manager Brian Wright. A new vision The executive who wanted Popovich gone laughed after the notion. He knows the chances are slim but recalled Popovich's first move when talking over the Spurs in 1996: He fired then-coach Bob Hill. Dolich said the Spurs could do what he labeled a "SWOT Test." "Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and drill down to every part of the organization," he said. "See what we have that's still strong, see what we have that's weak, and create plans for making it stronger." The first question on the Zoom call to Buford: In which areas are the Spurs currently weak? "Are we only going to talk about the weaknesses," Buford answered. He then spoke of the Spurs' values-based system, mentioned the team's 47 years in the NBA, making the postseason 39 times in that span, and a .599 winning percentage, best in league history. "That is the history and the legacy that we're here to build from," Buford said. "And from a vision standpoint, it's not going to change a whole lot values based, culture focused, community engaged, and championship driven." Over the last five months, the world has been rocked with a pandemic, which forced the NBA to shut down on March 11, and social unrest following the death of George Floyd on May 25. Buford said the Spurs have learned "articulating our vision and our messaging is going to be important." But the Spurs could use an upgrade in several areas, including its practice site, the dreadful AT&T Center, which lacks adequate Wifi and is soon coming up on naming rights in 2022 for the building. Through an email, AT&T confirmed the naming rights expiration but did not make an official available to discuss the matter. The vision also includes being more open to the public. The Spurs have used social media to give a more behind the scenes look at the franchise through new assets like "Spurs Stories." It's a data play, as the team is seeking new revenue streams with Covid-19 changing engagement strategies. The Spurs' fan base are some of the most loyal in the NBA; hence, providing them a closer look inside of the franchise could be lucrative if the metrics follow. The new executive Brandon Gayle, the Spurs' new executive vice president of partnerships and revenue, was also on the Zoom call and discussed the vision. Gayle, who Buford recruited from Facebook, will help oversee the team's desire to expand reach from Monterrey, Mexico to Austin. "How do we start to own that full territory and all the points around it and in-between," he said. Gayle said creating "a peek behind the curtain so folks will get to know this brand and understand what it stands for" will help that growth. If the Spurs can build a new audience and collect the metrics, Gayle said, monetization opportunities should follo,w allowing the team to grow its roughly $285 million in revenue. Gayle said AT&T and Frost Bank "have been great and committed to our partnership." AT&T has arena naming rights worth about $2 million per season and Frost Bank has a jersey sponsorship. If for some reason they pull out, however, it would offer a "great opportunity to extend our regional and global perspective," Gayle said. He added the Spurs are strong locally, and "business supports that from a revenue standpoint over these last 22 years." "But we've got a real opportunity to maximize that revenue generation as we think about the brand globally and even regionally," he said. Gayle said the Spurs would also start improving its app making more cashless options available as it hopes to lure fans back once health and safety conditions allow. Tom James, the Spurs' long-time communications chief, then chimed into the Zoom conversation. He mentioned the team's new photographer, who has "full access." "He can do whatever he wants," James said of the photographer's access to gather the content. "You know us. That's a big shift." "We had to get you to leave before we start doing that," humored Buford, referencing this reporter, who covered the Spurs before coming to CNBC. DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball while Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets defends during the first half of a NBA basketball game at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Kim Klement-Pool | Getty Images Roster moves Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the vision that fans are concerned with has to do with the basketball product. One Western Conference team executive praised Popovich's job in the NBA Disney bubble, noting the Spurs' small-ball lineup, which he called a "unique style" but questioned its roster direction overall. Do the Spurs go young and rebuild? Another model is staying competitive and attracting another top free agent, similar to what the team did in 2015, when it landed LaMarcus Aldridge from the Portland Trail Blazers? "We think we're positioned well with the mix of veterans that we have and the mix of younger guys developing along the way," said Wright. Aldridge will make $24 million next year, and co-star DeMar DeRozan has a $27 million player option. Near the NBA's trade deadline, the Spurs were rumored to be shopping Aldridge, but rival executives suggest the Spurs "overplayed their hand thinking they were supposed to get some giant package for him," one NBA executive said. The Spurs could shop Aldridge again this offseason. Aldridge had repaired his relationship with Blazers superstar Damian Lillard, and one agent suggests the Spurs could ship him back to the Blazers. On the DeRozan front, he'll likely decide to pick up his option. The Spurs could build around him, using the team's bubble play as a roster model or trade him, too, should he opt out. DeRozan is close with Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, and one agent forecast a possible Spurs-Heat package. It's Wright's job to help fix the roster, and the NBA's economics around its 2020-21 salary cap will be critical. But having been promoted less than a year ago, Wright is still learning the Spurs' way. That came through on the Zoom call. Asked how the Spurs can rebuild, Buford intercepted Wright's question. "Jabari let me answer this one," Buford interrupted. "It's more fair for me to [answer] since I've been engaged in this for a long time." Buford explained the Spurs have never been swayed by public opinion. To back this, he remembered calls to "blow it up" at the end of David Robinson's era, and then again at the end of 2009-10 season. Buford said the Spurs would continue to address its roster "optimistically and opportunistically." He then mentioned Aldridge's signing, which translated to a Western Conference finals appearance in 2016. "Things didn't go as we hoped, and it's not on anybody," Buford said. "Some decisions we wished we could've done differently, but I think having the ability to develop young talent and flexibility to be opportunistic is going to be what we're going to continue to do." Gregg Popovich head coach of the San Antonio Spurs congratulates his team after defeating the Detroit Pistons at AT&T Center on February 27, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. Ronald Cortes | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images Popovich's future Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 20:01:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- When he converted his school named Roka Preparatory in Kirinyaga, central Kenya, into a farm due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, businessman James Kung'u wanted to offer hope to teachers and workers and to keep himself busy. President Uhuru Kenyatta had in March ordered all schools closed to curb the spread of the disease. Therefore, like many owners of private schools, Kung'u was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, he had several teachers who had found themselves jobless abruptly after schools closed and on the other hand, he had bills and loans to pay yet there was no revenue from students. "There was gloom, panic and fear all over. Nobody knew what to do. I called the teachers to a meeting in April and fronted the idea of turning the school into a farm. The teachers were surprised and some even dismissed it," he told Xinhua in a phone interview. But he managed to convince those that did not believe in him and together, they turned the playground into a vegetable farm and the classes into chicken houses. "This helped keep us busy as the country fought the pandemic and earned some income. It turned out to be the best decision we have ever taken," he said. On Wednesday, Kung'u was full of joy when president Kenyatta in an address to the nation praised him as one of the beacons of hope during the pandemic period. "I felt so good. Being recognized by the president is the best thing to have ever happened to me and my school. When I was starting the project, being recognized was the last thing in my mind but I am grateful it happened," he said. "It was a big honor that we could not let it pass like that. My school is small but this simple act of survival during the pandemic has brought us glory. In fact, my phone has not stopped ringing since the president acknowledged us," he added. But the proprietor of Roka Preparatory School does not want to take the glory alone, he said he is grateful to his teachers, students and parents. "The teachers bought into the idea and helped me implement it. The parents and students have become my foremost customers, they buy the produce thus have given us a reliable market," he said. According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic came to teach Kenyans a lesson and test their resolve. "A majority of people have responded positively and developed resilience. Some people lost their jobs but they have moved to other things. That is the resilience that the disease was testing," he said, noting their project started by offering them at least 2,000 shillings (about 18.5 U.S. dollars) every day but the income has risen greatly. Kung'u, 69, who keeps 1,500 layers and 2,000 broiler birds and farms maize and horticultural crops like cabbages, onions, collard greens, carrots and pepper, said the COVID-19 pandemic has taught him never to depend on one income-generating activity in life. He adds that with several businesses affected, including the solid ones, he said the disease has shown him that enterprises can disintegrate anytime. "My school is 80 acres, and going forward, I will diversify. If schools open tomorrow, I will not stop the poultry project and farming activities. Yes, I will harvest the vegetables and dispose of the birds and fumigate the classes for the students to return to class but I will continue with the project," he said. Enditem 4. This was supposed to be a year of big plans for Breonna Taylor. She had just bought a new car and wanted to buy her own home, and perhaps have a baby with her boyfriend. They had already picked out a name. And then the police came to her door in Louisville, Ky. Interviews, documents and jailhouse recordings help explain how she landed in the middle of a deadly drug raid. An ex-boyfriends run-ins with the law entangled her even as she tried to move on, leading to what her familys lawyer called catastrophic failures by the police that ended in her killing. And in Wisconsin, days after a Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake, the authorities provided new details on what led up to the videotaped encounter that has prompted heated street protests and calls for reform. Middle Easterners can choose from over 100 immigration pathways to start a new life in Canada. How to immigrate to Canada from the Middle East How to immigrate to Canada from the Middle East Middle Easterners can choose from over 100 immigration pathways to start a new life in Canada. How to immigrate to Canada from the Middle East Middle Easterners can choose from over 100 immigration pathways to start a new life in Canada. How to immigrate to Canada from the Middle East Middle Easterners can choose from over 100 immigration pathways to start a new life in Canada. Mohanad Moetaz Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Many Middle Easterners choose to immigrate to Canada for a variety of reasons. The pathway to Canadian citizenship leads to universal health care, high quality education and job opportunities. Middle Easterners typically immigrate to Canada as skilled workers since Canadians typically look to immigration to support labour market shortages. As a result, most of Canadas economic-class immigration pathways favour candidates who have skilled work experience. Skilled workers are evaluated based on a number of factors, including age, work experience, level of education and language proficiency. Many of the immigrants that consider Canada already have a strong grasp of either English or French. This gives them an advantage when immigrating to Canada. Express Entry is the name of the system that the federal government uses to manage permanent residence applications. Immigrants submit their interest in immigrating to Canada through the Express Entry system. However, prior to making an Express Entry profile, candidates must be eligible for one of three immigration programs: the Foreign Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Foreign Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The FSWP tends to be the most suitable option for those who have never lived in Canada. If you are eligible for the FSWP, you will be able to create an Express Entry profile. You will need to complete a recognized language proficiency test in English or in French. You will also need to get your foreign educational credentials assessed. All candidates in the Express Entry pool are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on their profile. Every two weeks, the Canadian government invites the highest ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence. How to immigrate through the PNP In addition, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another major option people from the Middle East could consider. Provinces and territories in Canada are able to nominate individuals in order to meet their economic needs. There are two ways candidates may receive a provincial nomination. They can apply to a specific PNP stream directly, or they may receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination through the Express Entry system. This means that having an Express Entry profile provides more options, as you may receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence through the federal government, or you may receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. These are not the only ways people from the Middle East can immigrate to Canada. In fact, Middle Easterners have over 100 skilled worker options to choose from in order to pursue their Canadian immigration goals. Find out if you are eligible for Express Entry History of Middle Easterners coming to Canada The first wave of immigration from the Middle East came from Syria and Lebanon as early as 1882. There are hundreds of thousands of people of Middle Eastern descent currently living in Canada. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Canada is still processing permanent residence applications. Welcoming immigrants into Canada will be the key to economic recovery post-coronavirus. In fact, Canada is looking to welcome over one million immigrants by the end of 2022, as per the Immigration Levels Plan 2020-2022. Making Canada your home Middle Eastern and Arab immigrants are able to join existing social networks, integrate into the Canadian labour market and seamlessly integrate into Canadian society. There are many religious institutions that exist in Canada including various churches, mosques, synagogues and other temples. Several religious institutions were built around Canada over the last century including Melkite churches and Maronite churches. The first Coptic Orthodox church was built in 1965, and the first mosque in Canada, Al Rashid mosque, was built in Edmonton in 1938. In addition, there exists many ways to connect with other members of an immigrants community, including Facebook groups and country-specific or region-specific community centres around the country. It is also important to keep in mind that links to immigrants ancestral origins often remain intact through community events. These events may focus on music, dance, food or religious practices. There also exists many restaurants with various Middle Eastern cuisines. As a result, Middle Eastern immigrants feel at home in Canada. Get a free Canada immigration eligibility assessment 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved With another general election season approaching, New Mexico voters will need to consider a lengthy ballot to determine their judicial candidates. Supporters of democracy risk weakening their historically hard-fought voice in elections if they neglect to vote for the judges. The winner of these races will wear the black robe and sit in judgment in all manner of civil, family, childrens and criminal court cases. The judiciary as is true for the executive and legislative branches depends on people making informed decisions and electing the best possible candidates. The right to vote for judges, or judicial democracy, enhances popular confidence in our courts and the legitimacy of our governmental system. Americans did not always enjoy the right to vote for judges; government leaders previously appointed judges, but judicial democracy is now firmly entrenched in most states. Historically, elections for judges promised to address a power imbalance among the branches that tilted toward legislatures. Changing who selects judges to the people supported democratic trends in the early 1800s. The ability to vote for judges promoted public accountability of jurists. To appreciate the importance of judicial elections we need only consider a time when government leaders appointed judges. In the mid-19th century, American states were overrun by corrupt legislators and governors who regularly abused the appointment power at the behest of wealthy benefactors. The powerful elite class wielded substantial influence over these legislators to appoint judges who could be expected to favor private industrial interests. This diminished judicial independence the cornerstone of our justice system. In amending their constitutions through the 1850s, one state after another opted to reject appointments in favor of judicial democracy. In 1911, as drafters of New Mexicos Constitution were completing their work, they followed this trend and granted the right to vote for judges. This absolute right continued for almost 77 years, until 1988, before New Mexico voters approved a constitutional amendment for selecting judges and justices. They created a hybrid selection process that empowered the N.M. Judicial Nominating Selection Commission to guide the governor in choosing temporary appointees. These judicial appointees must face voters in the next general election to determine who serves out the remainder of the unexpired term. Voters hold in their hands the power to decide who sits on the bench. This cannot be overstated. The peoples collective influence remains illusory unless voters thoughtfully and independently consider their choices. In contested elections, voters may consider a candidates reputation, experience in law, affiliations and other factors in deciding who should administer justice in our courts. Sometimes people will vote to continue the governors temporary appointee in office; sometimes they pick the challenger. The fact voters have, at times, elected challengers over appointees demonstrates people maintain a healthy degree of independence from the influences of government leaders. Such voter autonomy serves as a good barometer for the health of our democracy. After the elected judge completes a first term, the N.M. Constitution requires him or her to face voter approval in nonpartisan, retention elections. These judges or justices appear on the retention section of the general election ballot, without an opponent listed next to their name. Voters may consider the judges record, reputation, personal experience with the judge, and other sources to inform their decision. While some voters may call an attorney or seek advice from a judge, not all people have this opportunity. Nevertheless, voters may turn to the NM Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC), which publishes useful information and recommendations on each judge or justice due to appear on JPECs website, nmjpec.org/en, on Sept. 11. Voters may also use the League of Women Voters of New Mexicos Voter Guide, lwvnm.org/information.html, as an additional source. Equipped with this information, voters can make intelligent decisions on whether to retain a sitting judge. Each retention candidate must receive at least 57% Yes votes to stay in office. Democracy places a heavy burden on the shoulders of citizens. If we are to preserve a vibrant and healthy democracy one that protects individual rights and avoids governmental abuses voters need to meet the challenge. We must educate ourselves to ensure our vote is informed and meaningful. To the extent we embrace this commitment of informed voting, we more fully participate in the essence of democracy. SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC)s high-power political affairs committee met here on Friday to discuss the overall political situation prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir and chalk out strategy towards seeking restoration of its special status and statehood. The meeting, the first held since the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated J&K into two Union Territories (UTs) in August last year, authorized its president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah to garner support for Gupkar Declaration beyond its signatories. On August 4, 2019, the leaders of J&Ks regional parties including NC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their allies in Congress and CPIM had met at Abdullahs residence along Srinagars Gupkar Road and signed a joined statement named as Gupkar Declaration through which they vowed to protect the special status, identity and autonomy of J&K and fight tool and nail attempts to split it up. Last week, the leaders of NC, PDP, Peoples Conference, Awami National Conference, CPIM and Congress issued a joint statement here saying that they are wholly bound by the Gupkar Declaration and will unwaveringly adhere to it. The NC said on Saturday that its political affairs committee which met at the party headquarters here with Abdullah in chair held a threadbare discussion on unilateral, undemocratic and unconstitutional measures undertaken by Government of India and its impact on the ground level in J&K. While all its members from the Valley attended the meeting, those from Jammu region and Kargil participated in it via a video link, a party spokesman said. A statement issued by the NC said that the meeting authorized Abdullah to widen the acceptance of the Gupkar Declaration among all the sections in Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. It added, The participants applauded the efforts of the party president towards bringing different political voices on a single platform for the restoration of J&Ks honour, which was undemocratically, unilaterally and unethically rescinded on August 5 last year. According to the statement, the meeting took strong exception of the succeeding measures undertaken by New Delhi following the annihilation of Articles 370 and 35A. It said, The PAC members also expressed outrage over the decision undertaken on the 5th of August last year, saying the measures have violated the spirit of federalism and the sovereign pledges of Union of India to the people of J&K made from time to time. The members appreciated the peace loving people of J&K for their peaceful response to unwholesome decisions undertaken by the Government of India. It further said, The PAC members vowed to stand behind the party president in his efforts to bring all political parties and other civil society groups on one platform to pitch for the restoration of what was unconstitutionally snatched from the people of J&K. The BJP has already rejected the demand for restoration of J&Ks special constitutional status enjoyed under Article 370 and 35A. Ravinder Raina, the president of the BJPs J&K unit, said last week that some political parties in the erstwhile state are daydreaming when they say they will struggle for the restoration of the special status and that the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A is impossible. The BJPs national general secretary, Ram Madhav, who was on a 3-day visit of J&K on Friday termed the Gupkar declaration as a political stunt and said it was also a mock-up of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullahs Plebiscite Front which is destined to fail as seen in the past. He ruled out the possibility of restoration of Article 370. UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has commenced the 2020 edition of its annual National Essay Competition in Nigeria with a call for entries. Now in its tenth year, the National Essay Competition (NEC) is part of UBA Foundations education initiative which is aimed at promoting the reading culture and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst secondary school students in Nigeria and across Africa. This years edition, which is the 10th since inception, has been modified to ensure ease of access and increased participation of senior secondary school students from the comfort of their homes through the introduction of a digital submission portal. Taking into consideration the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on lives and incomes across board, the UBA Foundation has also increased the prize money for the 2020 edition of the NEC by 33 per cent as the first prize winner will get an educational grant of N2.5m, up from N2m in 2019. The second and third prize winners will now receive N2m and N1.5m educational grants respectively, from N1.5m and N1m which were awarded in the previous years competition. \ The Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, stated that with the newly introduced digital submission portal, more students in secondary schools across the country will have the opportunity to scan and send in their entries and compete to win educational grants for study at any university of their choice on the African continent. She said, As a Foundation, which is the CSR arm of the United Bank for Africa a fully digitalised bank, we are driven by the mantra to always innovate and adapt to our constantly changing environment. This year, we thought hard about how to ease the pains that everyone is feeling. Students have not been able to go to school and there has been a lot of anxiety in families trying to ensure that educational gaps do not emerge. It is imperative for us at the UBA Foundation that our impact programmes do not wane. We also need to design them to be as inclusive as possible so that those students who dont have easy access to computers can still participate in the competition with a chance to win grants towards their tertiary edification. Mrs Atta explained that the choice of topic for this years edition is one that helps promote creative and analytical thinking in students whilst helping them become problem solvers. The essay topic selected is Do you think that the lock down during the Covid-19 pandemic was an essential measure in spite of the hardship it has brought economically? What would you have done differently and why? All entrants are to hand write their essays and upload scanned copies of their handwritten entries as well as ID on the digital portal at www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition before October 2, 2020. They may also drop off the handwritten essays at their nearest UBA business office for onward submission to the UBA Foundation. The judges who are made up of esteemed professors from reputable Nigerian universities will receive all the essays on a digital drive, evaluate them and select the top 12 finalists all of who will take home consolation prizes including personal computers. The finale of the NEC this year will be conducted virtually as the initiative rolls out across 19 more countries in Africa. UBA Foundation embodies the UBA Groups CSR objectives and seeks to impact positively on societies through several laudable projects and initiatives. The Foundation has donated hundreds of thousands of books to students across Africa under the Read Africa initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting the reading culture in African youths. Students can apply for the National Essay Competition 2020 at: www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition NEC 10th Edition: UBA Foundation Calls for Entries, Introduces Digital Submission Portal for Students KYODO NEWS - Aug 30, 2020 - 16:51 | All, World A delegation from the Czech Republic led by the Senate speaker and including businesspeople arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a six-day official visit to the island, despite China's protest against official contact with the self-governed island. Senate President Milos Vystrcil will be the highest-level Czech politician to visit Taiwan to date, and follows a high-ranking U.S. official's trip earlier this month that angered China. Taiwan and the Czech Republic have no formal diplomatic relations. China regards the island as a renegade province to be brought under its control, by force if necessary, and opposes official contact between Taiwan and countries with whom Beijing has diplomatic ties. The visit by the head of the Czech Senate, who is the second-highest constitutional official after the president of the republic, came at the invitation of Legislative Speaker You Si-kun. Vystrcil is also set to meet President Tsai Ing-wen. The roughly 90-member delegation arrived at Taoyuan International Airport in northern Taiwan and was welcomed by Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. They will stay until Sept. 4. Related coverage: U.S. health chief slams China, praises Taiwan during historic visit According to the island's Central News Agency, Vystrcil said before leaving Prague that the Taiwan trip is "to show support for democracy, and to bring economic benefits for Czech companies." The delegation also includes Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib, and representatives from the political, business, scientific and cultural sectors, CNA reported. Hrib is a strong supporter of Taiwan who scrapped Prague's sister-city agreement with Beijing last October over Chinese pressure to recognize the "one China" policy. Beijing had protested the trip made earlier this month by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. He was the highest-level U.S. Cabinet official to visit since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. After a day of clashes between supporters of President Donald Trump and counterprotesters as well as Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, one person was shot and killed. Reports immediately noted that the man who was killed was wearing a hat that featured the Patriot Prayer logo. On Sunday, Joey Gibson, the founder of Patriot Prayer, confirmed the man was a supporter of the group. Gibson shared a GoFundMe page for the family of the man who was shot, identified on the site as Aaron Jay Danielson. But what exactly is Patriot Prayer? The name of the far-right group might sound familiar because it has made headlines over the past few years, but it is far less well-known than other right-wing groups like the Proud Boys that have found a renaissance during the Trump era. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibson is at the heart of Patriot Prayer, a group that is often described as being from Portland, Oregon, although it is actually from Vancouver, Washington. There is no easy way to define the group, although many have referred to it as an alt lite group, a term often used to describe right-wing activists who reject white supremacist ideology. Gibson is often accompanied by members of the Proud Boys, and he has pledged his allegiance to the group and has spoken very positively of it in the past. He clearly has larger ambitions beyond activism and even launched a primary bid to win a seat in the U.S. Senate representing Washington state but was roundly defeated, receiving less than 3 percent of the vote in 2018. Advertisement 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. Gibson vehemently rejects the white supremacist label that many are quick to attach to his group. Fuck white supremacists! Fuck neo-Nazis! Gibson said at an August 2017 rally he organized in Seattle. I have no use for that kind of thinking. Its wrong. Patriot Prayer says it rejects white supremacists, but it doesnt seem to really care much about who joins their ranks, a feature that helped someone infiltrate the group for years. Even though Gibson insists his group is not racist, the truth is he attracts many who are openly racist, and white supremacists have praised the group. White supremacists that Ive spoken to dont know how to take Gibson, because his message is familiar, but his look isnt, Steven Stroud, a former Nazi skinhead, told journalist Sergio Olmos in a prison interview. Olmos devoted several months to investigating Patriot Prayer and then published a series of articles about it in the Portland Tribune and the Columbian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibson often pushes back against the white supremacist label by pointing out that hes part Japanese and that speakers at his events are from a variety of backgrounds. Im Japanese, he told a local Fox affiliate ahead of a planned rally in San Francisco in August 2017. We have three black speakers, a couple Hispanic, an atheist, a transsexual. Were extremely diverse. Its really irresponsible for the leaders to call me a white supremacist. Its completely unfounded. Gibson paints himself as a freedom fighter and someone who is working in enemy territory. We got so many people who are working their butts off in the West Coast to stand up for free speech in some of the darkest, most intolerant cities in the United States of America, Gibson said in a September 2017 rally in D.C. held to support Trump. Theres so much going on in this country right now we gotta wake up. Too many of us are sleeping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patriot Prayer often has enjoyed a close relationship with the police even though it is clear that since its early days, law enforcement officers knew white supremacist groups attended its events, according to Olmos. Patriot Prayer was very briefly a corporation that was founded in February 2019 but was voluntarily dissolved a few months later on Sept. 18, 2019. Now there is no way to talk about Patriot Prayer without focusing on Gibson, the man who seems to run everything. The groups website, for example, is a subsection of Gibsons personal site, Gibsonforfreedom.com. And now Gibson asks for donations to be sent to him personally. Gibson does much of his activism off Facebook and has become infamous for provocative actions that almost seem to court violence. Olmos summarized the way Patriot Prayer events usually go: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibson announces a rally in a liberal city. Anti-fascist activists show up. Gibson wanders into their ranks in the expectation that one of them will attack him. They do. He streams video of it online, garnering sympathy and donations from the audience at home. Repeat. Gibson insists his goal isnt necessarily to get a beating for the cameras. To say I wanted them to attack isnt true, Gibson said. I wanted to give them the opportunity to do what they wanted. Despite the provocative nature of his protesting style, there is ample evidence that law enforcement has often cooperated with Gibson and his allies despite a seemingly obvious penchant for weapons. In 2019, there were reports of hundreds of text messages between Portland police and Gibson that showed how the two coordinated to police protests. Some of the texts went as far as to suggest that Portland police were helping Gibson and other Patriot Prayer supporters avoid arrest. A video from a 2018 protest also seemed to suggest there was a deal between Portland law enforcement and Gibson to prevent his supporters from getting arrested while others did not receive that same kind of treatment. An internal investigation later concluded there was no wrongdoing by the law enforcement officer who exchanged friendly messages with Gibson. The man who was shot in Portland Saturday night had a Thin Blue Line patch on his shorts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group had planned a boat event in Vancouver for Sunday afternoon. Bring your boat with American Flags and come celebrate freedom on the Columbia River! reads an announcement on Gibsons website. Gibson said in a Facebook post he would not attend the event after the shooting but encouraged others to attend. I know that Jay would love to look down from heaven and see tons of American flags on the Columbia river today. I will not be attending but I hope all of you enjoy yourselves out there, he wrote. Fly them high for Jay. In one of his many interviews for his series on Patriot Prayer, Olmos talked to a convicted felon who briefly joined Gibsons group but decided to leave. None of it is real. Its all WWE, man, he said. For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below. A new book by Frank Huyler, an emergency physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital, is filled with rewarding medical stories. The surgical procedures, the medicine, the physical conditions are on the pages, but theyre merely the vehicle for Huyler describing the palpable compassion of the people in them. The book is titled White Hot Light, Twenty-Five Years in Emergency Medicine. The opening lines of the first story, The Boy, are an example of the emotions, the poignancy and the candor that resurface throughout the book: When they brought him in, he was almost alive. He was a handsome boy, in his early teens, and I saw this first because he was nearly unmarked. He was brown and slim, and we stripped him immediately, and he lay still under the lights. Another aspect of the humanity in the story comes after it is determined the boy, a shooting victim, cannot be revived. Huyler writes that the surgeon asks for a minute of silence for the boy from those in the room the nurses, the trauma team, the X-ray technician: For a moment everyone stood quietly under the lights, looking at the boys body, no one knew anything, but suddenly it was reverent, and everyone could feel it. The second story, Hail, is about the universal meaning of a sudden hailstorm. It comes after Huyler steps away from his pregnant wife in the hospital to get her a Coke. He writes, as if the heavens were opening to our significance. These are the sorts of things you think at such times. Your struggles are the worlds struggles; your fates are significant, the lives of your son and wife, your husband and your daughter they matter to creation. War, a story painful to read, is about a loving father bringing to the hospital his vomiting son, a Marine. He has a brain full of shrapnel compliments of an improvised explosive device in Iraq. And he has a Purple Heart. Huyler feels recrimination at not having been able to save the young man. He writes: What remained of his life had been in our hands my hands and had slipped effortless through them. I should have done better.I should have. But I hadnt. Id simply walked in too late. White Hot Light is published more than 20 years after Huylers first book The Blood of Strangers, True Stories from Emergency Medicine. With a sabbatical ahead, Huyler said in a phone interview, he thought he should take time to revisit medical stories. So he felt fortunate to receive a two-month fellowship to concentrate on writing at MacDowell, a famous artists colony in New Hampshire. It helps focus your attention. You are basically sitting in a cabin with nothing else to do but to produce work. I felt lucky because it was productive for me, Huyler said. I thought back to the stories that stood out in my mind. I changed patient descriptions for confidentiality reasons. I tried to stay true to the spirit of the events. He possesses a simple, though magnetic writing style. I like opacity, clarity and brevity, not over-the-top lyricism. I dont think its changed that much since I started writing, he said. Gratefully, it hasnt. Huyler is also the author of two novels, The Laws of Invisible Things and Right of Thirst. His poetry has appeared in The Atlantic, Georgia Review and other publications. Scientists, using genome sequencing, have still not been able to figure out where the second wave of community-transmitted Covid-19 came from. More than two weeks have passed since four members of a family in South Auckland tested positive for coronavirus on August 11. Thirteen new coronavirus cases were confirmed on Saturday, ten of which were linked to that community cluster, one under investigation, and two from within managed isolation. About 500 people gathered in Auckland on Saturday, most without masks, to protest the citys level 3 lockdown. Police said they were taking an educational approach and would not punish people. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected today to announce Auckland will join the rest of the country in alert level 2 - a drop from the far-stricter alert level 3 for the super city. But experts have warned the move carries risks. Global toll The global number of confirmed cases is nearing 25 million, sitting at 24,819,388 on Sunday morning according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The number of deaths worldwide is reported to be 838,901. The United States leads the global tally, with more than 5.9m confirmed cases, and 182,364 deaths reported. Brazil and India have surpassed 3.8m and 3.46m cases respectively. What should I do? Auckland is at alert level 3, but is expected to join the rest of the country at alert level 2 at 11.59pm on Sunday. For today, people in Auckland must work from home unless they are essential workers, and stay in their bubble. The geographic boundary of the Auckland lockdown is the super city, with police operating roadblocks. Under level 2 rules, there are restrictions on gatherings of more than ten people in Auckland, and masks will become mandatory on public transport, nationwide, at level 2 and above from Monday. Auckland is undergoing a testing blitz. Follow this link for more information. If you are sick, call your GP before you visit, or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453. To avoid contracting and spreading the virus, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow and throw tissues away immediately. Stuff JERUSALEM: An Israeli airliner flying to the United Arab Emirates on Monday with aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump will fly over Saudi Arabia, according to a source familiar with the itinerary. Israels flag carrier El Al will carry the delegations to Abu Dhabi for talks meant to put final touches on a pact establishing open relations between the Gulf power and Israel. Asked if the plane would overfly Saudi Arabia in order to manage its 3 hour and 20 minute flight time, the source, who declined to be identified by name or nationality pending an official announcement of the route, said: Yes. This would be the first publicly acknowledge entry of Saudi airspace by an official Israeli plane. 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 Television actor Shilpa Shinde, who agreed to be a part of the soon-to-be-aired comedy show Gangs Of Filmistan only after being assured that she would not work with comedian-actor Sunil Grover, is planning to quit the show after being lied to. Sunil is making his comeback on the small screen with the show after a year and a half. In an interview with The Times of India, Shilpa said that she wants to quit Gangs Of Filmistan and claimed that the makers have lied to her from the very beginning. She said that they have been shooting non-stop for more than 12 hours every day, despite being promised that they would have to shoot only twice a week. Shilpa also said that she said yes to Gangs Of Filmistan after being assured that she will not be working with Sunil. I had mentioned first only that I will do the show on one condition that I dont want to work with Sunil Grover. This was my first term but they lied to me that, no, he is not there in the show. Later, I learnt from outside that he was part of the show. I questioned them so they revealed the entire cast to me, I was happy then. They again told me he has nothing to do with your part, he will be doing something else, she said. Shilpa said that unlike The Kapil Sharma Show, where different artists got a chance to display their skills in the comedy sketches, Gangs Of Filmistan was completely centered around Sunil. However, he soon joined us in the gags. When he is around, you cant do anything. He takes over the entire act. We are never given scripts, our gags get destroyed and we dont get to perform at all. I am not making a comeback to stand behind in the crowd and clap, she said. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs brother-in-law slams Rhea Chakrabortys allegations against family, defends SSRs sisters and father Shilpa also alleged that the production house was flouting the guidelines of shooting amid the coronavirus pandemic. She said that there was no monitoring of who was allowed to be on the sets and added that the time window allotted for shooting was not being adhered to either. Recently, in an interview with Hindustan Times, Sunil expressed his excitement about being a part of Gangs Of Filmistan. I want to make people smile and laugh in these tough times and thats the reason why I am doing this show. I will be playing the role of a Don on the show and will enjoy the acts performed on stage. I agreed to do the show as pakk gaya tha paanch mahine se ghar baith kar (I was fed up of sitting at home for the last five months). Moreover, this is an interesting concept and I will be sitting away from the unit and judging them so the physical interaction will be reduced, he said. Follow @htshowbiz for more SALT LAKE CITY Bold water conservation strategies and changes in longstanding law and water policies are needed to slow the alarming shrinking of the Great Salt Lake, according to recommendation released Tuesday by an advisory panel. Upstream diversions have long prevented vast quantities from replenishing the lake, reducing the lake by half its normal size with further declines predicted. The Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, empaneled by the Utah Legislature in 2010, fears the lakes steady contraction is putting at risk a singular ecosystem that supports $1.3 billion in economic activity associated with brine shrimp, mineral extraction and recreation and provides an essential resting and nesting refuge for millions of migrating birds. The councils latest report describes 12 actionable measures that could keep the Great Salt Lake from evaporating into a dusty playa, a fate that has befallen many terminal lakes around the world, including Utahs Sevier Lake. With Great Salt Lake water level declines of up to 11 feet due to Utahns use of water, we all need to take action, and quickly, said Don Leonard, chairman of the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council. The strategies listed in the report provide opportunities at both a community and legislative level to affect change. The recommendations include changing water law to recognize a legal right to conserved water, ensuring sufficient stream flows to the lake and improved coordination among stakeholders. The 11-member council prepared the 137-page report in response to a 2019 legislative resolution acknowledging the importance of adequate flows into the lake. HCR10 called for the creation of an overall policy that supports effective administration of water flow to Great Salt Lake to maintain or increase lake levels, while appropriately balancing economic, social and environmental needs, including the need to sustain working agricultural land. At the time, state environmental protection officials warned that the lakes ecological collapse could lead to economic losses ranging from $1.7 billion to $2.2 billion a year and 6,500 jobs, much of that associated with extraction of magnesium, potash, salts and other minerals from the lakes brines. Key drivers in the declines are drought and upstream diversions that keep water from reaching the lake through the Bear, Weber and Jordan rivers. The councils recommendations are geared toward keeping minimal flows on those rivers to ensure enough water reaches the Great Salt Lake to prevent an ecological catastrophe. The report was compiled by the Salt Lake City law firm Clyde Snow, which solicited strategies submitted anonymously by the public. Of 70 strategies identified through this process, the council selected 12 to embrace with the hope of stopping and perhaps reversing the lakes decline, according to Leonard. There is always hope. Measures taken so far show people are willing and able to conserve. We have barely scratched the surface of conservation opportunities, said Leonard, president of the Utah Artemia Association, which represents the brine shrimpers. It would also be nice to have help from Mother Nature. Not making the cut were steps long urged by environmental activists, such as scaling back the proposed Bear River water project and eliminating subsidies that keep water prices artificially low. The stakes are huge, not just for the industries that rely on the lake, but also for the lakes biological integrity and the quality of life it supports, according to Westminster College professor Bonnie Baxter. She co-edited the forthcoming book, titled Great Salt Lake Biology: a terminal lake in a time of change, whose 16 chapters are all framed around the question of the lakes dropping levels. As the lake shrinks, its salt concentrations rise, affecting the lakes chemistry and altering the communities of organisms that inhabit its waters, from microbes to migratory birds. Salinity is the major driver of the ecosystem, she said. The biology would be significantly disrupted because as less water reaches the lake, the salinity goes up and that means different microbes will grow. The invertebrates will in turn be displaced and the effects will ripple up the food chain. The brine shrimp and brine flies depend on the microbial community, they provide food for the next layer of the food web, the birds, Baxter continued. It is indeed a cascading effect that could lead to the decimation of this entire ecosystem. Less water for shorebirds means their habitat moves based on their leg lengths. Modeling suggests that even with extreme conservation measures, the Great Salt Lake could still drop another 1.5 feet. If things dont change, the level could drop 11 feet, she said. It is such a shallow lake, one foot is a big deal, much less 11 feet. Topping the advisory councils list of recommendations is a proposal to recognize irrigators rights to water they save through conservation. Under Western water law, water users lose the rights to water they dont put to beneficial use, creating a huge disincentive to conserve. Water conservation efforts will be a cornerstone strategy to meeting the realities of the future and stretching Utahs limited water supply, the reports summary states. Establishing a legal right to conserved water provides the incentive to engage in these efforts. The report also urges quantifying how much water users are conserving and requiring meters on secondary water, the untreated water many northern Utah residents use on landscaping with almost no restriction. One pilot program found a 25% decrease in consumption by residences once their use was metered. Also encouraged was the use of split season water rights, where a portion of a right that is not used during irrigation season can be made available for instream flows. The council is likewise pushing for more efficient use of water by agriculture, which accounts for about 80% of the states overall consumption. But water saved by farmers wont do much to help the lake without significant changes in Utah water law, which the report urges lawmakers to consider. To ensure water rights intended for Great Salt Lake uses get to the lake, they must be first recognized as a legitimate beneficial use of water and then shepherded through the local water system, it states. To ensure other water users along the way do not take instream flows intended for lake uses to satisfy their own rights, there must be a legal recognition of an instream flow that sits in a similar standing with other appropriated water rights. The report went on to urge changes in the law that would allow state agencies and nonprofits to acquire rights, through donation, purchase or lease, to water that would remain in streams, ultimately reaching the Great Salt Lake, whose value to Utah is finally being recognized by policymakers after decades of neglect. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 She was born innocent like every other child. But for her, fate has served her raw cruel deal all her 14 years of hell on earth life. This is why Pelumi Olamide believes she was born a child of sorrow and will remain a lost child due to the circumstances of her birth. According to those who know her story, she was born to a couple believed to be mentally unstable. Unfortunately no one could take her away from her parents till both disappeared and left her out in the cold to face the vicissitudes of life all alone. Naturally, like several other homeless children, she survived and as she grew into a beautiful young woman, Pelumi was automatically turned into a sex toy for anyone who could subdue her. According to her, no one spared her including those whom she looked up to as rich and responsible. What appears to be the first glimpse of hope in her entire life came on Sunday, August 23, when she was rescued by a 60-year-old woman, Ngozi Olumilua, who saw her looking unkempt and dirty in her new home, a dumpsite located at Oduwole Street, Abule Odu in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. She took her home after so much resistance by young men believed to have recently taken turns in defiling her. To avoid being accused of child theft, Mrs. Olumilua told Saturday Sun that she reported the matter at Idimu Police Station but was advised to take her to a motherless babies home or return her to the dumpsite. Scared that she might still end up in the waiting arms of her abusers, Mrs Olumilua took her home and is now calling on Lagos State government to help by ensuring that Pelumi does not return to the dumpsite. How I found her Recounting how Pelumi ended up in her house, Mrs. Olumilua told one of Saturday Sun correspondents who visited their home at Egbeda that she was moved by the horrible state that she found her. I live at Egbeda and I am a member of Winners Chapel church. I am an Evangelist and was on my way back from evangelism with my goddaughter when I bumped into her. When we were coming, I wanted to pass another route that will be shorter for me to take a bike but my goddaughter said we should take another route. She lives in the area so she knows better. As we were going down the road, I was on a phone call; the lady I was walking with tapped me and said that someone was talking to me. I asked her who that could be because we were passing beside a very big dustbin. Then I saw someone who was looking very dirty and tattered, I asked the lady beside me what the girl was saying. She told me that the girl wants me to pray for her. As at then, she looked like a mad person covered with dust, in tattered clothes and stained everywhere. I asked for her name, she told me Pelumi. Then, when I told her to kneel down that I want to pray for her, she started looking around to see if there was anyone watching us and there were people there actually looking at us. Mrs. Olumilua said that after praying for her, she gave her money and left but was prompted by her spirit to go and get her. When I asked Pelumi if she would follow me, she rushed to carry my bag, and hugged me seriously, that she will go with me. The Good Samaritan said she had gone through a lot of challenges which God helped her scale through and believes that she is still alive to help the less privileged people in the society. As soon as Pelumi agreed to follow me, some area boys crowded us and started asking me where I was taking her to. Immediately Pelumi saw those guys, she held on tightly to me. I told the area boys that I want to take her to my house to bath and feed her. They asked me if I will be bringing her back and had to get my contact before I was able to leave. Those guys were more than 10. Pelumi started pointing at them accusing them of raping and sleeping with her, so they left one after the other, until only three guys remained. Those ones asked me to wait so they can call my number and see whether my phone would ring in their presence. Even the motorcyclists we stopped didnt agree to take her. They mostly sped off. She said that as soon as she got a bike to convey her and the young girl to her house, her maid and grandchildren fled at the sight of Pelumi who was still looking tattered and dirty. She said she had to personally bath her to ensure that she washed herself clean. It is the faith in Christ that motivated me to do that. As soon as I bathed her and gave her food and neat clothes, I took her to the Idimu Police Station to explain all that had happened but instead the police officers available there on that Sunday, were not ready to listen to us. They asked me to take her to motherless childrens homes or return her to the dumpsite. I said never will I return her to the dustbin so I asked them to help us with connections to orphanages around. They said I should go and look for them myself. They werent even ready to listen to us. I thought wed be directed to the Gender Unit or something. I have eight children and theyre all established. I have 27 grandchildren also, Mrs. Olumilua told Saturday Sun. She said what she needs right now is for the Lagos State government to take over the case of the young girl and ensure shes in the right hands never to go back to the dustbin again. She said she had to go back to the dustbin where she picked her to make some investigations as regarding the girls parents or probably any close relative and met one Honourable Hamzat who informed her that Pelumi was born of a mad woman and had no family around. She said she had to run some tests on the young girl to know her health status especially with the prevailing illnesses in the society today. Surprisingly, she tested negative to the major tests conducted at a government hospital. The women in the area told us that they do see the girl in the open space being molested by the area boys in the area. A life of abuse and violation All smiles and excited when she was asked if she could speak English, Pelumi said: English, I speak it very well. I am happy, God bless mummy. She food and meat plenty. However, with the aid of an interpreter, she was able to recount some of her experiences while staying at the dump site at Abule-Odo. I am 14 years old. Ive been living at Abule Odu since I was a baby. All the area boys living close to that place do sleep with me but three of them are consistent with it. Their names are: Indomie, Shinkoekun, and Ibro. They do come to sleep with me every single day. They dont come together but they come one after the other to molest me. Indomie even harmed me with knife the night prior to the day mummy (Mrs. Olumilua) came. He said he wanted to sleep with me but I didnt want him to, so he injured me and out of fear, I had to allow him. Pelumi said that the guys who molest her have never used protection rather; they do have raw sex with her. The young girl claims to be pregnant even though the test result states otherwise. I am pregnant. Those guys told me Im pregnant. Ive never given birth to a child before. When Saturday Sun asked her of her parents whereabouts, she said that her father is already late and her mother, who is mentally deranged, is nowhere to be found. Asked if she had ever had the opportunity to speak with law enforcement agents concerning the sexual molestation, she said she once reported to police officers who raided the area where she stayed. But when she complained to them that the guy nicknamed Indomie had impregnated her, she was told to go back to wherever she came from. They sent me away like a dog. There is a house nearby where I stayed. They fix batteries in the house. The owner of that house is a rich man. He slept with me in a container and sent me away. He didnt give me any money. Pelumi said she was feeding off one Iya Maria, a food vendor in the area, who feeds her three times daily. She also told Saturday Sun that she has a father whose name is Satimama while her mother is Fatima. Satimama, according to Pelumi, is a carpenter who also lives around Abule Odu. She said she also has an elder sister whose name is Tosin. I want to go to school; I will learn how to write letters of the alphabet. Ive never been to school before but I want to start going now. Please do not send me away. I am very happy here, she pleaded. She claimed that the mark on her left hand is a sign of initiation given to her by Indomie who told her that he had used her for money rituals. Meanwhile, Mrs Olumiluas children raising concern over the safety of their mother and family members, pleaded with the state government and police to come and take her to a home where she will be well taken care of. I understand my mothers wish to rescue her from that dumpsite but the truth is that she could be mentally unstable. She can wake up tomorrow and stab someone or even our mother. Community leaders offer clue The President, Alimosho Youths Development Association (AYDA), Comrade Lateef Ogungbade, who paid a visit to the house, said that the core aim of the group is to contribute their quota voluntarily to youth development and community development. What we stand for is that every Nigerian living in Alimosho should have equal rights. He pledged that the group will do all within its power to protect Mrs. Olumilua from greedy public officers who might want to use her good intentions against her. Also speaking with Saturday Sun, Honourable Hamzat Adewale, Head of Operations, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, who said hes very popular in the area where the girl was staying before, said that he knows her mother to be a mentally deranged woman who lives in a market with her lover, also a mad man. He said that Pelumis mother is nonviolent and only begs for money. Her mothers lover is Satimama but his real name is Taiye and Pelumis mother also is called Taiye. When the market was given to a developer, they chased Satimama and Pelumis mother away and the lovers moved to a place called Mechanic Village. Satimama is not her father but he lives with Pelumis mother and Pelumi together. He said that he learnt recently that a man had come to the area some time ago claiming to be the younger brother to Pelumis late dad, he was beaten and battered by the young men in the area who accused him of attempting to kidnap the girl. I didnt know about that before now. I had to ask questions before someone told me about that. I know the office I could call to help her but sincerely my mind has never gone there before. It was not until Mrs. Olumilua came around that it dawned on me. Hamzat said he was surprised that the guys have been doing this after he had warned them several times not to commit atrocity in the area. He added that he heard from some persons that it is possible that Pelumi has younger ones. Ray of hope Still determined to get help for Pelumi, Mrs Olumilua went back to Idimu Police Station on Wednesday and this time around , the Divisional Crime Officer was on ground to receive them. He apologized to them and promised to caution the officers who failed to do the right thing. He asked them to return on Monday for an official handover of the girl to the police. He told us that the matter will be handed over to the gender section of the Lagos State Police Command. He also assured us that there is an orphanage on ground that will accept Pelumi. He apologized to us that it was mistake on the part of the policeman who attended to us the first time that we reported the case, she told Saturday Sun on Thursday. *** Source: Sun News Crowds arrive to see Joan Sutherland perform at Her Majesty's Theatre on August 31, 1965. Credit:Ray Sharpe Then she appeared at the Town Hall in a program of songs. Tickets were priced 7/6, 5/ and 3/. It was exactly 14 years, four months and 10 days since Joan Sutherland had last sung in Sydney. First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on September 1, 1965 Last night it was all so very different. Miss Sutherland arrived to sing the title role in Donizetti's opera "Lucia di Lammermoor" at Her Majesty's Theatre. The audience - 1,650 strong - had cheerfully paid 10 guineas and seven guineas for seats. It had all the ingredients of a tremendous social occasion. Miss Sutherland, the schoolgirl from Waverley, had come back as "La Stupenda". Yet somehow about this eagerly awaited Sutherland first night there was an air of anti-climax. Three more persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of journalist Ratan Singh here, a senior police official said on Sunday. Six people were arrested earlier in the case on August 25, police said. A joint team of police, Special Operations Group (SOG) and surveillance on Saturday arrested Uday Narayan Singh, Anil Singh and Tejbahadur Singh, Superintendent of Police Devendra Nath said on Sunday. The three were carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 each on information leading to their arrest, the SP said. A stick and two axes used in the crime have been recovered, he said. The SP said a local court had issued a non-bailable warrant against the three accused. Ratan Singh (45), who worked with a Hindi news channel, was shot dead on August 24 night in the Phephana police station area of the district. A day later, a police officer was suspended while six people were arrested in connection with the murder. Ballias Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjay Yadav had earlier said that on the complaint of the journalists father, six people -- Sushil Singh, Dinesh Singh, Arvind Singh, Suneel Singh, Vir Bahadur Singh and Vinay Singh --have been arrested. He added that Phephana police station in-charge Shashi Mauli Pandey was suspended. He said the complaint was lodged against 10 people. According to the ASP, the journalists father, Vinod Singh, alleged that Sonu Singh of their village had called his son to his house around 8 pm where the accused were waiting with lathis and a revolver and they killed him. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar had stated on August 24 night that Ratan Singh had a property dispute with his neighbour and after a fight between the two, he was shot dead. Accused Dinesh Singh is the parcener (pattidar) of Ratan Singh. An old enmity and a property dispute with the neighbour led to the journalists murder, a senior police official had said. He said Ratan Singhs killing had nothing to do with his being a journalist. The incident drew flak from the Opposition, which alleged poor law and order and accused the state government of failing to curb crime. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased and offered condolences. Waha Capital, a investment company in Abu Dhabi, has announced the launch of a new income-focused Islamic fund, adding to its three existing funds within its asset management business. The new fund, Waha Islamic Income Fund SP, will invest in sharia-compliant assets across the sukuk and equity markets, and will have a global outreach for investments. The fund is to be open-ended, and is expected to have a capacity in excess of $500 million. Waha Capital's investors represent a diversified mix of institutions (pension funds, endowments, SWFs, and family offices) from North America, Europe and the GCC. Waha Capital also invests in its own funds. Commenting on the new fund, CEO Amr AlMenhali said: "While our existing funds have some Sharia compliant elements in them, there has been a steadily growing demand from our existing clients over the past couple of years for us to develop such a fully-fledged Islamic fund." "We are confident that it will be well received because it avoids investment in prohibited or controversial activities or asset and business sectors that may be considered as particularly risky or potentially volatile. It will also only invest in entities that have relatively low gearing," stated AlMenhali. "Waha Capital intends to use its proven expertise to bridge a gap in what our clients are seeking from us, so as to offer them an actively managed, income producing Sharia compliant solution with a global dimension. We are positioning this new fund as a focal point around which we can build a whole Sharia compliant offering," he added.-TradeArabia News Service CROMWELL Police are investigating a shooting that occurred on Route 9 in Cromwell late Sunday morning. Connecticut State Police said they received reports of the occupants of two vehicles exchanging gunfire on the exit 19 off-ramp at approximately 10:20 a.m.. They said Troop H and Cromwell police responded to the scene. State police said there were no reported injuries from the incident, but a third vehicle that was struck by bullets had two children inside. Police said one vehicle, which a witness identified as a Mercedes-Benz, was last seen headed north on Route 372. State police said shell casings were recovered from the scene, adding they were still investigating the shooting. This incident does not appear to be a random act, rather a road rage incident between two drivers, police said. In a Facebook post, Cromwell Mayor Enzo Faienza said initial reports of an active shooter were unfounded. I know there were concerns, but there is nothing to worry about at this time, he said. Anyone with information on the shooting can call Connecticut State Police Troop H at 860-534-1000. All information will remain confidential. American private equity barons are circling Britain's largest office developers after their share prices collapsed by almost 50 per cent. City sources said Blackstone, the Wall Street-based giant led by Stephen Schwarzman, is rumoured to be monitoring companies including Land Securities. Blackstone wants to strike cut-price deals such as joint ventures, stake purchases and takeovers, the sources said. Collapse: Land Securities owns office blocks in the City of London, Canary Wharf (pictured) and the West End Land Securities is the largest listed real estate investment trust in the FTSE100 index. It owns office blocks in the City of London, Canary Wharf and the West End. Its shares have crashed from almost 10 earlier this year to close at 5.78 on Friday amid concern about the future for office working in the wake of Covid-19. A number of major firms have told their staff they need not return to the office full-time until 2021. Blackstone has experience of picking up British commercial property on the cheap and making a quick profit. After the financial crisis in 2009 Blackstone struck a deal with British Land to buy a stake in Broadgate, the 30-acre City of London office estate that houses Swiss bank UBS. The American buyout house formed a joint venture with British Land for Broadgate, with its 50 per cent stake valued at around 1billion. Three and a half years later Blackstone sold its shareholding to Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund GIC for almost 1.7billion, meaning the American firm made around 700million. Brookfield, the Canadian investment house that specialises in property deals, has already pounced on one well-known developer during the pandemic. In June, it paid 264million for a 7 per cent stake in British Land, which last week was on the cusp of being demoted from the FTSE100 index. Aside from Broadgate, British Land owns London office space at Regent's Place and Paddington Central. Brookfield, which has a market capitalisation of $52billion (39billion, has a track record in carrying out major UK property deals. In 2015, it teamed up with the Qatar Investment Authority to buy Songbird Estates, the owner of Canary Wharf, for 2.6billion. British Land shares closed at 3.65 on Friday. A spokesman for Blackstone declined to comment. Fans of Chadwick Boseman chant "Wakanda Forever" in reference to the movie "Black Panther" during a memorial for the late actor at Leimert Park on Saturday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Fans gathered in Leimert Park in South Los Angeles on Saturday evening to celebrate the life of "Black Panther" actor Chadwick Boseman, who died Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. About a dozen fans of the 43-year-old actor, who was most famous for his role as King T'Challa in Marvel's first Black superhero film, met at the park, which has long been a popular gathering spot for L.A.'s Black community. The event was held by Project Islamic Hope, a Los Angeles civil rights group. "It was so last minute, but we had to do something," said the group's leader Najee Ali, who was wearing a "Black Panther" T-shirt. "Our community, locally, we lost Nipsey [Hussle] last year. We just lost Kobe [Bryant] a few months ago and now to lose Chadwick Boseman while we're undergoing this global pandemic, which clearly has to be the worst year in everyone's lifetime," Ali said. "For African Americans, we're distraught and it's going to take a while for us to get over this because no one saw it coming." News of Boseman's sudden death stunned fans who were unaware that he was ill. "It only adds to his scale to know that he was sick the entire time and what he was going through personally," said McCall Jones, 56. "And those were not easy movies to do and he carried it amazingly." Ali said his 12-year-old daughter, Jurnee, who dressed up as Black Panther for Halloween last year, was "devastated" by Boseman's death. He said the film was inspiring to a lot of Black children. "I'm concerned about our youth because they're grieving," Ali said. Thirteen-year-old Leilah Elkholy of Los Feliz, who attended the event with her mother, was the only child at the memorial. She recalled going to a movie theater to see "Black Panther," which she said was her favorite Marvel film. "It was much different than most Marvel movies that I've seen," she said. "I just felt like it was much more diverse and cultured, and I really enjoyed it." Story continues "I just love him," she said of Boseman. "He just was so bright, and he seemed kind of like a sunshine in a way. When I watched him, it made me feel happy." Boseman made a career out of playing historic Black figures, including the Godfather of Soul James Brown, Dodgers great Jackie Robinson and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. For Jones of Santa Monica, Boseman's death in the midst of so much racial tension in the country serves as reminder to keep fighting for racial justice like he did. In this moment, Jones said, "we're all reminded of what he represented. And he represented rising above. He represented perseverance. He represented getting it done anyway." "So in a sense, his loss becomes a message to remind us that, yes, we can still fight on. We still have a chance to make a difference. And he reminded us through making this statement, if you will now, that an individual can make a difference. ... It's our turn literally to fight to make that difference that he started the ball rolling on." Later, Ali lit two candles in front of a photo of Boseman set up at the memorial. He said he hopes other people will continue adding candles, flowers and pictures in tribute to the actor whose work lives on. As Ali and attendees left Leimert Park, they crossed their arms on their chest in the shape of an X and chanted, "Wakanda Forever!" New Delhi: The first phase of the Census and the exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR), scheduled for this year but deferred due to the coronavirus outbreak, may be delayed by a year as there is no sign of slowdown of the pandemic. The Indian census is one of the largest administrative and statistical exercises in the world, with the involvement of more than 30 lakh officials who would visit each household across the length and breadth of the country. "Census is not an essential exercise for now. Even if it is delayed by a year, there would be no harm," a senior official told PTI. The official said no final decision has been taken on when the first phase of the Census 2021 and NPR update would take place, but it is almost certain that it would not be held in 2020 due to the rising cases of the coronavirus. The house-listing phase of the Census and the exercise to update NPR were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. "As the entire exercise needs the involvement of lakhs of officials and visit to each family, we can't undermine the health risk involved in it," the official said. With a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases, the total coronavirus cases in India rose to 35,42,733, while the death toll climbed to 63,498 as on Sunday. According to the earlier schedule, the census would have its reference date as March 1, 2021, and in the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it would be October 1, 2020. "The Covid-19 threat is still looming large. The census and NPR are not in the priority list of the government as of now," another official said. In March, when the coronavirus-induced lockdown was announced, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India was all set for the first phase of the census and updation of the NPR that was scheduled to begin from April 1. Even though some state governments opposed the NPR update, all offered full support to the census exercise. The census is the largest single source of a variety of statistical information on people of India which helps the State to chalk out various policies. With a history of more than 130 years, this reliable, time tested exercise has been bringing out a veritable wealth of statistics every 10 years, including on the rich diversity of the people, and has become one of the tools to understand and study India. The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars. The NPR is a register of the usual residents of the country. It is prepared at the local (village and sub-town), subdistrict, district, state and national levels under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. The data for NPR was last collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of the Census 2011. Updating of this data was done during 2015 by conducting a door-to-door survey. While updating the register in 2015, the government had asked details like Aadhaar and the mobile number of people. This time, the information related to their driving licence and voter ID card may also be gathered, the officials said. Though information regarding the place of birth of parents will be sought, it is up to the residents whether to respond to the question as it is voluntary. For the NPR, a usual resident is defined as a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months. The law compulsorily seeks to register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card. The demographic details required for every usual resident are name, relationship to head of household, father's name, mother's name, spouse's name (if married), sex, date of birth, marital status, place of birth, nationality (as declared), present address of usual residence, duration of stay at present address, permanent residential address, occupation and educational qualification. The event was attended by Politburo members the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP): Secretary of LPRP and Deputy Prime Minister Bounthong Chitmany; Head of the LPRPs Organisation Commission Chansi Phosikham; and President of the Standing Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction Saysomphone Phomvihane, alongside many other senior Lao officials. The ceremony banquet also saw the attendance of foreign ambassadors in Vientiane, Vietnamese students in Laos and members of the Vietnamese community in Laos. Speaking at the function, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung thanked the countries and international friends for always supporting Vietnam and the Vietnam-Laos relationship. He affirmed that the special relationship between Vietnamand Laos actively contributes to maintaining peace, security, stability and cooperation for the development of Southeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific and the world at large. For his part, Deputy PM Bounthong Chitmany expressed his thanks to Vietnam for providing Laos with robust support in the past, as well as at present, adding that the friendship between Laos and Vietnam has been continuously strengthened over the years. A similar event was also held by the Vietnamese Embassy in France on August 28. Thompson encouraged local residents who have information on who's responsible for these shootings to talk to police. "Everyone is stuck on this snitching kind of thing," Thompson said. "When you see something, say something. When someone takes another person's life, that's not snitching." The arrests and convictions of the shooters will help the victims' families get closure and justice, Thompson said. "We will never have closure because that will not bring our children back, but it will be something," Thompson said. "Right now, most of them are not getting it." To further reduce violent crime, local residents need to "reach out to these kids to see what's going on with them, and talk to their parents to see what we can do to help," Thompson said. Older adults can help younger adults find jobs or assist them in acquiring their GED certificates, Thompson said. Young people need to "do something productive other than taking lives," Thompson said. "Let them know that gun violence is not the answer because that's not an 'oops' you can take back." Gangs are here Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Mon, August 31, 2020 00:00 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417f8dc 4 Inforial Free The growing preference for fresh, healthy food has contributed to the growth in agritech startups. The government has also invested in empowering farmers, who provide the fresh produce startups distribute to consumers. However, Indonesia reportedly lost 5.1 million farmers between 2003 and 2013, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The trend is expected to continue in the next few years. At this rate, Indonesia would lose all its farmers by 2063, wrote The Jakarta Post. The demanding and laborious work, as well as the perception that the incomes of farmers are small, are among the reasons why the professionhas become less and less appealing for many, not to mention the high costs of production, climate change andlow levels of investment. The National Labor Force Survey revealed that only 23 percent of Indonesias 14.2 million people aged between 15 and 24 worked in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors in 2019, as reported by the Post. The declining number of farmers, shrinking farmland and the possibility of a future without farmers is highly concerning, as agriculture has long been a major contributor to Indonesias economy. Even more concerning is that lower food production could lead to skyrocketing food prices, swelling imports, increasing consumption of ultra-processed food or even extreme hunger, in a worst-case scenario. JakPost Up Close webinar on the importance of investing in agriculture Farmer partners of TaniHub pose for a picture while standing among a lettuce farm in Bedugul, Bali. (Courtesy of TaniHub/.) An upcoming webinar inThe Jakarta Posts series JakPost Up Close aims to underscore the importance of investing in agriculture by discussing the challenges faced by the sector,exploring success storiesand shedding light on future possibilities. With the theme Land without farmers: Invest in agriculture, the webinar seeks to provide insights that can inform decision making among key stakeholders and communities toboost the agriculture sector. The webinar will be held in partnership with peer-to-peer lending platform TaniFund part of tech-based agriculture company TaniHub Group, which is celebrating its 4thanniversary and will feature the following experts and key stakeholders: Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo, or the secretary-general/relevant directorgeneral if the minister is not available at the last minute Representative of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Nyoman Yogi, International Finance Corporation (IFC) operations officer for access to finance in Indonesia Pamitra Wineka, TaniHub Group president and cofounder Henry Saragih, chairman, Indonesian Farmers Union Felippa Ann Amanta, head of research, Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) The agriculture minister will speak on the role and importance of investment in agriculture and the governments efforts to attract investment into the sector. The OJK representative will talk about the role of financial technology (fintech) in improving financial inclusion among farmers. As a financial expert, Nyoman Yogi will speak about the opportunities and challenges going forward in investing and developing the agriculture sector. He will also discuss what policies are needed to support investment and financing to ensure food security and sustainability. Pamitra Wineka will highlight the innovations that TaniHub has launched tohelp solve the challenges faced byfarmers, and what the company will do to ensure the profession does not die. He will also stress the importance of collaboration over competition by elaborating on how individuals and institutions can participate in bringing about change in Indonesias agriculture sectorwith TaniFund, whichhas the stated mission of growing together with lenders and borrowers. Amplifying thevoices of farmers, Henry Saragih will share the stories of agriculture workers, casting a light on the regeneration crisis and its underlying causes. He will also explain how the pandemic has affected farmers, and provide recommendations on how we can help farmers. To encourage investment in agriculture, Felippa Ann Amanta will present studies on private sector involvement and investments in agriculture, and discuss CIPS recommendations to overcome the roadblocks that have hampered investment. The JakPost Up Close webinar will provide a forum for researchers, private sector employees and executives, public sector staff and high-ranking officials, university students and the international community to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with agricultural investment. Streamed live via Zoom, the webinar will be conducted in English on Tuesday, Sept. 2 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Even in death, Chadwick Boseman's legacy lives on through the memories of friends and family, the incredible work he's done and the lives of those he's touched. And one of the testaments to just how powerful his impact was to the world is the fact that his last tweet, announcing his death, has become the most liked post in Twitter history. Related | Celebrities Pay Tribute to Chadwick Boseman The tragedy of his death has affected so many, that the tweet has since received over 7 million likes, over 2 million retweets, and over 920,000 quote tweets as of Saturday afternoon. "Most liked Tweet ever. A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever," Twitter's official account said in a retweet of the post. Most liked Tweet ever. A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever https://t.co/lpyzmnIVoP Twitter (@Twitter) August 29, 2020 The record was previously held by former president Barack Obama, who tweeted back in 2017 after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion," he wrote, quoting Nelson Mandela. "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion..." pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017 A Republican student group at Arizona State University is raising money for the 17-year-old gunman who fatally shot two protesters and injured another in Kenosha, Wisconsin. College Republicans United said that half of all funds they raise during the semester will go toward Kyle Rittenhouses legal defense. The group, which is not part of the main ASU College Republicans, described the accused murderer as a community volunteer and a citizen who attempted to help in a city of chaos. In a tweet on Thursday announcing the fundraising plan, College Republicans United tweeted that Rittenhouse does not deserve to have his entire life destroyed because of the actions of violent anarchists during a lawless riot. Advertisement The tweet sent out by the group links to a page on their website that features a photograph of Rittenhouse cleaning graffiti. The page goes into detail of the two people Rittenhouse allegedly killed and the one he injured. We do not condone the death of these individuals but take note that these are not model citizens, the group writes in the fundraising page. When the Arizona Republic contacted the CRU for comment, it was told that its members do not speak to journalists with pronouns on their Twitter page. ASU said it was aware of the fundraiser and didnt endorse it but couldnt stop any group from raising money. (Disclosure: Slates Future Tense section is a collaboration with ASU and New America.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no place for this sort of behavior on our campus. pic.twitter.com/pIOXZCpz9n ASU College Republicans (@ASUCollegeGOP) August 29, 2020 ASU College Republicans put out a statement condemning CRU, which it described as a far-right extremist group that has radical, anti-American views. The ASU College Republicans called for a formal administrative investigation into the conduct and operation of the group and said that it does not associate with nor condone their recent actions involving contributing to the legal defense fund of a man who shot and killed several Americans in Wisconsin. This is not the first time the CRU has received media attention. The cofounders of the group ended up apologizing last year after materials were made public showing some of the groups leaders making racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic comments. The information was shared by people who claimed to have been former members of CRU who wanted everyone to know the group was filled with white nationalists and neo-Nazis posing as principled conservatives and Republicans. For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below. Pittsfield Council Subcommittee Talks Homelessness Solutions PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Committee on Public Health and Safety had a lengthy conversation on homelessness in the community and set immediate and long-term goals. After a near three-hour meandering conversation Tuesday, the committee set some goals for the community, City Council, and administration in regard to Pittsfield's homeless population. "I just want to make sure we are moving in some sort of direction," Chairwoman Helen Moon said. After a broad discussion with service providers and city staff, the members came up with a slate of action items. In the immediate future, they agreed there is a need to find a space suitable for a winter shelter as well as better directing of the community's donations and support. They also zeroed in on some longer-term goals and agreed to help local agency ServiceNet find a better, larger shelter as well as advocate for more state and federal funds to support the programs for the homeless. Earlier this month, the City Council referred three petitions to the subcommittee having to do with the now-closed temporary shelter at the former St. Joseph's Central High School, the homeless encampment at Springside Park, and the general homelessness situation in the city. Mayor Linda Tyer gave an overview of the closure of the temporary shelter at a past City Council meeting so councilors directed their questions toward Jay Sacchetti, vice president of addiction and sheltering services at ServiceNet. ServiceNet managed the temporary shelter as well as the permanent facility at Barton's Crossing. He said the shelter at the high school was never designed to be permanent. During the outset of the pandemic, it served nearly 50 residents. Once the weather warmed in the spring and summer, the numbers dropped to between 15 and 20. He said discussions began in June with the city to decommission the shelter on July 13. "We told the city what we were experiencing and we felt it was time to close the resource," he said. "It was always meant to be temporary, and we let everybody know that." Sacchetti said this was typical, and that during the warmer months, they often close the winter shelter. He said ServiceNet restricts when people can enter the shelter and does not allow the use of substances. Because of this, many choose to go live elsewhere once it is warm enough to stay outside. Residents at St. Joe were given three weeks' notice of the closure and ServiceNet contacted those who had already moved on so they had the opportunity to return to pick up their belongings, he said. Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio said he thought the closure was abrupt and wished there was better communication between all parties. He also had questions about ServiceNet's finances. "This is a serious issue. We have a pandemic, we have homeless people living in parks, lakes, and now we have a headcount of nearly 80 homeless people," he said. "There is no reason why a temporary shelter could not be in place as long as the governor's state of emergency lasts. There needs to be some accountability." Sacchetti said at the time the decision was made to close, there was no certainty if any additional resources would be coming from the state and it was unknown if the shelter would be funded.. ServiceNet typically operates with a $780,000 to $800,000 budget for all of its facilities in Pittsfield, Greenfield, and Northampton. Barton's Crossing operates annually with a budget of $280,000. He said all shelters typically finish the fiscal year in a deficit. The agency received another $719,000 through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act that will be split between all of its shelters as well as another $25,000 from the United Way for Pittsfield. Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell asked if there was a contract between the city and ServiceNet, and Tyer said the city only provides a small amount of money to ServiceNet each year through human services funding. She said Pittsfield only has a contract for the use of this money that includes accountability requirements. She said ServiceNet is licensed with the state and that the city has no contract with ServiceNet in regard to management. Director of Community Development Deanna Ruffer said the city has about $240,000 in CARES Act funds that will be used to help public services agencies such as ServiceNet. She said the city held on to this money until the individual agencies used their fiscal 2020 amounts so they could better judge where there would be needs. Sacchetti said there is a need for funding and only a small percentage of money makes it out to Berkshire County. Tyer said she has learned a lot over the past few months and planned to advocate for more money in Pittsfield. "ServiceNet operates on a shoestring, and it is amazing what they are able to do with such a small amount of money," she said. "I think part of my duty is to advocate up the chain at the state and federal level for more funding in Pittsfield because our needs are growing." The conversation then moved to the conditions at Barton's Crossing, ServiceNet's current shelter, and Maffuccio said he did not think it was a suitable location. "These are human lives we are talking about here, and they are afraid to live under those circumstances," he said. Sacchetti said although Barton's Crossing has consistently passed city inspections, it is in rough shape. "It is not a building you can bring back and that is the way it has been," he said. "We do our best to keep it clean, but it is an old building." He said for this reason the agency hopes to move to United Methodist Church, but this project has yet to receive the proper permitting. It has also received a lot of push back from the downtown business community. He added that with COVID-19 restrictions, Barton's Crossing is limited to about 12 beds, so there would likely be an immediate need to open up an emergency shelter. Sacchetti said the city did reach out to the Diocese of Springfield to inquire about reopening St. Joe's, but the city has not heard back. There was concern among the councilors that ServiceNet did not have a plan B if the United Methodist Church did not work out. This was compounded with the coming colder weather. Sacchetti said ServiceNet has looked at a few different locations but that it is hard to find a space that met code and could be used as a shelter. Also, a renovation would be expensive. "We are being asked to do something that is somewhat impossible -- to create space during a pandemic. It feels impossible sometimes," he said. "If we don't have the space then it comes back to the community. We cannot solve this problem by ourselves." Connell noted at one time ServiceNet was interested in using the Second Street Jail. Sacchetti said the building needed a fire suppression system, and there was a reluctance from the building owner to go further. He said it is worth exploring again. The conversation at times was heated. But Sacchetti said the agency is only mandated to provide 10 beds and that homelessness is a community issue that ServiceNet alone cannot solve. Brad Gordon of Berkshire Regional Housing Authority, who was also on the call, spoke up and redirected the conversation toward longer-term solutions. He said it would be more productive to discuss solutions instead of blaming different agencies. The conversation then moved to Springside Park and the city's decision to no longer allow donations at the park pavilion. Donations will now be accepted at different service agencies and distributed equally where needed. Ruffer said although the community was generous with its donations, the pavilion was not set up to handle this service. She said some people dropped off inappropriate items and appeared to be just cleaning out their homes. Also, people using the pavilion would only allow certain members of the encampment to pick from the donations. She said it was becoming a space for "undesirable behavior." Parks and Open Spaces Manager James McGrath added that the city did provide portable toilets at the park as well as hand-washing stations. These portable units are sanitized by the vendor. He added that service agencies are in constant contact with those staying at Springside Park. The subcommittee then discussed the Homelessness Prevention Committee, and Maffuccio felt the committee "dropped the ball" and was "defunct." "We are in charge of trying to solve this problem even though we have a homeless commission," he said. "We are not professionals and are doing the best we can." The homeless committee has not met in months. Maffuccio added that he was told that the Community Development Office informed the committee members they could not meet. Ruffer said this was not true. Homeless Committee Chairman Ed Carmel was invited to Tuesday night's meeting but was unable to attend because of technical difficulties, according to Moon. Moon said that committee does plan to meet in September. The three petitions were not actually discussed during the meeting, however, they originally were referred to the subcommittee only to spark conversation and begin the process of addressing homelessness in the city. The committee tabled a petition asking the mayor to give an overview of the closing of the temporary shelter and a petition asking the city to use free cash to assist in acquiring a shelter. A petition asking for a full accounting of all funds expended at the temporary shelter was filed. Elyse Knowles recently relocated to Byron Bay and she's clearly been enjoying her neighborhood. On Friday, the model went for a stroll with two of her three Weimaraner dogs on what was a sunny day in the beachside town. The 27-year-old looked relaxed as she traipsed across the grass enjoying the stunning sea views. Beach babe! On Friday, Elyse Knowles (pictured) went for a stroll with two of her three Weimaraner dogs in the beachside town of Byron Bay She wisely wore a bucket hat in a khaki tone and covered up her famous face with a pair of round sunglasses. Elyse opted for a casual outfit consisting of a white cotton shirt and showed off her trim pins in a pair of frayed denim shorts. She completed the look with a pair of brown sandals and wore a scrunchie around her wrist. Lovely day: The 27-year-old looked relaxed as she traipsed across the grass enjoying the stunning sea views Looking good: Elyse opted for a casual outfit consisting of a white cotton shirt and showed off her trim pins in a pair of frayed denim shorts The beauty and her boyfriend Josh Barker have three Weimaraner dogs: Isla, six, Indi, four, and Harlow, two. Elyse and Josh relocated to Byron Bay last year in search of a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. The Block winners are renting a $1.5million bohemian-style home featuring rustic furnishings and high ceilings. Chill: Elyse and boyfriend Josh Barker relocated to Byron Bay last year in search of a more environmentally-conscious lifestyle The sustainable property has three double bedrooms, wide verandas and a self-contained studio apartment attached and is conveniently located just a 10-minute walk from the beach. Elyse told Daily Mail Australia several months after moving to Byron that she had experienced quite a culture shock at first. She said: 'The community is more environmentally conscious. [You see it in the] conversations that people have every single day talking about the ocean and the marine life.' Do we have work to do? Yes. Is it an insurmountable challenge? No. But right now, in the midst of a pandemic, there are so many competing demands, Connolly said. The Postal Service, state and local government, public health infrastructure, child care, unemployment insurance benefits, on and on. Can we succeed in making this subsidy this item in the federal budget a priority? That remains to be seen. Were going to fight for it, he said. The President of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, said at the weekend Nigeria would witness a remarkable turnaround in fortune if an Igbo man emerged the countrys president in 2023. In a congratulatory message to the Nigerian-born newly appointed Minister of Justice and Solicitor-General in Alberta, Canada, Kelechi Madu, the Ohanaeze chief said Nigeria would be transformed with an Igbo man at the helm of the countrys affairs. He also appealed to the Federal Government to stop marginalizing the people of South East extraction to enable the country fully harness their creative potentials. Nwodo said: Ohanaeze Ndigbo is highly honoured by the exploits of Kaycee Madu in faraway Canada as an Igbo son. Mr. Madu had contested and won a seat into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the electoral district of Edmonton-South West from where he was appointed and sworn in as Minister of Justice and Solicitor General by the Premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney, on April 30, 2020. On behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I commend the sterling qualities of Mr. Kaycee Madu, as well as other Igbo sons and daughters who have excelled so much outside the country, such as the recently appointed first black Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University in the UK, Prof Charles Egbu, and many others. The exploits of Igbo sons and daughters both within and outside the country are indices of the cerebral capability and ingenuity of the people which Nigeria could exploit to advance its development. The Federal Government should stop marginalising and victimising the Igbo in the country so that the latent creative potentials could be harnessed for the good of all. Nigeria would witness a turnaround in her fortunes if a president of Igbo extraction was allowed to emerge in 2023. PV: 4 Kyrgyzstan opens borders for Uzbekistan from 1 September 2020. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports citing Uzdaily.uz. The report notes that from 1 September, Uzbekistan will be included in the list of countries with a stable epidemiological situation for COVID-19. According to paragraph 1 of the order of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic of 08/28/2020. No. 672 and in accordance with the information letter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic on changing the epidemiological situation regarding coronavirus infection COVID-19 in the Republic of Uzbekistan, the country will be included as the 32nd country in the list of foreign countries in which there is a decrease in coronavirus infection and stabilization of the epidemiological situation from 1 September 2O2O. The Romanian Language Day is a celebration of the Romanian spirit, because it is the most important effigy of Romanians and remains our life as a people, says President of the Romanian Academy, historian Ioan-Aurel Pop, in whose opinion the Romanian language has the power to keep its identity, despite various influences. "Language is like a living organism that is born, grows, develops, ages and dies with the people who created it and whom it served as a means of communication. That is why we speak of living and dead languages. Ours is alive and no matter how contaminated it is with neologisms, barbarisms, hyperurbanisms, abbreviations or text messages, we must not be afraid. The Romanian language has the power to keep its identity in spite of various influences," says Pop, in a statement granted to AGERPRES. * * * The Romanian Language Day is celebrated on August 31, as established by Law 53/2013. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the role of dogs in various security operations in the country during his 68th Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday. He lauded the Indian Army dogs Vida, a labrador, and a cocker spaniel Sophie who were earlier this month awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards on the 74th Independence Day. Vida of an army dog unit located in Northern Command was instrumental in detection of five mines and one grenade buried underground thus preventing any casualties/injuries to own troops. Also read| Come, lets play: PM Modi talks about toys in Indias Aatma Nirbhar push Sophie of Special Frontier Force (Bomb Disposal Squad), on the other hand, is an explosive detection dog that sniffed out the presence of initiator/accelerant which could have been hastily used to fabricate an IED, thereby saving lives. The Prime Minister hailed the dogs for performing their duty and also urged the people to bring home dogs of locals breeds when planning on adopting a pet. The army dog unit, fondly called The Silent Warriors, have time and again proven to be an asset for the security forces. Also read| Bring home dogs of local breeds, says PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat: Top quotes Also, to increase the operational capabilities of its troops, the army had in December last year developed an audio-video surveillance system integrated with a protective bulletproof jacket, which can be mounted stealthily on the army dogs to receive information about location and strength of enemy from a safe distance. The camera and transmitter on the gadget send the information on the receiver that can be at a safe distance up to one-km from the enemy location. The global race for a coronavirus vaccine could risk worsening the pandemic, leading scientists warn. Experts advising the World Health Organisation say that an ineffective vaccine is worse than no vaccine at all as it would make people complacent. A leading scientist at the University of Oxford also hit out at the capitalistic race to find a Covid-19 cure. Ministers announced on Friday that the UK would take emergency powers to push any vaccine through the regulatory processes. A leading scientist at the University of Oxford also hit out at the capitalistic race to find a Covid-19 cure (stock photo) Donald Trump has also said a vaccine could be available in the US before the presidential election on November 3. But experts have advised the WHO to be cautious. The Solidarity Vaccines Trial Expert Group warned: Deployment of a weakly effective vaccine could actually worsen the Covid-19 pandemic if authorities wrongly assume it causes a substantial reduction in risk, or if vaccinated individuals wrongly believe they are immune. They recommend that a vaccine should at least be 50 per cent effective to be approved. Oxford University epidemiologist Professor Sir Richard Peto added that rushing to approve a vaccine could set a poor benchmark for future vaccines. He told The Guardian: I think theres a big rush, a somewhat nationalistic rush and also somewhat capitalistic rush as well, to be absolutely first to register a vaccine, and it will actually make it more difficult to evaluate other vaccines. We do need a vaccine that works and we need it soon. But he cautioned: We really do need quite strong evidence of efficacy. He added that if a vaccine with low efficacy was approved it would set the standard that all future vaccines would be measured by Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 06:09:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A barn owl is seen in Valletta, Malta, Aug. 30, 2020. Malta's Federation for Hunting and Conservation, a federation of hunters and trappers, is in the process of releasing some six barn owls grown in captivity as part of a project. They will soon begin the process of reintroducing this species which has been missing from the Maltese Islands for over two decades. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) VALLETTA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Malta's Federation for Hunting and Conservation, a federation of hunters and trappers, is in the process of releasing some six barn owls grown in captivity as part of a project. They will soon begin the process of reintroducing this species which has been missing from the Maltese Islands for over two decades. Project manager Lucas Micallef told Xinhua that the project, the first of its kind in Malta, follows similar examples from other European countries where birds of prey are bred and then released into the wild to delay their extinction. He explained that the barn owl is considered an irregular migratory bird in Malta with only a few of them known to breed regularly on the Maltese islands. The last pair of barn owls bred in the wild dated all the way back to the 1980s, caused by their decrease in rural areas and illegal activities. Since then, many captive breeding enthusiasts, including several hunters and trappers, managed to breed and rear the barn owl in captivity, with some of them even trained for falconry activities. Micallef said the project was originally conceived in 2009, but it was only in 2018 that the Federation for Hunting and Conservation actually obtained two pairs of a sub-species that migrated to Malta. Through an accepted procedure known as hacking, the barn owls are bred and then released into the wild, with hopes that their offsprings will breed across the Maltese Islands. Micallef said the released birds will be monitored and observed by members of the federation who roam the Maltese countryside throughout the year. The barn owls are being bred at a renovated farmhouse originally built by the Knights of Malta in the 16th century. According to Micallef, in order to minimize direct contact with the birds, activities within the facility are observed on CCTV. The barn owls are fed days-old chicks and mice. "The re-establishment of the barn owl as a resident species will fill the missing ecological niche and contribute to Maltese biodiversity. The farmers should realize the real value of the barn owl in order to control the damage caused to their fields by rats and mice," explained Micallef. "It is estimated that a single barn owl family can kill about 1,300 rats and mice in a year." Another objective of this project is to educate the public on the barn owl's biological circle of life. The public will be able to observe all activities in the aviaries through a CCTV system and live-streaming facilities. "The general public's reactions, to date, towards this project, have been very positive," Micallef said, adding that many visits for schoolchildren have already been organized. Micallef said the project will be deemed successful when the first offsprings are released and they return to the facilities for feeding. This will continue until 2021 or even later this year when they become totally independent and are able to hunt food on their own. The project was partially sponsored by the government through the Wild Birds Conservation Fund. D aniel Dubois warmed up for his October showdown with Joe Joyce with a comfortable victory over Ricardo Snijders. Having not fought since December, Dubois put away Snijders in typically swift fashion, sealing victory inside two rounds to extend his record to 15-0 behind closed doors at the BT Sport studios. The 22-year-old Londoner has probably had tougher sparring sessions than the challenge put forward by the Dutchman. Dubois swarmed his opponent from the opening bell, flooring Snijders three times in the opening round - the first a shuddering hook to the body delivered right below the ribs. A fourth knockdown came early in the second round, this time via a right hook, with the referee mercifully stepping in to bring the contest to a close. Dubois and Joyce have seen their all-London heavyweight showdown postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic this year with a new date now beginning to shift into focus on October 24. In Pictures | Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce | 07/02/20 1 /16 In Pictures | Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce | 07/02/20 Getty Images PA Getty Images Getty Images PA Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images PA Joyce, who had not fought in 12 months, took a tune-up fight in late July, blasting through Michael Wallisch inside three rounds. And Dubois lived up to his side of the deal, barely breaking a sweat as he swept past Snijders, who was drafted in as a replacement for original opponent Eric Pfiefer 10 days ago. Focus will now shift to that October date at the O2 Arena for a bout that will see the winner thrust into the world title picture in 2021. Frank Warren remains hopeful boxing fans will be in attendance on the night. Spectators could return to sporting events across England on October 1 should test events continue to prove successful. Earlier on the card, Croydon's Sunny Edwards turned in an excellent performance to defend his IBF international super-flyweight title against Thomas Essomba. Edwards' superb footwork and sharp counter punching saw him ease to a comfortable unanimous points win to move him closer to a world title shot. Scottish sensation Willy Hutchinson blasted through Ben Thomas inside one round to extend his record to 11-0 with Sam Maxwell securing an unanimous decision win over Joe Hughes in a thrilling super-lightweight contest. Another London heavyweight David Adeleye also impressed on the bill, extending his professional record to 3-0 after breaking down the durable Phil Williams in the third round. (Newser) Over 300 rioters hit the streets in Sweden on Friday night after far-right activists publicly burned a copy of the Quran, the Guardian reports. The unrest erupted in Malmo after a right-wing Danish politician was barred from entering the country for an anti-Muslim rally. His supporters responded by burning the holy book, triggering riots that included burning tires, stones thrown at police, several injured officers, and a handful of arrests. Al Jazeera reports that the politician, Rasmus Paludan, responded with angry message on Facebook: "Sent back and banned from Sweden for two years," he wrote. "However, rapists and murderers are always welcome!" story continues below Spectators of the riots included Arabs and Muslims who opposed the rioting. "A maximum of five of them are Muslim," a young onlooker told the Guardian. "You know why? Because a real Muslim doesn't do this." Police later tried to dispel the notion that they had allowed people to burn the Quran, saying three suspects were collared for alleged hate crimes soon after video of the incident hit the Internet. But a rioter saw it differently during the overnight face-off against armored officers: "They're violating our civil rights by letting other people burn the Quran that we believe in and now we have to show that they can't do that," he shouted in a London accent. The violence had died down by Saturday morning. (Read more Sweden stories.) BBC presenter and breast cancer survivor Lauren Mahon has spoken candidly about dating with the disease, revealing her late co-host Rachael Bland left instructions to the team to 'make sure she gets a fella' before she died in 2018. Instagram star Lauren Mahon, 35, from London, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2016, aged 31, and is a presenter on BBC Radio 5's You, Me & The Big C podcast. Speaking to The Telegraph, Lauren said Rachael left instructions for the team, revealing: 'She said to everyone: "Make sure Lauren gets a fella, she has been single long enough and she deserves to be loved."' Lauren said that dating since her diagnosis hasn't been straightforward, because she is seeking a partner who is willing to go through IVF treatment with her by using eggs she froze before chemotherapy, revealing: 'Its going to be a little bit more complex [for me to have a baby], so its just finding someone whos willing to go through that. If my cancer diagnosis is too much to handle, you can f*** off.' BBC presenter and breast cancer survivor Lauren Mahon, 35, from London, has spoken candidly about dating with the disease, revealing her late co-host Rachael Bland left instructions to the team to 'make sure she gets a fella' before she died in 2018 In May 2016 she discovered a mass in her breast but ignored it for a few weeks in the hope that it would go away. While at Glastonbury festival she asked her friend to touch it and they said she should go to the doctors to have it looked over. The doctors discovered she had a 1inch (2.8cm) long tumour and stage three cancer and they advised she begin treatment straight away to fight it. The former social media manager said she was shocked by the diagnosis, believing the disease normally only affected people in their 60s or people with 'normal boobs' - not people who are flat-chested 'like her'. Lauren Mahon (centre) pictured with co-hosts of BBC podcast You, Me and the Big C Deborah James (left) and the late Rachael Bland (right) who passed away in 2018 from breast cancer As well as having to process the fact she had cancer, doctors also told her the nine months worth of treatment would leave her infertile. After the grueling procedures, which included several rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and an operation, she was given the all-clear in May 2017. Off the back of her experiences, she set up a social media campaign using the hashtag #GirlsvsCancer which encouraged other women to share their stories. As it grew in popularity, the BBC approached her in 2018 to see if she would be interested in being a co-host on the You, Me and the Big C podast, where she met Rachael Bland, who had breast cancer, and 'Bowel babe' Deborah James, who had bowel cancer. In May 2016 Lauren discovered a mass in her breast but ignored it for a few weeks in the hope that it would go away, but it didn't (pictured during her gruelling treatment which lasted nine months) While recording the podcast Bland's health deteriorated rapidly and she died after six months of it launching - at just 40 years old. Eight most common signs of breast cancer A change in size or shape A lump or area that feels thicker than the rest of the breast A change in skin texture such as puckering or dimpling (like the skin of an orange) A redness or rash on the skin and/or around the nipple Your nipple has become pulled in or looks different, for example changed its position or shape Liquid that comes from the nipple without squeezing Pain in your breast or your armpit thats there all or almost all of the time A swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone Advertisement She left behind her young son Freddie, now five, and husband Steve, 40, who has since found love with NHS worker Amy. The pair met late last year at a cancer conference in Manchester. Speaking about her friend's death, Lauren said she looked her 'worst fear of dying in the face' and admitted she thought her fellow presenter had months to live, rather than just weeks. Before her death, Rachael gave instructions for the people she was leaving behind, including her podcast team. She said Lauren had been single 'long enough' and that she 'deserves to be loved', encouraging them to 'make sure she finds a fella'. Before she had cancer, Lauren admitted she was having 'a lot of sex' and partied the same as most people in their 30s. But dating since her diagnosis hasn't always been as easy for Lauren. Faced with the possibility of becoming infertile, she was forced to freeze her eggs and now has to go through IVF if she wants to have a baby. Now she hopes to find a man who is willing to go through the often upsetting process in order to have children with her. The BBC presenter went on to recall menopause as a gruelling experience with hot flashes, depression, mood swings, exhaustion and brain fog. She said the worst thing was her libido disappeared, leaving her 'so mortified' and 'depressed about it all.' Doctors ended up recommending that she come off some of the hormone-surpressing drugs she was taking, which Lauren said has left her 'terrified' of her cancer returning. She has now made it her mission to not only speak out about her experiences with cancer but also to normalise going through early menopause. Vince Cables dangerous friendship with the erratic peer Matthew Oakeshott might cause him more trouble today. While the wealthy Lord Oakeshott was plotting to oust Nick Clegg from the Lib Dem leadership, for which he has now resigned from the party, in April he paid for an opinion poll in Cables Twickenham constituency on his election prospects. This will have cost him thousands of pounds. Questions may now be asked about whether it constitutes a gift, because if it does, surely Cable ought to have declared it in the Register of Members Interests? The updated register has just been published, containing any new entries declared up until Monday of this week. Vince Cables entry has just one item, a publishers advance of up to 20,000 for a forthcoming book. Not a word about his old friends largesse. It will take the fine legal mind a parliamentary clerk to decide whether the Business Secretary has observed the rules of the House of Commons. Nicks number is up There used to be two classes in this nation: the few who know Nick Robinsons private mobile phone number, and the many who do not until lunchtime today, when our bespectacled hero had a DM disaster and broadcast his private number on Twitter. Now the select few who had Nick Robinsons phone number are no better off than the rest of the population, because he is not answering it any more. It is a classic example of that old maxim that whats everybodys is nobodys. National Hunt Service Ive taken blood pressures in Guildford, Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, has told the NHS Confederation annual conference in Liverpool. Ive dressed wounds in Leeds, I cleaned commodes in Harrogate. Its funny what tasks nurses think of to give you when they know the Health Secretary is working. A couple of weeks ago I shaved a man in Lincoln Hospital. A very brave man indeed. If you see a man in Lincoln with half a moustache thats probably [the work of] the Health Secretary. If there was ever an incentive to keep well and stay out of hospital that is surely it. Curious and curiouser The day of the Queens Speech ended with a curious exchange that hinted at more than it actually said. It began with Sir Peter Bottomley, a long-serving and mildly eccentric Tory MP, reading out an apology published last month in a specialist housing magazine. The magazine had wrongly identified the property tycoon Vincent Tchenguiz as the boss of the vast property group Perevel which went into administration in 2011 amid a welter of allegations about hiked-up maintenance and service charges. Perevel runs 190,000 homes, including 59,000 retirement flats. It was owned by the Tchenguiz family trust, of which Vincent Tchenguiz is a beneficiary, but Vincent Tchenguiz never had any day-to-day involvement in the management of Perevel. Sir Peters speech was interrupted by the Labour MP Stephen Pound, who suggested that MPs should be made aware of the gigantic sums of money that the Tchenguiz family give to the Conservative party. That is true, Sir Peter replied. I had not intended to make this speech against the Tchenguiz family. I want to spell out what is happening, and if members of the Tchenguiz family say that by getting a newspaper to produce a paragraph their hands are clean, by all means discuss that in public. All I am trying to say is that leaseholders deserve protection. Very strange. The first suspect arrested in the case, which so far involves a total of nine suspects, was taken into custody earlier as he attempted to flee Egypt The Egyptian Public Prosecution said on Sunday that it has ordered the detention of a suspect pending an investigation into a gang rape that allegedly took place at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo in 2014. The defendant, Omar Hafez, was arrested on 28 August and informed about the allegations against him, the prosecution said in a statement. The incident, which allegedly took place in August 2014, gained attention on social media last July after an anonymous Instagram account accused a group of young men of being involved in a gang rape following a dance party at the luxurious hotel. Seven defendants in the case left the country via Cairo International Airport in July, days after the alleged crime went viral on social media, according to a previous statement by the prosecution. Lebanese authorities say they have arrested three Egyptians who are wanted in Egypt in connection with the case, and that two of the other suspects have fled Lebanon. Another defendant in the case, Amir Zayed, was arrested earlier as he attempted to flee Egypt and is being detained pending investigation. The case so far involves a total of nine suspects. The whereabouts of the remaining suspects are currently unknown. The suspects in the case, which has gained widespread attention on social media over the past two months, reportedly hail from affluent and powerful families in Egypt. The alleged rape has been under investigation by Egyptian authorities since 4 August, when a complaint about the incident was filed with the country's prosecutor-general. The complaint was first sent to the National Council of Women (NCW) by a woman alleging she was raped by several people at the luxurious Fairmont Hotel in Cairo six years ago. The victim and a number of witnesses have been questioned by the prosecution, the prosecution said on 24 August. Lately, Egypt has been cracking down on sex crimes, arresting suspects who include men accused on social media of being sexual predators, one of the most recent being alleged serial rapist Ahmed Bassam Zaki. In July, Egypts cabinet approved a bill proposed by the justice ministry to keep the identity of sex crime victims confidential. According to the law, the identities of the victims of sexual crimes are not to be publicly disclosed, and can only be revealed to the court and to defendants upon request. Search Keywords: Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:05:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total fines imposed in Israel for violating coronavirus regulations reached more than 99.2 million new shekels (over 29.5 million U.S. dollars), Israel's Law Enforcement and Collection System Authority said on Sunday. The total amount was imposed in 196,319 COVID-19 police reports issued in Israel since the pandemic outbreak at late February. According to the data, only 17.7 percent of the total amount has been paid so far, which is about 17.6 million new shekels (5.2 million dollars). These fines were mainly imposed for not wearing a mask, violating quarantine obligations and closures, and breaching restrictions for running a business. To date, 113,648 coronavirus cases have been detected in Israel, of which 20,151 are active, according to the Ministry of Health. The number of death cases reached 909, while the number of patients in serious condition stands at 441. Enditem By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Over 26,000 students will appear for Telangana State Engineering Common Entrance Test (TS-ECET) on Monday (August 31). Arrangements for the conduct of exams are being made by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTU-H) on behalf of the Telangana State Council for Higher Education. The exam will be held at 56 test centres that include 52 in Telangana and four in Andhra Pradesh, said Convenor M Manjur Hussain. The exam is to be held in two sessions Session one from 9 am to noon and Session two from 3 pm to 6 pm. Candidates can carry a water bottle, sanitiser, mask, and gloves. The arrangement is in place to make sure that COVID-19 social distancing protocol is followed. According to JNTU-H, over 28,000 candidates applied for the exam this year. Of these, over 26,000 downloaded their hall tickets to appear for the exam. For downloading TS ECET hall ticket, candidates have to enter their registration number, qualifying exam hall ticket number and date of birth. Meanwhile, some students are still requesting the State government to postpone the exam. "Please postpone ECET. There is no time. I dont want to attend the exam in this pandemic situation," a student wrote on Twitter by tagging the Chief Ministers Offices official Twitter account. This apart, some non-native students, who have migrated to their States are also having issues. "I am from Hyderabad. But, stuck in Bihar. I may not be able to write the exam without your help," wrote Abdul Majed, seeking the help of government officials on Twitter. David Nasser, Liberty Universitys campus pastor, extended what he called a personal apology to the schools student body Wednesday for the sinful behavior of ousted former president Jerry Falwell Jr. I am sorry, Nasser, a senior vice president who has led spiritual programs at the religious institution for the last six years, said. In my opinion, you as a Liberty student deserve better. And the embarrassment that's been brought upon you as a Liberty student, and more importantly brought upon the name of Christ, is wrong. I know that many of you are hurting and that breaks my heart, he added. Your concerns if you're concerned are valid. If you're not concerned, you should be concerned. Nassers comments, which came during the first campus-wide worship service of the academic year, represents the first and only public rebuke of Falwell by a current Liberty official since the scandal-plagued evangelical leader submitted his resignation late Monday night. Falwell, who had been on an indefinite leave of absence since Aug. 7 when he resigned, stepped down after a former business partner alleged he had a yearslong affair with him and his wife, Becki Falwell a claim the Falwells dispute. In about an hourlong sermon delivered at Libertys Williams Stadium before hundreds of students, Nasser said those concerned about Falwells alleged actions are right to want to see stern and swift accountable action for sinful behavior. But he stressed that any accountability must be paired with extravagant grace and forgiveness. It's okay to call sin, sin, he said. You know why? Because it is the only way to actually start to deal with it. It is not love to simply stay in the dark, and not call shameful what God calls shameful. And if we're not willing to stand on that truth, then what in the world are we calling ourselves Christians for in the first place? Falwell has repeatedly denied allegations of wrongdoing during his tenure. In a brief interview Thursday, he disputed the suggestion that he had sinned. "I called Nasser and asked him exactly what sin I committed," Falwell said. "He couldn't and wouldn't answer. He just hung up and now won't answer." A Liberty spokesperson did not immediately return a request to interview Nasser. Wednesdays evening outdoor worship service, known as Campus Community, was the first large gathering of students since the fall semester began earlier this week amid the still-raging coronavirus pandemic. In a video of the event, the vast majority of the students in the audience could be seen wearing face masks and spaced out at least a few feet from one another. A university spokesperson declined Wednesday to discuss coronavirus-related precautions at the school. At one point in his remarks, Nasser recounted the departures of several Black staff members who resigned in protest this summer after Falwell posted a tweet invoking Gov. Ralph Northams blackface scandal to mock coronavirus-related restrictions. The tweet, posted in late May, included a racist image of a person in blackface standing next to a person in a Klu Klux Klan robe printed on a face mask in an apparent effort to ridicule Northams statewide mask mandate. Falwell later apologized for the tweet after facing stiff backlash and after several prominent Black student-athletes and faculty members left the school. Nasser said one now-former staffer told him that he felt he could no longer be associated with Liberty after seeing the controversial tweet. I asked him to reconsider, Nasser said. But after he said no, I also told him that I love him, and that I understood and respected his choice. I believe that he was being obedient to what God was calling him to do personally. Nassers sermon, which was live streamed to more than 30,000 viewers, was well received by the larger Liberty community, even among longtime critics of the schools leadership. Thank you @davidnasser for apologizing to Liberty students tonight, Save71, a group of four former Liberty students who had lobbied the school to permanently terminate Falwell, said on Twitter. Many more of Libertys leaders need to do the same. Saying you are sorry is the first of many necessary steps, and we are glad you took it. Save71 and other former students have criticized Nasser in the past for actions they argued enabled Falwells behavior. For years, students and others affiliated with the university have called on Nasser to publicly and directly speak out against Falwells previous scandals. Earlier in the day, Jonathan Falwell, Jerry Falwell Jr.'s brother and the senior pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church, delivered his own live-streamed sermon to Liberty students. In a passing reference to his brother's resignation, the younger Falwell acknowledged the challenges students now face, including taking classes during a pandemic and confronting "uncertainty because of change within, even our own campus." Nasser, in his apology to students, attempted to make clear to his audience that he believed the university is not defined by its relationship to the former president. To make his point, he turned to a phrase often used by the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. Liberty is more than a college. We are God's college, Nasser said. And as our founder always said, If it's Christian, it ought to be better. Certainly better than this. From the archives: The Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. Here's a selection of News & Advance archive photos spanning nearly 50 years in the life of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., founder of Liberty University. Hang made the statement while answering reporters queries about PM Abe Shinzos declaration to resign on August 28. PM Abe Shinzo has been trusted by the Japanese people for years, she said, adding that he is a leader who has made many contributions to the development of Japan and the promotion of cooperation in different fields in the region and the world. Vietnam wishes PM Abe Shinzo good health and happiness and continuing to make important contributions to the development of Japan as well as the cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and Japan, the spokeswoman said. You mightn't believe me, but this happened: by attending the corporate box at a rugby game, a man with no experience in the insurance game was appointed as the chief executive of a major Australian insurer. And, with a reference from a radio shock jock, a man with no experience in the motor vehicle repair industry was appointed as chief executive of a large motoring service. You'd better believe me. These things happened. And they're still prone to happen in corporate Australia, where mates appoint mates to boards. It's at the heart of a sickness in our corporate culture that deprives our company boards of true diversity and independence. Roadside assistance? Some help is needed for Australia's outdated corporate culture. Credit:Elesa Kurtz But let me take you back to early December 1990. Jane Singleton and I had just become the first new directors elected to the board of the NRMA since World War II, other than a director who'd been due to retire but was re-nominated. I caught the train into the city from West Ryde for my first NRMA board meeting. Being the new kid on the block, I thought I should arrive a bit early. I got out of the lift to find I'd arrived right in the middle of the long-established pre-board meeting cocktail party. Looking a little lost, a kindly waiter wearing bow tie and cummerbund took me over to meet old Jim Millner, who was NRMA president and chairman of both Washington H Soul Pattinson and Brickworks Limited. The NRMA had the largest shareholdings in both companies next to those of Jim's family. A great voting bloc to have at any annual general meeting. One of the country's most respected asset managers has criticised investment groups that have jumped on the ethical bandwagon offering portfolio services and funds that do not fit the bill. Alan Miller, co-founder of wealth manager SCM Direct, accuses them of labelling products as 'socially responsible' when a big chunk of their underlying holdings are anything but. He says buyers of such services, typically labelled as ESG Environmental, Social and corporate Governance are being cheated. He told The Mail on Sunday: 'If an investor buys an ESG fund or portfolio service or for that matter an ethical fund they have a right to expect that all the assets held within it were selected for their ethical and socially responsible attributes. Sadly, this is not the case.' 'Socially responsible': Investment groups that have jumped on the ethical bandwagon offering portfolio services and funds that do not fit the bill Research conducted by SCM Direct shows that some products have more than 50 per cent of their assets in non-ESG securities or funds. Socially responsible investing has become one of the most popular ways of getting into the stock market in recent years, as investors become more aware of the impact businesses can have on global issues such as climate change, pollution, fair pay and employment rights. In theory, only companies that strive for best practice be it in products or services they offer or the way they treat employees or suppliers make the ESG grade. Some 25billion is now invested in such funds in the UK and financial advisers have seen a rise in demand from clients wanting their money to be invested this way. Wealth manager Nutmeg says one in five investors is now considering socially responsible investing while a third said they would stop investing in a firm if it was not adopting sound ESG principles even if it meant forgoing higher returns. Investor interest has spawned a splurge of new funds and portfolio management services with various labels 'ethical', 'socially responsible', 'sustainable' and they often come with higher fees than traditional investment products. Late last year, Miller published a hard-hitting report into the industry, saying many investors were being taken for a ride. 'Whether it's deliberate or accidental,' he said, 'clients who wish to satisfy their twin goals of investment return and having regard for the planet and society are being taken advantage of.' Stating that many managers were doing no more than 'green-washing' marketing funds as eco-friendly when in fact they weren't he called upon the City regulator to conduct an 'urgent review'. This time around, he has investigated the growth in ESG portfolio management services provided by many leading investment houses and 'robo' advisers which select funds using algorithms and are bought directly by investors. The portfolio services are commonly used by financial advisers dealing with clients who want all their investments managed in an ethical or ESG-friendly way. Money is allocated across a range of investment funds with an ESG slant. His research indicates that in some instances, such portfolios are 'stuffed full of plain vanilla funds that do not appear to have any ESG tilt or bias'. He says: 'In any other field apart from fund management, the providers of such services would be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act. But thanks to a regulator that turns a blind eye to virtually any form of unethical behaviour, these companies will never face a fine or reprimand.' The biggest issue, says Miller, centres on ESG portfolios offered to investors who do not want to take too much risk with their wealth. Often labelled 'cautious' or 'conservative', these portfolios have a concentration of assets in bonds rather than shares. But rather than invest in 'green' bonds, 'social impact' bonds or corporate bonds with ESG credentials, some invest in basic UK or US government bonds. Such government bonds, says Miller, may well be used to raise money for positive activities, such as healthcare and education, but they also provide funds to be spent on arms a no-no for most ethical investors. On that basis alone, he says their inclusion in an ESG portfolio is indefensible. The SCM Direct Ethical ESG Portfolio does not invest in government bonds. Miller adds: 'Governments worldwide are involved in many activities that ESG managers would automatically screen out if choosing appropriate equities and bonds to invest in. Typically, they exclude defence stocks, companies involved in alcohol, tobacco, gambling and the nuclear industry. 'Yet governments routinely finance military activities, receive large amounts of their income via taxes on tobacco, alcohol and gambling and often operate nuclear power plants. So, it cannot be right as an ESG manager to include government bonds in a portfolio.' Miller is not a lone voice. Adrian Lowcock, a chartered financial planner with investment platform Willis Owen, says he 'struggles to see how a socially responsible investment fund can invest in US or UK government bonds'. He adds: 'These bonds raise money for the government to spend and the investor has no choice as to how the money is allocated. So if 10 per cent of government spending goes on defence, then 10 per cent of an investor's money is being used to support this. The nature of government means the bonds they issue cannot meet socially responsible investing targets.' The box above shows a number of funds or portfolio services where exposure to such government bonds exceeds 20 per cent. It includes responses from providers as to why such bonds are held. Miller calls these 'intellectually disrespectful and duplicitous', adding: 'Investors expect all investments in an ethical portfolio to be selected on ethical or ESG criteria.' Ethical funds that invest in government bonds, he says, should be appropriately labelled for example ESG Tilted or ESG Lite. On Friday, the Financial Conduct Authority said it had its 'eye' on the appropriate labelling of ethical funds and portfolio services. Photo: The Canadian Press The Province announced a plan on Friday towards the conservation and stewardship of B.C.s wildlife, with a governing council to oversee the strategy. The Together for Wildlife strategy plans to utilize diverse perspectives together to lead the Province in making sound decisions for wildlife stewardship. The provinces strategy focuses as climate change and cumulative effects are increasingly putting pressure on wildlife populations and their habitats. Hoping to link wildlife and habitat values to other stewardship initiatives and programs across government. For many of us, the simple existence of wildlife is important, a fundamental value, Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said in a press release. Our rich natural diversity is inextricably linked to our way of life. We need to ensure that wildlife and their habitats are resilient as we face challenges like climate change. Back in 2018, the government provided $1 million to support engagement to develop the strategy and $3 million in 2019 for continued engagement and early implementation of actions. Now in 2020, $10 million is going towards the strategys ongoing implementation. The province outlines that the strategy will be the basis of the government's actions toward wildlife. Five goals are the focus for the principles, including: All British Columbians have a voice in wildlife stewardship. Data, information and knowledge drive better decisions. Stewardship actions achieve tangible benefits for wildlife and their habitats. Accountability and transparency build trust and confidence. Collaborative wildlife stewardship advances reconciliation with Indigenous governments. Indigenous peoples worked in collaboration to help develop the strategy. Input was also collected from over 1,400 members of the public, rural communities, academic institutions and a wide range of resource industry, conservation, hunter, trapper, guide, recreation and tourism stakeholder organizations. A wildlife advisory council has been formed to oversee implementation of the strategy. The council will advise the minister on provincewide wildlife and habitat issues. For more information on the Together for Wildlife strategy, visit the government website. TCN News Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has expressed serious concern over the deepening economic crisis in the country following Covid-19 pandemic. JIH stated this in its resolution passed this week. Support TwoCircles At Jamaats Markazi Majlis-e-Shoora (Central Advisory Council) virtual conference that was held this week, JIH vice-president Engineer Mohammad Saleem discussed that the sudden lockdown, without giving any time to people for its preparation, not only rendered crores of people losing their jobs but also resulted in unprecedented reverse migration from cities to villages, deprivation of food that resulted in deaths of thousands of people across the country. He stated that such large scale mismanagement by the government not only resulted in GDP of the country sinking too low but also the virus spreading to rural areas as the lockdown compelled lakhs of people belonging to the labour class migrate from cities to their villages. Instead of slogans, the government should initiate concrete action by taking people of all hues and colour, without discrimination into confidence to revive the economy, he appealed. Continuing with the details of rising joblessness in the country, Salim said that the prevailing gravity of the situation demands that the Government, instead of covering its failures with various designs should concentrate on making the situation of the country better. He has also pointed in the Shoora conference that the Union and State governments must join hands to fight corruption and anti-people economic policies that have greatly affected the countrys economic and health care system in countering the pandemic and its devastating effects. As remedial steps, he advised the government to take sincere steps to purge the country of corruption, review the economic policies, check privatization of national resources, keep health and education sectors away from commercialization and allocate adequate funds for public welfare and employment. If the country is standing at the threshold of economic crisis, on one hand, it is badly in the grip of political turmoil on the other, resonated Salim. He then discussed the incarceration of anti-CAA protestors, coming down heavily on the BJP partys policies, iterating that suppression of freedom of expression and freedom to dissent were posing a serious threat to democratic institutions in the country. He questioned the treatment of minorities, targeting activists and hounding senior lawyers of the Supreme Court for exercising their freedom of expression. It also urged the Central government to protect the democratic environment in the country by allowing the right to dissent which is a basic tenet of every democracy. JIH virtual conference also detailed the weaknesses of the New Education Policy, appealing the Muslims to plan for their educational and economic advancement with new ideas and thought and make good use of the possibilities present in the NEP. Another significant issue covered in the meeting was the media trial of the Tablighi Jamaat controversy where JIH dignitaries criticized the role of a section media in poisoning the social atmosphere in the country through its baseless news stories, articles and broadcasts. It said that hateful messages in media and social media and more importantly the silence of the government and sometimes, its patronisation, have generated an atmosphere of hate among the members of the majority community against the minorities, particularly Muslims. Drawing further attention to the anti-Muslim sentiments around the world, JIH meeting stated that hate and misleading propaganda of the fascist elements in the country against Muslims was nothing new, noting that the situation has become more serious with the current trend of communalism and fascism. JIH outlined that Indian Muslims must fight this dangerous virus of hate and fascism by providing service to humanity and promoting Islamic values and ethics which was practically presented by the Muslims during the COVID pandemic all across the country. He highlighted that during the pandemic, Muslim NGOs and organizations, including Jamaat e Islami and several others all over the country helped the needy and grief-stricken people, irrespective of their religion and faith. He advised Muslims to continue their struggle onto the path of service and with patience and fortitude, enthusiasm and steadfastness, keeping in view all necessary requirements of the laws of the country. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told ABC's "This Week" that "all options continue to be on the table" in terms of sending federal law enforcement into Portland to quell violent protests. Why it matters: Tensions in Portland reached new heights after a person was killed on Saturday night during clashes between protesters and Trump supporters. Wolf could not share more details on the incident because the investigation is ongoing, but he called on local officials to allow federal law enforcement to step in. Between the lines: Protesters in Portland repeatedly clashed with federal law enforcement officials earlier this summer, when the Department of Homeland Security deployed agents to protect the city's federal courthouse before beginning to phase them out in late July. On Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler sent President Trump a letter rejecting his offer of federal assistance. What he's saying: "I do understand that there were a number of counterprotests and countergroups in Portland overnight, and I think this points to a larger issue that we have seen in Portland for the last three months," Wolf said. "And that is local and state officials not allowing law enforcement to do their job and really to bring this violent activity night after night after night to a close." Illinois election authorities are confronting higher levels of pushback from polling sites wary of hosting this year because of concerns and closures related to COVID-19. With early voting scheduled to begin Oct. 19, and the deadline to finalize sites set for early September, election administrators dont have much time left. Its been difficult, McHenry County Clerk Joseph Tirio said. We have received word from a number of locations -- and that changes from day to day -- that no longer wish to participate. Election authorities can order public buildings or schools in their jurisdiction to host early or Election Day voting, according to state law. Privately-owned sites, however, have more say in whether or not to participate in the election -- and many are choosing to withdraw from earlier agreements, primarily because of coronavirus-related health concerns, closures or lack of adequate spacing to accommodate social distancing. Theres always a lot of effort that goes into acquiring voting locations and so this year its just an even more intense process than usual, said Adam Johnson, chief deputy of the DuPage County clerks office. Cook County has already unveiled many of its early voting sites for the general election. A large number are schools or public buildings but the process still required a little bit more work and foreplanning, said John Mirkovic, the countys deputy clerk of policy and communications. Sometimes we just remind people of that obligation to the taxpayers, Mirkovic said. But if its a private entity, like a church, its certainly their right not to be a polling place. The pandemic struck during a nationwide push for more polling places and expanded vote by mail options to reduce in-person voting traffic. Some Illinois counties had planned for and are actively seeking more voting sites than usual, which has required more effort from election authorities seeking places that are willing and expect to remain open despite COVID-19 concerns. One focal point has been schools, many of which are required to stay accessible and have enough space to allow for social distancing. But some havent been as available as they were during the primary election. The College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn served as an early voting site during the states primary election earlier this year. It was approached again for the general election, but this time college officials turned down the request, citing COVID-19 concerns. College of DuPage gladly served as an early voting location in the primary election and was approached for the Nov. 3 election, a statement from the college said. Because the college is officially closed to the public during the global pandemic, COD is continuing to refrain from external rental requests. The college takes its role as a resource for the community very seriously and we look forward to a time when we can welcome the full COD community and valued guests back to campus. The community college isnt the only site choosing not to participate this year. In Will County, officials from some early voting locales have been raising concerns about health protection and safety supplies, according to Charles Pelkie, chief of staff for the Will County clerks office. Everyones asking good questions, Pelkie said, adding that Will County has lost two of about 25 early voting sites because of COVID-19. He expects both to come back on board after the pandemic ends. While early voting has presented its own concerns, for some counties, the challenge of finalizing sites could be more pronounced in the weeks leading up to Election Day. In Lake County, early voting sites havent been as difficult to solidify as those for Election Day, said Todd Govain, chief deputy for the county clerks office. Election Day was a bit different because we had a range of polling places that are privately owned or senior centers, Govain said. So we knew we were going to have to move those polling places to different locations. Cook County, too, has had to be more proactive with certain locations, such as nursing homes and senior buildings. County election officials said they can normally count on sites from the primary to be there for the general election, but that hasnt been the case this year. We may not have contacted them as early as in a normal year, Mirkovic said. So (were) just really starting with, Hey are you with us, hey are you still with us, what are your concerns? Just starting from there and building it from scratch. To prevent any complications, election officials are urging voters to double-check polling sites this year before going to vote. The need for polling places may not be as dire this year given mail-in voting, which is expected to reach record highs. But that method, too, has been scrutinized in recent weeks after President Donald Trump acknowledged he wants to block funds to the U.S. Postal Service to slow down the expected surge of voting by mail. This is probably the most politically charged election that weve ever had, Tirio, of McHenry County, said. And then add to that the pandemic and the things were going to try to do to keep people safe and increase vote by mail -- a dramatic increase in vote by mail. I think I speak for all clerks that this is unlike anything weve ever been subject to; were in uncharted waters in a number of ways. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Nanono, has revealed that the federal government has resolved to inject over N600 billion as a stimulus response into the agriculture sector, targetting small scale farmers, to ensure food security and sustainability. This was disclosed in a statement, on Sunday, by Theodore Ogaziechi, the director of information in the agriculture ministry. The minister stated this while on a weekend tour of Dangote Fertilizer Plant. Mr Nanono also had a crucial meeting with other fertilizer companies in Lagos State seeking their cooperation for food production. According to him, the well over N600 billion stimulus-response. which targets farmers nationwide, will take off with an initial 2.4 million farmers. To avoid the abuse of government funds and good intentions, the support will be in kind in form of inputs and not cash as was the practice in the past. The forceful closure of all International borders, necessitated by the COVID-19 Pandemic, has made it evident that Nigeria can conveniently and sustainably feed itself, he said. The minister had commenced his tour with a courtesy call on the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, where he pledged to support the states farming communities with rural roads, solar lighting and water holes so as to encourage and empower them to increase productivity. He also promised to collaborate with the Lagos State Government in the fishing sector in order to tap the potential of its marine endowments so as to drastically reduce the importation of fish in the country. In his response, Mr Sanwo-Olu, who received the minister in the company of his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, and other state officials, promised to collaborate with the federal government not only in the fishing sector but also other areas. Mr Sanwo-Olu, while recognising agriculture as a critical component of development, stated that he will complement the FGs effort when he completes his project, the largest rice mill in Nigeria with a capacity to mill approximately 30 million Metric Tons of rice per annum. This will help Nigeria focus more on exportation of rice and downward review of prices at the retail market, he said. According to him, Lagos State is presumably the largest retail market for agricultural products as well as the largest enabler in the industry with Dangote Fertilizer Plant being cited in its domain. In another engagement over dinner, Mr Nanono and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Abdulkadir Muazu, had interacted with agro-input dealers in Lagos to discuss quality, affordability and availability of fertiliser in the country. Dangote Group and other fertilizer blending companies, Premium Agro Limited, Elephant Group and Kewalram Group, stated that raw materials for fertiliser blending, most especially ammonium phosphate, is the major challenge facing them. Meanwhile, the Dangote Group is considering the exploration of local sources for the raw materials which they are hopeful and confident that once the domestic source is remedied, the problem of fertiliser shortfall will become history in the country. Overwhelmed with this revelation, Mr Nanono said that with the impressive strategies initiated by the Dangote Group, the outcome will change the narrative of agriculture, food production/fertilizer availability and the nations economy for good before the end of 2020. A 13-year-old boy was struck and killed by a boat in the shallows of Henry Hagg Lake late Friday afternoon, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said. The teen was playing with his two younger brothers, witnesses told the sheriffs office, when a 19-foot fiberglass ski boat slammed into him at a high speed in a no-wake zone. Authorities arrested Hector Miranda-Bernal, 21, of Aloha who was charged with second-degree manslaughter, operating a boat under the influence of intoxicants and recklessly endangering another person. The boy who was hit was seriously injured when deputies arrived at the scene after several people called 911 to report the incident. He was pronounced dead by paramedics aboard a Life Flight. Authorities did not release the boys name. -- Eder Campuzano | 503-221-4344 | @edercampuzano | Eder on Facebook Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Diving beneath the ocean, Russell Hosp swims towards the limestone bed of the Great Barrier Reef, where he reattaches bits of blue staghorn coral. With tourists gone, he is filling the void with this small act of conservation, which takes his mind off the uncertain future on land. It was a bit surreal, Hosp, a reef guide, says of spending hours at sea unaccompanied by the usual enthusiastic visitors. Aboard the quiet catamaran, he says, he realised just how much the coronavirus had changed the world. The pandemic has fast-forwarded a looming reckoning for the tropical city of Cairns, the main gateway to the reef and the base for Hosp and many others whose livelihoods depend on it. Tour operators there were already fighting a perception that the reef is in its death throes, as warming waters cause repeated mass bleaching that has robbed many corals of their vivid colours. But where climate change has been more of a creeping threat to the reefs survival, and thus to Cairns tourism lifeblood, the coronavirus has delivered a hammer blow. Now this city, so linked with the natural wonder just off its shore that it can scarcely imagine life without the visitors who come in droves, has been forced to confront the prospect that it can no longer depend on tourists. Recommended Record bleaching of Great Barrier Reef due to climate change Foreign and local travellers, already deterred by last summers devastating bush fires and now locked out by Australias international and domestic travel bans, have all but vanished, and a 3.6bn industry built around the worlds largest living structure has ground to a near halt. The sudden disappearance of visitors feels all the more unreal because the virus itself has barely touched Cairns: the city of 150,000 people in far northeastern Australia has recorded only a couple of dozen cases and currently has none. But there is no escaping the reach of the pandemic. Wed never stopped running before the global financial crisis, terrorism attacks, airline strikes; you name it, the world has thrown it at us, Hosp says. We dont know if well ever get back to normal. Esplanade at dusk in Cairns, Queensland, Australia (Getty/iStock) In Cairns, visitors who usually cram the jetty every morning as they wait to pile onto boats have dwindled from the thousands to a few hundred, leaving operators out of work, boats moored at the dock, and some hotels and restaurants shuttered. Storefronts on the main drag are for lease, and the esplanade, usually heaving with tourists at dusk, looks like something out of a sleepy beach town. Its been so quiet, says Heather Forbes, a Cairns resident, adding that because the city had been dependent on tourism for so long, it is difficult to know how to diversify its economy. I dont think anywhere should be solely dependent on one thing, she says. It might seem that there is a silver lining in all this, that the exodus of tourists would be a boon for the health of a reef in critical condition. But while the abrupt absence of visiting crowds has had surprising effects in other places monkeys overrunning a city in Thailand, deer wandering cities in Japan looking for food the environmental impact of tourism on the reef is negligible, scientists say, especially when compared with climate change. Colorful corals in shallow water at the Great Barrier Reef (Getty/iStock) The reduction in international travel, and therefore planet-warming emissions, has created only a short-term benefit. The infrastructure of fossil fuels wasnt affected, says professor Terry Hughes, a global expert on coral reefs at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. In the end, a prolonged downturn in visits to the reef could actually be detrimental to its wellbeing. Tourism provides a social and economic rationale for why the reef needs to be better protected, Hughes says. In other pockets of Cairns there is a sense of relief at having made a lucky escape from the threat of infection The situation has prompted the Cairns region to look more critically at its dependence on international travellers, especially those from China, who make up a large portion of reef visitors. China and Australia are engaged in an increasingly bitter diplomatic tug of war that could keep Chinese travellers away even after the borders are reopened. Were realising that we cant rely on China, says Samantha Davidson, a travel consultant at the Reef Info Visitor Centre. Its good, she adds, because its sending a message to those closer to home: Hey, come and see us. As recent flare ups of the coronavirus have closed state borders within Australia, some people have taken the opportunity to explore their own (very large) backyards. We were supposed to be in Hawaii, but we said we still wanted to take a trip somewhere warm, Alicia Dean says as she lounges in a sarong on the deck of a boat heading out to the reef. She has travelled within the state of Queensland from Brisbane, the capital, to Cairns, more than 1,000 miles to the north. Fitzroy Island surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef (Getty/iStock) And some foreigners, stranded in Australia, figured they may as well take the time to experience the reef, a World Heritage Site. My flight keeps getting cancelled, Julia Pape, a 27-year-old from Germany, says as she dons her flippers and wet suit, ready to plunge into the tropical waters. Tourists like Dean and Pape, however, dont make up for the hundreds of thousands of missing international arrivals in the region, the throngs who help support the jobs of more than 60,000 people (more than those employed by Australias oil and gas industry). Experts have warned that even with a vaccine, it may be years before travel returns to pre-coronavirus levels. But while the idled boats and empty storefronts tell the story of a city shaken by Australias travel bans which led overseas arrivals to collapse by 99.5 per cent in May compared with the previous year in other pockets of Cairns there is a sense of relief at having made a lucky escape from the threat of infection. Patrons at bars flout the rules of social distancing, and backpackers from overseas many of whom have decided to ride out the pandemic wave in Australia share close quarters in dormitories at hostels. Real estate agents say the area has drawn some clients looking to flee the danger of Covid-19. Many in Cairns feel relieved to have missed out on the chance of infection (Getty/iStock) Its a good place to be stuck, says Brent Bundy, a cyclist from Oregon who has been in Australia two months longer than planned. He is in no hurry to return to the United States, given the countrys huge number of infections, he adds. At night, parts of the city could almost be mistaken for a pre-pandemic world. On a recent Saturday, locals and backpackers spilled out into the streets, shouting from the back of cycle rickshaws and lining up to get into the only nightclub in town. Inside, guests, mandated to sit down, had organised their stools in a circle on the dance floor, arms draped around one anothers backs. Members of the group took turns sneaking in an illicit dance. Even this limited revelry was not possible a few months ago, with Queensland in lockdown as virus cases were rising. With little else to do during those eight weeks, Hosp, the reef guide, and crew members from other tour companies undertook work that the government had deemed essential: replanting hundreds of pieces of coral as part of a study on the impact of heat stress on their growth. Under the ocean, among the parrotfish and green turtles, Hosp says, you could almost forget what was going on in the world. But aboard the boat, the harsh reality of the viruss impact comes flooding back. I definitely missed the tourists, Hosp says. It was very humbling. The New York Times After the end of World War II, 575,000 Japanese were forced to work in the former Soviet Union and Mongolia. Known as Siberian detainees, it is estimated that about 55,000 of them died in frigid cold from starvation and hard labor. Yuisuke Tanaka, a 94-year-old musician, is one of the former detainees who to this day continues to talk about his memories. "Being alive was worse than being dead," Tanaka said while playing the accordion. Tanaka was recruited into the war and was situated in Manchuria, now northeastern China, when it ended. He was detained for about four years in Kazakhstan, which was at that time part of the former Soviet Union. In addition to partially losing two fingers to frostbite, he suffered a head injury under harsh working conditions. To convey his detention experiences, Tanaka has been holding events throughout Japan where he gives a mixture of talks and accordion performances. On a recent summer day, Tanaka held such an event at a temple in Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture. About 60 people gathered in the main hall to watch the 94-year-old's two-hour performance, which was physically taxing. "I'll never retire," Tanaka said. "As a survivor I'll continue to pass down the tragedies of detention until the day I die." Masanori Araki, 96, was also a detainee in the former Soviet Union who returned to Japan after experiencing many accidents and illnesses that left him hovering between life and death while many of his compatriots perished. He kept his tales of detention under wraps for many years, but increasingly felt that he "could not bear the thought of this tragedy being forgotten as if it had never happened." After retirement, Araki began giving lectures about the detentions and up until the age of 92 he participated in a group that collects remains of the war dead. He continues to speak at local workshops and at elementary and junior high schools about the tragic experiences he faced as a detainee. "Some of my fellows have neither remains nor belongings," Araki said. "They are remembered only by those who survived." Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, served as a base for internees returning to Japan. Mutsumi Nagamine, a 43-year-old curator at the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum, said: "As the number of people who actually experienced the war is decreasing, the question is how to pass on the memory of the war to younger generations. In order to prevent the tragedy from fading, we'll work to communicate to younger generations the facts about detention." It has been a highlight of the Royal calendar for 15 years, as Prince William and his brother Harry compete in a high-profile polo clash, raising millions of pounds for causes close to their hearts. But this year Harry will be absent from the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day, remaining ensconced in his Californian mansion as the brothers become increasingly detached. A source tells me: 'It's such a shame that Harry can't make the polo this year but he won't come back to Britain unless it's absolutely necessary.' At last year's event, the pair reportedly had a furious row even before the first chukka though that was denied by Buckingham Palace and the new biography Finding Freedom describes how Kate and Meghan were 'distant' as they watched from the sidelines with their children. Yet I'm told the Duke of Cambridge was still desperate for this year's event to go ahead as planned at the end of September, even given that the strict rules about outdoor gatherings designed to curb the spread of coronavirus would severely limit the guest list. This year Prince Harry will be absent from the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day, remaining ensconced in his Californian mansion as the brothers become detached (pictured: Prince William and Prince Harry play at Billingbear Polo Club in Wokingham in July 2019) Prince William and Prince Harry play at Billingbear Polo Club in Wokingham in July 2019 Prince William and Prince Harry play at Billingbear Polo Club in Wokingham in July 2019 Meghan Markle holding her son Archie, and Prince Harry, at Billingbear Polo Club in July 2019 At last year's event, the pair reportedly had a furious row even before the first chukka though that was denied by Buckingham Palace and the new biography Finding Freedom describes how Kate and Meghan were 'distant' as they watched from the sidelines with their children While weddings are restricted to 30 people, there is enough space at the secret venue for this year's match to allow 48 spectators and still maintain social distancing. But that's well down on the 400 or so celebrities who usually attend, raising fortunes for the brothers' charities such as Tusk Trust and Sentebale. The restricted guest list will make the event the hottest ticket in town especially as it is never short of drama. At the 2017 competition, held at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Watership Down estate in Berkshire, bolshie Australian polo player Beau Skerrett labelled Harry a 'spoilt brat' after clashing on the field. He boasted about giving the fiery Royal a dressing down after telling him to 'f*** off in front of a crowd that pay 5,000 to shake his hand'. In contrast, he called William 'the perfect gentleman'. One thing's for sure at least with Harry on the other side of the Atlantic, the brothers won't be the ones throwing choice words at each other Lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone may have shed 8st during a dramatic weight-loss regime but she still packs a heavyweight punch (pictured: at the Pride of Britain Awards in London, 2015) Lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone may have shed 8st during a dramatic weight-loss regime but she still packs a heavyweight punch. The businesswoman warns rivals thinking of trying to take advantage of her: 'I never cause trouble but if you bring trouble to my doorstep in terms of business, you're the one who will fail.' She adds: 'When I'm buying or selling a company, I feel like I'm doing 12 rounds with Mike Tyson.' Watch out! Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Up to 3,000 people travelled from across the UK to attend an illegal rave in Banwen, in Neath Port Talbot, police have revealed. It comes despite new laws targeting organisers of illegal gatherings, with fines of up to 10,000 for those arrested. Residents of the village of Banwen say they have been kept awake since 1am when crowds began to gather in a nearby forest, with some saying they felt like 'prisoners in their own home'. Meanwhile, a DJ became the first person to be arrested and fined for organising as police cracked down on illegal gatherings over the weekend. The man was hosting a street party in Leeds, West Yorkshire, when he was detained by police and, under the new rules, could face a fine of up to 10,000. It is unclear how much he has been fined for hosting the illegal party, where five others were also spoken to. Officers were later called out to another house party in the Hyde Park area of the city, where residents around 50 people were flouting social distancing rules. Police shut down several illegal gatherings last night after new lockdown rules were brought in across the UK ahead of the bank holiday weekend. Thousands of pounds worth of music equipment was seized by Essex Police ahead of an unlicensed music event and West Midlands Police said they received reports of 90 illegal gatherings. West Yorkshire Police said a man was arrested after DJing at a street party on Wepener Mount, Harehills Police have broken up gatherings in Wales, Norfolk, Essex and Birmingham and seized thousands of pounds of music equipment Police officers arrive to break up a party in the Hyde Park area of Leeds last night as revellers flouted social distancing rules Police seized what is believed to be around 20,000 of music equipment from an address in the Chapeltown area of Leeds It was found in a garden and was suspected of being kept for an unlicensed music event In South Wales, hundreds left their cars and vans parked illegally, obstructing roads throughout the village. One woman who attended the rave this morning said she'd driven all the way from London to take part. She said: 'I've come from Lewisham in London and we travelled up following the party line and it's been absolutely bloody fantastic. Met nothing but lovely people here as always. 'That's the thing about these events, everybody you meet is absolutely splendid and lovely and it's all good vibes. There's nothing bad to be said about these kinds of things to be honest.' However, one local said he feels like a 'prisoner' in his own home, as young people are 'obviously under the influence of drink and drugs' and could be seen sleeping on benches in the village early this morning. Chief Superintendent Simon Belcher said: 'This type of illegal gathering is totally unacceptable and we are aware of the concerns it is causing for the local community. 'I would like to again remind people of their obligations under the current coronavirus legislation and the overarching goal for everyone to take personal responsibility by following Welsh Government regulations to keep Wales safe. Residents of the village of Banwen say they have been kept awake since 1am when crowds began to gather in a nearby forest 'We have a number of resources in attendance including the police helicopter and roads policing officers. 'It has been estimated there are up to 3,000 people at the gathering who have apparently travelled from across the UK and we are looking at all pieces of legislation as to what action can be undertaken safely. 'Unlawfully parked cars will be dealt with and people who continue, despite our advice, to try and attend this illegal event area being turned away.' Norfolk Police said officers are at the scene of an unlicensed music event at Thetford forest which started late on Saturday night. More than 500 people are in attendance with more than 100 vehicles on site in an isolated area of the forest, near to the English Heritage site Grimes Graves, the force said. Assistant Chief Constable Nick Davison, who is leading the Norfolk Police operation, said it was 'extremely disappointing' to see such events taking place amid the pandemic. He said: 'We've deployed a number of resources to the scene including the drone unit, dogs, the National Police Air Service helicopter and specially-trained public order officers who are experienced in dealing with such events. 'Following assessments, it's clear this is a well-established and planned event which is due to go on until tomorrow. 'We are working to close the event down in a controlled manner, taking the safety of those in attendance and our officers into account. Due to the number of people at the event, additional policing resources will be needed and this will take time to resource. 'Coronavirus is still with us and continues to be a real threat, so it's extremely disappointing to see these types of events taking place when the rest of our communities are doing everything they can to help stop the spread of the virus. One woman who attended the Wales rave this morning said she'd driven all the way from London to take part South Wales Police have confirmed they are aware of the incident and have been in attendance One local said he feels like a 'prisoner' in his own home, as young people are 'obviously under the influence of drink and drugs' Speaking at the Banwen rave, a reveller said: 'I've come from Lewisham in London and we travelled up following the party line and it's been absolutely bloody fantastic' Police confronted revellers in Leeds last night, with illegal parties taking place all over the country Thousands of pounds worth of equipment was seized by Essex Police ahead of an unlicensed music event 'We will work to identify organisers, seize equipment, deal with any criminal offences and impose penalties where evidence is available.' Under the new measures, which came into force on Friday after the Metropolitan Police alone responded to more than 1,000 unlicensed events since the end of June, organisers of illegal raves will be hit with 10,000 fines. Thousands of pounds worth of equipment was seized by Essex Police ahead of an unlicensed music event the force said was due to take place in Harlow on Saturday afternoon. Home Secretary Priti Patel has hit out at illegal rave organisers, who face 10,000 fines, warning them they are 'not above law' Chief Inspector Lewis Basford said organisers of such events should ask themselves if it was worth the risk of the new fines. He said: 'My final message is to the organisers: we will seize the equipment - I don't care if you've hired it from someone or if it's yours, we will break up your event, and we can now fine you up to 10,000.' Humberside Police requested that the public avoid the area around the Buck Hotel in Driffield, East Yorkshire, due to an incident on Sunday morning. No further details were available. West Midlands Police said early on Sunday it had dealt with about 90 reports from the public about possible breaches of restrictions 'but we've not had to use our enforcement powers'. The force added: 'Tonight's been dominated by reports of house parties, rather than the really big gatherings we've seen earlier in recent weeks.' West Yorkshire Police said a man was arrested after DJing at a street party on Wepener Mount, Harehills, while five other people at the gathering were fined. Superintendent Chris Bowen said: 'We hope people will recognise the ongoing risks of holding or taking part in events such as this but where intervention is needed, we will fine people and make arrests.' The new measures also mean people not wearing masks and participants in unlawful gatherings can be fined starting at 100, doubling for each repeat offence up to a maximum of 3,200. Home Secretary Priti Patel has defended the legislation, saying it represents a crackdown on 'the most serious breaches of social distancing restrictions'. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, she said: 'We will not allow this breathtakingly selfish behaviour from a senseless minority to jeopardise the progress we have made together.' More than 200 revellers flouted restrictions at a rave in Birmingham last weekend. West Midlands Police said early on Sunday it had dealt with about 90 reports on Saturday She lashed out at the organisers of illegal raves, warning them they are 'not above the law'. Ms Patel said the legislation represents a crackdown on 'the most serious breaches of social distancing restrictions'. Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh, however, warned the legislation will mean 'absolutely nothing' for enforcement in London. He said: 'It could be good for areas outside London, but it means absolutely nothing to us here. 'People just set up a music box in the middle of the street and say 'it's not mine', it's utter nonsense.' He called for clearer legislation which would allow officers to 'be more forceful clearing the area immediately, close the area down, the Government need more forceful wording around groups of people gathering'. But a police chief has argued confusion over the guidelines is being used by some as an 'excuse' to break the rules. Andy Rhodes, Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary, said there was a 'world of difference' between people acting sensibly and others who were 'flagrantly' ignoring the rules. A devastated husband died just 16 hours after his wife of more than half a century passed away. New Zealand man Paul Worsley, 75, suffered a fatal heart attack on August 22, the day after farewelling his wife of 52 years, Delma, 76. She unexpectedly died due to complications following surgery. 'They were destined to be together,' their granddaughter Alexandra Paley said. Paul Worsley suffered a fatal heart attack the day after he said goodbye to his wife of 52 years, Delma (pictured together), when she died from complications following surgery in New Zealand Granddaughter Alexandra Paley said the family took comfort in knowing the pair (pictured), who she said were destined to be together, were finally back by each other's side Ms Paley said before he died her grandfather told her he was glad Mrs Worsley went first, because he couldn't bear the thought of her being alone, the New Zealand Herald reported. 'He was very happy that she went first because he just couldn't stand her being alone, so it was how he preferred it to play out,' she said. She said the family were mourning the double tragedy, but took comfort in the knowledge the high school sweethearts were together again. 'We all felt at peace with how he went, they are together now. It was really hard but we can grieve together and we're happy they are together now because they were together their whole lives,' she said. Mr and Mrs Worsley married in England in 1968 before migrating to New Zealand where they started a family and lived out the remainder of their lives. They settled in Te Aroha, Waikato, with their two sons and the couple never left the area after falling in love with the lifestyle. For 52 years they lived in Te Aroha and became active figures in the tight-knit community which embraced them. Mr and Mrs Worsley will be cremated in coffins made by their family, both will be inscribed with a poem Ms Paley wrote when she was 11 years old. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the pair will be farewelled in an intimate ceremony with family and close friends. When restrictions are lifted the family will hold a larger memorial ceremony for the wider community to pay their respects to the much loved couple. A 3-year old girl survived being swept ten metres up into the air after becoming entangled with the strings of a large kite during a festival in Taiwan's northern city of Hsinchu on Sunday. Footage on Facebook showed the girl being lifted up and swung in the air for a few seconds before falling to the ground, as panicked onlookers rushed to help her. He parent, speaking to Associated Press said that though she was shocked, she was not injured. Authorities in Hsinchu have halted the kite festival after the accident. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:12:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory on Sunday issued a blue alert for rainstorms in parts of southwestern and northeastern regions. From 8 p.m. Sunday to 8 p.m. Monday, torrential rains are expected to lash parts of Sichuan, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang and Liaoning, among other regions, the National Meteorological Center said. The center warned that certain areas of the Sichuan Basin will experience downpours. According to the forecast, some regions are likely to see over 60 mm of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales. The center advised the public to stay vigilant for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides, and suggested halting outdoor activities in disaster-prone areas. China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow, and blue. Enditem Good news, parents: If you let your kids wait in the car for less than 10 minutes on a cool day doors locked and fan on a caseworker and sheriff are actually not allowed to come to your home, threaten to take your children away and strip-search the kids. These very basic rights were just vindicated the hard way: by a Kentucky mom in federal court. Holly Curry sued the cop and the caseworker, insisting that, the day she was investigated for child abuse, the two authorities so wildly overstepped their bounds that they should not be afforded qualified immunity. In other words, their behavior was so egregious they had to take responsibility for it. The judge agreed. You may recall the case. Back in March of 2017, Curry was driving her kids to karate when she stopped to get them some muffins. She was in the cafe for just a few minutes. When she came out, two cops rebuked her for leaving the kids. In Kentucky, its a crime to leave children under the age of 8 in a car under circumstances that manifest an extreme indifference to human life and create a grave risk of death. But the cops didnt say shed done that. The kids all looked fine, and the officers didnt charge Curry with a crime. Nevertheless, they felt obligated to call the states child protection hotline, thus opening a neglect investigation, which automatically required a visit to the Curry home to check on the kids. When the caseworker arrived at the home, Curry refused to let her in without a warrant. The worker returned with a sheriffs deputy but still no warrant. When Curry insisted that they still couldnt enter, they threatened to come back and take all of your children. Terrified, Curry let them in. Labeling that decision voluntary consent, the authorities entered the home. Unsurprisingly, the house and kids all looked fine. Even so, the caseworker insisted on strip searching each kid, removing their underwear and examining their genitals for signs of abuse. A few months later, the caseworker closed the investigation as unsubstantiated, saying that what Curry had done was a one-time oopsy-daisy. But she telephoned Curry later and said, If we ever get a call against your family again, bad things will happen to you, and well take your children. At that point, Curry had had enough. She turned around and filed suit against the caseworker and cop, claiming violation of her constitutional rights. They, in turn, pressed hard for immunity. But in in a powerful ruling on Aug. 18 in Curry v. Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Judge Justin Walker said that it was clear the government used an improper threat to enter the home, lacked any evidence that might have justified a strip-search and violated the childrens rights to bodily integrity. Assuming his decision stands, Its very good news for child welfare and police reformers, says Diane Redleaf, co-chair of United Family Advocates and Let Grows legal consultant. Its also welcome news for all the parents who want to give their kids some unsupervised time to walk to school, to come home with a latchkey, to wait briefly in the car but fear what could happen to them if an onlooker decided to call 911, says Redleaf. The Currys are home-schoolers who enlisted James R. Mason, vice president of litigation and development of the Home School Legal Defense Association, to file the federal suit on their familys behalf. Mason hopes that now the authorities will think twice before barging into homes and strip-searching kids without evidence of wrongdoing by the parent. The investigator in the case testified that they automatically strip-search every child when they go into a home, Mason notes. No more. Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, founder of Free-Range Kids and author of Has the World Gone Skenazy? To learn more about Lenore Skenazy (lskenazy@yahoo.com) and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Seven employees at an Indian restaurant in Bradford have tested positive for Covid-19, prompting bosses to temporarily shut down the premises. The cases at the popular Akbar's restaurant on Leeds road have all come in a short three-week window, with the last known case reported on August 20. The owners of Akbar's have made the decision to shut down entirely for five days, with all infected staff self-isolating for at least 10 days. It follows the news that, from Wednesday, local Covid-19 restrictions will be eased in parts Bradford, allowing social gatherings between two homes. Seven employees at the popular Akbar's restaurant in Bradford (pictured) have tested positive for Covid-19, prompting bosses to temporarily shut down the premises Akbar owner Shabir Hussain (pictured) said: 'We could have sent a number of our staff home to self-isolate and stayed open using other employees but we felt this was the responsible thing to do to make sure we are 100 per cent safe going forward' LOCAL LOCKDOWNS LIFTED IN EIGHT AREAS OF NORTHERN ENGLAND Lockdown rules will be loosened in eight areas of Northern England from next Wednesday, September 2, the Department of Health has confirmed. Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley, Hyndburn and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will be afforded more freedom to meet other people from next week. More than a million people living in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and West Yorkshire had been banned from meeting people from other households since July. But these rules will now be lifted for those living in all parts of the boroughs except Bradford city, Keighley, Halifax, and Dewsbury and Batley in Kirklees. Falling infection rates in those areas have led officials to soften restrictions to bring them into line with the rest of the country. It means businesses such as beauty salons, indoor play areas, bowling alleys and ice rinks will also be able to open after being held back when they reopened in the rest of the country on August 15. Leicester, however, must remain under its current lockdown rules for another two weeks until at least September 11. It was the first part of the UK to lock down and has now faced extra rules for two months. This announcement follows a meeting of the Joint Biosecurity Centre's 'Gold Command', chaired by Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday. Birmingham, which had been touted as the next area to face the dreaded rules, has escaped Government action but officials have raised serious concerns about the nearby borough of Sandwell, as well as Stoke-on-Trent and Swindon. Advertisement Akbar owner Shabir Hussain said: 'We could have sent a number of our staff home to self-isolate and stayed open using other employees but we felt this was the responsible thing to do to make sure we are 100 per cent safe going forward. 'It also gives us a chance to give our people a bit of a holiday because they have been so incredibly busy during the Eat Out to Help Out promotion. 'We apologise to all our customers who have made bookings but hopefully they will understand that we all have to make sacrifices if we are to get the Covid-19 virus under control and protect the most vulnerable in our district.' Mr Hussain has been praised for his decision by Bradford Council 's director for public health, Sarah Muckle. She said: 'The restaurant had good Covid-19 safety measures in place to protect customers and we agree with their decision. We are extremely grateful to the Akbar's team for the way they have worked with us on this and for the responsible, professional, proactive action they have taken. 'We have no reason to believe customers were at risk because the restaurant's front of house COVID-19 safety measures are very robust. 'It's never an easy decision to close a business but this kind of leadership is exactly what we will need if we are to get on top of small outbreaks and stop the virus spreading into our communities.' Bookings are still being taken for when Akbar's re-opens for business on Friday, September 4. Along with parts of Bradford, local Covid-19 restrictions were eased in northern England, which will allow social gatherings between two homes from Wednesday in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley, Hyndburn and parts of Calderdale and Kirklees. Matt Hancock said: 'We brought in measures to protect people in these parts of northern England. 'We're seeing the positive results of our local approach, and are able to bring in increasingly targeted measures.' But Bradford was one of seven new coronavirus hotspots in England and Wales flagged by a Covid-19 symptom-tracking app that uses data from more than three million people. King's College London researchers highlighted South Tyneside, Oldham, Redcar & Cleveland, Wirral, Bradford, Barnsley and Denbighshire as potential areas of concern. This adds to Blackpool, Halton and Manchester which remain on the list from last week. August 30 marked the first day that Vietnam has gone without a new COVID-19 infection caused by community With no new case confirmed, August 30 marked the first day that Vietnam has gone without a new COVID-19 infection caused by community and imported transmission since the recurrence of the coronavirus epidemic, with the first infection detected in the central city of Da Nang on July 25. Of the 1,040 confirmed cases in the nation so far, 690 are community transmissions, 350 returned from abroad and were quarantined upon arrival, and 550 are related to the biggest coronavirus outbreak in Da Nang. Since the novel coronavirus recurred in the nation on July 25, Vietnam has seen 690 local infections in 15 localities, most of them linked to Da Nang, the countrys outbreak spot. The same day, a further 19 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospital after going on to make a full recovery, lifting the countrys total figure of recoveries to 695. Among patients under treatment at various medical establishments, 40 tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2- virus once, 48 others twice and 27 thrice. There have been 32 fatalities from the disease. As many as 54,392 who came into close contact with COVID-19 patients or entered from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine, including 1,212 at hospitals, and the remainder at other quarantine facilities and at homes. In terms of clinical status, there are currently 13 critically ill cases, of which 6 cases are connected to invasive ventilators and three rely on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines. Most severe patients are due to community infection, originating from the Da Nang outbreak. Notably, 11 patients are in a critical condition, including 5 running a greater risk of fatality at any time. VOV He said when the Griffith Police Department obtains body cameras, as they hope to do so in 2021, they will write a policy for both in-car cameras and the body cams. "In most cases, I think the body cams are going to protect our officers, as opposed to condemning them. When we take the plunge and get them, we have full confidence in our officers," Martin said. "It holds us accountable and we feel we hire good people here." Martin said while he doesn't want to comment on the recent shooting of Blake, he did say it's worrisome to see bystander videos go viral as quickly as they do before all the facts are known. "When the investigation is over, that video clip might become less important, or it may be the whole case, we don't know. But it's only one perspective," he said. Protecting officers Merrillville police Assistant Chief Kosta Nuses said the department took the plunge earlier this year, by contracting with Axon, the U.S.s largest supplier of police-worn body cameras. The Home Office has made a U-turn on a decision to cut financial support for trafficking victims during the pandemic days before legal action is due to take place, The Independent can reveal. Hundreds of people recognised as potential survivors of modern slavery who had been placed in hotels and other interim accommodation during lockdown stopped receiving their weekly government allowance which is designed to aid their recovery without warning in July. In one case, a Kenyan woman believed to have been trafficked to the UK and held in a brothel where she was forced to have sex daily was unable to access essential toiletries, including sanitary pads and toothpaste, and top-up for her phone in order to contact her support worker and lawyers. Legal representatives said there was no legal basis for such practice as it placed vulnerable people at risk of re-trafficking. A number of individuals have successfully challenged the cuts in court and had their support reinstated as a result, but the Home Office initially declined to reinstate support for all of those affected. The department was due in court next week to face lawyers arguing that the government should reinstate support to all potential modern slavery survivors in initial asylum accommodation, in line with the law. However, on Thursday, days before the court hearing, the Home Office made changes to its modern slavery guidance to state that this group would continue to receive support, although the rate was reduced from 35 per week to 25.40 which campaigners said was nowhere near enough. The government said it would also backdate payments for all potential victims of modern slavery housed in initial asylum accommodation to the date in July when payments were stopped. In cases where the government decides there are reasonable grounds to believe someone has been subjected to modern slavery, the individual enters a framework called the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), under which they receive weekly subsistence of either 35 or 65 per week. Those who are also seeking asylum often live in asylum accommodation, but they continue to receive the same rates of financial support. During the coronavirus lockdown, a number of these individuals were placed in hotels along with other asylum seekers because of a shortage of accommodation. While there was initially no change to their support rates, they were reduced to nothing in early July, with no warning given to them or their lawyers. Dame Sara Thornton, the UKs independent anti-slavery commissioner, wrote to the minister for safeguarding, Victoria Atkins, at the start of August demanding clarity on the change to subsistence rates, and warning that it would only further exacerbate the vulnerability of victims of modern slavery. Dame Sara stated in the letter that multiple organisations had contacted her office expressing significant concerns regarding the change, with some having to provide supermarket vouchers to survivors to enable them to meet their essential needs. She cited one case where a trafficking survivor had resorted to begging following their loss of financial support. After being threatened with court action, the Home Offices modern slavery unit sent out a newsletter to stakeholders on Thursday stating that from 28 August, it would provide potential victims in initial asylum accommodation with 25.40 per week, to help aid their recovery from exploitation. The government legal department wrote a letter to the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday stating that the Home Office would also backdate payments at the rate of 35 per week for this cohort. It stated that as a result of the new financial assistance, the court hearing could be "vacated". A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent that the new payment was introduced following a review into support available for potential or confirmed victims of modern slavery in initial asylum accommodation. Responding to the change in policy, Rachael Davis, of Duncan Lewis Solicitors, the legal firm that launched the action, said: The government left hundreds of survivors of trafficking without any financial support for two months during a global pandemic. Survivors should not have to fight so hard to receive the little financial support to which they are legally entitled. Anna Sereni, researcher and co-ordinator for the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group, said the move to reinstate support was welcome but that the reduced sum of money provided was nowhere near enough. She added: We hope people affected by the cut will receive back payments given the precarious position theyve been forced into. The ongoing lack of transparency and corresponding lack of security causes harm and undermines trust in the very system that is supposed to support asylum-seeking victims of trafficking. Silvia Nicolaou Garcia, from Simpson Millar Solicitors, who works with victims of trafficking, said imposing financial cuts on asylum-seeking victims of trafficking in full-board accommodation in the midst of the pandemic was cruel and inhumane. Many trafficking survivors were left penniless, without adequate support and at risk of further harm. The Home Office had no regard whatsoever to their individual needs as victims of trafficking and to the harm caused. Such decisions by the Home Office disempower trafficking survivors, which echoes of the disempowerment they suffered from their abusers, she said. Home Office to carry out review of hostile environment following Windrush says Priti Patel A Home Office spokesperson said: We are proud to provide world-leading support to modern slavery victims to help them to rebuild their lives. Following a review into support available for potential or confirmed victims of modern slavery in initial asylum accommodation, we have introduced a weekly payment of 25.40 for recovery needs. This is in addition to the support they receive as asylum seekers, which includes accommodation and help with their essential living needs whilst their claims are being assessed. The city has seen 13 people listed as homicide victims so far this year, the most since 17 were recorded in 2004 but short of the 29 recorded 1989, according to FBI statistics. Ten of the homicides this year have been a result of gun violence, and 10 have happened since March, police records indicate. Nonviolent crimes, including burglaries, stolen vehicles and thefts, are down by 4% compared to last year, Bynum said. An analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice based in Washington, D.C., found that crime rates in 11 categories in a sampling of cities nationwide dropped in the spring and early summer compared to recent years, while domestic violence rose from March to June and homicides and aggravated assaults started climbing significantly in late May and June. There was little change in violent crime rates early in the pandemic, but by late may, rates of homicide, gun assault and other aggravated assault had started to increase, according to the Council on Criminal Justice analysis. Last year, Waco police investigated 11 homicides, including nine with victims killed by gunfire and two that police determined were legally justified. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alice Philipson (Agence France-Presse) Hanoi, Vietnam Sun, August 30, 2020 09:03 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c416b21f 2 Art & Culture lotus-flower,Vietnam,Hanoi,lotus-silk Free Vietnamese weaver Phan Thi Thuan hitches up her trousers as she wades into a lotus paddy to gather the stems needed to make a rare and highly sought-after thread. Her great-aunt made and sold traditional silk to the French during colonial rule, passing the technique on to Thuan, who started weaving when she was six in her village on the outskirts of Hanoi. But three years ago Thuan spotted a new opportunity in the lotus stems left to rot in nearby fields after the seeds had been harvested for food. She began extracting the fiber found in the stems to make "lotus silk", an exclusive fabric highly sought by fashion designers. "I was the first in Vietnam," the 65-year-old told AFP proudly. "I started all by myself, then I trained those already in my workshop," she added. Farmers often toil for hours to clear lotus paddies of rotting stems, which ruin the soil and bring unwanted insects. But thanks to her vision, Thuan today leads a team of about 20 mostly female workers who snap off the stems in the paddies, before they tease out the fragile fibers and roll them into thread. Read also: 'Fabric of Being': Asian, African artists connect fabrics and people Dressed head-to-toe in brown silk and wearing a pearl necklace -- the same outfit she dons as she picks through the lotus paddies -- Thuan describes her work. It's a painstaking process -- a large scarf requires the thread of around 9,200 stems and would take one worker around two months to complete -- but Thuan insists it's worth it. "I see this as my task now, to generate jobs, and to do my bit for the environment," she said, adding that during busy periods, she employs hundreds to weave from home. The profits are another reason to persevere. While a regular silk scarf might go for $20, even a smaller lotus version -- popular with pre-coronavirus tourists -- fetches more than 10 times that. Although lotus silk is made in a handful of countries -- including Myanmar and Cambodia -- Thuan is seen as an innovator in Vietnam. She has been supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, which kickstarted a three-year national-level project to further develop the harvesting technique. Thuan also runs training sessions during the school holidays, hoping to show children there is space for dynamism even in this ancient profession. Nguyen Thi Xoa, 40, was taught by Thuan in 2017 and she now wants her children to follow in her thread. "At the beginning it was very difficult, but now I love doing it," she said. "It's a stable job and I'm proud of it." Photo taken shows the fishing boats berthed at the Tanmen port in Tanmen Town of Qionghai City, south China's Hainan Province, on Aug. 18, 2020.(Meng Zhongde/Guangming Picture) As the largest special economic zone in China, the Island of Hainan in southern China has witnessed significant development since the founding of Hainan Province and Hainan Special Economic Zone in 1988. The youngest province of China, once under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province, was a less developed region at the beginning, accounting for less than 1% of national economy volume. Compared to 4 special economic zones in Guangdong, Hainan was facing one of the most difficult challenges as it was heavily reliant on agriculture and had a relatively weak economic foundation. Photo taken shows a view of the Wanquanhe River in Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province, on Aug. 20, 2020.(Meng Zhongde/Guangming Picture) The government of Hainan, under this circumstance, proposed a concept of one province and two bases on the basis of its abundant natural sources and unique geological location, aiming at turning this region into an industrial province with its tropical agriculture developing and tourism flourishing. With great efforts put into this island, gross domestic product (GDP) of the province hit 483.21 billion yuan (about 69.85 billion dollars) in 2018, increased by 23.1 times as compared with that of 1987. General budget revenue in 2018 hit 75.27 billion yuan (about 10.88 billion dollars), 253.3 times as much as that of 1987. Not only has the volume of its economy increased, but its industrial structure has also been optimized during the past thirty years as the proportion of the three industries changed to 22.022.355.7 in 2017. The proportion of its tertiary industry, among them, contributed 55.7 percent to its economic growth, an increase of 8.8 percent compared to the proportion five years ago. Photo taken shows Hainan roundabout high-speed railway in south China's Hainan Province, on Oct. 7, 2018.(Meng Zhongde/Guangming Picture) Its economy not only grew in domestic market, but has also been boosted via opening-up policy. The southern-most island province of China won the central governments approval to develop itself into an international tourism island in 2010. Hainan has integrated with the global economy and foreign economic and trade exchanges have become increasingly close, with total imports and exports increasing by 42.6 times, and service trade has become a new growth highlight. In order to ensure the economic development in the island, the local government accumulated investment in fixed assets has exceeded 3 trillion yuan (about 433.8 billion dollars) since its founding, of which infrastructure investment has exceeded 610 billion yuan (about 88.21 billion dollars), which has greatly improved the infrastructure with the five networks as the mainstay. The one and only Hainan roundabout high-speed railway was put into use for the first time 10 years ago, accelerating the formation of air-port transportation model of two mains and two branches linking the four corners of the island. Photo taken shows a duty-free shop in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, on Aug. 6, 2020.(Meng Zhongde/Guangming Picture) Meanwhile, Hainan always adheres to people-centered development. In 2018, the per capita disposable income of permanent residents reached 24,579 yuan, and the income of urban and rural residents increased by 32.8 times and 26.9 times respectively. Striving for a giant leap in economy, Hainan also attach great significance to ecology and environment protection. Six special projects for environment improvement continued to be carried out in this beautiful island. The proportion of good air quality days in the province increased to 99.7% during the past two years, and the overall rate of superior surface water quality was 92.3%, and the overall soil environmental quality was also good. Photo taken shows farmers work at a farmland in Qionghai City, south China's Hainan Province, on Aug. 22, 2020.(Meng Zhongde/Guangming Picture) As Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, pointed out at a gathering celebrating the 30th anniversary of the founding of Hainan Province and the Hainan Special Economic Zone, The success of special economic zones such as Hainan has proved that the basic theories, lines and policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) formed since the third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee were entirely right. The president also announced a decision to develop the island of Hainan into a pilot free trade zone at the same gathering, which ensuring the southern-most island higher-level opening-up policies. Under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC and with great support from the whole country, Hainan is believed to embrace a brighter future in the next decades. [ Editor: ZY ] Actress Swara Bhasker, who is often in the receiving end of online trolling and harassment on her views on different matters, talked about the current state of the society where a different point of view is not tolerated. Swara said that people have become incapable of listening to one another. Talking to Mid-day, Swara said, I think our public discourse is the pits, its disgusting. I dont think anyone can remain sane if they subject themselves to that kind of content regularly. As a society, were incapable of listening to each other, were only accusing each other. Its a mess. She added, I just dont tune into it. I dont need that kind of rubbish in my life. Whatevers happening on Twitter is not a reflection of who I am or the work Im doing. Recently Swara Bhasker called out the media trial of actress Rhea Chakraborty, who is one of the accused in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. She said that even the terrorist Ajmal Kasab was less targeted than her. Taking to Twitter, Swara wrote, I dont think even #Kasab was subjected to the kind of witch-hunt on media.. & media trial that #RheaChakrobarty is being subjected to! Shame on Indian Media Shame on us for being a toxic voyeuristic public consuming this poisonous hysteria.. #RheaDrugChat #SushantSinghRajput." However, the actress was again met with severe online trolling. Swara was last seen in the Eros Now web-series Flesh, a show about human trafficking. Swarq plays a police officer for the first time in the show. Directed by Danish Aslam and written by Pooja Ladha Surti, the film also stars Akshay Oberoi, Mahima Makwana and Vidya Malwade in lead roles. A mutated and more infectious strain of coronavirus has been found in Indonesia, the Jakarta based Eijkman Institute of Molecular Biology confirmed. As per the researchers, the D6146 mutation, which was initially discovered in February was found in samples collected by the institute for genome sequencing data. Speaking to international media reporters, deputy director of the study Herawati Sudoyo said that the stain was "infectious but milder Scientists have pointed out that more study was required to confirm if it was the reason behind the recent surge in the country. According to the latest tally by John Hopkins University, Indonesia reported 2,858 new infections on August 30, below the previous day's record 3,308 but above the past month's daily average. As per the official data, the total number of cases stands at 172,053, with 7,343 COVID-19 fatalities. Same strain found in Singapore Apart from Indonesia, the same mutated strain was also found in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia. This comes nearly seven months, after WHO first discovered its existence and announced that it was being circulated only in American and European continents. Read: Indonesia: Police To Launch Probe Into Fire At Attorney Generals Office Building Read: India Co-sponsors Indonesia's Women In Peacekeeping Resolution At United Nations Syahrizal Syarif, an epidemiologist with the University of Indonesia, warned Indonesians must remain vigilant, as his modelling suggests the country may see its caseload rise to 500,000 by the end of the year. Terming the situation as serious, he admitted that local transmissions in the nation were currently out of control. Meanwhile, Dwi Oktavia, an official at the Jakarta health agency, in a statement said, There needs to be an awareness and a collective effort, be it from the government or the people, in addressing the rising number of cases," urging people to stay at home and wear a face mask when they must go out. The capital Jakarta on August 30 saw a record daily increase of more than 1,000 cases, which the city government linked to a higher mobility rate during a mid-August independence celebration. Read: COVID-19: Australia To Provide $1.48 Million Worth Of PPE To Indonesian Military Read: India Co-sponsors Indonesia's Women In Peacekeeping Resolution At United Nations Last Tuesday, the Central government extended by two months the deadline for placing bids for Air India till 30 October New Delhi: The government should not be running airports and airlines, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday, adding that he hopes to privatise Air India during 2020. His remarks come at a time when the Kerala government has opposed the Union Cabinet's approval on 19 August to lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport to Adani Enterprises under the public-private partnership (PPP) model for a period of 50 years. Addressing a virtual meet on Namo app, Puri said, "I can tell you from my heart the government should not be running airports and the government should not be running airlines." The Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) owns and manages more than 100 airports, including the one in Kerala's capital city. On Air India's privatisation, Puri said, "As a going concern, one that is attractive to potential bidders, we should privatise it (Air India). And I am hopeful that we will be able to complete that privatisation process during this year." Last Tuesday, the Central government extended by two months the deadline for placing bids for Air India till 30 October as the COVID-19 fallout has disrupted economic activity globally. The process of stake sale in the national carrier was initiated on 27 January. This is the fourth extension given by the government for putting in bids. "If the government runs an airport or an airline, then they have to follow the government rules like L1 and L2, and that is not how commercial entities can run," Puri said. When the government issues a tender, the lowest bidder deemed as L1 is the winner. Puri said he expects that the domestic air traffic would reach pre-COVID levels by the end of this year. Domestic flights resumed on 25 May after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. Currently, airlines are allowed to operate maximum 45 percent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. The central government privatised six major airports Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati in February 2019. After a competitive bidding process, Adani Enterprises won the rights to run all of them. In July 2019, the Union Cabinet had approved the proposal for leasing out three airports Ahmedabad, Mangaluru and Lucknow to Adani Enterprises. On 19 August this year, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for leasing out the other three airports to the Ahmedabad-based company. Earlier this month, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the 19 August Cabinet decision to lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport to the company. Vijayan stated in the letter that the Centre needs to reconsider the decision as it will be "difficult" for the state to cooperate. Kerala's repeated requests to entrust the airport management with the special purpose vehicle (SPV) in which the state government is the major stakeholder was also ignored, Vijayan mentioned. "In view of the unilateral decision taken by the Government of India without giving credence to the cogent arguments put forward by the State government, it will be difficult for us to offer cooperation to the implementation of the decision, which is against the wishes of the people of the State," he said in the letter. The enemy fired random gunshots outside the village of Zaitseve. Russian occupation forces over the past day, August 29, twice violated the latest ceasefire agreement in the zone of the Joint Forces Operation, Ukraine military report. In the morning, from the direction of the temporarily occupied Uzhivka, the invaders carried out engineering works toward Ukrainian defense positions outside Vodiane, the JFO Command wrote on Facebook in its morning update. Read alsoIlovaisk tragedy anniversary: U.S. calls on Russia to pull troops from DonbasIn the afternoon, Russian occupation forces twice opened random gunfire near Zaitseve. The shots were of a provocative nature, so Ukrainian troops did not return fire. No combat losses or injuries were reported over the past day. The situation in the JFO zone remains under full control of Ukrainian units, the Command says. Ukrainian defenders strictly abide by the terms of a full and comprehensive ceasefire deal, the report stresses. From day-start on Sunday, August 30, silence regime prevailed across the line of contact. Donbas ceasefire: background Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil landed in Taiwan on Sunday, August 30 on an official visit that has drawn wide criticism from China. As per reports, Prague mayor Zdenek Hrib accompanied the Czech Senator along with more than 80 representatives from government, business, and academia. The visit has added to Taiwan's diplomatic confidence at resisting China's isolation tactics. The high-level delegation was greeted upon their arrival by Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu at Taoyuan International Airport. READ: Taiwan's Defence Ministry Showcases Military Power Amid Heightened Tensions With China China condemns Vystrcil's visit Earlier this week, China condemned Vystrcils visit touting it as undermining the political foundation of China-Czech relations and said that the attendants were acting out of their own interests. Associated Press quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying, "China condemns this despicable act and urges the Czech side to abide by the one-China principle and handle Taiwan-related issues in a prudent and appropriate manner". China has repeatedly laid claims on Taiwan as its own sovereign territory and increased diplomatic pressure, leaving the self-governing island a handful of formal allies, mostly in the Pacific, Central America and the Caribbean. Taiwan's rugged democracy and strong defence has led to the international community recognising the island as a sovereign self-governing territory. As per reports, Vystrcils six-day visit follows complaints from the Czech side that China was introducing unwanted political elements into their relations. During the visit, the Czech Senate President is expected to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who is unliked by Beijing for her assertions of the islands independence. Last week, the US envoy to Taiwan joined President Tsai Ing-wen at military memorial service in a fresh show of warming relations much criticised by China. The attendees, wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus, observed one minute of silence. Military personnel lit incense at soldiers' graves. READ: Taiwan Paves Way For Free Trade Deal With US By Easing Restrictions With growing Chinese military might across Taiwan Strait, the island's military on August 22 took to anti-aircraft, anti-tank, and vessel missiles combat in mock invasion drills. Taiwan's defence ministry released visuals of the same which depicts the power of Taiwanese armed forces issuing warnings to China not to underestimate the islands defence capabilities. In the drill, Taiwans military fired ballistic missiles from assault helicopters and fighter jets dropped bombs on targets at sea and the islands shore. Tanks and missile trucks fired from land during the large-scale military drill throughout the island. In addition to that, Taiwan also conducted major live-fire military exercises recently with its airforce, naval and ground defence troops dubbed as Han Kuang in bid to warn China about the nations military power and capabilities to defend its sovereignty. (With AP Inputs) READ: Taiwan's Tsai Emphasizes Defense Amid Growing China Threat READ: Taiwan Releases Military Exercise Video Showing Troops Fending Off Attack From China Nursing homes in Texas and Pennsylvania used hydroxychloroquine in patient treatments for individuals suffering from the coronavirus without gaining approvals to administer the drug. The revelation comes from state inspector reports that senate Democrats drew attention to on Thursday. The drugs have been used on more than 200 patients between the facilities. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bob Casey and Ron Wyden said they found the reports concerning. The senators sent letters on Thursday to federal agencies requesting they begin regulating nursing homes across the US, according to ABC News. Donald Trump has long touted hydroxychloroquine as a useful treatment for coronavirus, despite many clinical studies suggesting it was not effective and could potentially cause heart issues for patients. The use of hydroxychloroquine is all the more concerning due to warnings from medical experts about the increased risks seniors face from the drugs, the senators wrote in a letter. Recommended Trump contradicts White House experts on hydroxychloroquine The senators requested further information on what measures have been taken to ensure nursing home residents are not being subjected to experimental or unsafe treatments. The US Food and Drug Administration initially approved emergency authorisation for the drugs use as a treatment for coronavirus as the insistence of the Trump administration. However, the agency reversed its decision in April following push back from medical experts questioning its efficacy and safety. The FDA changed its position, warning against using the drug in non-hospital settings, which would include nursing homes. Then, in June, the FDA revoked the emergency authorisation for using the drug, claiming the recommended dosage would not be useful in treating the virus. The nursing home in Texas was found to have administered the drug without the informed consent of the patients or their families. In Pennsylvania, the patients had consented to the drug, but the state had not authorised its use. Patty Ducayet, the long-term care ombudsman for Texas Health and Human Services, told ABC News that treatment decisions may have been hastily made due to the panic caused by the virus. Recommended Trump allies push for FDA to approve another untested Covid treatment In a crisis, its particularly concerning that a person wouldnt be given information about what drugs theyre being given, she said. It almost feels like we collectively were in such a panic that rushing to treatments, it just becomes all the more important that people have good information before making a decision. Nursing homes have been especially hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, as the sick and elderly are especially vulnerable to the virus. According to a recent survey of state-reported data, at least 40 per cent of all deaths from Covid-19 have been nursing home residents. The Centres for Medicare and Medicaid, the federal agencies tasked with overseeing nursing homes, told ABC News that they were reviewing the senators letter and will respond directly to the senators with its findings. The American University in Cairo has signed an agreement with the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park) to support entrepreneurship and strengthen the startup ecosystem in the Mena region. Through knowledge sharing, the MoU will provide guidance and support to startups in the Egyptian and Emirati markets, it stated. "This collaboration marks a great step for startups in the Egyptian and Emirati ecosystems. We are facilitating knowledge sharing, extending market insights and resources beyond local boundaries, and expanding our offerings to create regional impact," remarked Ayman Ismail, the Abdul Latif Jameel Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship and associate professor at AUC School of Business and the founding director of the AUC Venture Lab. Ismail said that through regional and international partnerships, AUC Venture Lab is committed to the growth of the region's entrepreneurial capacity from two of Menas biggest startup ecosystems."Cooperation will also include joint hackathons, knowledge sessions, and various startup exchange opportunities," he noted. SRTI Park CEO Hussein Al Mahmoudi said the signing of this deal with AUC is an important step towards further cooperation in joint research and development between Sharjah and Cairo. According to him, this partnership reflects the vision of HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Al Mahmoudi also highlighted the need for cooperation with the academic and research institutions in the region to attract investment to Sharjah's innovation sector. (Newser) Words are flying on Capitol Hill over the Kenosha protests and President Trump's planned visit to the city on Tuesday. First off, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Sunday that Trump's trip to Kenosha would only fan the flames lit by Jacob Blake's shooting and the days of unrest that have followed: story continues below Barnes : "You look at the incendiary remarks that the president has made, they centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what is going on in Kenosha," Barnes said on CNN's Inside Politics. "So, I don't know how" he intends his visit "to be helpful," Barnes added. "And we absolutely don't need that right now." : "You look at the incendiary remarks that the president has made, they centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what is going on in Kenosha," Barnes said on CNN's Inside Politics. "So, I don't know how" he intends his visit "to be helpful," Barnes added. "And we absolutely don't need that right now." The White House : "What was the Lt. Governor's solution to the recent riots in Kenosha?" a White House official told CNN in response. "Without the leadership of President Trump, Kenosha and its citizens would still be living in fear." : "What was the Lt. Governor's solution to the recent riots in Kenosha?" a White House official told CNN in response. "Without the leadership of President Trump, Kenosha and its citizens would still be living in fear." Mayor Antaramian : "Realistically, from our perspective, our preference would have been for him not to be coming at this point in time," Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian said on NPR's Weekend Edition. He added that the problem is not locals rioting, but "people coming from outside the area and causing a great deal of damage and destruction." : "Realistically, from our perspective, our preference would have been for him not to be coming at this point in time," Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian said on NPR's Weekend Edition. He added that the problem is not locals rioting, but "people coming from outside the area and causing a great deal of damage and destruction." Sen. Ron Johnson : "You allow for peaceful protesters, but you don't allowyou don't allow peaceful protests to turn siege into siege," the Wisconsin lawmaker said on State of the Union when pressed about the actions of alleged shooter Kyle Rittenhouse. "Listen, I don't want to see anybody lose their life. .... I condemn it all." : "You allow for peaceful protesters, but you don't allowyou don't allow peaceful protests to turn siege into siege," the Wisconsin lawmaker said on State of the Union when pressed about the actions of alleged shooter Kyle Rittenhouse. "Listen, I don't want to see anybody lose their life. .... I condemn it all." Judd Deere : "The only people to blame for the violence and riots in our streets are liberal politicians and their incompetent policies that have failed to get control of these destructive situations," the White House deputy press secretary told CNN. : "The only people to blame for the violence and riots in our streets are liberal politicians and their incompetent policies that have failed to get control of these destructive situations," the White House deputy press secretary told CNN. Sen. Amy Klobuchar: "I have long condemned looting, violence, threats," she said on ABC's This Week, per the Hill. "That's not peaceful protests. And I don't care who's engaging in it, you condemn it. And, of course, Joe Biden has clearly condemned it." (Read more Kenosha, Wisconsin stories.) In its long-awaited (by me) editorial on the riot, destruction, and looting in the heart of downtown Minneapolis last week the Star Tribune weighs in with A better response to rioting in Minneapolis. The Star Tribune congratulates the authorities on a job well done. The editorial is at an almost laughable remove from reality. In any account of the catastrophe that has befallen the once beautiful city of Minneapolis this year, some room must be made for the pathetic performance of the Star Tribune. The newspaper combines an obtuse leftism with an almost palpable cowardice. To get some genuine idea of the damage done this past week, check out Mark Freies Owner of Brits Pub says downtown Minneapolis no longer safe for customers. Subhead: Brits one of the businesses targeted and devastated by looters Wednesday night. Brits was located at the corner of Nicollet and 11th, a few blocks from the heart downtown. Analyze this: The morning after more civil unrest struck Downtown Minneapolis, businesses are assessing the damage to their property and starting to pick up the pieces. One of those trying to figure out what comes next is Kam Talebi, owner and CEO of Kaskaid Hospitality, the parent company that owns Brits Pub on Nicollet Mall, along with several other restaurants incuding Crave, Union and BLVD. Talebi spoke to News Talk 830 WCCOs Mark Freie outside of Brits Thursday morning where looters broke into the building, eventually starting a fire inside the complex. Talebi tells WCCO the pub is devastated. Its pretty extensive, unfortunately, says Talebi. And you know, they got into the building, lit it on fire. Thank God it didnt spread throughout the entire complex, but, its just completely ransacked. The entire building. Got upstairs, downstairs, office, computers, TVs, liquor. I think they mightve just pulled up here with their cars and unloaded the business. So its just, its disheartening, sad. This is such an institution to look at the building and this state of disarray is just surreal. Talebi heard about the damage happening Wednesday night, but says law enforcement didnt respond soon enough to protect their property. They were able to evacuate their staff in order to keep them safe. We heard that the building up broken into, and then we called 911 and reported it, says Talebi. And they said, well, well get to it as soon as we can. A couple hours later, about 11:30, is when the building caught on fire. Call the police, called fire. Well get to it. I mean, theres not much we can do, unfortunately. Thank God we got the staff out quickly. It was not safe to be able to come inside the city as a whole. I think that the police were really focused more on, you know, 9th through 7th (streets) where Target is, and left this area sort of unattended. Following the George Floyd protests and riots, and the issues that have continued to plague Minneapolis, Talibi says the safety of customers is a major concern. We live in certainly interesting times right now and, you know, I hope that the leadership of the city government at the end of the day understands and hopefully addresses, number one the safety of the residents here in Minneapolis. Its unfortunate, businesses are truly impacted. Weve got 80 employees right now that are out of a job. Until theres a plan to be able to secure the city, and rebuild its image, we hear from customers that they dont feel safe coming downtown. A dose of reality that is missing from the Star Tribune and its editorial. WASHINGTON: Wisconsins Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes said on Sunday the state does not need a visit from President Donald Trump, after his incendiary remarks" on the racial protests in the city of Kenosha. Trump, who has taken a hard stance against racial protests in the country, will visit Kenosha on Tuesday, a White House spokesman said late on Saturday. Protests have erupted in the city after the killing of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, who was shot by a white police officer. They centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around whats going on in Kenosha," Barnes said on CNN. So I dont know how given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely dont need that right now," he added. The shooting of Blake, in front of three of his children, turned the mostly white city of 100,000 people south of Milwaukee into the latest flashpoint in a summer of U.S.-wide demonstrations against police brutality and racism. Barnes also asked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to step up to the mantle" and lay out a clear plan to address racial inequalities. 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 ABC News One day after President Joe Biden appeared to cast doubt on whether the midterm election results will be legitimate without the passage of a new voting rights law, his vice president and press secretary worked to dispel any mistrust in the integrity of the vote. "Speaking of voting rights legislation, if this isn't passed, do you still believe the upcoming election will be fairly conducted and its results will be legitimate?" a reporter asked Biden Wednesday at a lengthy press conference marking the end of his first year in office. "Well, it all depends on whether or not we're able to make the case to the American people that some of this is being set up to try to alter the outcome of the election," Biden said. The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) dismissed a lawsuit filed in the United States to force a European financial provider to transfer Iranian assets to the US, Trend reports citing IRNA. "The move by the US is doomed to fail like similar American legal attempts that have ended in Irans favor in recent years," the Central Bank of Iran said. On Friday, Deutsche Boerse said that it would take steps to defeat the suit filed in a New York court seeking to require Clearstream to surrender assets. The German company said it considers the claims by creditors in the US to be unfounded. The Central Bank of Iran announced that the issue is related to securities belonging to the CBI which has remained in Clearstream institution and has nothing to do with Germany. Iran is seriously pursuing the case to prevent the potential confiscation of nearly $1.7 billion in securities belonging to Iran and held by Clearstream, a company based in Luxembourg which is a subsidiary of Germanys stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse. Hazardous emissions from a chlorine plant fire, abruptly shuttered oil and gas refineries and still-to-be assessed plant damage are seeping into the air after Hurricane Laura, regulators say, but some key state and federal monitors to alert the public of air dangers remain offline in Louisiana. While the chlorine fire was being monitored as a potential health threat, Louisiana environmental spokesman Greg Langley says he knows of no other major industrial health risks from the storm in the state. He said restoring power and water was a bigger priority. But some Louisiana residents and environmental advocates say a shortage of solid government information on the state of the air is typical. With dozens of petroleum, petrochemical and other industrial sites, Louisiana is home to communities with some of the nations highest cancer risks, according to Environmental Protection Agency rankings. In the Lake Charles area, with refineries, a major natural gas project and other industrial sites, residents generally dont get any information except what the industry puts out, said Carla Chrisco, a Lake Charles lawyer who evacuated the city before Laura. The area was among the hardest hit Thursday. Laura struck parts of the Texas-Louisiana coast with up to 150-mph (240 kph) winds and a storm surge that Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said rose as high as 15 feet (4.5 metres). An electrical outage that deprived hundreds of thousands of people of power and is expected to last weeks has knocked offline the states stationary air monitors in the storm-battered communities. Oil and gas facilities that the U.S. Department of Energy says account for 13% of U.S. refinery capacity shut down as a precaution along an industrialized roughly 60-mile stretch from Port Arthur, Texas, to Lake Charles before the hurricane. The abrupt shutdowns, and eventual restarts, for hurricanes typically mean the emission of up to millions of pounds of additional cancer-causing soot, heavy metals and other hazards from refinery smokestacks. A fire at a plant making swimming pool chemicals in Westlake, part of the larger Lake Charles area, since Thursday has on occasion sent enough chlorine into the air to be detected by emergency workers hand-held monitors, Langley said. Chlorine levels were not high enough to warrant evacuation, officials said, although residents of the industrial area around the plant were under orders to shelter inside their homes for days after Lauras landfall. With debris clogging roads, industry still is assessing damage along the Texas-Louisiana coast. No word of any major industrial threat other than the chlorine plant fire had emerged by three days after Laura. After Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, confirmation of more than a hundred toxic spills into the air, land and water took days, weeks and months to become public, and many were never investigated. In a storm of this magnitude, theres going to be some leaks, theres going to be some spills, Langley said Saturday. Were still in the process of assessing that. I dont know of anything personally thats major. Texas has requested the EPAs help overall looking for any so-far undiscovered hazardous air releases after the hurricane, but Louisiana, with the exception of the chlorine plant fire, has not, EPA spokesman James Hewitt said. EPA stands ready to assist states and local governments who need help, and have already done so following Hurricane Laura, Hewitt said in an email. Texas made a formal request for air-monitoring help through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hewitt said. As a result, EPA has sent a bus-mounted mobile lab to the Houston area to start monitoring and assessing air for any hazardous emission levels, he said. Texas also has asked the EPA to deploy a monitoring plane over Port Arthur, where the aircraft will collect infrared images and air readings to help track any damage and releases from the storm damage. Information will be provided to the public as it becomes available which follows our standard procedures, the EPA spokesman said. By Saturday, EPA contractors had left the area of the chlorine plant fire, said Langley, the Louisiana environmental spokesman. An environmental consulting firm would continue to do all air monitoring, he said. State officials also would be flying over the damaged area to look for obvious leaks, sheens, wayward drums and any other signs of industrial threats, Langley said. We have a lot of experience in hurricane response, looking for that, he said. Christina Stephens, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana governor, said Sunday that in addition to hand-held monitors, Louisianas Department of Environmental Quality also has mobile air labs, although it so far has not deployed them since the storm. The agency has the experienced team and the resources ... to assess and respond to environmental issues in the aftermath, Stephens said. If the state also needs EPA resources, we will not hesitate to call on them. But some environmental and public health advocates single out Louisiana for what they say is too lax vigilance over industrial threats to the public, even in the best of times. Louisianas response since Laura sounds like its about what it usually is. Not robust is putting it kindly, said Anne Rolfes in New Orleans, founder of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an environmental group. People are worried about the possibility of toxic releases from the storm, Rolfes said. But over the years, she said, Louisiana residents have come to have tremendously low expectations, for these institutions that are supposed to be protecting us. Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writer Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that the name of the Louisiana environmental group is the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, not The Bucket Brigades. The coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-enforced lockdown, in place for over five months now, has brought to the fore the digitalisation, or lack of it, woes of an overburdened and slow judicial system, exemplified by the close to 570,000 cases pending before Mumbais magistrate and sessions courts. There are 73 magistrate courts spread across 14 centres in the city and 80 sessions courts, the functioning of which have been thrown into a tizzy by the lockdown owing to little or no infrastructure. According to the national judicial data grid, there are 459,671 pending cases before the citys magistrate courts (which conduct trials for cases where the punishment is less than 10 years) and 108,978 such cases before the sessions courts. The state of affairs is despite the numerous efforts made by the Bombay high court (HC) and the Bar Council of Maharashtra (BCM), including moving towards e-filing of applications. However, the project could not succeed for various reasons, one of them being the want of proper infrastructure. In its advisory issued on March 14, before the national lockdown was announced, the HC insisted that the court can record evidence of witnesses through video-conferencing and emphasised on the use of the digital platform. However, hearing through video-conferencing could hardly work in practice for trials. Of the 80 sessions courts in the city, hardly 10 are functional at a time, that too in restricted hours. And these courts are again required to take up cases of remand under special acts, anticipatory and regular bail applications. Trials in such circumstances become tough to conduct, said a senior lawyer, requesting anonymity. The few courts, which have video-conferencing facilities, face different challenges. How can I confront the witness with a document? How can I get a signature identified? What if the witness doesnt have a proper phone or a facility to come on video-conferencing? How will the witness produce original records before the court? These are practical difficulties, said a prosecutor, on the condition of anonymity. In one such case where a special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was recording a deposition of a school principal to establish the age of a survivor, who was sexually assaulted by her cousins, the principal could not produce the original record as the school was not open, which affected the prosecutions case, said the prosecutor. While there was inconsistency in the statement of the survivor, the accused were acquitted by the court last month. Our law requires the prosecution to follow several mandatory procedures, which lawyers claimed are not practically possible for conducting trials through video conferencing. Due to practical difficulties, the trials in all pending cases are stopped till the court resumes physical hearing of cases. The courts are presently hearing only urgent applications, said the prosecutor. Further, to limit the footfall in the courts and to facilitate lawyers, the courts began to encourage lawyers to submit their application through the web portal of e-courts. In order to file a copy through web portal, the lawyer first has to register himself and fill a form on the portal. Later, he needs to upload the scanned copy of the application on the portal. After uploading the documents, the system would notify him about the next hearing date in 48 hours. Sources in the HC, who are looking after the functioning of the web portal, claimed that the department has held several seminars and webinars to guide lawyers and encourage them for maximum use of e-portal during the lockdown. But lawyers, however, cite several difficulties. I tried to file a bail application through the e-portal. It didnt work. The portal requires me to first register and fill up all my details. Even after several efforts I could not even register on the portal. I sought help from the expert in the IT department of the court, but they, too, could not help, said Pradeep Shetty, a a lawyer practicing criminal law in magistrate courts at Andheri, Bandra, Borivli. Lawyers are in a state of confusion over the system. Dilip Gondecha, president of Bar Association of Esplanade court, said, The option of e-filing or hearing through digital platform is not possible in lower court as there is no infrastructure. Even after filing applications on web portal, a lawyer is required to submit physical copies in the court. In such a situation, what is the use of submitting copies through a web portal. Jaiprakash Bagoria, president of Bar Association of Bandra centre, said, Not all lawyers have proper offices or facilities to file applications through an e-portal. There were several seminars and webinars arranged by the bar council and high court to guide lawyers about the use of e-portals. But it cannot work for the lower court in such a short span. There is a need to set up a centre or a booth to help lawyers resolve their issues, while trying to submit documents on web portals. The lawyers have raised several grievances about the present operating system of the court. We lack infrastructure to implement something like this on a larger level, Bagoria said. A change cannot come over night. This will happen in future, but it will take at least five to ten years. No one as far as I know could use e-portals from our centre. There are several technical glitches, while operating through web portals and it will take time to develop, said Brijesh Avichal, president, Bar Association of Girgon centre. Avichal said that for proper functioning of courts, physical hearing has to resume. We dont have a system for every procedure and court work to be done through digital platforms, Avichal added. Even as the lawyers face such practical difficulties, the BCM is now making efforts to take the concept of digitalisation ahead. The present situation has opened our eyes. We are now preparing for the future. We are looking forward in setting up centres in bar rooms across the state to facilitate e-filing. But this could happen only once things become normal. We are also looking forward to collaborate with companies to provide laptops to lawyers at concession rate so that we can focus more on digitalisation in coming future, said Subhash Gatge, president, Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa. Both the registrar-general of the HC and principal secretary (law and judiciary) were unavailable for comment. State of citys courts 73 magistrate courts in 14 centres across the city 459,671 cases pending 80 sessions courts at Kala Ghoda and Goregaon 108,978 cases pending SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NGOs accuse the AIIB of not respecting its social and environmental pledges. In India and Bangladesh, entire communities have been forcibly relocated to build new infrastructures. The European Union calls for respect for international standards. Manila (AsiaNews) The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) violates human rights and does not respect the environment, this according to human rights groups meeting at a Manila-based NGO forum on Asian development banks China set up the AIIB in 2016 as an alternative to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, dominated by the United States and Japan. The brainchild of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the development bank, which has 103-member, is designed to promote his Belt and Road Initiative, the large investment plan that seeks to revive the ancient Silk Roads between China and Europe, and make Beijing the hub of world trade. Opposed by the US, the AIIB has so far approved almost US billion in loans in about 20 countries. However, some 25 case studies indicate that the Beijing-headquartered bank has not lived up to its pledge of funding only socially and environmentally sustainable projects. Several AIIB-funded projects have led to the forced removal of entire communities, with hundreds of people losing their livelihoods. In some cases, people received little or no compensation, after they were forced off their land to build a road in India and a power plant in Bangladesh. In one case last June, 103 families in Bengaluru (Karnataka, India) were moved into makeshift accommodations because of the construction of the local metro rail. This was done after many residents had lost their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak. AIIB-funded projects have also damaged the environment. In the case of the Bhola power plant in southern Bangladesh, construction caused flooding in the surrounding area, and resulted in the death of two workers. Accusations from environmentalists and human rights groups are nothing new for AIIB, and they are not alone. The European Union has on several occasions expressed doubts about its actions, this despite the fact that some of its members have joined the institution. To make this point, at a hearing of the European Parliament in May 2019, the EU European Commissioner for the Economy Pierre Moscovici said that the AIIB should comply with internationally-recognised financial, social and environmental standards. GST taxpayers can now see their imports and inward supplies from special economic zones as these would now be auto populated. Also, various kinds of purchases would be auto populated in the new form-- GSTR 2B. Currently, taxpayers file GSTR1, which is a seller form and GSTR3B. However, purchases are not auto populated from GSTR1. "The present data upload has been done on a trial basis to give a feel of the functionality and to get feedback from the taxpayers on the same," said Abhishek Jain, partner at EY. He said the system was currently displaying import ... She was able to set families at ease, as much as they can be in a situation that includes revisiting trauma. She offered cards for McDonalds if they had to wait over lunch, Ubers or gas cards to make transit easier. She knew her job required asking children to testify, often against those they know and in graphic detail, amid situations that divided families. She tried to make it easy on the children, explaining in calm and compassionate tones how they would need to point to the person that hurt them. Lucknow: As reports of harassment against women in 'love-jihad' incidents takes prominence in many districts of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed for strict measures be taken to curb the problem. Recently, some reports of 'love-jihad' incidents have surfaced from Kanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri and Balrampur. As the such incidents are on th rise, CM Adityanath directed officials to make an action plan to prevent such incidents. According to Additional Chief Secretary Avnish Kumar Awasthi, the Chief Minister has asked for instant and strict action against women`s harassment and love-jihad incidents. In recent days, some cities reported cases of girls being trapped under the pretext of love. A young girl in Kanpur had posted a video on social media saying she would undergo religious conversion fo rtyhe consummation of her marriage. After the video went viral, activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad created a ruckus outside Kidwai Nagar police station, accusing a youth of forceful religious conversion. They demanded that the accused be arrested and the girl to be handed over to them. The VHP has been for a long time, advocating a firm action against love-jihad and have demanded a law to curb the issue. The issue of love-jihad is not new, it has been raised previously during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly bypolls. In 2014, Yogi Adityanath used to say at election rallies, "Now Jodha bai will not go with Akbar and Alexander will be forced to give his daughter to Chandragupta Maurya." CM Yogi has often described love jihad as an international plot. Lord & Taylor, one of the country's oldest department store chains, is going out of business after filing for bankruptcy earlier this month. The retailer was sold just a year ago for $US100 million ($136 million) to Le Tote, a San Francisco online clothing rental company, by Canadian parent Hudson's Bay Co. Lord and Taylor is the US's oldest department store chain. Credit:AP Lord & Taylor will permanently close its remaining 38 stores and shut down its website, the company said. It is currently holding going out of business sales in stores and online. "While we are still entertaining various opportunities, we believe it is prudent to simultaneously put the remainder of the stores into liquidation to maximise value of inventory for the estate while pursuing options for the company's brands," Ed Kremer, Lord & Taylor's chief restructuring officer said in a statement. Montenegrins are heading to the polls on August 30 from which a new parliament and cabinet are due to emerge. President Milo Djukanovic, who also leads the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), told reporters that "there have been attempts to create tensions from places outside of Montenegro" in reference to disputes over the country's new law on religions, which opponents say can challenge the Serbian Orthodox Church's property rights. The information was officially announced by the General Statistics Office on August 29. Under the report, the number of international tourists to Vietnam reached 163,000 in August, up nearly 17% over the previous month but down nearly 99% over the same period in 2019. The cause of the decline was Vietnams implementation of measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic, including the temporary closure of international tourism. The visitors from Asia, which account for over 73% of internationals, saw a year-on-year decline of nearly 70% in the first eight months of this year. However, visitors from Cambodia increased by nearly 71%. Arrivals from Europe were estimated to have decreased by nearly 55% compared to the same period last year, while tourists from America dropped by over 65%. On August 25, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) attended the virtual Destination Mekong Summit themed Balanced Tourism Recovery for a Better Future. Many important issues were discussed at the summit, including the impacts of the Covid-19 epidemic as well as the forecast for the situation and measures needed in the near future. The ethnicity of Kaipeng community in Tripura Ishan Biswas Among the 19 clans in Halam community the Kaipeng is one indigenous group that exists in Tripura since the monarchy system of Tripura kingdom. As per the report total 50 Kaipeng villages are here in Tripura. Among them 35 villages are under Ampi nagar RD block, Gumati Tripura and 4 in Teliamura, 1 in Damcherra, Panisagar and rest 10 villages are in Jampuijala in Sepahijala district. The Kaipeng tribe is a sub-group of Halam community of Tripura State in North-east of India. They are the indigenous inhabitant of Tripura state. The meaning of KAI is to lead and PENG means another way/path/road'. Thus the full meaning of the name Kaipeng which means "leading someone to another way/path/road". The Kaipeng clan is basically belonged to the Mongoloid groups and speaks the Tibeto - Burmese language. It is presumed that they migrated from somewhere near the Burma- frontier in the east. They also have their own dialect. They are found settled in Tuidu and Ampi area, under Amarpur sub-division, Sirduk Karkari TTAADC area, under Teliamura Sub-Division and Jampuijala Sub-Divisions in Tripura. Recently, they are also being settled at Badur Khua and few families settled in Seisimdung Khua under Panisagar Sub-Division of North Tripura District. However, they are also found in different part of district in Mizoram. But, mainly they are large population at Kanhmun khua under Mamit district, Mizoram. Origin: The Kaipengs like many other tribes of the Kuki Chin origin believe that man originated from a certain cave called Lungsin-Kharzawl in Kaipeng. Some pronounce it as Sinlung or Chhinlung or Khurpuitabum which literally interpreted means closed stone of Tibet-China. The Kaipeng tribe believes that their fore-fathers came first out of this cave by chanting powerful words (Chongsam) to the close stone to be opened. And many other similar tribes come out one after the others. When the sub-tribes came out of the cave, they talked so much and made such a loud noise that the guardians-god (Gate-keeper) of the cave fearing that the human population had grown too large and then closed the cave with a stone preventing any further exit of human beings from the cave. There after the tribes moved towards south-west along the present border of Burma and India through Himalayan Hill Tracks. The old Kaipeng identified themselves as RIAM (Miriam/Manmasu) which literally means people (Men or human being"), They have also used a traditional cultural dress called a RIAM KANCHILI till today as a proof. Riam Kanchali is an original of Kaipeng traditional dress. It is greater reliability on geographical and historical grounds, because the hill still stands as a living witness as CHAMPHAI town in the present Mizoram. Besides, the historians are of one opinion that the Kaipengs made a long halt at that hill in course of their migration. The Food Habits: The foot habit of this tribe is akin to that of other sub-tribes of the Halam, Tripuri, Mizo, Kuki and the like. Rice is their staple food. Some formalities are observed while drinking or smoking is done in formal gathering or in groups. Persons having higher social status in respect of seniority in kinship, senior in age and otherwise get to have smoke or drink first. In a village gathering, for instance, the order of the offer respectively follows from the Ochai (village priest) to the Khaw Lal (village headman: Choudhuri), village headman to his assistant (Khandol) and the elders. The guests and other respected persons are cordially entertained with smokes and drinks. The food gathering activity of the Kaipengs consists of the collection of vegetables, fishing and hunting. It is supplemented by food production, and domestication of animals and birds. As the forests are receding, dependence on food gathering is decreasing. The forests of Tripura offer ample scope for food-gathering activity. The Economic life: The life of the Kaipengs is amidst of the hills and jungles where natural products are abundantly available. Their economic life is consists of gathering of wild vegetables, fishing, hunting, basketry, weaving and primitive agriculture called Lo (shifting cultivation) which is also known as Jhum by the common people of the state. In this field, variety of crop seeds are sown by putting into shallow holes and dug by gangs of men and women with stroke of choppers held in the right hand. Thus paddy, cotton, melon, sesame, aurum, jute, brinjal, chilli, ginger, turmeric, maize, cucumber, gourd, pumpkin etc. all these are sown into the same field. The economic activities of the Kaipeng relates mainly to weaving and basketry. The Society, Culture & Religious belief: The Kaipengs also have their own society, which is known as 'Kaipeng Society, The Tribe controls all over the community with some systematic procedure of its own since long past. A number of rites and rituals, conventional traditions, religious taboos etc. are surviving till today in their culture. By nature, they are not atheists. The Kaipeng village pattern is same as that of other tribes of Halam Community in Tripura. Most of the villages are built nearby jungles and interior areas. In such villages, some significant social activities are being performed. Each of the village is under the jurisdiction of the village headman called Khaw Lal (Choudhury). He is the high power holder in the village level in their society. In case of failure to control over the offender, he may refer to the higher authority, i.e., Kaipeng Rai (Chief of the community) for further trial. The conduct of the members of the Kaipeng Tribe is regulated through three-fold structure, such as (1) the family authority structure, (2) the village authority structure and (3) the community council. The Family Authority Structure: In Kaipeng Tribe, the conduct of the members in the family is regulated and the socio-economic and politico-religious activities of the family are determined by the head of the family. Nowadays, the oldest male member heads the family and his wife acts as assistant. After the death or otherwise, invalidation of the former, the next oldest male succeeds him. The new head could be the eldest son or eldest son-in-law (in case the family has no son or eldest son has been staying with his father-in-law's family). In case the family has no adult male member, the wife of the head takes up this responsibility. The head represents his/her family at the village and community affairs such as selection of village chief (Choudhuri) and the other members of the council, and to attend village meetings called by the village council. The Village Authority Structure: In respect of administrative point of view, the Kaipengs have a unique establishment of their own. Choudhuri (village headman) is the powerful local authority in every Kaipeng village. A lot of disputes, quarrels, controversies and minor clashes etc, which take place in a village, are usually justified in the court of the Choudhuri. Hence, the Choudhuri is the competent authority to dispose of the cases lodged in his court. There are two Khandols (peon-cum- messengers). In every Kaipeng village, assists the Choudhuri two Khandols are as follows. The Khandol Ulian (Senior Khandol) : The Khandol Ulian (Senior Khandol) is appointed by the people of the village at the discretion of the Choudhuri concerned. His duty is to perform as a senior messenger-cum-police. He informs about any meeting that to be held in the residence of village Choudhuri. By virtue of his social position, he arrests the accused and produces the offenders in front of Choudhuri for justice. One Khandol (Junior Khandol) is attached to him for collection of contributions from each household for community festivals, and the like. The Khandol (Junior Khandol) : He is also appointed by the Choudhuri concerned at the discretion of the people of the village. He is the assistance of Khandol ulian. His main duty is to act as and assistance of Senior Khandol while bringing the convicts to the court of the village Chowdhuri. He is bound to abide by and work under the direction of Senior Khandol as well as the Choudhuri. On production of the accused in the court of the village Choudhuri, the Choudhuri will try the offender in the court in presence of Nutwr and Patwr (generous elder persons of the village who can give good suggestions for the case) as he deems fit to be attended. The case is generally disposed of by the verbal verdict given by Choudhuri. Hence, Choudhuri is the competent judge in the village court. In case, the Choudhuri could not dispose of a critical case lodged in his court, the case is automatically referred to the higher authority (i.e. in the court of the RAI council); the RAI council will settle the case along with his associates and jurisprudents. To mention here that the exact amount of fine or particular type of punishment against any offence is normally determined by the village headman (Choudhuri) and his associates. The Choudhuri and his associates have a negotiation for finalizing the fine or punishment against the accused with Nutwr patwr (aged and knowledgeable persons) of the village. The Traditional Kaipeng Dresses and Ornaments: In respect of dress and ornaments, the Kaipengs also have their own. In far-flung areas, the infants are generally found to be almost naked while in proper sides are well dressed. The forefathers of the Kaipengs used to put on loin cloth (Therthap) in the past though it is not found nowadays. At present, an adult man's dress consists of two pieces of clothes: a napkin made of raw cotton and a Kanchili (shirt). The womenfolk use two pieces of clothes too, namely a Rasa (an upper garment of Kaipeng women) which is a well designed long narrow piece of cloth. It is horizontally tied below the arm simply covering the breasts, and a Puannzel (a lower garment of Kaipeng women), is a large piece of cloth tied to the waist and goes a little below the knees. Earlier, both the male and female were fond of ornaments and used to keep long hair. Ornaments are used for neck, Rathei (necklace); ear-lopes, Kuarkhai (ear ring); nose, Nakuphul (nose-flower); hair, Samkil (hair stead) and hands, Bala (rings used in wrists); fingers Kutsabi (finger ring) etc. of all the ornaments, those for neck and ear- lobes are deserves special mention in women. The necks are profusely decorated with large number of Rathei (neck lace) and Sumrui (a neck-lace of coins) reaching to the belly and covering the chest. From the early childhood, the ear lobes of the girls are pierced with needle (Thirsim) and a little cork made of broomstick is inserted in it. After sometimes, it is replaced by the bigger one, which tends to tear the lobe and enables to wear Kuarkhai therein. Folk Songs, Music and Dance: Music plays a major role in Kaipeng societies and is intimately linked with a persons ancestry and country (the animals, plants and physical features of the landscape). It is traditionally connected with important events such as the bringing of rain, healing, harvesting, etc. Kaipeng music is learnt and carried on to later generations by performing it. It is not seen as fixed but rather is something that is varied or built upon in successive performances. There is usually a large number of participants and is performed communally. Narrative verse looms large in the traditional music of Kaipeng cultures. This encompasses such forms which were meant originally for oral performance, sometimes accompanied by instruments. Hymns and other forms of religious music are often of traditional origin. Work songs frequently feature on call and response structures, and are designed to enable the laborers who sing them to coordinate their efforts in accordance with the rhythms of the songs. They are frequently, but not invariably, composed. Music has been an integral part of the Kaipeng lifestyle. Some of the aboriginal instruments, developed in Tripura and with respect to Kaipeng community are Singrasit (Musical instrument played by mouth), Dangdul (bamboo musical instrument), Sranda (violen), Khuang (Drum), Chongpreng (Guitar), and Thethele (Flute). Be it the occasion of marriage, religious ceremony or other festival, songs and music are sung and played to commemorate each event among the community. Dance has also been a vital constituent of the Kaipeng way of life. The different varieties and style of dance forms like Rai lam, Jaksung lam, Meladan lam etc are exclusive to one or the other occasions. The Kaipeng songs and dances reflect their social lifestyle. Joy and sorrow are given a musical colour through their songs sung in style befitting the occasions. The Traditional Kaipeng Games & Sports: The Kaipengs are very rich in traditional games and sports. They enjoy a lot of games like Poi-radai (a seed shooting game), Rabuan (wrestling), Sarelranon (bamboo pole wrestling), Tuaikumzuang (a game intimating in flight of an insect) and so many others. The boys mainly play these games. And, the girls also play games like Mairahip radai (a game of hide and seek), puanta (weaving of little piece of cloths) and so on. Earlier, the Kaipengs community depended on shifting cultivation for livelihood and their main crop was rice. For husking rice the Kaipengs used wooden mortal and pestle which were called Sum and Sarel. During the break of their tiresome rice husking which was done mainly by women the Kaipeng youngsters used this rice pounding wooden pestle Sarel to exhibit their manly prowess. Festivals: The Kaipeng celebrated various types of festivals. Some of them were observed in the form of rituals and sacrifices. They played a significant role in Kaipeng society, as they were normally associated with economic and religious activities, social lives and agricultural season. These festivals and rituals revealed the Kaipeng view on diseases, life and death. While some festivals were meant for joyous celebrations, the others were related to rituals event that resulted from the belief in the existence of supernatural spirits. These practices or celebrating gradually ceased due to the mass conversion of the tribes in Christianity in the twentieth century. However, Sakungphai festival is still celebrated as a post-harvest festival in a modified and modern form. Sakungphai festival is revived in Tripura but without an originally. It, therefore, emerges as a challenges as to how to preserve and sustain the traditional values. NGO: The Young Kaipeng Association (YKA) is a platform for all the Kaipengs for interaction among themselves for Unity in preservation and development of Socio - Cultural Activities from all states of India (North Eastern states). The YKA is the largest and most comprehensive non-profit, secular and non-governmental organization of the Kaipeng people. It was registered with the Tripura Government under the Indian Society Registration Act, 1860 (Act XXI of 1860). The YKA has expressed over the miserable social status of the Kaipeng people in Tripura. In many villages in Kaipeng habitations there are no proper road connectivity, no electricity, drinking water crisis, no school, health centre deficiency, deprivation of BPL ration card amidst poor families, many Kaipeng widows and aged people are deprived from govt. pension, dearth of shop stalls, do not have ration distribution centre in many villages. Their lives are really in a pathetic condition. The YKA, TKSCL & KSU the Kaipeng NGO organizations has raised allegation over the deprivation of govt. amenities and said that being constitutional fundamental democratic right the Kaipeng people are neglected from different kinds of govt. facilities in their backward localities. Asked by New Zealand media this week to summate the Australian reaction to the conviction of the Christchurch killer who grew up in Grafton only to murder 51 people in a Kiwi mosque in March last year, I took pause. For how do we Australians look upon him? For years we have read about gun massacres in other countries and nearly without exception they have been done by foreigners to foreigners. Its always other-worldly, some place far over there, done by strange psycho bastards bred in strange cultures to victims we dont know and anyway, I wonder what else is on the tele tonight, praise the Lord and pass the remote? But this, of course, was different. This was one of ours, nothing less than a homegrown terrorist, committing hideous acts on our nearest and dearest neighbours. Hence why, to the Kiwis, I characterise our general reaction as being one of deep personal sorrow and excruciating embarrassment, mixed with great admiration at the way that New Zealand has confronted the tragedy. The way the Kiwis came together after the murders from Jacinda Ardern wearing the hijab to the mosque the day after the massacre to their rock-solid unity and refusal to utter his name was nothing short of inspirational. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal From the outside, it doesnt really stand out; most people drive by without a glance. But, for years, the post office in Gladstone served as a hub for its small farming community and still does nearly a decade after it shut down for good. Gladstone is located in a remote section of an already rural Union County in the states far northeast corner. The area is home to only a few dozen residents, most of them scattered across the rolling ranchland that extends forever in every direction. Driving along U.S. 56, you might not even notice you were in a place called Gladstone were it not for Gladstone Mercantile, the towns only gas station, restaurant and store. Owner Victoria Price said most of her customers are either locals or truck drivers headed to Clayton or Springer. Were it for everything I guess, Price said. And, for decades, that included the local post office. It was first opened in 1888 and moved to several locations around the area, finally settling in the eastern half of the Gladstone Mercantile for its last few decades in operation. Remnants of the old office still remain, with mail slots from the 1950s, the counter where customers would line up and even an old delivery bag nailed to the door. A hand-carved sign outside the building still reads: U.S. POST OFFICE Gladstone N.M. 88422. Prices eyes filled with pride as she showed an envelope she keeps displayed in the post office, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of Gladstones post office in 1988. She describes herself as very pro-post office. Price has only owned the building for a couple of years, but she said she remembers it being open when she was a kid growing up in the area, and that everyone would come to the office to collect their mail and converse with other locals. In that way, Gladstone doesnt differ from many other rural locales in New Mexico, where post offices are often one of the only public buildings in the area and serve as a natural gathering point. But, in 2011, the U.S. Postal Service closed the post office in Gladstone, along with several other rural offices in the state, as part of an ongoing effort to cut costs. Now, a gray cluster mail box sits near the highway, serving as the de-facto post office for Gladstone residents. The closest post office building is now in the town of Mills, more than 30 miles south. Price has started filling the old post office with antiques and other knickknacks from the area, adding shed like to convert it into a museum some day. For now, though, piles of objects are obscure signs of what the small room once was. Some of those driving by the postal building still assume its open for business. Weve actually been talking about taking that sign down because its very confusing to a lot of people, Price said. About three people a week. Six days a week Concern surrounding the postal service has reached fever pitch in recent weeks as operational cuts proposed by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stoke fears of mail delays and the shutting down of certain post offices. This as the U.S. prepares for a significant surge of mail-in ballots for Election Day in November as more Americans vote from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure of post offices, though, is nothing new, especially in rural areas. Since 1964, at least 50 post offices in New Mexico have shut their doors, nearly all of them in some of the states most remote locations, according to data from the postal service. A majority were located in northern New Mexico specifically, five in Union County alone. The largest wave came in 1995, when 13 post offices closed statewide. The postal service had said many lacked the necessary facilities, with many offices being run out of peoples homes that were often the only buildings in the area, according to newspaper articles from the time. More than 30 rural post offices were ordered to move their operations those that could not comply closed for good. For many small communities, losing a post office can be a devastating experience. The tiny town of La Madera in Rio Arriba County nearly lost its post office in 2001 due to its crumbling condition. One resident, in an interview with the Santa Fe New Mexican, scoffed at the idea of replacing a box with a cluster mail box. You cant get personal attention from boxes, the resident said. Gladstone has now implemented that exact system, while still trying to maintain a personal touch. Six days a week, Cynthia Cruz stops at Gladstone during her four-hour route from Des Moines, Union County, to drop off mail at the cluster box. Sometimes, residents will wait next to the box for her 11 a.m. delivery. Im just here to serve my customers and if theres anything I can do to help them, I will do that, Cruz said. Cruz is not your typical postal worker, in that she isnt one at all. Her family has a contract with the postal service that allows them to deliver mail in the area. Many rural areas rely on contracted couriers to deliver mail rather than full-fledged postal workers. Richard Trujillo, whos delivered mail in Gladstone for more than 40 years, said these contractors deliver packages and other goods not readily available to residents. Thats their lifeline to the outside, Trujillo said. Over the years, Trujillo has built a close relationship with his customers. If hes running late or muddy roads prevent him from delivering that day, he knows many will call him to ask what is wrong. But despite that relationship, hes wondered how cost-effective of a model it is to deliver door-to-door to residents. I have about a 130-mile route and I only have maybe 35 customers, he said, adding dirt roads slow him down no matter the weather. If it snows, its bad, or if it rains, these roads are muddy, muddy. He said he was surprised he hasnt had his hours cut, since some rural carriers deliver three days a week. But such a move might make his job untenable. I dont know if I can make a living that way, he said. A trip to Gladstone Residents can have most of their mail-related needs, such as sending letters and buying stamps, met through the couriers. However, sometimes they do need to make the 35-mile drive to Springer, since closer offices are open only a couple of hours a day. Price said money orders and international packages are the main reason people need to visit a post office. Its a pain not to have a real post office, she said. We really need it out here. A trip to the post office means Price needs to close her store early, hurting her business. And while her store no longer has a post office, she still performs many of the same duties. Shell regularly accept mail for residents and sell them stamps secondhand, with many making long drives to the store just to get their mail. They kind of make a trip of it to Gladstone every day, Price said, adding the mail still binds the community like it did when the post office was open. Rural residents rely heavily on the mail for information, medicine, bills and other important notifications. Union County Commissioner Clay Kiesling said its always been that way. It is a gathering place, a place to get information, he said. Which is a big deal in rural areas. And when those post offices close, many fear small towns will disappear with them. Price said the effects in Union County are plain to see. Its already noticeable in all the towns that have closed you take your business elsewhere, she said, pointing to nearby Mount Dora as an example. I dont think anyone lives there any more. Mount Doras post office closed in 2002. Kiesling still lives in the area and said the couple that ran the office were often the only people in the actual town. Once the postmaster there hit retirement age, I dont think anybody wanted to come up there and take over, he said. It just kind of closed after that. Afterward, the addresses of nearby homes changed from Mount Dora to Grenville, the nearest post office, at 17 miles away. Kiesling, whose fathers ranch is in Mount Dora, said it bothered him that his home area was no longer recognized by the postal service. I always still put Mount Dora, even though its actually Grenville, he said, noting he still gets his mail delivered. The postal service has not recently announced potential closures in New Mexico, as it has in other states. Lately, DeJoy has backed off plans to cut hours and remove machines from local post offices. Ken Fajardo, president of the American Postal Workers Union Albuquerque Local 380, recently told the Journal that those decisions created delays in mail delivery. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 16:06:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Local authorities in Jeminay County of Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have established agricultural cooperatives to help locals fight poverty. Supported by China's poverty alleviation policies, local officials aim to explore a tailored path for impoverished locals to get rid of poverty. Charleston police arrested several protesters Saturday, saying their group violated the law by marching on the street in a demonstration calling for the arrest of a Kenosha, Wis. police officer who shot a Black man in the back several times. At least five people were booked into the Charleston County jail on charges of disobeying a lawful order, and one on a charge of resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. Arrested protesters were tackled to the ground as the group marched from Marion Square down St. Philip Street, dodging armored police who blocked off some streets. "This is a pattern we've seen since the George Floyd protests began in May," ACLU of South Carolina spokeswoman Ali Titus said. "It's deeply concerning to see this happening again. It's a clear threat to First Amendment rights." The protest had begun with an hour of speeches and chants at Marion Square, where leaders waved sage smoke over about 75 kneeing demonstrators and preached about love and respect. But the gathering wasn't permitted, Capt. Dustin Thompson said, and it was illegal for the march to fill the roadway. He cited King Street's slender sidewalks, saying the line of armored officers blocking that street was intended to herd the protesters toward wider streets where they could stay off the asphalt. Armed with a megaphone and his signature trombone, Marcus McDonald led the thinning crowd to a line of officers with cable ties pre-fastened to their body armor waiting with batons. Fifteen officers in two lines grabbed McDonald and tossed him back, and the group continued down the side street and made their way to St. Philip Street. Once on St. Philip, police drove up behind the protesters at Beaufain Street and officers tackled two people to the ground and pinned another to a wall. Officers zip-tied their wrists behind their backs. Thompson said one protester jumped on an officer as the officer pinned another demonstrator to the ground. "It was not peaceful," Thompson said. Protesters scattered onto Beaufain, where a trio of police cars pulled up from the other direction. At least three people were arrested there, with one man thrown to the ground so hard he rolled across the asphalt. Protester Jason Jones said he saw officers point to the first three demonstrators before other officers raced after them. After the second tackle, he yelled to the others to stay on the sidewalks, and keep an eye on the police cruisers following them. The protesters stayed on sidewalks as leaders spoke with officers. On either side, officers stood shoulder to shoulder, wooden batons grasped in leather-gloved fists, with tear gas launcher at the ready. One officer told the protesters that they could all be arrested on disorderly conduct charges for crossing a line of officers at King Street. The officers had stood firm for a few moments, but didn't stop some protesters who slipped between them and continued down the street. "Were all about to get arrested, Jones told the remaining crowd of about 40 protesters. Im here with you, Im not leaving you ... everyone has the bail number. After Jones relayed the message, a police sergeant pulled Jones aside and told him the protesters could leave if they walk in pairs and trios back to their cars. By 6 p.m. there were more police than protesters left and 10 minutes later, after officers allowed stragglers in groups of five to pass, the protest was fully dispersed. It wasn't an ideal end to the demonstration, said Jones, but he'd been half-prepared for the escalation. "This is the grassroots movement, this is how it goes," Jones said afterward. Protesters had gathered at 4 p.m. They were there to voice their concerns following the shooting of Jacob Blake, 29, reigniting calls against police violence against Black Americans that have been ongoing since the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in spring. Blake was shot several times in the back after an officer said he felt threatened by a knife he said was in man's hand following a call about a domestic dispute. Benjamin Crump, Blake's attorney, said his client was trying to de-escalate a fight when officers pulled up. Cellphone video shows Blake scuffling with three officers, then walking to his car and leaning into the open driver's side door. Officers fired at least seven shots at his back, as Blake's three sons watch from the backseat. In a Tuesday protest in Wisconsin calling for the officers' arrest, a gunman killed two unarmed demonstrators and wounded a third. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide. Berlin: Berlin police broke up a mass protest against coronavirus curbs on Saturday and arrested 300 in the German capital after demonstrators failed to keep their distance and wear masks as instructed. Around 38,000 protesters gathered for events across the city and police reported pockets of unrest, as infections rise in Europe and public frustration at measures to contain the virus grows. Similar events took place in Paris, London and elsewhere on Saturday. Coronavirus skeptics and right-wing extremists march in protest against coronavirus-related restrictions and government policy in Berlin. Credit:Getty Images "Unfortunately, we have no other option," Berlin police said on Twitter, adding that those taking part had failed to comply with the safety conditions of the march. At a demonstration close to Brandenburg Gate, several thousand were still gathered by early evening, some throwing rocks and bottles. Police arrested around 200 protesters, Berlin's interior minister Andreas Geisel said, describing the group as "extremist". Seven police were injured. The beheaded bodies of two teenagers who went missing two days ago were recovered in West Bengals Murshidabad district on Sunday, police said. The family members alleged that two cousins were killed by men who had warned them against fishing in an inundated field surrounded by paddy fields in Berhampores Kanthali area. We are probing the murders. So far, we have detained eight people for questioning. Raids are on, Murshidabad superintendent of police K Sabari Rajkumar said. On Friday morning, Manjarul Sheikh, 15, and Tanjarul Sheikh, 16, went to the field to catch fish. They were carrying a small boat. The teenagers were not seen again. Large tracts of lowlands and agricultural fields are under water in the area in the aftermath of heavy rains. On Saturday, officers from Berhampore police station went to Kanthali on receiving a complaint, but failed to trace the boys, whose fathers work as labourers in Saudi Arabia. A search operation on Sunday led to the bodies being found near a bush. Their heads were found about 40 meters away. The boys were fishing to earn some money and help the family. Some local men threatened them against fishing at Hijaler math (where the boys had gone). We informed the police after we found their boat, fishing net, sandals and their clothes near the area, Firoza Bibi, an aunt, said. There are several stab injuries on the bodies, she added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 18:59:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- At a symposium that concluded Saturday, President Xi Jinping pointed out policy directions for developing Tibet, calling for efforts to build a new modern socialist Tibet. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed efforts to ensure national security and enduring peace and stability, steadily improve people's lives, maintain a good environment, solidify border defense and ensure frontier security in the autonomous region in southwest China. Achieving sustained stability and rapid development is the cornerstone of building a new modern socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful. First and foremost, work related to Tibet must focus on safeguarding national unity and strengthening ethnic solidarity. The message is clear in this regard: The public should be widely mobilized to participate in the anti-separatist struggle, thus forging an ironclad shield to safeguarding stability. Tibet-related issues concern China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which involve the country's core interests. Some Western governments and politicians have long been inciting anti-China separatist activities, with the malicious intent of fanning up instability in the region and using Tibet as a bargaining chip for their political gain. However, their attempts to play the "Tibet card" to contain China's development and sow seeds of instability have proved futile. Speaking at the symposium, Xi noted that Tibet has made comprehensive progress and historic achievements in its various undertakings over the past five years. Xi emphasized accelerated efforts to promote high-quality development in Tibet, adding that more work, measures and support are needed to consolidate the achievements made in poverty alleviation. Today's Tibet is in its best period of development. In 2018, the region's GDP was 147.76 billion yuan (21.11 billion U.S. dollars), about 192 times the 1959 figure of 174 million yuan, calculated at comparable prices. The region's GDP reached nearly 170 billion yuan in 2019. As one of the main grounds in China's nationwide campaign against poverty, Tibet has basically eradicated absolute poverty, after lifting the remaining 150,000 people out of poverty and taking 19 counties off the poverty list in 2019. In view of the adverse natural conditions on the plateau and underdeveloped social conditions in Tibet, this is an extraordinary feat. It attests to the success of the Chinese model of development in the region. Shining light on eco-protection, Xi said conserving the ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the most significant contribution to the survival and development of the Chinese nation, emphasizing that scientific research should be further advanced on the plateau. Making ecological conservation a priority, Tibet has invested 11.7 billion yuan over the past decade under a project on environmental protection. In May, a Chinese survey team reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma and remeasured the height of the world's highest peak, which straddles the China-Nepal border, with its northern part located in Tibet's Xigaze. The event marked a crucial step in China's mission to survey the mountain, which scientists believe will enhance human knowledge of nature and help boost scientific advancement. As the CPC's policies for governing Tibet in the new era are fully implemented, it will pave the way for a new modern socialist Tibet with enduring peace and stability and high-quality development. Enditem Today, the Rohingya plight remains desperate. There are now about 1 million people living in five refugee camps of bamboo and plastic shelters over an area equivalent to about a third of Manhattan. Children make up about half of them. The refugees fear resettlement in Myanmar would subject them to more deprivation and violence, and efforts to negotiate a return to Rakhine state have failed twice, in 2018 and 2019. The refugees have followed closely as their case was taken up by the International Court of Justice, which ruled in January that Myanmar must implement emergency measures to protect them against violence and preserve evidence of possible genocide. The ruling came after Myanmars leader, Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, personally argued before the court in The Hague that the Rohingya exodus had not been mass murder. The Myanmar government has rejected the courts ruling, which is only the first step in a process that will probably take years. Pantha Encounter: Three terrorists were gunned down by security forces in an encounter that broke out at Pantha Chowk in Srinagar on Saturday night. Three terrorists were gunned down by security forces in an encounter that broke out at Pantha Chowk in Srinagar last night, police said. In the encounter, one police personnel has lost his life. Police said that three terrorists were gunned down by security forces in an encounter that began at Pantha Chowk in Srinagar last night. He added that one police personnel lost his life, the operation was still underway. According to the Kashmir Zone police, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Babu Ram lost his life in the encounter which began after terrorists opened fire at a joint Naka of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Pantha Chowk area. Following this joint parties of the police and CRPF cordoned off the area and began a search operation. During the search, terrorists again opened fire upon the search parties, leading to an encounter, according to the police. Also read: After Facebook row, Congress alleges BJPs control over WhatsApp Also read: India controlled spread of locust swarms using modern technologies: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Terrorists opened fire at a joint naka of police and CRPF at Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, according to the Kashmir Zone Police on Saturday. Following this joint parties of the police and CRPF cordoned off the area and began a search operation. During the search, terrorists again opened fire upon the search parties, leading to an encounter, according to the police. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput death case LIVE news updates: CA Sandip joins Rhea and others for CBI interrogation Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said stopping Rahul Gandhi from taking over leadership of Congress will lead to "extinction" of the grand old party. In his weekly column Rokhthok in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Raut also said Congress lacks a leader who can stand up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with full might. Referring to the letter by 23 Congress leaders to Sonia Gandhi on having a "full time" leadership that is active in the field and "visible" in party offices, Raut wondered who is stopping these leaders from being active. "Activeness to stop Rahul Gandhi will be instrumental in destroying the party and lead to its extinction," Raut said. Having a non-Gandhi as Congress president is a good idea, but no one in those 23 has that capability, said Raut whose party, along with Congress and NCP, is a constituent of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra. Referring to regional parties floated by former Congress leaders, Raut said, "The Congress still exists across India but with different masks. If these masks are thrown away, it can emerge as a prominent political party." He said Congress veteran late V N Gadgil described the Congress as an old woman who will never die."Rahul Gandhi has to decide what to do with the old lady," Raut added. The president of Belarus holds a machine gun in front of the Palace of Independence in Minsk Tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched through the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Sunday calling for an end to strongman Alexander Lukashenko's rule, despite heavily armed police and troops blocking streets and detaining dozens of demonstrators. Protests have now entered a third week since the disputed presidential election on August 9 in which Mr Lukashenko claimed victory, while opposition rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said she was the true winner. An AFP journalist and local media estimated that more than 100,000 people came to Sunday's protest, equalling the scale of the rallies on previous weekends, the largest demonstrations the country has seen since independence from the USSR. Riot police officers block Independence Avenue during a protest held by Belarusian opposition supporters - Natalia Fedosenko\\TASS via Getty Images Some protesters gathered around Mr Lukashenko's official residence in the centre of Minsk, the Palace of Independence, which was guarded by a cordon of riot police and special forces with helmets and anti-riot shields, equipped with water cannons. Sunday's rally fell on Lukashenko's 66th birthday and online opposition messages urged people to bring flowers and "creative" handmade gifts reflecting their attitude to the authoritarian leader. Some chanted "Get out! We're coming for you on your birthday!" A Belarusian opposition supporter is detained during a protest - Natalia Fedosenko\\TASS via Getty Images Others held quirky items aloft including a cardboard model toilet with a sign urging Mr Lukashenko to "flush" himself away. Others carried a model coffin with "Dictatorship" written on the side and a picture of a giant cockroach, the nickname used by the opposition for Mr Lukashenko. There were chants of "The rat is you and we're the people," reported local news site Nasha Niva, after Mr Lukashenko referred to protesters as "rats." Thousands also held similar rallies in other Belarusian cities, including Brest and Grodno, local media reported. In the early days of the pandemic, Predict became a target of some administration officials because of a grant to the EcoHealth Alliance, a New York-based consultancy employing field veterinarians and wildlife biologists. The alliance had used the grant money to train Chinese scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology to catch bats, take fecal and blood samples, and analyze them for viruses. By then, the Wuhan institute had become the target of rumors that said it had accidentally released the lethal new coronavirus into the world. Those rumors were repeated by national security officials without evidence, and were central to the administrations efforts to divert blame to China, rather than to Mr. Trump, for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans from the virus. (The rumors arose in part because one of the institutes thousands of stored bat samples contained a virus that was a 96 percent match for SARS-CoV-2. But because coronaviruses mutate slowly, that figure does not describe a close relative. Most evolutionary biologists interpreted the finding to suggest that the two viruses evolved from a common ancestor 40 years ago.) During its 10-year existence, Predict spent $207 million to train about 5,000 scientists in 30 African and Asian countries, and to build or strengthen 60 laboratories to seek out animal viruses that could endanger humans. Scientists working for Predict collected over 140,000 biological samples and found over 1,000 new viruses, including a new strain of Ebola. Even after Predict ended, gene-sequencing teams that it trained in Thailand and Nepal were the first to detect Covid-19 in their countries, even before they got test kits from the World Health Organization, said Dr. Jonna Mazet, a veterinarian at the University of California, Davis, who was Predicts global director. Both countries rapidly contained the spread of the virus and have kept deaths from it very low, despite having cases early. Now Predicts five major grantees have formed a new consortium to apply for the $100 million Stop Spillover grant from USAID. The group includes the One Health Institute at U.C. Davis; the EcoHealth Alliance; the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the Bronx Zoo; the Smithsonian Institution, which manages the National Zoo in Washington; and the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University in New York. The London barrister hired by AMP to investigate a female employees sexual harassment complaint against senior executive Boe Pahari found all her main allegations credible but deemed only part of his behaviour constituted harassment, with much of it considered minor or inoffensive. Details of the findings by Andrew Burns QC, whose investigation was dubbed Project Jerome within AMP, have emerged a week after the resignation of chairman David Murray and director John Fraser following shareholder unease over their handling of the complaint against Mr Pahari. AMP Capital's Boe Pahari, who was counselled and fined over alleged sexual harassment. Mr Pahari, who was appointed chief executive of AMP Capital earlier this year, stepped aside from the position last week but remains with the company. Mr Burns found Mr Pahari engaged in three acts of harassment against his far younger and more junior colleague, Julia Szlakowski, on a night out in London in 2017. But he advised AMP that the severity of the harassment ranged between minor, moderate and a case of outright harassment. Other elements did not constitute harassment, the inquiry found. WATERLOO REGION More than 13,000 students in Waterloo Region have opted to take distance learning this September. That breaks down to about 10,500 from the Waterloo Region District School Board 8,500 elementary students and 2,000 secondary students and 3,000 from the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, with approximately 2,200 elementary students and 800 secondary students signing up. Its an amount the public board said was "higher than anticipated" in a Friday press release. The public board serves approximately 64,000 students in 121 schools in the region and the Catholic board enrols about 36,000 students across 48 schools. Students participating in the public system program will likely be grouped together with students from other schools, with teachers teaching a class made up of students from across the region. The program will be grouped into divisions, with students from multiple grades participating in the same class. And to maximize the available French teachers, all French immersion elementary students will be grouped into the same program. "Once we have a better idea of the total number of FI students, teachers and classes, we will be able to plan for as much instructional time in French as possible," the release said. There may be some split grades for Catholic students as well, said board chair Bill Conway. As there is in face-to-face learning we are following the same class creation/staffing process we use in face-to-face learning, with the exception that students are coming from different schools, he said. School in a virtual world For elementary students in the public system, teachers will start to organize the classes on the week of September 8, building their online classrooms on Brightspace/VLE or Google Classroom. Parents will receive their childs weekly schedule, and regular sessions will begin the following week. For students wishing to transition back to the classroom, they will be offered the chance to switch on November 10 and February 3. As for secondary students, the distance learning program will align with the quadmester schedule for students who are attending in person. Students will have the option to change from one mode of learning to another at the end of each quadmester. "Some course offerings and programs that are unique to a specific school or have a small number of students may not be available in our distance learning program," the release said. Students at the Catholic board who are opting for the virtual model will be enrolled in the virtual school of St. Isidore. "For full clarity the student is no longer assigned to their home school teacher, but to their teacher in the virtual school, and all communication during that time will be with the virtual school teacher and administration," said director of education Loretta Notten in an open letter. Virtual school will start on September 14 for elementary students and September 17 for secondary students. If students choose to return to in-person school, they will be placed in their home school in a class with space. As for secondary students, their day will begin with 150 minutes of face-to-face instruction, followed by 75 minutes of live learning with a teacher, and then 75 minutes of work without a teacher. Teachers, parents want more answers The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Waterloo Region held a virtual meeting for its 2,500 members last week. They had over 900 submitted questions. President Greg Weiler said they were only able to answer about half of them. "I think thats the biggest issue, teachers are used to following rules," he said. "Dealing with all this uncertainty and last-minute changes is causing a lot of issues." He said he understands the board is stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to follow the Ministry of Educations guidelines to get back to school in September. But its been an anxious time for teachers, he said, who would usually know in June what classes they are teaching the following year. "Theres no time to plan anything for the coming weeks," he said. "And I think that uncertainty is probably an explanation for why so many parents are choosing to keep their children home." Erin Walsh is one of the parents who has mounting questions as her 13-year-old daughter, Ava, prepares for Grade 8. Her daughter has autism and attends Laurelwood Public School in Waterloo, a place where she has gotten to know the teachers and has formed strong bonds. While the public board has said that education assistants will be provided for distance learners, Walsh said she worries her daughter wont react well to a teacher she doesnt know from a different school. They have considered sending her back to school but said the mask requirements and fear of spreading the disease would likely make it too difficult for her to focus. "We understand that the school board is doing the best that they can under these circumstances," she said. "But its a mess, everyone knows that, and we just have to stay positive and hope we get more answers before school starts." The two chemicals are used by High Street brands Dove, Body Shop and L'Oreal Protesters say it destroys the EU-wide ban on animal experiments for cosmetics Eurocrats said chemicals in 'cruelty-free' cosmetics must be tested on animals Eurocrats have torpedoed the sale of 'cruelty-free' cosmetics by insisting that chemicals used in many popular High Street brands must be tested on animals. Protesters say the decision by the European Chemicals Agency effectively destroys the EU-wide ban on animal experiments for cosmetics. The two chemicals involved are used in hundreds of 'cruelty-free' products such as sunscreens, face moisturisers and lip balm, including products from Body Shop, Dove, L'Oreal and Estee Lauder. Eurocrats insist chemicals used in many 'cruelty-free' cosmetics must be tested on animals, as protesters say it destroys EU-wide ban on animal experiments for cosmetics (file photo) Julia Baines, the science policy manager at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), said: 'As a direct result of these rulings, more than 5,500 rats, rabbits and fish are required to be used in new tests. 'Yet consumers and the European Parliament have consistently demanded the cosmetics ban on animal testing must not be compromised.' Under the testing regime, hundreds of pregnant rabbits or rats will be fed the chemicals before being killed and, in some cases, their unborn offspring dissected. The results will be shared with chemical companies which supply the cosmetics industry. Animal testing for cosmetics and their ingredients was prohibited in the UK in 1998. The ban became EU-wide in 2013 but the European Chemicals Agency, a branch of the EU, now claims that separate regulations on the use of chemicals means substances still must be tested, even if exclusively for cosmetic use, to assess any risks to workers on the production line. The two chemicals involved in this case are the ultra-violet filters homosalate and 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, also known as octisalate. Both have already been approved by EU safety watchdogs for use in cosmetics and are widely used in hundreds of popular cosmetic products. Consumer giant Unilever last night condemned the European Chemicals Agency's decision and warned it may now be forced to reformulate some of its cosmetic products. Its safety chief Julia Fentem said: 'We don't agree that animal testing is necessary to protect workers and the environment, and strongly encourage the use of non-animal data. Brands such as The Body Shop have long campaigned against animal testing, recruiting celebrity ambassadors such as Leona Lewis (above) who share their concerns 'We support calls for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics and a growing number of our brands, including Dove, are certified by Peta. If animal testing becomes a requirement for any existing ingredient used in our products, it will be necessary to reformulate.' And brands such as The Body Shop have long campaigned against animal testing, recruiting celebrity ambassadors such as Leona Lewis who share their concerns. Last year, the company delivered a petition with 8.3 million signatures to the United Nations, calling for a global end to animal testing in cosmetics. The European Chemicals Agency first issued its ruling, which required the German cosmetics manufacturer Symrise to conduct animal tests on the two chemicals, in March 2018. The firm lodged an appeal saying the ruling breached the EU animal testing ban, but that has just been rejected. Andrew Fasey, a member of the board of appeal, conceded: 'I don't expect that everyone will agree entirely with these decisions.' The regulations will apply in the UK during the Brexit transition period, which ends on December 31, after which the Government intends to put in place its own rules. A couple have bizarrely climbed over a 14th floor balcony on the Gold Coast to sit on the ledge of the building and have a chat. The pair made the dangerous move on Sunday morning at the Wyndham Hotel in Surfers Paradise. Terrified onlookers saw the pair climb the balcony and sit themselves up on the ledge. A couple have bizarrely climbed over a 14th floor balcony on the Gold Coast to sit on the ledge of the building and have a chat They then remained on the ledge where it looked like they were having a chat, 7NEWS reported. Thinking the worst, witnesses called police but by the time they arrived the two people had disappeared. It is not yet known whether the pair were paid guests of the hotel or if it is being used as a mandatory hotel quarantine location. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queensland Police and the Wyndham Hotel for comment. Queensland recorded four coronavirus cases on Sunday and health officials are desperately warning three million people to be on high alert. Three of the new cases are from a Forest Lake home in south-west Brisbane and the other is from Ipswich. Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young urged residents with symptoms to get tested, especially those in South East Queensland. The pair made the dangerous move on Sunday morning at the Wyndham Hotel in Surfers Paradise More than 3.5 million people live in the region, which stretches across the east coast and covers Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. 'They might have been where one of our cases has been,' she said. 'Anyone who lives in that southeast corner should think of themselves as a casual contact.' A casual contact is someone who has had brief face-to-face contact or been in the same closed space for less than two hours with a person who has coronavirus. Queensland has extended its health restrictions, limiting the number of people who can gather at the Gold Coast and Darling Downs regions. No more than ten people can gather in Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan without a COVID-19 safety plan, following an initial outbreak at a youth detention centre. It was extended south to the Gold Coast from 8am Saturday after two Pimpama residents linked to the cluster were diagnosed with the virus. The new rules will also come in to effect in the Darling Downs from 8am on Monday, after health alerts were issues for The Southern Hotel and Queens' Park Markets in Toowoomba. A huge crater has appeared in Russias Arctic region following a massive explosion. Scientists believe the 165ft-deep hole was caused by the eruption of a build-up of methane gas beneath the thawing permafrost following record temperatures over the summer. It was reportedly initially spotted by chance by a television crew flying over the Yamal peninsula on their way back from an unrelated job in July. Blocks of ice and soil were scattered hundreds of metres from the epicentre by the force of the blast, according to scientists who studied the site after it was discovered by Vesti Yamal TV. It is the 17th crater of its kind to be found and documented in Yamal since 2014 and is thought to be the biggest. Dr Evgeny Chuvilin, a leading researcher at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, told Vesti Yamal TV the latest hole is striking in its size and grandeur. The expert said the craters was created by colossal forces of nature. Professor Vasily Bogoyavlensky, of the Russian Oil and Gas Research Institute, described the hole as unique. It carries a lot of additional scientific information, which I am not yet ready to disclose, he told the TV station. This is the subject of scientific publications. A Vesti Yamal TV crew discovered a 165ft-deep crater in Russia's Arctic region while flying over the Yamal peninsula in July 2020. (Vesti Yamal TV/screengrab) Prof Bogoyavlensky explained the craters come about when gas-saturated cavities are formed in the permafrost. These are a void space filled with gas with high pressure, he said. The explosion occurs when the pressure of the gas builds up and pierces the layer of permafrost on top. The craters have given rise to conspiracy theories over the years such as UFOs and weapons testing which scientists immediately set about debunking when the first appeared in 2014. This week in Christian history: English pope dies, Christ and Culture author born, early church baptism controversy Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages. Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, and everything in between. Here are three things that happened this week, Aug. 30-Sept. 5, in Church history. They include the death of the only Englishman to be pope, the birth of a notable American Protestant theologian, and an early church debate on baptism. 1 2 3 4 Next Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast The day after Jeffrey Epstein killed himself, a man wearing a red hoodie and L.A. Dodgers cap emerged from the dead sex offenders Manhattan mansion. His hat and shades obscured his face as he hauled a hefty blue gift bag out of the massive townhouse, where Epstein abused scores of underage girls for years. A photographer captured the scene that day in August 2019, and the pictures were published by the Daily Mail, which identified the mystery man as Epsteins longtime accountant and a co-executor of his $634 million estate: 47-year-old Richard Kahn. The bag he was carrying, a source with close ties to Kahn said, contained Epsteins funeral clothes. Little is known about Kahn outside his work for Epstein. Or about his co-executor, 55-year-old Darren Indyke, who served as Epsteins personal attorney for more than two decades and was apparently so close to Epstein that the money manager paid for fertility treatments for Indyke and his wife. Neither man has a public social media account, and both shun press interviews. But both could soon be questioned as part of a lawsuit filed by Jane Doe, who alleges she was 14 when Epstein and his former girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, began to groom and sexually abuse her in 1994. (Doe is suing Indyke and Kahn in their capacity as co-executors, and Maxwell individually.) Maxwell, who is in a federal prison in Brooklyn awaiting trial for her alleged role in Epsteins teen sex ring, could also sit for a deposition in Does lawsuit. Ghislaine Maxwell Rob Kim/Getty Last week, Does attorney wrote the federal judge overseeing the case and indicated Indyke would be deposed in both his personal capacity and as a co-executor of the Epstein Estate, and would offer extremely relevant testimony relating to her claims. Indeed, we have reason to believe he has firsthand knowledge of Jeffrey Epsteins relationship with Plaintiff while she was a minor and even acted on Jeffrey Epsteins behalf to communicate with Plaintiff on several occasions, the lawyer Robert Glassman wrote to U.S. District Judge Debra Freeman, responding to the estates push to delay the under-oath grilling. Story continues Doe also plans to depose Kahn. In an email thread attached to his letter, Glassman told the lawyer for Epsteins estate, With respect to Mr. Kahn testifying in his personal capacity, we would like to know to what extent he knew about Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwells criminal enterprise. We would like to know if Mr. Epstein had ever told him that he sexually abused and raped my client and other minor victims. I trust you would agree that even if Mr. Kahn started working for Mr. Epstein after Mr. Epstein stopped abusing my client that doesnt mean Mr. Kahn wouldnt or doesnt know anything about it. Right? Glassman added. The estate asked that the judge postpone Kahns and Indykes depositions, not only because theyve yet to provide discovery materials requested by Doe, but also because Maxwell is requesting a stay in the case pending her criminal trial. Last week, the judge put the depositions on hold until the court resolves Maxwells request and directed Does legal team to find a new deposition date for Indyke in September should Maxwells motion be denied. Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide after being charged with sex trafficking by federal prosecutors. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Doe isnt the only survivor who tried to get sworn testimony from Indyke. Victims in other lawsuits, including a case brought by Annie Farmer, were scheduled to depose him, but their participation in a victims compensation fund put their cases on hold. One of the ironies is that as Epsteins executor, by agreeing to set up this claims process, he may succeed in insulating himself from discovery, one source familiar with the victims litigation told The Daily Beast. The source said Indyke was plucked out of obscurity by Epstein and described him as the in-house counsel to Epsteins enterprise. He was involved in virtually all of the legal work Epstein had, the source added. Hes probably the person with the most knowledge about Epsteins money, business relationships, assets, and legal affairs. Hes a mystery in part because hes been with Epstein so long," the source said. Hes been Epsteins confidant and aide for decades. If he had a life outside of Epstein, it was a very private life. Indyke and his criminal defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo, hired amid the governments ongoing probe of Epstein and his companies, did not return messages left by The Daily Beast. His relatives also declined to comment. The father of two worked as Epsteins personal attorney since the 1990s, serving as an officer for the financiers charities, handling feuds with unpaid contractors, and representing the businesses of women in Epsteins circle. In 2012, he signed corporation paperwork for the design business of Sarah Kellen, an alleged co-conspirator of Epstein whom Palm Beach cops were ready to charge in their 2006 probe. (Kellen was a named accomplice in Epsteins 2008 plea deal, which shielded her from prosecution.) As The Daily Beast has previously revealed, Indyke also represented the womens empowerment business of Lana Pozhidaeva, a Russian model in Epsteins orbit. In 2018, Indyke filed trademark paperwork and registered the website for Pozhidaevas business, WE Talks. Records show that weeks after Epsteins suicide, Pozhidaeva swapped Indyke for another lawyer. Lana Pozhidaeva Cindy Ord/Getty Indykes name is also on corporation filings for the anonymous company that owned Maxwells East 65th Street townhouse. In 2000, Epsteins friend Lynn Forester sold the residence to the LLC for $4.95 million, according to reports. He served as a trustee of Maxwells Max Foundation from 2001 to 2010, until he was replaced by Dana Burns, a woman pictured in society photos with Epstein and who also worked for Maxwells ocean nonprofit, The TerraMar Project. Meanwhile, Indyke was listed as secretary of The Wexner Foundationa nonprofit founded by Epsteins only known clients, ex-Victoria's Secret mogul Leslie Wexner and his wife Abigailin SEC filings from 1998 to 2001. The nonprofits tax forms also listed Indyke as secretary through 2006. Two years later, Abigail Wexner gave Indyke power of attorney over her condominium at 15 Central Park West, property records show. Friends from high school and throughout Indykes life were surprised to see his name connected to Epstein in the press after the hedge-funder died. Indyke grew up in a middle-class family in Glen Cove, a small city on the north shore of Long Island. Childhood pals told The Daily Beast he was a sweet, normal guy who was actively involved with theater from a young age through high school. In his 1982 senior yearbook, Indyke wrote that in 20 years, he would be performing [his] first case for the Supreme Court quoting Al Pacino, Yahoo Finance reported. He graduated from Colgate College in 1986 and Cornell Law School five years later. One former friend who grew up on his block said, Even when he was in high school, he knew he was going to law school. He was driven. Everything he did was towards becoming an attorney. It was something his parents wanted, the friend added. When the acquaintance got in trouble for selling ice cream at Jones Beach in the early 1980s, he panicked and told an officer his name was something like Darrel Endike and gave an address that was slightly off. Somehow, the pal told The Daily Beast, officials discovered the correct spelling and address for Indyke and appeared at his doorstep over the illegal vending. His father, Bernie, was furious, the friend said, adding that he marched over to my house and confronted my father. I got into all kinds of trouble. The point was: that [Indyke] needed an unblemished record because he wanted to go to law school, and something like this could have hurt him in some way, his chances of going to a top law school. I think I apologized to him [Indyke] for sure, the friend said. But it was really his father who was most upset. After law school, Indyke did a four-year stint with Gold & Wachtel, a now-defunct boutique law firm, and represented several clients in copyright lawsuits. Gold & Wachtel represented Epstein at least as far back as 1988. Firm principal William Wachtel declined to discuss that but said he hired Indyke as a favor to the younger mans father, Bernard Indyke, whom he described as a mailroom employee at a financial company that had retained Gold & Wachtel. Court records indicate Indykes father was in fact a manager and member of the board at Jackie Fine Arts, a Gold & Wachtel client that sold low-value art reproduction rights to the rich at high prices as a calculated tax dodge. Efforts to reach the founder of the company, Herman Finesodonce hailed as the King of Tax Shelterswere unsuccessful. You find someone successful and hitch your wagon to them, a childhood friend of Indykes, who last saw him when they were in their twenties, told The Daily Beast. People fall into these situations and they cant extricate themselves Thats the benefit of the doubt I would give him. Indyke perhaps felt indebted to Epstein for his largesse. As Indyke wrote in a glowing biography of his bossprepared for Florida prosecutorsEpstein paid for prohibitively expensive in-vitro fertilization cycles, for him and his wife. Shortly after I began working for Jeffrey, I experienced a personal and unexpected tragedy. After five years of marriage, my wife and I learned that I was infertile and we could not have children in the traditional manner, Indyke wrote in the bio, first reported by The Palm Beach Post. I meekly approached Jeffrey and asked him if it would be possible to drop my wife and me from the companys medical policy in exchange for a different one or cash payment, Indyke continued. Puzzled by my request, Jeffrey naturally asked why. When I told him, he was visibly affected and without even a moments consideration, he told me to go for treatment and send him the bills. Having been with Jeffrey only a few months, I was astounded by his generosity and hurried to my desk to call my wife to share the amazing news. Indyke claimed Epstein paid for five cycles of in-vitro, and that Maxwell even offered to look into adoption for his family. At the unsuccessful completion of our fourth cycle and a failed adoption attempt, my wife and I were at the end of our rope and did not want to continue, Indyke declared. Without Jeffreys support and stubborn daily encouragement we would not have. He even recruited his then girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, to meet with us to offer assistance with local adoption and overseas adoption procedures and to encourage us to try again. Thankfully, after our fifth cycle, my wife and I were blessed with twin daughters. Although Jeffrey was adamant that we owed him nothing, Jeffrey honored us by agreeing to be the godfather of our children. In the past decade, Indyke and his wife have owned two different properties in Boca Raton, Floridaone of which they still own, having acquired it for $3.1 million without a mortgage in 2015. Another, bought in 2014 and sold four years after, sat in the exclusive enclave of Boca Grove Plantation; it required the pair to shell out at least $70,000 beyond the $460,000 purchase price for a social equity membership in the Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club. All the while, they maintained a residence in Livingston, New Jersey, which they purchased through an LLC for $1.75 million in 2003. In his recent book, Relentless Pursuit, longtime victims lawyer Brad Edwards described Indyke as Epsteins fixer who had attended important hearings as well as my depositions of Epstein over the years. When Edwards sat for a 2017 deposition in his years-long court battle with Epstein, Indyke was there to take notes. Darren Indyke, who was a staple at every Epstein event, was situated in his normal spot at the far end of the table in order to monitor and report back to Epstein everything that happened, Edwards wrote. He wasnt a litigator, more like a fixer, Edwards noted at another point. Indyke had one client: Jeffrey Epstein. Lawyer Brad Edwards Johannes Eisele/Getty Edwards represents a client referred to as Katlyn Doe, who alleges in a lawsuit that Epstein forced her to marry one of his non-citizen female recruitersnuptials arranged, she says, through Epsteins long-time New York attorney. The ceremony included not only signing the necessary legal paperwork prepared by [the attorney] but also posing for photographs to give the appearance that the marriage was legitimate, the complaint states. Whether Indyke was this attorney hasnt been publicly confirmed. Edwards could not be reached for comment. Kahn is a lesser-known figure in Epsteins world, and his name is hardly mentioned in litigation related to the sex-offenders victims. There were no public images of the accountant until the Daily Mails photos of him transporting the gift bag in August 2019, along with snapshots of him leaving Epsteins home in February 2019 following a two-hour visit. Days after the Mail published the images, an attorney for one victim wrote to Kahns lawyers, demanding materials be preserved. Is it true that Mr. Kahn entered Mr. Epsteins townhouse and removed documents? the lawyer wrote, before requesting a list of documents and/or materials Mr. Kahn removed from Mr. Epstein's townhouse that day and on any other occasion after Mr. Epstein's death. Counsel for the Epstein estate dismissed the Mail report and told the victims team via email: Our clients take their preservation obligations seriously. A person with knowledge told The Daily Beast that the bag contained funeral attire and that Kahn was doing his obligation as an executor which is to attend to the burial details. Bill Gates Adviser Shocked Jeffrey Epstein Named Him in Will The source said Kahn has never socialized with Epstein and wasnt aware of Epsteins alleged abuse. Kahn first met Epstein when he began working for him in 2005, out of a Madison Avenue office he shared with Indyke. (An accountant named Bella Klein, and Epsteins personal assistant and alleged co-conspirator Lesley Groff, also routinely worked in the New York office.) Richard worked out of the office, the source added. Did Epstein appear at those offices? Yes. Did Richard see any of the activities that were the focus of press attention? No. Kahns name appears throughout records for Epsteins nonprofits and corporations and was mentioned in the 2010 deposition of Epsteins Palm Beach house manager, Janusz Banasiak, who described him as a senior accountant. Would you say that Mr. Kahn is a key employee, like a right-hand man of Mr. Epstein? one victims lawyer asked. Banasiak replied in the affirmative. Kahn is listed as treasurer of Epsteins Financial Strategy Group Ltd. (FSG), which filed an application in 2013 to become an international banking entity based in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Indyke was secretary and Epstein president, records show. FSG, which changed its name to Southern Country International, was approved in 2014 to run a bank specializing only in offshore clients. In 2018, Erika Kellerhals, Epsteins tax lawyer based in St. Thomas, told territory officials the banks operations hadnt yet begun. According to The New York Times, whether the bank actively pursued customers is unclear. But months after Epstein died, the estate transferred more than $12 million to Southern Country's coffers. The banks year-end value was $499,759 two weeks after the transfer, the Times reported, and what happened to the money isnt clear. According to FSGs articles of incorporation, Kahn became a certified public accountant in 1995. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1994 and got a masters in taxation from Pace University in 1999. Kahn and his wife, Lisa, purchased a $2.8 million co-op apartment on the Upper East Side in 2008, property records show, and they took out a mortgage on that residence in 2016. The couple also owns a six-bedroom Hamptons manse purchased for $1.5 million in 2015. Kahn, who declined to comment for this article, has been an executive with Epsteins shadowy nonprofits since at least 2007. That year, Kahn replaced Maxwell as treasurer of the C.O.U.Q. Foundation and held the role until the charity dissolved five years later. C.O.U.Q. contributed $46 million in stock and other assets to Wexners YLK Charitable Fund in 2008, just before Epstein started his Palm Beach jail sentence. According to one CNBC report, Epsteins nonprofit gave $14 million to YLK in 2007. REVEALED: We Found Billionaire Pedophile Jeffrey Epsteins Secret Charity Before C.O.U.Q. shut down in November 2012, Epstein created another murky entity called Gratitude America Ltd. The charitys tax filings didnt show revenues until 2015, when Kahn replaced Epstein as president of the group and investor Leon Black donated $10 million through an anonymous LLC. The attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands recently issued civil subpoenas to Black over his relationship with Epstein. Deutsche Bank AG, where Gratitude America had an account, is also under fire over its relationship with Epstein. In July, the bank was fined $150 million for failing to detect millions in suspicious transactions, including payments to Epsteins alleged co-conspirators and more than $800,000 in withdrawals made by Epsteins personal attorney. Similar to Indyke, Kahn made political donations to the same candidates Epstein backed throughout the years. In 2007, Kahn and his wife each made $2,300 donations to the presidential campaign of former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a friend of Epstein. Indyke and his wife, Michelle Saipher, also donated $2,300 apiece to Richardson that year. (One of Epsteins victims, Virginia Giuffre, claims Maxwell directed her to have sex with Richardson. He has denied involvement with Epsteins trafficking scheme.) Kahn donated a total of $5,400 to the campaign of Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2016, and $2,700 in 2018. He shelled out $2,600 to Plaskett in 2014 (as did fellow Epstein accountant, Bella Klein). After Epsteins July 2019 arrest, Plaskett said shed return Epsteins money, though its unknown whether she planned to return the funds of his associates. In the itemized receipts for the 2016 and 2018 donations, Kahns occupation is listed as attorney. Hes never been registered, however, as a lawyer in New York state. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has issued a notification under Section 19 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire 737 acres of land for its seventh independent township, Aerotropolis, an extension of Aerocity, the USP of which is its proximity to Chandigarh International Airport. The project is spread over 5,400 acres. Section 19 of the Act refers to the amount to be determined as compensation. A notification was also issued earlier by GMADA under section 11 of the Act to acquire the land, which calls for objections, if any, from owners. The township will comprise both residential and commercial spaces and will come up on both sides of the Zirakpur-Banur road. In the first phase, land will be acquired in Chau Majra, Saini Majra, Patton, Manauli, Siaun and Matran of Mohali district. We have issued a notification under section 19 and we will be completing the acquisition process by February next year. Earlier, it was to be completed by November this year, but due to Covid-19, the process was delayed, said Tarsem Chand, GMADA land acquisition officer. Announcing the compensation amount to land owners and other affected persons was practically the last step in the acquisition process, he said. Another senior official of GMADA said the land had to be purchased under the land pooling policy (LPP) of 2013. Recently, GMADA had also increased compensation for land owners opting for the LPP scheme for various residential projects. For commercial plots, owners will get 200 sq yard plots instead of 121 square yards fixed earlier, he added. Under the scheme, farmers are offered housing and commercial sites in lieu of their land. Big housing and commercial projects are developed on their land, for which farmers are offered housing and commercial sites. Though GMADA is yet to calculate the compensation, sources say its likely to range between Rs2.5 to Rs3 crore for those who do not opt for land pooling. While acquiring land for Aerocity in 2008, GMADA had offered compensation of Rs1.5 crore per acre to farmers. AEROTROPOLIS FACTS Spread over 5,400 acres, the township is an expansion of Aerocity Will come up on both sides of the Zirakpur-Banur road, close to Chandigarh International Airport Will have residential and commercial spaces In the first phase, 737 acre land will be acquired in Chau Majra, Saini Majra, Patton, Manauli, Siaun and Matran The remaining land will be acquired in Badi, Kurdi, Kishanpur, Safipur and Kishanpura villages OTHER GMADA TOWNSHIPS Aerocity, Knowledge City and IT City, all in the vicinity of Chandigarh Airport Eco City, Edu City and Medi City in New Chandigarh, Mullanpur SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sinduja Jane By Express News Service CHENNAI: When doctor Govindaraj, who manages a private hospital in Tiruchy, wanted to start a Covid treatment centre, he did not think the biggest barrier would be the unavailability of trained human resource. He managed to hire an entire range of workforce from specialist doctors to sanitary workers. However, despite several attempts, he did not get enough nurses for the job. Thanks to the pandemic, the healthcare sector in the State is facing a shortage of paramedics, especially nurses. I put my plan on hold, Govindaraj tells Express. "What if after creating the required infrastructure I do not find enough nurses to run the centre? For ICU management, we need trained nurses. But, they are all already employed elsewhere. Even if we consider hiring freshers and training them, their families are not willing to send them for Covid duty. For my 30-bed hospital, I need at least 24 nurses, so that even if one batch has to go on quarantine there will be another to take care of things at work. While many hospitals have increased their bed-count, they lack sufficient manpower to manage all patients, says CN Raja, president of the Indian Medical Associations Tamil Nadu branch. Shortage of nurses forces hosps to deny admissions In some hospitals, the staff did not turn up for duty as their families are unwilling to send them for Covid work, Raja adds. This becomes a hassle when it comes to critical care. In intensive care units, we need at least one nurse per patient, says Ani Grace Kalaimathi, Registrar of Tamil Nadu Nurses & Midwives Council. In general wards, the number can be as low as 1:7, depending on the bed-count. Annually, around 12,000 nurses pass out every academic year in the State, she adds. The manpower situation is no better in Chennai, a city considered to be the Mecca of medical tourism. The work of nurses are more intensive compared to doctors. We can manage with one doctor for every 20 patients, but we cannot do the same in the case of nurses, says a doctor running a private hospital in Chennai. I have the beds to accommodate more patients, but we are not admitting that many people because of the shortage of nurses, he adds. S Jegan, communication secretary of the Global Nurses Association says, many nurses have left their jobs owing to the threat of infection. Some families came all the way to Chennai from other towns in their vehicles and took away their daughters, saying they can find a job after Covid is contained. Many of the nurses are now struggling to get an experience certificate. Some corporate hospitals are ready to pay double the salary for nurses now. However, they are unable to find enough personnel, he says. T he bodies of 11 elephants have been found in a Zimbabwe forest with no clear sign of what killed them. The animals were discovered on Friday in Pandamasue Forest, located between Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, the countrys parks authorities said. Blood samples have been taken to a laboratory for analysis to determine their cause of death, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said on Sunday. The dead elephants were found with their tusks still intact, ruling out poaching. A heard of healthy elephants walk through Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe / AFP via Getty Images In recent years poachers in Zimbabwe have poisoned dozens of elephants in order to sell their ivory tusks to illegal traders. "Only elephants were affected, no vultures or any other animals were affected, parks spokesman Tinashe Farawo told reporters. Initial tests show that it is not cyanide. We are also ruling out poachers because the tusks were intact." The mysterious case appears similar to the deaths of more than 275 elephants in neighbouring Botswana last month. Scientists are still investigating the deaths in the countrys Okavango Delta area, with poaching, poisoning and anthrax all ruled out. Botswana has the world's largest elephant population, estimated at 156,000. Zimbabwe has the second largest with an estimated 85,000. Last year about 200 elephants in Zimbabwe died of starvation as a result of the country's drought. WIN Corp's minimum guarantee was waived by Ten for a couple of months, but Prime was unable to renegotiate its agreement, sources indicate. They said Southern Cross Austereo did not request a discount from its partner Nine Entertainment Co (owner of this masthead). However, the two companies are fighting over money that was awarded to Southern Cross by the Morrison government for its commitment to regional news journalism. Bruce Gordon's WIN Corp secured a waiver from ViacomCBS-owned Network Ten in the lead up to the end of the last financial year, but Kerry Stokes-controlled Seven West Media denied a request for help from its affiliate partner Prime Media Group. Regional broadcasters asked their metropolitan affiliate television stations for financial relief earlier this year to help them cope with weak advertising conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The requests for financial relief relate to concerns about their commercial viability, even before the crisis. Large falls in advertising spend linked to the pandemic, is putting further financial pressure on them. Weak advertising markets in regional areas affect metro broadcasters because a portion of the total amount made by an affiliate is given to their partner. Southern Cross gives Nine 50 per cent of its revenue, while WIN and Prime pay more than 35 per cent to their partners Ten and Seven. Prime Media Group reported a 15 per cent decline in revenue for the full financial year to $163.7 million and a 47 per cent fall in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. The company received $3 million under JobKeeper. Southern Cross has also posted an 18 per cent revenue decline to $540.8 million and received $16.1 million from the JobKeeper package. WIN Corp, however, is privately owned and does not publish its financial results. Government handouts helped offset falls in advertising spending. Southern Cross received the largest amount of money for television news from the public interest regional journalism fund ($5 million) despite Nine producing most of the regional news on their behalf under an affiliate deal signed in 2016. Prime Media Group, which runs six bulletins in regional Australia, received a $4.7 million handout, while WIN Corp, which runs 12 regional news bulletins, secured $4.2 million. It is unclear how much money Nine and Seven West Media received. WIN and Southern Cross are preparing to renegotiate their affiliate deals with Ten and Nine as their existing contracts expire at the end of this financial year. Southern Cross is separately trying to offload its regional television assets, but to no avail. Regional broadcasters have - so far unsuccessfully - lobbied government to relax media ownership laws, a move they believe could help them continue delivering regional news for local communities. Business has warned chancellor Rishi Sunak not to choke off Britains recovery from the coronavirus pandemic with new taxes. The call came amid fears of a new wave of redundancies as Mr Sunak scales back his Job Retention Scheme on Tuesday, with the Treasury cutting support for workers monthly wages from 80 to 70 per cent and requiring employers to contribute up to 312 a month for each furloughed staff member. Labour today renewed calls for furlough - due to end altogether in November - to be extended for the worst-hit industries, like aerospace and automotive. And the British Chambers of Commerce called on the chancellor to soften the blow for employers by waiving their National Insurance contributions. Shadow business secretary Lucy Powell voiced concern over media reports that Mr Sunak is mulling tax hikes of up to 30bn to fill the black hole in Britains finances left by the Covid-19 crisis. The chancellors focus now should be on keeping people in work and protecting viable businesses, not balancing the books, she said. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 January 2022 Surfers enter the sea as the sun rises over Tynemouth on the North East coast PA UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA Chief secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay refused to discuss his bosss plans, but did not rule out the possibility of tax rises. BCC director general Adam Marshall said he was "very concerned" by reports the Treasury is considering a rise in corporation tax and capital gains tax as part of a revenue-raising package in the November Budget. The Sunday Times reported that corporation tax could rise from 19 to 24 per cent at a cost to business of 12bn, while capital gains could be levied at the same rate as income tax. Dr Marshall warned that piling taxes on businesses would be a really damaging mistake. He told Times Radio's G&T programme that by doing this, you tell them that it's not a good environment to invest in, it's not a good environment to take a risk, you will hamstring the recovery. And he said: I very much hope that this is the Treasury flying kites rather than settling policy, because we do not want to make a choice between a strong recovery with lots of investment and risk-taking by businesspeople or a short-term repair of the public finances. Let's nurture the embers of that recovery first and then repair the public finances, not get them the wrong way around. Lucy Powell (Getty) Offering employers a National Insurance contribution holiday would cut 14 per cent off the cost of wages, he said, adding: Id much rather see businesses paying people salaries than paying the Revenue during an uncertain period ahead. Ms Powell said Sunak should be considering extending furlough for targeted sectors of the economy, in a way which has been done in France and Germany, where schemes are set to run at least until the end of 2021. If you look at aerospace or automotive industries, for example, they've had they've had no sort of support of that kind yet, she told Times Radio. They've seen the absolute floor drop out of their sectors and their businesses. We've seen the Eat Out to Help Out scheme (for restaurants), we saw a 3bn demand stimulus for the housing market with the stamp duty cuts, even though the housing market wasn't really one of those sectors most acutely affected. Yet there are some other key sectors like aerospace and automotive - good decent employers with jobs outside the London bubble where if those jobs go those communities will probably never recover from it - where we could be seeing more sectoral support, like France and Germany are offering to their automotive and aerospace sectors. Saving jobs now rather than withdrawing support prematurely would help Mr Sunak balance the books in future years, she said. The main priority should be how can we protect the public finances over the next two, three or four years and the single biggest determinant of that by a million miles is whether you're forking out, week on week, month on month, lots of money on unemployment benefits and also seeing your tax revenues going down because youve got high unemployment, she said. That's the thing we should be really focusing on. Reports suggested that the Treasury is also considering cuts in pension tax relief, an end to triple lock protection for pensions, fuel duty hikes, a revamped inheritance tax or the introduction of an online sales tax to help meet the cost of Covid. But 10 Downing Street was said to be resisting increases in the tax burden, calling instead for cuts in spending to reduce the black hole in the nations books. But Ms Powell warned against bringing back austerity. We know the impact of that, which is a stagnant economy over a long time, she said. You can't cut your way out of a recession and you certainly can't be cutting public services, health and education, at a time of crisis like this. Mr Barclay declined to discuss the possible content of Mr Sunaks upcoming Budget, but did not rule out the possibility of tax rises. Asked whether Corporation Tax, once slated by Mr Sunaks predecessor Philip Hammond for a cut to 17 per cent this year, could instead rise to 24 per cent, Mr Barclay said: There are always a whole range of measures and as soon as one starts to say, Well I rule this one out, you'll cherry-pick as to which ones one hasn't done. So I'm not going to get into that. He told Times Radio: The key objective within the Treasury is to get growth, he told Times Radio. That's what we've been focused on. There's then a balance between the other three moving parts of debt, of spending, feeding into that and tax and what's your trade off then between your spending measures and your tax measures. But the real objective is to reduce the economic scarring from Covid. Treasury sources said they do not comment on what may or may not be in the upcoming Budget. The Second Infantry Battalion (2BN) under the Sothern Command of the Ghana Army has commenced preparatory training in internal security tactics, techniques and procedures of crowd management, control and dispersal. The training is to largely prepare troops for election security and public safety amidst the threats of terrorism in the sub-region. The preparations involve three-day counter-terrorism and multi-agency inter-operability training exercise dubbed: Exercise Western Shield 2020, which allows forces, units or systems to operate together. The Commander Rear of 2BN, Maj. Martin D. Dey said the exercise is to ensure that members of the general public are made aware of the intended exercise in order not to create any panic. Every year we prepare for elections knowing that it is an important mechanism in democratic and peace processes. Our purpose and preparedness like any other election is to provide citizens with an opportunity to go through the electoral process in a peaceful and orderly manner. The unit decided that prior to the ground launch of the exercise slated for October 6 to 9, 2020, the need to educate the public in the Western and Western North regions to be aware of the exercise which is normal and part of our core training, he said. The training he said, is important as it fosters cooperation required among stakeholders of security to share common guidelines and procedures in election security management. The outlined training would involve drills in Internal Security (IS) Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs), comprising Election Security Joint Operation Centre (ES-JOC) procedures and troops internal security operational responsiveness. Other areas to be covered include the defence of Key/strategic Installations, Internal security operations legal requirements among others. It involves movement of troops and the use of blank ammunition with few explosives in controlled areas. He explained further that, the continents dynamic security environment is characterized by great diversity from conventional threats to challenges such as insurgencies, terrorism, piracy and political violence among others. Major Dey who is himself a combat officer, made reference to some West African countries in the Sahel Region that experienced political violence in recent pasts, while others are grappling with threats of terrorism on their soils leaving several innocent lives perished. The threat he said mainly comes from Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQ-M) and its associated groups which are fixated on their intent of demonstrating capability and increasing influence within the West African States. AQ-M mainly operates in the Sahel Region which includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, but the threat may extend to other neighbouring countries in the region. This is according to an assessed intelligence report with Cote dIvoire recording the second terrorist attack against its sovereignty on June 11, 2020; and in Ghana, we are not an exception, he said. We at the Second Infantry Battalion (2Bn) has military operational responsibility over Ghanas Western territories comprising Western and Western North Regions to ward off external threats like terrorism, he said. 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 Your browser does not support the video tag. New Delhi, Aug 30 : Pakistan has purchased from China real time satellite data, comprising high definition video, optical and hyper spectral imagery, that also can provide it the precise position of Indian Army camps across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence sources said that Pakistan has entered into a contract with China to procure Jilin-1 satellite data for 2020. The Jilin constellation comprises a network of ten satellites in orbit with capability of global coverage and it can revisit any location twice a day. "Resolution of panchromatic image provisioned by Jilin-1 is 0.72 m and multi-spectral image is 2.88 m," a source said. Jilin is China's commercial remote sensing satellite run by the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. Ltd. In 2019, Pakistan had purchased data of the advanced land observation satellite phased array type L Band synthetic aperture radar and Jilin-1, sources said. It has stated that it is procuring data for land and resources surveying, monitoring of natural disasters, agriculture research, urban construction and other activities. In 2018, China had launched two remote sensing satellites for Pakistan, claiming that it would monitor progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The satellites -- PRSS-1 and PakTES-1A --- were launched using a Long March-2C rocket. A network of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that will connect China's Xinjiang province with the Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province, giving China an opening to the Arabian Sea, the 3,218-kilometre CPEC, a dream project of Chinese President Xi Jingping in which China has sunk about $19 billion, runs along the disputed area of Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Both China and Pakistan are currently are engaged in a confrontation with India at their borders. For the first time, India finds itself stretched between the border with China where it is locked in an intense stand-off with the People Liberation Army and the border with Pakistan where it faces incessant cross-border firing from the hostile Pakistan Army. Pakistan increased bombardment of Indian territory, violating the Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire agreement as China started transgressions in eastern Ladakh, creating a two front war-like situation for India. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) Strike: Lethal White Rating: Life isn't fair. Tom Burke barely has to act as moody private investigator Cormoran Strike: He just stomps around with a scowl, lighting cigarettes and grunting. Yet his one-legged character gets star billing. As JK Rowling's crime series returned, his name was the headline Strike: Lethal White (BBC1). His assistant Holliday Grainger, on the other hand, was acting herself silly. In the space of an hour, she had to play a bride who realised she was marrying the wrong man, a fearless sleuth with a chirpy Northern accent, a posh bird who claimed her name was Venetia ('like the blinds, yar!') and a nervous wreck beset by panic attacks. Yet despite all that hard work, Grainger is the supporting actress; just to rub it in, her character is called Robin (Ellacott), moniker of another eternal sidekick. Holy poke-in-the-eye, Batman! Pictured: Holliday Grainger as Robin Ellacott and Kerr Logan as Metthew Cunliffe in Lethal White JK (who writes the Strike stories under a male pen-name, Robert Galbraith) prides herself on being an old-school feminist. She even went to war with the Kennedy dynasty last week, returning an award after they criticised her opposition to transgender activists. So it's a mystery why she expects her female detective to do all the work while the bloke gets all the glory. Never mind: Strike adventures are such fun. They show the same talent Rowling displayed in her Harry Potter books for sketching vivid characters in only a few lines. Robert Glenister played a Tory Cabinet minister, Jasper Chiswell, whose terse growl hid grief for his favourite son, killed on duty in Afghanistan. T he Rt Hon Gentleman had hired Strike and Robin to probe a blackmailing ... then refused to tell them his guilty secret. That might be connected to the ritualistic murder of a child two decades ago. Pictured: Holliday Grainger and Tom Burke as Cormoran Strike in Strike: The Silkworm The 32-year-old swapped her on-screen wedding dress for dungarees as she stolled hand-in-hand with actor boyfriend Harry Treadaway, 35, in north London A twitching junkie (Nick Blood) broke into Strike's offices to scrawl a clue on the wall and blurt out a story of something he saw on the Chiswell estate. My favourite in the long cast list was Jasper's appalling daughter, Izzy (Christina Cole), a parliamentary assistant with no conception of what can and can't be said out loud. She swanned through the corridors of the Palace of Westminster complaining about infestations of mice, rats and Labour MPs. Making excuses for her flirty half-brother, she blamed his Italian blood: 'Not to be racist, but I honestly think it's a factor.' There's a marked absence of Latin passion about Robin's new husband, dreary accountant Matthew (Kerr Logan). The biggest mystery about this show is why she stays with him. Matt is such a chauvinist pig that he probably has 'Danish bacon' tattooed underneath his curly pink tail. From gown to dungarees, it's Holliday Grungier She may have been playing the unhappy bride as BBC1 drama Strike returned last night, but for Holliday Grainger her real-life romance looks rosy. The 32-year-old swapped her on-screen wedding dress for dungarees as she stolled hand-in-hand with actor boyfriend Harry Treadaway, 35, in north London. She plays Robin Ellacott opposite Tom Burke's private detective Cormoran Strike in the series based on JK Rowling's novels. Advertisement At their housewarming party, he ordered Robin to hand around the cheddar-and-pineapple on cocktail sticks and, when she slowed down, yelled at her: 'I feel the need, the need for cheeeese!' All his mates brayed. Yet somehow Robin, who has wrestled serial killers and defied kidnappers, didn't slam the nibbles in his face. JK revealed this year that she was the victim of domestic violence during her first marriage, in her twenties, and it's easy to imagine Matt's bullying and belittling were based on her own experiences. But just because an event happened in real life doesn't automatically make it good drama. Robin is the best element of the Strike series and her character is undermined when we see her treated like a dishcloth in one scene, then boldly taking charge of a dangerous investigation in the next. Even in her children's books, Rowling liked to tackle Important Issues. Now that she's writing for grown-ups, there's a risk that the plot becomes buried under its right-on references. When Robin posed as a House of Commons intern, a handsy MP (Robert Pugh, always menacing) took a fancy to her. She had to grit her teeth while the beast draped a casual hand across her shoulder. Finally, she could take no more and recoiled. A narrow escape from a hideous fate at any moment that wandering hand (steel yourself, gentle reader) might have touched her knee. No doubt there are some inveterate old gropers in the mother of parliaments. But to have Robin encounter one in her first five minutes felt forced, a #MeToo moment that seemed just another tick on a woke checklist. Underneath the social commentary, there's a strong crime drama, plotted with Rowling's usual ingenuity. Peg-leg Strike, with his cigs and greatcoat, might be two-dimensional, but he's trustworthy: A dogged detective who won't rest until the case is solved. And that's really all we ask. Strike doesn't have to change the world just catch the killer. The Queensland government on Saturday finally released its five-year conservation strategy for the threatened koala. It reveals last summers bushfires affected 44,141 hectares of core koala habitat and 13,989 hectares of locally refined koala habitat areas in Queensland. Queensland has released its five-year strategy to protect koalas across the state. Credit:File Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the strategy, which can be found here, included feedback from 5000 people after the draft paper was released in December 2019. At that time, many local councils argued large areas of koala habitat that were previously protected were removed under the draft state government plan. Comair, which runs Kulula and British Airways in South Africa, could resume its domestic flights by December 2020, reports the Sunday Times. Comair, which is under business rescue, has reportedly received an offer from a consortium to inject R500 million into the troubled airline, while a further R600 million would be received from lenders. Parts of the new plan were reportedly presented to creditors on Thursday; however, it has asked for more time before publishing the full details, as the final offer from the preferred investor had only been received late on Friday. The report stated that a rival bid by a Comair-Lanseria management consortium would have injected R700 million equity into Comair, reduced its debt, and allowed the airline to begin flying in October. There were five offers received. Deloitte independently assessed those that could be taken forward. This offer was selected as it had the most potential ensuring Comair could continue to operate, said Comair business rescue practitioners Shaun Collyer and Richard Ferguson. The preferred business rescue plan would reportedly see Comairs staff cut by 400 to 1,800 employees, but a number of high-level staff including former joint CEO Glenn Orsmond and former finance director Kirsten King would be able to return. Comairs struggles Comair was forced to enter business rescue in May 2020 because of the impact the COVID-19 lockdown had on its operations. This followed a half-year loss of R564 million as part of the 2020 financial year. While we had started making good progress to fix the financial situation six months ago, the crisis has meant we have not been able to implement it as we intended, Comair CEO Wrenelle Stander said. These extraordinary circumstances have completely eroded our revenue base while we are still obliged to meet fixed overhead costs. The only responsible decision is to apply for business rescue. Stander said that while it has needed to enter business rescue, Comair was still solvent and was an important part of the South African economy. This is a necessary process to ensure a focussed restructuring of the company takes place as quickly as possible so we can take to the skies again as a sustainable business and play our part in the countys airline industry, says Stander. As part of its business rescue operations, Comair was allowed to halt the trading of its shares on the JSE, and the Sunday Times now reports that as part of the new business rescue plan, Comair would delist from the JSE permanently. Customers with existing bookings will be able to rebook flights within 12 months of their departure date, Comair said previously. No charges will be applicable on changes made before 1 November 2020. The health and welfare of our customers, crew, and the public is the overriding priority and we will only operate when we are sure we can do so safely, said Stander. New low-cost airline by Kulula founder Kulula founder and former Comair CEO Gidon Novick recently revealed his plans to launch a new low-cost domestic airline in South Africa which focuses on using technology to drive efficiency. Technology has the ability to facilitate a seamless, efficient, and engaging relationship with our future customers, Novick said. The new airline will be funded through private capital and will not take on debt, said Novick. Staying away from debt is absolutely key to the success of launching a new low-cost airline, he said. The airline will launch with used aircraft that are either owned or leased and will mainly comprise narrow-body single-aisle aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Novick said that this is because South African airfares are already much lower than in developed countries, meaning local airlines have to adjust their business models accordingly. Novick said that when the airline launches, it will first focus on the high traffic route between Johannesburg and Cape Town. The launch date of this new airline is not yet clear. Now read: New SAA set to relaunch in January 2021 Striving to become a woodwork manufacturing center of the world, Vietnam is endeavoring to localize regulations to be able to grant FLEGT licenses, paving the way for woodworks to penetrate the EU and other markets. In October 2010, the EU released a Timber Regulation with the aim of preventing trade of illegally harvested timber and products made of timber. Importers have the responsibility of explaining the origin of timber in order to minimize the risk of illegal timber trading. At present, Vietnams woodwork exports to the EU have to observe the EU Timber Regulation and this will continue until Vietnams FLEGT licensing mechanism becomes operational. The Timber Regulation recognizes the legality of FLEGT-licensed timber and timber products that have been verified through the control systems of several partner countries in VPA/FLEGT (Voluntary Partnership Agreement/ Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade). Licensed woodwork products will have to give an explanation as stipulated by the Timber Regulation. VPA/FLEGT took effect on June 1, 2019. Vietnam is localizing the regulations so as to be able to soon grant FLEGT licenses. According to experts, the most important action in implementing VPA/FLEGT is the localization of regulations. Licensed woodwork products will have to give an explanation as stipulated by the Timber Regulation. VPA/FLEGT took effect on June 1, 2019. Vietnam is localizing the regulations so as to be able to soon grant FLEGT licenses. Vietnam has proposed not to apply the agreement directly, but through an additional issuance of a decree on VNTLAS (Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System), which focuses on timber import control, institution and enterprise classification, export verification, assessment of VNTLAS readiness, and FLEGT licensing. Van said the draft decree has been submitted to the government for approval. If things go smoothly, the decree would be promulgated in September 2020. After the decree takes effect, import management will be implemented in accordance with the decree, while the classification of enterprises will be implemented six months later. It is expected that Vietnam would be able to operate VNTLAS by early 2021, and the first FLEGT license would be granted in late 2021 or early 2022. According to VNForest, the EU, together with the US, China, Japan and South Korea, is an important market for Vietnam. It mostly consumes high-value indoor and outdoor wooden products, worth $1-1.2 billion a year. Asked about the opportunities for Vietnams wooden products with VPA/FLEGT, Ngo Sy Hoai, deputy chair of the Vietnam Timber and Forestry Products (Vinafores), said that exports to the EU wont skyrocket, but the export value will increase. The signing and implementation of VPA/FLEGT will help Vietnams woodwork industry increase its prestige and win the confidence of other choosy markets such as the US and Japan. Some experts said the VPA/FLEGT is not an obstacle for Vietnams woodwork industry. The biggest beneficiaries will be 3,000 processing and export companies, 324 woodwork craft villages and 1.4 million forest planting households. Thien Nhien Vietnam takes action to prevent Chinese from counterfeiting woodwork origin The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has affirmed that it is investigating and handling strictly ' enterprises that wash Chinese origin and counterfeit Vietnamese origin of products for export to the US. We all sense the end of August. Summer is behind us, the days begin to shorten and we all remember the mixed feelings of having to go back to school. It's all the more vivid if we're close to those children and teenagers having to go back. We relive it all. The smell of new schoolbooks. Seasons of mist. Except we are facing into an autumn and a winter unlike any in the past 100 years. Many thought that by the time we got to September the flattening of the curve would have gotten rid of the virus. Wake me up when September ends. Sadly, this is not the case, and, in fact, was never going to be the case. The goal of that was to stop the hospitals becoming overwhelmed, which thankfully worked. But, as we hear nightly, the virus still lurks. We're getting a bit better at hunting it down. We're also getting better at treating sick people with Covid-19. The race for a vaccine intensifies. But now we face the greatest challenge since lockdown. Winter is coming and, like our ancestors, we must prepare for it. They used to store food, stock up on firewood and mend their old clothes to keep them warm. But we highly advanced 21st-century humans need to prepare for something else. We have to be ready for another major attack of Covid-19. We must use our renowned intelligence to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. New worries Experts everywhere are worried. In the UK, a recent meeting at the Royal Society of Medicine discussed the winter and Covid-19. Oxford university's top doctor, John Bell, warned of a "really bumpy winter". British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance have stated a winter outbreak is likely. Many others are warning of a second coronavirus wave as we move back indoors. Remember, this virus loves being indoors. Simply being indoors increases the risk of spread 19-fold. And if an outbreak happens at the same time as a flu outbreak, health systems might break. A major reason for trolleys in our hospitals every winter is flu. What if there is a major flu outbreak and our hospitals already have excess of patients because of an upsurge in Covid-19? Hospital staff are often over-stretched because of flu, and we have to worry about their likely level of exhaustion, already evident at this stage of the pandemic in some. It will be very important to be able to differentiate flu from Covid-19, so that patients can be treated differently. One fear is of what might happen if someone has a co-infection of both flu and Covid-19. Two species of virus in the one person is not unheard of and doctors need to keep an eye out for that, too. There's a chance, however, that the very things we're doing to stop Covid-19 will also stop flu. This seems to be the case in Australia - it has had hardly any flu during its winter, which is now turning into spring. It is essential, however, that we vaccinate all children and older people now against the flu, otherwise disaster might strike. The UK has already greatly expanded its flu vaccine programme to reach 30 million people in England alone. Thirty-seven experts there recently warned that Covid-19 hospitalisations could peak early next year and a "worst-case scenario" could see 120,000 new deaths. Shouts of the usual groupthink and scaremongering went up as usual, but we would be foolish not to prepare for a difficult time of it. Test and trace The next most important thing that we will need is a hugely ramped-up testing capacity to keep hunting the virus down. Again, the UK government has committed to this, recruiting another 6,000 contact tracers. Testing and tracing are our greatest weapons and should be the top priority for Government. And what about our schools? Again, an expert group in the UK has warned of a second wave being spread because of schools, especially if there is no ramping-up of testing. Remember, secondary school and primary school students can still be sources of infection. In what is one of the most pernicious features of Covid-19, young people are inclined to have no symptoms when infected, and yet can spread the virus. Overall, however, signs are good, with countries like Sweden and Denmark opening their schools safely, using the same practices that we are adopting here. Something called 'sentinel surveillance' is needed, however, which means testing regularly many people in environments where spread might happen, and this has to include our schools and colleges. This allows scientists to anticipate where the next outbreak might occur and shut it down. We must be ready for outbreaks in schools, with possible school closures, and lots of children being in and out of school because of them. By far and away the best way to minimise this is to bring the virus numbers right down in the community. We're doing OK in that regard, but if the number of cases goes up in the community, we might be in trouble when it comes to our schools. Florida is a case in point. The schools opened too soon there, with the virus still widespread in the community. Over 9,000 children have now been diagnosed with Covid-19; 602 of them have ended up in hospital. This reminds us yet again of how serious this virus is. Finally, if people become more relaxed about all the usual measures of social distancing, mask wearing and hygiene, the virus will love that and keep on spreading. We must not become complacent. Vigilance needed As winter approaches, we therefore need to up our game and do it now. Unless we prepare very zealously, a cruel summer is about to turn into an even crueller winter. We have to get through this winter together, just like our ancestors did. Once we get to next spring and summer, we can anticipate much brighter days. There may well be some immunity built up in our beleaguered communities by then. A vaccine, even if partially effective, will help with that, too. And there are likely to be new therapies to help people who are sick in hospital with this virus. A famous line of poetry from Seamus Heaney has kept us going: 'If we winter this one out, we can summer anywhere.' This will become all the more relevant as winter approaches. Luke O'Neill is professor of biochemistry in the school of biochemistry and immunology at Trinity College Dublin Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin refused to individually condemn the teenage gunman who has been accused of shooting and killing two people in Kenosha, Wisonsin, last week, saying instead that he condemns all "violence" and "economic destruction" that has happened since protests against the police shooting there of Jacob Blake have turned to riots. The alleged gunman, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of Antioch, Illinois, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, all with a deadly weapon. In a tense exchange on Sunday, CNN's Dana Bash initially tried to ask Mr Johnson whether he condemned Mr Rittenhouse, pointing out he was "a Trump supporter". "It is a tragedy," Mr Johnson said, before she could finish her question. "Do you condemn" she started again, as Mr Johnson cut in with, "It is a tragedy." When Bash persisted for an answer, Mr Johnson tried to pivot to a more general statement about death. Listen, I dont want to see any loss of life. It is a tragedy, and the way you prevent tragedies is you support, he began, until Bash cut him off. "A tragedy could be a car accident," she said. Mr Johnson jumped in again: You allow for peaceful protesters, but you dont allow you dont allow peaceful protests to turn into a siege." Listen, I dont want to see anybody lose their life. I dont want to see the violence continue. I dont want to see businesses burn down. I dont want to see economic destruction. I condemn it all, he said. Mr Rittenhouse's case has been yet another issue that has divided Americans and politicians along ideological and party lines, with Democrats denouncing the boy as a white supremacist fuelled by Donald Trump's rhetoric and Republicans saying more facts must emerge about the circumstances of the shooting. Some, including Fox News host Tucker Carlson, have even suggested Mr Rittenhouse was attempting to "maintain order when no one else would". For several days after Mr Blake was shot by police in Kenosha, paralysing him from the waist down, protests against his killing turned into riots, with buildings burned, stores looted, and walls tagged with graffiti. Mr Blake's family has called for an end to the violence. "As I drove through the city, I noticed a lot of damage. It doesn't reflect my son or my family," his mother, Julia Jackson, said last week. The president's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr, retweeted a Twitter post in which a user explains how Mr Rittenhouse's actions convinced him to vote for Mr Trump in the 2020 US election. Kyle Rittenhouse is a good example of why I decided to vote for Trump. Violent extremists were destroying peoples lives for months, 30 people were killed. Democrats rejected Federal assistance every time Trump offered it. Media lied about Trump deploying secret police, the Twitter user wrote in the post retweeted by Mr Trump Jr. Finally some kid from a nearby town, about 20 minutes drive, decides to go up and protect businesses and offer medical support to people, even the rioters. He was threatened and shot at, the post said. Meanwhile, Portland, Oregon, continues to be a hotspot for protests against police brutality sparked by the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, and others that have at times turned riotous. One person was shot and killed there on Saturday as a caravan of Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed in the streets. Supporters of President Donald Trump attend a rally and car parade Saturday, Aug, 29, 2020, from Clackamas to Portland, Oregon (AP) White House chief of staff Mark Meadows defended Mr Trump from partial responsibility for stoking the divisions that have led to the violence in Portland and Kenosha, which the president is visiting this coming week. Thats just not accurate," Mr Meadows said when asked on Sunday by MSNBC's Chuck Todd how much responsibility voters should be giving Mr Trump for his "inability to keep the streets safe". "I can tell you that when we look at Kenosha and the phone calls that were made to the governor of Wisconsin, we offered help. Help was denied. Obviously, there was multiple gunshots and people lost their lives, Mr Meadows said. He added that it is cities with mostly Democratic-led local governments where the most violence is happening. "You want to talk about Donald Trumps America. Most of Donald Trumps America is peaceful. It is a Democrat-led city in Portland, he said. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and others in his party have said in recent days that people are not safe in "Donald Trump's America" due to the president's divisiveness. "The President incites violence, inspires white-supremacist shooters, and his failed Covid response is costing thousands of lives per day. When you look at the world right now, ask yourself: Do you feel safe in Trumps America?" he asks in a new campaign video released on Saturday. The US presidential election is 3 November. Alabama Pedestrian Killed Allegedly for Crossing Street Too Slowly: Police An Alabama man was shot and killed for apparently walking too slowly, said police. Union Springs Police Chief Danny Jackson told WSFA-12 that Johnarian Travez Allen was shot eight times on Thursday in Union Springs. The suspect, Jeremiah Wesley Penn, told police that he shot Allen because he was taking too long to cross the street. Jackson said Penn is now being held in the Bullock County Jail on murder charges. According to officials, Penn went to a store to purchase food, but when he stopped to allow Allen to cross the street, he felt that Allen was taking too long. Jackson said Allen was walking near a gas station when Penn pulled up in his car. Penn then got out of the car and began arguing with Allen before shooting him eight times. Police said Penn later turned himself into the Bullock County Sheriffs Office and confessed to the murder, ABC3340 reported. Allen was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. When police arrived at the gas station, Penn already fled the scene. Union Springs is located about 45 miles outside of Montgomery, the state capital. In a statement, the Union Springs Police Department said the slaying occurred near Underwood Avenue and Baskin Street around 7:00 p.m. Other details about the incident were not immediately provided by police. Students read their school work in Arlene Lebowitz's third-grade class during summer school July 2, 2003 in Chicago, Illinois. A record number of students are expected at summer school due to a strong showing for a new voluntary program for mid-tier students and strict application of non-ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills) test promotion standards. Tim Boyle/Getty Images A school assignment for eighth-graders received heat from the Texas governor and a large police group for appearing to compare police officers to slave traders and KKK members. One political cartoon included in the assignment depicts a series of five images, each with a white man pressing down on the neck of a Black man. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott demanded that the teacher who assigned the depictions as homework be fired and that an investigation be opened. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. After resounding criticism from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and a police group made up of 354,000 law enforcement officers nationwide, school officials retracted an assignment for eighth-graders that included cartoons comparing police officers to slave traders and members of the Ku Klux Klan. The assignment asked students to evaluate the role of protests in a democratic society, as well as to think critically about the cartoons and the message one of them was sending, CNN reported. The assignment specifically referenced George Floyd, a Black man killed by police on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. It was met with intense criticism on social media after Joe Gamaldi, the vice president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, tweeted out one of the cartoons included. The cartoon Gamaldi shared depicts a series of five images, each with a white man pressing down on the neck of a Black man. The white man's status changes in each scene, and there are depictions of him as a slave trader, Ku Klux Klan member, and police officer. The Black man in each image appears to try and say he can't breathe. In protest of the cartoon, the National Fraternal Order of Police, which bills itself as "the world's largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers," sent a letter to David Vinson, superintendent of the Wylie Independent School District, asking to withdraw the assignment and release a statement of apology. Vinson oversees the Texan school district that houses the school that sent out this assignment. Story continues The backlash reached the office of the governor, who also denounced the assignment, as well as called for the teacher who assigned it to be fired. Abbott, the governor of Texas, also urged that an investigation be opened. "A teacher in a Texas public school comparing police officers to the KKK is beyond unacceptable," Abbott tweeted. "It's the opposite of what must be taught." In response to the criticism, the school district said in a statement to CNN that the cartoons "are not part of the district's curriculum resources or documents." "We are sorry for any hurt that may have been caused through this lesson. The assignment has been removed, and students will not be expected to complete it," the statement continued. "We don't condone the use of these divisive images and are addressing the issue to prevent this from happening again." Read the original article on Insider Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Participation in two high-budget academic programs was significantly lower than what was budgeted for the fiscal year that ended June 30, a Legislative Education Study Committee brief shows. And a legislative analyst questioned whether the programs are the most effective way to increase time spent on learning. Despite increased funding, implementation challenges led to lower than projected uptake of both K-5 Plus and extended learning time programs, the document states. The brief comes as New Mexico responds to a judges ruling that the state has been failing to provide a sufficient education to every student, particularly students who are considered at risk. According to the brief, lawmakers earmarked $120 million for K-5 Plus, which extends the school year by 25 days for elementary students, for the summer of 2019. That was enough to have funded 87,000 students. But the money ended up going to only around 15,000 students, according to state Public Education Department numbers. Only $22 million of the $120 million K-5 Plus appropriation was distributed to school districts and charter schools by the funding formula, the brief stated. Past critiques of the program centered on its stringent requirements, including students having to stay with their K-5 Plus teacher during the regular school year. The brief suggests that allowing schools to build up to the programs requirements could spur better participation. During Mondays LESC hearing, PED Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment said two of the barriers to implementation were competition with other local programs and recruiting teachers. In addition, COVID-19 threw a wrench into summer 2020 implementation. PED anticipated that many school districts and charter schools would implement K-5 Plus programs in FY21. However, due to the public health emergency, PED canceled K-5 Plus programs for all summer programs, the brief states. Perea Warniment said early literacy teaching which K-5 Plus prioritizes is difficult to do remotely. She added that the PED is working with local districts to launch district-wide K-5 Plus programs in June, among other options. Its a similar picture for another key program that increases the amount of time kids spend learning. Extended Learning Time adds 10 instructional days to the school year for students, and offers after-school programs and professional development time for teachers. While $62.5 million was included in the budget for Extended Learning Time programs for the 2019-20 school year, only $42.2 million was spent. PED reported over 83,000 students participated during that time, but there was money for an estimated 124,000 kids. PED Deputy Secretary Katarina Sandoval said participation is expected to increase significantly to 135,479 in the 2020-21 school year even though summer programs this year were pushed back. Still, the LESC document shows thats down from earlier projections, too. Sandoval said program challenges include accommodating families with children in multiple schools with different schedules and relaying the programs purpose so families will opt in. Unused funding for both programs reverts to the public education reform fund. The pandemic has exacerbated already existing issues for the programs, according to LESC. While COVID-19 created additional challenges, school districts and charter schools were not able to take advantage of either K-5 Plus or extended learning time programs prior to the public health emergency, the brief states. While implementation challenges elevated by school leaders are valid, if school districts and charter schools are not able to implement programs that extended instructional time quickly enough to support students currently enrolled, the Legislature might consider rethinking K-5 Plus and extended learning time programs. For instance, the LESC document raised the possibility of making the programs mandatory or expanding the number of required school days. Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico School Superintendents Association, urged lawmakers to keep funding in the programs, especially as schools try to combat learning loss, saying theyre good investments in the long term. Discovery Health has fired 10 employees over the content of messages they sent in a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 lockdown. This is according to a report by the Sunday Times, which said the employees started the group to support each other after contracting COVID-19 in April. The employees complained to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) about their dismissal, arguing that they were unfairly dismissed and demanding 12 months salary from the company as compensation. They reportedly accused the company of unhealthy labour practices and invading their privacy. Discovery Health CEO Ryan Noach said one of the members of the WhatsApp group shared the content of the conversations, which included planning and initiating efforts to maliciously shut down the company. In its letter to one of the affected workers, Discovery Health said the employee had shared information and messages that were clearly prejudicial to and derogatory of the company and accused them of making false and damaging statements about the company to an external party and attempting to organise a shutdown of Discovery offices in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Our expectations are that staff raise concerns internally, affording us the opportunity to clarify or resolve any items that may give cause to whatever concerns they may have, Noach said. The evidence that we have in our possession illustrates that this group failed to take up opportunities to raise specific concerns internally and instead chose to act maliciously and unfairly in an attempt to achieve their nefarious end of an office closure by bringing the company into disrepute. This is not the first time South Africans have faced significant consequences for messages shared with a group via WhatsApp. Last year, Adam Catzavelos faced criminal charges and was fined R50,000 for posting a video containing a racial slur to a WhatsApp group. The video was shared with a group of his friends, one of whom posted it online an act which caused Catzavelos to be publicly shamed for his comments and ultimately appear in court over his statements. Private vs group messages The legal issues related to WhatsApp messages are often concerned with defamation and how South African law views defamatory statements made in a private group. Boutique law firm VDS Inc previously told MyBroadband that if you send a WhatsApp message to a single person, you cannot attract liability for defamation. However, if the person who received the message decides to publish it, they can be held liable even if they were not the author. If you send a message to a WhatsApp group and it is leaked to external third parties, however, the author and the person who leaked the message can be held liable. Users should also ensure they remove any defamatory statements posted on their social media profile or in a WhatsApp group they control or they could also face responsibility for perpetuating a defamatory statement. Cybercrimes Bill The Cybercrimes Bill, which focuses on criminalising the theft and interference of data, was recently adopted by Parliaments Select Committee on Security and Justice. This Bills purview includes criminalising the distribution of harmful data messages, imposing obligations to report cybercrime, and creating offences which have a bearing on cybercrime. It brings a number of changes to the way messages sent over platforms such as WhatsApp are treated and includes steep consequences for infringement. A previous version of the bill stated that a person who sends any of the below will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years: A message which incites damage to property or violence. A message which threatens persons with damage to property or violence. A message which unlawfully contains an intimate image. The committee said it had agreed to a number of amendments to the bill, a number of which would focus specifically on the disclosure of private messages made through platforms such as WhatsApp. Now read: How to protect yourself after the Experian data breach Americas two main presidential candidates have expressed different ideas about policy toward nuclear-armed North Korea. President Donald Trump has expanded the U.S. relationship with North Korea. Early in his term, he threatened to totally destroy the country. Later, he became the first siting U.S. president to meet with a North Korean leader. Former Vice President Joe Biden is competing against Trump in the November presidential election. He has promised a more traditional policy. He has also signaled a more antagonistic relationship toward North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Biden has called the leader a dictator and a thug. North Korea answered Bidens words with insults. When he accepted the nomination as the Democratic Partys presidential nominee, Biden promised that the days of cozying up to dictators would be over if he wins in November. Biden said he would increase sanctions and work with allies as well as China to pressure North Korea. Strategic patience again? Many experts say they have heard Bidens ideas about North Korea before. As vice president, Biden helped oversee former President Barack Obamas policy of strategic patience. Its goal was to place economic and military pressure on North Korea until the country was ready to negotiate. Biden has not used the phrase strategic patience to describe his plans. But his administration might end up with a policy of strategic patience by default if it does not offer some kind of action to get the North Koreans back to negotiations, said Jenny Town. She is a North Korea specialist with the Washington D.C.-based Stimson Center, a research group. Observers say Bidens campaign comments suggest that he is not interested in meeting with Kim anytime soon. Biden has said he would not continue Trumps personal diplomacy with Kim. He said it gives the North Korean leader too much importance. Instead, Biden promised to give more power to negotiators working on North Korea in an article in Foreign Affairs. He suggested that the diplomatic interaction would take place at lower levels at first. The Trump administrations limited success Trump and Kim met three times, including on June 2018 in Singapore. At the end of that meeting, the two signed a general agreement to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But working-level talks slowed and North Korea walked away. Trump and Kim continued to exchange personal letters, even after North Korea restarted short-range missile tests last year. Trump says North Korea has not launched long-distance missiles or held nuclear tests because of his relationship with leader Kim Jong Un. But Trump's friendship with Kim has not kept North Korea from continuing to quietly develop nuclear weapons. North Korea is estimated to have as many as 60 nuclear bombs, with the ability to produce several more each year. Trump says he can make progress during a second term. He recently said he would reach a deal with North Korea very quickly if re-elected. But observers warn that Trump's North Korea policy will likely continue to be unpredictable. What would a new policy look like? There is no guarantee that a return to Obamas strategic patience would have any results. Strategic patience was not so effective in terms of stopping or even slowing down the progress of North Koreas ICBM or nuclear capability, said Bong Young-shik, a North Korea specialist at Seouls Yonsei University. From 2009 to 2016, North Korea carried out four nuclear tests. It also made progress on its ballistic missile program. It carried out another nuclear test in 2017 under Trump. It is time for you to deal with the problem as it is, Bong said. A senior South Korean Blue House official who spoke to VOA last year said a return to strategic patience would not be useful. That is because North Korea already has the nuclear weapons it has long sought. Strategic patience -- what would we be waiting for? the South Korean official asked. A growing number of nuclear policy experts believe the United States should do something else. They say the country should place importance on reducing North Korea's nuclear weapons and making sure they are not used. What will North Korea do? Much will likely depend on how North Korea acts. At the beginning of 2020, Kim warned he no longer feels limited by his freeze on long-range missile or nuclear tests. He also threatened to soon show off a new strategic weapon. But since those comments, North Korea has had to deal with the coronavirus crisis, disastrous floods and heavy rains. International sanctions continue to hold back North Koreas economy. State media have at times suggested some action timed for the U.S. election. However, Kim may be reluctant to do anything that reduces the chances for diplomacy. In July, Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leaders increasingly powerful sister, said her country has no intention of threatening the United States...if they dont touch us and hurt us. "We are not saying we are not going to denuclearize, she said. But we cannot denuclearize now. Im Mario Ritter Jr. Bill Gallo reported this story for VOANEWS. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story antagonistic adj. showing opposition or anger cozying up v. to become friendly with sanctions n. punishments usually in the form of trade restrictions that are meant to force a country to obey international law strategic adj. related to a larger plan meant to reach a big goal in war, diplomacy or politics by default phrase what happens when nothing else is done to affect and outcome realm n. an area of activity, interest or knowledge ballistic adj. describing a weapon that can be shot at great speed over a long distance reluctant n. showing doubt or unwillingness to do something We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page In Shanghai, restaurants and bars in many neighborhoods are teeming with crowds. In Beijing, thousands of students are heading back to campus for the fall semester. In Wuhan, where the coronavirus emerged eight months ago, water parks and night markets are packed elbow to elbow, buzzing like before. While the United States and much of the world are still struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic, life in many parts of China has in recent weeks become strikingly normal. Cities have relaxed social-distancing rules and mask mandates, and crowds are again filling tourist sites, movie ... KITCHENER More than seven years since Waterloo Region made major upgrades at the Kitchener wastewater treatment plant online, Patty Gillis is still looking for any sign of mussel life near the plant. Its a recovering area, and shes hopeful. The mussel dead zone, as the Environment Canada researcher calls it, is a seven-and-a-half kilometre section of the Grand River between the Kitchener wastewater treatment plant and the fork where the Speed and Grand Rivers meet. Between those two places, practically no mussels can be found. The plants ongoing upgrades have resulted in many improvements: More oxygen in the water; fewer excess nutrients like ammonia and phosphorus washed into the river; and the return of healthier native fish. But Gillis still doesnt know if the mussel population is recovering. Freshwater mussels are considered a sign of a healthy waterway. They also filter toxins out of the water. Gillis remembers discovering the dead zone in 2012, when she and her team were trying to determine how effluent from Kitchener wastewater treatment plant affected wild mussels over the long term. To do this, they searched the river in 100-metre sections to find mussels to study. At first, Gillis wasnt worried when they didnt find any within the first few hundred metres. Mussels tend to be patchy, she says. So we kept looking, says Gillis. And we went out over a number of days, which turned into a number of weeks, and we were slowly working our way downstream from the Kitchener plant, downstream many kilometres. Gillis says her team searched six weeks before finding a single live mussel downstream from the plant. Experts at the Grand River Conservation Authority had raised concerns about high nutrient levels in the river downstream from the Kitchener wastewater treatment plant in the early 2000s. Ammonia, which naturally occurs in human waste, was particularly alarming. Ammonia is toxic. Even in relatively low concentrations its known to damage fish gills and kidneys over time and impede development and survival of fish larvae and young hatchlings. In high enough concentrations it kills organisms, according to Environment Canada. There were definitely times where the ammonia levels were toxic in the river in the early 2000s, said Sandra Cooke, formerly senior water quality supervisor for the conservation authority. Additionally, once released into the river, bacteria transform ammonia into nitrate. This process uses much of the waters oxygen, decreasing the amount available to the mussels and fish that need it. From the excess nitrate grow more algae and plants which release oxygen during the day, but take up oxygen at night, creating major daily swings in available oxygen. This is a stressful environment for the rivers animals, and only those species that can handle environments with low oxygen survive, slashing diversity. The last major upgrade to the Kitchener wastewater treatment plant had been in 1975, said Trevor Brown, the manager of engineering and wastewater programs at the Region of Waterloo. Region staff advised to plan for major upgrades in 2007, with the goal of improving the rivers health. Construction started in 2010 and hasnt stopped. In the last decade, the region spent over $250 million on the Kitchener plants upgrades alone. Increasing the nitrifying capacity of the plant was a major component of the upgrades. This means that the oxygen-sucking process of transforming ammonia into nitrate would be finished before entering the river. Before the upgrades, the Kitchener wastewater treatment plant regularly released effluent with ammonia levels between 15 and 35 mg/L. Currently the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks enforces a limit of 0.5mg/L. Once the nitrification upgrades were running in the late summer of 2012, the ammonia levels in Kitcheners effluent decreased dramatically to just over 5mg/L and now regularly sit below 0.2mg/L, according to Brown. While the wastewater upgrades were targeting ammonia, an unforeseen positive side-effect was the decrease in levels of pharmaceutical estrogen entering the river, as people had flushed birth-control pills and other medications down their toilets. The estrogen was feminizing almost all the fish downstream of the plant. After the upgrades, these levels went from 100 per cent of fish studied to upstream levels. Meanwhile, fish abundance greatly improved. Gillis returns to this section of the river every two years to look for any sign the mussels are recolonizing, now that ammonia levels have almost disappeared and the fish that the mussels depend on to host their young have returned. She still hasnt found them. This year she is scheduled to look again but complications caused by the global pandemic might get in the way. Even so, shes optimistic. Fresh water mussels are very slow growing and hard to find even in the best of conditions, says Gillis. Mussel larvae start off microscopic in size, and young mussels can be half the size of a pinky fingernail while they burrow among sand and gravel. Im hoping with time well know that those upgrades changed the water quality enough lowered the ammonia, lowered the nitrogen, took away the feminization in the fish, and all those things together made the water quality better so that mussels can repopulate, said Gillis. Mussels are sentinel species, she said. They tell a lot about a rivers health because they filter all the chemicals, metals and pharmaceuticals that come to them from upstream, and they cant leave if their section of the river becomes toxic. Gillis says if mussels are protected, much of the whole river ecosystem will be as well. A family has been denied the chance to say goodbye to their dying grandmother after they drove 1,000km from a town with no coronavirus cases. Sharon Star had an exemption to visit her 101-year-old grandmother Freda Aughton in Queensland, but once she got to the border on Saturday police turned her away. After driving with her mother from Lithgow, with no known cases of COVID-19, the pair are now being forced to travel the 1,000km back home. Scroll down for video Freda Aughton (pictured centre), 101, is dying in Queensland and will now not have the chance to say goodbye to some of her family Sharon Star (pictured) had an exemption to visit her 101-year-old grandmother Freda Aughton in Queensland, but once she got to the border on Saturday police turned her away 'Really frustrating when we got to the border because our passes were no longer valid but we were told at the border,' Ms Star told 9News. Ms Star and her mother were told the rules had been changed that morning and could no longer say goodbye to Ms Aughton. 'We try not to get caught up in it because we just break down and cry - we just really want to get that chance to say our goodbyes,' Ms Star said. Ms Aughton's granddaughter Mikkayla Smith said: 'It would mean the world to her if they could just come through the border and see her'. Ms Smith told Daily Mail Australia Ms Star was turned away from the border because their passes were no longer valid as all of NSW had become a hotspot on August 8. She took to Facebook to complain about her family's treatment. 'I am 100 per cent about protecting QLD but to not allow our family to come say goodbye to our terminally ill grandmother is absolutely disgusting!' she wrote. 'They live in a town where there has been ZERO CASES recorded.' 'They received their border passes, then drove 1200km to see her and were then sent back!' 'She just wants to see her family! We are shattered and furious! She's 101 years old.' After driving with her mother from a regional town with no known cases of COVID-19, the pair are now being forced to travel the 1,000km back home Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said initiatives were in place to ensure the community is kept safe from coronavirus Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said initiatives were in place to ensure the community is kept safe from coronavirus. However in the 24 hours prior, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said anyone could cross the borders into Queensland in an emergency. All of Victoria, NSW and the ACT have been declared hotspots by the Queensland government, meaning no one can enter the state's borders. Exemptions are very limited and only apply to those deemed 'absolutely essential for the functioning of Queensland'. People can enter the state to visit dying relatives with exemptions granted by Dr Young, but 14 days quarantine would have to be completed. However, the visitor would be able to leave quarantine to visit the sick relative. Queensland extended its coronavirus restrictions to two new regions on Saturday despite recording just four new cases. One trainee from the Queensland Corrective Services Academy at Wacol, in the state's south-east, and three household contacts of trainees tested positive on Friday. A senior trainer at the academy was diagnosed with the virus on Thursday following the outbreak at the nearby youth facility. Mr Miles said the new cases underline the importance of adherence to household restrictions. One trainee from the Queensland Corrective Services Academy at Wacol, in the state's south-east, and three household contacts of trainees tested positive on Friday Motorists are seen approaching a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland- New South Wales border It comes as those health restrictions limiting the number of people who can gather were extended to the Gold Coast and Darling Downs regions. No more than ten people can gather in Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan without a COVID-19 safety plan, following an initial outbreak at a youth detention centre. That was extended south to the Gold Coast from 8am Saturday after two Pimpama residents linked to the cluster were diagnosed with the virus. The new rules will also come in to effect in the Darling Downs from 8am on Monday, after health alerts were issues for The Southern Hotel and Queens' Park Markets in Toowoomba. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Friday Schoolies Week had been cancelled less than three months before it was scheduled to begin. 'This is a mass event. It poses a high risk,' she told reporters. Concerts and large parties will be banned, with limits on gatherings at beaches and apartment complexes. 'It's a tough year for everyone. Hopefully, things will get better by the end of next year and we can have a double celebration,' she said. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he backed the decision but conceded it would be tough on local businesses, such as accommodation providers. 'There will be costs in their business operations and I sympathise ... because to get new business in 85 days is near impossible,' he said. Sen. Cory Booker is pushing the best idea in American politics today, a program to ensure that every poor kid in America reaches age 18 with nearly $50,000 in the bank, money that can be used only to join the middle-class by paying for college, job training, or a first home. That could change America. It would cost $60 billion a year about one-third the cost of the Trump tax cut. The cost would be covered by a modest tax on estates and inheritances. And while it is race-blind, the benefits would skew heavily towards Black and Latino children. Chapel Hill: Randall Kenan, an author whose stories explored the experience of being Black and gay in the American South, has died. He was 57. The University of North Carolina, where Kenan taught as an English professor, confirmed his death on Saturday. A cause was not immediately available, Daniel Wallace, his friend and colleague at the university, said Kenan was found dead Friday at his home in Hillsborough, near Chapel Hill. "He was just an immense talent. His best years were ahead of him," Wallace said, noting that his most recent book, If I Had Two Wings, was published just this month. And he was a gentleman of the old school who never failed to bring flowers or chocolate to Wallace's wife when he would visit the couple. Kenan grew up in North Carolina and attended UNC, receiving his undergraduate degree in 1985. His 1992 collection of short stories, Let the Dead Bury Their Dead, was set in the fictional town of Tim's Creek, North Carolina. It received critical acclaim and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. He also wrote a young adult biography of author James Baldwin. Earlier this month, Kenan wrote an open letter reflecting on his experience as a Black student at UNC in the '80s, and the changes prompted by civil unrest, demands for racial justice and the removal of Confederate statues across the South. ''For me a poor black boy from the swamps of Eastern North Carolina, the Civil War was far from a lost cause, let alone a done war. I had underestimated how unfinished,'' he wrote. Advertisement Tens of thousands of protesters have chanted 'Happy birthday you rat!' at Belarus's under-fire President Alexander Lukashenko on his 66th birthday during the fourth week of demonstrations demanding his resignation. At least 100,000 rallied at the 'Hero City' monument honouring Minsk's suffering and resilience during the Second World War. Lukashenko spent his birthday holed up in his residence in the capital where he was once again pictured wielding an assault rifle. He received a call from Vladimir Putin who invited him to visit Moscow, a symbolic show of support from Russia in the face of EU sanctions and US disapproval of the dubious August 9 election result. Nationwide demonstrations erupted over than 80% landslide over Lukashenko's main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a former teacher and the wife of a popular jailed blogger. Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994, has been defiant but beleaguered, unable to put down the largest, most sustained wave of protests yet in this Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people. A Belarusian opposition supporter kneels in front of riot police officers during a protest in Independence Avenue in Minsk on Sunday Maria Kolesnikova, one of Belarus' opposition leaders, center, gestures, during a rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results near the Independence Palace in Minsk, Belarus on Sunday Belarus woman lies on the ground and holds poster 'I em not afraid' in front of police during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results near the Independence Palace in Minsk Police block the road during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday Belarus woman speaks with policemen during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus Belarusian opposition supporters with an old Belarusian national flags march in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday He has refused to rerun the election, which both the European Union and the United States have said was not free or fair, and refused offers from Baltic nations to help mediate the situation. Mr Lukashenko says he has reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will send in security help if asked. But Russia has appeared hesitant to get involved deeply in the Belarus unrest. Mr Putin and Mr Lukashenko talked by phone on Sunday, but a Kremlin statement gave few details of the conversation, other than noting that Mr Putin had congratulated the Belarusian leader on his 66th birthday. Ms Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the election because of concerns about her security, gave a withering acknowledgement of the birthday. Belarusian opposition supporters with an old Belarusian national flags march in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday Riot police line block a street to protect against Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus, Sunday Riot police line up to block a street near Independence Square to protect against Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus, Sunday Belarus people attend a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk on Sunday Belarus people attend a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk on Sunday A woman holds a poster 'Your 80 percent are painted with blood' during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk on Sunday Police stand behind a barbed wire as they block the road during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus, 30 August 2020 People rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus, 30 August 2020. Speaking by telephone from the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, she said: 'I wish him to overcome his fears, look truth in the eye, listen to the voice of the people and go away.' Mr Lukashenko has consistently blamed Western countries for encouraging the protests, and contends that Nato is repositioning forces along Belarus' western border with the aim of intervening in the unrest - a claim the alliance strongly denies. The Belarusian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that it was conducting military exercises in the Grodno region, near the borders of Poland and Lithuania, simulating defending against an invasion. GRODNO, BELARUS - AUGUST 30, 2020: A BTR-82 armored personnel carrier takes part in large-scale tactical drills in the Grodno area in western Belarus Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags and a poster reading 'Why haven't the killers been arrested yet?' rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 In this video grab taken from a footage provided by Belsat TV via the Associated Press Television, riot police line block a street to protect against a Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 Belarusian opposition supporters with an old Belarusian national flags march in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent Post-Galwan clash, Indian Navy deploys warship to South China Sea: Report India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Aug 30: Post Galwan valley clash, the Indian Navy has sent its frontline warship South China Sea much to the displeasure of the Chinese who raised objections over the move during the talks between the two sides. "Soon after the Galwan clash broke out in which 20 of our soldiers were killed, the Indian Navy deployed one of its frontline warship to the South China Sea where the People's Liberation Army's Navy objects to the presence of any other force claiming the majority of the waters as part of its territory," government sources ANI. Reportedly, during the diplomatic talks between India and China, the Chinese side complained about the presence of the warship in the disputed region. The South China Sea holds an important place and they don't like the presence of any other countries' warships in the disputed region. India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks in the last two-and-half months but no significant headway has been made for a resolution to the border row in eastern Ladakh. Indo-China standoff: All eyes on Jaishankar-Yi in-person meet at Russia The formal process of disengagement of troops began on July 6, a day after a nearly two-hour telephonic conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to bring down tensions in the area. However, the process has not moved forward since mid-July. The PLA has pulled back from Galwan Valley and certain other friction points but the withdrawal of troops has not moved forward in Pangong Tso, Depsang and a couple of other areas, sources said. In the five rounds of Corps commander-level talks, the Indian side has been insisting on complete disengagement of Chinese troops at the earliest, and immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April. Even as both sides are engaged in diplomatic and military talks, the Indian army is making elaborate preparations to maintain its current strength of troops in all key areas in eastern Ladakh in the harsh winter months. The tension between the two sides escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35. Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government gave the armed forces "full freedom" to give a "befitting" response to any Chinese misadventure along the LAC. The Army sent thousands of additional troops to forward locations along the border following the deadly clashes. The IAF has also moved air defence systems as well as a sizeable number of its frontline combat jets and attack helicopters to several key air bases. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 19:40 [IST] Crowds of lockdown-weary Brits gathered in London at a Unite for Freedom rally to protest the Covid-19 measures, an event quickly dubbed a gathering of conspiracy loons for its strong message against restrictions and mandates. People began gathering in Londons Trafalgar Square around noon and then marched to the Houses of Parliament to show opposition to the ongoing shutdowns, introduced as part of the UKs response to the pandemic. The rally, called under the slogans of No More Lockdowns No Social Distancing No Masks, among others, attracted more than 10,000 people aghast at the looming prospect of another lockdown being introduced, as talk of pandemics second wave dominates the media. Unite for Freedom at Trafalgar Square pic.twitter.com/79Csp1ryxr Sonia Poulton (@SoniaPoulton) August 29, 2020 One woman told The Guardians Jason Rodrigues that the governments reactions to the outbreak was completely out of proportion, lamenting how peoples liberties have been taken away and arguing that its only going to get worse and worse a common sentiment at the rally. Peoples liberties have been taken away Helen, who has travelled from Somerset, explains why she is at todays anti-lockdown rally in Trafalgar Square, London. pic.twitter.com/1azRYD6DdM Jason Rodrigues (@RodriguesJasonL) August 29, 2020 As the crowds grew, they started chanting slogans like freedom! and save our rights. Footage showed demonstrators, many of whom did not wear masks, holding signs saying No New Normal and Covid-1984, while others outright blasted the virus as a hoax. Anyone for fruitcake? Pop down to Trafalgar Square. pic.twitter.com/RaoQaBAUEr Ian Payne (@01101001) August 29, 2020 It is the latter that the media coverage focused on, with some headlines blasting the demonstration as a gathering of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists. What didnt help the rallys reputation were the invited controversial speakers like David Icke, who gave a fiery speech proclaiming Covid-19 an illusion pandemic and praising the rally as an island of sanity in a world of madness. Social media savored the quotes. If you find yourself at a rally in Trafalgar Square arguing against the World Health Organisation ... listening to and agreeing with David Icke ... then you should seek professional advice, musician John Spiers tweeted. I see thousands of people are protesting in Trafalgar Square against the wearing of facemasks and "protesting against a second wave" as if a virus can be reasoned with. Good luck with that... pic.twitter.com/90UKwZM4Pb Jody Thompson (@jodythompson) August 29, 2020 If you're wondering how stupid Britain is right now, a group of people who refuse to wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus are gathering in trafalgar square to protest a second wave of coronavirus TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) August 29, 2020 Another speaker, Kate Shemirani, encouraged everyone in the crowd to give each other a hug and then exclaimed, If this was a real virus, technically all of you lot should be sick. The gathering has received plenty of media backlash for not adhering to social distancing rules and not wearing masks in fact, take off the mask became its rallying cry at one stage. Ironically, such worries have not been as widely expressed over the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, which have also drawn massive attendance, with many ignoring Covid-19 guidances in the name of social justice. How many people calling todays Trafalgar Square anti-lockdown protesters covidiots said the same about the Black Lives Matter protests during the actual lockdown? commenter Martin Daubney pointed out on Twitter. Londons rally was just one in a series of recent anti-lockdown events in Europe, where increasingly many people are finding it hard to keep up with the ever-changing Covid-19 regulations and are sceptical of the difference such pandemic attributes as masks make. A similar protest in Berlin was disbanded by police on Saturday after they deemed demonstrators were failing to adhere to social distancing measures. Around 3,000 officers were deployed to police the crowd of 18,000.Even Britains deputy chief medical officer said this week that evidence that masks protect from Covid-19 is not very strong, despite the mandates in place. Ever since Spotify pioneered the direct listing as a new route for unicorns to go public in 2018, a growing number of venture capitalists have proselytized the deal type as a superior alternative to an IPO. There was only one problem: Companies couldn't raise new funding in a direct listing, making it an unrealistic option for businesses in need of growth capital. This week, the SEC removed that barrier, approving new regulations that will allow companies to sell new shares in direct listings on the NYSE. And two unicorns that filed for direct listings this week could be among the first to benefitone led by a Facebook co-founder, and another that is the brainchild of Facebook's first investor. In more traditional IPO news, five other unicorns filed this week for Wall Street debuts. Add it all up, and you get some $44 billion worth of startups now planning a shift from private to public. It's been one of the busiest stretches in recent memory for the Silicon Valley to Wall Street pipeline, which is one of nine things you need to know from the past week: Unicorn horns not included. (KeithBishop/Getty Images) 1. Public pathways My colleague James Thorne has the latest on the SEC's adjustments, including a tweet of approval from venture capital icon Bill Gurley, who has been one of the visible recent proponents of direct listings. Last weekend, Gurley published a blog post laying out his case for why they are superior to IPOs, pointing to the huge sums of money lost by investors on public offerings that were intentionally priced below their demand level. Direct listings remove that threat by using a stock exchange's typical order system to set the initial price, rather than relying on underwriters. Even before those updates from the SEC and NYSE, it was a line of thinking that won over Palantir Technologies and Asana, both of which filed for direct listings this week. Palantir, the data-crunching giant co-founded by Peter Thiel, took the opportunity of its S-1 filing to defend its close ties to the US government and take a shot across the tech industry's bow. Asana, a maker of workplace collaboration software led by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, submitted a much less provocative S-1. SPACs: The companies raking in the most IPO cash this year | PitchBook Opting instead for a traditional IPO filing this week were five other notable tech unicorns: Snowflake, Unity Software, JFrog, Sumo Logic and Amwell. Add in Palantir and Asana, and the combined venture-backed valuation of these seven companies is about $44 billion, according to PitchBook data. All seem to be eager to strike while the iron is hot, hitting the public market while stocks are booming and before the uncertainty of the US election sets in. And to varying degrees, all are businesses that have benefited from some of the changes wrought by the pandemic. Snowflake offers cloud-based data warehousing services. Asana is a developer of cloud-based project management software. JFrog's offerings help other cloud software companies build and test their applications. Sumo Logic offers cloud-based data monitoring services. The operative word here, as you hopefully noticed, is "cloud". As enterprises embrace remote workfor now, and perhaps for much longerthose sorts of services are more in demand than ever. Unity Software makes tools for building video games, making it a rival of Epic Games, which recently raised new funds at a $17.3 billion valuation. That industry has seen a boom in interest driven by a home-bound populous. The same is true for Amwell, a telehealth startup. And as for Palantir, let's leave it to Eric Munson, a Palantir backer and co-founder of Adit Ventures, who had this to say about the company to Bloomberg earlier this year: "Unfortunately, war, terrorists, chaos and pandemics are good for their business." A tech company touting its ties to the US government feels particularly timely these days, amid escalating tensions between the White House and China. So it only seems right that the past week also brought some highly significant IPO news from the other side of the Pacific: Alibaba fintech affiliate Ant Group filed this week for a dual listing in Hong Kong and Shanghai, with reported plans to raise a staggering $30 billion and establish a market cap north of $200 billion. In recent months, SPACs have stolen the headlines. But IPOs and direct listings haven't gone anywhere. These days, a startup has plentiful options when it decides the time is right to go public. 2. TikTok's timeline Fair warning: These sentences may already be obsolete by the time you read them. It was difficult to keep up with all the news this week surrounding TikTok's attempt to sell its US operations ahead of a Sept. 15 deadline laid down by the White House. Here's the state of play as of this writing: Walmart has reportedly joined Microsoft on a joint bid, with an eye toward the app's ecommerce applications, while Oracle, Sequoia and General Atlantic are said to be working on a competing offer, drawn more by TikTok's data. The investors have reportedly balked at a $30 billion asking price. On Friday, TikTok denied a Bloomberg report that the UK's Centricus Asset Management was teaming with would-be TikTok rival Triller on a third bid. And oh yeah: TikTok's CEO Kevin Mayer stepped down after just three months on the job. 3. Deals on wheels Austin Russell was just 17 years old when he founded Luminar, reportedly dropping out of Stanford and using funding from a Thiel Fellowship to develop new light imaging detection and ranging tech for self-driving cars. For Russell, now 25, it's looking like the right move: Luminar agreed this week to merge with a SPAC backed by The Gores Group, valuing the company at $3.4 billion. Another auto tech company, Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, raised some $1.5 billion this week in an anticipated US IPO. 4. Good optics It has been several years now since Warby Parker emerged as a new retail darling, pioneering a new model that melds ecommerce with brick-and-mortar. But the eyewear company is still inspiring excitement among venture capitalists, reportedly bringing in $245 million in new funding this week at a $3 billion valuation, up from the $1.75 billion figure it attained in 2018, according to PitchBook data. Warby Parker counts First Round Capital and Tiger Global among its backers. (Francesco Carta fotografo/Getty Images) 5. Diversity deals A group of 10 venture firms took a concrete step toward increasing the industry's diversity this week, pledging to include a new "diversity rider" in their term sheets that calls on the firms to "make every attempt" to include a check-writer from an underrepresented investor group on their deals. In the M&A space, City First Bank and Broadway Federal Bank agreed to merge, creating what's believed to be the largest bank in the US led by Black executives, while China's BlueCity, which operates the popular gay dating app Blued, bought lesbian dating platform creator Lesdo. 6. SPAC of all trades Desktop Metal joined Luminar in announcing a multibillion-dollar SPAC merger this week, as the 3D printing pioneer agreed to combine with a vehicle backed by media tycoon Leo Hindery in a deal that values Desktop Metal at about $2.5 billion. In other SPAC news, Bloomberg reported that private equity giant TPG is planning a pair of new blank-check companies that could combine to raise $700 million, adding to an already crowded market. 7. Ghosts of mega-deals past In 2018, after well over a year of talks, Bain Capital at last sealed a deal to buy the memory chip unit of Toshiba for some $18 billion. It's shaping up to be a quick turnaround: The unit, now known as Kioxia, filed for an IPO in Japan this week that could result in a reported $20 billion valuation. Another major buyout firm is also calling back to the past, with Blackstone leading a $300 million investment in Tricon Residential, a single- and multi-family rental home business. Last November, Blackstone cashed out of Invitation Homes, exiting a highly lucrative previous entry in the home-rental space. 8. PPP to PIPE Lindblad Expeditions, a travel company that arranges cruises to far-flung locales such as the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica, found itself at the center of an unexpected controversy this year. The headline of a Washington Post opinion piece written by CEO Sven-Olof Lindblad sums up the story: "My firm was attacked for taking a PPP loan, so we returned it. Now we face layoffs." This week, the publicly traded company found an alternative source of capital, agreeing to sell $85 million in convertible shares to a group of at least five investors. 9. Delivery developments Fresh off a new funding round that increased its valuation by 75%, Instacart could be in hot water. The attorney general of Washington, DC, filed a lawsuit against the grocery delivery company this week, accusing Instacart of deceptive service fees and tax avoidance. And since we started this column with unicorn IPOs, let's end there, too: DoorDash is planning to conduct its public offering sometime in Q4, according to Bloomberg. A pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh has sealed a deal with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to get priority access to the Covid-19 vaccines being developed by the worlds largest drug manufacturer. Pune-based Serum Institute, in association with AstraZeneca, the Gates Foundation and the Gavi vaccine alliance, will be producing a billion doses of a Covid-19 vaccine to supply to the world. The Oxford vaccine candidate, one of the three being developed by the drug manufacturer, is already in Phase III trial in Maharashtra and some other states. ALSO WATCH | Covid: Serum Institute begins human trials, 5 volunteers given first shot Follow latest updates on coronavirus here The deal comes days after Bangladesh also approved a late-stage trial of a potential coronavirus vaccine developed by Chinas Sinovac Biotech Ltd in a bid to become a priority recipient of the shot. Beximco Pharmaceuticals plan to invest in SII was announced on Friday after Dhaka said earlier this month said that it was ready to hold trials of candidate vaccines being developed by India as both countries seek to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease. Also read: Controversy around Oxfords Covid-19 vaccine in Australia, some clerics raise concerns This landmark agreement reflects the deep-rooted desire for collaboration between the two countries and as representatives of the two nations, between us we can go a long way towards helping to mitigate the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the heads of both companies said in the statement. The details about the amount of investment and number of doses to be supplied, however, have not been revealed yet. Beximcos investment amount will be treated as an advance and once the vaccine receives regulatory approvals, SII will include Bangladesh among the countries which will receive an agreed quantity of the vaccine on a priority basis, according to the statement. Click here for complete coronavirus coverage here Beximco would be the exclusive supplier in Bangladesh for the vaccine, the statement added. The pharma firm will also secure additional doses to be distributed to the private pay market in the country. SIIs deal with Beximco comes at a time when Bangladesh has 310,822 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and the toll from the viral disease has surpassed 4,200, according to worldometer. (With inputs from Reuters) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday once again exhorted the people of the country to make India self-reliant. Addressing the nation on Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi focussed on toys to realise this dream. Global toy industry is over 7 lakh crore but Indias share is very small. We will have to work to increase it, he said. The prime minister said that thinking about children during Covid-19 lockdown, and held discussions with industry representatives to increase the production of indigenous toys. He also called upon start-up entrepreneurs to team up for toys, saying it is time to get vocal for local toys. Come, lets play, said PM Modi on the 68th edition of his monthly radio address. Also read| Verve of Onam can be felt everywhere: PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat He also said that the new National Education Policy too focuses on toys for children to nurture their creativity and innovation quotient. The prime minister also asked young entrepreneurs to develop computer games in and about India. He talked about an app innovation challenge which was held earlier this month in which many indigenous applications won great honours. Everyone acknowledges capability of Indians to offer innovation, solutions. And when there is dedication and sensitivity, this power becomes limitless, he said. Under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat App innovation challenge, there is an app called Kutuki Kids Learning app. This is an interactive app for children in which they can easily learn many aspects of maths, science through songs and stories, he said. The prime minister also listed other similar apps on different topics. PM Modi also hailed the discipline shown by the people of India during the festival season, which will help check the spread of Covid-19. We have seen unprecedented restraint and simplicity in our festivals during Covid-19 times, said PM Modi. People are being responsible. They are showing great discipline in celebrating festivals. Also read: With nearly 79,000 new cases of Covid-19, India sets grim world record He also hailed the farmers for increase in sowing area for different grains. Our lives and society are driven by the power of agriculture only. Our farmers have proved their mettle even during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said. The prime minister talked about the importance of nutrition and said it is the duty of every citizen to eat healty food. PM Modi said that apart from children, the women too should have healthy food. We have a saying Yatha Annam Tatha Mannam. It means our mental and intellectual development is directly related to the quality of our food intake, said PM Modi. He ended the Mann Ki Baat address with wishing people good health and urging them to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. MONTREAL - Djennie Dorvilier still remembers the excitement of getting a brand new car after graduating from college 20 years ago, using the money she saved from working night shifts at McDonald's. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People take part in a Driving While Black protest in Montreal, Sunday, Aug 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Djennie Dorvilier still remembers the excitement of getting a brand new car after graduating from college 20 years ago, using the money she saved from working night shifts at McDonald's. She also remembers being stopped nine times for random police checks within the first month and a half of owning her new car, a 2000 Mazda Protege. "I was even told it's because I didn't look like someone who could afford such a car," Dorvilier said at a protest in Montreal on Sunday. Dorvilier was among a convoy of nearly 60 Black motorists who drove to Quebec Premier Francois Legault's office in the suburb of L'Assomption, about an hour outside the city, to protest racial profiling. The demonstration, titled "Driving While Black," comes amid a widespread movement to bring attention to police treatment of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) communities. "Now people are listening, but we've been going through this for many years. It's important to raise awareness about, when you're racialized, how you're treated by the police when stopped while driving your car," Dorvilier said. The demonstrators eventually made it to Legault's office, where they read out their demands from a letter detailing 10 ways to stop Black people from being targeted by police while driving. The proposals include a call to revise Quebec's Guide to Police Practices to eliminate any act that allows officers to discriminate or racially profile anyone they come across. The guide was in the news last week, when the province's Ministry of Public Security unveiled guidelines to make sure that police stops aren't racially motivated. But the move was met with criticism by some advocacy groups who said they weren't consulted. The province's human rights commission ruled at the end of 2019 that the city of Montreal should stop police checks as they "disproportionately affect certain groups." Fo Niemi, executive director of the Centre for Research Against Race Relations, said Sunday he's been receiving complaints from people across the province including as far west as Gatineau about police checks. He said there's a growing number of them coming from suburban areas, where more and more Black people are moving. "We have some people being stopped practically two, three times a months just because they drive a flashy car," Niemi said. "To the point where one of our clients has to basically change his car." Vladimir Dorceus said he has lost track of the amount of times he has been pulled over for a random check by police in his Black BMW. Dorceus brought his nine-year old son to Sunday's event to show him how Black people can come together to protest the issue. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Even if he's young, I think he has to be informed of the situation. Because he's a young Black person who lives in Montreal and it could happen to him in the future," Dorceus said. Josue Corvil, who was elected as a city councillor for the Montreal borough of Saint-Michel in late 2018, said he remembers being stopped by police who were unaware of his work for the city last year. He said he doesn't believe all police officers are racist, but he feels some of their ways must be changed in order for better relations to be had between Black people and police. "It's very frustrating to be stopped," Corvil said. Legault's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2020. - Robi Domingo informed his social media followers that he is finally bidding goodbye to his over a decade-long stint as MYX VJ - The prominent television host also expressed how thankful he is to be a part of the music channel - He even recalled the day he won the MYX VJ search back in 2008 when he was awarded P100,000 worth of services - He likewise clarified that the channel will still continue airing so he told his followers to keep on supporting the no.1 music channel in the Philippines PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Robi Domingo has ended his over a decade-long stint as MYX VJ and he took to social media to express how thankful he is to be a part of the music channel. Photo courtesy of Robi Domingo/Instagram Source: Instagram KAMI learned that in an Instagram post, Robi went on a trip down memory lane and recalled the day he won the MYX VJ search back in 2008 when he was awarded P100,000 worth of services. Found this big cheque the other day near my closet. Whenever I see this, I remember that night in Trinoma for the Myx VJ search in 2008, and also the value of it. I don't see 100k worth of services but a million dreams and moments I gained when I became a part of this family. Salamat, Myx. PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback In a separate post, he furthermore penned about his wonderful experience as its VJ. I get to speak my mind. I get to speak to talented artists. I get to speak about music videos and more. I get to speak with the best of the best personalities. I get to speak about whats right, Thank you. This has been VJ Robi. Always and forever, Myx. Your Choice. Your Music. The Kapamilya star furthermore clarified, Just to be clear: the channel will still continue so please continue to support the no.1 music channel in the Philippines. PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Robi Domingo is a well-known celebrity in the Philippines. He joined MYX right after his stint as a housemate of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus. Months ago, Robi caught the attention of many people when he did a piano cover of On The Wings of Love after James Reid and Nadine Lustre announced their breakup. He also had a vlog interviewing and playing a game with Alden Richards. According to Robi, featuring Alden in his YouTube vlog is a dream come true for him. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! Source: KAMI.com.gh It's clear that as the battle for the heart and soul of conservatism rages, President Donald Trump is fundamentally redefining what it means to be a conservative. However, the vital question is whether, on balance, he has advanced or degraded the vision of our Founding Fathers. We turn for explication to Peter Wehner's July 28, 2019 interview in The Atlantic with the archetypical Republican, George Will. Will argues that Trump has undermined traditional conservatism because he's a populist. As Will states, "[p]opulism is a direct translation of popular passions into governments through a strong executive." But the question is whether Trump merely responded to a nascent populism underwritten by the "deplorables" who have been ignored by Democrats and Republicans alike or whether he is, in fact, governing as a populist. In a recent visit to rural Maine, Trump said, "As the workers of Maine know well and that's for many decades Washington politicians shipped away your jobs, outsourced your supply chains, and offshored your industry" [1]. That's why Trump's agenda has focused on tax reform to encourage blue-collar job creation and wage increases and an unapologetic defense of religious freedom, the unborn, and the 2nd Amendment. Additionally, he has brought a clear-eyed perspective to our foreign policy, one driven by America's national security interests, eschewing the Neocons' misguided pipe dream of nation-building. Trump has tirelessly pursued these goals, guided by unambiguously conservative principles, not by an impetuous populism. Will is also critical of Trump's antagonistic influence on our culture, a coarsening of discourse and decorum. However, that's a "forest and trees" criticism, because his visceral disdain for the president blinds him to Trump's legitimate attacks on our sclerotic political culture, which has been nurturing the Administrative State for well over a century. To wit, in 1887 Woodrow Wilson wrote an article titled "The Study of Administration." He explained that he wanted to counter "the error of doing too much by vote," that "self-government does not consist in having a hand in everything," and arguing for "administrative elasticity and discretion." Wilson preferred governance by a self-selected, elitist group of "learned men" to lead the benighted, unwashed masses. Those roots have been nourished ever since by faithless politicians, which created our massive federal regulatory apparatus. The arch-conservative, William F. Buckley, would certainly have disdained Trump's filter-free discourse. However, he would likewise have celebrated Trump's loathing of governance by administrative fiat, which has stifled our freedoms. In his 1955 inaugural edition of National Review, Buckley quoted Friedrich Hayek's Road to Serfdom, warning that America faced a grave danger "paternalistic government" which was the grandfather of the Administrative State. Therefore, if Will is sincere in his concern for our liberties and Trump's alleged encroachment thereon, why doesn't he acknowledge that in just his first term, Trump has achieved conservatism's dream of eliminating thousands of burdensome regulations drafted by faceless bureaucrats [2]? Announcing Trump's reform of federal rulemaking, Neomi Rao, administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, said, "[I]n modern times, the expansion of the administrative state has placed undue burdens on the public, impeding economic growth, technological innovation, and consumer choice. Our reform efforts emphasize the rule of law, respect for the Constitution's separation of powers, and the limits of agency authority" [2]. What Will and his fellow blue-blood, country-club Republicans detest most about Trump is that he's not a member of the elite D.C. cabal the glib and polished, Ivy Leagueeducated cognoscenti who, regardless of party, have reliably failed to advance our Founding Fathers' principles and values. In another article, the pearl-clutching Peter Wehner personalizes his distaste for Trump: "he has to be seen as a culmination of what I think were dark forces on the American right[.] ... [T]he reasons that people latch onto Trump are precisely the reasons that I'm so offended by him his violation of norms, the style, the disposition, and the temperament. Trump is also by light-years more ignorant than anyone who's ever run for the presidency" [3]. The question is, ignorant of what? A thorough reading of the Federalist Papers? Probably. But what matters most is that Trump has been a staunch defender of our liberties, because he intuitively understands Benjamin Franklin's statement that "Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature." "In Maine, Trump Sees a Prize Within Reach," The Wall Street Journal, Aug 15-16, 2020. "Here's How Much Red Tape Trump Has Cut," The Heritage Foundation, October 17, 2018. "What's Left of the Right," Democracy, A Journal of Ideas, Summer 2018, No. 49. Philip Mella is former mayor pro tem of Woodland Park, and currently serves on the 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. Denise Van Outen enjoyed a night out with Dancing On Ice pal Matt Evers on Saturday, amid claims she has signed up to the next series in a 40,000 deal. The blonde beauty, 46, looked glamorous in a chic black dress and sequinned jacket as she left London's Proud Embankment with skater Matt, 44, in tow. Denise displayed her bronzed legs in the elegant dress, which she wore with vertiginous heels. New venture: Denise Van Outen enjoyed a night out with Dancing On Ice pal Matt Evers on Saturday, amid claims she has signed up to the next series in a 40,000 deal The star added sparkle with her silver sequin adorned jacket as she left the club following the Cabaret All Stars show. Her blonde tresses were styled in soft waves while fluttery lashes, kohl liner and scarlet lipstick accentuated her pretty visage. Matt looked dapper in a black jumper and jeans, teamed with an army print jacket as he followed behind. It comes amid claims Denise has been confirmed for the next series of the skating show and is believed to have signed a deal worth around 40,000, according to the Daily Star. Looking good: The blonde beauty, 46, looked glamorous in a chic black dress and sequinned jacket as she left London's Proud Embankment with skater Matt, 44, in tow Will we see them on the ice? Denise and Matt looked happy as they left the venue after their night out The Cabaret star is understood to have 'jumped at the chance' to take part in the show when it kicks off in January after impressing at an audition last month. A source told the publication: 'Bosses are thrilled to have her on board. They know she will give it her all in training and be popular with viewers.' The mother-of-one is a natural performer after reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2012 and playing Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on Broadway and in the West End. Banter: The duo were joined by Love Island's Amy Hart as they joked about in the street Laugh out loud: Denise cackled as she larked around with Amy and Matt Leggy: The blonde beauties put on leggy displays as they strutted down the street The TV star is set to start training for the show but is yet to find out who her professional partner is, according to the Daily Star. Denise rose to fame on The Big Breakfast in 1997 and has recently starred alongside her boyfriend Eddy Boxshall on Channel 4's Celebrity Gogglebox. MailOnline has contacted Denise's representatives and Dancing On Ice for comment. DOI: The Cabaret star is understood to have 'jumped at the chance' to take part in the show when it kicks off in January after impressing at an audition last month Smile: Denise looked happier than ever as Matt followed her to a car at the end of the night The man shot and killed in Portland on Saturday was a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer whose supporters have frequently clashed with left-wing protesters in Oregons largest city, according to the organisations founder. Joey Gibson, head of the group based in Washington state, said he was also in Portland on Saturday night when supporters of President Donald Trump clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters. Mr Gibson said he arrived at the scene of the shooting shortly after it happened and was briefly corralled in a nearby gas station by angry protesters. Expand Close A caravan of Donald Trump supporters in Portland (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A caravan of Donald Trump supporters in Portland (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP) I cant say much right now. All I can do is verify that he was a good friend and a supporter of Patriot Prayer, Mr Gibson said about the victim. Police issued a plea for videos, photos or eyewitness accounts of the incident which happened about 15 minutes after a caravan of some 600 or so vehicles that formed part of a pro-Trump rally left the city centre. It is not clear whether the shooting was related to the clashes between Trump supporters and counter-protesters in Portland, which has become a flashpoint in the national Black Lives Matter protests since George Floyd was killed in May, and an increasing centrepiece in Trumps law-and-order re-election campaign theme. Police have not released any information about the case but said they were aware of videos on social media that showed the shooting. Police Chief Chuck Lovell said: It is still early in this investigation, and I ask everyone to give the detectives time to do their important work before drawing conclusions about what took place. Expand Close A Black Lives Matter protester yells at a Trump supporter during a rally in Portland on Saturday (Paula Bronstein/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Black Lives Matter protester yells at a Trump supporter during a rally in Portland on Saturday (Paula Bronstein/AP) If anyone can provide information about this case, I ask them to please reach out to our detectives. This violence is completely unacceptable and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible. An Associated Press freelance photographer heard three gunshots and then saw police medics attending to the victim, who appeared to be a white man. The photographer said the man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer. Police said the man was shot in the chest. He was not immediately identified, and it is unclear who shot him. Portland has been the site of nightly protests for more than three months since the police killing of Mr Floyd in Minneapolis. Many of them end in vandalism and violence, and hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested by local and federal law enforcement since late May. I'm asking Portland officials, so that's the mayor, that's the governor and that's local law enforcement, to do their job to address any violent activity that is occurring in their streets Acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf In the two hours following the shooting, protesters gathered in the city centre and there was sporadic fighting and vandalism, with 10 people arrested, police said. The caravan had arrived in the city centre just as a planned protest was getting under way. The chaotic scene came two days after Mr Trump invoked Portland as a liberal city overrun with violence in a speech at the Republican National Convention. The caravan marked the third Saturday in a row that Trump supporters have rallied in the city. Patriot Prayer has a history in Portland and has repeatedly rallied supporters for pro-Trump rallies beginning in 2017. The groups supporters periodically cross into Oregon for rallies and marches. Counter-protesters have squared off with Patriot Prayer and other right-wing groups such as the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters multiple times in the city since Mr Trumps election. Mr Trump issued a flurry of tweets and retweets on Sunday, including several that blamed Portland mayor Ted Wheeler for the death and one in which the president appeared to be encouraging his supporters to move into Portland. Great Patriots! Trump wrote as he shared video of his supporters driving into Portland to confront the protesters. Acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf blamed local officials for failing to protect their communities. Im asking Portland officials, so thats the mayor, thats the governor and thats local law enforcement, to do their job to address any violent activity that is occurring in their streets, Mr Wolf told CBS. Mr Wolf said the federal government was prepared to send agents to Portland and other cities to protect federal buildings and assist police. When federal agents increased their presence in Portland city centre in July, it saw some of the largest protests of the summer, with thousands of people turning out nightly. The crowds dissipated after the agents withdrew and state police agreed to protect federal buildings for a two-week period. Bollywoods Man of Steel John Abraham is that, both by his looks, and his mental strength. As someone who had no connections, and has made it till this point all on his own, there are quite a few lessons one can learn. We ask the actor whats been the biggest learning for him in a career spanning 17 years how does he find Bollywood as a place, how are the people here? Theres also quite a lot being already said about it in the current times. He says one is going to find good and bad people in any industry. People who are accommodating, some who are not so accommodating. As a whole, the industry has been very gracious, and extremely good. Contrary to the way people are looking at our industry today, I think its a good place, its not that bad, says Abraham. Adding that there are bad things that happen everywhere, in every line of work, the Satyameva Jayate (2018) actor feels the only reason the film industry is talked about more, is because its always in the limelight. He says, In our industry, its only more conspicuous, its out there in the open, and we get crucified a lot for it. Have I got opportunities from people who have been in the industry? Yes. Have I been the flag bearer for taking people from outside the industry (in films I produced)? Yes. I have been in both places, and theres no thumb rule that someone is good or bad. Its a very individual place. You can choose to create your own path. Abraham has been a producer too, backing films such as Vicky Donor and Madras Cafe, both critical and commercial hits. Calling Bollywood a very democratic place, he goes on to say, Its the only place where I feel we are agnostic to religion. Even if religion is being thrust today into our system, there are a lot of us who choose to be agnostic to religion. Thats great, and a good example for a lot of people. Theres a lot of negativity today in the industry, but I want to be that one person, and one of those few, however you want to look at it, who people look out to and say hey, no, this place is decent, look at him. Hes survived, and standing here talking to us, he has nothing negative to say about anyone. He feels positive about everybody and himself, and his work. Why cant we use him as an example? If John Abraham can, we can. Interact with the author on Twitter/ @RishabhSuri02 The Chinese army has launched two sets of military drills in waters off the country's east coast as tensions continue to rise in the Sea amid US military presence in the region. Shanghai-based military expert Ni Lexiong was quoted as saying by South Morning Post that the drills in the Bohai and Yellow seas had the practical purpose of simulating both wartime attack and defence, should there be a conflict to unify Taiwan by force. "Different scenarios, with a strong enemy or a weak enemy, need to be practised in drills," Ni said. Terming the recent drills as "routine training", Diao Daming, an associate professor at Renmin University's National Academy of Development and Strategy, told state broadcaster Central Television that "the exercises were meant to boost public confidence and intimidate the US and Taiwan." "Although these drills do not target any specific country, in the face of power that is challenging our sovereignty and security, such drills can make the enemy yield without use of arms," Diao said. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper and Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono on Saturday reiterated their commitment to maintain a 'rules-based order' in the East and South China Seas. US Department of Defence, Esper hosted Kono in Guam, where they reaffirmed the strength of the US-Japan alliance and discussed ways to deepen and expand bilateral defence cooperation. "Secretary Esper and Minister Kono exchanged views on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Secretary expressed serious concern regarding Beijing's decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong, as well as coercive and destabilising actions vis-a-vis Taiwan," the official statement said. "Both ministers restated their commitment to maintain a rules-based order in the East and South China Seas, and more broadly in the region and world," it stated. The statement comes even as China continues to conduct military activities in the region. On Wednesday, China fired two missiles including an "aircraft-carrier killer" into the as an act of "warning" to the United States after a US spy plane allegedly intruded into its army's no-fly airspace, a source close to the Chinese military told the South China Morning Post. This military exercise is the latest in a long string of China's actions to assert unlawful maritime claims and disadvantage its Southeast Asian neighbours in the South China Sea, according to the US Defence Department. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) on Sunday said it rescued a 35-year-old mentally disturbed woman apparently roaming naked near the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The DCW was informed about the woman by a mediaperson working in the area. The person called up DCW's Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rahul Tahiliani and informed that a woman was roaming around naked and looked helpless as the people were taking pictures and ridiculing her, the women's panel said. A DCW team rushed to the location and gave clothes to the woman and then took her to the Parliament Street police station. The woman had a bag with her which contained a few books and her Aadhaar card. The information on the card indicated that she was originally from Kanjhawala area of Delhi, it said. The team took the woman to the address mentioned on the Aadhaar card and met her family, the panel said. The team met her sister-in-law who informed that the woman had left the house after her husband's death six months ago. The woman has two children and her sister-in-law had been taking care of them after she left the house. The woman's mental condition deteriorated after her husband's death, the DCW said. The woman's family refused to take her responsibility and thus the team took her to the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS). As per the procedure of admission, the hospital required an order from a magistrate. The team took the woman back to Parliament Street police station and a DD entry was registered there and the victim was taken for medical examination. The woman was then presented before a metropolitan magistrate and orders for her transfer were procured, the panel said. Police said they rescued the woman on Friday and sent her to a women's shelter home. "On Saturday, we took permission from the magistrate and shifted the woman to IHBAS hospital," a senior police officer said. The officer said the woman was wearing a nightdress and was washing her hands and feet as people stared at her. A Nigerian-American Mattias Ometu has been forcefully arrested by police in San Antonio, Texas while jogging. And they almost choked him to death. His offence was that he was jogging while black, and he happened, in their warped imagination, to fit the image of another blackman said to be involved in a nearby domestic violence incident. The suspect the police were looking for was Darren Anthony Smith, who does not in any way resemble Ometu, except that both are black. Ometu, 33, spent two days in the Bexar County Jail following the illegal arrest on Tuesday. In a petition to Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson-Lee, US-based Nigerian rights activist, Emmanuel Ogebe, said Ometu, an insurance professional was arbitrarily apprehended under mistaken identity. He was manhandled and unjustly arrested despite there being no factual basis for such action. The San Antonio Police Department has since acknowledged that Ometu was not the suspect its men were looking for. This was after Ometu was charged with assault on an officer and taken into custody. But witnesses who recorded the encounter said Ometu was not aggressive with officers. Mayor Ron Nirenburg has now called full investigation into the incident. The Daily Mail reporting about the arrest, said Cell phone footage shows the two San Antonio Police Department officers roughly shoving Ometu into the back of a police cruiser while he screams youre choking me several times. *** Culled from PM News Night and weekend curfew in Jammu and Kashmir 2022: Know guidelines, rules: What is allowed, what is not 3 terrorists gunned down, one police man martyred in Srinagar encounter India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 30: Three terrorists have been gunned down in an encounter that broke out with with the security forces at Pantha Chown in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. An assistant sub-inspector was martyred in the incident. The encounter took place after the terrorists opened fire on a checkpoint that was manned by the police and CRPF at Pantha Chown, officials said. The official also added that the joint parties of the forces cordoned off the area and then launched a search operation. During the search, terrorists fired upon the search parties, following which the forces retaliated. This lead to the encounter, the official also added. Development and annual fees cannot be charged until schools re-open: HC On Friday, three terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. One soldier who was critically injured succumbed to his injuries. The police said that the encounter started on Friday in Pulwama's Zadoora area at around 1 am. A massive search operation was carried out following the encounter. One AK-47 rifle and two pistols were recovered from the encounter site. The Kashmir Zone Police said that following the Pulwama encounter, incriminating material including arms and ammunition have been recovered. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 8:54 [IST] New Delhi, Aug 30 : The ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultations were held to discuss the review of the ASEAN India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), an official statement said on Sunday. The virtual meeting, held on Saturday, was co-chaired by Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Tran Tuan Anh, Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, It was attended by the trade ministers of all the 10 ASEAN countries. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to take collective actions in mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic and resolved to ensure macroeconomic and financial stability and resilient supply chain connectivity, particularly the unimpeded flow of essential goods and medicines in the region, in compliance with the WTO rules. They appreciated the growing trade ties and deepening economic engagement between two parties. The report of the ASEAN India Business Council (AIBC) was placed before the ministers. The AIBC Report has recommended that the AITIGA be reviewed for mutual benefit. As per the Commerce Ministry statement, the ministers from India and ASEAN countries instructed the senior officials to start the discussions to determine the scope of the review at the earliest to make the Free Trade Agreement more user-friendly, simple, and trade facilitative for businesses. "The review will make the agreement modern with contemporary trade facilitative practices, and streamlined customs and regulatory procedures," it said. Initiating the discussion, Goyal highlighted that the Free Trade Agreement has to be mutually beneficial and a win-win for all sides. He expressed the need to strengthen the Rules of Origin provisions, work towards the removal of non-tariff barriers and provide better market access. The minister also spoke of India's consistent position that the review of the AITIGA has been inordinately delayed. He requested for closer engagement towards finalisation of the scoping exercise, before the ASEAN-India Leaders' Summit scheduled in November 2020 and to start the full review before the end of this year. He also stated that India and ASEAN shared a close friendship, strongly tied with historical, cultural and traditional bonds and this relationship would continue to grow for the prosperity of the people of India and the ASEAN countries. India also made suggestions to further strengthen the AIBC and the forum agreed to consider these suggestions to deepen the economic engagement between the two parties. New Delhi: The Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested two members of the banned terrorist outfit Khalistan Zindabad Force on Saturday. According to the police, the accused, Inderjeet Gill and Jaspal Singh, are wanted in a sedition case registered at a police station in Punjab's Moga, as per a news report by ANI. They have been booked for raising the Khalistan flag on the eve of Independence Day at District Collector office in Moga. Cases have been filed under 121/121A/124A/153A/153B sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 2 of The Prevention of Insult to National Honor Act 1971. Punjab Police has been informed and they are on the way to take custody of the accused in their case, Delhi Police said. The two were nabbed by the Delhi Police after receiving a tip-off about two members of Khalistan Zindabad Force arriving in Delhi to commit some anti-national activities. A trap was laid near Shani Mandir GT Karnal road and after a small chase the two were overpowered. Upon questioning their identities were revealed as Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh. During the detailed interrogation, it is revealed that Inderjeet is a 10th class dropout who worked as a driver at Rauli, Punjab. Since his early years, he had a radical set of mind bent towards pro-Khalistan movement. Inderjeet subscribed to YouTube channel namely "Sikhs For Justice" recently on the insistance of his maternal uncle. He further disclosed that one person namely Rana from the US and one other person delivered lectures on the channel Sikhs For Justice delivering Anti-India preachings. Also, it was revealled that Rana had declared a reward of 2,500 dollars for waving the Khalistan flag and for tearing the Indian flag at Moga and a reward of 1,25,000 dollars for doing the same on the Red Fort and other historical buildings. When a priest consecrates, or makes holy, the bread and wine during a Maronite Rite Mass, he speaks in Aramaic, the spoken language of Jesus. Hearing the words Jesus is said to have used when talking to his disciples during the Last Supper more than 2,000 years ago gives Colorado Springs resident Anita Joseph-Conkling goosebumps. The practice is not only a throwback to her familys Lebanese heritage but also provides meaning in contemporary times, she said. Having the traditions you grow up with are very dear to your heart; it is very emotional, she said. It gives you a state of meditation, and your connection with the Holy Spirit is strong. Last month, a Lebanese-born priest living near Denver started offering Mass in the Maronite Rite for the first time in Colorado Springs. Masses are held the first Sunday of each month at 5 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1830 S. Corona Ave. The next service is Sept. 6. Middle Eastern Catholics from Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Jordan, Armenia, Turkey and other countries, including the United States, are invited to attend. Social distancing, facial coverings and hand sanitization regulations under the COVID-19 pandemic are in place. The Rev. El Badaoui Habib arrived at St. Rafka Maronite Catholic Church in Lakewood in May as parochial administrator for the congregations 190 families. But the 70 miles seemed too far to travel for about 50 Colorado Springs families who prefer the Maronite Rite which is more familiar to them than Roman Catholicism. So Habib is using space at St. Joseph for services. Maronite and Eastern Catholics in Colorado Springs are often folded into the larger Denver-based community, and it is an exceptional experience to be recognized as another viable and growing community, said Joseph-Conkling, who helped establish St. Rafkas in 2008 and has been key in forming the new congregation in Colorado Springs. Its the only Middle Eastern Maronite Rite worship available in the area, Habib said. People love it because the spirituality is very deep and very beautiful, he said. You feel very holy. The Maronite Rite is reminiscent of worship in early Christian services that were held in dark caves under a cloud of fear of Roman soldiers, Joseph-Conkling said. The Mass is not different in purpose from the Roman Catholic version but differs in structure, she said. Everything is a tiny bit more ceremonial and traditional, Joseph-Conkling said. It has a more solemn feeling. Wafts of frankincense and myrrh incense are more pervasive, ancient prayers are recited from bilingual prayer books, the communion host is dipped into the wine, a kiss of peace is offered from the altar and other distinctions are evident. Slow, deep, soulful tunes sung in Syriac and Aramaic often evoke tears from worshippers, Joseph-Conkling said. One woman at the Colorado Springs Mass was almost too emotional to express the beauty of hearing the prayers in her language for the first time in many years, she said. The pandemic has brought changes, such as receiving communion in the hand rather than the traditional on-the-tongue, separate microphones for speakers and elimination of the procession and altar servers. Worshippers include people with Middle Eastern roots who were born in America, those who have been granted asylum here, professionals, small-business owners and extended families. But all are familiar with the Maronite Rite, which has ancient origins tracing to Antioch, Turkey. Followers of Maron, a Syriac priest and hermit monk who later attained sainthood, founded the Maronite movement after his death in 410. Marons spirituality was based on missionary work, healings and miracles, and his teachings advocated a monastic style of prayer. For centuries, Maronites were the only Christians in the East who recognized the pope in Rome. They continue to be in full communion with the Catholic Church. Before coming to Colorado a few months ago, Habib served Maronite Catholics in Lebanon, Israel and Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was the head of the countrys Maronites for a decade. In 2016, he relocated to Pennsylvania. The local Maronite community is welcoming to all, Habib said. Even though we come from different countries, there is high respect and hospitality and interaction with each other, he said. Its nothing like the anger thats shown on the news about continued unrest in the Middle East, Joseph-Conkling said, as people protest government corruption, financial hardship and other societal problems. They are happy, friendly people here, she said. Poverty, suffering, unemployment and housing shortages are common in many of the native countries, Habib said. Once you experience the way people around the world worship, you have a greater understanding and more hospitable relationship for what other people are going through, Joseph-Conkling said. Many people in the Middle East have been persecuted for their religion and, when put to the choice of their religion or die, were able to escape and keep their religion, she said. Its important to understand why people in the Middle East tend to be protective of their religion, whether it be Judaism, Islam or Christianity. Its so much more a part of their lives. Canada has extended a measure barring most foreign travellers from entering the country until September 30, a media report said. The extension applies to foreign travellers entering Canada from outside the US, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA), citing a Reuters report. The move comes amid continued efforts to limit the introduction and spread of the coronavirus, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair was quoted as saying in the report. WASHINGTON>> Eric Trump echoed falsehoods of his father, Melania Trump credited her husband with a dubious religious first, and the presidents economic adviser wholly distorted the conditions Donald Trump inherited as Republicans stepped up to praise him at their national convention Tuesday. Crucial context was missing at various parts of the evening, as when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed Trumps jousting with China and North Korea and others weighed in on Trumps judgment in world affairs. A look at rhetoric from the second night of the virtual Republican National Convention: RELIGION MELANIA TRUMP: Hes the first president to address a special session of the United Nations General Assembly to call upon countries across the world to end religious persecution and honor the right of every person to worship as they choose. CISSIE GRAHAM LYNCH, evangelist and granddaughter of Billy Graham: On the world stage, President Trump became the first president to talk about the importance of religious freedom at the United Nations, giving hope to people of faith around the world. THE FACTS: No, Trump is certainly not the first U.S. president to address the United Nations General Assembly about religious freedom. President Barack Obama did so, discussing religious tolerance and liberty during a speech to the assembly Sept. 25, 2012. Several predecessors did so as well. We not only respect the freedom of religion, we have laws that protect individuals from being harmed because of how they look or what they believe, Obama said in his remarks, which focused on an anti-Muslim film that had touched off violent protests in the Middle East. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs. Last year Trump was host for a U.N. meeting devoted to religious freedom, and boasted at the time that he was the first to convene such a meeting at the U.N. But contrary to the impression created by the first lady and the evangelist, he was not at all the first American president to make a case for religious liberty to the General Assembly. ___ LARRY KUDLOW, Trump economic adviser: Trump was inheriting a stagnant economy on the front end of recession, and under the president, the economy was rebuilt in three years. THE FACTS: This is false. The economy was healthy when Trump arrived at the White House. Even if the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was agonizingly slow, Trump took office with unemployment at a low 4.7%, steady job growth and a falling federal budget deficit. The longest expansion in U.S. history began in the middle of 2009 and continued until the start of the year, spanning both the Barack Obama and Trump presidencies. The U.S. economy did benefit from Trumps 2017 tax cuts with a jump in growth in 2018, but the budget deficit began to climb as a result of the tax breaks that favored companies and the wealthy in hopes of permanently expanding the economy. Annual growth during Obamas second term averaged about 2.3%. Trump notched a slightly better 2.5% during his first three years, but the country swung into recession this year because of the coronavirus and will probably leave Trump with an inferior track record to his predecessor over four years. ___ SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO CHINA POMPEO: The president has held China accountable for covering up the China virus and allowing it to spread death and economic destruction in America and around the world. THE FACTS: Thats misleading. In his videotaped remarks from Israel, Pompeo failed to mention Trumps initial personal affinity and repeated praise for Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he publicly extolled the countrys handling of the coronavirus early on. In a CNBC interview on Jan. 22, for instance, Trump was asked if he trusted information from China about the coronavirus. I do, Trump said. I have a great relationship with President Xi. Two days later, he was even more effusive. China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus, he tweeted. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. I want to thank President Xi! Trump kept up the compliments when asked several times in February about whether data from China, where the virus originated, can be trusted. He called Xi extremely capable and said hes doing a very good job with a very, very tough situation. His praise only faded when the pandemic hit hard in the U.S. and his administrations response stumbled. He then became quick to blame China for what he started calling the China virus. ___ TRADE POMPEO: He has ended ridiculously unfair trade deals with China that punched a hole in our economy. THE FACTS: That, too, is misleading. Whatever the weaknesses of the trade deals Trump inherited, its become clear that what he negotiated instead is not a gamechanger. The trade war that Trump escalated with China caused several self-inflicted wounds. Farmers and factories were part of the collateral damage from the volley of tariffs as the two largest countries in the world jockeyed for an edge. Its still too soon to judge the limited agreement reached by Trump as a triumph or a flop. China committed to buy an additional $200 billion in American goods above 2017 levels by the end of 2021 in what was initially a truce against further aggression. Yet the deal lacked meaningful progress on support that China gives its state-owned companies, a key problem for the United States. The global pandemic also means that trade volumes have fallen, making it harder for China to meet its target for American-made goods. It appears that President Trump accepted an IOU as a declaration of victory, analysts at the Brookings Institution concluded. ___ SEN. RAND PAUL: Joe Biden voted for the Iraq war, which President Trump has long called the worst geopolitical mistake of our generation. THE FACTS: Trump had no more foresight on this matter than Biden. Neither was against it when it started. When asked during a Sept. 11, 2002, radio interview if he would support an Iraq invasion, Trump responded, Yeah, I guess so. The next month, Biden as a senator voted to authorize George W. Bush to use force in Iraq. The next March, just days after the U.S. launched its invasion, Trump said it looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint. It wasnt until September 2003 that Trump first publicly raised doubts about the invasion, saying a lot of people (are) questioning the whole concept of going in in the first place. In November 2005, Biden called his Senate vote to authorize force a mistake. ___ MILITARY ERIC TRUMP: My father rebuilt the mighty American military added new jets, aircraft carriers. THE FACTS: Thats an exaggeration. Its true that his administration has accelerated a sharp buildup in defense spending, including a respite from what the U.S. military considered to be crippling spending limits under budget sequestration. But a number of new Pentagon weapons programs, such as the F-35 fighter jet, were started years before the Trump administration. And it will take years for freshly ordered tanks, planes and other weapons to be built, delivered and put to use. The Air Forces Minuteman 3 missiles, a key part of the U.S. nuclear force, for instance, have been operating since the early 1970s and the modernization was begun under the Obama administration. They are due to be replaced with a new version, but not until later this decade. ___ ERIC TRUMP, on his father: He increased wages for our incredible men and women in uniform. THE FACTS: Yes, but military pay has been raised every year for decades, and the raises under Trump have been smaller compared with past years. ___ POLICE ERIC TRUMP: Biden has pledged to defund the police. THE FACTS: False. Biden has made no such pledge. Hes rejected calls from some on the left to defund the police, proposing more money for departments to improve their practices. His agenda includes federal money for training to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths and hiring more officers to ensure police departments reflect the populations they serve. Hes proposed $300 million in federal community policing grants. ___ RACIAL INEQUALITY KENTUCKY ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL CAMERON: On the economy: Joe Biden couldnt do it, but President Trump did build an economy that worked for everyone, especially minorities. THE FACTS: Not accurate. Republicans can talk successfully about the decline in unemployment rates for Black and Hispanic workers. But thats just one gauge and plenty of troubles and inequalities abound for minorities. Minority groups still lagged behind white people with regard to incomes, wealth and home ownership before the pandemic. But when the disease struck, it became clear that the economy did not work well for everybody as the job losses and infections disproportionately hit minorities. Black unemployment now stands at 14.6%. Hispanic unemployment is 12.9%. The white unemployment rate is 9.2%. For every dollar of total wealth held by white households, Blacks have just 5 cents, according to the Federal Reserve. Its 4 cents for Hispanics. ___ TAXES ERIC TRUMP: The president slashed taxes and wages went through the roof. THE FACTS: Not quite. Wage growth did improve, but there is clearly still a roof on workers incomes. The 2017 tax cuts appear unlikely to deliver on their promised pay increases. White House economists argued that incomes would surge by at least $4,000 because of the lower corporate tax rate. That has yet to occur and seems unlikely given the current recession. But average hourly wages did improve to a 3.5% annual gain by February 2019, much better than the 2.7% annual gain in December 2016 before Trump became president. The problem was that wage growth then began to slip through the end of last year despite the steady hiring. Wage gains only accelerated again with the pandemic and layoffs of millions of poor workers that artificially raised average wages. What workers have yet to see is a meaningful change in the distribution of income. More than half of total household income goes to the top 20% of earners, according to the Census Bureau. Their share has increased slightly under Trump with data that is current through 2018. The bottom 20% of earners get just 3.1% of total income, just as they did before Trumps presidency. ___ NORTH KOREA POMPEO: The president lowered the temperature and, against all odds, got North Korean leadership to the table. No nuclear tests, no long range missile tests and Americans held captive in North Korea came home to their families, as did the precious remains of scores of our heroes who fought in Korea. THE FACTS: This statement leaves out the fact that Trump helped raise the temperature before he helped lower it. Trump has often told the story that his predecessor, President Barack Obama, warned him North Korea was the gravest immediate threat to the country. Indeed in the early months of Trumps presidency, North Korea was heightening tensions with nuclear and long-range missile tests. Trump responded by dialing up belligerent rhetoric, threatening North Korea with fire and fury and nicknaming North Korean leader Kim Jong Un little rocket man. Tensions grew to such extremes that at points some experts were actually concerned about tit-for-tat nuclear strikes if not all-out war. The temperature began to cool when Pompeo became secretary of state, the North released three American prisoners, agreed to repatriate the remains of U.S. servicemen killed during the Korean war and the first of Trumps three meetings with Kim was held in Singapore. But while the North has not resumed nuclear or long-range missile tests, it has stepped up activity at its atomic facilities. Negotiations with the U.S. on its weapons programs have been stalled since October. ___ ISLAMIC STATE POMPEO: Today, because of the presidents determination and leadership, the ISIS caliphate is wiped out. THE FACTS: His claim of a 100% defeat is misleading as the Islamic State group still poses a threat. IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, then lost the last of its land holdings in Syria in March 2019, marking the end of the extremists self-declared caliphate. Still, extremist sleeper cells have continued to launch attacks in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks and are believed to be responsible for targeted killings against local officials and members of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The recent resurgence of attacks is a sign that the militant group is taking advantage of governments otherwise focused on the pandemic and the ensuing slide into economic chaos. The virus is compounding longtime concerns among security and U.N. experts that the group will stage a comeback. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the U.S. fight against the group was continuing. ___ FARMING CRIS PETERSON, from a Wisconsin dairy family: Our entire economy and dairy farming are once again roaring back. One person deserves the credit and our vote, President Donald J. Trump. THE FACTS: Not everyone in the dairy industry views it as booming, especially as larger operations are putting smaller family farms out of business. The Agriculture Department reported this summer that dairy herds fell by more than half between 2002 and 2019, with an accelerating rate of decline in 2018 and 2019, even as milk production continued to grow. Part of the problem is that smaller farms face higher production costs. Farms with more than 2,000 cattle are more likely for their sales to exceed their total costs, while smaller farms are more likely to operate at a loss by this metric, according to government figures. Fact check: Pence presses a distorted case on economy Fact check: Trump, GOP distort on health care, vote fraud Fact check: Trump distorts record; BLM falsely accused Fact check: Trumps baseless claim of deep state at FDA Sundiata Cha-Jua is a professor of African American studies and history at the University of Illinois and a member of the North End Breakfast Club. His can be reached at schajua@gmail.com. Also read: Security Researchers Discovered Nearly 2 Dozen Fleeceware Android Apps On Google Play Store That Lure Consumers Into Paying Exorbitant Subscription Fees Photo: SOPA Images via Getty Images A security bug in Android might have allowed malicious applications to steal sensitive information from other applications on the same Android device. A security bug has been discovered in Google Play's Core Library which might have granted access to malicious applications on Android to harvest private data. Googles wide used Play Core Library allows developers to push in-app updates as well as new feature modules to their Android applications such as game levels and language packs. The app security startup Oversecured discovered this security vulnerability in Googles Play Core Library.An unauthorized application on the same Android smartphone could exploit the flaw in Play Core Library by injecting malicious modules into other applications that rely on Play Core Library to steal sensitive data such as login credentials and credit card numbers from inside the application. The founder of Oversecured, Sergey Toshin, told a media outlet that exploiting this security vulnerability was pretty easy. Oversecured programmed a proof-of-concept application using a few lines code, and the startup tested the bug on Chrome for Android, which was uploaded using the vulnerable version of Googles Play Core Library.Sergey Toshin said that their proof-of-concept application was successful in stealing the passwords, browsing history, and login cookies of the victim. However, Toshin also said that this vulnerability also impacted some of the most popular Android applications in the Android app store. This specific version of Play Core Library made it possible for applications to inject modules into other Android applications on the same device and obtain sensitive information such as credit card details and login credentials from them.Toshin recommended that developers should update their applications with the latest version of Googles Play Core Library to avoid any security threats. In March, Google confirmed this security bug and fixed the vulnerability. Furthermore, Google rated this bug 8.8 out of 10.0 for the severity of its threat. According to a companys spokesman, Google appreciated the security researcher reporting this bug to Google, and as a result, the company patched the Android bug back in March of this year. Google suggests all users update Googles Play Core Library to version 1.7.2 or later. The security vulnerability exists in Googles Play Core Library versions prior to version 1.7.2 of Play Core Library.Read next: A Malware Discovered In Some Cheap Chinese-Made Smartphones Can Steal Data And Money From Users Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A block party celebrating Black-owned local businesses brought a socially-distanced crowd to Trottier Bay Saturday afternoon. The event, called the Block Party Vol. 1, was hosted by Winnipegs Black History Month Committee and local clothing store Zueike. Features included booths from business owners, a DJ, food trucks and speakers. Michelle Jean-Paul, who was part of the organizing team for the block party, said the turnout was "wonderful" and while this was the first block party, the plan is for it to not be the last. "We were fortunate to be able to do this, with everything happening with COVID we werent certain as to whether wed be able to have an event this summer," she said. "But things have lightened up a little bit, and it created the space for this to happen." Among those in attendance were NDP MLA Uzoma Asagwara and St. Norbert-Seine River city councillor and deputy mayor Markus Chambers. Chambers, who also serves as vice-chair of the Winnipeg Police Board, said he was excited to see the community come out to "push up one another and not bring each other down." "My heart is full seeing the amount of people that are here today to support Black businesses," he said. "My heart is full. This is exactly what we need, in this time where everything that we see on TV, the pervasiveness of all the carnage thats happening in the United States, finally we get some good news to see the amount of people that are out today." Bubba B the MC tests an electric scooter Saturday at The Block Party Vol. 1. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) He finished his speech by remembering Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, whose death had been announced Friday, and with a message for local businesses. "I know youre going to sustain during this very difficult time of COVID, and youre going to make yourself successful here in the city of Winnipeg," he said. One of the vendors in attendance, local clothing brand Prynce, had custom-made hoodies with Black Panther on them commemorating Boseman in stock, along with masks, Black Lives Matter lawn signs and apparel baring his companys logo. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Emmanuel Ndizihiwe, Prynces founder, started the brand in 2015. While it currently has two full-time employees, support from the city in recent months has been especially strong Ndizihiwe said that number jumped to 10 employees during the time around the Justice 4 Black Lives march in June. "Its important to be supportive, as a vendor and as a customer, as its because of things like this that we can keep going," he said. Ndizihiwe is inspired by his roots he was born in Kigali, Rwanda and said he carries his African culture in all of his creative works. He hopes others looking to achieve success in the city dont give up on their passions. "My best advice would be to follow your dreams and follow your heritage, whatever you believe in," he said. malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: malakabas_ Sushant Singh Rajputs friend and flatmate Siddharth Pithani told the Enforcement Directorate that the actor had told him to delete old videos on him on his hard drive, following the death of Sushants one-time manager Disha Salian. Sushant died just a few days later, on June 14. In his statement to the ED, which India Today has accessed and reports is similar to the one he gave to the Central Bureau of Investigation, Siddharth said that Sushant became very upset about his name being linked to Dishas death. Disha served as his interim manager after his old manager got injured. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput admitted he was claustrophobic in 2015 interview, had said he had insomnia too. Watch On June 10, two days after Sushants girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty had left the house, the late actor told Siddharth to delete old videos.Sushants name was being linked to her death and this led to added tension for Sushant. As asked by Sushant, I deleted all the data about his videos, his songs etc from his hard disk, he said. Also Watch | Rhea Chakraborty questioned by CBI for 2nd time in Sushants death case Siddharth also said that Sushants health deteriorated after Rhea left. The actors sister, Meetu, stayed with them from June 8 to June 12, when she, too, left because she wanted to be with her family. Also read: Kangana Ranaut says top actor tried to silence her because she knows secrets about his drug overdose In an older interview to Zoom TV, Siddharth had provided more details about what transpired at this time. He said that Sushant kept crying the day he learned of Dishas death. His sister was there to take of him that time. She fed him, gave him water. His sister came over the day Rhea left. The following day this incident happened, and that affected him so much. He fainted also. His sister and me were in the same room. We all saw how badly it affected him, he said. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON They were the bombshell twins who shook up the Love Island villa in its first winter series. And Jess and Eve Gale looked stunning as they stepped out in London on Saturday alongside fellow Islander Demi Jones. The twins, 21, complemented each other's styles perfectly in black and white as they headed to a friend's birthday. On the town: Jess and Eve Gale looked stunning as they stepped out in London on Saturday alongside fellow Islander Demi Jones Eve showcased her incredible curves as she slipped into an off-white crop top and matching Pretty Little Thing tracksuits for the outing. The star also donned a pair of tall open-toe stilettos and wore her hair in a high ponytail for the night out. Adding a touch of designer glamour, the reality star also clutched on to a Louis Vuitton handbag. Stylish: Eve showcased her incredible curves as she slipped into an off-white crop top and matching Pretty Little Thing tracksuits for the outing Beauty: The star also donned a pair of tall open-toe stilettos and wore her hair in a high ponytail for the night out Meanwhile Jess looked similarly stylish as she showed off her very ample assets in a lacy black bralette. The beauty showcased her toned legs as she wrapped a shirt around her waist, flaunting her figure. Demi made up the trio in a sizzling green dress as she showed off her hourglass curves. Racy: Meanwhile Jess looked similarly stylish as she showed off her very ample assets in a lacy black bralette Star: The beauty showcased her toned legs as she wrapped a shirt around her waist, flaunting her figure Sizzling: The twins, 21, complemented each other's styles perfectly in black and white as they headed to a friend's birthday The star showed off her ample cleavage and her toned legs in the revealing outfit as she stepped out in the capital. It comes after Jess and Eve recently returned from a sun-soaked getaway to the Greek island of Mykonos. The pair shared a number of jaw-dropping bikini snaps from their break as they enjoyed the island holiday. Stunning: Demi made up the trio in a sizzling green dress as she showed off her hourglass curves Gorgeous: The star showed off her ample cleavage and her toned legs in the revealing outfit as she stepped out in the capital Heartbreak: Jess has been trying to move on since her split from Love Island beau Ched, 23, during the pandemic Jess has been trying to move on since her split from Love Island beau Ched, 23, during the pandemic. It's been reported that lockdown made it impossible for the couple to 'build a relationship' as they were unable to meet up with one another. In a statement shared with MailOnline, the blonde beauty confirmed the COVID-19 lockdown played a role in the demise of their romance, but insisted they continue to be friends. Stepping out: The trio were catching eyes as they headed towards the birthday party Amazing: Jess flaunted her eye-popping curves in a revealing white swimsuit as she shared sizzling throwback snaps from her getaway to Mykonos last week The statement read: 'After a whirlwind romance in the Love Island villa, unfortunately Jessica Gale and Ched Uzor have made the mutual decision to split. 'They have unfortunately felt the effects of lockdown separation but will continue as friends. 'They wish nothing but the best for each other and full success in each others careers.' Jess and Ched are the latest couple from this year's inaugural winter season of Love Island to part ways, with Luke Mabbott and Demi revealing their split last month. Sexy: Jess' sister Eve also flaunted her incredible curves in a plunging blue swimsuit as she posed for a sexy Instagram snap during their getaway By Express News Service THANJAVUR: An inter-caste couple from Dharmapurai approached the Kumbakonam police on Sunday, seeking protection. The couple alleged that they were facing threats from the parents of 23-year-old M Selvi, hailing from a village near Pennagaram, as she is a caste Hindu while the man she married, Arulmani, also 23, is a Dalit. Arulmani, who had moved to Andhra Pradesh to work returned after Selvi's parents started looking for a groom once she informed her parents about their relationship. On August 24, Arulmani and Selvi came to Kumbakonam got married the next day with the help of a lawyer. Meanwhile, Selvi's parents lodged a missing persons complaint in Pennagaram. Selvi contacted the Pennagaram police and informed them that she had married Arulmani and that the couple feared for their lives if they returned to their village. On Sunday, the couple went to the Kumbakonam West police station, with lawyers, and sought protection. Selvi's parents too were present along with Pennagaram police personnel who asked her to return with them, but she refused and gave a statement to this effect. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:01:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TAIPEI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The second cub of the panda pair from the Chinese mainland was formally named "Yuanbao," the Taipei Zoo announced Sunday. The name "Yuanbao" beat the other five options by obtaining 8,712 votes in an online poll that saw the participation of about 26,000 people from Aug. 17 to 26, the zoo said in a press release. While Yuanbao means "the baby of Yuan Yuan" in Chinese, the character "bao" bears an auspicious indication in Chinese. The female panda Yuan Yuan delivered the healthy female cub on June 28, her second cub born in Taipei. She and the male panda Tuan Tuan arrived in Taipei as a goodwill gift from the mainland in December 2008. They had their first cub, a female, on July 6, 2013, who was named "Yuanzai." The zoo hosted a party on Sunday to celebrate the 16th birthday of the panda pair. Enditem Save Romania Union (USR) Chairman Dan Barna said on Sunday that the day of the elections on 27 September is the horizon of a "battle of visions" for what Bucharest should be" and not of a "battle" between the parties. "27 September is not the horizon of a battle between parties, 27 September is the horizon of a battle of visions for what Bucharest should be, because we have, on the one hand, the vision of lies, the vision of falsehood, the vision of people masked with wigs and glasses, the vision of the signature factories that we saw at PSD [Social Democratic Party] and not only in these elections, the vision of some projects that are only talked about, but there is never and the vision of a project for Bucharest supported by Nicusor Dan, USR PLUS and partners at PNL [National Liberal Party], the vision of a truly European Bucharest that dares to call itself the capital of a European country, of a Bucharest in which the citizens deserve to feel really proud to see that the city is starting to develop. For years, we have been talking of Bucharest's development, but in reality the traffic is suffocated, the air quality is worse from one month to the next after all the measurements, and the public services are almost ridiculous, most of them," said Dan Barna, during the event in which the USR PLUS Alliance launches the electoral campaign for Bucharest. The USR leader said that those who will not turn out to vote "will be directly responsible for a possibly negative result." According to him, it is very important that professional teams reach the city halls in Bucharest. Democrat John DeBerry speaks out against violent riots: 'What kind of people have we become?' 'Peaceful protests end peacefully. Anarchy ends in chaos.' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A speech given by a black Democratic representative in the Tennessee state Legislature has gone viral, with many hailing its civil rights-era moral clarity. In remarks given on the floor of the Tennessee House on Aug. 1, Rep. John DeBerry, a Memphis-area Democrat who was forced off his party's ballot earlier this year, excoriated the tactics of those who are rioting, looting, and burning down businesses in major U.S. cities that has led to more than 30 deaths. DeBerry called upon his fellow legislators to remember the manner in which civil rights activists of decades past conducted themselves. "What the world could see in them was the lie that was being told about them," he said of their efforts for justice. This is like fresh water for a nation dying of thirst... Please share! https://t.co/S65DK5SuR3 Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) August 27, 2020 The politician continued that he is one such man who walked into public places through back doors, sat in the back of the bus, drank out of the "colored" water fountain, and attended a racially segregated school because the law forced him to. The civil rights campaigners changed the world, he stressed, because they had courage and integrity, did not beg for citizenship but demanded it. "How did they do it? They did it by standing like men and women of integrity and class, and common sense and values. When the riots started and folks started burning stuff down, that's when my father took my arm and we left. We left because that was not what we were there for. That was not what Dr. King was there for. That is not what others who were famous in the civil rights days were there for," he said. DeBerry recounted that his family raised money to send his father to Washington, D.C., where Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech wherein he said he longed for the day when his children would be judged not by their skin color but the content of their character. "All we do in America right now is talk about color," he said, exasperated. "Every issue is about race, it's about color, instead of sitting down at the table like men and women of common sense and common justice and understanding that our enemies are looking with a greedy vigilance upon us as we tear ourselves apart internally. They have been watching us for 50 years preparing step by step by step for us to kill ourselves." Deberry, 69, was "blindsided" earlier this year when state party officials removed him from the House District 90 primary ballot because of his voting record. DeBerry frequently sides with Republicans on issues such as school choice and abortion. "The people in my district did not take me off the ballot," DeBerry said at the time. "A tribunal took me off the ballot that has absolutely nothing to do with my district." "My views have always been conservative. The people in my district know this. And even though I've had opponents who have hammered me over and over about my stance on abortion, about my stance on the family, and my stance on education, [voters] have overwhelmingly elected me 13 times." DeBerry's speech was circulated on social media, with many thought leaders whose views span the political spectrum praising it for its tone and content. The Memphis representative noted during his remarks that he might not be serving in the state legislature next year but he nevertheless stands for his father's legacy. "If we don't start standing for something, don't you know that the people who are looking at what's happening in Washington and Detroit and Portland and Seattle, they're getting emboldened because we act like a bunch of punks, too frightened to stand up and protect our own stuff," he said. "What kind of a people have we become?" he said, incredulous that it was being said that people have a right to destroy taxpayer-funded property. He emphasized: "Peaceful protest ends peacefully. Anarchy ends in chaos. And what we see happening right now, any of us with common sense, any common sense whatsoever, know that what we see is not peaceful. So we can continue to fool ourselves and mix with words and use rhetoric and public relations in order to frost this stuff over and put a nice picture on what we see that is frightening." DeBerry's nephew is a policeman who recently told him about how he was attacked by rioters. "You're telling me that somebody has the right to throw feces and urine in the face of those that we, as taxpayers, pay to protect us? That's OK? What has happened to us?" Deberry said, incredulous. "If we don't get this right, right now, I've got grandchildren. I don't want to see the country we're going to have five, 10, 15, 20 years from now," he concluded, receiving loud applause. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 17:52:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinian patients were injured as a result of the Israeli army firing tear gas inside a governmental hospital in Hebron city, Palestinian sources said Sunday. Tariq Barbarawy, director of Hebron governmental hospital, told Xinhua that the Israeli army fired tear gas towards one of the internal medicine department's rooms, which has many patients infected with the novel coronavirus. Barbarawy added that the tear gas was widespread inside the hospital departments, which suffocated the medical staff and dozens of patients. There were no clashes between the Israeli army and the Palestinians. However, the military insists on targeting the medical staff, according to Barbarawy. Meanwhile, Rami al-Qawasmi, director of Palestinian Health Ministry in Hebron, condemned the Israeli attack, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its violations against the Palestinians. Enditem How to Advance Racial Justice Within Your Organization As much as society would like to believe there has been progress in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, we have a long way to go. Addressing the problem through conversation is an important first step. Past News Releases RSS As more organizations seek to address internal systemic racism, what can Marketing do? Thats the focus of a free event to help marketers and marketing leaders address inequities in their own organizations. In the wake of recent protests demanding an end to racial injustice, companies both large and small have responded. Some in meaningful ways, but others have missed the mark, failing to align their words and actions. In an effort to help organizations ensure were offering a more positive and inclusive environment for BIPOC, MarketingProfs will host a webinar titled How to Advance Racial Justice Within Your Organization on September 1, 2020. The webinar will bring together change agents and advocates from multiple disciplines within the communications industry, all fighting to eliminate systemic racism within the workplace. Featuring Lori J. Hall (Co-Founder, PopN Creative), Nysah Warren (Co-Founder, Hold the PRess), Lee Deas, (Co-Founder, Act in Solidarity) and moderated by Katie Kern (Co-Founder, Act in Solidarity), this roundtable webinar will tackle some of the uncomfortable truths marketers need to face in order to ensure their organizations are doing all they can to eliminate discrimination. Katie Kern, Agency Partner at Media Frenzy Global and Co-Founder of Act in Solidarity, relays, As much as society would like to believe there has been progress in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion, we have a long way to go. Addressing the problem through conversation is an important first step. The next step involves providing organizations with a framework to remove systemically racist practices that prevent leaders from recruiting, hiring, and promoting Black professionals. Act In Solidarity aims to create a lasting impact for future generations, says Kern. "Inaction is complacency, said Matt Snodgrass, Director of Community at MarketingProfs. By helping the marketing community learn how to have these conversations, to examine our own systems, and identify places where biases exist, we can all contribute to making true and lasting change. To learn more about this webinar, please visit http://www.marketingprofs.com. Elon Musk said on Thursday that Tesla Incs factory in Nevada was a target of a serious cybersecurity attack, confirming a media report that claimed an employee of the company helped the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) thwart the attack. News website Teslarati said that the electric carmaker was the unnamed company in a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday about a Russian nationals arrest, in connection with a planned attack on an unidentified company. This was a serious attack, Musk said in a tweet, in response to the Teslarati article. The Justice Department said that Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, 27, a Russian national, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer by trying to recruit an employee to introduce a malware into a system. The malware was aimed at extracting data from the network and then to threaten the company for ransom money, the statement said. According to the Justice Department, Kriuchkov had promised the employee an incentive of $1 million upon introducing the malware into the system. But the employee alerted the FBI, who were successful in thwarting the attack, a complaint filed by the FBIs Las Vegas Field Office showed. Ju Young-su, right, a doctor at the National Medical Center heading the bed management team of the Central Clinical Committee for Emerging Disease Control, speaks during a press conference at the National Medical Center Building in Seoul, Aug. 25. Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Even if a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, it neither guarantees an end to the pandemic, nor promises to work any better than wearing masks, according to public health experts. As the latest uptick in the number of new virus infections rings alarm bells especially in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province many wonder when the spread of the virus will reach its peak and then begin to decline. "We have to wait at least eight months for the coronavirus vaccine; next spring at the earliest. It seems everyone looks forward to a vaccine development, but I have to say that it is hard to expect a vaccine that prevents the virus from further spreading completely or reduces mortality," said Oh Myung-don, chairman of the Central Clinical Committee for Emerging Disease Control, and a renowned infectious diseases physician at Seoul National University Hospital. "There is no guarantee that the vaccine will be better than the preventive effect of the masks we use." The Central Clinical Committee is an organization of doctors who are in charge of treating COVID-19 patients. At the early stage of the pandemic in March, Oh once defined the ongoing situation as a "long-term game" that could continue for more than a year, urging the government to map out countermeasures, especially with regard to development and supply of vaccines and treatments. The committee said a vaccine is the only thing that can derail the scenario but it would take time for one to be ready, considering the case of Spanish flu (H1N1) infections in 1918. Oh said the first surge of H1N1 took place in the spring of 1918 and recurred in the autumn, on a much bigger scale nearly five times the initial one. However, the committee said even if a vaccine is released to the public, the end of the pandemic won't be eased simply by reducing the mortality rate. Oh cited the fact that "vaccines for respiratory diseases are usually not as effective as other ones." Among the respiratory organs that viruses such as COVID-19 penetrate, airway mucosa and the nasal cavity are open gateways to our bodies, so there is a limit to preventing respiratory diseases as antibodies formed by vaccines operate internally. Because of this, he explained that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said any COVID-19 vaccine that prevents disease or decreases its severity in at least 50 percent of the people who receive it can win regulatory approval. "Even if the vaccine is released, it will not end the pandemic. In this regard, for now, keeping personal hygiene rules such as wearing masks, keeping personal distance and washing hands frequently are bound to be more immediately effective than any vaccine," he said. In other words, it is much more important to find a balance between daily life and quarantine rules, although vaccines will reduce the spread and severity of the disease. The committee also urged the public to be extra careful about high-risk activities in daily life such as face-to-face conversations, singing and extreme exercise. "If you breathe through your mouth, the virus enters your lungs directly, making it easy for the virus to infect you and lead to severe pneumonia." Oh said. "Wearing a mask is important, but you should also be careful about breathing with your mouth as well." Regarding the necessity of raising social distancing measures from Level 2 to 3, the committee said the decision should be made carefully in consideration of social and economic repercussions and that lockdown measures to contain the virus can never be a long-term solution. Hospital bed shortage looms The soaring number of new daily infections also raises concerns over the possibility of a hospital bed shortage in the country as the number of patients in critical condition rises. Since Aug. 14, Korea's daily new cases have been in the triple digits. The high rate of infections in elderly patients is keeping health authorities vigilant as the number of patients requiring critical care can surge rapidly. "We believe the situation where the most people hospitalized in intensive care units will be around Aug. 30," said Ju Young-su, a doctor at the National Medical Center, heading the bed management team of the committee. He arrives at that conclusion taking into account the incidence of critically ill patients according to the age distribution of COVID-19 patients and the fact that patients enter into the critical five-day period after the onset of symptoms on average, Ju said. From Aug. 14 to Aug. 25, 933 new cases were reported, mostly traced to a right-wing Protestant church in northeastern Seoul. Among them, 386 were aged 60 or older which stoked fears of shortages at critical care units. The committee said patients in critical condition who do not need oxygen therapy any longer could move to a general bed, but not if the general beds are already occupied by patients with mild conditions. "We are having discussions with hospitals to predict the number of intensive care unit beds every day to make them available for seriously ill patients. To secure the space for such patients, we have to limit unnecessary prolonged stays and hospitalizations as well," Ju said. Reacting sharply to Pakistan hailing the recent Gupkar Declaration in which six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir vowed to fight collectively against the abrogation of Article 370, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday asserted that "we are not anyone's puppets". IMAGE: National Conference president and Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah addresses a press conference in Srinagar. Photograph: ANI Photo "Pakistan has always abused mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir but now suddenly they like us", the former chief minister said when asked about Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement that the declaration issued by the NC, the PDP, the Congress and three other parties was "not an ordinary occurrence but an important development". "Let me make it clear that we are not anyone's puppets, neither New Delhi's nor of anyone across the border. We are answerable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will work for them," he said. In response to a question on cross-border terrorism, Abdullah said, "I would urge Pakistan to stop sending armed men into Kashmir. We want an end to the bloodshed in our state. All political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are committed to fight for our rights peacefully, including for what was unconstitutionally snatched away from us on August 5 last year". At the same time, the NC leader urged both India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue "for everyone's greater good". "Our people are being killed on both sides of the Line of Control every time there are ceasefire violations. For God's sake bring a halt to that", he said. In a declaration issued on August 22, six prominent mainstream political parties came together for restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after describing as "unconstitutional" steps approved by Parliament last year to end the erstwhile state's special status and slice it into two union territories. The joint statement is known as "Gupkar Declaration-2", being second declaration on Article 370 issued after meetings held at the Gupkar Road residence of Abdullah which clearly asks the Centre that "there can be nothing about us without us", an indication that the Centre has to take into confidence the people before implementing any constitutional change. BEIJING (AP) China blocked imports from an Australian beef producer on Friday after reporting a banned drug was found in its meat, and Australian officials said they were working to resolve the problem. Imports of beef from John Dee Warwick Pty. Ltd. that contained the banned chemical, chloramphenicol, were destroyed, the General Administration of Customs of China announced. China earlier blocked imports of beef from Australia's largest producers in what political analysts suggested was a dispute over trade rules. But Australian agriculture minister said the latest move was a legitimate one. Australian Agriculture Minister David Littleproud released a statement saying his department had been notified about the suspension due to the detection of a substance known as chloramphenicol. I have spoken to the establishment and they believe they have traced the source of this substance," Littleproud said. My department is working with the establishment to give Chinese authorities assurance around this incident and to have the establishment relisted after appropriate investigation." The Australian Broadcasting Corp. cited Littleproud as saying in an interview that there was nothing malicious about the ban. Its quite legitimate what China has raised and the owners have acted very swiftly to trace where that element has come from, he said. Littleproud said the element could naturally occur in some feed and that Agriculture Department was working with officials in Beijing to rectify the situation as soon as possible. Since November, eight defendants fresh out of jail on bond have walked into state District Judge Ramona Franklins court and been sent right back to jail. Instead of standing for a routine court hearing in a first step in their criminal court cases, they ended up back in sheriffs custody after Franklin revoked their bail and ordered them back behind bars, sometimes with no lawyer present for the defendant. The process has put Franklin at odds with defense attorneys across Harris County who argue she is engaging in behavior that unfairly penalizes defendants who are presumed innocent and can cause them to lose thousands of dollars they have scraped together to pay their bail. Defense attorneys say Franklin revoked their bonds without notice or cause, some of them without legal representation. They argue the process is illegal, in a judicial complaint filed earlier this week with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Many times these people are effectively ambushed, said Grant Scheiner, with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. They cant defend themselves and have no access to counsel. Franklin declined to comment, citing judicial canons that bar her from speaking about ongoing legal matters. Judge Susan Brown, who oversees southeast Texas six-county Eleventh Judicial Administrative Region, also declined to comment. Unthinkable in a civilized society For years, defense lawyers have watched Franklin call defendants to the bench and conduct a bail review without taking record of the proceeding, they say. Defendants arent given notice, and an attorney isnt always present, according to the complaint. A rare appeal over one such bond revocation prompted other attorneys to monitor Franklins court. After the court ordered Franklin to reinstate the bond amount originally issued to the defendant in the appeal, the attorneys found that the judge acted the same way in at least seven other cases, said Mark Thiessen, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. The group is also looking into misconduct by other judges. Courthouse veterans said the process raises significant questions. Elizabeth Rossi, senior attorney for Civil Rights Corps, called Franklins alleged bail practices inhumane, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic. Civil Rights Corps is the group which successfully challenged the misdemeanor bail system in Harris County and is now behind a felony bail lawsuit. Even a few hours in jail is traumatic, Rossi said. The fact that any judge would send a person into such an environment without so much as an opportunity to argue against it should be unthinkable in a civilized society. The defense lawyers complaints hinge on the fact that suspects, who are still presumed innocent, had already paid money to secure their release on bond and showed up in court, as required. When arrested, suspects usually appear before a magistrate who determines probable cause and a bail amount. After posting bail and being released from custody, they have about a day to appear before a district court judge, where theyre expected to be appointed counsel. But Thiessen and Scheiner said the defendants complied with the rules of their appearance while Franklin violated procedure, going against the mandate recently issued in an appeals court. When the court of appeals hands down the decision telling you not to do something and you proceed contrary to that decision, it just shows a lack of respect for the court of appeals and the Constitution, Thiessen said. Franklin has said that she asks attorneys to stand in during those proceedings, the defense lawyers said, but no formal appointment or recording of those stand-in attorneys exists. Most recently in these initial appearances, Franklin has called some of the defendants to her stand without an attorney present, Thiessen said. A prosecutor reads probable cause findings the same document and evidence read to a magistrate and Franklin revokes bond, raises bail amounts and remands the defendant into sheriffs custody. The practice she is engaging in is very unusual, said Amanda Peters, a law professor at the South Texas College of Law Houston who teaches criminal procedure. Ive never seen a judge revoke a bond and then set a higher one if a defendant didnt violate a condition of bond. In some cases, she has ordered defendants whod posted bond be held without bail, a move defense attorneys say is a clear violation of their clients constitutional rights. State law mandates that judges need to give the defendant reasonable notice that they intend to deny bail and allow meaningful opportunity to be heard. Most of the defendants were denied the opportunity for representation before Franklin acted in their cases, using probable cause materials that are often considered inadmissible evidence in trials, Thiessen said. Each of these defendants appeared in court and had no notice of what was about to take place, the defense lawyers said in the complaint. No notice that Judge Franklin intended to revoke their bonds. No notice that Judge Franklin intended to deny them bail. Those probable cause documents were the same materials magistrates used to set the initial bond amounts, meaning no new evidence existed, the complaint alleges. Harris County Public Defender Alex Bunin said Texas law requires new evidence is required under a Texas statute that requires good and sufficient cause to raise bond. Franklin is just one of several judges who use these practices, he said. I think the issue is going to be taken a lot more seriously now, he said. Some judges have followed the rules of due process better than others, and I think thats also coming to light. To my surprise The appeal that spurred court watchers to complain against Franklin is still ongoing. The case began in November , when Deer Park police responded to a domestic violence call and arrested Joseph Gomez, 27. Court records show he was accused of attacking his girlfriend and choked her, and charged with burglary and assaulting a family member . The next morning, he appeared before a magistrate. A prosecutor asked the magistrate for a restraining order and that his bail be set at $100,000 on each charge, and to order Gomez to have no contact with the woman he was accused of attacking. A public defender who represented Gomez at the hearing asked his bail be set at a combined total of $30,000, arguing that Gomez deserved a lower bail because he had no prior convictions, had not previously failed to appear for court and had no pending charges. The public defender also noted Gomez age, said he had a job, and was attending community college while living with his parents. The magistrate set Gomez bail at $40,000 $25,000 for the burglary charge and $15,000 for the domestic violence charge. Two days after he was arrested, Gomez parents posted his bond and then Gomez went to court to attend a hearing related to the case. At the end of the hearing, Franklin revoked Gomez bail, ordered he be re-arrested, and raised his bail to $75,000 on each charge a sum his father said he would not be able to pay. If defendants pay a bondsman to post their initial bail, they are unlikely to get that money back, attorneys said. When a defendant posts bail and the judge revokes it, the money is non-refundable, said Peters, the law professor. So if this defendant scraped together the money to pay a bondsman, when that bail is revoked, the defendant doesn't get any of it back. He can't use it to post a new bond. The revoked bail goes to the county, not back to him. Gomez filed a writ challenging Franklins ruling, and in early August, the Court of Appeals found Franklin had abused her discretion by raising Gomez bail without providing any justification for the increase. The day after the appellate courts ruling, Gomez walked out of jail. He had been behind bars for 269 days, attorney Brent Mayr said. His parents had not been able to pay the higher bond Franklin had ordered. Days after the mandate was issued, the lawyers association found that Franklin revoked bond and denied bail for four more people. She did that for three others within the next week (most of whom were facing assault-related charges). One defendant wrote about his proceeding in an affidavit for the judicial complaint. Brian Smith, charged with assault of a family member by choking, had been granted a $15,000 bond by a magistrate, but Franklin revoked it and issued no bond the next day. Then, to my surprise, the judge stated that she was revoking my bond, taking me back into custody, and setting my bail amount at $0, he said. David Cunningham, an attorney who was present in the courtroom that day, said Smith appeared to be confused. Franklin frequently appears at the top of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalitions pre-trial detention report, which tracks the number of people held in jail awaiting trial. Between Aug. 16 and Aug. 22, her court held 243 people on bonds they couldnt pay. The judge, a Democrat who presides over the 338th state district court, is up for re-election in November. She is running unopposed. Its unclear whether Gomez will remain on bond. The Texas Criminal Court of Appeals has recalled the mandate that freed him, at least until they decide whether to pick up the case. samantha.ketterer@chron.com st.john.smith@chron.com Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has given permission for holding JEE and NEET exams in the city, despite objection raised by the Delhi government in view of student safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, sources said on Saturday. A proposal for holding JEE and NEET exams in Delhi was put forth in the last meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), which was attended by the L-G and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, sources in the Delhi govt said. The Delhi government in its file sent to the L-G on Saturday recommended not to hold the exams in view of safety of students. Delhi Chief Minister had also decided against holding JEE and NEET in view of the pandemic. However, the L-G returned the file giving his permission to hold the exams, sources said. Srinagar, Aug 31 : Scores of mourners were injured over the weekend after security forces fired pellets and tear shells on Muharram processions at Bemina and Zadibal areas in Srinagar, even as police said more than 15 of its personnel were injured in stone pelting. The photos of some of those who were injured in pellet firing went viral on the social media. Suhail, one of those injured in Bemina on Saturday, said police fired pellets on a peaceful procession. "It was a peaceful procession," he said. "I was hit with pellets and a rubber bullet." Meanwhile, police, in a statement on Sunday said that in Srinagar, Muharram processions were taken out at dozens of places and at some places, participants pelted stones when told processions were not allowed in the Covid-19 pandemic. According to police, most of such processions retracted peacefully but at few places, the participants started pushing police and even resorted to stone pelting. "During intense stone pelting, more than 15 police personnel were grievously injured and immediately hospitalised," police said. Police said an FIR has been registered and investigations have been taken up. The event was attended by Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue, and Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung. The programme brought together popular artists including Tan Minh, Trong Tan, Le Anh Dung, and Bui Le Man as well as talented dancers of the Young Hanoi Dance Troupe. The artists delivered songs and dances recalling the history of the Vietnams capital city during the historical days of the August Revolution in 1945 as well as the national struggle wars against the French and US. The audiences were also entertained with beautiful melodies about the natural landscape, life and people of Hanoi nowadays as well as the citys achievements during its development and integration process. The United States neared six million coronavirus cases on Sunday, nearly a quarter of the planet's total, as nations around the world battle to contain the raging pandemic. Global coronavirus infections soared past 25 million, as countries tightened restrictions to halt the health crisis that has upended life for most of humanity. A million additional cases have been detected globally roughly every four days since mid-July, according to an AFP tally, with India on Sunday setting the record for the highest single-day rise in cases with 78,761. The world's hardest hit country, the United States, had recorded 5.99 million cases of infection as of 0030 GMT Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University's tracker. And the death toll is just over 183,000. The US hit five million cases three weeks ago, just 17 days after reaching four million, the tracker said. The virus has hobbled the US economy, the world's largest, and cast a shadow over President Donald Trump's once-promising re-election prospects. As Trump faces enormous pressure to curb the contagion, the head of the US Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn, raised the possibility that a still-elusive vaccine might be given emergency approval before the end of trials designed to ensure its safety and effectiveness. The virus has proven a tenacious foe even in nations such as New Zealand and South Korea, which had previously brought their outbreaks largely under control but are now battling new clusters of infections. On the other side of the world, Latin America -- the worst-hit region -- is still struggling with its first wave, with Covid-19 deaths in Brazil crossing 120,000, second only to the United States. Nearly 855,000 people have died of Covid-19 globally, and with no vaccine or effective treatment available yet, governments have been forced to resort to some form of social distancing and lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus. Masks will become mandatory from Monday on public transport and flights in New Zealand, which went more than 100 days without local transmission before the current cluster emerged. Story continues And tightened virus curbs kicked in on Sunday in South Korea, which is also battling fresh clusters -- including in the greater Seoul region, home to half the country's population. In Iraq, thousands of Shiite pilgrims wearing gloves and masks flooded the holy city of Karbala to mark Ashura, in one of the largest Muslim gatherings since the pandemic began. Typically, millions of Shiites from around the world flock to the shrine, but this year's commemoration was subdued with employees spraying disinfectant mist, checking temperatures and enforcing social distancing. "It stands out because there are so few people," said Fadel Hakim, a blue medical mask cupping his chin. - 'Anti-corona' rallies in Europe - Despite all the grim numbers, there has been steady opposition to lockdowns and social distancing measures in many parts of the world, often because of their crushing economic cost. But resistance has also come from the extreme right and left of the political spectrum, as well as conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccine campaigners. In Berlin on Saturday, thousands gathered to march against coronavirus restrictions -- but police later stopped the rally because many participants were not respecting social distancing measures. Protesters waved German flags and shouted slogans against Chancellor Angela Merkel often used by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Similar protests were held in London and Zurich, where some carried signs supporting the far-right QAnon movement, which promotes bizarre theories about Satan-worshipping cabals and "deep state" plots -- without any credible evidence. The pandemic has upended economies and societies around the world, and halted most large gatherings -- from sport and music to religion and politics. In Spain, football superstar Lionel Messi missed a virus test at Barcelona's training ground, club sources confirmed, raising the possibility he will boycott pre-season to force a transfer from the Spanish club. Without a coronavirus test, Messi will be unable to join team-mates for new coach Ronald Koeman's first training session on Monday. The world's top sport, culture and music events are struggling with the challenge of hosting spectators while reducing the risk of virus transmission. The US Open Tennis tournament was also hit, announcing an unidentified player had been withdrawn after testing positive. bur/dw/jm The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Thousands of tearful Shia pilgrims wearing gloves and face masks flooded Iraqs city of Karbala on Sunday to mark Ashura in one of the largest Muslim gatherings since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Ashura, the 10th day of the Muslim month of Muharram, commemorates the killing of the Prophet Muhammads grandson Imam Hussein in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Typically, millions of Shia Muslims from around the world flock to the golden-domed shrine where Husseins remains are buried, to pray and cry, shoulder-to-shoulder. But with coronavirus numbers spiking across the globe, this years commemoration is subdued. There were notably fewer pilgrims this year as authorities in Iraq, other Shia-majority countries and the United Nations urged people to mark the holiday at home. Neighbouring Iran, which usually sends tens of thousands to Karbala, is the hardest-hit Middle Eastern country with more than 21,000 coronavirus deaths. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, health authorities have reported a fall in new virus cases but security remained a top concern, as Ashura has often been tainted by mass violence targeting Shias. Many have opted for scaled-down family gatherings but some processions leading up to Ashura saw thousands turn out, and larger crowds are expected on Sunday. In crisis-hit Lebanon, which has seen a severe coronavirus spike this month, powerful Shia movements Hezbollah and Amal scrapped large Ashura processions. Five students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, have designed a web portal to help candidates appearing for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) find transport to their test centres. EduRide is a web portal that connects candidates across the country with volunteers willing to drive or arrange a vehicle to their respective test centres. Any NEET or JEE candidate can log in on the website, enter details of location of residence and test centres. These details are then matched against volunteers, who are from a network of students and alumni of various IITs. We take preferences from a volunteer and he/she could either drive the student or arrange a vehicle for the student. Our portal tries to map a suitable student from a particular area to a volunteer from the same area, said Kriti Kamna, who handles publicity of the website. The portal is also raising funds to facilitate transport for candidates. Since its launch on Saturday, the portal is receiving almost 200 entries a day for transport. The web portal was designed keeping in mind the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown in various parts of the country. However, IIT Bombay has clarified that it is merely facilitating the process of connecting a candidate with a volunteer, and does not authenticate the genuineness of either the candidate or the volunteer. Scheduled to be held in September, NEET and JEE exams have been in the centre of a national controversy after the Supreme Court allowed the central government to conduct physical examinations, amid calls from distressed students to postpone or cancelling the exams. One of the problems cited by candidates is the lack of public transport facilities in the lockdown that can deter the candidates ability to reach their centres on time. The EduRide portal has come forward to help students overcome the transport problem. Taking to social media, IIT Bombay director Subhasis Chaudhuri said, In order to help the JEE (Main) and NEET candidates in various locations across the country, several students and alumni of IITs, including those of IIT Bombay, have come forward to connect needy candidates with the volunteers willing to help in transport or monetarily through an online portal http://eduride.in. I request volunteers to help in providing transport to the needy candidates in their neighborhood. Let us all help the future engineers, doctors and scientists of India. Kamna said that while the portal will do its best in finding a transport for such distressed candidates, they should also have a backup option ready. Since we have shortage of time, we cant process every request with a guarantee but we are definitely striving towards it, said Kamna, a final year Electrical Engineering student at IIT Bombay. As a longtime school board trustee and two-term president of the Ontario Public School Boards Association, Ive been spending a lot of time thinking about how we ensure our students will continue to receive a world-class education at their local public schools, despite the pandemic. COVID-19 has impacted all of society, and it will affect an entire generation of students if we dont handle this correctly. I can confirm that, as elected officials, we are feeling the same anxiety about reopening schools in a few days as most parents and students. Were just days away from an unusual and staggered return to school for public school students, teachers and school staff across Ontario, which will include many students connecting with their teachers remotely from home. Everyone in our school communities is understandably concerned for their health and safety. That being said, we know that keeping children out of their usual education routines can create other challenges and risks. In planning for a return to school, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. To be prepared for all possible scenarios, school board staff and trustees have been hard at work developing plans, and have identified areas where more resources or creative solutions are needed. We are working with our parents, guardians and communities to both hear and address their concerns, and keep them informed as much as possible. School boards want to work with the Ministry of Education on this, but the ministry needs to work with us. Trustees know their communities, and the unique challenges they face. Constant last-minute changes to return-to-school plans have not been beneficial to assuaging parents anxiety or helping school boards be ready for in-class learning, despite the additional investments which were welcomed. Although we acknowledge that planning for a return to school during a pandemic is unprecedented in modern times, a different approach would have served students, parents and school communities better. School boards are in the best position to create and implement plans, including student timetables that adhere to local public health directives, while continuing to meet the educational needs of our students. While we understand the need for provincial direction, a greater voice for our school boards would have provided assurance to our communities that the return to school will be addressed appropriately. At a time when public confidence is needed more than ever, this confusion has the potential to erode the positive view that the majority of Ontarians have of public education. We need to get this right the first time. Education is an investment in the future. According to a 2019 report from the Conference Board of Canada, Each dollar of public education spending generates $1.30 in total economic benefits to Ontario. At the same time, the inverse holds true for each dollar taken from public education. Now, in the middle of a pandemic, it is clear that further investment is needed. What we dont spend now, we risk spending later on fixing problems that could have been prevented in the first place. We know that COVID-19 has already hit hardest in marginalized communities, and that strategically targeted resources can make a world of difference. It continues to be very important to have the voice of communities school board trustees at the table when these decisions and plans are being made. We know its a challenging time, but thats why its more important than ever for different levels of government to work together to make smart investments and cooperate in new ways, like we recently saw with the federal and provincial governments working together to produce masks locally. Our asks of the government are simple: work with us, not above or around us, to ensure the health and safety of our students, staff and communities, and properly fund a safe return to school this September so Ontarios education system can come out of the pandemic stronger than ever before. Larry French/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty; Charles Sykes/Bravo Wendy Osefo, Ashley Darby Real Housewives of Potomac's Dr. Wendy Osefo is opening up about why she was so upset that costar Ashley Darby brought her baby son on their cast trip. In a teaser for an upcoming episode, the women are seen getting into it after Darby, 32, shows up to Monique Samuels' lake house with little Dean in her arms. When the women ask why her husband Michael Darby couldn't take care of their son while she was away, Darby explains that she didn't want to leave him. "Ashley, come on now," Osefo, who joined the cast this season, tells her, prompting Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant to speak out in Darby's defense. "She's a new mom. Look, this is your third, don't judge," Dixon tells Osefo, who welcomed baby daughter Kamrynn in July of last year. Osefo, 36, and her husband Edward Osefo also share sons Karter, 7, and son Kruz, 5. Of Dixon's comment, Osefo tells PEOPLE: "I think that is often a big misconception for people. Yes, being a first-time mom is hard, but being a mom in general is super difficult." Osefo says it wasn't that she was necessarily personally upset with Darby for bringing her son rather, she would have liked if she were "extended the same courtesy." "I was just missing my baby," Osefo says. "If I had received the same invitation to bring my baby [on the trip] I definitely would have." "Ashley and I, our babies are two weeks apart. Her son is actually older than my daughter. We were both exclusively breastfeeding, I'm still breastfeeding my baby and in order for me to have the ability to go on that trip for three days, I was up four days prior, around the clock, pumping so my baby would have enough milk for me to go away," Osefo explains. "I was coming from a place where I was simply saying, 'Wait, we all made sacrifices to be here and if I knew I didn't need to make that sacrifice and I could have just brought my baby, I would have done that.' I just wish I was extended the same courtesy." Story continues Sophy Holland/Bravo Dr. Wendy Osefo Osefo explains that the girls trip was also her first time ever leaving her baby girl and it was "heart-wrenching." "It's so hard. The first scene you see me with Candiace, that was four weeks after I had Kamrynn. Then I did this show literally two months after having her. And for me, part of the reason that confrontation happened with Ashley and I is [because] that was my first time ever leaving my daughter," Osefo says. "There's fear that no one tells you lingers when you have a NICU baby. A lot of times the things that happen to them are at night, so it was heart-wrenching to leave her and then, to see another baby there, I was like: 'Oh my God, why didn't I bring her?' " RELATED: RHOP's Monique Samuels Opens Up About the Disgusting' Rumors Spread About Her Marriage Little Kamrynn's first few days in the world were especially difficult for Osefo, whose daughter arrived prematurely. "Kamrynn was born at 34 weeks and because of the hospital where I had her, any baby born before 35 weeks is automatically put in the NICU," Osefo tells PEOPLE. "No one goes into the hospital not expecting to leave the hospital with their baby and that was the position I was in. She came early and I thank God nothing was wrong with her, but we were in the hospital for nine days," the mother of three explains. Osefo says she never left her baby's side "even after I was discharged." Wendy Osefo/Instagram Dr. Wendy Osefo and her family "They said, 'Go home. Your baby stays here' and I said, 'No.' I forced them to find me a room in the hospital it didn't have a bathroom or anything and I didn't need those amenities. It was like a closet with a bed, and I stayed there every single day because my baby was in that hospital. For anybody who has ever been in the NICU, its the worst experience. You hear machines going off, you see babies around your baby coding, you hear families crying. Again, I thank God that Kam was healthy and she was just born early, but there were families that had been there for months. The NICU experience is something that a lot of people dont talk about. Everyone is waiting for your baby to come home and here you are in the hospital and its just so sad and heartbreaking." As for how Osefo balances being on the show as well as being a mom, a professor at John Hopkins, and a political commentator, she tells PEOPLE: "This is Wendy's life." "It has been the most chaotic time of my life. The fall semester just started for my students and I'm teaching three classes. I'm juggling teaching three classes and being present for this show, but that is the story of my life. I always have multiple projects going on at the same time and I just try my best. It has been crazy to say the least, but this is Wendy's life." She's also proud that she gets to represent Black women and showcase her Nigerian heritage on television. "I think its important for me to show that Black women come in different ways and we represent different industries. All the women have a segment they represent and when I come on the show, Im representing the segment of Black women who may be professors, who may have PHDs. I am excited to show a different representation of what a Black woman can be in society. Growing up, I never saw that, so I think its important to show that on TV," Osefo shares. RELATED: RHOP's Dr. Wendy Osefo Responds to Karen Huger's Comment About 'Not Being Impressed' RHOP's Dr. Wendy Osefo Responds to Karen Huger's Comment About 'Not Being Impressed' Dr. Wendy opens up about her spats with other housewives and hopes that viewers get to see her different layers "I'm excited for the viewers to see some pieces of my culture. This season, I do a Sip and See as well but its rooted in Nigerian tradition. You get to see our customs and attire and just the way we celebrate the birth of a new child in our culture. I am proudly Nigerian and Im so excited for the viewers to see a glimpse of my culture," Osefo says. Osefo also dishes on this season's drama, sharing her thoughts on the tension between Samuels and Candiace Dillard. As viewers recall, Samuels, 36, and Dillard, 33, are at odds with each other after Samuels found out Dillard had become close with Charrisse Jackson Jordan. Samuels claimed on the show that Jackson Jordan had been spreading rumors about her family; and according to Bryant, it's alleged that Samuels was having an inappropriate relationship with her fitness trainer. (Samuels has since denied the affair and Jackson Jordan denied spreading the rumors.) "The Monique and Charisse situation is something Im actually finding out as Im watching the show. I feel like all the ladies knew about it, but since I never knew Charisse, that was not a conversation I was privy to. I would love, honestly, if Charisse, Monique and Candiace sat down and had a conversation. I think thats what needs to happen. Those three women are the source, so it would be good to see where all of this is coming from," Osefo says. RELATED: RHOP: Ashley Darby's Husband Allegedly Seen at a Strip Club as She Takes Trip with Housewives As to which Housewife she's surprisingly clicked with in her inaugural season, Osefo says that Bryant has warmly embraced her. "I did not know how Gizelle would receive me," Osefo says. "She's a strong personality and is beautiful and I was like I don't know how she's going to receive me." "But, she has been so warm to me, even the whole notion of Gizelle-monster when Candiace said that, she's never shown me that side at all. She is really amazing, so hats off to Gizelle for being a good person. She's also my sorority sister, but I really do like her and I have a lot of respect for her," Osefo adds. The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on Bravo. French Defence Minister Florence Parly speaks to journalists - REUTERS A senior French military officer has been charged with espionage for allegedly passing top secret documents to Russian intelligence, Florence Parly, the defence minister, said on Sunday. The lieutenant-colonel, who has not been named, is stationed at a NATO base in Italy. He was detained by Frances General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), the equivalent of MI5, 10 days ago. The officer was about to return to Italy after a holiday in France, Europe 1 radio reported, and is being held at La Sante prison in Paris. Ms Parly said the defence ministry had referred the case to public prosecutors. She declined to give details about the nature of the information allegedly given to Russia, saying the matter was sub judice. We have taken all necessary measures. Now justice must be allowed to take its course while respecting the secrecy of the investigation It is for the judicial system to decide what he is guilty of and whether he is guilty. If convicted, the officer risks life imprisonment and a 750,000 (669,000) fine. The case is likely to embarrass France in the eyes of its western allies if security failings that could potentially compromise NATO are revealed. It comes after two former agents of Frances external intelligence service, the DGSE, were handed prison sentences of 12 and 8 years last month for spying for China. The highly sensitive trial was held behind closed doors and little is known about the case against the agents, who had already retired when they were charged three years ago. One of them, named as Henri M, served as the DGSEs Beijing station chief in the 1990s. He was recalled after starting an affair with the French ambassadors Chinese interpreter. After his retirement, he returned to China in 2003 and married the former interpreter. The couple took up residence on Hainan Island, off Chinas southern coast. Now 73, he was arrested in France in 2017. Around the same time the other agent, named as Pierre-Marie H, 68, was arrested at Zurich airport carrying a large amount of cash after meeting a Chinese contact on an island in the Indian Ocean. Under French law, the full names of former intelligence agents may not be made public. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) The leadership of the Philippine Army is withdrawing an earlier recommendation to place the province of Sulu under martial law following the twin blasts that rocked Jolo last week. In a statement on Sunday, Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said he is dropping his bid for the measure as there might be other better options to address the current threats and situation in the area. I drop my recommendation for (martial law) declaration over Sulu despite the turmoil as there might be other better options, Sobejana said. The Army chief said he gives due respect to the wisdom of our national leadership and the sentiment of the general public and cited substantial gains with regard to the security efforts of the local personnel in the past years. These include neutralizing key Abu Sayyaf Group leaders, among others, Sobejana said. Aside from the Army, the Philippine National Police also has earlier expressed support for the declaration of a Sulu-wide martial rule following the twin explosions in Jolo that left at least 15 people dead, including soldiers and civilians. However, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, in an earlier interview with CNN Philippines, stressed the need for immediate actions and measures to combat the security threats in the area. It (martial law) remains as an option to us but for now what is important are actions, measures that can be immediately implemented and executed. Because you know martial law it should pass through legislative, congressional approval and that would take time, Gapay said. Some lawmakers have rejected the idea, saying the imposition of the rule should no longer be necessary with the recent passage of a strong anti-terrorism measure. The whole of Mindanao was first placed under martial law in May 2017, following the Marawi siege in Lanao del Sur. Congress had then granted President Rodrigo Duterte's subsequent requests to extend martial law in the area to quell insurgent forces, with the rule finally expiring on December 31, 2019. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join the race to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who would, in turn, become the next country's premier. Tokyo [Japan], Aug 30 (ANI): Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join the race to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who would, in turn, become the next countrys premier, a source familiar with the matter told Kyodo News Agency on Sunday. Suga, the chief spokesperson for the government, informed LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai about his desire to contest the partys leadership election, a day after Abe announced he would step down as the Prime Minister due to health concerns, the source said. Some senior members of the LDP have lauded Suga for his crisis management abilities, underlining that it is crucial to maintain policy continuity in the fight against COVID-19, the source added. According to senior party lawmakers, the election is slated to be held on or around September 15. LDP policy chief and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba have also indicated their intention to participate in the election. The Prime Minister has directed Nikai to make decisions regarding the party leadership race. Also Read: UNSC adopts resolution to promote womens role in Peacekeeping; India congratulates council Also Read: Tibetan Election Commission in-exile begins voter registration process for 2021 general elections Suga, who has been serving as the governments top spokesperson since Abe assumed power in 2012, is one of the Prime Ministers closest aides and was considered a potential contender. He had earlier ruled out succeeding Abe, saying he never thought about it, according to Kyodo News Agency. Abe, the longest-serving Japanese Prime Minister, is stepping down due to ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease which earlier forced him to resign from the post of the premiership in 2007. The 65-year-old leader said on Friday that he will continue to carry out his duties until the LDP elects its new leader, who will subsequently become the new prime minister. (ANI) Also Read: Chinese researcher arrested for stealing trade secrets: US authorities More than half of the nearly 500 buildings in Sydney that fire authorities immediately send extra crew to in an emergency are clad in potentially flammable material, raising fears firefighting resources are stretched thinner across the city. The data on buildings Fire and Rescue NSW classifies as needing an "upgraded response" comes as owners of high-rise towers remain in a bind over what to replace combustible cladding with. Almost 500 buildings in Sydney are on the fire service's list for an upgraded response. Credit:Peter Rae While a product safety panel was set up this month, NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler said it was unlikely to advise on which replacement products should be used until early 2021. "There are no prizes for getting this wrong. If we ... don't get it right, then all we've done is we've recycled the problem," he said. In response to allegations of Title IX misconduct, Randolph College is making efforts to improve resources on campus. Earlier this month, Randolph College alumni took to social media to share their experiences with sexual assault during their time on campus, alleging the college failed to properly investigate their allegations when they occurred. According to the colleges most recent summary of reported crime statistics, two rapes were reported in 2016, two in 2017 and three in 2018. In those three years, the college saw eight reports of fondling. According to the Lynchburg Police Department, the last sexual assault complaint filed from the campus of Randolph College was April 6, 2017. In an interview last week with The News & Advance, Randolph College President Bradley Bateman said the college takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously. The colleges Title IX office provides resources and education to every Randolph College student, and he said he wants to think of ways the college can do even more. We investigate all allegations over which we have jurisdiction and we fully follow the law, Bateman said. Bateman said he is creating a committee of students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents that will be charged with examining the colleges current practices and evaluating opportunities for growth. We try to create a culture of consent and to help people to have healthy relationships, he said. To hear these allegations tells us that we should think about how we can do that work better. According to resources on the colleges Title IX web page, the campus has 14 faculty and staff members identified as Campus Advocates who have received specialized training and are able to respond to students who have experienced sexual violence. These advocates are able to provide confidential advice to students, but an official allegation of sexual misconduct must be made to the colleges Title IX director. Once a claim has been made, on-campus investigators investigate the claim. Regardless of the nature of the allegation, Bateman said all students who bring a claim are treated fairly, seriously, thoughtfully and compassionately. The Title IX director is never going to shut anybody down, Bateman said. Bateman said the college is not at liberty to comment on any specific cases. The News & Advance reached out to two alumnae of the college who made public social media posts regarding their experiences on campus but did not hear back. In a written statement sent to alumni Aug. 12 and posted on the colleges website, Bateman responded to the allegations. Recently, several alumnae of the College have made allegations on social media that they were sexually assaulted while students at the College. These allegations are deeply troubling, and we thus felt that it was important to communicate directly with you to address any concerns that you may have. We do not tolerate sexual misconduct on our campus, and we will deal with it appropriately whenever such allegations are made to the College, Bateman wrote. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The National Assembly has passed amendments to the Law on Construction, which will take effect from January 2021. Illustrative image Frederick Burke, managing partner of Baker McKenzie and Nguyen Thanh Hai, special counsel outline the practical changes that address unclear points under the current legislation, and reflect on government efforts to clarify and simplify licensing procedures for construction operations. The amended Law on Construction introduces new criteria to determine which projects are required to have a preliminary feasibility report (PFR), outlining several cases for developers. First are projects of national importance or Group A ventures funded by public investment capital; second are those where the preparation of a PFR is required by the Law on Public-Private Partnerships; and third are those whose investment policy decision (IPD) needs to be approved by the National Assembly and/or the prime minister in accordance with the Law on Investment. The developer can also formulate the PFR on a voluntary basis. Private developers may benefit from the new, shorter list of cases requiring a PFR. Under the current law, if an independent private initiative that has not been approved in master plans is classified as a project of national importance or Group A project under the Law on Public Investment, it is subject to the PFR requirement. This classification covers a wide range of projects, including those with a minimum investment of VND800 billion ($34.7 million). On the other hand, under the amended Law on Construction, only a private project subject to IPD by the National Assembly or the prime minister must have PFR. Compared to projects of national importance and Group A ones, such a project has to have higher investment value (for example VND5 trillion or $217 million) or be in specific industries (such as oil and gas exploitation, airports, or seaports). New permit exemption cases The amended law maintains a general approach that a construction permit is compulsory before commencement, except for certain projects on the exemption list. The amended law changes the list of permit exemptions. A new exemption are works for which the construction authority has appraised the design formulated after the basic design and which satisfy the conditions for granting a permit. In addition, there are certain notable changes to the list of exemptions. These are abolishing the current exemption for projects approved by the prime minister, ministries, heads of ministerial equivalent agencies or chairpersons of peoples committees; and abolishing the current exemption for works in rural areas within a region for which neither a master plan for urban development nor a detailed master plan is approved. Therefore, developers may need to review the new list of exemptions to formulate the best plan. Design clarification The amended law clarifies that the front-end engineering design (FEED Design) is formulated after basic design, clarifying issues for developers to determine the relevant procedures to appraise or approve the FEED Design with more certainty. Designs under the current construction law are classified depending on the number of design steps. If the project has two steps, they include basic design and then detailed drawings for building works. For three-step ventures, there are basic, technical design, and then detailed drawings. Each stage is subject to different evaluation procedures. Each step is based on the prior step and will provide more details (for example, the technical design needs to be in line with the basic one with more technical details and contents). Under the current law, construction designs formulated after the basic one include technical design and detailed drawings. Under the new law, however, those formulated after the basic design include the FEED Design, technical design, and detailed drawings for building construction and other designs (if any) under international practices. The FEED Design, a common part of international practice, has been adopted in Vietnam, particularly in projects under the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC)/turnkey delivery method. However, developers face uncertainty in complying with appraising requirements under the current law because, although the FEED Design is recognised in certain guiding decrees, there is no official provision on it in the construction law. This new clarification demonstrates the governments efforts to clear the uncertainties of developers who engage foreign contractors or use international standards. New construction insurance The amended Law on Construction introduces a new compulsory insurance for a contractor. Instead of being encouraged to purchase as per the current law, a contractor for building works will be required to purchase insurance for civil liability to third parties. After this change takes effect, a contractor for work execution must purchase two construction insurances: one for employees involved in the execution of building works on-site; and one for civil liability to third parties. Project developers are recommended to follow up with this to ensure their position in construction contract drafting while contractors should review this to ensure compliance. Precondition changes The amended law provides changes to conditions for the commencement of construction works. The first notable change includes abolishing the condition that project developers must arrange sufficient capital in accordance with the work schedule. The abolishment of this condition provides more flexibility for developers as they can arrange financing separately since it can be difficult to prove sufficient capital arrangements under the current law, which confuses project owners and might expose the owner to an administrative fine. The second notable change includes adding a new condition that developers must notify the local construction authority about the commencement date of construction at least three working days in advance. The notification is not a new requirement, however, the amended law now stipulates this notification as a condition to starting construction and reduces the time from seven to three working days. There are other adjustments on certain regulations and terms. The first is the new content of the PFR. The amended law adds the preliminary environmental impact assessment as a new item in the PFR. The second is a one-stop shop for basic design appraisal. The amended Law on Construction provides a one-stop shop regime to simplify the review of the basic design and firefighting and prevention measures. From January 1, 2021, developers can submit a design appraisal dossier to the construction authority. Third is the changes to projects that require the authoritys appraisal on design. The amended law changes the criteria in determining whether a project must have its design appraised by a construction authority. As such, appraisal will be required for works that materially affect the environment and the safety of the community and are constructed in areas without an urban master plan, master plans of special functional zones, and detailed rural master plans. Lastly, the term state capital project has been replaced. The amended Law on Construction replaces the term with public investment capital and state capital not from public investment. This update was made to ensure consistency with the Law on Public Investment and the Law on Managing and Using State Capital Invested in Enterprises. This adjustment provides clarity for certain projects where developers are in partnership with state-owned enterprises. Developers of projects involving state capital should review the change to identify the implications to their projects. Remaining issues to consider Certain legal issues remain in the amended Law on Construction. For example, it does not have any substantial changes in relation to contracts and foreign contractor licences. Regulations governing contracts lack clarification for privately-invested construction schemes. Most construction contract regulations and forms are applicable to state-funded projects. Given the lack of guidance, there is uncertainty for parties in negotiating and executing contracts. For example, a contract even with foreign entities is still required to use the Vietnamese language. Given the lack of clarification of used in Vietnamese, there is a strict interpretation that parties have to execute the construction contract in Vietnamese and another language. In addition, the current law requires a foreign contractor to obtain an operation licence (foreign contractor licence) before carrying out any construction activities on Vietnamese territory. Given the broad definition of construction activities and the lack of clarification on this licensing requirement, foreign contractors could face uncertainties as to whether they are carrying out an activity and if they are required to obtain a foreign contractor licence. The transition process The amended Law on Construction takes effect from January 2021. However, there are exemption cases coming into force early, as well as transition provisions for consideration on a project-by-project basis. Two notable provisions entered into force on August 15 permit exemption for works that have obtained appraised construction design formulated after the basic design; and change of competent authority issuing permits to works of special grade, from the Ministry of Construction to local peoples committees. There are also transitional processes to be reviewed for each project. Ventures that have their IPD decided or approved before the effective date of the amended law are not required to prepare a PFR. Also, projects that are approved before the amended Law on Constructions validity are not required to be re-approved. For projects in operation, cost management shall be continued as per the law before the amended law. For construction works whose designs were formulated after the basic design have been appraised before August 15 this year, owners can be issued a permit under the current law if the owners request so. For works that have a permit, if there is any amendment to designs formulated after the basic design from January 2021, the permit will be required to be amended as per the amended Law on Construction, except for the case where there is a request for authority appraisal on design after the basic design for the amended construction works. Works that have been commenced without a permit as allowed under the current law before the effective date of the amended law, but are subjected to permits under it, can continue their construction. Developers should take into consideration the legal transition process to see whether they have any impact on their ongoing projects. VIR China's big banks face fallout as pandemic forebearance expires A logo of the Agricultural Bank of China is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's largest state-owned banks are readied for rising bad debt and increased margin pressure in the months ahead as forbearance policies designed to give borrowers breathing space during the coronavirus crisis expire. All five banks, which have been raising provisions to counter expected losses due to rising soured loans, have reported their biggest profit falls in at least a decade. "The external challenges in the second half are unprecedented," Bank of China Ltd (BoC) President Wang Jiang said on Monday. Their forecasts highlight the impact of the pandemic and the economic slowdown on China's banks, which have been asked by Beijing to step up and lend to flagging sectors, while sacrificing profits in a bid to revive the country's fortunes. Borrowers are struggling to repay debt after months of lockdown and some sectors, such as those in the travel industry, are battling to survive under the shadow of coronavirus. Second-quarter loan-loss provisions were up 61% to 436% compared to the same period last year at ICBC, CCB, AgBank and BoC, data from China International Capital Corp (CICC) showed. The crater in first-half profit was mostly down to provisioning ordered by regulators, CICC said, noting that second-quarter profit growth would otherwise have been 1.5% to 5.1% for those four lenders. "As forbearance policies that help companies to recover expire in the first half of next year, the impact of non-performing loans will increase," Chief Risk Officer Jin Yanmin of China Construction Bank Corp(CCB) said during a news briefing. Agricultural Bank of China (AgBank) President Zhang Qingsong said bad loan pressure was rising, as short-term policies aimed at keeping firms afloat expired, adding its profit growth faces pressure from a "declining loan prime rate, fee cuts and an increase in loan loss provisions". Ji Zhihong, CCB vice president, predicted that net interest margins, a key profitability indicator, will narrow further. Story continues Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world's largest commercial lender by assets, will face higher pressure on loan risk controls in the second half and will increase efforts on provisions to guard against "significant turbulence," its vice president Liao Lin said. Overall, Chinese commercial banks recorded a 9.4% drop in first-half net profit to 1 trillion yuan, data from the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission showed. By the end of the June quarter, the average non-performing loan ratio for commercial banks was at 1.94%, data from the commission showed, the highest since 2009. And banks are likely to keep boosting provisions in the third quarter, Everbright Securities analyst Wang Yifeng said. However, CICC analysts said the first-half is likely to mark the start of the sector's bottoming-out and they expect the industry to post profit growth again in 2021 as economic activity gradually recovers. 'UNCERTAIN IMPACT' Non-performing loan (NPL) ratios rose at the big five banks during the reporting period, with ICBC's increasing to 1.5% by the end of June from 1.43% three months earlier, and that of CCB rising by 0.07 percentage points in second quarter to 1.49%. "Consumer behavior changes and reshuffle of industries accelerated by the pandemic will have an uncertain impact on the economy," Moody's Investor Service analyst Nicholas Zhu said. In the second half and early 2021, big banks are expected to step up the sale of capital bonds to help counter deteriorating asset quality, Zhu said. China's biggest banks still have a estimated shortfall of $500 billion by 2025 to meet global capital requirements, Moody's estimates. Net interest margin (NIM) - a key gauge of bank profitability - fell at ICBC, BoCom, CCB and AgBank, although it improved slightly at BoC. ($1 = 6.8455 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Cheng Leng and Zhang Yan in Beijingand Engen Tham in Shanghai; Editing by William Mallard, Christopher Cushing and Alexander Smith) Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:04:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday called for his compatriots to care for each other in the face of challenges including those caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, ahead of the country's national day to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of independence. In a televised address, Muhyiddin urged Malaysians to care for the country, work towards maintaining the peace and harmony Malaysia presently enjoys and push the country forward to be more successful in various fields. Recalling the success Malaysia has achieved since independence, Muhyiddin stressed that the country still faces "big challenge." "Our country must continue to be developed to become one that is ahead so that all its people can enjoy its success," he said. Muhyiddin added that the country was recovering from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. While more than 15 million people have returned to their jobs, he cautioned that a full recovery would take time. "However I am confident that with the current trend our national economy will recover quickly," he said. For the first time in history, the national day celebration will be held in accordance with the new norms by complying with the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the ongoing movement control order implemented to combat the outbreak, according to state news agency Bernama. There will be no assemblies and parades on Monday by uniformed bodies, government agencies and the private sector this year, being replaced by events with a limited number of attendees. On Aug. 31, 1957, the then Federation of Malaya achieved independence. In 1963, it was reconstituted as Malaysia after joining Singapore, North Borneo (renamed as Sabah) and Sarawak. Singapore withdrew from Malaysia and declared independence two years later. Enditem What started as an evening of kayak fishing with the family ended in a record-tying accomplishment for a Barkhamsted woman earlier this month. Leslie Slater and her husband were looking to take the edge off of another hot day without power following Tropical Storm Isaias earlier this month by taking their kids fishing at one of their favorite spots in Colebrook in the West Branch Reservoir, according to a release from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. I was jigging a Rooster Tail for trout when all of a sudden I had a huge hit, Slater recalls. It pulled hard right to the bottom. It almost broke my pole in half. Then with all of the dead weight, I thought that I had lost the fish and snagged the bottom. But her line wasnt snagged. It was hooked into a 46-inch-long, 29-pound northern pike, which she reeled in the massive fish and somehow managed to get it into her kayak. Never in my life did I expect to see a freshwater fish of that size come out of Connecticut, the adrenaline rush pulling in a fish that size was awesome, Slater said. I still can't believe I pulled it into my kayak without flipping over or having my toes bitten off. Slater didnt intend to keep the fish, but attempts to revive and release it failed. At that point, hoping to make something good of the situation, she decided to see if it might be a state record. The next adventure was trying to get this monster weighed with a certified scale during a major power outage and COVID, Slater said. We had many staring at us as we carried in a fish of that size. One deli was willing to weigh the fish but it was too big for the scale, the head and tail hit the counter. The reaction we received from the deli customers was priceless. The state DEEP Fisheries Division biologist Edward Machowski, who has spent the past two decades managing northern pike in Connecticut, heard of Slaters catch and was willing to assist. I called Leslie shortly after learning of the catch and her dilemma in finding a certified scale, Machowski said. Leslies excitement and enthusiasm over catching this monster pike was infectious and I knew we had to help her. The fish eventually was weighed with the help of Ryan Craig, owner of the Berkshire Country Store in Norfolk. For Slater, the adventure was made more special by having her family there when it happened. My favorite part of that fishing adventure, besides catching, was that my husband and kids were there to share the experience, she said. That catch will forever be a positive memory of 2020 for me and my family. DEEP Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Conservation Mason Trumble applauded Slaters historic catch. Congratulations to Leslie on her record-tying catch! Trumble said. I love that Leslie and her family sought relief from this challenging time in nature, and were rewarded with an experience theyll never forget! We look forward to recognizing Leslies accomplishment at our annual Trophy Fish Award Ceremony, hopefully held this spring. Connecticut has been tracking records since the establishment of the Trophy Fish Award program in the early 1960s. Initially, the program was to assist biologists with obtaining data on some of the states largest fish. The state tracks records for the heaviest fish (needs to be retained and weighed on a certified scale) or the longest fish, for those who prefer to release their catch (can be measured and must be released alive). People catching a fish shy of state record status can still earn a Trophy Fish Award pin for their first, fifth, and tenth fish meeting the size criteria. Details about these records and the angler recognition program are available on the DEEP Fisheries website, as well as in the 2020 Connecticut Fishing Guide. Mumbai, Aug 30 : Actors Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor celebrated one year of their film Saaho by treating fans with their photos and a super cool song. Prabhas took to Instagram on Sunday and shared: "To my diehard fans & team Saaho, thank you for all the love and support! #1YearOfSaaho." The post was accompanied by his monochromatic image in which he is looking chic in formal wear. He also shared a video of "Bang bang" song and wrote: "Dear @ohhavemercy, Today, as we celebrate #1YearOfSaaho, I would like to give a shoutout to this super cool song aBang Bang' made by you. A big thank you from me and team #Saaho." Shraddha also posted photos from the high octane action drama film and video of the "super cool" song. Just after the release across India, the Sujeeth directorial was also released in Japan. Michael Moore has warned that Donald Trump is on course for a repeat of his surprise victory in the 2016 presidential election. The documentary filmmaker, who correctly predicted the result four years ago, said he feared the Democrats would fail to inspire enough people to vote in November. In what he called a reality check, he issued a call to action to his fans to make sure Mr Trump loses. Dont leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump, he wrote in a Facebook post. YOU have to get rid of Trump. WE have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote. ACT NOW! It marks a significant downturn in his confidence since May, when he claimed the US president could only win by cheating. Mr Moore pointed to recent polls showing Mr Trump closing the gap on Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in crucial swing states such as Michigan. Are you ready for a Trump victory?, he said. Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again? Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust youve placed in the DNC to pull this off? The Biden campaign just announced hell be visiting a number of states but not Michigan. Sound familiar? Im warning you almost 10 weeks in advance. The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trumps base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much. Mr Trump won the 2016 election by beating Hillary Clinton in key swing states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania by extremely fine margins. Recent polls taken after the Republican National Convention showed Mr Bidens lead over Mr Trump had narrowed to six points (from 47 to 41 per cent). Shankkar Aiyar By The discourse on the state of the economy has always been raucous in India. The narrative has now acquired a surreal facet and tone. For weeks now, the government of India and state governments have been dodging and weaving arguments on the quantum of losses and the obligation of compensation. The chief minister of Chhattisgarh declared states have not received a single paisa since April 1. The Centre, on its part, produced a legal opinion stating it was not legally obliged to compensate this, amidst evangelism of cooperative federalism. The deputy chief minister of Bihar, where the BJP is in power in a coalition, informed the Centre of its moral obligations. When the issue came up at the 41st GST Council Meeting on Friday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the celestial factor. Illuminating the state of the economy, she said, This year we are facing an extraordinary situationwe are facing an act of God which might even result in the contraction of the economy. The invocation of the escape clause from the insurance industry was trolled within minutes from within the party and outside. Subramaniam Swamy asked whether the slowdown of the previous eight quarters was an act of God while West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra simply said God save this government. Beyond the rhetoric, the construct is problematic at many levels to start with subscription to omnipotence of the unseen equally demands acceptance of divine benevolence. Critically, the genesis of the virus which has caused the pandemic is yet unclear questions on whether it was sue generis, an immaculate conception or created in a laboratory in China or elsewhere are as yet unanswered. The postulate also constrains scientific interrogation and confuses correlation with causation sequentially the contraction in the economy is the consequence of the lockdown imposed by the government. The finance minister also went on to aver that the Act which enabled the GST did not foresee an Act of God. It is arguable that the grand bargain, which saw the introduction of GST in 2017, is flawed. In the run up to the introduction of One Nation One Tax, this column urging for a tax neutral regime, argued that states cannot dictate rates and expect compensation at the same time. It was akin to having the cake and eating it too. The government defended its stance then by stating that the best cannot be the enemy of the good. The perceived good now appears to be a bad deal. In 2020, the Centre finds itself locked in a binding obligation it can scarcely escape from. By its own admission, the Centre owes states over Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the first four months of the financial year and may have to fork out over Rs 3 lakh crore for the full year. There is no disputing the criticality of resources for states. Every square kilometre of India unless it is a Union Territory is administered by states. The data on total government expenditure illustrates this eloquently in 2019, total expenditure of the Centre was Rs 24.4 lakh crore while that of the states was Rs 35.5 lakh crore. States governments are on the frontline of the war against the pandemic critical to the preservation of the economy and for growth. Across India there are over 2 million vacant posts in health, police and education vital to sustaining governance. States are tasked with addition of community health centres and paramedics, anganwadi workers as specified by the NEP 2020 and provision of drinking water. The structural circumstance of governance calls for a policy promising efficient resource management. The finance ministry is reluctant to making good the gap from its own coffers or borrowing against its own balance sheet. It has suggested that states could borrow the entire shortfall from the markets or a part of it through a special window facilitated by Reserve Bank of India. The solutions proposed are inefficient to say the least. The suggestion asking states to borrow from the market what the Centre owes the state is jalebi economics. Ordinarily, these monies would have flowed from the Centres coffers. The cost of borrowing is lower for the Centre than for the states. What is the logic of adding higher interest costs to the cost of governance? Ostensibly, the attempt is to keep the Centres deficit and borrowings down. But no amount of showboating can camouflage reality borrowings whether by the Centre or the states will show up on public debt data. The reality is that India migrated from eight quarters of slowdown to lockdown. Need for money for recapitalising banks, for unpaid dues, for rising social subsidies will follow requiring the Centre to knock on the doors of debt and deficit. There are options. The government can hive off holdings in Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) and Life Insurance Corporation into a sovereign fund, India Investment Corporation. The underlying value can be leveraged to issue bonds to wealth funds, pension funds and HNIs and followed by the phased sale of entities. Atmanirbhar India calls for innovation in raising resources. Why not knock on the temples of modern India as the moolah mantra to overcome the Act of God? Shankkar Aiyar Author of The Gated Republic, Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and Accidental India shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Most public schools across the country are either attempting to hold school remotely or, in some hybrid form, brings kids back in the classroom in a limited way, keeping the numbers low. And thats just for now. The plan has already changed in many districts and will likely change again before all is said and done. The only sure thing, when it comes to this school year is that it is not going to be a normal one. For a group of churches and ministries in Ohio, this is an opportunity to, in the words of the prophet Jeremiah, seek the welfare of the city. A few months ago, public school districts in Columbus asked local churches to provide additional space for students who have working parents, and whose school would not be opening for in-person instruction. Looking for places where students could access tech devices and the internet, be under adult supervision, where food could be provided, churches in Columbus opened their doors. Spearheaded by a faith-based group called Catalyst For Columbus, churches are opening Learning Extension Centers, where kids can do their online schoolwork with help from tutors. Dozens of churches have signed up, all on their own dime. One local ministry called The Dream Center plans to open 20 Learning Extension Centers across Columbus. A friend of mine was helping a local pastor think through the logistics of setting up a center, including volunteer tutors, food, supplies, maybe transportation. At the end of their conversation they just laughed. Pastor, my friend said, I think weve just invented school! What makes all of this more interesting is that in Ohio, the relationship between public schools and the Church has not always been cordial. Two months ago, Ohio lawmakers passed a bill clarifying the rights of students to express their religious faith at school. Sponsors of the bill said schools were treating Christian clubs differently than other clubs, not allowing them to meet in school buildings, and students were being told they couldnt express their Christian beliefs in school assignments or projects. The fact that this bill, which the governor quickly signed into law, was even necessary is cause for concern. And frankly, theres frustration that, after such hostility, the schools would now turn to churches for help. The churches, however, set all that aside to seize an opportunity to offer Christian generosity as a powerful witness to the city of Columbus. The Church should help like this, wherever and whenever it can, whether or not its getting paid, and whether or not its ever thanked. Families scrambling to figure out what to do about school and work are our neighbors. School administrators and teachers are our neighbors. Love your neighbor, Jesus said, and Give to the one who asks you. What these Ohio churches are doing is an example of something Rick Warren encouraged all of us to think about during our first Wednesday prayer call. Like God asked Moses, Rick encouraged us to ask ourselves, Whats in our hand? Moses had a staff, and through it, God freed His people and accomplished great wonders. These Ohio churches took inventory and are offering what they have: space, technology, volunteers, and internet. Suddenly, the state isnt fighting about whether Christian groups should be allowed to be meet in their secular space, or whether some imaginary interpretation of the Establishment Clause is being violated. Rather, they are asking if students can be allowed on a property dedicated to Christ and served by volunteers dedicated to Christ. Sounds like a win to me. Now these churches will not only be able to provide extension learning centers, they will be able to show families, teachers, and school districts the love of Christ. Maybe some of these churches will discover they have what they need to start their own school long-term. Maybe this tenuous relationship between Church and school districts will outlast the pandemic. Throughout history the Church has been known for innovation, especially when it comes to education. The Church has also been known for prayer, and I hope you will join the Colson Center family each Wednesday morning, at 10:30 eastern, as we pray together for the Church and the nation. 4:15 So far, the theme each Wednesday has been that this opportunity for the Church is greater than what is happening in the government. Its time for the Church to be the Church. May God bless these churches in Ohio as they show us what that can look like. Download the MP3 audio here. Originally posted at breakpoint.org The deceased couple, from Anambra State , were allegedly caught in a reprisal attack launched by a cult gang. According to a report by PM News, tears flow freely on Friday in Umuereagu village, in Anaku community of Anambra State as Mr. Gabriel Udoroji Ejimofor and his pregnant wife, Mrs. Jennifer Uchechukwu Ejimofor shot dead by rampaging suspected gang of cultists during service inside Lion of Judah Church Deliverance Ministry, Asikoro, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State were buried. The deceased couple, from Anambra State, were allegedly caught in a reprisal attack launched by a cult gang against men of the Bayelsa Police Command on August 5, 2020 over alleged destruction of their camp. The cult gang were said to have also accused residents of the village of informing the Police about the location of the camp in the village. The children left behind by the couple participating in the burial rites of their parents Also, the gang also accused the residents of the village of attacking and lynching of four of their colleagues. Aside the couple, two other persons were also shot dead by the cult gangs at the area the church is located. The husband and the wife, aged 45 and 38 years respectively, left behind four children two girls and two boys who are all below the age of 10 . Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) said Sunday his office has not decided whether it will charge the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, five months after the incident occurred, because it is conducting a "thorough and fair investigation." What's new: Cameron told CBS News' "Face the Nation" that his office had received a ballistics report this week a "critical component" of the probe that he previously implied had stalled the investigation, which the state took on in May. The big picture: Police entered Taylor's home while investigating men they believed to be selling drugs out of a house 10 miles away. They shot her at least eight times while she was sleeping after her boyfriend, who was awakened by the incident, fired his gun in self-defense. Taylor's death sparked protests across Louisville and widespread calls on social media for the arrests of the officers involved in the shooting. It has become a focal point of the Black Lives Matter movement. What he's saying: "As part of my time in Washington, D.C., I met with the Department of Justice and FBI," said Cameron, who spoke at the Republican National Convention last week. "We've got a critical component here as it relates to a ballistics report. There's no video footage of the incident in question in Ms. Taylor's passing." "And I can announce to you today, as part of those efforts earlier this week, we have received that ballistics report. Now again, that is a critical piece of this investigation." "It's not the end-all, be-all, there's still some witness testimony and interviews that have to be conducted. But we do have that ballistics report. We will be meeting with the FBI at the beginning of this upcoming week to have a painstaking review of that information." The other side: Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and most recently Jacob Blake, told "Face the Nation" that progress in the case is "welcome news." The Congress is once again in the news due to internal political contestation. Is this the usual battle between the old versus new leaders, or a more concerted attempt to change the antiquated structure of the party? The Congress is a national party, with a long legacy. But personality-based parties tend to face a problem. As soon as the leader shows signs of weakness, the party starts to collapse. The Congress has been different because barring a brief interregnum in the 1990s, the party has been under the Nehru-Gandhi family. Indira Gandhi took over after Lal Bahadur Shastri. She chose Sanjay Gandhi as her heir after taking control of the party. She lost the election to the Janata Party in 1977, but Sanjay and his supporters did not lose heart. They fought on the streets. Indira Gandhis political experience and Sanjays enthusiasm brought her back to power in less than three years. After Sanjays death in an air crash, Rajiv Gandhi entered politics. Even before he had cut his teeth in politics, Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984. He became the prime minister (PM) immediately and won the next general elections. But his regime was surrounded by controversy and eventually, he was voted out of office by the newly-formed Janata Dal in 1989. But the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress did not give up. After toppling the Janata Dal government, even as he was contesting the election to return to power, he was assassinated. The Congress then approached Sonia Gandhi, but she did not want to enter politics. This led to PV Narasimha Rao becoming PM. Sonia was forced to take up the leadership of the party. Even under her leadership, the Congress fought a six-year-long struggle, but she then led the party to power in 2004 for a decade. Rahul Gandhis trajectory was different from his mother, father and grandmother. He had ample opportunities to learn the political game. This is why Congressmen were hoping for so much from him in terms of leadership. There have been defeats, but there is hope yet. When Rahul was party president, the Congress lost the 2019 polls, but remember, the party still had governments in six states and if the organisation could have been strengthened, he could have revived its fortunes. Battles in a democracy are not fought only in an election. Real leaders have to go out to the masses, connect with them on issues which matter, and perhaps even start a movement. The Congress was once known for this mode of politics. But it lost the way, with some leaders establishing a form of feudal politics in the name of the Nehru-Gandhi family. This led to the Congress losing its base, with regional parties becoming stronger in states, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filling the vacuum nationally. Today, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are leaving no space for the Opposition, even though there are a number of issues which need to be taken up, including the economic downturn, Covid-19 and China. Rahul Gandhi has tried to be vocal on these issues, but the discussion has largely remained on social media. What the Congress needed was to get over its internal politics, go to the streets and raise the issues to win peoples confidence. Today, those who are expressing dissatisfaction are as guilty as others. Sonia Gandhi has been a successful party president. But age and declining health are against her now. If the Congress is to be saved from collapsing further, Rahul Gandhi will have to take full command. Instead of seeking a synergy of the old and new, he will have to find a way to involve those who believe in the grassroots struggles. If he does not want to do so, then the family will have to search for and support a new leadership. This is the only way forward for the Congress. Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, Hindustan The views expressed are personal Destitute migrants have been unlawfully forced into homelessness or held for prolonged periods in detention because the Home Office is using a systematically unfair policy to determine their eligibility for accommodation, the High Court has ruled. One South African man spent nine months living in a tent as a result of being denied accommodation by the government when leaving immigration detention, during which he was unable to wash and eat regularly, and lacked electricity and running water. A schizophrenic Polish woman, who gave a history of rape while previously homeless, was unlawfully held in detention for a prolonged period because she wasnt granted bail accommodation. The two individuals, both of whom were detained after being convicted of offences in the UK, brought a challenge to the lawfulness of the Home Offices policy for providing housing to non-asylum-seeking migrants who cannot be deported whether because of a lack of travel documents or ongoing immigration appeals but have no other means of support. The Home Office had admitted that decisions made in both cases were unlawful, accepting flagrant errors in the first case, but argued that these were aberrant errors by individual caseworkers, and that its policy remained fair and lawful. However, in a judgment last month that was highly critical of the Home Office, Mr Justice Johnson ruled that its practice for granting housing to destitute non-asylum-seeking migrants known as Schedule 10 accommodation was unlawful. The judge said the policy was systemically unfair and failed to consider exceptional circumstances in individual cases, adding that it was deficient in respect of each and every component of the irreducible minimum criteria for fairness. Both claimants were awarded damages the South African national for having his Article 3 rights breached as a result of a lengthy period of street homelessness, and the Polish woman for unlawful detention. The department confirmed on Thursday that it would not be seeking to appeal against the judgment. It will now be required to redraft its processes for the accommodation of certain destitute migrants. Nina Rathbone Pullen, partner in the public law department at Wilson Solicitors LLP, which represented the two clients, said the judgment must lead to a root-and-branch revision of the Home Offices approach in these cases. Home Office to carry out review of hostile environment following Windrush says Priti Patel This judgment is a very important recognition of the unfairness and arbitrariness to which the Home Office subjects destitute immigrants in need of accommodation and the appalling human costs of Home Office errors and delays, she added. A Home Office spokesperson said: We are carefully considering the judgment and are amending current guidance to address the concerns raised. We continue to provide support to those who would otherwise be destitute. Israel premier says 'many more' secret talks with Arab leaders Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and US Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner make joint statements to the press after their meeting in Jerusalem, on Sunday Israel is in secret talks with several Arab states on establishing ties, premier Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, ahead of the Jewish state's first commercial flight to the UAE following a normalisation accord. "There are many more unpublicised meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders to normalise relations with the state of Israel," the prime minister said, without naming any countries. A US-brokered agreement between the Jewish state and Dubai to normalise ties was announced on August 13, making the UAE the first Gulf country and only the third Arab nation to establish relations with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan. The first-ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE will on Monday morning carry a US-Israeli delegation led on the American side by White House advisor Jared Kushner, who stood next to Netanyahu during the Israeli premier's remarks on Sunday. "Today's breakthrough will become tomorrow's norms," Netanyahu said. "It will pave the way for other countries to normalise their ties with Israel." Netanyahu's office said last week that National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat will lead the Israeli delegation. The talks in Abu Dhabi will seek ways to boost cooperation in areas including aviation, tourism, trade, health, energy and security, Netanyahu's office said. Since the agreement between the UAE and Israel was unveiled, there have been frequent bilateral phone calls between ministers and the signing of commercial contracts. On Saturday, the Emirates repealed a 1972 law boycotting Israel. "It will be permissible to enter, exchange or possess Israeli goods and products of all kinds in the UAE and trade in them," read a federal decree issued by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. -'New sense of optimism'- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week undertook a regional tour, which took him to Sudan, Bahrain and Oman, in the hope of convincing other countries in the region to follow the Emiratis. Story continues "While this peace agreement was thought to be impossible, the stage is now set for more," Kushner said of the Israel-UAE accord on Sunday. "What I felt over the last couple of weeks is a new sense of optimism, and we must seize that optimism and we must continue to push to make this region achieve the potential that it really has." Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who also met with Kushner on Sunday, called on "other Arab and Muslim states to follow this path of friendship and to establish full and warm relations with the State of Israel - peace between nations and peoples, peace for peace." As part of the normalisation agreement announced by US President Donald Trump, Israel agreed to suspend planned annexations in the occupied West Bank, although Netanyahu quickly insisted the plans remained on the table in the long-run. The Palestinians dubbed the UAE's agreement with Israel a "stab in the back", as it opens the Arab world to the Jewish state while their own conflict remains unresolved. Saudi Arabia, in keeping with decades of policy by most Arab states, says it will not follow the UAE's example until Israel has signed a peace deal with the Palestinians establishing an independent Palestinian state. gl/scw/jjm/dwo Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Amid evolving flood situation, 4 NDRF teams airlifted to Nagpur from Pune Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Pune were airlifted for Nagpur due to potential flood situation in the district. In view of the evolving flood situation in districts of Vidarbha division, the NDRF teams were airlifted from Pune to Nagpur. Read more After Covid-19 vaccine deal with China, Bangladesh firm now inks pact with Indias SII A pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh has sealed a deal with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to get priority access to the Covid-19 vaccines being developed by the worlds largest drug manufacturer. Read more Cant see heavens falling for need of elected Cong president: Salman Khurshid Asserting that there was no urgency to have an elected Congress president, senior leader Salman Khurshid on Sunday said he cant see the heavens falling for the need of a party chief as Sonia Gandhi was still at the helm and should be the one to decide on the leadership issue. Read more Bihar polls: Congress to hold virtual rallies across state from September 1 The Congress party has decided to hold virtual rallies across Bihar from September 1 ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The development comes as several top BJP leaders are scheduled to arrive in Bihar after September 6 in view of the upcoming Assembly polls. Read more Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Nitu Singh asked Shruti Modi for his medical prescription, newly accessed chats reveal Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Nitu Singh had a conversation with his ex-manager Shruti Modi in November, 2019 about the details of the late actors treatment for depression. Read more Chadwick Bosemans tweet hits record likes, a perfect tribute to the Black Panther actor Chadwick Bosemans tweet has received at least 6.4 million likes and 3 million retweets and comments. Read more Foodies may relate to this adorable babys reaction over seeing his food. Watch The recording of a baby shows him sitting on a sofa. The cameraperson shakes a bottle of baby milk while approaching the tiny tot. Me, when I see food headed my way, reads the text on the screen. Read more Acne remedy: Malaika Arora reveals the terrific trio of simple DIY to control bad timing breakouts Malaika Arora shares the secret to dealing with acne woes, even for sensitive skin and we cant help but take note this humid monsoon season. Watch Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Congress questions Sandeep Singhs link to BJP leaders Congress has raised 10 questions on the ongoing probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Addressing a virtual press conference, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi raised questions about Sandeep Singhs proximity to BJP leaders. Watch The French government has opened judicial proceedings against an army officer suspected of endangering national security by spying for Russia. Speaking in a radio interview on Sunday, Army Minister Florence Parly confirmed that a senior officer faces court proceedings on suspicion of having breached security regulations. According to the Europe 1 station which broadcast the interview with the minister, the suspect officer holds the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and has been serving with Nato forces based in Italy. He is suspected of having provided classified documents to the Russian secret services. Case taken at French initiative The officer was arrested by police of the Interior Security branch as he prepared to return to Italy at the end of a French holiday. He is currently held at the Sante prison in central Paris. Minister Parly stressed that the legal action had been taken as a French initiative. She went on to say "we have taken all the security measures necessary . . . now it is up to the courts to do their job, with full respect for the secrecy which surrounds all such cases." The minister refused to provide further details. Some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have thronged the Nima Police Station in Accra to demand the release of the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah. Michael Kwadwo Peprah is said to have been picked up on Saturday, August 29, 2020, by the Cyber Crime Unit of the Central Police in Kumasi for allegedly causing fear and panic in a Facebook post. He was subsequently transported to Accra. There are claims that Mr. Peprah was arrested on the orders of the Minister of Environment Science and Technology, Professor Frimpong Boateng. The National Communication Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi described the action as intimidation by the Akufo-Addo government when he engaged the media at the Nima Police Station where Michael Kwadwo Peprah is currently being kept. This morning we got information that the president of Concerned Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana has been arrested by officers belonging to the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service in the Ashanti Region. We understand that he was detained at the Ashanti Regional Office and this morning transported to the Nima Police Station. Weve spoken to him and he tells us that he was arrested yesterday at 3 pm in Kumasi and was not told the reason for his arrest. His phones were seized and taken to his house and a search was conducted. We have gathered information that he was arrested over a post he made on his Facebook wall ahead of the Association's planned press conference to compare the NPPs manifesto and that of the NDC on the issue of small scale mining. Our sources at the Cyber Crime Unit tell us this arrest was on the orders of the Minister of Environment, Prof Frimpong Boateng who is not happy at how the association of small scale miners led by Mr. Preprah has exposed the criminal galamsey he has been supervising and we see this as clear intimidation by the Akufo-Addo administration, Sammy Gyamfi added. Mr. Gyamfi further called on all other civil society organisations to speak up and condemn the action being meted out to Mr. Peprah. We humbly entreat the media and CSOs to follow this matter and give it the attention it deserves. Sammy Gyamfi in an earlier statement condemned the arrest and described it as shameful. Read Sammy Gyamfis full post below: The National Democratic Congress, has just learnt of the arrest and detention of the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Kwadwo Peprah for a post he made on his Facebook wall, ahead of the Association's planned press conference to expose the Akufo-Addo-government on mining related issues. Michael Kwadwo Peprah was arrested in the Ashanti region last night and is currently at the Central Police Station in Kumasi waiting to be transported to Accra, on the orders of the Environment Minister and Chief Galamsey promoter, Professor Frimpong Boateng. The NDC condemns this shameful act, which is part of a desperate scheme by the oppressive and despotic Akufo-Addo-government to intimidate, harass and silence critical voices ahead of the 2020 general elections. We are reliably informed, that as we speak, Michael Kwadwo Peprah has not been given access to his lawyers by the Police. We humbly entreat the media and CSOs to follow this matter and give it the attention it deserves. Let's us speak up against the culture of oppression and tyranny being supervised by President Akufo-Addo, because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. #IstandWithMichaelKwadwoPeprah SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ. National Communication Officer, NDC citinewsroom COPENHAGEN - A polar bear attacked a camping site and killed a foreign national in the remote Svalbard Islands on Friday, authorities on an Arctic island said, adding the animal was killed. The man was rushed to the hospital in Longyearbyen where he was declared dead by doctors, Deputy Governor Soelvi Elvedah said. Longyearbyen is the main settlement in Norways Arctic Svalbard archipelago, which sits more than 800 kilometres (500 miles) north of the Norwegian mainland. The attack occurred just before 4 a.m. and was being investigated, the governors office said. The victims identity and citizenship werent immediately given. No one else was injured, but six people were hospitalized for shock. An autopsy will be conducted at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsoe, north of the Arctic Circle. The polar bear was found dead in a parking lot by the nearby airport after being shot by onlookers, the governors office said in a statement posted on its website. It wasnt clear whether the polar bear was one of two of the animals to have roamed the area this week, the governors office said. This is also a strong reminder that we are in polar bear country and must take the precautions to secure ourselves, Elvedahl later said. Polar beers can be found all over Svalbard and be encountered anywhere throughout the year. The website says bears may appear anywhere on Svalbard and urges people to stay as far away as possible to avoid situations that could be dangerous for you and for the bear. An estimated 20,000-25,000 bears live in the Arctic. Svalbard is dotted with warnings about polar bears. Visitors who choose to sleep outdoors receive stern warnings from authorities that people must carry firearms while moving outside of settlements. Norwegian broadcaster NRK said the victim was the fifth person to have been killed by polar bears since 1971. The last time it happened was in 2011 when a British teenager was killed. In 2015, a polar bear dragged a Czech tourist out of his tent as he and others were camping north of Longyearbyen, clawing his back before being driven away by gunshots. The tourist, who was slightly injured, was among a group of six people on a combined ski and snow scooter trip on the remote islands. The bear was eventually found and killed by local authorities. ___ A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the last fatal polar bear mauling was in 2011, not 2001. Actress Emma Malouff (1883) said she loved working on Ryan Murphys FX series Impeachment: American Crime Story. Having had the opportunity to portray Allison Tripp, the daughter of Linda Tripp played by the brilliant Sarah Paulson was an experience I will never forget, said the Los Angeles resident. When (filming) took place, Allison and I would have been the same age 18. She had to watch her mother degraded and ridiculed by the public. To make it truthful for myself, I had to step back. How would I feel if my mom was bombarded by hurtful headlines and our family's privacy stripped away in an instant? I had to create those experiences and emotions for myself and imagine the thoughts she must have had running through her head at the time, so my performance could be present. Fans may follow her on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/emmamalouff/). Further Back in Time for Dinner ABC, 8.30pm When we last saw the Ferrone family, they were returning to modernity after experiencing life as it was lived in the second half of the 20th century. Since then they clearly decided that the 21st century was simply not for them, so they've signed up to once again have Annabel Crabb follow them around while they wear uncomfortable clothes and cook disgusting meals. Here they go back to the 1900s, to see how Australians lived before the invention of personal hygiene. Whether a history lesson is more effective when accompanied by a pair of wacky glasses and a family squawking in horror at the terrible hardships they deliberately volunteered for is an unanswerable question: in the end, Further Back In Time For Dinner's appeal lies less in its ability to educate than its adherence to the tried-and-true reality-TV formula: ordinary people we can point and laugh at. Further Back in Time for Dinner. Here they go back to the 1900s, to see how Australians lived before the invention of personal hygiene. Whether a history lesson is more effective when accompanied by a pair of wacky glasses and a family squawking in horror at the terrible hardships they deliberately volunteered for is an unanswerable question: in the end, Further Back In Time For Dinner's appeal lies less in its ability to educate than its adherence to the tried-and-true reality-TV formula: ordinary people we can point and laugh at. Anh's Brush with Fame Jack Thompson ABC, 8pm Amiable Anh turns his brush on Jack Thompson, a bona fide Aussie legend. The show is never a forensic critique of its subjects, but always celebratory in nature. The hagiography of some episodes can be tiresome, but in this case there is nothing to dislike about sitting back and revelling in the yarns spun by Thompson, who has not only led one of the most entertaining lives in Australian showbusiness history, but is a born storyteller with a voice that you'd pay to hear read the phone book. In the presence of such a giant personality, Anh doesn't have to do much except get busy on the canvas which, as usual, comes out with a nice artwork to pay homage. Wednesday Arabia with Levison Wood SBS, 7.30pm Levison Wood is a writer and photographer who professes to a "lifelong fascination with the Middle East". This series tracks his journey around the Arabian Peninsula and his attempt to dig beneath the cliches to find a truth somewhat deeper than the average travelogue. The trip begins in Kurdistan, locked in a long-running fight for independence from Iraq. Arabia with Levison Wood. Credit:SBS It's a slightly scary opening, the crew running into roadblocks and heavily-armed soldiers everywhere. Just getting into Iraq is a challenge: a tip-off that this may not be a completely carefree jaunt through scenic locations. However the show is not just warzone-gawping: Wood makes a praiseworthy attempt to engage properly with the people and cultures of the region, and sticking with it brings rewards in the revelation of Arabian diversity. Hard Quiz ABC, 8pm One half of Hard Quiz's appeal is the endearingly oddball contestants, whose passion for an eclectic array of subjects puts those of us who have never done a deep dive on the Dam Busters (which here go up against Shane Warne, the novels of James Herriot, and Survivor) to shame. The other half is Tom Gleeson, who delivers on the unfulfilled promise that The Weakest Link made all those years ago, of a quiz show host with a genuine enthusiasm for insulting strangers. It's all done in good humour and with a winning smile, of course, but the show wouldn't work quite so well if it weren't for the subtle impression that Gleeson really does dislike most human beings. That's what won him the Gold Logie, and that's what keeps the quiz fun. Thursday Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking. SBS Food, 9pm Great British Bake Off fans remember Mary Berry as the lovely lady judge who used to be on the show before that other one came and made it a bit less good. Those thirsting, in the Berry drought that now grips Bake Off, for some more genteel elderly action, will appreciate this series, in which Mary shows us how to cook a variety of delicious dishes that we will never actually make because they are far too complicated and we are not Mary Berry. It's pleasant and relaxing, but frankly watching Mary cook as worthwhile as it is is not quite as exhilarating as watching her judge the inferior work of others. It's better than nothing, but sadly nobody's getting gently scolded for their soggy bottom here, and that's what hurts. Plat Du Tour SBS, from 9.30pm What better way of marking the ultimate test of fitness and human endurance that is the Tour de France than to vicariously indulge in the buttery, heart-clogging delights of French cuisine? But just like the Tour itself, which has moved from its traditional July berth to September on account of the pandemic, this year's episodes of SBS's complementary food show, Plat du Tour, looks the same, only different. With the charming Gabriel Gate having hung up his apron after 15 years, Guillaume Brahimi hosts this nightly, bite-sized primer on regional recipes and specialities. Tonight Stage 6, Le Teil to Mont Aigoual, from the Rhone River to the coast Brahimi demonstrates a signature of French Mediterranean cuisine, Bouillabaisse. Friday Leverage 10Play Crime procedurals are a well-paid home for veteran male Hollywood actors, and Timothy Hutton found his with Leverage, where he played former insurance investigator Nate Ford, who assembles a team of reformed criminals to assist ordinary people being victimised by corporations or governments. 10Play has all five seasons streaming, and you get elaborate cons, deceptive viewpoints and modest wisecracks, expertly marshalled by Hutton's old pro. If you want an Ocean's film condensed to 44 minutes, this is a good option. Saturday Only Connect SBS Viceland This BBC quiz show where teams have to find the link between seemingly disparate clues requires a genuine level of intellect and stopwatch puzzling, so it attracts a distinct type of British pub polymath. Say hello to Aidan Sproat-Clements: "A maths teacher and keen cribbage player who owns seven trombones." Did I double-check that this wasn't an elaborate scripted satire? I did, and it isn't. But it is a neat variation to a timeless genre, complete with the brisk hosting of Victoria Coren Mitchell and whispered consultations between the teams of three that is intimate and engaging. Sunday The Block Nine, 7pm David Cameron has enjoyed another session bodyboarding in Cornwall as he relaxes on the family's annual holiday to the West Country. Former Prime Minister David Cameron, 53, was spotted on Thursday wearing a shortie wetsuit and taking to the waves at Polzeath. He was carrying a white bodyboard as he strolled the beach despite the cloudy weather. David Cameron cut a fine figure as he joined the hoards of tourists looking to get a head start on the bank holiday weekend on Polzeath Beach in Cornwall on Thursday afternoon. David Cameron joined the hoards of tourists on Polzeath Beach in Cornwall on Thursday The former PM donned a wet suit to take on the waves of Polzeath beach with a body board Mr Cameron is known for frequenting the Cornish beaches when on holiday in the UK David Cameron cut a fine figure in a shortie wet suit as he ignored the clouds to enjoy surfing This is the second time the former Prime Minister has been pictured taking on the surf off the Cornish coast. Mr Cameron was snapped at Daymer Beach last month. The Camerons have holidayed in Cornwall every summer since David entered Downing Street in 2010. Their youngest child Florence was born at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro after she arrived early during their break that year. Their favourite resort, Polzeath, is also popular among the younger members of the royal family. Staycationers determined to make the most of the August bank holiday packed out beaches and campsites despite forecasters warning that temperatures could plummet below 10C. Party-goers were out in force as they celebrated the start of the long bank holiday weekend despite the wet and windy conditions. The wettest place on Thursday was Lanreath, Cornwall, where 51mm (two inches) fell over 24 hours to 7pm, the Met Office said. Cornwalls average rainfall for the whole of August is 81mm (3.2ins). Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi said on Tuesday that authorities have arrested Keyvan Emamverdi, a former art student of Tehran University accused of raping several students. Dozens of survivors have emerged in recent days and named him on social media, particularly on Twitter. Survivors say Emamverdi, who also owned a bookshop close to the university, lured them to his house on various pretexts, got them intoxicated and allegedly raped them. Rahimi said the arrest was made after "intensive investigations" that followed women speaking out against Emamverdi on social media, and urged other survivors to lodge complaints with the police or through attorneys, assuring them that their identity would be protected to protect them from stigma. After one of Emamverdis alleged victims named him on Twitter with the #rape hashtag, at least 20 others joined in to expose Emamverdi as their assailant. One of Emamverdis cousins also came forth to say she had always been intimidated by him as a child, even fearing that he would molest her. Link to embed from Pangea: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s-own-brand-of-me-too-movement-gains-momentum-following-allegations-of-sexual-violence-against-celebrities-/30800078.html Following the arrest, Twitter users celebrated the change-making effects of survivors speaking out on social media against Emamverdi. In the past few days on Persian Twitter, #rape has been among the top ten most used hashtags, with several celebrities and a well-known painter and art instructor accused of committing acts of sexual violence against women. A number of same-sex cases also circulated, with one involving a female student who accused a female teacher of sexual assault, as well as men recounting their own assaults that occurred during their two-year compulsory military service by superiors or other soldiers. The Iranian social media campaign against sexual abuse was inspired by the global Me Too movement, which took over social media in 2017. Study Suggests UK Could See Further 85,000 COVID-19 Deaths in Winter, Reports Say Sputnik News 12:53 GMT 29.08.2020 LONDON (Sputnik) - A study prepared by the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergency (SAGE) suggests that in a reasonable worst-case scenario, a further 85,000 people could die from COVID-19 in the United Kingdom this winter, the BBC reported on Saturday. The broadcaster, which claimed to have seen the leaked official document, said the model's purpose is to calculate excess deaths in England and Wales between July 2020 to March 2021, and by no means represents a prediction. It added that according to the SAGE report, in England and Wales, there could be 81,000 excess deaths due to COVID-19, plus 27,000 excess deaths from non-coronavirus-related causes, while in Scotland, there could be 2,600 direct COVID-19 deaths, and 1,900 deaths could be in Northern Ireland. The official report also assumes that schools would remain open even if lockdowns measures need to be put in place to contain eventual local outbreaks. "As a responsible government we have been planning and continue to prepare for a wide range of scenarios, including the reasonable worst-case scenario", a UK government spokesperson said, as quoted by the BBC. The UK, which has recorded 331,644 cases of the novel coronavirus and 41,886 coronavirus-related deaths so far, ranks fifth among the world's most affected countries by number of fatalities, sitting behind US, Brazil, Mexico and India. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address You can tell that the new commercial for Australia's Vittoria coffee is tasteful, because it's in black and white, like La Dolce Vita. And it has a soundtrack by Nick Drake. And Al Pacino is in it. Yes, Pacino has picked his first ever advertising gig, and it's for a coffee whose name means "Victoria" in Italian. Shot in New York this May by Barry Levinson, the 30-second spot begins with Pacino informing us that "When you're making a movie you get up real early so you need all the help you can get... Coffee goes with my line of work." Pacino has obviously been acting so long that he's forgotten other people have to get up early for work, too. But then it's nice to feel that movie stars are just coffee-drinkers like us, only richer. As ads for coffee featuring Hollywood actors go, Pacino's lacks the wit of George Clooney's Nespresso series, and the romance of Anthony Head's work on behalf of Nescafe Gold Blend. But when a man with eight Oscar nominations (and one win) tells us "This is good coffee", we're inclined to believe him. * No 10 thought Lord Browne of Madingley, ex-CEO of BP, just the fellow to imbue the Government with a business ethos when they appointed him a Whitehall "super-director" last month. Browne oversaw substantial cost-cuts at BP during his 12-year tenure, which evidently sounded attractive to Cameron and co despite the inconvenient news of America's largest ever oil spill darkening the reputation of Browne's former firm. But we hear his appointment was less-than-generously met by many of his fellow former business execs in the Lords, on either side of the party divide. As one such peer told our mole: "The general view in here is that Cameron's made a mistake. Browne simply hasn't got the kind of contacts in this place that David imagined he had. His impact across government will be minimal." Lucky, we suppose, that Browne's position is unpaid. * Pity poor Andy Burnham, falling behind in the Labour leadership race and forced to contend with fellow candidates briefing against him (or so he alleges). Remember Andy? White, dark-haired 40-something Oxbridge graduate, used to be a special adviser (oh, and Secretary of State for Health)? No? Well, that's what comes of not being an Ed, or a Miliband, or Diane Abbott. We're told Andy has trouble achieving name recognition even in Westminster: he recently forgot to bring his parliamentary pass to Portcullis House, and was denied entry by the security guards. And no, they did not know who he was. * Diane Abbott, on the other hand, has been busy making sure people know exactly who she is (as if they didn't already) by launching a glossy new campaign website this week. Every section of the site features a large picture of a grinning Diane; it has been pointed out to us, however, that only one of those pages contains a picture of Diane with a parliamentary colleague. The MP in question is Meg Munn of Sheffield Heeley who's a declared supporter of, er... David Miliband. Does Diane have a hard time making friends? * Doesn't sound like Holly Branson daughter of Richard, chum of Wills and Harry, frequenter of Boujis will return to her medical career any time soon. When Holly, 28, gave up doctordom in 2008 to join her father's firm, she said she'd deferred her studies for a year. Two years later, she's adding to her portfolio (which includes a planned network of GP super-surgeries) with a move into magazine publishing. Maverick, a new tech, film and design title for the iPad, will be launched by Virgin this autumn. "Insiders claim that [Richard] Branson wants to compete with the major publishing houses," reports Brand Republic, describing the project as "led" by Miss Branson. "To say the project is being 'led by Holly Branson' is slightly overstating the case," a Virgin spokesman assures us, "but she's part of the team." * Publishing news, part two: Richard Desmond's Daily Express earned the ire of the Twittersphere yesterday with its provocative front-page splash: "ONE IN 5 BRITONS WILL BE ETHNICS." Desmond, lest we forget, was once the publisher of Asian Babes. A pall of gloom descended on the native village of Naib Subedar Rajwinder Singh of Sikh Light Infantry regiment, who was killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army on the Line of Control (LoC), soon after the news about his death reached on Sunday afternoon. Rajwinder (40), who hailed from Goindwal Sahib in Khadoor Sahib sub-division and died in the Nowshehra sector of Jammu & Kashmirs Rajauri district on Sunday morning, wanted to make his son an army officer. He was the sole breadwinner of the family. Rajwinder is survived by his mother Balwinder Kaur (70), wife Manpreet Kaur (38), daughters Pawanpdeep Kaur (14) and Akshjot Kaur (10), and son Jobanjit Singh (16). His father Jagir Singh, who died around 2 years ago, was a retired army jawan. His younger brother Sukhwinder Singh, who was also serving in the Indian army, died in a road accident in 2009. Balwinder Kaur said, Rajwinder had come on leave in January. He talked to his wife on phone for last time on Saturday evening. He was enthusiastic since his childhood to join Indian Army. My husband and younger son also served in the army. I am proud to have a husband and a son who laid down their lives for the nation. Rajwinder was critically injured unprovoked firing on the LOC and he later succumbed to his injuries. His mortal remains will reach the village on Monday. CM ANNOUNCES 50 LAKH, JOB FOR FAMILY MEMBER Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced an ex-gratia of 50 lakh along with a government job to a family member of Rajwinder Singh. Paying homage to the soldier, the CM said the nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty The body of a 35-year-old man was on Friday evening found hanging from a rope tied to the roof of Baraka Academy, a private primary school at Jambo area in Mathira East Sub-County, Nyeri County, Kenya. The deceased has been identified as Joseph Mwangi Ngure, the schools head-teacher. Baraka Academy owner, Teresia Wanjugu Kareithi, in her report filed at Karatina Police Station at 6:23pm Friday, said her neighbour informed her that a foul smell was emanating from the schools staff room. Kareithi rushed to the institution and upon accessing the staff room, she found Ngures body hanging from a sisal rope tied to the roof. It is suspected that the deceased committed suicide, police say. Ngure was last seen in public by his landlord on Wednesday, August 26 at 9am. The deceased allegedly separated from his wife recently. Ngures body had visible injuries on the left side of his neck and on his right cheek, when it was discovered. It is suspected that the injuries were caused by a wild animal, probably a rat, reads a part of the police report filed under OB No. 43/12/4/2020. The head-teachers body was taken to Karatina Sub-County Hospital morgue awaiting postmortem. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) touches elbows with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris, France, Aug. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) China and France, as major responsible countries, need to actively promote and practice multilateralism which is essential for the well-being of most countries, especially small- and medium-sized ones, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. In talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Wang said that upholding multilateralism is the biggest consensus reached during his trip to Europe. He said that unilateralism is on the rise today as some countries ignore international agreements and refuse to fulfill their international obligations. Without multilateralism, he said, the multilateral mechanism and international order established since World War II will be seriously damaged, and small- and medium-sized countries will suffer a huge impact. "Under such circumstances, China and France, as major responsible countries, should actively promote and practice multilateralism," he said, making a four-point proposal for the two countries. First, China and France need to adhere to the concept of multilateralism. The two sides should actively promote multilateralism on various occasions, resist unilateralism and make multilateralism the consensus of the international community. Second, both sides should take multilateral actions. China supports France in continuing to play a leading role in tackling climate change. China has already met its 2020 emission reduction target ahead of schedule and is actively studying the next step. The two sides should support each other in the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China, and the World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France, both to be held next year. Third, China and France should abide by multilateral agreements. Unilateralism, including irresponsible withdrawal from international organizations or violation of international agreements, is unpopular. China and France should strengthen coordination and cooperation on international affairs, and safeguard major outcomes of international agreements and multilateral diplomacy, such as the Iran nuclear deal. Fourth, the two sides should strengthen multilateral institutions. The United Nations is the most important platform for supporting and practicing multilateralism, and the two sides should support the United Nations in playing its due central role in international affairs. Enable Ginger Cannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection or reload the browser Disable in this text field Edit Edit in Ginger Edit in Ginger Twitter deletes QAnon supporter's tweet which President Trump retweeted Twitter has deleted a tweet that contained a made up claim from a supporter of the nonsensical QAnon conspiracy theory about coronavirus death statistics which President Trump had retweeted to his 85 million followers. The made up claim from 'Mel Q' was copied from a Facebook post and said that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had "quietly" altered their numbers to "admit that only 6% of people" listed as having died from coronavirus actually died from Covid, since the other 94% had 2-3 other serious illnesses." In 6% of deaths the CDC say coronavirus was the only cause mentioned, while in the other 94% another condition was named on the death certificate, for example diabetes, heart disease or obesity. If Covid is mentioned on the death certificate it is highly likely that it was a major or the major cause of death, whether or not the person had another condition that contributed to their death. - Nigeria writes strongly worded statement to Ghana government of treatment of its traders - According to the statement from the Information Minister of Nigeria, it has taken notice of the harassment meted out to its nationals in Ghana - Nigeria has warned that if things continue this way, they will be forced to actor respond in equal measure - Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Nigeria has warned Ghana over the implication of what it describes as the incessant harassment and acts of hostility towards its citizens. In a latest diplomatic missile fired over social media platform Facebook on Friday, August 28, Nigerian authorities said such acts will no longer be tolerated. The strongly-worded post catalogued eight instances of such alleged hostility meted out to Nigerian citizens in Ghana. Nigeria warns Ghana over harassment of citizens. Source: Facebook Source: UGC READ ALSO: Bawumia pulls surprise visit at Ashaiman Mosque for Jummah prayers; photos drop The Nigerian Government is deeply concerned by the incessant harassment of its citizens in Ghana and the progressive acts of hostility towards the country by Ghanaian authorities, and will no longer tolerate such. In this regard, the Federal Government is urgently considering a number of options aimed at ameliorating the situation," statement issued to the media read. The Nigerian Government noted that although about one million Ghanaians are living in Nigeria, such persons are not being subjected to the kind of hostility being meted out to Nigerians in Ghana and threatened to retaliate if such actions do not stop. Nigeria has time after time demonstrated its fidelity to the long cordial relations with Ghana. But indications, especially in recent times, are that Nigerias stance is now being taken for granted and its citizens being made targets of harassment and objects of ridicule. This will no longer be tolerated under any guise, the statement copied to YEN warned. YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the international trade relations between Ghana and Nigeria continue to worsen following the disagreement between traders of the two nations. Nigerian traders and their counterparts in the retail space in Ghana have been clashing. There have been clashes at Abossey Okai, Circle, and Kumasi between Nigerian traders and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA). Okada riders in Accra react to Mahama's promise to legalize their operations in Ghana | #Yencomgh READ ALSO: Attorney General describes Agyapa deal as burdensome Got a story you think we should know about? Get interactive via our Facebook page! Source: YEN.com.gh Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) in collaboration with the Supreme Legislation Committee of Dubai, has launched the Women-Specific Legislations Lab that seeks to develop new legislations to support the enhanced socio-economic participation of women in the emirate. The initiative, launched on the occasion of Emirati Womens Day, will address various aspects related to womens development including their active inclusion in society, personal status law, women in the economy, the protection of women, and health and wellbeing, a WAM report said. Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of DWE, stated: "We are pleased to forge a collaboration with Dubais Supreme Legislation Committee. This initiative translates the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance government performance by strengthening partnerships between government entities." She added that the Women-Specific Legislations Lab, which has the goal of enhancing the legal framework required to support the advancement and welfare of women in Dubai, will work to review and monitor the implementation of women-specific legislations and develop new legislations focused on women. By monitoring possible discrimination in legislations and proposing alternatives, the initiative seeks to reinforce efforts to introduce new legislations that can enhance the emirates global standing. The initiative reflects the commitment of Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of DWE and wife of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to launch initiatives and projects that promote women's participation in various sectors and enhance their role in shaping Dubais socio-economic future, she said. Ahmed Saeed bin Meshar Al Muhairi, Secretary General of the Supreme Legislation Committee of Dubai, stated: "The Women-Specific Legislations Lab will contribute to the continued development of Dubais legislative structure in line with the UAE leaderships commitment to empowering women and enhancing their participation in economic, political, diplomatic, social, cultural and legal spheres." He also highlighted the important role this initiative plays in introducing new legislations that address womens requirements and help fulfil their aspirations, while strengthening the legislative environment needed to empower women to be active partners in the nations development. "We are pleased to collaborate with DWE to launch this initiative on the occasion of Emirati Women's Day," he further said. He reiterated the Committees commitment to developing transparent and balanced legislations that can keep pace with the latest developments and prepare the ground for the future. "We aim to support national efforts to ensure that gender balance is a well-established culture in Dubai, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum." Shamsa Saleh, CEO of DWE, said the launch of the Women-Specific Legislations Lab is in line with the Establishments strategic framework for ensuring a stable and prosperous future for working Emirati women. It aims to propose laws and provide recommendations to enhance Dubais women-specific legislative framework. She said such initiatives are vital in promoting women's economic success, happiness and well-being, providing flexible employment options such as remote working, and encouraging their involvement in the countrys sustainable development. She also expressed her pride in the exceptional achievements of Emirati women in various sectors in a wide range of roles, which have been made possible with the support and encouragement of the UAEs leadership. Women can look forward to even greater opportunities for success, given the importance the leadership places on their role in realising Dubais Towards the next 50 plan, she said, adding that DWE is committed to furthering womens role in shaping the future of Dubai.-- Tradearabia News Service Employee Guillermo Torres administers an eye test at a DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) For generations, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has been a crucible of nerves for teens anxious to complete the rite of passage that is a first driver's license, older residents hoping to keep theirs and most everyone in between. Never a day at the beach, with sometimes cartoonishly long lines, a visit to one of its offices has nevertheless been essential. Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency is rethinking the way it operates. In an effort to keep people from getting infected with or spreading the coronavirus, the department since March has expanded its DMV Express program statewide to speed up the Real ID process and allowed for vehicle title transfers, registrations, duplicate drivers licenses and drivers license renewals and other services to be completed online. Online transactions went from about 1.8 million in July 2019 to nearly 2.2 million last month. "COVID was the impetus for us to speed up that process," DMV spokeswoman Anita Gore said. "We're doing everything we can to push people out of the field offices, to keep everybody safe." How it all works out remains to be seen. The effectiveness of some changes may be hard to clearly gauge until after the agency works through the backlog caused by a six-week shutdown of DMV offices to the public. In fact, the pandemic may have to subside before many of the changes fully take. Yaly Tran, center, studies a driving test handbook as she waits for the Westminster DMV facility to open. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) On a recent Thursday, a long line formed outside one DMV office in Westminster. The first person had arrived at 3 a.m. An hour and a half before the office opened at 8 a.m, 77 people waited. Some camped out in lawn chairs; others spread blankets on the concrete and worked on crossword puzzles as 80s band UB40's cover of "Red Red Wine" played over the loudspeakers. But making the line longer were people who either didn't need to be there or could have started their paperwork online. They included a woman who arrived two hours before the office opened to get a Real ID, but who hadn't uploaded her documents ahead of time for an express checkout, and a 79-year-old man who had arrived at 5 a.m. to replace a lost driver's license something he could have done from home. Story continues Angela Vasquez, left, her friend Cynthia Rios wait for the Westminster DMV office to open. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Erin Volz watched as a DMV employee directed a man who smiled and thanked him to the back of the line. "Well, he's cheerful," Volz said as she waited at the front of the appointment line to get her Real ID. Volz had been able to go online and upload all her documents ahead of time. As she looked at the growing line, she felt relieved. "With everything going on," she said, "I don't want to be too close and around too many people." The DMV closed its more than 160 field offices to the public March 27 after workers expressed concern about the spread of COVID-19. At least 41 DMV employees reportedly contracted the coronavirus. The shutdown forced the department to reschedule over a million appointments. When offices reopened in June, it was with new health and safety protocols. Clients stay six feet apart while waiting for their turn at DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) "Six feet, everyone on the tape mark for me please," a worker reminded customers in front of the DMV. There were so many lines marked with tape that it felt like admission to an amusement park red for appointments, pink for the kiosk machines, blue for driver's licenses and yellow for registration. Varissa Lopez directed customers into lines and into the building when seats opened up in the waiting area. The office limited the number of people allowed in and spaced blue chairs six feet apart. Lopez, who has worked at the DMV for around 11 months, called it "organized chaos." Gricelda Alba sanitizes her station after serving a client at the DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) "We're really trying to invent new ways to serve the public," she said. The whole stereotype is that DMV employees dont care about the public, but we care a lot." A room previously used for storage had been converted into an applications room to help speed up the process before a customer reached a window. Workers outside checked customers in, reviewed their documents and offered to take down their number so the department could tell them their place in the virtual queue. "Before, you walked in the door and got a number," Lopez said. "You might be waiting two hours, and when you get to the window you dont have everything you wasted your day. Some DMV employees wore face shields and wiped down counters after each customer. On this Thursday, they served over 700 people. When Lopez stands at a window, she directs each person to wait on a sticker six feet from her counter. After she calls them forward, she steps back. And when they step back to the sticker, she moves forward. "We call it the DMV dance," Lopez said with a laugh. Bryce Hadfield takes an eye test while applying for his permit at the DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) The DMVs Virtual Field Office has allowed employees to still serve customers but online. As of earlier this month, representatives had helped over 500,000 customers that way. Despite the shift, some services still needed to be done at a DMV office. Bryce Hadfield, 16, was there to get his learner's permit. After his original appointment was canceled, the department rescheduled it for July at the Costa Mesa DMV. He and his father, Lee, arrived to find the office chain-linked off. "I don't understand why they would make an appointment somewhere that's closed. They know it's closed; it's the DMV," he said before he paused for a second to think. "Well, it's the DMV, so maybe they don't know." After waiting over three hours for his son to take the test, Lee questioned why it couldn't be administered online. "Any experience I've ever had with the DMV, rarely is it a pleasant one," he said. Driving test examiner Maria "Delia" Broughton, left, gives instructions to Alexandra Martinez at the DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Perhaps the most visible change at field offices is the behind-the-wheel drive test. Victoria Pluma waited in her car as an employee placed a floor mat inside her family's blue Toyota Highlander and cocooned the passenger seat in a shell of plastic. Her test had been postponed because of the coronavirus crisis, along with those of almost 300,000 other Californians. Since they rescheduled everything it was really scary for me, Pluma said. I really need to pass this time." Less than 10 minutes after pulling away from the curb, Pluma's examiner had tallied up her score and delivered the bad news. She would not be getting her drivers license today. She tried to console the crestfallen young woman. Youve got a lot of time left on your permit, the examiner said. That same morning, it was Alexandra Martinez's turn. DMV employee Maria "Delia" Broughton did the honors, making sure the car was as safe as possible for the close-contact ride she and the 19-year-old Martinez were about to take. Broughton wore a white mask and a smock that reached down to her knees. Martinez said she had gotten plenty of practice after her April driving test was canceled. But that didn't stop her dad outfitted in a face shield from praying for a passing result. Considering the up to 20 tests she administers a day, Broughton said she tries to reduce the amount of time she spends in a car with people. "You're hopping from car to car," the 12-year DMV veteran said. "You try to keep the applicant safe as well." Minutes after driving away from the DMV office, Martinez steered her car back to the lot. Broughton stepped out to tally the young woman's errors. She had made a few: Not looking over her shoulder for a lane change or stopping neatly behind the line at a stop light were just two. Broughton told Martinez how many errors she committed before declaring: "That's a passing score. Congratulations." Hyundai Oilbank employees check for oil leaks using the company's HOLMES detection system in this photo provided by the company, Sunday. / Courtesy of Hyundai Oilbank By Baek Byung-yeul Hyundai Oilbank has developed an oil leak detection system that can prevent contamination in the ground beneath gas stations, the oil refiner said Sunday. The company said its new detection system is called Hyundai Oil Leakage Monitoring Expert System (HOLMES) and recently filed a patent. "By attaching sensors to the pipes, the HOLMES system enables gas stations to detect and locate any oil leakage from the pipes in real time," the company said. Soil pollution at gas stations usually occurs from aged underground storage tanks and pipes. For gas station operators, it is relatively easy to check any oil leakage from the storage tanks by monitoring the inventory level of oil. But it is almost impossible for gas stations to verify suspected leaks from the underground pipes without help from experts, the company said. Particularly for gas stations in the central city areas, pipe leakages incur hefty fines and clean-up costs for operators. "Gas station operators can monitor for possible pipe oil leaks from receivers installed in their offices or even mobile devices in real time. Even if the sensor system is not working, they can check for leaks without a visual because the surface of the sensors is made of tempered glass," the firm said. The oil refiner said it will install the HOLMES system at every Hyundai Oilbank gas station by the end of this year. Hyundai Oilbank is accelerating its moves to tap deeper into the eco-friendly business sector. Last year, the company unveiled its manufacturing technology for its premium marine vessel oil called S-TAR in a bid to take the lead in the growing very-low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) market. The demand for VLSFO, which includes fuel oil with a sulfur content of less than 0.5 percent, is expected to soar as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) began to implement a regulation to limit ship sulfur emissions from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent starting this January. The company is also on track to commercialize another eco-friendly technology that enables the production of calcium carbonate from greenhouse gases and refining wastes. The refiner is also expanding its lineup of eco-friendly lubricant products. In May, Hyundai Oilbank released HYUNDAI XTeer Ultra lubricant that meets the latest standards of leading associations in the oil industry the American Petroleum Institute and the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Simone Galimberti (The Jakarta Post) Kathmandu Sun, August 30, 2020 16:58 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417aab6 3 Opinion volunteer,volunteers,charity,Education,Youth Free Imagine you are a young person in Indonesia and are striving to do something productive useful for yourself but also something meaningful for society. You believe you can contribute and help your country, playing a part in the overarching mission recently set by President Joko Jokowi Widodo to make a leap forward out of the immense crisis caused by COVID-19. You look for opportunities around you and the first thing you do is to type the word volunteering into an internet search engine. Surprisingly, you will find that many volunteer opportunities available are for foreign students and young travelers who, before the pandemic, would flock to the country to immerse themselves in a new culture and learn new customs. For those young people, Indonesia has offered a great opportunity to open their minds, learn new skills and partner with local communities. For them, international volunteering experience provided a chance to grow, hone soft skills and develop leadership qualities. If such opportunities are available to foreign young people, why not to locals? Certainly there are several not-for-profit organizations offering volunteer opportunities for Indonesian citizens, including the scouts and some programs affiliated with religious organizations, but why not have something bigger, bolder and easily available to all young people? With a demographic window of opportunity opening up, volunteerism could help young people develop their agency and cultivate a sense of meaning and belonging in society. There is no better time to leverage the power of volunteerism than now that planning for the recovery is at full speed and tons of new ideas that earlier might have been unthinkable are being seriously considered. It is time to make the case for volunteerism, a national asset that fully embraces the spirit of support enshrined in the principle of gotong royong (mutual cooperation). As Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim tries to modernize and reinvigorate the national educational curriculum, bringing up new concrete, tangible programs to make it more real, relevant and practical for learners, volunteerism is the best platform to harness students and teachers skills. We can imagine thousands of community-run schools leading the way in promoting service and learning work, a concept that is actually already embedded in local communities not only in Indonesia but also throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Volunteering is also a great a way to hone the skills and knowledge of teachers thanks to engaging learning activities that can put students closer to their communities, helping them develop not only a critical understanding of local problems but also critical problem solving skills. Lets not forget that Indonesia is seeking to localize Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We can imagine how students can be part of the solution to many problems affecting local people. If we want to get Indonesia back on track and sprinting toward a new future, localized intergenerational partnerships with students working alongside elders are going to be indispensable. In almost any area of study, students can apply their classroom learning. Imagine small children at the elementary level learning about local fauna and nature, getting acquainted with the risks of unscrupulous industrialization and modern ways of living that threaten their future. Higher education students could partner with their teachers and local authorities to solve some problems caused by massive urbanization. While volunteerism should be embraced in the learning process from the first stages of learning to higher education with universities playing an extremely important role, there is much more scope for it to support the process of growth of millions of millennials who are now frustrated and out of jobs. Some countries have developed national volunteer programs that are accessible to most young people, including those who are vulnerable, for example, young people living with disabilities. The United States, for example, has a federally mandated agency, the Corporation for National and Community Service, that works with state volunteering commissions to support national and local volunteer programs. Closer to Indonesia, Singapore has embraced volunteerism and the spirit of solidarity embedded in it to create a more resilient cohesive nation. In Indonesia, organizations that promote volunteerism should be supported with special grants to allow them not only to improve the effectiveness of their work but also to scale up. At the same time, there is a need to think big with a national volunteer program complemented by local stakeholders, including local government agencies and other not-for-profits. The young people who have been neglected the most and are experiencing what looks like an unbreakable cycle of vulnerability and deprivation, should the first to be able to access to such programs. There is no better way to start projecting the country into a new era than announcing a national effort to promote volunteerism. Indonesias achievements in the last 75 years of independence are remarkable, but so much remains to be done. The new decade could harness volunteerism, helping Indonesia reach a new economic status in 25 years, helping disillusioned and detached youth discover a new pathway of self-growth and creating the conditions for them to actively contribute. As President Joko Jokowi Widodo has said, the pandemic is an opportunity to restart in a big way. Investing in the promotion of volunteerism is a safe bet for the country to achieve ambitious new goals. *** Cofounder of ENGAGE and writer on social inclusion, youth development and regional integration as an engine to improve peoples lives in Asia Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Topics : volunteer volunteers charity Education Youth Yemeni forces arrest senior al-Qaeda leader in Sana'a: Interior ministry Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 5:22 PM Yemeni forces have arrested a senior leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group who planned to carry out a terrorist operation in the capital, Sana'a, Yemen's Interior Ministry says. The spokesman of the ministry, Brigadier General Abdul Khaleq al-Ajri, who did not reveal the name of the al-Qaeda commander, said he was arrested in Sana'a on Saturday, according to Yemen's official Saba Net news agency. The Yemeni official said that the terrorist was coming from the central province of Ma'rib to carry out a terror operation in the capital. Al-Ajri added that the detained al-Qaeda commander had led the terrorist forces in the Qaifa area of the central province of al-Bayda, where they were forced to flee after suffering defeat from the Yemeni forces. On Wednesday, the ministry's Security Information Center said that both the Daesh and al-Qaeda terrorist groups had carried out more than 320 attacks in the province of al-Bayda during the past five years. Earlier this week, the Yemeni military announced that more than 1,000 square kilometers of al-Bayda had been cleared of terrorists. It said over 250 members of Daesh and al-Qaeda had been killed or wounded during the cleansing operations. The Yemeni military is also fighting off a Saudi-led war on the country. Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an unsuccessful attempt to subdue a popular uprising that overthrew a Riyadh-friendly regime. The ongoing war has killed tens of thousands of Yemenis and pushed the country close to the brink of famine. It has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The aggressor countries have also imposed a blockade on impoverished Yemen. The war has provided an opportunity for terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to secure a foothold in Yemen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The British governments attempts to stem crossings across the English Channel by paying for increased coastal security in France will not work, it has been warned. The new clandestine Channel threat commander is leading ongoing talks over enhanced surveillance, patrols and intelligence-sharing following the arrival of more than 5,000 asylum seekers in boats so far in 2020. Dan OMahoney said France and Britain were working to make the sea route completely unviable. But the number of migrants crossing the Channel has increased dramatically since the UK paid 6m for similar measures as part of a joint action plan in January 2019. The Care4Calais charity, which works with asylum seekers in northern France and Belgium, said the number of migrants waiting for their chance to reach the UK has remained consistent despite forced evictions at informal camps. Founder Clare Moseley told The Independent: In the five years Ive been in Calais, Ive seen nothing but tons of money thrown at security, and my experience is it makes no difference. All it does is put vulnerable people in greater danger. The warning came under a fortnight after a Sudanese migrant, Abdulfatah Hamdallah, drowned while attempting to cross the Channel in a small dinghy. French investigators said he and a friend had been living around the former Calais Jungle camp for two months. The number of migrants attempting boat crossings has increased following crackdowns on lorries at ferry ports, and a fall in freight traffic due to coronavirus. Ms Moseley said: If they stopped the boats they would definitely go back to lorries they will do it or die trying. Priti Patel in Dover as Government face criticism over migrant crossing crisis The most recent annual report by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which leads investigations into organised immigration crime, said tighter border controls on migration routes has resulted in increasing numbers of irregular migrants seeking the assistance of criminal smugglers. It followed a report by parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, which called for the government to increase legal routes to seek asylum, improve dire conditions in French camps, and address the root causes of migration. A policy that focuses exclusively on closing borders will drive migrants to take more dangerous routes, and push them into the hands of criminal groups, the report said. In the absence of robust and accessible legal routes for seeking asylum in the UK, those with a claim are left with little choice but to make dangerous journeys by land and sea. Priti Patel and other ministers have repeatedly blamed people smugglers and criminal gangs for rising boat crossings. But Ms Moseley said smugglers were a symptom, not a cause of the problem, and accused the government of wrongly criminalising refugees. She added: The problem is theres not a safe and legal route. They do it illegally because theres not a legal alternative. Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Show all 12 1 /12 Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise French police officers and gendarmes stand by tents during the evacuation of the Grande Synthe migrant camp, northern France, on September 17, 2019. Francois Lo Presti/AFP/Getty Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise French gendarmes walk by tents during the evacuation of the Grande Synthe migrant camp, northern France, on September 17, 2019. Francois Lo Presti/AFP/Getty Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise French police officers move migrants on from a camp in Dunkirk, France, 17 September 2019. Care4Calais/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise French police officers move migrants on from a camp in Dunkirk, France, 17 September 2019. Care4Calais/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise A bulldozer at work as French police officers move migrants from a camp near Grande-Synthe, Dunkirk, 17 September 2019. Help Refugees/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Police officers moving migrants from a camp near Grande-Synthe, Dunkirk, France,17 September 2019. Help Refugees/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Migrants at the Espace Jeunes du Moulin gym in Dunkirk as people awaited eviction from the camp 12 September 2019. Steve Parsons/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Aran Quader, 6, and his sister Yaran, two, at the Espace Jeunes du Moulin gym in Dunkirk on 12 September 2019, days before refugees were evicted. Steve Parsons/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Hamdren Quader 32, with his wife Xalat, 26, and children Kajhan, 8, Aran, 6, and Yaran, two, at the Espace Jeunes du Moulin gym in Dunkirk, France, on 12 September before refugees were evicted from the camp days later. PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise A bulldozer at work as French police officers move migrants from a camp near Grande-Synthe, Dunkirk, 17 September 2019. Help Refugees/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Police officers moving migrants from a camp near Grande-Synthe, Dunkirk, France, 17 September 2019. Help Refugees/PA Hundreds evicted from French refugee camp amid Channel crossings rise Police officers moving migrants from a camp near Grande-Synthe, Dunkirk, France, 17 September 2019. Help Refugees/PA The NCA said that although many attempted boat crossings to the UK were facilitated by criminal networks, there is also a rising number of DIY attempts. Among them was Mr Hamdallah, who stole a dinghy from a shop with his friend and attempted to use shovels as oars. The NCA has been increasing work with international authorities to combat smuggling gangs, who are mostly based inside France. Boat crossings fell last week during stormy weather, but are expected to increase with calmer conditions. Dan OMahoney, who leads the Home Offces response to Channel crossings, said in an emailed statement: These crossings are illegally facilitated by criminals willing to risk peoples lives for money. France is a safe country with a fully functioning asylum system those seeking refuge can and should claim asylum there. I am working with my counterparts in France daily to make this route totally unviable and through our joint intelligence work we have prevented many more migrants from leaving the French coastline today. We continue to return those who do not have a legitimate asylum claim despite barriers to removals under the Dublin Regulations and legal challenges. There are also safe routes to claiming asylum in the UK for those in genuine need and the UK has a clear record of resettling more refugees than any EU country. South China's Guangxi reports 1 new imported COVID-19 case People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:55, August 29, 2020 NANNING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reported one new imported asymptomatic COVID-19 case on Friday, the provincial health commission said Saturday. The case from the Philippines was found as the flight crew underwent health checks upon arriving in China, and all the crew have been put under quarantine. By Friday, Guangxi had reported 255 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 253 patients have been cured and discharged from hospital. Enditem NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong speaks to the media as he arrives at the High Court to lodge a judicial review over his disqualification from the 2019 district council elections, in Hong Kong, China on Aug. 7, 2020. (Joyce Zhou/Reuters) Hong Kong Health Workers, Activists Urge Boycott of Mass Testing HONG KONGA Hong Kong pro-democracy union of healthcare workers and several activists, including Joshua Wong, called on Sunday for a boycott of the governments universal coronavirus testing plan, in which medical staff from mainland China are set to assist. Starting Tuesday, a 60-strong mainland team is due to conduct tests in the first direct help from Chinas health officials for the semi-autonomous city as it battles the pandemic. But the effort comes at a sensitive time for the former British colony, as anxiety runs high over what many of its 7.5 million residents see as Beijings efforts to rein in their freedoms, in particular a national security law imposed in June. The government has also postponed Septembers legislative elections by a year, citing risks to public health and dealing a blow to the pro-democracy opposition camp, which had hoped for a historic majority win after overwhelming success in lower-level elections last year. The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, formed during last years pro-democracy protests with 20,000 members, said universal testing was not an efficient use of resources and urged focused tests instead. It is clear to see that the government has one and only one goal to use the pandemic to achieve their own political aims, its leader Winnie Yu told a joint news conference with activists. They shall do whatever they can to please the central government of China, even if it means placing politics above all things else. Wong said a full closure of the border would be a better measure than the government plan, adding, Its like having a pregnancy test without having birth control. The citys Beijing-backed chief executive, Carrie Lam, has hit back at critics of the initiative, dismissing what she called their attempt to smear the central government. Chinese state media have denounced the critics as ungrateful, while Chinas Hong Kong Liaison Office in the financial hub has said in a statement it was shocking that people could question the plan. It comes at a time when new daily infections have fallen substantially, to figures in the single digits or low double digits, from three digits during a surge a few weeks ago. The tally rose to 4,801 with 15 more cases reported on Sunday. Police also dispersed a protest by dozens of pro-democracy activists in a shopping mall roughly a year since some of the most violent clashes in a metro station in train carriages, citing a virus precaution limiting gatherings to two. By Joyce Zhou and Jessie Pang Amber Heard is bracing herself for a second bruising court battle with her ex-husband Johnny Depp even if the Pirates of the Caribbean star loses his high-profile libel case against The Sun newspaper. As the actress yesterday flew home from a holiday in Turkey ahead of a verdict expected as early as this week in the dramatic High Court fight between Depp and The Sun, her legal team are preparing for a potential fresh clash in the American courts. The Mail on Sunday understands that Ms Heards lawyers expect Depp, 57, to serve papers in America that could result in her once more giving evidence in court about their marriage and contested allegations that she suffered three years of domestic abuse at his hands. Ms Heards lawyers expect Depp, 57, to serve papers in America that could result in her once more giving evidence in court about their marriage Mr Depp denies the claims and says his ex-wife was violent towards him. Depp, who gave days of vivid evidence at Londons High Court in July, is already taking action against the 34-year-old actress in the US state of Virginia over a column that she wrote for the Washington Post newspaper in December 2018. While the article did not mention Depp by name, she described herself as becoming a public figure representing domestic abuse which his lawyers argue had the effect of falsely portraying him as wife beater. Amber Heard, pictured, is bracing herself for a second bruising court battle with her ex-husband Johnny Depp A source close to the actress said: Ambers team are super nervous about him suing again, this time in the States. It seems that he will stop at nothing to ruin her. No matter what the outcome [of Depps case against The Sun], Amber is preparing for round two, but if Johnny wins his case against The Sun then thats it, he will go and go. This could go on for years to come. This weekend, Miss Heard now in a relationship with Bianca Butti posted social media photographs from her break in Turkey, including one of her holding a glass of red wine while sitting on the front of a boat. Another snap was taken at Cappadocia, known for its fairy chimneys of tall, cone-shaped rock formations. The actress gave evidence at the High Court as part of The Suns defence against Depps libel claim over a December 2018 article it published that referred to him as a wife-beater. The three-week hearing heard sensational details of their relationship, including that Depp branded her Amber T*** because he believed that she had soiled the marital bed after a row at her 30th birthday party. She denied the claim. The actress gave evidence at the High Court as part of The Suns defence against Depps libel claim over a December 2018 article It was also alleged that Depp who is expected to begin filming on the second instalment of JK Rowlings Fantastic Beasts next month used his damaged finger to write I love you on a mirror after it was severed during a clash with Ms Heard in 2015. Depps barrister David Sherborne described the actress as a compulsive liar who had tailored her story to meet the evidence. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) Unidentified gunmen opened fire on motorcycle riders in Kabacan, North Cotabato on Saturday afternoon killing nine people, according to authorities. An initial police report said the victims were onboard their motorcycles and traversing the road near the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan town when unidentified gunmen carrying high-powered firearms blocked their path. The suspects, estimated by police to be a group of five, then fired a series of shots towards the motorcycle riders, resulting in the immediate death of eight victims. One was brought to the hospital but eventually died from the gunshot wounds, the police said. In a virtual briefing, Kabacan police chief PMaj. Peter Pinalgan Jr. said he has already ordered the creation of a special task group to investigate the incident and establish the motive behind the killing. The Bangsamoro government, meanwhile, said in a statement that all of the victims identified were Bangsamoros. In view of this and the fact that we have received different reports from our communities, the Bangsamoro Government will also be conducting its separate investigation on this brutality, it said. These senseless violent acts have no place in a progressive society, especially at a time when people are in a grip of a global pandemic. We want justice, it added. The regional government added that it is ready to cooperate with the provincial government of North Cotabato and the municipal government of Kabacan to get to the bottom of the incident. The Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) also condemned the massacre of the defenseless Muslims, saying they have supported the peace negotiations of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front with the belief it will provide them peace and security. BIAF chief of staff Sammy Al Mansoor assured that the BIAF continues to abide by the peace process, but said they will not tolerate the reemergence of violence against their unarmed people. In deference to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, BIAF will ask the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of the tragic incident and bring the perpetrators to justice, Mansoor said. It has been acknowledged for long that the police in India working under the state governments had duties that went beyond the maintenance of law and order to include a share of responsibility in the safeguarding of national security against terrorism, disruptions caused by agents provocateurs and foreign inspired subversion. The recent acts of sectarian violence in Delhi and Bengaluru were apparently caused by instigators -- and were different from the spontaneously erupting communal riots often arising out of small local irritants, that this country had witnessed over decades after Independence. In the Capital, on the eve of US President Donald Trump's visit to India, a section of Shaheen Bagh agitators protesting against CAA, shifted base to Jaffrabad, a Muslim predominant area of North-East Delhi and blocked the main road there. Violence broke out on Feb 23 night after protest leaders had made militant speeches -- rioting by the two communities then continued on Feb 24-25, the days of Trump's visit to India. There were large casualties on both sides at the end of a prolonged spell of action and reaction. At Bengaluru, the violent crowd that indulged in planned destruction in protest against an alleged Facebook comment on Prophet Mohammad, had in it many members of SDPI, a fundamentalist Muslim organisation. It is now coming to light that the Sino-Pak strategic alliance -- which has particularly become active against India in the period following the abrogation of Art 370 of the Constitution relating to Jammu and Kashmir by the Modi regime -- could be planning to cause internal destabilisation in India through covert operations. Pak ISI is now using both Islamic radicals under the tag of Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and ISIS fronts as well as the Islamic extremists of outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad that were already under its thumb, for stepping up acts of terror in India. The domestic politics in India is currently witnessing the phenomenon of two major streams of anti-Modi forces strategically working together. The Left and the liberals, who ideologically denounced the current dispensation as potentially Fascist and committed to ultra-right, and others who indulged in Minority politics by raising the fears of 'Majoritarianism' and Hindutva have been acting in concert and even carrying their criticism of the regime beyond our frontiers in a bid to add to their strength. They even question the constitutional validity of the legislative acts of Modi government cleared by the Parliament. India's adversaries in the neighbourhood find it easier to exploit the domestic scene here for creating their own 'proxies'. The opposition has to realise that in India only a democratic and non-sectarian polity, that recognised the primacy of national security and economic interests in dealing with the international world, can succeed. In the backdrop of a situation of rising security concerns, it is natural that the performance of our police services is going to be looked upon by the people with greater expectations. Anything that strengthens the perception that politicians in India were capable of exploiting even cases of crime of national importance for party gains, can put public faith in the police on a discount. The recent case of unnatural death of a rising film star at Mumbai became a typical example of how the ruling dispensation of Maharashtra attributed the widespread public criticism of the Mumbai Police enquiry to the alleged machinations of its political opponents. While the role of Mumbai Police was under a critical scrutiny of the people, it is the Home Minister of Maharashtra rather than the Police Commissioner who came forth to make an early announcement to the press that it was a case of suicide. An update on the police enquiry ought to have been provided to the public by those at the top of the professional hierarchy -- this did not happen either because there was a needless subservience to political superiors or because 'incompetence' had overtaken the probe makers in understanding the nuances and dimensions of a case that had attracted national attention. The contribution of state police to the maintenance of internal security of India in these critical times cannot be overemphasised. The arrest of an ISIS linked terrorist at Delhi -- Abu Yusuf, originally from Uttar Pradesh -- with powerful IEDs, has confirmed the earlier intelligence that the city was likely to be targeted on Independence Day. Since what is unravelled by intelligence is always the proverbial tip of the iceberg, the Delhi case must, therefore, alert the police of all states to look out for the underground terror modules in their areas. Intelligence coordination between the central agencies and the state, district and Thana police has to be further strengthened and institutionalised through nomination of nodal officers at these levels for this specific function. This is already happening but needs to be pushed down closer to the ground so that immediate action in response to a call would be made possible. Police leadership in the state must prepare the Station House Officers for discharging this responsibility in the sphere of national security. While serving the law abiding, the police station is now required to watch out for suspicious movements, presence of strangers and habitual offenders and circulation of any rumours of unusual activity in its area. The public credibility of Thana Police should be fully reestablished -- this will happen if senior officers make surprise visits there, the DGP's power to suspend an SHO for any blatant failure is restored and the Centre exercises a say in the appointment of DGPs in line with the Supreme Court's advice about a 3-member panel being drawn up by UPSC for that purpose. The leadership of police in India is in the hands of the Indian Police Service, whose officers are selected through a national level competition and then trained and allocated to the states by the Centre. There is no equivalent of IPS in any other country. India's national interests in the spheres of crime control and security must be fully served by this civil service within our federal scheme of things. India needs to spend more on our civil police that now has a part in the vital task of helping the national security set-up in the sphere of intelligence generation 'from below'. Constabulary of uncertain educational background and training is not serving the police station that well -- a posse of armed police personnel could always be made available for providing physical force wherever needed. Any function of handling crime work should be performed by an ASI at the minimum. The CrPC in the British tradition talks of how even the power of arrest in certain circumstances could be exercised by a 'Police Officer of any rank' -- the emphasis on the word 'officer' should not be missed. An upgrade of police stations in terms of personnel, status and resources is the first reform we need -- the sensitivity about the developing internal security situation in India lends it priority. Ensuring effective, efficient and people-friendly functioning of police stations ought to have been a primary responsibility of the IPS officers at various levels of their appointment -- they have to make up for lost time in this regard. (The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau) August 29, 2020 News By Jim Garamone , DOD News Defense.gov Esper, Japanese Defense Minister Discuss Cooperative Efforts Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper and Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono discussed ways to strengthen the already strong U.S.-Japanese partnership during a meeting at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Japan is a treaty ally of the United States and the Japanese have been stalwart allies in the Indo-Pacific. Both nations are concerned with Chinese actions in the region and globally and both nations work together for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. In opening statements, both men stressed the need for the United States and Japan to work more closely together in a post-pandemic world. Esper asked Kono to pass along his best wishes to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is stepping down due to poor health. The meeting comes as the world commemorates the end of World War II. "Seventy-five years ago this week, the United States and Japan laid down their arms against each other and entered into a durable friendship that has led to tremendous prosperity for our people, and all the peoples of the Indo-Pacific," Esper said. Both men noted that Japan and the United States share values and interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Esper said that despite efforts by some to take advantage of the pandemic to "undermine long-standing rules and norms, we remain dedicated to preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region, working with our partners and our allies, such as Japan." Kono noted that in the six months since the men last met face-to-face the world has drastically changed not only because of COVID-19, "But because there are some attempts to change the status quo by force and coercion, and some countries are trying to apply cutting-edge technology to military use. We need to be very carefully monitoring the situation and we need to build the posture to prevent any attempt to change the status quo." Japan is funding a large portion of the move of 5,000 Marines to Guam. Just before the meeting, Esper toured Camp Blaz on the island where the Marines will be based. He thanked the Japanese defense minister for Japan's contribution and for Japan hosting American service members. China and specifically the behavior of the Chinese Communist Party, was a discussion point between the two leaders. "Today, I look forward to discussing with you China's malign behavior in the region under the direction of the Chinese Communist Party, including the intimidation and coercion of its neighbors, and its continued aggression in the East and South China Seas," Esper said. "We remain steadfast in our opposition to Beijing's destabilizing activities in the region, which include attempts to undermine Japan's administration of the Senkaku Islands." The United States is obligated under the U.S.-Japan Treaty to defend the islands. Esper and Kono pledged to improve intelligence-sharing arrangements, and to increase interoperability. Esper thanked Kono for the participation of two Japanese maritime self-defense force ships in the Rim of the Pacific exercise currently off the coast of Hawaii. The two nations also discussed shared development programs including the co-development of the SM-23A ground-based interceptor missile. Esper also commented on Japan's procurement of F-35 aircraft. North Korea remains a concern to both nations and both are committed to the "final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, to include all [weapons of mass destruction] and ballistic missile programs," Esper said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:07:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Britain's two big political parties, the governing Conservatives and the main opposition Labour, are level pegging for the first time in over a year in a new opinion poll published Sunday. The poll, by Opinium for the Observer newspaper, gives both Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservatives and Labour 40 points each. It means a lead of 26 points at its peak for Johnson has been wiped out. Political commentators in London believe the result will send shockwaves through Westminster as politicians prepare to return to the House of Commons Tuesday after their lengthy summer recess. The big question will be why has such a wide margin been squandered in a matter of months, with the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent U-turns by government ministers in the firing line for criticism. On the opposition benches, the result will be welcomed by Labour Members of Parliament (MPs), headed by Keir Starmer, who replaced former party leader Jeremy Corbyn earlier this year. Opinium's Adam Drummond said, "This is the first time Labour have drawn level since July 2019 when both main parties were in freefall and losing votes to the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats." Since Johnson became prime minister, the Conservatives "typically had a double digit lead, peaking in March/April this year when they were seen to be handling the pandemic and lockdown fairly well while Labour changed leader. In the five months since that peak, the lead has gradually declined from 26 percent to 0 percent now." The Observer reported that as MPs prepare to return to Westminster, politician Charles Walker, who is vice-chair of the committee of Conservative backbenchers, told the newspaper that the recent string of U-turns had left many colleagues in despair, with some struggling to support and defend their government to constituents. Walker told the Observer that governing by U-turn is unsustainable. Walker, whom the paper described as a normally counted firm Johnson loyalist, said, "Too often it looks like this government licks its finger and sticks it in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. This is not a sustainable way to approach the business of governing and government." As well as steering Britain through the pandemic, Johnson faces a tough potentially make-or-break month September on Brexit negotiations with the European Union (EU). Both sides are scheduled to hold informal talks this week ahead of a formal negotiating round the following week. The Sunday Times reported Sunday both sides regard no deal as much more likely than it was a month ago. Johnson has insisted while being prime minister that there will be no extension of Britain's transition period beyond Dec. 31. The deadline was set when Britain's membership in the EU ended on Jan. 31. The aim of the transition period was to allow both sides to strike a permanent post-Brexit trade deal. The Sunday Times commented, "EU officials no longer think an agreement is likely to be struck before the European Council meeting on Oct. 15-16. They are informally discussing whether there should be a separate Brexit leaders' summit, or whether a 'legal vehicle' could be devised to extend talks past Dec. 31." Enditem Three militants and an assistant sub-inspector of Police were killed in a gunfight on the outskirts of the city here on Sunday, police said. Militants fired on a joint 'naka' of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Pantha Chowk area late on Saturday night, a police official said. He said the joint parties of the forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation there. During the searches in the area, the militants again fired on the search party of the forces, who retaliated, leading to an encounter, the official said. A tight cordon was maintained throughout the night and the firing resumed this morning, he said. He said three militants were killed in the gunfight. An assistant sub-inspector of Police, Babu Ram, was also killed in the operation, the official added. The operation is going on and further details were awaited, he 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.) /* custom css */ .tdi_75_3f4.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_3f4 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_3f4.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_3f4.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_3f4.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement I read with great dismay a Press Release issued by the opposition All Progressive Congress APC in Bauchi State through it Publicity Secretary Adamu Jallah berating the state government over the purported claim of non-payment of workers salaries It is beyond reasonable doubt that such a barking was not only politically motivated but a deliberate attempt by the perishing APC to exonerate itself from the obvious truth that the party was the originator of the embattled predicament. It could be recalled that the state civil servants have been enjoying uninterrupted payment of workers salaries, pensions, and gratuities until during the previous APC led administration which compromises various federal government interventions such as bailout and paris club funds aimed at upsetting the backlog of salary arrears, gratuities and pensions in some affected state across the federation, Bauchi State inclusive. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_648.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_648 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_648.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_648.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_648.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } This was the origin of the longtime predicament as the funds meant for addressing the problem were allegedly diverted to service either self interests or deployed to unintended areas. Had the problem solved, issues related to salaries would have been a thing of past. It is a well established principle, that any new government especially the one that unseated the incumbent must embark on a thorough redress, verifications and inventory taking with a view to identifying wrong doing and hidden plans that may bring setback to it policies and programmes . In Bauchi State, dopting this strategy is inevitable in view of the fact that the state civil service payroll and nominalroll are full of ghost workers and influx of sharp practices allegedly to have been carried by some unscrupulous officials of the previous administration Unarguably, there are few innocent civil servants that are victimized by the ongoing verification exercise but every right thinking member of the society must testify that such an exercise normally affected some innocent Workers and that was why Governor Bala Muhammad had officially apologized to those cartigory of people. On behalf of the state government, I sincerely apologize to the innocent civil servants affected by the verification exercise. We are doing it with the fear of God and with the sole intention of freeing resources to enable government employ our young graduates Shortly after Governor Bala Muhammad made the apology while receiving the report of the Workers BVN verification committee headed by senator Adamu Gumba where about five hundred ghost workers apprehended, he directed for the immediate payment backlog of salary arrears of those exonerated by the committee and payment are being made in that regard. In the APCs Press Statement made available to journalists in Bauchi, the Publicity Secretary also said that there is no justification for the government to withhold salaries of some staff for three months and more when the state receives its monthly allocations from the federal government This is also a mischievous claim as the state government has began payment of this month (August) since from twenty sixth of the month. The challenges of the delay in receiving credit alert by some workers may not be unconnected to the introduction of a new salary consultants that will sanitize the payroll and nominalroll which has to adopt a gradual and tactical processes in the implementation of it peculiar plans to prevent sabotage from perpetrators. Senator Bala Muhammad must not be unmindful of the contributions made by civil servants to the emergence of his government and must therefore not take any deliberate action that would subject them into untold hardship. That is why despite the multi-billion naira peoples oriented projects being executed across the state, payment of salaries and pensions remain the priority of his administration. isiyakaismailwunti@gmail.com She broke the bones in her feet during a freak accident on her Turkish family holiday in August. And now Katie Price is relying on her family to get her through difficult times as she embarks on a long road to recovery. The former glamour model, 42, revealed on Sunday that she is taking some much-needed time to rest and is surrounded by her 'nearest and dearest' including her mum, Amy, 68, and sister, Sophie, 30. Family matter: Katie took some time out with her mother Amy, 68, and sister, Sophie, 30 over the bank holiday weekend as she recovers from her recent surgery to repair her foot injuries An insider said to The Sun: 'Katie has had a really hard few weeks, injuring her feet was bad enough.' She announced that she is taking some time out to heal from her injuries following her recent operation and a string of doctors appointments. 'But then she got the diagnosis and had to go through the operation. Recovering has been really hard and she knows it is going to be a long road. 'This weekend has been a step back in the right direction. Surrounding herself with her nearest and dearest is exactly what she has needed. They are all rallying round and making sure Katie is OK.' Take a break: The-mother-of-five, 42, announced that she is following her doctor's orders and taking some time out to heal from her horrendous foot injuries Katie has been cracking jokes regarding her unfortunate injuries, while she is away, but she is still taking the advice of her doctors seriously and is letting her body heal. The source added: 'She says the doctors are probably keeping an eye on her social media because they keep reminding her to take things easy and not overdo it! 'But Katie will be listening as she just wants to recover as fast as she can.' On the mend: Katie broke both feet during a freak accident on holiday in Turkey in August and recently returned to the UK to have an operation at the Chelsea & Westminster hospital Her sister, Sophie posted a selfie to her Instagram Stories where a fresh-faced Katie looked relaxed on the countryside retreat with her family. She also posted a video of their mum, Amy, who appeared to be in the spirit on the girls' weekend away as Sophie filmed her shaking her blonde locks to music while in her pyjamas. It comes after the mother-of-five posted a statement to Instagram Stories on Thursday, which read: 'Katie is taking some time out of the media spotlight. 'Her family and Dr's have told Katie that she must rest in order to heal. Katie wants to thank everyone for their ongoing support and will be back when she feels ready.' Katie's representative told MailOnline: 'Katie is taking a much needed break. Katie has found the past few weeks terribly draining, both mentally and physically challenging and in order to bounce back is convalescing.' Getaway: Her mother Amy appeared to be in the spirit on the girls' weekend away as Sophie filmed her shaking her blonde locks to music while in her pyjamas on their Bank Holiday break Katie's representative told MailOnline: 'Katie is taking a much needed break. Katie has found the past few weeks terribly draining, both mentally and physically challenging' She had returned to social media on Monday after being rushed to hospital with a suspected infection last weekend, following surgery on her broken feet at the Chelsea & Wesminster hospital earlier in August. Katie had been warned by doctors to keep her legs elevated in order to aid her recovery, after she was rushed to A&E at hospital in Surrey. They suspected she would require further treatment for an infection after she revealed she was in 'excruciating agony'. The government of Commonwealth of Dominica has said that underworld don and India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim is and has never been a citizen of the island country. The government of Commonwealth of Dominica has said that underworld don and Indias most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim is and has never been a citizen of the island country. Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is not, nor has he ever been, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica, neither through the Citizenship by Investment Programme nor any other means. As such, any publication by any media or by any person purporting otherwise is strictly false, said the Dominican government in a statement. It has long been the responsibility of the Citizenship by Investment Unit to safeguard the integrity of the Citizenship by Investment Programme through the use of sophisticated due diligence and vetting procedures. The Citizenship by Investment Unit applies a multi-tiered system of due diligence, involving both internal and external checks by reputable, top-tier, international due diligence firms based in the United States and the United Kingdom, it said. The statement added, These external firms perform thorough checks, including on-the-ground research, to produce exhaustive due diligence reports. In this way, Dominica maintains a firm commitment to professional ethics and ensuring the safety of Dominican citizens. Dawood Ibrahim is wanted in India to face the law of the land for carrying out serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993, in which scores of people were killed and injured. India has asked Pakistan several times to hand over Dawood Ibrahim. ALSO READ: Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to join the race to succeed Shinzo Abe Pakistan has been denying that it has sheltered Dawood Ibrahim. However, a Pakistan government document recently revealed Dawood Ibrahims location that was related to a list of 88 terrorists sanctioned by Islamabad. His address on the document is White House, Karachi. The development comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary meet in October, which will review whether Pakistan would be blacklisted if steps are not taken in curbing terror financing on its soil. The country has been repeatedly asked to take action against terror funding and is been on the FATF grey list since June 2018. ALSO READ: U.S-China Trade War: China puts drones, laser tech on restricted export list Politicians, religious leaders need each other to increase influence By Jung Da-min For political parties, religious groups are often an important support base in winning elections or pushing ahead with their policies. Politicians like lawmakers and high-ranking government officials often make official visits to leaders of various religions to pay respect and gain their support for their policy drives. Religious groups, especially Protestant Christian ones, also take advantage of their social influence in expanding their presence and drawing more congregants. For example, close relations between political heavyweights and the head of a church or a temple are often a drawcard that helps bring more followers. Such a cooperative relationship between politicians and religious groups, however, could become tricky as seen in the recent controversy over the relations between the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) and "far-right" Christian group Sarang Jeil Church led by pastor Jun Kwang-hoon. The firebrand pastor has been leading far-right, anti-President Moon Jae-in movements in recent years. His influence was magnified when his rallies were joined by another anti-Moon group, the UFP's predecessor Liberty Korea Party (LKP). Former LKP leader Hwang Kyo-ahn and other party leaders often participated in demonstrations led by Jun's church. By joining hands with the religious group, the party could win over the church members as its supporters, while Jun could gain more party-affiliated conservative connections for the church a win-win game. But Jun's church came under fire recently for holding a massive rally in central Seoul on Aug. 15 despite concerns over the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting spike of new cases across the country. Some former and incumbent members of the UFP, including Rep. Hong Moon-pyo and former lawmakers Min Kyung-wook and Cha Myung-jin, also either attended the rally or came into contact with the rally participants. Among them, Cha has since tested positive for the virus. As the church and Jun became public enemy No.1 due to the coronavirus spread, the current UFP leadership is now trying to distance the party from Jun, because close relations with the church group would no longer help the party gain support from conservatives but rather make it lose support from a majority of the public. "The UFP drew a line between itself and the church although there was still room for controversy. The party was being cautious not to rouse the church whose members are still supporters of the country's conservative bloc, although they are rather ultraconservative," political commentator Yu Chang-seon said. Religious groups' influence on politics Once they create a relationship, politicians and religious groups can become good partners. But if the relationship is soured over a controversial issue, the specific politician or party could lose a huge support base. Although more than 56 percent of Koreans said they did not have a religion according to a 2015 survey by Statistics Korea, the number of people of religious persuasion is still large, with 19.7 percent of the total population being Protestant, 15.5 percent Buddhist, and 7.9 percent Catholic. "About half of the people are religious. They are believers and, at the same time, citizens of the country, meaning they are voters," said Choi Young-il, a political commentator and adjunct professor at Kyung Hee Cyber University. "To gain votes, politicians try to get close to large religious groups and particular churches that have a large number of congregants. This also applied to some new religions, such as Shincheonji Church of Jesus and Salvation Sect." Shincheonji was linked with the first wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Korea starting in February, and Salvation Sect was set up by Yoo Byung-eon who was linked to the Sewol ferry tragedy of 2014. Choi said such ties have prevented politicians from pushing for policies that could get on the nerves of a specific religion. One such issue was taxation of the clergy. While clergy members had not paid income taxes "customarily," previous administrations had attempted to impose them but withdrew the plan multiple times due to strong opposition from religious groups. A bill on taxation was passed at the National Assembly in 2015 but the implementation of the law was delayed also due to clerical backlash and only made possible in 2018. Another issue is an anti-discrimination law which the liberal bloc has been trying to enact. Since 2007, the government and progressive political parties have been trying to set up a law to ban all kinds of discrimination based on gender, disability, age, language, country of origin, sexual orientation and any other reasons. But the attempts failed as anti-gay Christian groups have claimed such a law would normalize homosexuality and thus have been strongly protesting the moves. Worrying about being labeled as supporters of sexual minorities and losing support from Christians, most lawmakers have refused to join the moves, and a handful of lawmakers who have submitted the anti-discrimination bills had to suffer a barrage of angry phone calls from conservative Christians. As for Buddhist groups, there have been continuous calls from the public to ban some temples from collecting entrance fees to national parks from mountain hikers. People say it is unreasonable for them to pay such fees when they just hike the mountains but don't visit the temples there. But despite the years-long public calls, the government and political parties have skirted the issue which could irritate the Buddhist community. It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Colgate-Palmolive (CL). Shares have added about 3.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Colgate-Palmolive due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Colgates Q2 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates Colgate has reported second-quarter 2020 results, wherein earnings and sales beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and have improved year over year. In the reported quarter, gains from strong volume growth and robust pricing were offset by unfavorable foreign currency. Citing continued uncertainty regarding the coronavirus pandemic, the company withheld its view for 2020. However, it continues to expect a mid-single-digit negative impact related to foreign exchange on net sales for 2020, based on current spot rates. Adjusted earnings of 74 cents per share rose 3% from the prior-year quarter and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 71 cents. On a GAAP basis too, earnings were 74 cents per share, reflecting growth of 9% from 68 cents earned in the year-ago period. Total net sales of $3,897 million improved 1% from the year-ago period and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,800 million. On an organic basis, the companys sales advanced 5.5%. Organic sales were aided by improved volume and higher pricing. Unit volume increased 3.5% and 2% on an organic basis. Further, pricing was up 3.5%. Growth was mainly led by strength in North America and Hills segments. However, results were partly hurt by a 6% negative impact from foreign currency. During the quarter, the company witnessed strong demand for some categories like liquid hand soap, dish liquid, bar soap and cleaners across almost all geographies. However, it witnessed the impacts of consumers lowering their pantry inventories for other categories, particularly in Europe. Adjusted gross profit margin of 60.8% increased 120 basis points (bps) from the prior-year quarter. In dollar terms, adjusted gross profit rose 2.6% to $2,369 million. Colgates market share of manual toothbrushes reached 31% year to date. Further, the company continued with its leadership position in the global toothpaste market, with market share at 40%. Story continues Segmental Discussion North Americas net sales (24% of total sales) improved 12%, reflecting a 13% rise in unit volume, offset by a 0.5% decline in pricing and a 0.5% negative currency impact. On an organic basis, sales grew 11% with volume up 11.5%, driven by growth in the United States and Canada. Latin Americas net sales (21% of total sales) dropped 13.5% year over year as 9% gains in pricing were offset by a 4.5% decline in unit volume and an 18% negative currency impact. On an organic basis, sales were up 4.5%, led by growth in Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean region and Colombia, partially negated by a decline in Mexico. Organic volume also decline 4.5% in the quarter. Europes net sales (16% of total sales) increased 5% year over year on a 7.5% rise in unit volume, somewhat offset by flat pricing and 2.5% adverse impact of unfavorable currency exchange. However, organic sales in Europe were down 1.5%, driven by a 1.5% decline in organic volume as well as declines in the U.K., Germany and Spain. This was slightly offset by organic sales growth in Switzerland and Belgium. The Asia Pacific segments net sales (16% of total sales) declined 3%, attributable to a 3% fall in unit volume and a 3.5% impact of unfavorable currency rates, offset by 3.5% pricing gains. On an organic basis, sales for the Asia Pacific were up 0.5%, mainly driven by growth in Greater China and Australia, partly compensated by declines in Thailand and India. Africa/Eurasias net sales (6% of total sales) dropped 6% year over year, owing to a 10.5% adverse impact from foreign exchange, which more than offset the 0.5% increase in unit volume and 4% pricing gains. Organic sales for Africa/Eurasia improved 2.5%, driven by gains in Turkey, the Saudi Arabia/Gulf States region and South Africa. Organic volume in the region declined 1.5%. Hills Pet Nutritions net sales (17% of total sales) grew 9.5% from the year-ago quarter. Results gained from a 7.5% increase in unit volume and a 4% rise in pricing, offset by a 2% negative impact of currency. On an organic basis, sales were up 11.5%, aided by gains in the United States and Europe. Other Financial Details Colgate ended second-quarter 2020 with cash and cash equivalents of $997 million, and total debt of $7,392 million. Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to $1,794 million as of Jun 30, 2020. How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then? It turns out, estimates revision have trended upward during the past month. VGM Scores At this time, Colgate-Palmolive has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. However, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Colgate-Palmolive has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ColgatePalmolive Company (CL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Doorstep coronavirus disease (Covid-19) tests, liberty to sit and deliver a speech in the House, freedom to undergo real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test at a constituency, a one-way movement in the Central Hall and key corridors are some of the new measures Parliament will offer to the Members Parliament (MPs) to ensure a safe and secure monsoon session that will be held between September 14 and October 1. In the meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, health experts gave several suggestions to ensure maximum safety for MPs during the upcoming monsoon session. The MPs will sit maintaining the minimum required distance between two seats in a mini cubicle, which will be separated by plexiglass sheets. Also read: Unlock 4 from September 1 - What changes, what remains the same Dr. Randeep Guleria, the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, suggested in the meeting that MPs should be allowed to sit and talk instead of the tradition of being on their feet. Sitting would ensure no spread of aerosol, Dr. Guleria explained. Speaker Birla is believed to have appreciated the suggestion, the officials said. Rajesh Bhushan, Union secretary, health and family welfare, suggested another plan and that, too, met Speaker Birlas instant approval. Bhushan suggested that on the lines of the Vande Bharat Mission evacuees, who would undergo RT-PCR test before boarding a flight, similarly, MPs could be requested to undergo the Covid-19 test 72 hours before attending Parliament. Lawmakers could be asked to take the RT-PCR test either at their homes or respective constituencies, he added. Also read: Row over Covid-19 vaccine in Australia, some clerics concerned Dr. Guleria also suggested that one-way movement be allowed in some key corridors and the Central Hall of Parliament. Visitors and media persons will not be allowed access to these areas during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. The measure, the AIIMS chief explained, would prevent MPs coming from face to face frequently and reduce the chance of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19. Speaker Birla has taken the call that Indian Tea Board and Indian Coffee Board would supply the beverages in disposable paper cups and no glass would be used. There was also some debate on installing an RT-PCR machine in the Lok Sabha. While Birla asked if such a machine can be installed in the Lower House of Parliament, health experts pointed out that handling large quantities of swab samples could be a risky proposition, as some might prove to be Covid-19 positive. Instead, Dr. Guleria suggested that technicians could be sent to an MPs residence in the national capital to collect the swab sample that could be sent for a test in a government-run laboratory. Birla lapped up the proposal and quipped: Why didnt I get such a good idea earlier? In the Vande Bharat Mission, the evacuees are required to upload their Covid-19 negative test report 72 before boarding a repatriation flight, if they would like to avail exemption from the mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine. The guidelines stated that within 96 hours before boarding the flight, the evacuees could undergo an RT-PCR test at their city of departure, and if the tests show Covid-19 negative, they must post the result and go to their respective homes upon arrival in the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Geneva, Aug 30 : The latest session of the UN-mediated Syrian constitutional talks has concluded, without announcing the date for the next meeting as expected. "We just concluded the session, after what I would call a challenging week," UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told reporters here on Saturday, adding that he was "extremely pleased" that the talks were able to reconvene despite the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. "It's been absolutely fascinating to listen to the discussions that we have been having. I mean, obviously, there are still very strong disagreements," he said. The latest session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee Small Body, which aims at paving the way for a political solution to the decade-long conflict in the country, started in Geneva on August 23. It then had to be suspended after four delegates tested positive for the virus. The talks then resumed on August 27, following additional testing and further medical and expert advice. "I was extremely pleased to hear the two co-chairs saying very clearly that they thought also there were quite a few areas or commonalities," Pedersen said. "What I'm looking forward to is... that we will be able to build on those commonalities and bring the process further forward." He told reporters that the tone during the talks was respectful, and "people were listening to each other". "I also got a clear message, both from their co-chairs and from the members, that they are keen to meet again," he said. The UN envoy said he will work with the two co-chairs on finding an agreement on the agenda for the next session, and then set an exact date for the next talks, which is expected to be held also in Geneva. The 150-member Syrian Constitutional Committee -- which comprises representatives of the Syrian government, the opposition, and civil society -- was officially launched in Geneva on October 30, 2019. The Committee and its Small Body held two rounds of sessions in November 2019, without making any major progress. The Small Body comprises 45 delegates, 15 each from the three groups. Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers. A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBuckets secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you. 1. Verification and registrar choice After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files. 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Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller. One person was shot and killed last night in downtown Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, as tensions between a group of U.S. President Donald Trumps supporters and anti-racist protesters escalated. The shooting took place at 8:46 p.m. local time (0346 GMT Sunday) as police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street, said Portland Police Bureau in a statement. It said police officers have secured the entire block at the crime scene and are investigating the shooting as a homicide, adding no suspect information is being released at this time. There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators. Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests, it tweeted. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Hotelier Gaurav Arya, who has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a parallel probe into allegations of money laundering in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, on Sunday claimed he had never met the actor. ED officials have called Arya, who runs Hotel Tamarind and Cafe Cotinga in Goa, for questioning on Monday. I have no connection with the case. I never met Sushant Singh Rajput. I met her (Rhea) in 2017, the Goa-based hotelier was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. ALSO WATCH | Sushant death case: Congress questions Sandeep Singhs link to BJP leaders Arya has also been linked to the drugs angle in connection with Rajputs death at his Mumbai apartment on June 14. His name sprang up in Chakrabortys WhatsApp conversations related to drugs. Investigators believe he used to supply drugs to Chakraborty. He has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and is being investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The bureau had on Wednesday registered a first information report (FIR) against Chakraborty, her brother Showik, talent manager Jaya Saha, Rajputs former manager Shruti Modi and Arya under sections 20, 22, 27 and 29 of the NDPS act. Also read: Drivers explain why two ambulances were present at Sushant Singh Rajputs house ED officials had also visited Hotel Tamarind run by Arya at Anjuna, a coastal village in north Goa, but found the property to be shut. They stuck a notice on the door of the hotel stating that Arya must meet Rajiv Kumar, assistant director, ED, at 11am on Monday in connection with a case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. According to officials, the hotel has been shut since the lockdown restrictions were enforced in March to contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak. Also read: Here are the 14 people facing probe in Sushant Singh Rajput case The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing Rajputs death case and has so far questioned Chakraborty, Showik, Rajputs manager Samual Miranda, domestic help Keshav, cook Neeraj Singh, flatmate and friend Siddharth Pithani and accountant Rajat Mewati. I am not a film buff. If someone praises a movie, I might make an effort to catch it, but there are more good films I miss than I get to see. Thats as true of Hollywood as it is of Bollywood or any other cinematographic forest for that matter! However, I definitely know what I want from a film. A gripping story, moving acting, a few pretty faces and heart-stirring emotions. When I get all of that, Im riveted to the screen. Its impossible to distract me. If, in addition, its a tear-jerker, Im quickly reduced to floods. There are many movies Ive cried through, even in cinema halls with people looking sideways and wondering whats going on. Well, theres a movie I saw last Sunday which has all of this and a lot more. Its called Mee Raqsam. Thats Urdu for I Dance. Its a simple gentle story that overwhelms you as the film plays out. Even though it has a heroic ending, the anguish and anger you feel is never totally erased. Its still there when your tears of rage turn to tears of happiness as the credits start to roll. Mee Raqsam is the story of a young Muslim girl, born and brought up in an Uttar Pradesh village called Mijwan, who has a fascination for Bharatanatyam and wants to learn the dance. In the eyes of the villages Muslim elders, this is heresy. In fact, for them its tantamount to a betrayal of Islam and the honour of the Muslim community. On the other hand, the Hindu patron of the Bharatanatyam academy she joins is no less hard and cruel. For him little Mariams passion is proof that Hindu culture will triumph over Islam. Thats what matters to him. Not her talent nor her story. Fortunately, Mariams father, a widowed village tailor, brilliantly played by Danish Hussain, is loving, understanding and supportive, even when the community, including his late wifes family, turn their backs on him. His business suffers and shrivels but his support for his 10-year-old daughter never falters. There are times when this story has echoes of Billy Elliot, an enchanting story of a Yorkshire coalminers son who defies the pit communitys traditions and learns ballet. Both films can be viewed as commentaries on the prejudices of their times. To an Indian audience, the British film may feel distant but Baba Azmis Mee Raqsam will not. It tellingly illustrates and illuminates the deepening Hindu-Muslim fissures that seem to be tearing our country apart. Yet, I would say the strength of Mee Raqsam is not what it says of our attitudes and our society though it speaks about that very eloquently but what it reveals of the love between a father and his daughter. This precious relationship is treated without false sentimentality and, mercifully, without the Hollywood habit of overegging the story. Its the little things in life that can mean so much and thats why its the little moments of affection the look on a face, the touch of a hand, the smile on a little girls lips that can move you to tears. Love is a big story and it has no ending but the paradox is its best told with just a few words and the occasional expression. Thats where this movie becomes a masterpiece. I suspect the makers and promoters of this film and the list has Shabana Azmis name at the very top intended for the movies political message to be the one the audience takes home. No doubt its an important one. It needs to be heard and repeated. Indeed, even that might not be enough. But when you see the movie, its the beauty and magic of the love between a father and his daughter that you are bound to remember. Politics recedes, as it always should. Love triumphs as, hopefully, it always will. If you take my advice and see this movie, I dont think youll regret doing so. Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On Sunday, Parks and Recreation alum Rashida Jones shared a tribute to her late mother Peggy Lipton on what would've been her 74th birthday. The 44-year-old Grammy winner - who boasts 1.9M Instagram followers - wrote: 'Happy birthday mama. I feel you smiling down on us. Miss you everyday in every way.' Rashida's post received consolatory comments from Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar winner Natalie Portman, Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay, DJ Samantha Ronson, #BlackAF co-star Nia Long, Greys Anatomy's Kelly McCreary, The Office alum Angela Kinsey, and Emmy winner Lena Waithe. Mourning: On Sunday, Parks and Recreation alum Rashida Jones shared a tribute to her late mother Peggy Lipton on what would've been her 74th birthday (pictured in 2018) The 44-year-old Grammy winner - who boasts 1.9M Instagram followers - wrote: 'Happy birthday mama. I feel you smiling down on us. Miss you everyday in every way' Jones' 46-year-old sister Kidada shared the same b&w snap of her mother and wrote on Instagram: 'My first love. My true love. My forever love. Happy birthday, my precious mommy.' The siblings' father - EGOT champ Quincy Jones - previously wrote that they 'still hold your mother's beautiful smile and light' and 'our collective parental love for you isn't restricted by the boundaries of any physical form.' Peggy (born Margaret Ann) passed away, at age 72, in May 2019 following a 17-year battle with stage III colon cancer. The Golden Globe winner - best known for Twin Peaks and The Mod Squad - graced the silver screen for the final time as Hannah in Lasse Hallstrom's 2017 movie, A Dog's Purpose. 'What a loss!' Rashida's post received consolatory comments from Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar winner Natalie Portman, Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay, DJ Samantha Ronson, #BlackAF co-star Nia Long, Greys Anatomy's Kelly McCreary, The Office alum Angela Kinsey, and Emmy winner Lena Waithe Jones' 46-year-old sister Kidada shared the same b&w snap of her mother and wrote on Instagram: 'My first love. My true love. My forever love. Happy birthday, my precious mommy' Legacy: The siblings' father - EGOT champ Quincy Jones (M) - previously wrote that they 'still hold your mother's beautiful smile and light' and 'our collective parental love for you isn't restricted by the boundaries of any physical form' Luckily, Lipton lived long enough to meet Rashida's two-year-old son Isaiah with her five-time Grammy-nominated boyfriend of five years, Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig. Jones began filming her next movie - Sofia Coppola's drama On The Rocks - with Bill Murray just three weeks after Peggy's passing. 'This shoot came at a very difficult time for me. But being surrounded by these enormous talents was not just a career dream come true,' the Harvard University grad wrote on August 19. 'It also felt like a sort of salvation; work can be meaningful on many levels like that. So grateful to Sofia and Bill and @marlonwayans and all the other bright lights in the cast and crew.' Gone too soon: Peggy (born Margaret Ann) passed away, at age 72, in May 2019 following a 17-year battle with stage III colon cancer RIP: The Golden Globe winner - best known for Twin Peaks (pictured) and The Mod Squad - graced the silver screen for the final time in Lasse Hallstrom's 2017 movie, A Dog's Purpose 'Awkward family Christmas photo': Luckily, Lipton lived long enough to meet Rashida's two-year-old son Isaiah with her five-time Grammy-nominated boyfriend of five years, Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig (R, pictured in 2018) Both Rashida and the 49-year-old Oscar-winning screenwriter grew up in privileged showbiz families with larger-than-life fathers - the 87-year-old music mogul and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. The Manhattan-set father-daughter movie - also featuring Marlon Wayans and Jenny Slate - will be released in theaters and Apple TV+ sometime in October. Jones will also resume her role as Joya Barris in Kenya Barris' sitcom #BlackAF, which was renewed by Netflix for a second season on June 23. You can watch Parks and Recreation on Hulu, or on Stan in Australia. 'This shoot came at a very difficult time for me': Jones began filming her next movie - Sofia Coppola's (L) drama On The Rocks - with Bill Murray (R) just three weeks after Peggy's passing A student walks toward Royce Hall on the campus of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, California on March 11, 2020. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) 2 Chinese Military-Linked Researchers Arrested After Trying to Fly to China, DOJ Says Two Chinese researchers with alleged ties to the Chinese military have been arrested on federal charges while attempting to board China-bound flights, according to separate criminal complaints unsealed on Aug. 28. One of the arrested was Guan Lei, a 29-year-old researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), who was charged with destroying evidence to obstruct an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into whether he had transferred sensitive U.S. software or data to China, the Justice Department said. Also on Aug. 28, University of Virginia (UVA) researcher Hu Haizhou, 34, was arrested and charged with theft of trade secrets and computer intrusion, the department announced. This came days after he was caught at a Chicago airport trying to transport back to China advanced computer codes that he allegedly stole from the university, prosecutors said. The arrests of Guan and Hu are the latest in a long string of U.S. prosecutions targeting Beijings efforts to exploit American academic institutions for economic or military gain. Alleged Evidence Destruction The FBI began an investigation into Guan, a visiting scholar at UCLAs mathematics department, in July, suspecting visa fraud and that he might be transferring sensitive software or technical data to high-ranking Chinese military officers, according to a court filing. Guan wasnt however charged with those crimes. Instead, prosecutors accused Guan, who lives in Irvine, California, of destroying evidence that likely contained incriminating evidence. FBI agents who were staking out Guans apartment on July 25 saw him take out a damaged hard drive from his sock and throw it in the dumpster near the building, court documents said. The drive was irreparably damaged and that all previous data associated with the hard drive appears to have been removed deliberately and by force, according to an affidavit. Guan discarded the drive after he was interviewed by FBI agents during which he refused the investigators request to take his computer away for examination. Days after the July 17 interview, he attempted to board a flight to China but was blocked from doing so. Destroying evidence is a felony offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Before coming to the United States, Guan studied at Chinas National University of Defense Technology, a military academy where one of Guans faculty advisors was also a lieutenant general in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who developed computers used in the military. Guan had access to UCLAs Graphics Processing Unit machine that has potential military use, such as surveillance and intelligence applications, court documents said. Prosecutors allege that when Guan was questioned by customs officials at the airport, he lied that he never had contact with the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles during his near two-year stay in the United States. However, phone records, email exchanges, and Lyft transactions that investigators later found showed that Guan had asked the consulate about sanctions connected with his university in China and about the possibility of flying back to China on a chartered plane. Since the June arrest of Wang Xin, another suspected undercover Chinese military researcher who worked at the University of California, San Francisco, the Chinese regime has instructed military scientists in the United States to destroy evidence and coordinated efforts to bring them back to China, according to recent court documents. Asked by FBI officers whether he had talked with the Chinese consulate about Wangs arrest, Guan replied that he shouldnt be worried. Isnt he a soldier? I am not in the same category as him. Plus, the internet says Wang was stealing information. I am here openly, you can search my stuff, Guan told the FBI officer on July 17, according to court documents. During this interview, FBI officers discovered that Guan had already wiped clean his Lenovo laptop and two phones before he handed them to the agent for inspection. During a subsequent FBI house raid on July 30, officers discovered that Guan had deleted most of the data from another external hard drive, court document said. Guan had his first court appearance on Friday. He is due to appear at the next court hearing on Sept. 17. Students return to the University of Virginia for the fall semester in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 19, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Alleged Theft of Advanced Computer Codes Hu was conducting research studying bio-mimics and fluid dynamics at UVA. During a routine inspection on Aug. 25, authorities at Chicagos OHare International Airport found Hu to be in possession of bio-inspired research simulation software code that he did not have authorized access to, prosecutors said. The software code, according to court filings, represented 17 years of work by Hus professor at UVA, and could be used for making underwater robotics, aircraft engines, among other marine and aerospace applications. The professor has been awarded grants totaling $1.8 million, as a result of the research conducted with this simulation software, the complaint said. A U.S.-based company that licenses a similar software received more than $1.5 billion in revenue in 2019, it added. Due to the codes sensitive nature, the professor told FBI investigators that he had strictly limited physical and electronic access to it, and only shared it with two other graduate students who work under himwhich did not include Hu. The professor and the two graduate students had denied Hus request for access on multiple occasions. Hu admitted to the FBI agents that the professor would be upset to learn that Hu had the coding files, according to the court document. The investigators found around 9,600 source code files on Hus laptop for bio-inspired fluid mechanics research, and identified about 55 to be core code files that the professor described as proprietary. The professor said that Hu could only have obtained these core cord files by stealing the three authorized users credentials or by hacking into the computer, according to the court document. Hu worked in the professors lab from approximately March 2019 to August 2020, and left for China without telling him, the professor said. Hu had met the professor in 2017 when the professor gave a lecture at his then university, Beijing-based Beihang University. Hu had been a researcher at a fluid dynamics lab at Beihang, a university funded by the Chinese regime and the Chinese air force. After the lecture, Hu approached the professor to join the UVA research team. Hu had also worked in a research lab for underwater robot technology while studying at Chinas Harbin University, which, Hu told investigators, was of course funded by the Chinese military. Hu provided conflicting and incriminating statements to FBI agents regarding his activities while conducting U.S.-government funded research, the affidavit said. For example, Hu said the professor was aware that he was taking his research with him to China, but later said that no one had knowledge of the matter. The Chinese Scholarship Council, which is run by the regimes ministry of education, covered the costs associated with Hus research in the United States. The council required him to give a summary report about his research every six months, Hu told the investigators. Global coronavirus infections soared past 25 million on Sunday, as countries around the world further tightened restrictions to try to stop the rampaging pandemic. A million additional cases have been detected globally roughly every four days since mid-July, according to an AFP tally, with India on Sunday setting the record for the highest single-day rise in cases with 78,761. The surge in India, home to 1.3 billion people, came as the government further eased lockdown restrictions on the weekend to help ease pressure on the reeling economy. The Reuters news agency's running tally also saw world coronavirus cases surpass the 25 million mark on Sunday. Even nations such as New Zealand and South Korea, which had previously brought their outbreaks largely under control, are now battling new clusters of infections. On the other side of the world, Latin America the worst-hit region was still struggling with its first wave, with Covid-19 deaths in Brazil crossing 120,000, second only to the United States. Brazil's curve "has stabilised now, but at a very dangerous level: nearly 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day", said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at public health institute Fiocruz. "And Brazil still isn't past the peak." The official number of global coronavirus cases is now at least five times the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to World Health Organization data. Around the world, there have been more than 840,000 deaths, considered a lagging indicator given the two-week incubation period of the virus. That has exceeded the upper range of 290,000 to 650,000 annual deaths linked to influenza. With no vaccine or effective treatment available yet, governments have been forced to resort to some form of social distancing and lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus. Masks will become mandatory from Monday on public transport and flights in New Zealand, which went more than 100 days without local transmission before the current cluster emerged. Story continues And tightened virus curbs kicked in on Sunday in South Korea, which is also battling fresh clusters including in the greater Seoul region, home to half the country's population. 'Anti-corona' rallies in Europe Despite the grim numbers, there has been steady opposition to lockdowns and social distancing measures in many parts of the world, often because of their crushing economic cost. But resistance has also come from the extreme right and left of the political spectrum, as well as conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccine campaigners. In Berlin on Saturday, around 18,000 people gathered to march against coronavirus restrictions but police later stopped the rally because many were not respecting social distancing measures. Protesters waved German flags and shouted slogans against Chancellor Angela Merkel often used by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Many carried placards promoting widely debunked conspiracy theories about vaccines, face masks and 5G communications. Similar protests were held in London and Zurich, where some carried signs supporting the far-right QAnon movement, which promotes bizarre theories about Satan-worshipping cabals and "deep state" plots without any credible evidence. 'A big first step' The pandemic has upended economies and societies around the world, and halted most large gatherings from sport and music to religion and politics. The Tour de France set off from the French Riviera on Saturday, two months later than planned and with the French sport minister not ruling out the cancellation of the event because of the coronavirus. Under the Tour rules, a team with two positive tests in its entourage would be expelled. A virus testing cell will travel with the teams throughout the race. The world's top sport, culture and music events are struggling with the challenge of hosting spectators while reducing the risk of virus transmission. But there was some cheer on Saturday in New York, once among the world's biggest coronavirus hotspots. Visitors raised their arms, clapped and lined up to get tickets as New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its doors to the public in a festive atmosphere after a six-month closure. Tracy-Ann Samuel, who came with her daughters aged four and nine, said she couldn't wait to again be "surrounded by beautiful art". "It means that there is some semblance of normalcy," Samuel said. "The Met has been a part of New York history for over 150 years ... So this is a big first step." Underreporting The global pace of new infections has steadied a little. It has taken about three weeks for the caseload to jump by 5 million cases to 25 million. That compared with the 19, 24 and 39 days it took, respectively, to add 5 million cases to the 20 million, 15 million and 10 million marks. The rate of new daily cases has slowed to around 1.2 percent over August so far. That compared with 1.7 percent in July, 1.8 percent in June, 2.1 percent in May, 4.6 percent in April and 7.7 percent in March. Health experts stress that official data almost certainly underreports both infections and deaths, particularly in countries with limited testing capacity. While Covid-19's trajectory still falls far short of the 1918 Spanish flu, which infected an estimated 500 million people, killing at least 10 percent of patients, experts worry the available data is underplaying the true impact of the pandemic. (FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (August 30, 2020) addressed the nation through the 15th Episode of "Mann Ki Baat 2.0" and exhorted students and teachers to bring to the fore stories of unsung heroes of India's freedom struggle. Noting that the country will celebrate its 75th year of independence in 2022, PM Modi said it is imperative for todays students to remain familiar with the heroes of India's freedom struggle. "When our students are apprised of the history of the freedom struggle viz-a-viz their local surroundings, only then will we see the reverberations of it on the personality of the students," he said. Prime Minister suggested that a topic of research for students can be finding whether there were any events during the course of the freedom struggle in the districts they live in. "A visit of students to a place in their town associated with the freedom struggle can be planned. Students of some schools can also resolve to write 75 poems and theatrical stories on the heroes of our freedom movement to mark the 75th year of our independence," he asserted. Prime Minister noted that these efforts will bring to the fore stories of lakhs of unsung heroes who lived and died for the country but have faded into oblivion. Also read | PM Narendra Modi lauds Vida, Sophie, Balram in Mann Ki Baat: Here's what the brave army dogs did for country Prime Minister said that when one thinks of his or her successes, one is always reminded of a teacher. He said that COVID-19 crisis has posed a challenge for teachers, who have turned it into an opportunity by seamlessly embracing new tools and technology, which they have passed on to students as well. He expressed confidence that teachers will play a significant role in disseminating the benefits of National Education Policy to the students. Also read | PM Narendra Modi gives another push to vocal for local, urges start-ups to 'team up for toys' With Teachers Day set to be observed on September 5, PM Modi called upon teachers to start preparing and work towards creating an environment for the same. In the latest address of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi also said that the youth participated enthusiastically in the AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge. He stated that nearly two-thirds of the entries were made by the youth of tier two and tier three cities and discussed several of these apps, including Kutuki Kids Learning app, an interactive app for children; an app for microblogging platform called ku KOO ku; Chingari App which is getting popular among the youth; Ask Sarkar app to get the right information about any government scheme; Step Set Go, a fitness app etc. Prime Minister said that today's small start-ups will transform into big companies tomorrow and become the mark of India in the world, adding that one should not forget that the big companies which exist in the world today, were also, once, start-ups. He has talked about additional tax cuts including extending the recently implemented temporary payroll tax holiday. But the soaring federal deficit may limit realistic prospects for enacting additional reductions. Slow the tempo of his tweets and his rhetoric. Polls show Trump has lost some support among voters who like his judicial nominations, the 2017 tax cut and the cutback in federal regulations. The reason is that those voters are turned off by the presidents incessant tweeting, the harshness of his commentary and the self-induced chaos in the White House. As a result, a president who made virtually no effort to broaden his base by appealing to voters who opposed him in 2016 is in danger of driving away some who voted for him and would do so again. Judging from recent polling, Trump cant afford to lose those voters. They represent the gap between the 46% of voters who voted for him in 2016, and the smaller portion who say hes doing a good job in office. Trumps job approval rating has ranged between the upper 30s and the mid-40s. Molly Bursey felt a glimmer of hope when the Texas House of Representatives formed a Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention and Community Safety in September 2019, a few days after a gunman killed seven people and wounded 25 in Odessa. Im always hopeful that a mass shooting will prick the hearts of lawmakers who have, up until that point, ignored the calls and cries of survivors of gun violence, said Bursey, the volunteer state legislative lead of Texas Moms Demand Action. Im always hopeful. But almost a year later, with no emergency legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott to address gun violence and no additional committee meetings scheduled for the remainder of the year, she said shes lost hope that the House will take any action related to gun laws. Bursey, like others advocating for common-sense gun laws, testified at earlier hearings about universal background checks, red flag laws and banning open carry of rifles. The New Braunfels resident said the shooting that hit closest to home for her was in Sutherland Springs, where a gunman shot and killed 26 people at First Baptist Church. Gyl Switzer, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, also testified at the three hearings the committee held in Farmers Branch, Odessa and El Paso. A meeting scheduled in Houston for March was canceled because of coronavirus; the committee requested invited commenters to submit written testimony, which Switzer and Bursey have done. Switzer said she saw lightbulbs go off at some points during the hearings, such as when committee members were told that while those convicted of domestic abuse are sometimes prohibited from possessing firearms, there are no laws requiring domestic abusers to relinquish their guns. A bill requiring those who are arrested or charged with family violence or are the subject of a protective order to surrender their firearms was introduced by Rep. Joe Moody in 2019, but it was not discussed by the Legislature. Besides background checks on private sales, red flag laws and tougher laws for those charged with domestic violence, Switzer said shed also like to see the reintroduction of a lie and try bill that was left pending in committee in 2019. That bill would crack down on people who lie on federal background checks to obtain a firearm. Although the practice is a federal crime, most denied checks are never investigated. The committee is expected to release its report in November with recommendations for the upcoming legislative session. They have to make some reasonable recommendations. They just you cant be put in this position of terrible mass shootings and not do anything about it, Switzer said. Now, I say that when they could have done something about it in the 2019 session they managed to do nothing after the Santa Fe shooting and the Sutherland Springs shooting but you just have to believe that theres a critical mass of death in the street and that they have to make some reasonable recommendations. In an opinion article for the Reporter-Telegram, Rep. Brooks Landgraf of Odessa said the committee is taking the threat of mass violence seriously. Though he did not say if he would be supporting any new gun laws, he said he would be advocating for an active shooter alert system similar to Amber Alerts. Bursey said that instead of staying optimistic that the House will propose new gun legislation, the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action has pivoted toward voting out those who oppose such laws. She said that as the population of Texas grows younger and more diverse, gun safety has emerged as an increasingly important voter issue. Elected officials have kowtowed to the gun lobby and the money that they bring to their campaigns for far too long, and Texans are sick of it, Bursey said. As a mom, Im sick of it. Ive had it. And I think well see the results of that in November, that were tired of their inaction and we will vote them out of office. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, one of the 23 people who wrote a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, seeking reforms in the party, said on Saturday that none of the concerns raised by them were addressed or even shared at the Congress Working Committee meeting. No leader stepped in when those who wrote the letter were attacked, said Sibal in an interview to the Indian Express, recalling his experience at the CWC meeting held after the letter was written. Twenty-three senior leaders had written letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, asking her for sweeping changes in the party. The list includes five former chief ministers, sitting MPs Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, members of Congress Working Committee and over a dozen former union ministers with years of political experience. Sibal told IE that the Congress needed a de jure and a de facto president and that the concerns expressed in the letter should be addressed immediately. He said that while the Indian National Congress has always accused the BJP of not following the Constitution and destroying the foundation of democracy, the group, in turn, merely wanted adherence to the partys Constitution. Who can object to that, he said in the report. He said the countrys politics needed more than just loyalty. Adding to that loyalty, there was needed merit, inclusiveness, and commitment to the cause, Sibal said, while adding that there should be the ability to listen and have a dialogue. In the letter, the signatories sought a full time and effective leadership, elections to the CWC, and the setting-up of an institutional leadership mechanism to guide Congress revival". Sibal said the fundamental thing which should have happened at the meeting is the CWC being apprised of what the letter said. If there was a fault in the letter, then the group could have been questioned, and the group should be questioned, he said. He said the fact that there was no talk of substance, but talk of either the timing of the letter or that it was written itself, was an example of distancing oneself from the cause. And that has what has happened," Sibal said, and added that not one request of the members, or concern reflected in the letter was addressed in the meeting, and that yet they were called dissenters. He said in the course of the CWC meeting, the letters signatories were called traitors" and that nobody sitting at the meeting including the leadership, came to their aid at such uncivilised language being used, despite the letter being very civilised. Sibal said no Congress leader had come to support the 23 yet because in politics, people said something publicly and thought otherwise, privately. He said that people across the country, despite whether they belonged to the Congress, expressed appreciation for their concerns. So, obviously, there is a public sentiment which appreciates our desire to rejuvenate the Congress," he told the Indian Express, adding if that the Congress was not there, the opposition was not there. He said the INC needed to be the lynchpin around which the wheel of the opposition revolved. The Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (hereinafter referred to as Lin-gang Special Area) has just celebrated its one-year anniversary. Guided by the principle of systematic reform and integrated innovation, the Lin-gang Special Area has orderly advanced its reforms. Over half of the 78 policies and institutional innovations in line with the overall plan for the development of Lin-gang Special Area have been implemented. Forty-five have been completed, and 22 have finished plan making. The area has so far attracted investment of more than 270 billion yuan ($39.3 billion). Lin-gang Special Area is dedicated to making invest environment more efficient, equitable and expectable. For instance, the qualifications for monitoring water and soil conservation in construction projects used to take at least one in-person visit, submission of three files and seven days to finish. Now, the matter can be done with only online submission of one file in just five minutes. Not long ago, a new energy project created a new record in service speed of the area, which only took four months from signing to acquiring construction permits. Besides, Lin-gang Special Area is also making full efforts to promote the reengineering of approval procedures, raising 26 measures to improve government and enterprise investment projects, which greatly facilitated the progress of these projects. According to Zhu Zhisong, executive deputy director of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-gang Special Area Administration, the area has comprehensively promoted the reform separating permits from the business licenses for 51 items related to business operation permits. As the business environment continuously improves, resource factors are also gathering. Over the past year, a total of 15,115 enterprises were established in Lin-gang Special Area, and 358 projects signed, totaling investment of over 271.36 billion yuan. Foreign investment was especially active. From the area's inauguration to the end of June, 260 foreign enterprises were found in the area, 70 percent of which were wholly foreign-owned. With high standards and long-term goals, Lin-gang Special Area has been actively constructing the Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Area, the only special comprehensive bonded area among Chinas 151 customs special supervision zones. It represents the high-standard trade liberalization of Lin-gang Special Area, gathering a series of innovative high value added industries, such as cross-border trade, high-end shipping, international supply chain management, international high-end manufacturing and relevant services. The Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Area was approved by Chinas State Council on Jan. 17 this year. In just less than four months, the phase one project of the area was completed and inaugurated on May 16. So far, 163 projects totaling 9.82 billion yuan have been registered there, including 11 with a value of over 100 million yuan. Now, 123 projects are under construction, with predicted investment of 15.13 billion yuan. In less than a year, Lin-gang Special Area has achieved fruitful results in the finance sector. On May 8, 50 new incentives were jointly issued by the Shanghai headquarters of the Peoples Bank of China, Shanghai Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau, Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau, Shanghai Financial Regulatory Bureau and China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-gang Special Area Administration, to boost financial development in Lin-gang Special Area. Piloting the RMB settlements for cross-border trade transactions was one of the incentives. It allows enterprises listed as excellent by the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank to receive and pay under trade in services without submitting relevant documents in advance. The favorable policies are facilitating the internationalization of the financial businesses in Lin-gang Special Area. A batch of financial institutes are gathering in the area, and a series of signature projects, including the 200 billion-yuan fund for the mixed-ownership reform of state-owned enterprises, have been implemented. According to an action plan released by Shanghai on Aug. 15, Lin-gang Special Area is expected to see an annual growth of added value of 25 percent in the next two years. As a special economic function zone, the area is creating higher level of opening up. The US has reached another grim milestone with the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus passing six million on Sunday, according to a count by NBC News. While nationally, metrics on new cases, deaths, hospitalisations and the positivity rates of tests are all declining, the Midwest has emerged as the latest hotspot. Across the country there were more than 47,000 new cases and almost 1,000 additional deaths reported on Sunday. The World Health Organisation warns that more than eight months into the pandemic the seemingly unending onslaught is taking its toll on healthcare workers and first responders. The front line responders working tirelessly to save lives during the pandemic deserve time to rest, a statement from the WHO said on Sunday. Talk to your colleagues or supervisor if you think you may be experiencing burnout. In the US, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota recently saw record one-day increases in new cases. Montana and Idaho have reported record numbers of currently hospitalised Covid-19 patients. Many of the new cases in Iowa are in the counties that are home to the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, which are holding some in-person classes. Colleges and universities around the country have seen outbreaks after students returned to campus, forcing some to switch to online-only learning. Infections have also risen after an annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota drew more than 365,000 people from across the country from 7-16 August. The South Dakota health department said 88 cases have been traced to the rally. Families are being advised to think carefully before gathering together over the Labor Day weekend holiday after experts noted a trend for infections arising from smaller gatherings, USA Today reports. The US continues to struggle with testing the number of people tested fell in recent weeks. Many health officials and at least 33 states have rejected the new Covid-19 testing guidance issued by the Trump administration last week that said those exposed to the virus and without symptoms may not need testing. Public health officials believe the US needs to test more frequently to find asymptomatic Covid-19 carriers to slow the spread of the disease. While the US has the most recorded infections in the world, it ranks tenth based on cases per capita, with Brazil, Peru and Chile having higher rates of infection, according to a Reuters tally. The US also has the most deaths in the world at over 183,000 and ranks 11th for deaths per capita, exceeded by Sweden, Brazil, Italy, Chile, Spain, the UK, Belgium and Peru. Globally 843,000 people have died according to Johns Hopkins University data. With reporting from Reuters Earlier this month, the long-simmering tensions between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia came to a boil when Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi publicly criticised the kingdom for its perceived lack of support for Islamabads interests in the disputed Kashmir region. During a televised interview on August 4, Qureshi said Islamabad expects the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene a meeting on Kashmir. Otherwise, he said, Pakistan would be compelled to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir. Qureshis comments have widely been viewed as a veiled threat to create a new bloc that would rival the Saudi-dominated OIC. In response, Saudi Arabia withdrew a $1bn loan it had extended to Pakistan in November 2018, when the country was in dire economic straits and required foreign reserves to avoid a possible sovereign default. The kingdom has also refused to renew a deferred oil payments scheme that was part of the same package. In a bid to control the damage, on August 17, Pakistans Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa rushed to Riyadh. However, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) did not grant an audience to Bajwa, and the powerful military chief abruptly returned to Islamabad after holding a short meeting with Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. Soon after General Bajwa landed in Pakistan, Qureshi left for China, sending a clear message to the kingdom that Islamabad is diversifying its alliances and re-evaluating the value of its strategic partnership with Riyadh. The latest diplomatic spat between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan should be seen in the broader context of recent strategic realignments in the Middle East and the Muslim world. For some time, Pakistan has been struggling to keep to its traditional policy of maintaining neutral relations with rival Muslim powers. While Islamabad is concerned about the deepening strategic and economic cooperation between its arch-rival India and a group of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is equally frustrated by Pakistans overtures towards Muslim-majority states it views as hostile, such as Turkey, Malaysia and Qatar. Furthermore, the proposed Iran-China deal that is due to make both Islamabad and Tehran important nodes in Beijings Belt and Road Initiative is expected to change the dynamics of Pakistans relations with Iran. Saudi Arabia, which views Iran as the main threat to its regional and global ambitions, is concerned about the possible emergence of a new partnership between Iran and Pakistan under the stewardship of China. After Indias August 2019 move to revoke Indian-administered Kashmirs semi-autonomous status, Pakistan expected Arab states to ferociously endorse its Kashmir policy. However, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) failed to take a strong stance against India, frustrating Islamabad. The Gulf states have balanced their dealings with Pakistan and India in the past. But now, it seems, they are openly moving closer to India and away from Pakistan. This new strategy was on display during MBSs February 2019 tour of South Asia. The Saudi Crown Prince not only made the unprecedented move of visiting India directly after Pakistan, but also promised to make larger investments in India than he did in Pakistan. After signing a memorandum of understanding valued at about $20bn to help prop up Pakistans economy, MBS said in New Delhi that he expects Riyadhs investments in India to exceed $100bn in the coming two years. A few weeks later, in March 2019, the UAE also made it clear that it is seeking closer ties with India at the expense of Pakistan, when it invited Indias Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj as a guest of honour to the OIC summit it was due to host. Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi pulled out of the summit in protest, but failed to make the UAE rescind its invitation to India. Today, Saudi Arabia has several reasons to value its deepening partnership with India more than its historic ties to Pakistan. While the annual trade between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stands at around $3.6bn, Saudi-India bilateral trade is worth more than $30bn. This trade differential partially explains, despite persistent Pakistani requests, why Riyadh has avoided raising the Kashmir issue beyond mere tokenism. Unlike Pakistan, Saudis do not take a zero-sum view of their growing economic cooperation with India. In fact, economic overtures towards India are part of MBSs post-oil economic diversification efforts. Furthermore, the new government in Pakistan is moving closer to Turkey and Malaysia two countries that Saudi Arabia views as challengers to its prominence within the Muslim world. Last December, Pakistan caved in to Saudi pressure and pulled out of the Kuala Lumpur summit, which was perceived by many as an attempt to replace the Saudi-controlled OIC. The embarrassment it suffered over the affair made Islamabad more eager to carve out some autonomous policy space to safeguard its vital strategic interests without perpetually depending on its Arab allies. As a result of Pakistans efforts to be more autonomous, which moved it closer to Riyadhs rivals in the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia started to perceive Pakistan more as a potential rival than a loyal ally. This too likely makes the Saudi leadership less eager to lash out at India over Kashmir. While Pakistan is undoubtedly well aware of Saudi Arabias move away from itself and towards India, given its economic dependence on the kingdom, it cannot afford to sever its ties with Riyadh completely. This is why Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan recently played down his countrys differences with Saudi Arabia, claiming that the rumours about a rift between Riyadh and Islamabad are totally false. Amid ongoing strategic realignments in the Middle East and the wider world, we are likely to see many more ups and downs in the relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the coming days. It appears Saudi Arabia will continue to move closer to India, ignoring Pakistani demands for support on Kashmir. Pakistan, meanwhile, is unlikely to give up on its diverse partnerships and return to Saudi Arabias orbit. While some friction seems unavoidable, the two long-time allies can prevent further fraying by assuming a pragmatic approach and working to strengthen ties in areas of convergence, such as security. Editors note: A previous version of this article wrongly referred to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa as Lieutenant-General. The article also erranously claimed Saudi Arabias $1bn loan to Pakistan was interest free, this has now been corrected. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. 100 Years Ago 1920: Breaking all records since the prohibition act became effective more than a year ago, a class of 18 faced Magistrate Elliott in Police Court today, right on the heels of the record-breaking Sunday class. Practically all the prisoners had been drinking heavily, causing fights and other disorders. A. Adams, 622 Green St., and Benedict Zyaty, 313 Hinkson St, were fighting over the disposition of six gallons of liquor in the Fifth Ward when taken into custody by Patrolman Rosen. Adams declared that Zyaty purchased the high voltage liquid embellishment at a fancy price and when they couldnt sell it with a profit demanded that Adams meet his share of the loss. Each was fined $10 and costs. 75 Years Ago 1945: Eugene J. Houdry, inventor of catalytic cracking for petroleum, and president of the Houndry Process Corporation and the Catalytic Development Company, of Linwood, has arrived in Moscow to discuss the operation of Houdry facilities now being installed in Russia. Three refinery operations men from the Sun Oil Company at Marcus Hook William W. Colket of Lima, Benjamin Evans, of Marcus Hook, and Joseph Logan, of Chester have contracted to go to Russia to help operate the Houdry installations and to train Russian workers. 50 Years Ago 1970: Historic Delaware County has renewed its suggestion to the Delaware River Port Authority that the new bridge connecting Chester and Brideport, N.J., be named in honor of William Penn. In a letter to each authority member, President John D. Milner urged: Now as the Bicentennial approaches, we trust you will feel inspired to honor this man by naming for him the new great bridge which will join our two states. 25 Years Ago 1995: A task force formed in the wake of the recent auto deaths of four teens has already made some safety improvements on Smithbridge Road, and more changes are in the works, Concord Township supervisors said last night. The Smithbridge Road Task Force was created after an emotional public meeting last month, featuring township and state officials, PennDOT representatives and state police. 10 Years Ago 2010: Traffic and warning signals must be upgraded and replaced on 14th and Main streets in Darby Borough, according to PennDOT. There is also an option to put in a flashing warning light on Main and Front street. Signals need to be installed to make drivers aware that it is a school zone and children are in the area. It is estimated the price for the wiring and lighting for one location could be between $7,000 and $15,000. COLIN AINSWORTH Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:44:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko agreed on Sunday to meet here "in the coming weeks," the Kremlin said in a press release. During a phone conversation, Putin and Lukashenko reaffirmed their common position to further strengthen the Russian-Belarusian alliance and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas, it said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the specific date for the Putin-Lukashenko meeting has not been set yet. Earlier this week, Putin said that Russia regards Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, and Russia is ready to intervene if the situation in Belarus gets out of control, although only as a last resort. Belarus has been witnessing mass protests after incumbent president Lukashenko won a sixth term in the Aug. 9 elections, with the opposition refusing to recognize the results. The European Union does not recognize the results either and has threatened to impose sanctions. Enditem Following a spike in Covid-19 cases, the Delhi government has started deploying additional enforcement teams in all 11 revenue districts to ensure people follow safety guidelines, and impose fines in the event of violations. This has led to penalties for violations going up by 10 times in some districts, officials said. Previously, police officers and officials engaged by sub-divisional magistrates were already enforcing Covid-19 guidelines and penalising people for not wearing masks or violating social distancing norms. On Thursday, HT had reported that since June 14, the police alone had penalised more than 188,000 people for not wearing masks. Government officials said the revenue districts penalised around 41,000 people in the same period norms violations. The additional deployment is part of a strategy for stricter norms enforcement after an announcement by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this week in light of a rise in daily recorded infections. This week, Delhi has recorded an average of 1,621 cases. On Friday, additional teams of between eight and 20 officers were deployed in all districts, depending on the regions size and population density, a senior government official said. Each enforcement team will comprise an executive magistrate, and revenue and police personnel, an official said, adding that awareness teams have also been formed to encourage people to follow anti-Covid measures. There has been a significant increase in fines after the additional deployment. It also suggests that people have started taking things casually, when they should be more alert, said an official in the north district. North district data as on Saturday showed that 1,495 people were penalised in the 24 hours after the deployment, as against 146 penalties a day recorded in the district between June 1 and 15, when the Covid-19 situation in the city was at its peak. Similarly, central district data showed that 2,101 people were penalised for not wearing masks and violating social distancing norms, as against 168 penalties recorded per day in the district between June 1 and 15. The penalty for not wearing a mask is a Rs 500 spot fine.Social distancing guidelines violations can attract a penalty up to Rs 1,000. Other districts are yet to collate data and send reports to the chief secretarys office, a government official said on Saturday. The writer is a former secretary in the external affairs ministry. He tweets at @ambkcsingh US voters are living through mishandled pandemic, economic chaos and racial tension caused street violence Former vice-president and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (L) and Senator from California and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris greet supporters outside the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP Photo The naming of Kamala Devi Harris, an Indian-African-American senator from California, as Democratic presidential candidate Joe Bidens running mate, elicited more excitement in the United States and of course in Chennai and elsewhere in India than in ruling BJP circles. When the external affairs ministrys spokesman was asked why no congratulatory message had gone from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or anyone in Cabinet, he incredulously replied that India doesnt interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. Why then, one could ask, did Mr Modi serenade President Donald Trump at the Howdy Modi Indian diaspora rally in Houston in September last year? Or goad the crowd by shouting Abki baar, awaiting the roaring reply of Trump sarkar. South Blocks nervousness is understandable as external affairs minister S. Jaishankar quarreled with a US congressional committee demanding Indian-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal be excluded for her critique of the Indian governments majoritarian politics. Senator Kamala Harris and other influential Democrats rallied to berate Jaishankar. Harris is, in any case, known human rights crusader. What then would be Biden-Harris governments foreign policy priorities and their impact on India-US relations, tailored by Modi government to keep Trumps ego massaged. A diaspora assemblage at Houston, followed by lakhs gathered at Ahmedabad, provided Trump the stage to indulge in populist self-gratification, while irritants like trade were sidestepped. Trump in turn ignored anti-CAA agitation, including rioting in parts of New Delhi as he settled at Rashtrapati Bhavan for the farewell banquet. James Traub, in Foreign Policy magazine, quotes Colin Kahl, then vice-president Joe Bidens national security adviser in 2014-16, that three issues will dominate a Biden administrations agenda. One, the inter-connectedness of the world and global existential challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic; two, democracy at threat across the world; and three, with ongoing power transition between nations the return of great power competition. Biden had earlier this year written in Foreign Affairs that the contest between democracy-liberalism and autocracy-fascism did not end in the last century. It lurks in the future again. Biden plans a Summit for Democracy in the first year of his presidency, But his vision for resurrection of liberalism and democracy, centres on Europe. By instinct an Atlanticist his priority would be revival of European alliance that Trump has scorned. James Traub tellingly remarks: On many issues, emerging-world democracies like India and Brazil feel much more like the problem than a part of the solution. The smothered voices of liberalism in India would agree. Many recent books have analysed worldwide democratic recession, seen in Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Brazil, etc. Even autocrats like Russias Vladimir Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping have eliminated term limits on their rule. How Democracies Die by Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky analyses the malaise. The authors conclude that Trumps rise may itself pose a challenge to global democracy. Between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Barack Obama presidency, US governments maintained a broadly pro-democratic foreign policy, except where strategic interests were dominant. But globalisation de-industrialising the US and the rush of immigrants created by Syrian crisis, with greater effect in Europe, and through Americas porous southern border created the conditions for the rise of a populist leader playing on the sense of marginalisation of the working and middle-class white majority. The authors conclusion, written before the pandemic hit the US, is that only President Trumps gross failure would create public disgust and desire for political reform, as happened after Richard Nixons resignation in 1974. Weighing against this is dominant social media spreading unbridled bigotry, slanted news and prejudice. Americas founding fathers created foolproof institutions and separation of powers to counter power grab by either the executive, legislature or judiciary. They also mandated unwritten shared beliefs and practices that enabled those institutions to work. Two cardinal principles prescribed were mutual tolerance and institutional forbearance. Similar traditions were nurtured in Jawaharlal Nehrus India. Breached in the US, and progressively so in India, these ideals surrendered to highly polarised politics once Newt Gingrich in 1989 gained control over Republicans in two houses of US Congress. Institutional legitimacy of the US Congress got degraded, paving the way for the anti-establishment presidency of Trump. Treating mainstream media as illegitimate interlopers, attacking political opponents to not just defeat but destroy them and stealing mandates by gerrymandering or vote suppression, as Trump is attempting by attacking postal ballots, or as in India by forming defection-based governments even after losing mandates. All these are signs of slow strangulation of liberal democracy. New Delhi may today downplay Prime Minister Modis unwise public political dalliance with Trump, but the latters campaign is merrily using videos of the Houston and Ahmedabad joint rallies in their publicity blitz to woo Indian-American votes, who mostly favour Democrats. According to Pew Research, Hindus constitute about 51 per cent of the two million-odd diaspora voters, others being Sikhs, Christians and Muslims. Will the diaspora be drawn to Democrats promises on immigration laws, health insurance and a fairer economic order or accept Modis endorsement of a divisive, pro-rich Trump, hoping he is better for India? US voters are living through mishandled pandemic, economic chaos and racial tension caused street violence. Trump is getting traction fanning the white majoritys law and order fears, while promising a vaccine and economic turnaround is around the corner. US leadership is critical for addressing vital issues like climate change, anti-globalisation paranoia affecting global trade and investment, and an aggressive China. On November 3 will be known whether a reforming and pro-democracy Biden wins, compelling majoritarian populists globally to reflect and perhaps change, or the US sees the return of disruptive, autocratic and America First Trump. The Malayalam film industry and audiences are celebrating Onam this time without the theatrical releases of films, for the first time in history. However, it is not an Onam celebration without any film releases. C U Soon, Maniyarayile Ashokan, & Kilometers And Kilometers, the three highly anticipated films are releasing this Onam, directly on OTT platforms. As reported earlier, C U Soon, the experimental project of Fahadh Faasil-Mahesh Narayanan duo, is releasing on Amazon Prime Video on September 1, 2020. Maniyarayile Ashokan, the Dulquer Salmaan production which features Jacob Gregory in the titular role, will release on Netflix, on August 31, 2020, Thiruvonam day. Maniyarayile Ashokan Movie Review: A Simple, Relatable Tale Of Marriage! Kilometers And Kilometers, on the other hand, is all set to become the first-ever Malayalam film to have a direct television release. The Tovino Thomas starring romantic comedy, which is directed by newcomer Jeo Baby, will premiere on the Asianet channel on August 31, 2020, Thiruvonam Day. Even though it is a first of its kind experience for the Malayalam cinema audiences, the social media reactions suggest that they are excited. Coming to C U Soon, the thriller which marks Fahadh Faasil's third collaboration with popular editor-director Mahesh Narayanan, is an experimental project. The entire film is shot in iPhone with all actors in different locations and is later redesigned in the editing table. Roshan Mathew, Darshana Rajendran, and Saiju Kurup essay the other pivotal roles in the movie. Maniyarayile Ashokan, which is the first production venture of Dulquer Salmaan, is directed by newcomer Shamzu Zayba. Along with Jacob Gregory, the movie features an extensive start cast including Vijayagaghavan, Sri Lakshmi, Krishna Shankar, Shine Tom Chacko, Anupama Parameshwaran, and so on in the pivotal roles. Kilometers And Kilometers, on the other hand, features Tovino Thomas in the role of a tourist guide. Newcomer India Jarvis appears as the female lead in the movie, that features Joju George, Basil Joseph, Vinay Forrt, Ramesh Pisharody, Sidhartha Siva, and so on in the pivotal roles. Also Read: Mohanlal And Priyadarshan: 'Our Best Film Is Yet To Come' Prithviraj Sukumaran's Virtual Production Project: Here Is An Exciting Update! Australian soldiers at the front line during the Korean War. Credit:The Age Archives Australias first draft of troops for Korea arrived by air in Japan yesterday aboard two planes, and will be in action within weeks. Australians Soon in Action in Korea PLANES FLY FIRST OF TROOPS TO JAPAN First published in The Age on September 1, 1950 Wartime secrecy and security measure marked the night departure of the Australian spearhead from Mascot aerodrome, Sydney, by Qantas Skymaster, this week. It is believed there were about 80 men in the first flight of the airlift. The incoming troops will at present make up half a battalion. Australian occupation forces to a full battalion will then be brigaded with two battalions of British troops who arrived in Korea direct from Hong Kong on Tuesday. The newly arrived Australian troops, all volunteers, went into barracks at the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces headquarters at Iwakuna, 400 miles west of Tokio. The Australians will take their own weapons and supply system with them to Korea. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gavin Jones (Reuters) Rome Sun, August 30, 2020 11:09 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4174fe5 2 Art & Culture Banksy,Italy,migrants,rescue-boat Free The Italian coastguard sent help on Saturday to a rescue boat funded by British street artist Banksy after the vessel issued urgent calls for assistance, saying it was stranded in the Mediterranean and overloaded with migrants. The coastguard said a patrol boat dispatched from the southern Italian island of Lampedusa had taken on board 49 of "those considered most vulnerable" among the 219 migrants picked up by the ship since Thursday off the coast of Libya. Named after a French feminist anarchist, the Louise Michel started operating last week. Despite the help from Italy, it has still not found a safe port for the rest of the mainly African migrants on board. The 49 people who were transferred off the ship include 32 women and 13 children, the Italian coastguard said. The Louise Michel, a German boat manned by a crew of 10, issued a series of tweets overnight and on Saturday saying its situation was worsening, and appealing for help from authorities in Italy, Malta and Germany. "We are reaching a state of emergency. We need immediate assistance," said one tweet, adding that it was also carrying a body bag containing the corpse of one migrant who had died. Another tweet said the boat was unable to move and "no longer the master of her own destiny" due to her overcrowded deck and a life raft deployed at her side, "but above all due to Europe ignoring our emergency calls for immediate assistance." Before Italy's coastguard intervened, an Italian charity ship, the Mare Jonio, said it was leaving the Sicilian port of Augusta, much further away than Lampedusa, to offer assistance. Two United Nations' agencies called for the "urgent disembarkation" of the Louise Michel and two other ships carrying a total of more than 400 migrants in the Mediterranean. Some 200 are on the Sea Watch 4, a German charity ship, while 27 have been on board the commercial tanker Maersk Etienne since their rescue on Aug. 5. The International Organisation for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said in a joint statement they were "deeply concerned about the continued absence of dedicated EU-led search and rescue capacity in the Central Mediterranean". "The humanitarian imperative of saving lives should not be penalized or stigmatized, especially in the absence of dedicated state-led efforts," they said. Italy is the destination of most migrants who have departed from Libya across the Mediterranean in recent years. The influx has created political tensions in Rome and fueled the success of Matteo Salvini's right-wing League party. The 30-meter long Louise Michel, a former French Navy boat daubed in pink and white, was bought with proceeds from the sale of Banksy artwork. The side of the vessel's cabin features a picture of a girl holding a heart-shaped life buoy in Banksy's familiar stenciled style. Bristol-born Banksy, who keeps his identity a secret, is known for his political or social-commentary graffiti that has popped up in cities around the world. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Giulia Paravicini (Reuters) Sun, August 30, 2020 10:30 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c416e57e 2 World Mauritius,dolphin Free Thousands of protesters demonstrated in the Mauritius capital Port Louis on Saturday to demand an investigation into an oil spill from a Japanese ship and the mysterious death of at least 40 dolphins that have been found near the site of the spill. Environmentalists have called for an investigation into whether the dolphins died as a result of the spill caused when the bulk carrier, the MV Wakashio, struck a coral reef last month. One protester held a banner with a dolphin covered in oil reading "our lives matter" and another held one calling for the government to resign. Mauritian flags were waved across the packed square of St Louis Cathedral. "We do not trust the government and the diluted information they've been feeding us regarding the management and responses to the oil spill," Fabiola Monty, 33 a Mauritian environmental scientist, told Reuters from the square. The government has said it will carry out autopsies on all the dead dolphins and has set up a commission to look into the oil spill. Two investigations are being carried out: one by the police on the crew's responsibilities and one by a senior Shipping Ministry official on what happened to the ship. So far veterinarians have examined only two of the mammals' carcasses, which bore signs of injury but no trace of oil in their bodies, according to preliminary autopsy results. The autopsy on the first two was conducted by the government-run Albion Fisheries Research Centre. Autopsy results on 25 dolphins that washed ashore Wednesday and Thursday are expected in the coming days, according to Jasvin Sok Appadu from the Fisheries Ministry. Local environmental group Eco-Sud, which took part in Saturday's protest, said in a statement on Friday that representatives from civil society should be present during the autopsies and called for a second opinion from independent specialists. Topics : Mauritius dolphin After a 23-year-old man was lynched on Friday in Naraina, Delhi, on the suspicion of stealing a mobile phone, his father has alleged that the victim was instead on his way to Gurugram in neighbouring Haryana to find a job with the help of his elder brother. The father said that his son, Rahul was caught, tied to a tree and beaten to death, said a report by the Hindustan Times. Deepak Purohit, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), West, Delhi Police said that four men had been arrested for allegedly lynching him in a park in Naraina. The victim had resided in Jawahar Camp in Kirti Nagar, located across the railway tracks from Loha Mandi in Naraina, the report states. His father, Raghubir, said that the family had been pestering Rahul to get a job, after he was released from jail on August 17. He added that on Thursday at around 8 pm, Rahul had packed his clothes to leave for Gurugram in order to meet his elder brother, who was supposed to find him a job in his company. Raghubir, who works as a private security guard in Mayapuri, said he had spoken to his eldest son, who had said that he had found a job for Rahul in the company where he worked, the report by HT states. The victims father added that the family had urged Rahul to not leave at the time, and instead start his journey in the morning. But he was adamant, and I regret my failure to stop him," said Raghubir. Police had received a call about Rahul at around 6 am on Friday. He was found unconscious under a tree in the park, and a coconut fibre rope and a white muffler was also discovered at the spot, which indicated that the victim had been tied up. He succumbed to his injuries the hospital. He was allegedly thrashed with wooden sticks and iron rods. However, according to his father, Rahul had been assaulted before, as well. Raghubir said his sons arm had been fractured about two months ago, after he was roughed-up during a quarrel. He said the police would catch him whenever there was any incident of crime in the neighbourhood. Raghubir added that Rahul would get involved in fights, but never in thievery, as he was the son of a security guard. Police said that while Rahul had been named in a dozen crimes, no evidence was found regarding the allegation of him stealing a phone, due to which he was lynched. Days after the Congress Working Committee meeting where the reins of India's 'Grand Old Party' were again handed over to Sonia Gandhi, Kapil Sibal, one of the signatories to a letter calling for core changes, said that none of the concerns they had raised were addressed. In an interview with The Indian Express, the senior leader said: "The Congress party needs a de jure and a de facto president and the concerns outlined in the letter should be addressed as soon as possible". "Not one request of ours, the concern of ours reflected in the letter has been ... Belarusian President Threatens to Cut European Transit Routes if Sanctions Imposed By VOA News August 29, 2020 Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday threatened to cut European transit routes through Belarusian territory if sanctions are imposed on his country. Speaking while visiting a dairy factory, Lukashenko said he would block neighboring European countries from shipping goods to Russia over Belarusian territory and divert Belarusian exports now shipped through ports in neighboring EU member Lithuania to other outlets. "If they, Poles and Lithuanians, used to fly through us to China and Russia, now they will fly through the Baltic or through the Black Sea to trade with Russia, and so on, and they can only dream of sanctioned products, those products on which Russia has imposed an embargo," he said. Lukashenko also said he had ordered half the country's army to be at combat preparedness and had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that troops of both countries could unite against a potential Western threat. "If they (NATO troops) don't hold still, it's necessary to use a joint grouping of armed forces, the basis of which is the Belarusian army," Lukashenko said. "The Russians must support us and follow us." Lithuania, Poland and Latvia have called for Europe to take stronger action against Lukashenko, in face of a nearly three-week popular uprising since the August 9 election, which the opposition maintains he rigged to prolong his 26-year rule. Lukashenko has denied the accusations. Since the Monday after the election, when Belarusian Central Election Commission declared Lukashenko received over 80% of the votes and opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya about 10%, thousands have taken to the streets demanding Lukashenko's resignation. Lukashenko has said the protests are encouraged and supported by the West and accused NATO of moving forces near Belarusian borders. The alliance has denied the accusations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Navalny Associate: Kremlin Involved in Opposition Leader's Poisoning By VOA News August 29, 2020 A close ally of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny says authorities in Moscow are reluctant to investigate Navalny's alleged poisoning, because the Kremlin was behind it, despite its denials. Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer at Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation and a prominent opposition activist, said in an interview that all the existing evidence points to the Kremlin. "For me, it's absolutely obvious, I'm not afraid to speak it out loud, that behind the poisoning is exactly the Kremlin," said Sobol. Simply, nobody else could do it. Again, the method of the poisoning is the sign of that. Neuroparalytic poison is something that you can't buy at a pharmacy. It's a combat substance. And because of that, they will not investigate it," Sobol said. Navalny's associates made a request to Russia's Investigative Committee for authorities to launch a criminal investigation that could lead to charges of an attempted assassination of a public figure, but say they got no response. "They understand that any investigation will lead to the Kremlin," Sobol said. "They're not launching a criminal probe because they will have to answer at some point what the results of the investigation of this criminal case are." Russia's Prosecutor General office said Thursday the inquiry launched last week did not find any indication of "deliberate criminal acts committed against" Navalny. The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said last week he saw no grounds for a criminal investigation before the cause of Navalny's condition was fully established. Navalny, a well-known critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a corruption investigator, fell ill August 20 while flying to Moscow from Siberia, prompting an emergency landing in Omsk. His personal doctor and aide said Navalny had drunk black tea at an airport cafe, which she believed was laced with poison. Last weekend, Navalny was transferred to the Charite Hospital in Berlin, Germany, for an "extensive medical diagnosis." Doctors there found traces of "cholinesterase inhibitors," a neuroparalytic substance, in his system. He reportedly remains on a ventilator in a medically-induced coma. German doctors describe his condition as serious but not life-threatening. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wonderful rite Regarding Trumps naturalization ceremony is a new low, (A15, Aug. 27): Im sorry that Monica Rhor feels the way she does about the ceremony shown at the Republican National Convention. With a diverse group of grateful new citizens, the ceremony was a wonderful rite that all of us need to witness. The RNC and President Donald Trump are to be commended for elevating the ceremony to a high level on prime time. Jack Gibbs, Hempstead Hurricane Laura Regarding Houston skirts hit, but outages, high wind still a threat, (A1, Aug. 27): Houston, and indeed most of Southeast Texas, escaped the full fury of Hurricane Laura, one of the most potentially dangerous storms of this new century. I fear that this good fortune will have a particularly dangerous, even deadly, consequence in the future. When the next deadly hurricane looms, as it surely will, Im afraid that thousands of Southeast Texas residents will be loathe to leave before the storm strikes. Theyll remember the mostly benign effects of Laura on the area. And that might be the worst thing they could possibly do. Ted Shaw, Cypress How sadly fitting that Houston Climate Week had to be postponed because of Hurricane Laura, our 13th named storm so far in 2020. We have already broken records this year for increased storm activity, demonstrating that climate change continues to lead to more extreme weather. We urgently need to lower our greenhouse gas emissions. Implementing a carbon fee and dividend policy would do just that, resulting in up to a 40 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in only 12 years. The bipartisan, business-friendly Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act now has 82 cosponsors in the House of Representatives, but not a single representative from Houston has signed on. If we dont get serious about national climate legislation, our lives here in Houston will continue to be threatened by increasingly extreme weather every year. John Sigren, Citizens Climate Lobby The September releases include Hilary Swank's space drama Away on Netflix, and Fahad Faasil's thriller CU Soon on Amazon Prime Video. A new month means a slate of movies and shows being added to the streaming platforms. From highly-anticipated comebacks to intriguing new projects, streaming platforms are churning out a varied form of stories to the already diverse world of digital platforms. We sourced through the internet and curated a list of content coming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar this month Netflix Away - 4 September Hilary Swank leads a batch of astronauts who have been chosen for the first manned mission to Mars in this sci-fi series. Swank's character Emma Green embarks on a 'treacherous mission to Mars in command of an international crew', leaving behind her husband and teenage daughter back home. Im Thinking of Ending Things - 4 September Charlie Kaufman writes and directs this new drama adapted from the novel featuring Jesse Plemons. The trailer follows a young woman going to meet her new boyfriend's parents at a farm where several unnatural events take place. The cast includes Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette and David Thewlis. Love, Guaranteed - 3 September Damon Wayans Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook star in the upcoming rom-com on online dating. To save her small law firm, Susan (Cook) begrudgingly takes a high-paying, high-profile case from Nick (Wayans Jr.), a charming new client who wants to sue a dating website that guarantees users will find love. Cuties - 9 September Cuties, titled Mignonnes in France, is a coming-of-age comedy-drama written and directed by screenwriter and filmmaker Maimouna Doucoure. The film is about an 11-year-old immigrant girl, named Amy, who rebels against her conservative Senegalese-Muslim family by joining a dance troupe, known for its risque and sometimes adult dance moves. Doucoure bagged the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award for the film, when it first premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, in January. Cargo - 9 September Filmmaker Arati Kadavs science-fiction movie Cargo features actors Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi. The film, which also stars Nandu Madhav, revolves around a lonely demon who has been working on a spaceship for years for the Post Death Transition services, where dead people are recycled for rebirth. Cargo was set to be screened in March at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, which was later cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The film, which had its India premiere at the 2019 MAMI Film Festival under the spotlight section, is produced by Arati Kadav, Navin Shetty, Shlok Sharma and Anurag Kashyap. The Babysitter: Killer Queen - 10 September A sequel to Netflixs 2017 horror-comedy The Babysitter is on the way this Halloween with The Babysitter: Killer Queen set to arrive on the streaming service in September. Andrew Bachelor, Bella Thorne and Robbie Amell star in this sequel in which two years after defeating a satanic cult led by his babysitter, a teen is trying to forget his past and focus on surviving high school. But when old enemies unexpectedly return, he will once again have to outsmart the forces of evil. The Devil All the Time - 16 September The Devil All the Time is based on Donald Ray Pollock's 2011 novel and is set in a town called Knockemstiff, Ohio, where a storm of faith, violence and redemption brews. The narrative begins with Willard Russell, who is a military veteran. Desperately trying to save his dying wife, Russell ends up performing a religious sacrifice for the cause. The son (played by Holland) is depicted as a bullied child who is about to step into adulthood. His journey towards becoming a man while, at the same time, dealing with his problematic childhood forms one of the major storylines in the narrative. The film also features a stellar cast such as Sebastian Stan, Jason Clarke, Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson, Riley Keough, and Bill Skarsgard among others. Ratched - 18 September The next huge Ryan Murphy project that is set to reboot the famous Nurse Ratched character from One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Starring Sarah Paulson as the lead, the psychological horror drama series revolves around a young nurse at a mental institution becomes jaded and bitter before turning into a full-fledged monster to her patients. Enola Holmes - 23 September Millie Bobby Brown plays Enola Holmes, sister to ace detective Sherlock Holmes in the upcoming Netflix film. Helena Bonham Carter plays the siblings' mother who mysteriously goes missing. While her elder brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) expect her to go to finishing school, Enola slinks off to London with the sole mission of finding her mother. The plot is based on Nancy Springer' young adult fiction book series The Enola Holmes Mysteries, which reimagines the world created by Arthur Conan Doyle with Sherlock's teenage sister as the protagonist. Amazon Prime Video CU Soon - 1 September Fahadh Faasil and Roshan Mathew star in Mahesh Narayanan's thriller about a software engineer from Kerala assigned by his family to help a Dubai-based cousin find his missing fiance after she leaves behind a video-based suicide note. The unique feature of this film is that it's shot with a phone in a controlled and restricted environment during the lockdown. Darshana Rajendran, Mala Parvathy and Saiju Kurup complete the cast of the feature V - 5 September In Nani's 25th Telugu film, the actor seems to play an anti-hero, challenging Sudheer Babu, who plays a cop. According to The Indian Express, V is about a crime writer who falls in love with a cop. His blissful life takes a turn when he is challenged by a killer with a puzzle. Then begins a showdown, a battle between good versus evil. Written and directed by Mohana Krishna Indraganti, V also stars Nivetha Thomas, Aditi Rao Hydari, Jagapathi Babu, Vennela Kishore, Nassar, and Srinivas Avasarala. The Boys Season 2 - 4 September Adapted from the popular Garth Ennis comic, the second season of The Boys revolves around of group of nobodies on the run from The Seven, which is a corporate-owned and corrupt group of superheroes. Utopia - 25 September Written by Gone Girl and Sharp Objects writer Gillian Flynn, Utopia follows a group of comic book fans as they unearth secrets about the world represented in the pages of the titular comic book. The series features Rainn Wilson as a virologist battling a global pandemic and John Cusack as a dubious tech billionaire. The show also stars Sasha Lane. Disney+Hotstar Mulan - 4 September Early in August, The Walt Disney Co said that it will debut its live-action blockbuster on its subscription streaming service, Disney+, on 4 September. However, customers will have to pay an additional $29.99 on top of the cost of the monthly subscription to rent Mulan. The live-action remake of the animated film was one of the first major films to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Originally set for a 27 March release, Mulan moved to late July, then late August and was then pulled from the calendar all together as COVID-19 cases spiked through the US. The film revolves around young girl Mulan (Liu Yifei) who is distraught to learn that her weak father must join the army to fight the invading Huns. Unwilling to endanger his life, she disguises herself as a man and joins the army in his place. Apple TV Tehran - 25 September Tehran tells the utterly thrilling story of a Mossad agent who goes deep undercover on a dangerous mission in Tehran that places her and everyone around her in dire jeopardy. The series stars Israeli actress Niv Sultan, Shaun Toub, Navid Negahban, Shervin Alenabi, Liraz Charhi and Menashe Noy. Fauda writer Moshe Zonder is a co-creator on this multi-lingual espionage series, with Daniel Syrkin attached as the director. South Dakota governor Kristi Noem was on hand Saturday night to usher in the final performance of the 75th annual Range Days Rodeo as the Central States Fair celebrated South Dakota Day, a tribute to the rodeo, the states official state sport. We decided to make our Saturday night performance of the Range Days Rodeo a tribute to South Dakota, said Jeffries. And its so important the governor made it possible for this to happen. Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Huron and Rapid City have all had their chance to produce their events and that wouldnt have happened without the governor. The Ranch Days final performance, despite a mid-show rainfall, lived up to the hype as true to form, be it a rank pen of broncs and bull, judges in a more benevolent mood, or perhaps an adrenalin rush from a last night opportunity, winning performances lit up the scoreboard in the rough stock events. The top numbers on the leaderboard coming into the night were gettable, the only obstacle, a pen of quality bucking horses and rank bulls all from the Burch Rodeo string. A Rapid City man kicked off the night in winning fashion as Shane OConnell matched the previous 83-point rides jointly posted by Richie Champion, Cole Reiner and Taylor Broussard spurring his way to an 83-point trip on Burch Rodeos Strawberry Rocket, a horse that OConnell knew well having twice ridden the bronc to the pay window in Deadwood. Ive been on the him twice in Deadwood. I was 86 on him a couple of years ago and won second and 85 this year and finished third on him, OConnell said. I had a really good trip today. I had a little trouble with my hand, it started to sneak out a little bit which is a pretty scary deal for a bareback rider. I kinda feel I could have ridden him a little better, but Im still pretty happy thankful to get a win out of the deal. The big payday couldnt have come at a better time for Rapid City Central grad as OConnell, despite a late season run that includes wins in Payson, Arizona, and a couple of places elsewhere came into Saturday night sitting 24th in world standings some $8,000 out of the 15th and final NFR qualifying spot. It aint over yet. Im pretty gritty and I dont quit, I dont quit at all, so I will keep going, the ever-optimistic OConnell said. I just got keep doing what Im doing and they will pay me in the end. In saddle bronc, Rusty Wrights 84.5 ride on Thursday night did indeed fall on Saturday night. Though the winner shared the same Milford, Utah, address as Stetson Wright, Rustys uncle turned in an 86-point effort to share the top money with Texas bronc rider, Logan Cook. Only Denton Fugates Wednesday night 86-point ride managed to withstand Saturday night challenges, the best of three qualified rides on the evening an 85-point trip by Nathan Hatchel (Hennessey, Okla.). Earlier in the day, the morning slack produced a couple of event winners. Reed Kraeger (Elwood, Neb.), won the big mans event turning in a quick 3.3-second run to capture the steer wrestling title. And Taylor Munsell (Alva, Okla.) won the WPRA breakaway roping event with a 2.10 to best a very balanced field. South Dakota favorite, Lisa Lockhart, a two-time Range Days winner, 13-time NFR barrel racing qualifier and second on the all-time WPRA earnings list, was up on Saturday night but the Oelrichs lady had a slow night on a cloverleaf dampened by a mid-rodeo rain storm and finished out of the money as Maggie Poloncic's (Gillette, Wyoming) 17.07 spin through the barrels in the Wednesday morning slack help up throughout the week. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The PT leader also spoke highly of the working attitude of the centres doctors and staff who have worked closely with their Mexican colleagues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic for peoples health. He thanked the centres leaders for maintaining effective cooperation with the PT over the past 20 years, expressing his hope for further expansion of the ties. The official extended greetings to Vietnam on the 75th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day, showing his admiration to the Communist Party of Vietnam and Vietnamese people for their success in national defence and construction, especially during the Doi Moi (renewal) cause. He said that Vietnams success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic shows the solidarity of the Party and people of Vietnam as well as the capacity of Vietnamese doctors. On behalf of the working team of Vietnams Central Hospital of Acupuncture, Dr. Ho Quang Minh thanked the PT leaders for his attention to the centre. He pledged to continue working hard in the spirit of the friendship between the two peoples. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The speculation is growing that the Indians will trade right-hander Mike Clevinger before Mondays 4 p.m. trade deadline to help their struggling offense. USA Today is reporting that the Indians have talked to AL Central rival Chicago about a trade for Clevinger. To say the least that would be intriguing. Other teams reportedly interested in the 29-year-old right-hander include Atlanta, the Yankees, San Diego and the Dodgers. The Twins and Blue Jays are also looking for starting pitching. The Indians went into Sundays game in first place in the AL Central with a 21-12 record. Chicago was one game back at 20-13. Would the Indians really send Clevinger to their nearest rival during the stretch run? Not only that, but theyd have to face him for at least the next two years. USA Today said the Indians might be interested in outfielder Adam Engel and hard-throwing prospect Michael Kopech, who opted out of this season. Kopech underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2018, but also dealt with some personal issues earlier this year. Another report suggested that the Indians were looking for four top prospects in any deal for Clevinger. Clevinger just returned from being demoted to Classic Park, the Indians secondary training site in Eastlake. Zach Plesac and Clevinger were optioned there after breaking team safety protocols on Aug. 8 in Chicago. The Indians recalled Clevinger on Wednesday for a start against the Twins. He allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings as the Indians rallied for a 6-3 win. It was an obvious showcase start for Clevinger, who has two years of team control left. This year Clevinger was scheduled to make $4.1 million as he signed a one-year deal to avoid arbitration. His prorated salary for this year due to the pandemic is $1,518,519. He will be eligible for arbitration for the next two years. The Indians have depth in the starting rotation with Shane Bieber, Carlos Carrasco, Aaron Civale, Triston McKenzie, Adam Plutko and Plesac. They are also bracing for a financial hit at the end of this season due to the shortened season and not being able to have fans in the stands. Still, its hard to imagine the Indians trading Clevinger, 42-22 with a 3.20 ERA, no matter how much pitching depth theyve accumulated. Then again this is the same team that traded Trevor Bauer at the trading deadline last year and two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber in December. Clevinger has had a hard time staying healthy. He had right shoulder and ankle problems last year. This season he needed surgery on his left knee at the start of Spring Training I in February. Still, despite two stays on the injured list last year, he went 13-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 21 starts covering 126 innings. Theres no doubt the Indians need help offensively. They entered Sundays game having won 11 of their last 14 games despite one of the worst offenses in the big leagues. They ranked 14th in the American League in batting average and homers. They ranked 13th in runs and doubles. A variety of Cleveland Indians face masks available online today. (Fanatics.com) New Indians face masks for sale: Heres where you can buy Cleveland Indians-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All MLB proceeds donated to charity. Buy Indians gear: Fanatics, Nike, Amazon, Lids More Indians coverage In perhaps the biggest game of his career, Clevinger does it right on and off field: Pluto Indians weighed boycott in St. Louis, chose to play on Jackie Robinson Day Puerto Ricos Gold Glove catchers on display as Indians Perez faces mentor Yadier Molina Can MLB boycotts lead to social justice reform? (podcast) Can Triston McKenzie deliver an encore performance for the ages? Mike Clevinger seeks forgiveness after reaping the whirlwind What does Mike Clevingers return mean for the rest of the rotation? 5 classic Jim Thome moments to celebrate the sluggers 50th birthday Greg Allen on protests: I hope that we have the ability to effect change Indians rally to beat Twins as Clevinger returns with strong showing Indians reach halfway point: 3 things to remember, 3 things to forget How can Indians help themselves at the MLB trade deadline? (podcast) Indians make the right move: A fresh start and big start for Mike Clevinger: Pluto A Melbourne man who has repeatedly defied the law has racked up 24 coronavirus fines worth $1652 each. Since metropolitan Melbourne entered stage four restrictions on August 2, residents must stay at home between 8pm and 5am, unless they need to leave for work, medical care or caregiving. The 24-year-old man, from Hallam in the city's south east, was slapped with his latest infringement on Thursday night after officers found him in the Doveton area, about 5km away. He was arrested and charged with contravening CHO directions under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act and has been remanded in custody to appear in court at a later date. A 24-year-old Hallam man was slapped with his 24th coronavirus penalty notice on Thursday evening. A police is seen talking to a man following a protest in Dandenong earlier this week It comes as Victoria Police revealed more than 2200 people have been caught breaching restrictions on multiple occasions. A total of 1531 residents have received two penalty notices, while a further 412 people have been copped three. Other repeat offenders include a person who has been struck with 19 fines, two with 15, two with 12 and three each with 10 and 11. Some recidivists offered police bizarre excuses upon being caught. A man, who has racked up 16 infringements, admitted to police on one occasion he was going to a friends place to purchase drugs. He was also caught on three separate instances without a face covering. On each occasion he was offered a mask but refused. Another man who received six infringement notices - including three within a two weeks for breaching curfew - told police during one encounter that he was dropping his girlfriend off at home and asked them to not inform his wife. A Lalor man, with seven fines to his name, received one fine for catching the train from his suburb to Bairndale. He was hit with a second fine the next day when he was caught attempting to make the journey again. Victoria police have revealed more than 2200 people have breached coronavirus rules on multiple occassions A third man was served two of his eight penalty notices for failing to wear a face covering, before spitting at members and telling them coronavirus is a hoax. Victorians are handed a $200 fine for failing to cover their face when outside and can be hit with a $1,652 infringement for breaching stay at home order. A Victoria police spokesperson said the power to arrest is generally applied if a person refuses to comply with a police direction to provide proof of identity or are found to be in breach of the directives multiple times in quick succession. Police are assessing each breach on a case-by-case basis to determine whether recidivist offenders should be dealt $1,652 on the spot fines or arrested to appear before court. 'The majority of people who have received an infringement notice have only been fined once,' a Victoria Police spokesperson said. Police presence is seen in Dandenong following a protest of people complaining on the current stage four lockdown in Thursday 'However, there are a number of people who have made the decision to deliberately breach the Chief Health Officers directives on repeated occasions.' 'Thankfully, the selfish behaviour of these individuals is the exception as the overwhelming majority of Victorians have done the right thing and abided by the CHOs directives to help slow the spread of coronavirus. 'For the health and safety of every Victorian, we need people to follow these directives and will not hesitate to hold those who deliberately and blatantly show a disregard for community safety to account.' Victoria recorded 114 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths on Sunday. The latest figures bring the state's active cases to 2830, which includes 406 healthcare workers and 1277 in aged care. There are 472 Victorians in hospital with coronavirus, including 25 in intensive care. Chinas Justice Ministry Tightens Control on Lawyers With License Revocations In what some Chinese lawyers are calling a foreboding sign of authorities impending crackdown, Chinas Justice Ministry began revoking licenses from two groups of lawyers in recent months. Legal professionals who spoke to The Epoch Times said they were worried about the tightening control. In late July, the Justice Ministry issued a directive for authorities to revoke the licenses for two groups: lawyers who have citizenship other than Chinese nationality, and those who hold another job other than their legal work. China does not allow dual citizenship. However, many wealthy and powerful Chinese elite apply for citizenship in another country and do not report their foreign citizenship status to authorities. Meanwhile, many lawyers in China hold other jobs in order to make a living. Wu Kuiming, human rights lawyer in Guangdong Province, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times in a phone interview that the license revocations began in April, as required by the Justice Ministry. But the ministry did not issue a formal document until July. Actions taken by provincial justice departments verified Wus information. For example, the Hunan provincial justice department said that between April 13 and Aug. 27, it revoked at least 1,436 lawyers licenses, according to its official website. Hunan has a total of 12,806 lawyers, according to the Hunan Lawyers Association. That means about 11.2 percent of lawyers lost their ability to practice law. On Aug. 27, the Hunan government said it revoked 193 lawyers licenses, but did not list the reason. Xie Yang is a lawyer in Hunan Province. He was detained during the 709 Incident, a nationwide campaign to arrest human rights activists and lawyers that occurred on July 9, 2015. Xie was charged with inciting state subversiona catch-all offense often used on dissidents and detained in prison for over 30 months. On Aug. 11, Xie was informed that the Hunan provincial justice department revoked his lawyers license. Once human right lawyers lose their licenses, it will be very hard for them to apply for a new one, Xie said. This is the prelude. The regime will control lawyers more and more strictly [in the future], Xie added. Xu Yan (C), wife of human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, and her lawyer Xie Yang (2nd L), being escorted to the exit by security personnel outside the Xuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court in Xuzhou city, China, on October 31, 2019. (NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP via Getty Images) He added that in recent years, lawyers have felt increasing pressure to toe the Chinese Communist Partys line, and more restricted in how they can uphold rule of law. Now in mainland China, lawyers basically dont have the right to speak. For a normal administrative case [involving a government department], lawyers have to hand in the defense arguments that they prepared to judicial authorities for approval. The officials will then tell the lawyers what they can and cannot say while in court, Xie said. Li Qingliang, a Beijing-based civil and commercial paralegal, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times that the lawyer license, law firm, and lawyers association are three shackles that [control] Chinese lawyers. After the Justice Ministry finishes this round of revoking lawyers licenses, real lawyers wont exist in China. Local lawyer associations issue licenses to law firms or lawyers that grant them permission to hire paralegals. Though lawyers associations appear to be private organizations on the surface, they are overseen by government organs. To obtain a lawyers license in China, one needs to pass a central-government-organized bar exam, then find a qualified law firm and a qualified mentor-lawyer at the firm who is willing to hire the individual for at least 12 months as a paralegal or intern. The paralegal then needs to apply for an interview with the local lawyers association after finishing the 12-month internship. After paying training and testing fees, paralegals still may not be able to obtain the license. Some paralegals have said on social media that they had to bribe officials at local associations. Li said he passed the bar exam in 2008, and began working as a paralegal in 2018. In May, he had an interview with the Beijing Lawyers Association for his lawyer license after he paid a 1,950-yuan ($285) training fee. However, the lawyers association claimed that Li didnt have enough legal knowledge and rejected his application. Li then filed a lawsuit against the Beijing association before the Dongcheng District Court in Beijing in May, contesting its refusal to grant him a license. Li isnt the only paralegal to file such a lawsuit. In September 2019, paralegal Zhang Wenpeng filed a lawsuit against the Shenzhen city Lawyers Association and Guangdong Lawyers Association before the Yantian District Court in Shenzhen, also contesting their refusals to grant him a license after completing the required procedures. However, two months later, Zhang was forced to resign from the law firm he worked at, after the law firm was investigated by local authorities. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on the quantum of punishment to advocate Prashant Bhushan on Monday following his conviction for contempt of court. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra will pronounce its verdict against Bhushan, who faces simple imprisonment of up to six months or with a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or with both as punishment under Contempt of Court Act. On August 25, the top court was urged by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan to show "judicial statesmanship" and not make Bhushan a "martyr" by punishing him for contempt over his tweets criticising the judiciary, after the activist-lawyer rejected fresh suggestions from the court for an apology. Bhushan had filed a supplementary statement reiterating his position to stand by his tweets. He refused to apologise for the tweets for which he was held to be in contempt. ALSO READ: Top court refers 2009 contempt case against Prashant Bhushan to other bench As the top court reserved its verdict on the sentence to be awarded to Bhushan, Justice Arun Mishra, who presided over a three-judge bench, at the fag end of the nearly three-hour-long hearing had asked why he cannot seek an apology and what was wrong in using this word. Justice Mishra is demitting office on September 2. The apex court on August 14 had held Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt for his two derogatory tweets against the judiciary saying they cannot be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary made in the public interest. On August 25, Dhavan, representing Bhushan, had suggested that the top court recall the August 14 verdict convicting him for contempt of court and not impose any sentence and urged it to not only close the case but also to bring an end to the controversy. This institution must have criticism and not just criticism but extreme criticism. Your shoulders are broad enough, Dhavan had said. Justice Mishra observed: Had it been someone else, it was easier to ignore but when Mr Bhushan says something, it has some effect. Attorney General K K Venugopal urged the bench to let off Bhushan with a warning or reprimand. But Justice Mishra had asserted: If a person says he didnt make a mistake and he wont apologize for it despite repeated opportunities, what will be the purpose of saying dont do it again. It is not about us or him. It is about the institution. The bench also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Krishna Murari, had given 30 minutes to Bhushan to "think over" on withdrawing his statements made in the court and said he made "disparaging remarks against the institution and the judges". Venugopal had said Bhushan, who has been refusing to tender an unconditional apology for the tweets, should withdraw all statements and express regret. The bench on August 20 had granted time till Monday to Bhushan to reconsider his "defiant statement" and tender "unconditional apology" for the contemptuous tweets. Referring to Bhushan's statements and his refusal to apologise, the bench had told Venugopal that mistakes were committed by all but they needed to be accepted, but here Bhushan was not willing to accept that. Dhavan had argued that reprimanding Bhushan like "don't do it again" as suggested by the attorney general will not be correct and instead a statesman-like message should be there like "Mr Bhushan though we disagree with many things, but from next time you should be more responsible". Bhushan in his statement had refused to offer an apology to the Supreme Court for his two tweets against the judiciary, saying what he expressed represented his bona fide belief which he continued to hold. (With Agecnies Inputs) New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has cancelled press conference scheduled for 9pm on Friday and has instead announced that he will meet his Cabinet at 9am on Saturday. Attendance at this meeting is likely to decide Akhilesh Yadav's future as the state's chief minister as well as in the political arena in most crucial state. He has also scheduled a meeting with party workers and his loyalists at 12 noon. In a shocking development amid the Yadav family feud, Mulayam Singh Yadav expelled his son Akhilesh Yadav from the party. Mulayam has also expelled his brother Ram Gopal Yadav from the party. Reacting on the news, Ram Gopal Yadav termed the termination unconstitutional, Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is not aware of of partys constitution. It was unconstitutional to fire two people only hours after issuing showcause notice. (Read full story here) In a show of support, over 100 SP MLAs gathered outside UP CM Akhileshs house, hinting at where their loyalties lie in a party splitting from the middle. Akhilesh has also called for a meeting with all MLAs at 9 AM on Saturday. (Read full coverage here) Also read: Constitutional crisis in UP: Will 'expelled' CM Akhilesh Yadav prove his majority or quit? Here's what happened in last 2 days Mulayam Pari'WAR' touches new peak: Who said what after CM Akhilesh Yadav's expulsion from Samajwadi Party It's up to me to decide who will be the CM, says Mulayam after expelling Akhilesh Yadav | Top 10 quotes For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) has received accreditation for eight of its core certificate and diploma programmes from the Institute of Hospitality, the world-renowned entity dedicated to the career development of tourism professionals worldwide. A part of Dubais Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, DCT had submitted eight programmes for accreditation, namely, Certificate in Culinary Arts; Certificate in Events; Certificate in Hospitality; Certificate in Tourism; Diploma in Culinary Arts; Diploma in Events Management; Diploma in Hospitality Management; and Diploma in Tourism Management. These programmes were developed in line with the requirements of Dubais Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) framework and are designed within a Vocational Education and Training (VET) progression pathway that will culminate with an applied bachelors degree. In meeting the criteria for accreditation, the college was commended by Institute of Hospitality for its well-designed and comprehensive certificate and diploma programmes, its strong relationships with the industry and its the innovative approach to maintaining the industrial placements for students, the publication of a Quality Management Handbook, the range and thoroughness of DCTs policies and procedures and its intention to appoint External Examiners. The London-based Institute of Hospitality is an international membership organisation of professionals based in over 100 countries and representing all sectors of the industry, from hotels and food service to leisure, tourism and academia. On the accreditation, DCT General Manager Essa Bin Hadher said: "It is testament to the integrity of our international standards across curriculum and faculty which allows us to provide students with the highest quality and relevant training that helps them achieve their academic goals, as well as enabling us to meet the needs of the industry." These programmes were developed by DCT with the twin goals of meeting the demands of the industry for skilled young professionals and to prepare Emiratis for careers across tourism touchpoints, in line with Dubais tourism growth strategy. "Gaining accreditation by such a prestigious professional body is also a recognition of DCTs commitment to continuously strive for excellence to ensure that our graduates are even more readily welcomed by employers in the tourism sector," he stated. Peter Ducker FIH, Chief Executive, Institute of Hospitality said: "The DCT is an excellent college offering exceptional vocational training and we are delighted to welcome them to our global network." "We believe that their certificate and diploma programmes meet the highest quality standards and will provide learners with the skills and knowledge required to progress an exciting career in the hospitality industry" he added.-TradeArabia News Service Katyayani Shankar Bajpai, a career diplomat who served as India's ambassador to the US, China, and Pakistan, passed away on Sunday, his family said in a statement. He was 92. "Deeply grieved at the passing away of Ambassador Shankar Bajpai, mentor and friend. Will be missed by so many of us," he said in a tweet. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar condoled Bajpai's death. Bajpai served as India's ambassador to the US, China, and Pakistan, the statement said.He was one of the few career diplomats to have been ambassador in India's three most important and challenging posts. Bajpai was India's ambassador to the US when former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi made his first vital trip to Washington in 1985, the statement by Bajpai's family added. The former diplomat was also the Indian government's political officer in Sikkim from 1970 to 1974 and was involved in the integration of the state into the Indian Union, it said. As a young officer, he served in Pakistan during the 1965 war. In 1966, he accompanied (former) prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to Tashkent for the summit with Pakistan's (former) president Ayub Khan, it said. After he retired from government service in 1986, Bajpai transitioned to academic life in many universities, including University of California in 1987-88, and was also a visiting professor in University of California, Berkeley, 1989-92, the statement added. He then went on to become the first professor of Non-Western Studies, Brandeis University, in 1992 and 1993. He rounded out his academic career as a visiting fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University, in 2002, it said.He served as chairman of the National Security Advisory Board from 2008 to 2010. Bajpai continued to be consulted informally by the Indian government, particularly on relations with the US.He had an extensive set of contacts and friendships in the US establishment and was knowledgeable about America beyond foreign policy issues, it added. "Bajpai was a man for many seasons. He could quote poetry classics from memory, was widely and eclectically read, was an avid film buff, but above all was known for his culinary skills and as a consummate host," the statement said. He remained engaged with India's foreign policy and governance, and at the time of his death was working on a biography of his father, Girja Shankar Bajpai, first secretary-general of the Ministry of External Affairs, and on his own memoirs, it said. Bajpai is survived by his wife Meera Bajpai and two sons Dharma and Jayanti Bajpai. A retired Jersey City detective died Saturday after a month-long battle with COVID-19, family and friends announced on social media. Ramon Ray Regalado addressed the concerns on his Facebook page on July 22 that he was fighting the respiratory tract infection and wrote Thank you!! Ill get through this. But throughout the day Saturday, friends, family and acquaintances shared their grief through pictures and heartbroken posts. Such a sad day. No words can express how devastating this news comes to us. Our condolences and prayers go out to Ray Regalados family. #childhoodfriends #heartbroken Posted by Copa Maribel on Saturday, August 29, 2020 Regalado joined the Jersey City Police Department in 1995 and retired Jan. 31 of this year. On Sunday, the Union City Police Department tweeted its deepest condolences to Regalados friends and family. The long-time Jersey City resident also became politically active in 2013 when he ran for council-at-large and in 2015 for state assembly; both were unsuccessful. Later, he helped fundraise for Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulops re-election campaign in 2017. It pains me every time we lose a resident, but this one hurts a little more as Ray was a long time personal friend, Fulop told The Jersey Journal in a statement. In many ways Ray epitomized what Jersey City residents are in that he was selfless in his profession, he was vocal for his community, he was proud of his heritage, he was a good shoulder to lean on for those that were fortunate to call him friend, and his love for his family was apparent to anyone that spoke to Ray. I will miss Ray. Like Fulop, community members had faith in Regalados vision and advocated for his leadership. Demetrius Terry, a former Jersey City Board of Education candidate, wrote a letter to the Hudson Reporter in 2013, explaining why he thought Regalado should be the new face of the council-at-large, which was Viola Richardson at the time, who also died from COVID-19 complications in April. He isnt just any ordinary cop, Terry wrote. He actually is involved with the community and always addresses their concerns. He also was the school resource officer at P.S. 23 in which he mentored hundreds of children playing an important role in their lives. He served as a father figure for many. He always thought about how he could make the lives of others better. On Saturday, Terry tweeted that Regalados death is unreal. Im literally in tears. Rest In Peace Ray Regalado. Ray always gave me political advice on how to better myself. Whenever I had an issue, I could call Ray and he was there! You will be truly missed! This is unreal pic.twitter.com/ReCbyuYt3a Demetrius M. Terry (@dterry_nj) August 29, 2020 Amy DeGise, the chairwoman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, also took to social media to share her condolences and said the city lost one of its finest. Regalado was also the chairman of the Latino Caucus of Hudson County and paved the way for the Dominican Independence Day celebration in Jersey City. As we face our own battles today, let us be proud of our colorful history and heritage. Let us journey together to a vibrant and a better life, Regalado said in 2014, at the second annual Dominican Independence Day celebration. Calling for worldwide protest against the move, IPMSDL said, protesters should make a statement of support to the Sikkim peoples organizations and indigenous peoples (IP) movements everywhere; take video or photo with calls to stop the dams in Sikkim; and dedicate a song, dance, artwork, poem, or other creative ways to populate the social media and internet about these issues and struggles. It also insisted on the use of hashtag #SaveTeesta #StopStageIV #StopNHPC #LetOurRivers #FlowFree #NoToLargeDams #DefendAncestralLands #DefendIPRights #StruggleForSelfDetermination, adding, supporters of the campaign should read and share studies, stories, and write-ups about Sikkim and its people. An IPMSDL statement: The Worldwide Protest Against the Implementation of Dams in Sikkim calls for our solidarity. The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination stands with the IP and communities of Sikkim, North East India in defending their rights and lands from the threats of Teesta Dam. Let us be one in the struggle of Indigenous Peoples (IP) against all destructive mega-dams and hydro projects. State-owned The Government of India identified Amid the pandemic, this July, government is railroading The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), a multinational civil society network, has opposed the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) , which is pushing for constructing the Teesta Stage IV Hydroelectric Power (HEP) project in North Sikkim.One of the 21projects planned in Sikkim, calling it a destructive move, IPMSDL said in a statement, the profit-oriented mega-dam would choke a river, which would also mean indigenous people would be lose their lands, rights, culture, and identity.Calling for worldwide protest against the move, IPMSDL said, protesters should make a statement of support to the Sikkim peoples organizations and indigenous peoples (IP) movements everywhere; take video or photo with calls to stop the dams in Sikkim; and dedicate a song, dance, artwork, poem, or other creative ways to populate the social media and internet about these issues and struggles.It also insisted on the use of hashtag #SaveTeesta #StopStageIV #StopNHPC #LetOurRivers #FlowFree #NoToLargeDams #DefendAncestralLands #DefendIPRights#StruggleForSelfDetermination, adding, supporters of the campaign should read and share studies, stories, and write-ups about Sikkim and its people.The Worldwide Protest Against the Implementation of Dams in Sikkim calls for our solidarity. The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination stands with the IP and communities of Sikkim, North East India in defending their rights and lands from the threats of Teesta Dam. Let us be one in the struggle of Indigenous Peoples (IP) against all destructive mega-dams and hydro projects.State-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited is now pushing forward in constructing the Teesta Stage IV HydroElectric Power (HEP) project in North Sikkim. It aims to generate electricity from the strong currents of Teesta River, a tributary of Brahmaputra River, that rises in the eastern Himalayas and flows through the States of Sikkim and West Bengal through Bangladesh.The Government of India identified 21 hydro electric power projects to be developed in Sikkim. Six projects have been envisioned in Teesta including the Teesta I-IV. Since the projects inception, strong resistance from the Lepcha and Dzongu community whose lands, livelihoods and culture will be completely drowned and wiped out once the dam is built.Amid the pandemic, this July, government is railroading public hearings for the dams Social Impact Assessment (SIA). The governments efforts to dilute environmental regulations were met with peoples protest stressing the threat it poses to the landslide and earthquake-prone environment, and violations of IP land and customary rights. But in response, people have been coerced by paramilitaries, while some were arrested and jailed for months. Corporate and state development projects fail to benefit vulnerable and poor communities, serve profit-oriented world market The stories are common whether in Sikkim, in Asia and around the world. More often, IP communities, environment and human rights activists defending their lands and rivers are labelled enemies of the State and anti-development. IP remain excluded as dams engulf their lands. In far-flung areas, defense of ancestral territories is met with militarization and more rights violations. In reality, corporate and State development projects fail to benefit the most vulnerable and poorest communities. Instead, the booming energy demands serve the profit-oriented world market and burgeoning world powers like India. Unless all the issues surrounding the mega-dams and peoples demands are met by States and government, we call that all constructions be stopped. To stand with the people of Sikkim and IP, lets join in defending their lands and their lives. Its the source of their livelihood, identity, ways of life and their vital expression of the right to self-determination. Alternatives and sustainable energy sources must be prioritized. Whats at stake with mega-dam construction is not only the loss of biodiversity and IP culture but the future of succeeding generations. Just like the flow of our mighty rivers, let us brave our fight forward! Save Teesta! Stop Stage IV! Stop NHPC! Let Our Rivers Flow Free! No To Large Dams! Defend Ancestral Lands! Defend IP Rights! Struggle For Self-Determination! She was in the mood to party. And for Chloe Ross, her huge inflatable champagne bottle was a sign of things to come as she knocked the drinks back with pals on Sunday. The Only Way Is Essex star, 27, looked flawless as ever while wearing a black embroidered dress as she attended her friend's birthday bash in Essex. Party time! Chloe Ross, held a huge inflatable champagne bottle which was a sign of things to come as she enjoyed a boozy night at her friend's birthday celebrations in Essex on Sunday The reality star arrived at her friend's marquee party with her sister Madeline Ross. She was seen wearing a black smock dress with embroidered cut-out detailing around her neck and sleeves. The classy number also featured a a frilled panel which ran down the centre and finished at her hips. Glam: The Only Way Is Essex star, 27, was seen wearing a black smock dress with embroidered cut-out detailing around her neck and sleeves which she paired with black chain-link sandals Chloe kept her brunette tresses in a chic pony tail and opted for a dewy makeup look that highlighted her bronzed complexion. The reality star exuded sophistication, but that didn't stop her from letting her inhibitions go as she enjoyed a glass of wine and joked around for pictures. She stuck her tongue out for a cheeky snap as she held an inflatable Champagne magnum bottle. Bubbles: Chloe exuded sophistication, but that didn't stop her from letting her inhibitions go as she knocked the drinks back and joked around for pictures at the party bar In another image, she held a blow-up Hollywood clapperboard while wearing green tinted goggles. The brunette beauty appeared to be having a barrel of laughs at her friends birthday celebration. She has been in the midst of filming the upcoming series of The Only Way Is Essex, which will celebrate the ITVBe show's 10-year anniversary. Cheers! In another image from the night, the brunette beauty held a blow-up Hollywood clapperboard while wearing green tinted goggles as she smiled for the camera It is thought that TOWIE's 10th Anniversary specials were planned to be similar to the show's usual set-up, with some of the show's original stars making guest appearances. However because of the coronavirus pandemic some changes have had to be made and now the show will reportedly have a slightly different format. Instead of filming scenes, it is believed that episodes will show some of the best TOWIE moments from the past 10 years with the cast commentating on them. Back to work: She has been in the midst of filming the upcoming series of The Only Way Is Essex, which will celebrate the ITVBe show's 10-year anniversary It was originally reported that for its new series TOWIE would return to its previous broadcast pattern by airing episodes on both Sundays and Wednesdays. Along with giving fans to catch up on what stars such as Amber Turner, Chloe Sims and Olivia Attwood have been up to during the lockdown, there will also be surprise appearances from some of the show's biggest stars from the past decade. Speaking at the time, Paul Mortimer, Head of Digital Channels and Acquisitions for ITV, added: 'After 10 years, TOWIE is still going strong and remains the number one show on ITVBe. 'We're thrilled to be welcoming back new and old faces for the upcoming mega-series as the show celebrates this special anniversary.' Sofia Richie has recently found herself back on the market, amid her split with Scott Disick after three years. But the model/actress is living her best single life, recently celebrating another trip around the sun in style. Richie rocked a surfer chic look in a colorful skintight wetsuit, as she went tubing with some gal pals at the beach in Malibu, after returning from her birthday trip to Cabo San Lucas. Bond girl vibes: Sofia Richie oozed surfer chic on Saturday in a colorful skintight wetsuit The 22-year-old donned a long-sleeve navy blue Billabong half suit, which showed off her toned legs with high-cut shorts. The wetsuit featured a pop of color, with a vibrant leafy print, which ran down the sides and the sleeves, featuring green at the wrists. She accessorized the look with some petite hoop earrings running up her cartilage in gold and pink. Richie arrived to the beach in a summer chic look, sporting a black tank top with some denim short shorts and black Fendi sandals. Home sweet home: It came after she returned from her birthday trip to Cabo San Lucas earlier this week Girls day: She went tubing with some gal pals, during a day at the beach in Malibu Surfer girl chic: The 22-year-old donned a long-sleeve navy blue Billabong half suit, which showed off her toned legs with high-cut shorts Pop of color: The wetsuit featured a pop of color, with a vibrant leafy print, which ran down the sides and the sleeves Dripping in jewels: The sleeves also featured some green at the wrists. She accessorized the look with some petite hoop earrings running up her cartilage in gold and pink She and her friends walked out of a beach house, after changing into their wetsuits for a day on the water. The daughter of Lionel Richie was all smiles, as they walked barefoot through the sand on a sunny SoCal summer day. She and her gal pals walked into the water with rubber inner tubes, pushing them past the waves. The group held hands as they jumped on their floats, securing them together, while riding them over billowing waves. Summer vibes: Richie arrived to the beach in a summer chic look, sporting a black tank top with some denim short shorts and black Fendi sandals Wardrobe change: She and her friends walked out of a beach house, after changing into their wetsuits for a day on the water All smiles: The daughter of Lionel Richie was all smiles, as they walked barefoot through the sand on a sunny SoCal summer day Riding the waves: She and her gal pals walked into the water with rubber inner tubes, pushing them past the waves Buddy system: The group held hands as they jumped on their floats, securing them together, while riding them over billowing waves Sofia wore her blonde hair slicked back, getting soaked shortly after she was thrown off her big blue tube. She enjoyed the cold saltwater, as she walked back to the beach, letting the waves crash against her back. The Cosmopolitan cover girl previously showed off her bikini collection, while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas for her birthday. She was accompanied by mother Diane Alexander, brother Miles Richie and pal Stassie Karanikolaou for the girls trip. Soaking wet: Sofia wore her blonde hair slicked back, getting soaked shortly after she was thrown off her big blue tube Little Mermaid vibes: She enjoyed the cold saltwater, as she walked back to the beach, letting the waves crash against her back Birthday trip: The Cosmopolitan cover girl previously showed off her bikini collection, while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas for her birthday Girls trip: She was accompanied by mother Diane Alexander, brother Miles Richie and pal Stassie Karanikolaou for the girls trip It came after sources confirmed that she and boyfriend of three years Scott Disick, 37, called it quits back in May. They sparked rumors of reconciliation back in July, when they celebrated Independence Day together. A source recently told People: 'It's always been difficult for them to balance their relationship with Scott's family life. His kids will always come first.' Another insider said: 'Scott's focus is his health and the kids. Sofia wants to hang out with friends and enjoy the summer. Since they are no longer on the same page, they decided to just be apart. At least for now.' Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturday on UW-Madisons Library Mall calling for the state Department of Justice to arrest the Kenosha police officer who shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back. The demonstrators, led by a group of youth organizers, clapped and sang civil rights-era protest songs as they readied to march from Library Mall up State Street toward the state Capitol and Risser Justice Center. For a number of the protest organizers, the police shooting of Blake, a Black man, hit too close to home. Naomi Hollard, 22, grew up in McFarland, which has a majority white population, and recounted the experiences of her family members. My brother, whos darker skinned than me, he would always get pulled over by the cops in front of our house, she said. Because of the color of our skin and how we look, we were seen as already criminal. For Hollard, organizing and showing up at Saturdays rally meant she was able to take a stand against police brutality. When she heard about the shooting of Blake, she thought of her brother and her uncle, and it was the proximity of the shooting, roughly 100 miles from where she was raised, that motivated Hollard to get back out in the streets and organize peaceful demonstrations. When it comes so close to home, it just really weighs on you that you have a responsibility to fight for justice. You just cant turn a blind eye anymore, its home. Its Wisconsin, she said. I want to make it so kids who look like me, who were raised in a small town 15 minutes from Madison, can feel safe. Demonstrators chanted Blakes name, Black Lives Matter and No Justice, No Peace as they rallied on the mall. Make sure they hear you in Kenosha, one organizer yelled. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Kenosha on Saturday to march and rally for justice in the largest demonstration the city has seen since the shooting. The southeastern Wisconsin city of fewer than 100,000 residents has roiled with unrest since the Aug. 23 shooting. The day of the shooting and the following day, demonstrators clashed with law enforcement and less-lethal munitions were used in an attempt to subdue the crowds as Kenosha businesses were set on fire. On Tuesday, demonstrations in Kenosha turned deadly as Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old Illinois resident, allegedly shot and killed two protesters with an AR-15 and wounded a third. Rittenhouse was arrested in Illinois and faces homicide and other charges. Armed civilians were seen during protests Monday night on Madisons Capitol Square. Laetitia Hollard, 17, of McFarland, said the presence of armed civilians around the Capitol during protests that took place earlier in the week scared her, and the shootings Tuesday night in Kenosha that took the lives of two people drove home how dangerous demonstrations can become. Im 17 and I might be murdered fighting for my future that really hit me hard. After a while you realize thats how white supremacy works, thats what they do to keep change from happening I have no other choice, really, she said. Were here because were fighting for our future, were fighting for our kids future. Demonstrators in Madison Saturday marched up State Street chanting join us and white silence is violence at patrons who sat on makeshift patios outside of open businesses. Madison police blocked off traffic at intersections as the marchers made their way toward Capitol Square. Demonstrators wound around the Capitol and turned onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where they stopped in front of the Risser Justice Center. There, organizers called for demonstrators to pull out their phones and call the state Department of Justice to demand the arrest of Kenosha police Officer Rusten Sheskey and circulated a petition for protesters to sign. The rally concluded peacefully just after 6 p.m. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ), has directed State Power Utility, Zesa Holdings, to address sticking issues to the new proposed contract for the Gwanda solar project in line with the existing contract between the parties and previous procurement law forming the basis of the signed agreement. This comes after Cabinet recently approved the new proposed implementation plan for the project, which committed to deliver the first 10 megawatts (MW) from Gwanda within six months, stressing that the project remains one of priority initiatives to end power shortages. Zimbabwe faces a critical shortage of power with constrained internal generation capacity that averages 1 200MW against peak period demand of 2 000MW to 2 200MW. Drought, which reduced output at Kariba and Hwanges advanced age, worsened the deficit. According to a strategic review document for the Gwanda project presented to both Zesa and the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, a copy of which is in possession of Herald Finance and Business, the first 10MW will be funded through bridging finance from African Transmission Corporation (ATC) of US$14 million. As such, the State procurement authority has directed Zesa to resolve issues at hand in line with the existing contract and relevant Procurement Law. This comes after the power utility lost the High Court case against the contractor for Gwanda, Intratrek Zimbabwe, after terminating the contract for project over delays in implementation of some initial works and completion of financial closure. The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), Zesa generating arm, has since written to PRAZ seeking guidance over how best to proceed with the proposed new contract for the project, pointing out that the new contract has variations to the initial one. The new proposal has variations from the original specifications upon which the tender was awarded. In ZPCs view the proposed variation will result in a contract materially different from the original one or would significantly alter nature and scope of contract, ZPC said. ZPC also said that after the High Court ruling that the contract between the parties was still valid and extant and directed the parties to the deal to find ways of implementing the power project, the State power utility had since re-engaged the contractor. In light of the issues raised in the aforementioned letter, please note that your entity must be guided by the provisions of the contract between the parties to the agreement in addressing issues at hand. However, it is important to note that the applicable procurement law would be the repealed Procurement Act because that was the law that was in place at the time of contract signature. How to proceed with the contract is therefore a decision the accounting officer has to make although guided by the provisions of the Procurement Act and repealed regulations, together with terms of the contract that is still extant, PRAZ said. In a response letter to PRAZ, after seeing a copy of the letter ZPC wrote to the procurement regulatory authority, Intratrek said that it had not introduced any material variations to the contract signed in 2015, and that its proposal was only of phasing the project. Temperature checks are becoming routine as schools, businesses and offices attempt to reopen safely in the midst of a pandemic. Does this cumbersome practice really keep anyone safe from the coronavirus? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated last month that nearly 40% of COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic, and experts suspect only half of symptomatic patients exhibit a fever. Most schools and office buildings use noncontact thermal scanners or thermometers. Though the devices allow someone to measure temperature at a safe distance, experts said there are obvious limitations. The scanner can read only surface body temperature, which can be inaccurate when determining whether someone has a fever. If somebody was out in the heat for a long time, their surface body temperature might read that they have a fever when they dont have one, said Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician in Phoenix. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a Facebook Live broadcast with the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last week that the White House and the National Institutes of Health abandoned temperature checks as theyre notoriously inaccurate. Corinth Elementary School students have their temperature checked by a thermal scanner as they arrive for their first day back to school July 27 in Corinth, Miss. We have found at the NIH, that it's much, much better to just question people when they come in and save time, he said. While office buildings and government agencies are certainly a concern, public health experts also worry about schools as they reopen for in-person learning in parts of the country. A study published Thursday in the Journal of Pediatrics found children who tested positive for COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of virus in their airways than hospitalized adults in intensive care units. 'Silent spreaders' of COVID-19: Kids who seem healthy may be more contagious than sick adults, study says When should I get my flu shot this year? Everything to know about flu season during the coronavirus pandemic Story continues Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital for Children discovered half of the children who tested positive had a fever. How likely are you to pick up every case of COVID? The answer is only 50% of the time, said Roberta DeBiasi, chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Childrens Hospital in Washington. Doctors said temperature checks should be treated as one of the many tools in the COVID-19 toolbox. Though they can detect fever, they should be paired with additional screening methods and prevention tactics such as monitoring for other symptoms, mask wearing, social distancing and frequent hand-washing. Certainly, kids with fever shouldnt be going to school, but just because the kid isnt presenting a fever doesnt mean they dont have the coronavirus, said Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialists at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT. Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19: Do temperature checks keep you safe from the coronavirus? Goa-based hotelier Gaurav Arya has reportedly been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over drug conspiracy link in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. Gaurav who allegedly exchanged messages about drug consumption with late actors actress-girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. The hotelier is said to fly down from Goa to Mumbai and will appear before the ED on Monday at 11 am. For the unversed, Rhea and her family members have been accused of cheating and abetting to suicide in the Dil Bechara star's death case. A top ED official, in connection with the money laundering angle probe in the case told IANS, "We have summoned Arya for questioning in connection with the case on Monday at our Mumbai office." The official also said that Gaurav is being summoned as he had chatted about consumption of drugs on the phone with Rhea Chakraborty. In the same vein, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has already registered a case against Rhea and her brother Showik among others under several sections of the NDPS Act on Wednesday, August 26, 2020. Meanwhile, Gaurav Aryas lawyer Manu Sharma has stated that his client will fully cooperate with the probe. Times of India quoted Sharma as saying, "He will be present at the Mumbai ED office to give his statement... We will cooperate fully." However, Sharma refused to respond to the allegations made against Arya. "I cannot share any response to allegations. We will give it to the agency," he said. It must be recollected that the Enforcement Directorate began the probe after registering a case of money laundering against Rhea and her family on July 31, based on the complaint filed by Sushant's father KK Singh with the Bihar Police. ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty Summoned By CBI: Agency To Ask These Questions To The Actress, Reveal Sources ALSO READ: Sushant Singh Rajput Case: NCB Finds The Drugs Given To The Actor Were Bought On Darknet One man was shot and killed in downtown Portland as dueling demonstrations one a pro-Trump car caravan and another a counter-protest mounted by various opposing groups unfolded late Saturday. Portland police said the man was shot around 8:45 p.m. near Southwest Third Avenue and Alder Street. The agency did not say whether the incident was related to the demonstrations. The man lay in the street as medics tended to the gunshot wounds. The body remained there after medics left. Next to the body was camouflage gear with infidel and thin blue line patches, which commonly indicate support for law enforcement. Police taped off the area. A photo from the scene published by Getty Images showed the man wearing a hat with a Patriot Prayer logo. The far-right group has been at the center of multiple Portland demonstrations that often culminate in violent clashes. Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson said he had also seen the photo of the man killed. He did not say whether he knew the person. I have to figure out what the hell is going on, Gibson said Saturday night, before hanging up. Various scuffles between pro-Trump demonstrators and counter-protesters had broken out in the hours since a vehicle rally in support of President Donald Trump, which began in near Clackamas Town Center, reached Portland. Organizers of the event encouraged demonstrators to come armed, but not carry their firearms openly. The fatal shooting occurred after most of the Trump caravan had left downtown. Its the third consecutive weekend competing groups have clashed downtown, events that have grown increasingly violent as Portland protests against systemic racism and police brutality stretch into their fourth month. On Aug. 15, a person fired shots inside a parking garage shortly after dueling demonstrations came to a head in the afternoon. Last weekend, right-wing demonstrators repeatedly rushed counterprotesters with shields, some shooting paint balls and blasting pepper spray at the opposing crowd. Some left-wing counter protesters also shot paint balls into the group of conservative demonstrators. At one point, a man identified as right-wing activist Alan Swinney, pointed a gun at the crowd but did not fire. Portland police came under fire for their handling of the incident. Chief Chuck Lovell said officers chose not to intervene lest they create a flashpoint during a moment of heightened tensions. Asked what sort of planning Portland police did in preparation for Saturdays dueling rallies, which were easily identified to contain elements typical of events that end in violence, a bureau spokesman said it does not discuss our tactical plans publicly. Maxine Bernstein, Mark Graves, Dave Killen and Samantha Swindler of The Oregonian staff contributed to this report, which has been updated throughout the night. -- Eder Campuzano | @edercampuzano | Eder on Facebook Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. A blood thinner commonly available in the market has reportedly helped heal coronavirus patients in Pune, Maharashtra. Injections of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) have turned out to be an effective therapeutic treatment for COVID-19. According to a Times of India report, doctors have claimed that the subcutaneous injection has helped reduce hospitalisation period of coronavirus patients and cut down mortality by as much as 90 percent. Blood-thinning drugs have also improved the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients. Encouraged by the results, doctors across India have now started administering LMWH injections as a prophylactic therapy to stop blood clotting and inflammation the two major complications that have contributed to COVID-19 deaths. How do the blood thinners work? COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show According to studies, anticoagulants have helped keep COVID-19 patients alive by preventing clot formation in their lungs. In several coronavirus cases, the pathogen has been found to attack the patients brain, lungs, and hearts, by causing deadly blood clots that prevent oxygen flow. These injections have reportedly been preventing this effectively. Follow our coverage of the coronavirus crisis here Turkey Launches Shooting Exercises in Eastern Mediterranean Amid Drilling Tensions With Greece Sputnik News Max Gorbachev. Sputnik International 11:47 GMT 29.08.2020(updated 11:50 GMT 29.08.2020) The development comes as Ankara is engaged in a bitter territorial dispute with Greece and Cyprus. The European Union has threatened to slap sanctions on Turkey if it continues with what Brussels has called "illegal drilling". Turkey has announced shooting drills in the eastern Mediterranean that will last from 29 August until 11 September. Ankara informed about its decision via NAVTEX, an international maritime communication channel used to send navigational warnings, search and rescue notices, and meteorological forecasts. Turkey is now conducting exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean, a move that has further exacerbated tensions with its neighbours Greece and Cyprus and prompted concern in the European Union. An informal summit of the bloc's foreign ministers was held in Berlin on 28 August, where participants agreed to speed up the imposition of sanctions on Turkey. The foreign ministers said the European Union will impose the punitive measures on 24 September if talks on the territorial dispute with Ankara fail. French President Emmanuel Macron said Turkey hasn't been behaving like a NATO ally and noted that there is a "growing frustration in the face of Turkey's behaviour". Macron also announced that the European Union will adopt a tough stance towards Ankara. "When it comes to Mediterranean sovereignty, I have to be consistent in deeds and words. I can tell you that the Turks only consider and respect that", said Macron. Turkey previously claimed that its drilling operations in the eastern Mediterranean are being carried out on its continental shelf and hence are in line with international law. Greece and Cyprus claim that Turkey has crossed into their exclusive economic zones and those of the European Union, as both countries are members of the bloc. Tensions have risen between Turkey and Greece in recent weeks after Ankara sent its survey ship the Oruc Reis into an area that Athens claims is part of its continental shelf. Both countries mobilised their navies, with Athens saying it would stand up for its sovereignty by all available means. Greece also launched naval drills this week in the area where Turkey is prospecting for oil and gas. Later France, Cyprus, and Italy said they would join Athens. Turkey has harshly criticised the move and warned Greece against taking a "path to ruin". A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Express News Service CHENNAI: Just five days after joining the BJP, former IPS officer K Annamalai was on Saturday given the post of vice president in the partys Tamil Nadu unit. Party State president L Murugan announced this in a statement. Later, Annamalai called on Murugan and the latter greeted him with a shawl. Annamalai had said that he joined the BJP not expecting any post and that he would function as a loyal foot soldier. Recently, former DMK leader VP Duraisamy was also given a vice president post. With the inclusion of Annamalai, the number of vice presidents in Tamil Nadu BJP has risen to 11. They include Vanathi Srinivasan, Karuppu M Muruganandam, MN Raja, Nainar Nagenthran, M Chakravarthi, Puratchi Kavidasan, AR Mahalakshmi, and Professor Kanagasabapathi. 'Hypocritical': Turkey Scolds EU's Threat of Sanctions Over Tensions in East Mediterranean Sputnik News 13:54 GMT 29.08.2020 Already fraught relations between Greece and Turkey worsened this month after Ankara dispatched its Oruc Reis oil and gas seismic survey vessel to a disputed area of Mediterranean Sea also claimed by Athens. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay has attacked as "hypocritical" a threat by the EU to impose sanctions on Ankara over its soaring tensions in the eastern Mediterranean with neighbour Greece. In a Tweet, Oktay issued a scathing rebuke of the EU's position, saying that, "It is hypocritical for the European Union to call for dialogue and, simultaneously, make other plans regarding Turkey's activities within our continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean." "We are proficient in the language of peace and diplomacy, but do not hesitate to do the necessary thing when it comes to defending Turkey's rights and interests. France and Greece know that better than anyone," he added. Oktay's comments come hot on the heels of a statement by EU Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, who said that the bloc was preparing to slap sanctions on Turkey - including harsh economic measures - unless it make speedy efforts toward reducing rapidly deteriorating relations with both Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean region. The measures, if imposed, would seek to curtail Turkey's ability to explore for natural gas in the famously contested waters of the region, and could, according to Mr Borrell, target individuals, Turkish ships and the use of European ports. "We can go to measures related to sectoral activities where the Turkish economy is related to the European economy," Mr Borrell told a news conference recently in reference to the possible sanctions. The EU would, Mr Borrell noted, focus on all "activities we consider illegal." The long-simmering dispute between Turkey and Greece - both NATO member states - started to boil over after both agreed to rival accords on maritime zones with Libya and Egypt. Turkey and the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Libya - whom Ankara has been providing substantial military support to in that country's ongoing civil war - struck an accord in late 2019 that allowed Turkey to access areas in the region where sizeable hydrocarbon resources have been found. Then, at the beginning of August, Egypt and Greece signed a rival agreement - one that Turkey declared "null and void" - to jointly explore their exclusive economic zones for marine resources. Both sides have continued to lock horns over who has legitimate rights over hydrocarbon resources in the region as a result of conflicting claims about the extent of their continental shelves. Ominous signs of the potential for the militarisation of the dispute have started to emerge. On Friday, August 28, Turkey declared that it would hold military drills off northwest Cyprus in the coming weeks. Following that, the Turkish military issued a warning to mariners, known as a Navtex, which said it would be holding "gunnery exercise" from Saturday August 29 until September 11. Before that, on August 12, Greek and Turkish frigates that were following one of Ankara's oil and gas survey ships, the Oruc Reis, collided. Turkish and Greek F-16 fighter jets engaged in what The Times described as a "dogfight" over the Mediterranean as Ankara dispatched its planes to intercept six Greek jets as they returned from war games in Cyprus. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is considering making changes to his cabinet after he meets the ruling partys leadership this weekend, people familiar with the deliberations said. The meeting could be a showdown between the president and his rivals within the African National Congress, the people said, asking not to be identified as a public statement hasnt been made. Ramaphosa is looking for ways to revive South Africas stagnant economy and help boost investor confidence in his administration. The economy, already in recession before the coronavirus outbreak struck, is forecast to contract 7.2% this year, according to the Treasury. Ramaphosa has talked of the urgent need for reforms to revive output, but the slow pace of government policy changes needed to approve everything from new renewable-energy plants to the sale of telecommunications spectrum has drawn criticism from business leaders and labor unions. No decisions have been made on any change of cabinet ministers, the people said. The president hasnt discussed any potential changes with the top six officials of the ruling African National Congress, as is customary, one of the people said. Presidency spokesman Tyrone Seale referred a request for comment to ANC spokesman Pule Mabe, who asked that questions be sent by text messages, to which he didnt immediately respond. Slow Reforms The collapse of South Africas economy, partly due to the pandemic, has been exacerbated by the lack of reforms coming from the Ramaphosa administration, business leaders say. The mines and energy ministry has been slow to approve new power plants and little progress has been made improving the performance of indebted state companies overseen by the the public enterprises ministry. Ramaphosa is being pushed to act decisively as the public standing of the ANC has taken a battering from revelations that party officials and their family members benefited from contracts to supply the government with medical equipment needed to fight the virus. Last weekend, Ramaphosa wrote to party members saying they needed to root out corruption as the ANC has become accused No. 1. On Friday, former President Jacob Zuma, who is facing corruption charges, wrote to Ramaphosa saying that his actions could destroy the ANC. In a series of Twitter posts last night that were later deleted, Finance Minister and Ramaphosa ally Tito Mboweni decried the corruption in the party. This corruption THING must end now! he said in one of the posts. We cannot have thieves in our organization. Mboweni has repeatedly expressed his frustration in government and has been said by analysts to be at risk of quitting. If he did resign, his potential replacement could be Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, one of the people said. In a fresh development in the case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Saturday that the government will send all complaints it has received against film producer Sandip Ssingh to the CBI. I have received many complaints and requests to investigate the relationship between Sandip Ssingh and the Bharatiya Janata Party, pertaining to his connections with Bollywood and drugs. I will send these pleas to the CBI for a probe," Deshmukh told mediapersons here. To a query as to why the government did nothing for the past over two months in the matter, the minister retorted by asking why the BJP government, which ruled the state for five years, did not act against Ssingh. Ssingh is the producer of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has been seen interacting with leading BJP leaders in the past. The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government has faced flak from the BJP in the Sushant case, the probe of which was handed over from the Mumbai Police to the CBI, with the Enforcement Directorate and the Narcotics Control Bureau also joining in. State Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant has said that between September 1 and December 23, 2019, Sandip Ssingh had called up the BJP office 53 times. Who was he speaking to? Who is his handler in the BJP," Sawant asked, demanding a probe into the relations between Singh and BJP leaders who treat him as a blue-eyed boy". He further claimed that for the PMs biopic, Ssinghs Legend Global Studio was the only film company which signed an MoU worth Rs 177 crore at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, and sought to know why only that company inked the deal. Sawant tweeted pictures of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is now the Leader of Opposition, with Ssingh at the poster-launch of the film, PM Narendra Modi" (2019) in which actors Suresh Oberoi and the films lead actor Vivek Oberoi were also seen. The Congress leader said that the leaked social media messages of Rhea Chakraborty are from the time when the BJP-led government ruled the state, so it can be said that drugs were so easily available during the BJP regime. Referring to media reports that Ssingh may flee the country, Sawant said there are many questions, such as the mystery behind the hasty CBI probe etc., which need proper investigations. However, BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam said that the state government is attempting to mislead the people and trying to protect the politicians, the actors and the drugs mafia. The probe was with the state government for 65 days Why was Sandeep Ssingh not investigated then," Kadam asked. CHENNAI: A six kilo metal idol of Lord Nataraja found in a suburban lake by a local resident while fishing has been handed over to revenue officials, police said on Sunday. Murali, while angling at the Sirungavoor lake near suburban Red Hills on Saturday, snared a leather bag, which had a one and half foot tall idol of Lord Nataraja, weighing six kilos. He immediately informed the local police, who handed over the idol to revenue officials. Police said they could not immediately ascertain ifthe idol was stolen and later dumped in the lake. V Subramanian, secretary of a voluntary organisation 'Jankalyan,'pointing to theft of idols from temples, told PTI that authorities should come forward to digitise images of all idols for easy identification and restoration in case they were stolen. "Whenever authorities recover idols, they should hand them over to the nearest temples for puja," he said. Police officers in Kenosha were on alert after days of protests over the shooting of Jacob Blake by one of their colleagues, and they'd recently gotten a tip about suspicious vehicles from out of state. So, after watching a group of people fill cans at a gas station Wednesday and then hop into a minivan with Oregon plates, the officers sped in. A bystander's video shows officers leaping out of black SUVs with guns drawn. About 25 seconds later, an officer shatters the van's passenger-side window with her baton, unlocks its door and pulls a person out. The group turned out to be members of Riot Kitchen, a Seattle-based organisation that serves food at demonstrations. Jennifer Scheurle, a member of its board of directors, said they were filling up gas cans to power a generator for their food truck. The nine taken into custody in the SWAT-style operation Wednesday were among dozens of people arrested this week in the Wisconsin city. The arrests have highlighted activists' complaints that police have been responding to protests over the white officer's shooting that left Mr Blake, a black man, paralysed, even as they've tolerated armed militia groups. The Riot Kitchen members were charged with misdemeanour disorderly conduct, but all were free by Friday morning. We reject all claims that our crew was there to incite violence or build explosives, said Ms Scheurle, who was not among those in Kenosha. Our nonprofit organisation has always been and will always be about feeding people. Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said at a Friday news conference that just under 50 people had been arrested during the protests. The department later provided a list of 58 charges, more than half of them for curfew violations, but declined to specify the number of people arrested or provide names. I believe everybody out there in law enforcement has been friendly to both sides, Mr Miskinis said. An analysis of jail records since the day of Mr Blake's shooting shows about 45 per cent the people facing charges seemingly related to the protests live outside Wisconsin. Those arrested were almost 70 per cent white and about two-thirds male. The vast majority were charged with misdemeanours or civil violations, although there were also some felonies. Mr Miskinis said one person had been charged for having a flamethrower. More than 20 of the people remained in jail Friday afternoon. Adelana Akindes, a 24-year-old from Kenosha, said she spent nearly a day in a crowded cell after being arrested Wednesday while walking toward the demonstrations carrying a shield. Police had Ms Akindes and three others lie on the ground as they put them in handcuffs, she said, adding that officers did not read their Miranda rights or say why they were being arrested. She was released on Thursday evening and charged with breaking curfew. They wanted to scare us, said Ms Akindes, who is black. They wanted to make an example of us. The last three nights of protests have been mostly peaceful, and police have not fired tear gas or pepper balls. But they've used tactics that local activists see as heavy handed. On Thursday night, police pulled over several cars of people headed to protests. They arrested a group of people in one vehicle and searched the car of another group. There has been no respect for anybody's civil rights, said Isaac Wallner, a 30-year-old Kenosha activist. It's been a police free for all. They do whatever they want. Mr Wallner, who is black, contrasted this with what he characterised as a tolerant, or even friendly, attitude police have taken toward the white men who've come to the city outfitted with heavy vests and long guns, including a 17-year-old charged with fatally shooting two people and wounding a third. Earlier in the week, sheriff's deputies shot pepper balls at protesters and arrested them when they failed to quickly leave after being told they were breaking curfew. But officers in an armoured vehicle with Sheriff on the side were also recorded at night tossing water bottles to men carrying rifles. We appreciate you guys. We really do, someone can be heard calling from the vehicle in a video of the exchange. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said Friday that the officer seen giving out water was not one of his deputies, and the person who said he appreciated what the armed civilians were doing doesn't mirror all of law enforcement's perspective on what happened. AP Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 23:19:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TAIPEI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Politicians, media and experts in Taiwan have reacted strongly against the Taiwan authority's decision to ease restrictions on pork and beef imports from the United States. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) said in a statement Sunday that the decision did not go through full debate and ignored the policy's challenges to farmers' interests and risks on food safety. The Taiwan authority announced on Aug. 28 that it will set standards for ractopamine residue in imported pork to allow imports of such meat and open its market to U.S. beef for cattle aged over 30 months. The use of ractopamine in pork has been banned in Taiwan in wake of the risks it may pose to human health while U.S. beef for cattle aged over 30 months has been barred for fear of mad-cow disease. Years ago many politicians of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), including the island's current leader Tsai Ing-wen, had openly and fiercely voiced against the imports of U.S. pork containing ractopamine but now they abandoned their stance so easily in exchange of political interests, the KMT statement said. The DPP's changing stance on imported meats is another example that it has tried to deceive Taiwan people on one hand and fawn on the United States on the other hand, said a statement from the office of Ma Ying-jeou, the island's former leader. The move had gone fully against the DPP's previous stance on U.S. imported meats and the only explanation of its motive seemed to be yielding to U.S. pressure, said Prof. Lin Chu-chia, with the Department of Economics of Chengchi University, in an open letter. "Those DPP politicians who once vowed to defend the interests of local pig farmers now are all silent," wrote the Taipei-based United Daily News in its editorial Sunday. "It proved that the new decision is nothing to do with scientific standards nor people's welfare but the DPP's interests." The cities of Taipei and Taichung as well as Yunlin county announced that they will continue to ban the use of ractopamine in pork and forbid the sales of such meat despite the recent policy. Enditem Belarus Revokes Accreditation Of At Least 17 Journalists Covering Postelection Turmoil By RFE/RL's Belarus Service August 29, 2020 MINSK Belarusian authorities stripped accreditations from at least 17 journalists from major foreign news organizations who have been covering the country's turmoil following the disputed presidential election. Two Moscow-based reporters with the Associated Press were also deported. The move, taken on August 29 by a commission of the national Security Council, was a major escalation by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's government as it continues to face popular protest and international condemnation for the August 9 election, and for the harsh police crackdown on opposition protesters. In Minsk, meanwhile, thousands of people, mainly women, marched through the city center, in the latest demonstration of opposition to Lukashenka. The crowds sang and chanted "Sasha, You're Fired!" a reference to Lukashenka. Some protesters carried signs that said "Fight like a girl!" and "This is our city!" No arrests or violence was reported, though at one moment, protesters faced off with riot police who blocked the crowd's progress. The journalists targeted includes employees of major Western news organizations, including RFE/RL, the BBC, the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence-France Presse, Germany's ARD television, Deutsche Welle, and Radio France. Without accreditations, journalists are not legally permitted to gather news within the country. No reason for the government's decision was provided. The Belarus Association of Journalists reported 17 journalists had their accreditations canceled. Two Russian citizens working for the Associated Press were also deported. 'A Desperate And Ominous Move' Journalists from Russian state-run and state-funded news media, such as the TASS news agency, Vesti TV, or the RT channel, did not appear affected by the accreditation decision. A live feed of Russia's main state TV channel from Minsk made mention of the other reporters' being stripped of accreditations, a group that also included several Russian citizens. "Stripping our journalists of accreditation on grounds of 'extremism' is a desperate and ominous move by an authoritarian government to stifle the independent media and ruthlessly control the availability of credible information inside Belarus," acting RFE/RL President Daisy Sindelar said in a statement. "It's a violation of international standards and an assault on the Belarusian people who rely on us." Four journalists from RFE/RL's Belarus Service were hit by the move, and one from Current Time, the Russian-language TV network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Others include two from the BBC, two from AP, two from AFP, two from ARD, and two from Reuters. Many of those affected are Belarusian citizens. Reuters journalist Tatyana Melnichuk told RFE/RL that she had been informed that her accreditation had been revoked via a telephone call from the Foreign Ministry. "They told us that our accreditation, like the accreditations of the BBC journalists, had been revoked and that we had to return them today or on Monday," Melnchuk said. "They didn't give any reason." U.S. Calls For 'Restraint' The U.S. Embassy in Minsk called on Belarusian authorities to "demonstrate restraint." "We stand by our long-term commitment to support Belarus' sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the aspirations of the Belarusian people to choose their leaders and to choose their own path, free from external intervention," the statement said. A spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the revocation of press credentials. "Instead of intimidating and hindering media in reporting, the authorities should focus on reflecting on and addressing the desires and aspirations of the Belarusian population as expressed in an unprecedented and peaceful way over the last few weeks," spokesman Peter Stano said in a statement. Two days earlier, around 50 journalists were detained while covering postelection protests in Minsk; the group included employees from Belarusian outlets such as TUT.BY, BelaPAN, and Belsat. In all, more than 260 people were detained during at the time, according to the human rights center Vyasna. The Belarusian Association of Journalists said most of the journalists detained at the time were released after police checked their documents. Four journalists who refused to hand over their smartphones for police to check were charged with participating in an unauthorized protest, the association said. A Swedish journalist will also be deported, it added. The detentions came after nearly three weeks of protests against the official results of the election, which gave Lukashenka a landslide victory. Demonstrators and opposition leaders are contesting those results, charging that the vote was rigged in Lukashenka's favor. During their detention on August 27, RFE/RL journalists were searched by police, who appeared to be looking for recording equipment. Their laptops and cameras were seized, and they were ordered to open the photo galleries and other information on their mobile phones. In at least one case, a journalist was told to delete images of riot police. One RFE/RL photographer was threatened with misdemeanor charges if he refused to comply with police orders. Meanwhile, many websites of news organizations have seen curtailed access within Belarus amid reports that of sporadic Internet access. Several bloggers also remain in prison, including a consultant for RFE/RL's Belarus Service on digital strategy. His detention in Zhodzina prison outside of Minsk has been extended to October 25. Protesters, who are planning another demonstration in Minsk on August 30, have been largely defiant despite a brutal police crackdown, and widespread evidence of beatings and torture of detained protesters. The leading opposition candidate, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, told the European Parliament this week that at least six people have been killed in the crackdown and dozens of protesters have gone missing after being detained by authorities. With reporting by Current Time Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/30810092.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The fatal shooting of a supporter of Patriot Prayer in Portland, Oregon, this weekend shone a spotlight on the right-wing group based in Washington state and its founder, Joey Gibson. The name of the victim in Saturday's shooting was not immediately released. Portland police tried to determine Sunday whether the shooting was related to clashes between Trump supporters going through the city in a caravan after a rally and Black Lives Matter protesters engaged in their own demonstration Saturday night. Gibson described the victim as a "good friend" and supporter of Patriot Prayer, a loosely organized band with a distaste for big government but lots of love for the red, white and blue. "Patriot Prayer is about fighting corruption, big government, and tyranny using God for strength and the power of love," Gibson wrote on the group's Facebook page. "Patriot prayer is about using the power of love and prayer to fight the corruption both in the government and citizen levels that seek to gain power through division and deception." Latest news: 'Patriot Prayer' backer dead after protesters, Trump supporters clash in embattled Portland Gibson's website has a Patriot Prayer link. Visitors to the site can find a schedule of rallies, register their cell numbers to get notifications of events and buy T-shirts in black or gray. 'Very dark history': Oregon's racist past fuels protests against injustice in Portland Figuring prominently is a quote frequently attributed to Thomas Paine: "The duty of a true Patriot is to protect his country from its government." The group made a splash in San Francisco three years ago before canceling plans for a controversial "free speech" march and rally planned near the Golden Gate Bridge. Gibson complained that the group had been unfairly pegged as white supremacist. Organizer Joey Gibson and right-wing demonstrators hold a rally supporting gun rights and free speech Aug. 4, 2018, in Portland, Ore. Hours before the shooting in Portland, the group took up the cause of the Tip Top Tavern in the Patriot Prayer's home base of Vancouver, Washington, about 10 miles north of Portland. Story continues "Due to the constant intimidation and harassment by the state Regarding COVID-19 proclamations, tiptop found it impossible to stay open without the risk of losing their liquor license which happens to be the oldest in State of Washington," Gibson wrote on his website. He urged supporters to "bring signs or American flags and support freedom." He promised music, speeches, chili dogs and beer. The group planned a boat event in Vancouver for Sunday afternoon. "Bring your boat with American Flags and come celebrate freedom on the Columbia River!" the website announced. "The bigger the flags the better! Be creative." After the shooting, Gibson said on his Facebook page that he would not attend. The fate of the event was not immediately clear. The group has rallied Trump supporters for demonstrations in Portland since 2017. Counterprotesters confronting Patriot Prayer and other right-wing groups such as the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters is nothing new to the city. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patriot Prayer, Joey Gibson, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeling, protests KENOSHA Looking to bring the light of the Gospel message in the midst of dark times in Kenosha, local and southeastern Wisconsin regional Seventh-Day Adventists gathered at Library Park in downtown Kenosha on Saturday to pray for the violence-wounded community and later spread out into Kenosha to volunteer in support of local clean-up efforts. This is an opportunity for us to come and be there for a community thats hurting, explained Racine resident Zack Payne, head network pastor for Wisconsin Southeastern Network Seventh-Day Adventist churches in Kenosha, Racine and Raymond. We want to be a light. We want to be a positive presence and able to help. We wanted to come together and show some unity in Christ so we can unify with our community and help. Its a display of unity that were all able to come together and accomplish something were here and we care. Saturdays gathering at Library Park drew participants from local Seventh-Day Adventist churches, as well those from across southeastern Wisconsin in the Milwaukee, Waukesha and Beaver Dam areas. Also participating were representatives from the SDAs Fall River-based Wisconsin Conference Office, as well as its Berrien Springs, Mich.-based Lake Union Conference in southwestern Michigan. Noting he would have been happy with a turnout of 20, Payne said he was pleasantly surprised by the turnout of nearly 80 church members. Thatll be a good group to get some things done, he noted. Gathered in prayer Before spreading out for several hours to engage in community outreach to help restore the Kenosha community, the assembled church members gathered for worship at Library Park. Among those leading the service was George Andrews III, local pastor at Kenosha Seventh-Day Adventist Church. God said he would send the Comforter, but God also uses His people to comfort, Andrews said. Thats why were here today Keep your heart and your mind on Jesus Christ God provides us with a source of comfort, strength, encouragement and peace. So if you need any of those, like I do, lets pray and ask God for it. Payne was also among the service leaders. We here, united in Christ, to try and do a good work for this city and to help with revival, Payne said. Wisconsin Conference Youth Coordinator Eric Chavez of Beaver Dam closed out the worship service with a short reflection. The devil is working very, very hard to make us lose heart, Chavez said. We know that God is victorious. Let us not lose heart. Added Chavez in his closing prayer: We are thankful that we have the ability to come out today and serve in this town and may everyone begin to seek peace and to seek You. Also participating in Saturday mornings worship service at Library Park were Elder Patricia Antoine-Norton of Racine, and Auden RovelleQuartz of Franksville. Words into action Following the conclusion of Saturday mornings worship service at Library Park, the Seventh-Day Adventists divided into two work groups, one performing clean-up efforts in the neighborhood around 28th Ave. and 40th St., and another to the citys Uptown area, where volunteers participated in clean-up activities and prayed with small business owners affected by recent rioting, looting and arson fires. Among those participating in clean-up efforts was Racine resident Mike Nunn, an elder at Kenosha Seventh-Day Adventist Church. I came to show and spread Gods love with all the rioting and killing going on in the streets, Nunn said. Everybody here is not for that. We come with love and peace, not for violence Were here to see if we can talk about love for each fellow man regardless of what color you are. Following their volunteer efforts, participants reconvened at Library Park for lunch, socialization, reflection and prayer, with food service in support of WISENs volunteer community service outreach efforts provided by Racine-based food truck 911 Tacos. While the tragic ongoing situation in Kenosha over the past week has admittedly been very heavy on my heart, Andrews, found hope in Saturdays outpouring of spiritual and community outreach support for the City of Kenosha and its residents. We came in here and established where we wanted to be, and first that was to be in touch with the Lord, to have the right spirit before we went out to be of service, provide support and comfort and invite them to come and sit with us and learn and talk about the Lord, where youll find all your comfort at. Advertisement Devout Shiite pilgrims were left covered in blood as they struck themselves with swords and chains during the mourning procession to mark the day of Ashura in the holy city of Najaf. Ashura, on the 10th day of the mourning month of Muharram, commemorates the killing of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson Hussein at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD - the defining moment of Islam's confessional schism. Typically, millions of Shiites from around the world flock to the golden-domed shrine where Hussein's remains are buried, to pray and cry, shoulder-to-shoulder. But with coronavirus numbers spiking across the globe, this year's commemoration is subdued. Some followers took part in a self-flagellation ritual used during the public processions, with small groups of the mourners covered in blood in the city of Najaf. And thousands of tearful pilgrims wearing gloves and face masks flooded Iraq's holy city of Karbala. Shiite Muslim worshippers gather to commemorate the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammad's grandson Imam Hussein, during the Islamic month of Muharram in Iraq's holy city of Najaf yesterday Iraqi Shi'ite Muslims bleed after hitting their foreheads with swords and beating themselves during a ceremony marking Ashura, the holiest day on the Shi'ite Muslim calendar, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease A Shi'ite Muslim man bleed after hitting his forehead with sword and beating themselves during a ceremony marking Ashura Iraqi Shi'ite Muslims bleed after hitting their foreheads with swords and beating themselves during a ceremony marking Ashura, the holiest day on the Shi'ite Muslim calendar Small clusters of pilgrims gathered in the vast courtyards outside the main mosque in Karbala, wearing the customary mourning colour of black and the new addition of medical masks and gloves. Wading through the crowds were teams of shrine employees spraying disinfectant mist through long, thin hoses or distributing masks to any bare-faced visitor. To be allowed into the shrine, people must first have their temperatures taken at grey gates that resemble metal detectors. Inside, signs on the carpet floor indicate the proper distance that should be kept between worshippers as they pray. Huge rolls of nylon sheets prevent people from kissing the walls, a habitual sign of reverence. But in the enclave where Imam Hussein is buried, pilgrims press their unmasked faces up against the ornate grille separating them from the mausoleum. Many visitors are crying or sniffling, wiping their faces with bare hands - oblivious that this is one way in which they could make the virus spread. Shiite Muslim worshippers gather to commemorate the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammad's grandson Imam Hussein, during the Islamic month of Muharram in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on August 29, 2020 An Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim bleeds as gashes himself during a ceremony marking Ashura, the holiest day on the Shi'ite Muslim calendar Iraqi Shiite Muslim worshippers are covered with blood after flagellating themselves during the mourning procession on the tenth day of Muharram which marks the day of Ashura, in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf There were notably fewer pilgrims this year as authorities in Iraq, other Shiite-majority countries and the United Nations urged people to mark the holiday at home. Neighbouring Iran, which usually sends tens of thousands of pilgrims to Karbala, is the hardest-hit Middle Eastern country with over 21,000 coronavirus deaths. Tehran banned the usual Ashura marches, indoor ceremonies, musical performances and banquets, instead broadcasting the various religious rituals on state television. Even Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prayed alone, according to images published by his office that showed him wearing a mask in the vast, empty mosque at his residence. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, health authorities have reported a fall in new virus cases but security remained a top concern, as Ashura has often been tainted by mass violence targeting Shiite Muslims. Many have opted for scaled-down family gatherings but some processions leading up to Ashura saw thousands turn out, and larger crowds are expected on Sunday. 'It's not possible that anyone would be infected with the virus,' said Israr Hussain Shah, a Shiite devotee in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. 'Rather people come to heal and protect themselves, whether that's a virus of faith or a sickness,' he said. In crisis-hit Lebanon, which has seen a severe coronavirus spike this month, powerful Shiite movements Hezbollah and Amal scrapped large Ashura processions. They asked the faithful to follow sermons online and through Hezbollah-linked media channels. Iraq has the second-highest regional toll with close to 7,000 deaths. Last week, the World Health Organization warned that Covid-19 cases in Iraq were rising at an 'alarming rate' and said Iraq should take action to end the community outbreak 'at all costs'. 'Mass assemblies of people should not take place at this stage,' the WHO said. All of Iraq's provinces had seen a steady spike in cases, with Karbala logging a record-high 336 cases on August 21, the day that Muharram began. The province had been closed to non-residents for months but two days before Ashura, authorities lifted restrictions to allow fellow Iraqis to enter. Still, some opted for a quiet ceremony at home, including Abu Ali in the packed Baghdad district of Sadr City. 'My children, grandchildren and I go to Karbala every year, but this year we were afraid of corona,' he said. 'Imam Hussein wouldn't want us to throw ourselves into an inferno,' he said. US President Donald Trumps chief Middle East adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner has trumpeted the recent agreement by Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic relations as a historic breakthrough. Mr Kushner said the stage is set for other Arab states to follow suit but gave no indication that any new deals were imminent. Appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US national security adviser Robert OBrien, Mr Kushner spoke a day before he is to join a senior Israeli delegation on the first commercial flight from Israel to the UAE. Expand Close Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and White House adviser Jared Kushner (Debbie Hill/Pool Photo via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and White House adviser Jared Kushner (Debbie Hill/Pool Photo via AP) The flight holds great symbolic value and is a key step in what is expected to be full normalisation between Israel and the UAE. The August 13 announcement makes the UAE the third Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, and the first to do so in over 25 years. It reflects a shifting Middle East in which shared concerns over Iran have overtaken traditional wall-to-wall Arab support for the Palestinians. Today obviously we celebrate a historic breakthrough for peace, Mr Kushner said, adding that the deal will create previously unthinkable economic, security and religious co-operation. While this peace agreement was thought by many to be impossible, the stage is now set for even more, he said. We must seize that optimism and we must continue to push to make this region achieve the potential that it truly has. Expand Close Mr Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring unbridled trade and opportunities (Debbie Hill/Pool Photo via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring unbridled trade and opportunities (Debbie Hill/Pool Photo via AP) Israel and the UAE have moved quickly to cement their ties over the past two weeks. Almost immediately, they opened direct phone lines, and Cabinet ministers have held phone conversations. On Saturday, the UAE formally ended its commercial boycott of Israel, although the two countries have quietly conducted business for years. Mondays flight of an El Al plane from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi will be the first known flight of an Israeli commercial airliner from Israel to the Emirates. The two Middle East countries are expected to sign a formal agreement at the White House in the coming weeks. But so far, predictions by Israeli and American officials, including Mr Kushner, that other Arab countries would follow the UAE have not yet materialised. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo toured the region last week, stopping in Sudan, Bahrain and Oman three countries widely seen as candidates to establish ties with Israel but appeared to leave empty-handed. The flurry of US diplomatic activity comes as the Trump administration presses ahead with ambitious plans to promote Arab-Israeli rapprochement even in the absence of a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had long been seen as a prerequisite for Israel to reach peace deals with all of its Arab neighbours. Mr Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring unbridled trade and opportunities. There is no question that the disposal of Indias assets in civil aviation is proving to be controversial. The governments recent actions in this sector may lead to the build-up of a monopolistic capture of the sector, almost certainly leading to major problems for travellers, airlines, and the government itself in coming years. As this newspaper has argued, the Thiruvananthapuram airport dispute shows all the signs of simmering for some time, and it will be difficult to get co-operation from the state government or even the opposition. The issues involved with the ... Princess Anne wrapped up warm to protect herself from the cool August weather today as she joined her husband Sir Timothy Laurence and their English bull terrier for a drive near Balmoral Castle today. The Princess Royal, 70, donned sunglasses, a fluffy hat and coat as she sat in the driver's seat of her Landrover discovery to travel to a grouse shoot ten miles from the Queen's summer residence. Her husband Tim, 65, a retired Royal Navy officer and former equerry to the Queen, sported a Barbour coat, fleece and checked shirt as he travelled in the passenger seat, with the couple's beloved dog perched between the pair. Anne is currently visiting the Queen, 94, at Balmoral, where the royal is staying throughout August before returning to Windsor Castle in the autumn. The Princess Royal, 70, donned sunglasses, a fluffy hat and coat as she sat in the driver's seat of her Landrover discovery to travel to a grouse shoot ten miles from her mother's summer residence The royal's visit comes as Princess Anne marked her 70th birthday earlier this month. Anne's son-in-law Mike Tindall recently revealed Covid-19 and the recent spike of cases in Aberdeen meant plans to mark the big day in Scotland have been scaled back. The Queen travelled up to the 50,000 acre estate at the start of August and will be joined by family members throughout their stay, which is will last until October. However this year many visitors, who typically include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, will likely maintain social distancing while on site. Princess Anne appeared relaxed as she joined husband Tim and their dog for a grouse shoot close to the Balmoral estate Family members will not stay in the castle with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh as they have done in previous years and will instead be housed in other properties in the grounds of the estate. They will be able to meet her for outside activities instead including walks, horse riding and picnics. Princess Anne's visit comes as it was reported Prince William and Kate Middleton had travelled up to the estate recently with their children. The Queen has also reunited with William, Kate and their three children for the first since the country was plunged in coronavirus lockdown this weekend Anne's son-in-law Mike Tindall recently revealed Covid-19 and the recent spike of cases in Aberdeen meant plans to mark the big day in Scotland have been scaled back (pictured, the royal with Prince Charles) Almost exactly five months after the Queen told Britons 'We will meet again' in a now historic address to the nation, she had her first socially distanced meeting with all five of the Cambridges. It was the first face-to-face meeting involving the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis since lockdown began in March, reports The Sun. According to the Sun, sources say the Queen spent time with her great-grandchildren while outside on the royal estate. Prince Edward and Sophie of Wessex were also reportedly at the 50,000-acre estate this weekend. It comes after reports emerged that the Queen had held her first face-to-face meeting involving the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis since lockdown began in March The source told The Sun: 'Like every family, they've been desperate to get back together and over the moon it was possible this weekend. 'They've all been up there for a few days and although there are very strict procedures with social distancing, they've been able to find ways of seeing each other outside. Previous reports suggested Balmoral staff have been banned from social activity and the annual Ghillies Ball has also been cancelled due to coronavirus. An insider told the Mail on Sunday 'stir-crazy' aides are staying in the New Block, a dull granite building with a dozen bedrooms outside near the castle. The insider said: 'Without all the normal facilities which make a stay pleasant for staff, everyone's saying it's like being in Colditz, the prisoner of war camp. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Scotland for the start of their summer holiday. The couple travelled by private jet from RAF Northolt, in west London, to Aberdeen airport where they were met by driver, pictured The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, have been in Scotland since August 4. The couple, who were previously isolating at Windsor Castle, travelled by car to RAF Northolt, in west London, where they boarded a private jet to Aberdeen airport, where they were met by a driver and whisked off to Balmoral, roughly an hour away. The couple had been isolating at Windsor Castle with a reduced household since March 19. Although she has been unable to carry out many engagements in person, the Queen remained active in her royal duties, taking part in video call meetings and conducting her weekly audience with the Prime Minister via telephone. NASA Researcher Arrested for Allegedly Concealing Ties to China On August 24, the Justice Department announced that a Texas A&M University (TAMU) professor has been arrested and charged in connection with hiding his funding from China while working as a researcher for NASA. Cheng Zhengdong, 53, a professor of engineering at TAMU for years, deliberately concealed his ties to Chinese universities, a Chinese company, and state-backed talent plans, while at the same time leading a research team for NASA, prosecutors allege. The Justice Department added that Cheng was prohibited from collaborating with Chinese institutions under the terms of his grant from NASA. Prosecutors said Cheng was also able to gain access to NASA resources relating to the International Space Station, and leverage that to advance his standing at the Chinese university. They said Cheng personally received $86,000 in funding from NASA and was part of a team that received a $747,000 grant from the organization. P olice are attempting to shut down illegal raves in Norfolk and Wales on the first weekend of tightened restrictions on gatherings. Hundreds of people flocked to unlicensed musical events over the bank holiday weekend despite new rules saying organisers will be hit with 10,000 fines. Norfolk Police said it was extremely disappointing that revellers had decided to gather in Thetford Forest, and that the force would have to deploy extra resources to close the event down. Assistant Chief Constable Nick Davison, who is leading the Norfolk Police operation, said a drone unit, dogs, the National Police Air Service helicopter and specially-trained public order officers had all been deployed to an isolated area in the forest, near to the English Heritage site Grimes Graves. He said it was clear that well-established and planned event was due to continue into Monday and the force was working to close the event down in a controlled manner, taking the safety of those in attendance and our officers into account. Its extremely disappointing to see these types of events taking place when the rest of our communities are doing everything they can to help stop the spread of the virus," said Assistant Chief Constable Davison. Police were also at the scene of a large gathering of people for a rave in the Banwen area of Neath Port Talbot in Wales on Sunday. 4,500 extra police to tackle dozens of illegal raves and climate protests on London's streets South Wales Police condemned the "irresponsible" actions of those involved. We are working to engage with organisers and attendees in order to remind them of their obligations under the current coronavirus legislation and the overarching goal for everyone to take personal responsibility by following Welsh Government regulations to keep Wales safe," said South Wales Police. Chief Superintendent Simon Belcher added: This type of illegal gathering is totally unacceptable and we are aware of the concerns it is causing for the local community. I would like to again remind people of their obligations under the current coronavirus legislation and the overarching goal for everyone to take personal responsibility by following Welsh Government regulations to Keep Wales Safe. It has been estimated there are up to 3,000 people at the gathering who have apparently travelled from across the UK and we are looking at all pieces of legislation as to what action can be undertaken safely. Unlawfully parked cars will be dealt with and people who continue, despite our advice to try and attend this illegal event area being turned away. West Yorkshire Police said a man has been charged with causing a public nuisance after officers broke up a street party on Wepener Mount, Harehills, on Saturday. Five other people at the gathering were fined. 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 Meanwhile, thousands of pounds worth of equipment was seized by Essex Police ahead of an unlicensed music event the force said was due to take place in Harlow on Saturday afternoon. Chief Inspector Lewis Basford said organisers of such events should ask themselves if it was worth the risk of the new fines. West Midlands Police said it had dealt with about 90 reports from the public about possible breaches of restrictions by Sunday morning but weve not had to use our enforcement powers. National vice chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales Che Donald said the legislation should be clearer to allow policing to be more effective. Police release footage of illegal raves in Birmingham He said: Our police officers are doing an incredibly difficult job in testing circumstances but as always, they will be ready to deal with anything that may come their way over the long bank holiday weekend. Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh also called for clarity around the new legislation which he said would allow officers to be more forceful clearing the area immediately, close the area down. Andy Rhodes, Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary, argued confusion over the guidelines is being used by some as an excuse to break the rules. Home Secretary Priti Patel has defended the new rules, which came into force on Friday, saying it represents a crackdown on the most serious breaches of social distancing restrictions. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, she said: We will not allow this breathtakingly selfish behaviour from a senseless minority to jeopardise the progress we have made together. The Metropolitan Police force alone has responded to more than 1,000 unlicensed events since the end of June. Additional reporting by PA Media. In another video Nanogirl discusses how soap kills the coronavirus. (In short, COVID-19 wears a double-layered coat made of fat which is burst by soap.) Dr Dickinson encourages parents to employ similar techniques to explain the virus. Loading Put some sticky, googly eyes on it and make it a soft toy and you can help children to imagine something and therefore how they can get rid of it, she says. By having these conversations at home, children didnt think there was a big scary thing that grown-ups werent talking about, but instead felt included and then empowered to help keep the family safe by keeping their hands washed and sneezing into a tissue. It was Dr Dickinson who persuaded New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to hold a special press conference just for children. I said to the Prime Minister, Look, I think we need to have conversations with children because they are scared so we decided very quickly we were going to run a press conference just for children. Dr Michelle Dickinson, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Dr Siouxsie Wiles at the press conference for children in New Zealand. The kids-only press conference was held on March 18, just two days after Norways Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, held a similar event. We think children should feel they are taken seriously in a crisis like this, Ms Solberg told CNN. The leaders were praised for paving the way in their response to the pandemic. Dr Dickinson says the children-only press conference was one of the most powerful things New Zealand did to start conversations about COVID-19 within families. We socially distanced children who came in and got to ask real questions about rumours they had heard in the playground or things they had heard Mum and Dad say and they wanted to know from a real scientist Was this true? Dr Dickinson says. Questions like: Can I catch it from my friends pencil in their pencil case? Things that are really concerning children. Loading Dr Dickinson believes its important to reassure children that young people who do get COVID-19 are often asymptomatic or have milder symptoms. She calls it their super immune system. Its that whole worst-case scenario. Actually as children even if they do get it, hopefully its not going to be a disaster. Dr Dickinson says she dreams of the day Victoria holds a kids-only press conference. I have been doing quite a lot of work in Victoria and I am surprised that the conversations are not happening with children still, she says. There are lots of children scared about should I go to school, should I play sport, what happens if it comes back. In the meantime, we asked Age readers to submit questions to Dr Dickinson from their children about the coronavirus. The questions, which Dr Dickinson describes as utterly delightful, range from existential to practical to whimsical. Some, such as the grade one student who is scared to go back to school, are poignant: When are schools going to be safe for us? Wont it just happen again? Dr Dickinson responds that schools wont reopen until it is safe to do so, although she predicts they may flip flop between face-to-face and remote learning if there are local COVID-19 outbreaks. And you need to understand that actually things might be different when you go back. Maybe you might not be able to sit as close to your friends, or maybe assemblies wont be whole school assemblies any more. Loading Dr Dickinson says there is no evidence eating a bat is how humans got the virus. (This rumour, she says, started from tourism videos of people eating bats, which were made outside China.) As for bats, they tend to host a lot of viruses that dont make them sick: So I think the bats are going to be OK. She predicts a vaccine is still 18 months away (a year is needed to test for side effects such as rashes and headaches). But when one is available, Dr Dickinson reassures a child worried they wont be able to go to school unless they are vaccinated, she doesnt think vaccinations will be mandatory. COVID-19 is so named because the virus was found in 2019, Dr Dickinson says. The virus looks like a spiky ball, with little slivers of instructions inside which are like spaghetti. Four-year-old Stevie had a question about masks. Credit:Simon Schluter She tells four-year-old Stevie, from Sandringham, that the reason she doesnt have to wear masks when grown-ups do is that some four-year-olds keep touching their mask because it is annoying. Actually that makes you more at risk of being infected because you might get your mask dirty and then be breathing in some of those germs. But for some questions, Dr Dickinson doesnt have the answers. When Rafe, 7, from Fitzroy North, asks what we all want to know When will the coronavirus be over? Dr Dickson says we still dont know if it will be eradicated like SARS or return every year like the flu virus. When will the coronavirus be over? Rafe, 7, from Fitzroy North, asked the question on everyone's minds. Credit:Justin McManus She says it is also not known yet if children who are infected will have long-term effects. And there are still mysteries, which is one of the reasons Dr Dickinson loves science. Asked by Seb, 7, from Wollongong, how COVID-19 popped up again in New Zealand after it was eliminated, Dr Dickinson admits the country is still trying to figure that out. She says genomic testing of people infected with COVID-19 who have come through quarantine does not match the new cases. NYPD Hunts Suspect Who Tried to Rape Woman on Subway Platform The NYPD is looking for the suspect who attempted to sexually assault a woman on a Manhattan subway platform at 11 a.m. on Saturday, highlighting the sharp increase in crime in recent weeks across New York City. Video footage (WARNING: disturbing) shows a black male on top of a woman who appears to be struggling with him. The woman was waiting for a Q train in midtown on Saturday at the 63rd St. and Lexington Ave. station, according to NYPD Transit Police Chief Edward Delatorre. As a crowd gathers, the suspect gets up and walks away, picking up sunglasses he had dropped, the footage shows. Police told news outlets that the woman suffered minor injuries and refused medical attention. This is disturbing and disgraceful. No one should ever have to experience this type of horrific attack in the transit system, MTA spokeswoman Abbey Collins said. The MTA is working closely with the NYPD to find the suspect and hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law, she said. Crime Wave The incident comes in the midst of a crime wave that is currently gripping New York City. At the Republican National Convention (RNC) last week, several speakers, including NYPD union boss Pat Lynch, decried the crime wave as a failure of Democrat policies. Why is this happening? Lynch asked. The answer is simple: The Democrats have walked away from us. NYPD data for July showed that murders across the city are up about 50 percent over the previous year. This is going to be a situation I think thats going to take some time to turn around and its going to take all of us working together, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea told NY1. Im confident its going to turn around but its not going to be a short-term fix, we have some work ahead of us. Earlier this summer, following violent George Floyd-related demonstrations and looting, Lynch and other police union leaders decried the lack of support from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and other elected officials in the city. Last month, de Blasio unveiled an End Gun Violence Plan to curb the burgeoning number of shootings and murders. The violence has to stop, de Blasio said. It is not acceptable and were going to beat it back. India has withdrawn its participation in Kavkaz 2020 multinational exercise in Russia in September citing logistics difficulties due to COVID-19 pandemic, a defence official said. However, it is mainly due to participation of Chinese troops amid the ongoing standoff in Ladakh, a defence source said, The Hindu reports. Russia and India are close and privileged strategic partners. At Russia's invitation India has been participating in many international events. However, in view of pandemic and consequent difficulties in exercise, including arrangements of logistics, India has decided not to send contingent this year to Kavkaz 2020. The same has been informed to the Russian side, a Defence Ministry official said late on Saturday. Apart worsening COVID-19 situation in the country, other reasons include participation of Chinese troops, the defence source cited above stated. JACKSON COUNTY, MI The first time the Pierce family headed west on a family road trip, there were only six of them. But 43 years later, about 30 people packed into nine trucks and campers and did it again. The classic American road trip was one two years in the making for the Jackson County-based family. Growing up in 1977 in Michigan Center, Mike and Sandra Pierce took their four children on the two-week road trip as a way to see the country. When the children had young ones of their own in 2000, they did it again. Once there were grandchildren, it seemed fitting to do it one more time, the family said. To watch our childrens enjoyment as adults themselves, how do you express that? Jenny Soltis, of Michigan Center, said. Just knowing that they could take a trip like this pack up their family and do this was fun to watch. It was fun to watch it unfold. The travelers, ages 18 months to 62 years old, met up in a Michigan Center parking lot in mid-July to get in line to head to their first destination of Madison, Wisconsin. They caravanned through 15 states, hitting famous landmarks like Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. When one person had to use the bathroom, they all got off the highway together and hopped in their campers. For younger generations of the family, the trip was special in a different way. Jenny Soltis son Collin said he was only 3 on the trip in 2000. The trip was unique to him because he was the youngest of the children at that time and his memories of it are weaker than his cousins, he said. It was special to be able to connect the dots this time. The 2000 memories, I wont be able to be in those conversations much with my family, my cousins, Collin Soltis said. But now I can put kind of a face to the picture or the memory, like, Oh yeah, the Corn Palace, Ive been there, and Yeah, thats Wall Drug, the worlds largest pharmacy drugstore. Ive been there. Ive done that. So, it was extremely rewarding to go this time around and just to do the same thing I did 20 years ago. Jill Pierce, Jennys sister who now lives in Lansing, said the hardest part was the long travel days. Some days, the itinerary would estimate a 10-hour drive but the family knew it would take at least two more hours with all the lunch and bathroom breaks required of 30 people. For many family members, a highlight of the trip was a hike on Medicine Bow Peak in southern Wyoming. It was a favorite spot of Mike Pierces, who had hiked the 3-mile, 2,000-foot elevation gain on the two previous trips before his death in 2016. To quote my father, If God made anything more beautiful, he kept it to himself. That was what my father said at the top of that mountain, Jenny Soltis said. He also said, if I never make it here again, Im here with you in spirit. His children thought that proved true. They wanted to honor him while on the trip by leaving a small wood-carved cross at the peak. But because of closures and travel restrictions during the novel coronavirus pandemic and the mountains winter, they werent sure if the hike would be open. Gates to the trail were closed when they arrived but before they left, a park ranger came to open it up and they were able to make the five-hour hike. We just thought that was Dads intervention, Jill Pierce said. MORE FROM MLIVE: Phase 4 vs. Phase 5: Michigan high schools left to navigate competition dilemma Your guide to 2020 harvest dates for Michigans favorite apple varieties Ann Arbor looks like a college town once again. Heres what police are doing about it. A federal court has ruled in favor of a professor thrown under the bus by his public college after a Muslim student claimed the Islamic terrorism portion of a world politics class violated his Constitutional rights. The course is offered at Scottsdale Community College (SCC) in Arizona, which is part of the Maricopa County Community College District. It is taught by Nicholas Damask, a veteran professor who organizes the course into six modules that cover world politics. One is dedicated to defining and analyzing Islamic terrorism. Students are required to read excerpts from a book called "Future Jihad" written by a Lebanese-born Middle East expert who has worked with the U.S. departments of Justice, Defense and State.A Muslim student, Mohamed Sabra, sued Professor Damask and the Maricopa County Community College District in June for violating his First Amendment right by supposedly condemning his religion. In the complaint, filed by the terrorist front group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Sabra demands that Damask stop teaching the materials in question until theyFounded in 1994 by three Middle Eastern extremists (Omar Ahmad, Nihad Awad and Rafeeq Jaber) who ran the American propaganda wing of Hamas, CAIR was named as a co-conspirator in a federal terror-finance case involving the Hamas front group Holy Land Foundation. In a statement announcing the lawsuit against the Arizona college district, CAIR alleges that Sabraand that he was forced to disavow his religion.Like many taxpayer-funded academic institutions nationwide, SCC caved into the left's demands and administrators quickly apologized and tried to pressure the professor into signing an apology letter written by the college's marketing team. The Maricopa County Community College District also caved in, launching an investigation and warning that the content of Damask's course would be reviewed for "insensitivities." Damask, who has taught world politics for more than two decades, stood up to his employer and refused to apologize. He eventually contacted a group dedicated to defending rights such as freedom of speech and religion, due process and legal equality at America's colleges and universities. The nonprofit, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), sent a letter to SCC's president pointing out that the school's actions as well as the district's were flatly inconsistent with the college's First Amendment obligations and the basic tenets of academic freedom.the letter states. Publicly committing Damask to apologizing and a mandate that the content in question will be removed from his course is alarming and inconsistent with his rights to freedom of expression and academic freedom under both the First Amendment and Arizona law, according to FIRE.This month a federal court settled the issue, dismissing the lawsuit against the professor and the community college district, which has 10 campuses. In the ruling Judge Susan Brnovich writes that a curriculum thatShe also writes that the Muslim student was not required to adopt the views expressed by the professor or the course's required reading, but only to demonstrate an understanding of the material taught.the ruling states. Appointed to the bench by President Donald Trump in 2018, Judge Brnovich also writes this in her order: Voters sign in at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center on Election Day in Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 02, 2020. There were fewer polling locations across the city for people to vote from on Pennsylvania's primary election day due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more This Nov. 3 Election Day millions of Americans will assert their political voices. Being 16, I cant yet cast a ballot. Instead, Ill serve as a poll worker, and assist those exercising their constitutional right to vote in my hometown in New Jersey. And you should consider doing it, too. Poll workers ensure smooth elections by overseeing voting procedures, explaining them, interpreter-like, to community members. Poll workers are vital facilitators for elections the critical link tethering government to constituent accountability. Prospective poll workers need relatively few qualifications. Applicants should be registered voters or high school students, county residents, fluent in English (bilingual proficiency is welcomed), and available for extended hours. In most counties, poll workers are compensated. You might assume that Americans would enthusiastically partake in such civic engagement. But the converse is reality, and statistics paint a bleak picture. Poll worker shortages vex most municipalities. The nonpartisan Pew Research Center noted in 2018 that two-thirds of [U.S.] jurisdictions (68%) said it was difficult to find enough poll workers. An ongoing crisis the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbates this predicament. Altogether, recruiting woes result in an alarming outcome: a worker dearth affecting everything from polling sites to voter demographics. Age further complicates matters. Poll workers are generally older, as the U.S. Election Administration and Voting Survey recently observed: In the 2018 [midterms], around six in 10 U.S. poll workers (58%) were ages 61 and above. Given what we know about COVID-19 transmission, that means that the people most likely to volunteer to work the polls are also the ones most at risk to contract the virus and thus more likely to sit out working this election, for individual safety. Asked to remain indoors, occasionally with poor ventilation, and interact with presumable virus carriers, health-conscious senior workers inevitably wont show up come November. Election boards are scrambling to enact measures to safeguard poll workers, including supplying personal protective equipment, tabletop/poll machine sanitization, disposable pen use, social distancing, and strict room-capacity thresholds. Even so, these comprehensive steps wont persuade all veteran workers to return. Yet their absence fundamentally influences polling locations. Approximately 40,000 poll workers operate Pennsylvania polling stations. On average, eight workers should staff one station. But this minimum regularly goes unfulfilled a tallied deficit representing thousands of workers. Because not enough people sign up to work the polls, certain precincts shutter each election cycle, which causes longer lines that can be a deterrent for some voters. Widespread poll closures have insidious repercussions. They foster disenfranchisement, limiting voting access for those lacking vehicles or mass transportation-reliant disproportionately minorities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. For example, Texas large-scale poll closures since 2012 struck heavily at the states Black and Latinx inhabitants, making it harder for them to cast a ballot. Poll worker insufficiencies are just another way to target already marginalized Americans. Although election officials across the country are encouraging voters to use vote by mail for the 2020 election, many Americans are still expected to vote provisionally or in person. Current mail delays and unfounded allegations of rampant absentee ballot fraud may also inflate in-person figures. And given this elections high-profile nature, overall turnout is projected to mirror or exceed previous years, continuing Pennsylvanias surges in the 2016 presidential election (70% of registered voters) and 2018 midterms (58% of registered voters). READ MORE: Everything you need to know about voting by mail, or in person, in Pennsylvania Unfortunately, poll workers cannot cope with a severe voter spike. Past 2020 primaries offer sobering case studies. In Wisconsin, circumstances grew so dire in April that Milwaukee opened just five of its usual 180 polling places. Voting an ordinarily empowering experience quickly devolved into an awful spectacle as crowds, waiting hours, jeopardizing their physical welfare to vote amid a pandemic. Ominously, Wisconsins ordeal wasnt unique. In Philadelphias June 2 primaries, the city consolidated 831 polling places into a drastically diminished 190 with poll worker paucity cited as a decisive factor. And nationally, worker shortfalls will remain an enduring post-COVID-19 issue. Clearly, much is at stake. So, besides learning from failure, how will we prevent our November elections from culminating in an equivalent debacle? The solution: mobilize dedicated, active Americans. Flourishing republics demand vigilant citizen advocates who span the political spectrum. Similarly, our elections require poll workers, wholl act as democracys indispensable front-line force. Of course, poll worker influxes wont remedy all election ills such as pervasive voter suppression but they symbolize a start, encouraging transparency and universal participation at the ballot box. Im confident that pandemics wont halt prepared citizen advocates, or the countless Americans standing ready to help. If anything, pressing exigencies energize them. Consider becoming a poll worker and volunteer a day for your country. After all, electoral chaos is a frightful scenario that we cannot afford. Henry Hsiao writes about politics and music. He won the New York Times blackout poetry (2019) and review-writing for high schoolers (2020) contests. The last call for the Cheers Replica Bar in Bostons Faneuil Hall is Sunday night after spending two decades in the location. The bar will close for good after Sunday night. Tom Kershaw, the bars owner, cited financial woes during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and a lack of help from the landlord, Ashkenazy Acquisition Group, as reasons the iconic bar is closing its Faneuil Hall location on Aug. 30, Boston.com reported. Cheers Replica Bar has had a wonderful 20 years in the iconic Faneuil Hall Marketplace, one of Americas most cherished historic landmarks, a previously issued press release from Kershaw said. I have faced, and pulled through, many kinds of downturns and upticks in the economy within the last 20 years Cheers Replica Bar at Faneuil Hall Marketplace has been in business. The original Cheers location on Beacon Hill will remain open. The flagship location opened in 1969 and became the inspiration for the setting of the hit television series Cheers. The Faneuil Hall location opened in 2001 when the marketplace celebrated the 25th anniversary of its renovation and redirection. Suzuki Jimny, $18,000 to $26,000~ The Suzuki Jimny is perhaps the most affordable 4WD vehicle on the market thanks to its compact and spartan design. A brand new 2020 model costs from $26,000, while secondhand models from the 2010s are easy to come by for less than $20,000. Early models seem to hold their value because of their famed 20-year life span. The Jimny has a following, selling almost 3 million units in 194 countries since it was launched in 1970. It is known for its impressive off-road capability thanks to some quirky features, including solid beam suspension on the front and rear wheels, a ball bearing steering mechanism, instead of rack and pinion, and the ability to switch between 2WD and 4WD. The latest generation has mod cons, including LED lights and seat warmers, and bumps up the engine from 1.3 to 1.5 litres. When two wheels diagonal from each other lose traction, the new Jimnys traction control automatically brakes the slipping wheels to redistribute torque and allow the vehicle to gain traction. The Jimny is possibly not as smooth over bumps on sealed roads as most daily drivers, but its ability to maintain traction on nearly any off-road surface is its draw. JX-DS913 Home Gym, $1600 The fear of lockdown and continual closure of gyms has meant home gym machines have become increasingly scarce, but gymandfitness.co.nz still has stock. The JX Fitness 913 home gym allows you to perform a range of exercises, including chest press, butterfly press, leg extension and abduction, low row, tricep push downs, shoulder press, lateral pull downs and ab crunches, to name a few. The pin-loaded weight stack has 13 graduations up to 68kg. The whole unit has a footprint of only 105cm wide by 180cm long and is designed for people up to 195cm tall. It is not the cheapest home gym on the market, but shipping is free. Can-am Maverick X3, $41,500 to $47,500 The Maverick is the ultimate paddock basher with a 195-horsepower turbocharged engine. It can be fitted with wheels up to 30 inches in diameter. It has a 7.5-inch digital dashboard display with keypad, and has an 850w magneto electrical generator to handle its power needs, including its lights and sound system. The Maverick is primarily a play machine used for organised rides and circuit racing. However, the two-seater version has a small tray if it needs to be treated as an on-farm work vehicle. It is available for test drive by appointment at Warkworth Motorcycles in Warkworth and Kaiwaka. Olympus PEN E-PL9, $699 The Olympus PEN E-PL9 is designed for the weekend. It takes capturing happy snaps of sport games, social outings and sensational scenes to the next level of quality. Its defining feature is built-in Bluetooth and WiFi for instant transfer of images to phones to upload to social media. The PL9 comes at a point-and-shoot price but has enthusiast-level features including 4K video, an array of interchangeable lenses, and in-body image stabilisation. It also has a 180-degree flippable LCD screen to make taking sharp looking selfies easier. Its leather grain body with metal dials and aluminium accents has won numerous awards, including the Australian Good Design award and the British Red Dot design award. It is available from The Camera Shop in Warkworth. Big Green Egg BBQ,$1099 to $2599 The Big Green Egg has gained a cult following around the world among barbecue enthusiasts for good reason. The concept is based on a traditional Japanese Kamado charcoal cooker, but improved by ceramic technology from NASA. It is insulated with a double-glazed body to lock in heat and moisture. A patented air flow system with a regulator cap on the chimney and a draft door allows for precision control of temperature. Its gauge is accurate up to 400 degrees. In addition to charcoal, damp wooden planks can be placed on the grill for those addicted to smoking their food. The Big Green Egg is available in different sizes from Stihl Shop Warkworth. Bauen watch, $200 to $229 The Olympic Bauen watch is a simple yet sophisticated timepiece available at a practical price. It features a 40mm stainless steel case coated with a corrosion-resistant layer. There are several designs. The black dial with a gold index and the matte black dial with a white index are pictured here. Nearly all the designs are water resistant to 50 metres and have a leather strap. The Olympic Swiss watch brand was established in New Lynn, Auckland, in 1972 to produce affordable watches of high quality. Their watches feature movement mechanisms built by Swiss manufacturer Ronda AG, which has been in production since 1946. After venting their ire against senior party leader Jitin Prasada, Congressmen in Uttar Pradesh are now targeting senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and questioning his earlier role as the All India Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh. Azad is one of the 23 senior Congress leaders who signed the controversial letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, asking for a full-time, effective, active and visible party president. Now, former Uttar Pradesh Congress committee president Nirmal Khatri has accused Azad of forcing the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance on the party in the 2017 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. As far as I know, Rahul Gandhi, too, was opposed to the alliance, but probably kept quiet due to Azads recalcitrance and defeatist political thinking.His principles of political science focused on the politics of alliance, said Khatri in a post on the social media, directly targeting Azad. In an interview to a news agency, Azad, who is the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, had defended the letter, saying, Any Congress worker having a genuine interest in the party will welcome the letter. Khatri has countered the points raised by Azad in his interview after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. Azad forgot to mention his role as in charge of Uttar Pradesh where he destroyed the Congress. In 1996, the Congress alliance with the BSP failed to work. He (Azad) entered into an alliance with the SP in 2017 and the Congress won the lowest number of seven seats in the state assembly, Khatri said. He questioned Azad for pointing out that no election had been held in the CWC for the past 23 years and asked why he didnt raise the issue for so long. He also targeted Azad for raising issues on a public platform, saying CWC resolved that no leader will ever speak about internal issues. Azads interview (to a news agency) is a violation of the spirit of the resolution. In response to Khatris post, a demand to expel Azad from the Congress is being made on social media. I demand from Soniaji and Rahulji that in the interest of the Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad should be expelled from all the party posts, read a post on social media. Khatri, in his posts, had made point-to-point rebuttal to Azad and said he had realized from the latters observations that he was senior to Azad. Also Read: UP Congress leaders slam Azad over letter Khatri said Azad got only 320 votes in the first assembly election from Jammu and Kashmir in 1977 while he (Khatri) lost the poll for the Ayodhya assembly seat by 428 votes only. Lakhimpur Kheri district Congress committee (DCC) has already passed a resolution, demanding action against all the 23 senior leaders, including Jitin Prasada. Khatris comments, shared by many other partymen on social media, have become a point of discussion in the party circles. Also Read: Congress likely to set up panel for internal polls After the Lakhimpur Kheri resolution, the DCC president Prahalad Patel claimed that DCC passed it under pressure from an office bearer of UPCC. This is not the first time that controversies are in focus in the state unit of the party. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committees (UPCC) revamp after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections had led to a section of partymen questioning the rejig and accusing the new team led by UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu of being anti-upper caste. The tragedy unfolding in Kenosha, Wisconsin, worsened Tuesday night in ways that are at once shocking but also seemingly inevitable. Two people were shot dead and another wounded as protesters and self-styled militiamen faced off during a third night of street demonstrations after police on Sunday shot and gravely wounded yet another apparently unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake. Details of the latest violence remained sketchy Wednesday, but videos and photographs show verbal confrontations between protesters and heavily armed volunteers who said they were trying to protect a gas station in the area racked by vandalism, theft and arson the previous night. "They're a militia," Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told reporters. "They're like a vigilante group." In one of the videos, a young white man carrying a military-style rifle can be seen running down a street pursued by a small group of people as one person yells, "He shot someone!" One man knocks the gunman to the ground, and in the scuffle the gunman opens fire, appearing to hit two people at close range. He then gets back onto his feet and walks calmly down the road toward emergency vehicles. Police later reported the arrest of Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, in Lake County, Illinois, in connection with the deaths. So why does this escalation of violence seem inevitable? Because of the guns. Protests have roiled the nation for three months now following the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police and the shooting death of Breonna Taylor during a police raid in Louisville, Kentucky. Those protests have at times turned destructive and violent, which is bad enough. But there's been a lethal element too the slayings in Kenosha add to at least a dozen others connected with protests across more than 100 cities this summer, an emotional outpouring of frustration over the nation's inability to counter anti-Black racism. Self-styled militias have also shown up at sites of peaceful protests in organized and unwelcome displays of firepower, ostensibly to protect life and property but in reality just ratcheting up tension with their overt attempts at intimidation. The militias aren't the cause of all or even most of the violence, of course, but their presence is an unnecessary infusion of yet more volatility. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a 31-year-old man, part of a group intending to stop demonstrators from harming a statue of Spanish conquistador Juan de Onate, was arrested in June after allegedly shooting and wounding one of the protesters. The same month, police in California charged an Air Force sergeant affiliated with the "boogaloo" movement right-wing provocateurs intent on fomenting civil war in the shooting deaths of a federal security guard in Oakland and a Santa Cruz sheriff's deputy. Meanwhile, the restrictions imposed by state and local governments to slow the spread of COVID-19 fueled their own strain of frustration and tension, prompting a separate set of anti-government demonstrations. In several places, protests have included the open display of firearms by people (nearly all men), most notoriously in the halls of the Michigan State Capitol. This is democracy in action: Peaceful protests against institutional racism and the deaths of unarmed Black people at the hands of police. Peaceful protests against statues erected to venerate the nation's white supremacist roots. Peaceful protests against public health orders. And counter protests against all those other protests. Voices raised together to demand change, to defend the status quo, to complain about government actions or to make whatever other point they might want in the free exercise of their First Amendment rights. But then, violence. There is, of course, plenty of blame to go around. Protesters shouldn't resort to vandalism at least 34 fires have been set in Kenosha since Blake was shot on Sunday and opposing sides in a public debate shouldn't start pushing, shoving and swinging signs at each other. But they do. And the introduction of firearms into such scenes makes it almost inevitable that a gun will eventually get used. The details will, of course, frame our understanding of what happened in Kenosha. But what is already clear is that self-styled militia, or civilian patrols, or whatever they want to call themselves, have no business assigning themselves the armed defenders of the public peace. As we've seen over and over again, as a society we have yet to properly balance the role of the trained police in maintaining public safety in this country. Adding armed vigilantes to the mix just elevates tensions and increases the likelihood that violence will spin off in ever wider and consuming circles. This editorial appeared at the Los Angeles Times and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency. Quarantine has proved challenging for performing artists, but it has also given musicians an opportunity to create new material in the studio without the pressure of live gigs. Hip-hop artist Zane Neale had planned a busy East Coast tour in June and July, but when that was canceled, he retreated to his home studio in Nashville where he attends Middle Tennessee State University. Along with fellow Fredericksburg native Zakk Davis and Neales housemate, producer Jack Johns, he recorded his new album Life in a Spiral. The album shows Neales growth both as an artist and sound engineerreflecting his university training, where he is getting ready for his senior year. Neale took a free approach to creating his new songs. When we record, I just step up to the mic and we all kind of pitch in ideas, said Neale. I dont really write anything down. Whatever comes out comes out. We have a studio in our house. We just did it in our room, basically. Neale started out as a member of Flight Boiis along with Davis. They created uplifting Christian rap and made several videos in St. Georges Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg. Since then, he has moved on from strictly Christian music. I wanted to reach a broader area, said Neale. I just say whatevers going on in my mind and is going on in life right now. The thing with Christian music is you can only reach a specific group of people. Even Kanye as an examplehe went out into the secular world and had all these fans and then dropped a massive Christian record and reached all those people that the Christian artists couldnt reach. Im still going to make Christian music. Neale credits Johns with helping him expand his sound on Life in a Spiral. Johns is also a proficient guitarist, and added some live instruments to the album. He plays at a hundred different churches, said Neale. I definitely want to incorporate live instruments a lot more in the next project . We tell him what we want, and he can make it come to life. Thats the first time I was able to do that on songs. The idea of combining live musicians with programmed beats and tracks was an idea Neale was already pursuing. His canceled summer tour had been planned with a live band joining him for shows. We had a drummer, keyboard and bass, and my roommate plays guitar, said Neale. We rehearsed a few times. We would have tracks in the background. We would still have some of those electronic sounds going on, but we would take the trap drums out and replace it with a real live set. They were easy to work with. Im excited about that. Hopefully we can do it one day. Davis had been studying film at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. While attending school, he helped create videos for Christian metal bands Disciple and Firefight. With all classes going online, he decided to take a gap year and work on his own film projects and collaborate on music with Neale. Davis flew down to Nashville about once a month to help record the new album. I helped out more as a writer, said Davis. I helped him write some of it and just throw in my ideas. Neales classes in sound engineering at Middle Tennessee have inspired his creativity. His teachers include Frank Baird, who was a live audio engineer for Elton John and Madonna, and Daudi Fletcher, who has done audio engineering for Snoop Dogg. After graduation next year, Neale plans to pursue a career in music, producing his own music and producing for others. I think I can have two paths: the artist path and the engineering path. But ultimately I just want to engineer for myself if the artist thing works out, said Neale. Neale and Davis consider Life in a Spiral to be a breakout album. They tried to make a change from previous projects and try out new ideas. I feel like the last album was very much what every other rap album is, said Davis. With this one, we wanted to see what we could do differently. There are so many rappers nowadays, were trying to find something different to make it stand out against all the other people. It took a while to find this sound, said Neale. Every album we did sounds different. I like this. I like the darkness of it, its a bunch of different elements that all come together in it and I think they go together really well. The new album title refers to the unusual and confusing year that everyone has been experiencing. So we took off of that kind of energy, said Davis. We dont know whats going to happen. I feel like with whats going on, things dont have to fit into genres anymore. It opened up a whole new world of things so people are more ready for the unexpected. Stephen Hu contributes to The Free Lance-Star. They're currently in the throes of newly engaged bliss, after excitedly announcing five weeks ago that they're set to walk down the aisle. And Demi Lovato, 28, and her fiance Max Ehrich, 29, were seen enjoying a passionate smooch as they departed their romantic meal at Nobu in Malibu on Saturday night. As the lovebirds sat in the back of their chauffeur-driven car, they lowered their face masks before locking lips, while waiting for their driver to whisk them away. Pucker up: Demi Lovato, 28, and her fiance Max Ehrich, 29, were seen enjoying a passionate smooch as they departed their romantic meal at Nobu in Malibu on Saturday night Seemingly nonchalant about their driver sitting just inches away from them, the couple smiled at one another in between leaning in for more kisses. Former Disney darling Demi, who arrived at the popular celebrity haunt holding hands with her beau, put on a leggy display in a chic high neck dress. Her white mini dress featured a bubble hem and feminine puff sleeves that landed in the crook of her arm. Going to the chapel: They're currently in the throes of newly engaged bliss, after excitedly announcing five weeks ago that they're set to walk down the aisle Three's company: Seemingly nonchalant about their driver sitting just inches away from them, the couple smiled at one another in between leaning in for more kisses Smooch: As the lovebirds sat in the back of their chauffeur-driven car, they lowered their face masks before locking lips, while waiting for their driver to whisk them away The singer and actress' lengthy raven hair was concealed beneath a colorful animal print headscarf, which added a bright flourish to her ensemble. The Camp Rock star paired her mini dress with some white slip on heels and a mini rust toned Birkin bag. She rocked her go-to makeup look, which included a soft smokey eyeshadow look, complexion enhancers, and plenty of bronzing powder. Date night: The lovebirds walked hand-in-hand as they arrived at the eatery to grab dinner Sweet: The 28-year-old former Disney darling put on a leggy display in a chic high neck dress Demi and Max adhered to California's strict mask mandate by rocking face masks for their dinner outing. Max erred on the edgy side by wearing a black mask, while Demi attempted to match her dress with a bright white one. The Young and the Restless star channeled his Greaser side in a black leather bomber jacket with a red and white striped collar. Undercover: Demi's lengthy raven hair was concealed beneath a colorful animal print headscarf Masculine silhouette: The Young and the Restless star channeled his Greaser side in a black leather bomber jacket with a red and white striped collar He paired the stylish jacket with some grey denim jeans and a pair of black combat boots. On the way to their date night, Demi took selfie mode videos of herself and Max in the backseat of their chauffeured vehicle. Lovato looked beyond in love with her fiance as she kissed his hand. She had on a ruby red lip and had her hair strategically clipped into finger waves. Candid moments: On the way to their date night, Demi took selfie mode videos of herself and Max in the backseat of their chauffeured vehicle On July 22, Demi and Max announced their engagement after just four months together, having been first linked back in March. Demi wrote on Instagram: 'I'm honored to accept your hand in marriage. 'I love you more than a caption could express but I'm ecstatic to start a family and life with you. I love you forever my baby. My partner. Here's to our future!!!!' Kisses: Lovato looked beyond in love with her fiance as she kissed his hand Stunning: She had on a ruby red lip and had her hair strategically clipped into finger waves An insider told PEOPLE: 'The minute they met each other, it was love at first sight. They got to know each other really well. 'They had talked about getting engaged, but Max kept the proposal a surprise.' Demi has been proudly flashing her enviable diamond engagement ring, on which Max - best known for his roles in Under The Dome and The Young and the Restless - reportedly dropped $2.5-5million. Engaged: On July 22, Demi and Max announced their engagement after just four months together, having been first linked back in March; Max and Demi pictured on Instagram on August 18 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) President Rodrigo Duterte visited Jolo on Sunday and condoled with victims of the twin blasts that rocked the area last week, his spokesperson confirmed. In a message to reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that apart from meeting with the victims, the President also met with Mayor Kherkar Tan, although Roque did not disclose what the meeting was about. After the visit, the President flew back to Manila. Duterte announced his visit during an online concert on Sunday afteroon, saying it was to fulfill his duty as commander-in-chief of the country. Im going to Jolo. Diretso ako ngayon sa Jolo, doon sa blast site, Duterte said in a message during the Singing For the President concert a virtual musical event organized for him. Mabigyan ko lang yung mga sundalo natin, sundalo ko, pulis ko, ng importansya sa kanilang kamatayan, he added. [Translation: Im going to Jolo. Ill go directly to Jolo, there in the blast site. I want to give my soldiers, my police importance amid their passing.] The August 24 twin explosions in Jolo have left at least 15 people dead, including soldiers and civilians, and dozens others injured. Cash rewards of up to 6-million have been raised for anyone who can help in the hunt for the alleged mastermind as well as a major suspect in the blasts. Jolo was placed under temporary lockdown starting 8 a.m. on Sunday until further notice, the municipal government earlier said. Malacanang previously said the chief executive will consider the possibility of placing the whole province of Sulu under martial law, following some officials call for the stricter rule in the area. The leadership of the Philippine Army, however, withdrew the recommendation, saying there might be better options to address the current threats. Kenya Airways post substantial losses Kenya Airways has posted a pre-tax loss of $133m (100m) for the first six months of the year, as its performance stalled during the coronavirus pandemic. The national carrier was already struggling to cope with losses and tough competition from rivals before the Covid-19 outbreak forced governments to ground airlines. The company has revealed that it lost revenues of $100m between January and June, as passenger numbers fell 56%, compared to last year. Get out: Here's what's happening FRIDAY, JANUARY 21 Alton Little Theater presents The Cover of Life: 7:30 p.m., Alton Little... Alton warming center open Thursday night ALTON Because of the weather forecast, the Overnight Warming Center in Alton will be open... Advertisement One person was shot dead in Portland on Saturday night as tensions between pro-Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter counter-protesters boiled over. The victim was pictured lying on the ground wearing a Patriot Prayer baseball cap, appearing to show support for the far-Right group which is frequently present during Portland protests. The Portland protest was one of many that Donald Trump's supporters staged across the country on Saturday, with hundreds of people congregating in Los Angeles, Georgia and beyond to celebrate their president and rally for his re-election. In Washington DC, Black Lives Matter protesters were tear gassed to push them away from the White House, while in Kenosha, Wisconsin - where Jacob Blake was shot on August 23 - protests continued, but were largely peaceful. The White House announced that Trump is scheduled to visit Kenosha on Tuesday - which many fear could exacerbate tensions in the city. In Portland - where there have been 95 nights of unrest in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police on May 25- more than 600 cars flying Trump flags and banners set off in a convoy around and through the city, after tense scenes at their meeting point and clashes with counter-protesters. The shooting took place on Southwest 3rd Avenue and Alder Street - along the main throughfare which runs through the heart of Portland, past Portland State University. Police told Oregon Live that the victim had died. Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a text message to Oregon Public Broadcasting that he was 'aware of the situation.' 'Gathering information now,' he continued. 'Will be transparent with public. Asking for people to remain calm and not add to this tragedy.' A man was shot and killed in Portland on Saturday night amid deadly clashes between Trump fans and BLM activists Medics tried unsuccessfully to save the man, who was shot on the corner of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Alder Street As the convoy of Trump vehicles entered the city center, Trump supporters sitting in the back of pick ups used pepper spray on counter-protesters. Eggs were thrown at their trucks and cars, and the Trump supporters retaliated by turning paintball guns on the crowd, allegedly firing ball bearings. A reporter was among those shot by the paintball guns. Two bare-chested men were filmed punching each other as the violence spread. Riot police swarmed into the center and began making arrests. A block away from the scene of the shooting, a black man in a face mask was pictured in an animated discussion with Joey Gibson, a Right-wing political activist and founder of Patriot Prayer. Meanwhile, the driver of a dark-colored sedan revved his engine and then sped towards the crowd of BLM protesters before driving off, miraculously managing to not hit anyone. One BLM supporter was attacked as he filmed the license plates of MAGA cars. An angry group of Trump supporters got out of a car and confronted the activist, who was knocked to the ground. The Trump supporters then turned and walked away. Portland police arrest a protester following a crowd dispersal Riot police were out in force in downtown Portland on Saturday night as the expected clashes materialized This asshole just tried to run over and kill protesters. Thats terrorism. #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/hCmnfEE0Rw David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) August 30, 2020 A BLM activist with an orange neck scarf is attacked by a Trump supporter, wearing a black t-shirt and grey shorts The BLM protester is left lying on the ground following his altercation with the Trump supporters, enraged by his filming them The Morrison Bridge was the scene of an ugly conflict as the caravan pulled into the city, and one Trump supporter drove his truck towards protesters on an off ramp. Two people brawled on the bridge, sparking a rapid response from Portland police who arrested the pair. As night fell the caravan was cruising around town, with what organizers hoped was a show of strength to rival the Left-wing activists who have largely dominated the previous 94 nights of protest. Saturday's pro-Trump demonstration was organized on Facebook, and 2,500 people said they intended to attend. A New York Times reporter on the scene estimated that around 1,000 people showed up at Clackamas Town Center at 4pm. 'We would like to get some fellow American patriots together for a Trump 2020 Cruise rally to support our great president,' wrote Alex Kyzik, one of the organizers. Trump supporters were seen driving around and spraying the crowd with what some claimed were ball bearings Supporters of Donald Trump met in Clackamas town center on Saturday at 4pm, to drive around Portland The convoy numbered around 600 vehicles, with Trump supporters flying flags as they cruised through Portland Most were in trucks and cars, but some motorcyclists also came along for the ride - one with his bike decorated with Trump The Portland, Oregon, caravan was organized on Facebook, with 2,500 people intending to attend. Around 1,000 showed up Saturday's rally was intended to follow a route circling around Portland and avoiding the downtown area, but cars diverted Attendees were encouraged to bring their guns, and conceal-carry them, in a video Kyzik posted previewing the event. Some of those at the start, however, were openly flaunting their assault rifles. 'I know for the most part, everyone here is gonna be pretty civilized. We're all gonna support the president in safe way,' said Brandon Beck, who was attending his first Trump rally. He told Oregon Public Broadcasting: 'Obviously we're all gonna be in cars, none of us are gonna be burning, looting, or anything. We're just trying to have fun and stay safe today.' Joe Reminar told the site that he was a veteran of Trump rallies, and Saturday's was the fifth or sixth he had attended. 'Today is about freedom and showing that Antifa doesn't have the full chokehold on Portland and that we're taxpaying citizens and we don't want s**t tore up,' he said. 'We're gonna be a major parade and showing strength for our president. Which we appreciate all that he's done, keeping the economy going, fighting China on this virus, keeping us free and saving our Second Amendment.' A crowd of Black Lives Matter activists turned up to meet them, waving their placards and engaging in tense confrontations. One Trump supporter ripped off his jacket, squaring up for a fight, before he was escorted away by other Trump supporters. A Black Lives Matter activist was pepper sprayed in another melee. Alex Kyzik, one of the organizers of the Portland rally, said people should not show their guns, but conceal carry was fine Counter-protesters and Black Lives Matter supporters confronted the Trump supporters in downtown Portland Black Lives Matter activists showed their displeasure as the convoy wove its way towards downtown Portland Black Lives Matter activists confronted the pro-Trump demonstrators in Clackamas on Saturday Fans of the president in their red MAGA hat held up a sign reading: 'All Lives Matter', taunting the BLM crowd The convoy set off, with Clackamas County Sheriff's Office vehicles blocking intersections around the Town Center mall to allow the parade of vehicles to pass through. A heavy presence of Oregon state troopers was seen along Highway 224, the pro-Trump caravan's primary route to Portland. The caravan was intended to avoid downtown, but as night fell many of the cars strayed from the intended route and headed into the city center. The caravan was due to disperse at 9pm. Seventy-four people are now facing federal charges related to protests that have rocked the Portland for three months since Floyd was killed, the local U.S. attorney announced Thursday. The misdemeanor and felony charges include assaults on federal officers, arson and damaging federal property. In Georgia, hundreds of Trump supporters took to the waters of Lake Allatoona, 20 miles north of Marietta. Flying flags proclaiming their support, they cruised up to Flamingo Cove - some with cardboard cutouts of the president in their boats, and others wearing masks of his face. One woman surveying the scene told 11Alive it was 'pretty amazing.' 'Just the support, everybody out here with the flags and the Trump banners, just showing their support,' she said. More than 200 boats took to the waters of Lake Allatoona on Saturday afternoon in support of Trump Some fans of the president had cardboard cutouts of him on their boat; others wore masks of his face Crowds gathered on the bridge above the lake to watch the flotilla sail by on Saturday afternoon Supporters waved flags in support of Trump and the police, and the yellow Gadsden flag used by his fans In Los Angeles, a rally of around 200 people in Beverly Hills was declared an unlawful assembly as anti-Trump infiltrators were found among the MAGA crowd. Scuffles ensued, and the rally was abandoned. Black Lives Matter activists also gathered on Saturday in LA, in front of City Hall, before marching through downtown. Black Lives Matter activists rallied in Los Angeles on Saturday in front of City Hall as Beverly Hills saw pro-Trump gatherings The BLM activists then marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles Trump supporters gathered in Beverly Hills, only for scuffles to break out and the rally to be abandoned Supporters of the president have been congregating weekly at Beverly Gardens Park since late July And outside the White House, chaotic scenes unfolded following another night of Black Lives Matter protests that saw police clash with demonstrators, striking them with rubber bullets and detonating stun grenades, as they moved to clear out crowds. Hundreds of protesters had gathered at Black Lives Matter Plaza to rally against police brutality and racial injustice. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department were out in force as demonstrators marched to the White House chanting, 'No cops, no KKK, no fascists'. Shortly before midnight, tensions between protesters and law enforcement boiled over, as police officers in riot gear began charging at crowds to move them out of the area. Scroll down for video Police clashed with BLM protesters in Washington, D.C. on Saturday during another night of unrest KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: A woman was arrested outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse in defiance of the city-wide curfew Officers were seen deploying tear gas grenades and using flash bang devices to disperse crowds. Videos shared on social media showed some protesters retaliating, with some throwing projectiles at officers or playing loud music. In one clip, one man was seen picking up a tear gas canister and hurling it back at police. In Kenosha, protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake remained largely peaceful on Saturday night, following a day of demonstrations that saw thousands of people march to the county courthouse to denounce police brutality and racism. Black Lives Matter activists have marched in the Wisconsin city every night since Blake's shooting last Sunday, with some protests devolving into unrest with damage to buildings and vehicles. Earlier in the day, crowds took to the streets chanting, 'seven bullets, seven days' - a reference to the number of times Blake was shot - as they marched toward the court, where speakers encouraged protesters to vote for change in November, and to push for legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform. But unlike last week's demonstrations, most people on Saturday dispersed from the protest before the 7pm curfew. More than an hour later, law enforcement officers, including some wearing U.S. Marshals Service identification, surrounded about a dozen people who remained outside the courthouse and made several arrests. As night fell, National Guard troops and police officers in riot gear remained outside the fenced area surrounding several government buildings that have been at the center of the unrest over the past week. KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Law enforcement officers are seen standing guard as several people were arrested after the start of a city-wide curfew outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse on Saturday KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: About 1,000 people joined a mile-long march in Kenosha on Saturday, chanting 'Black Lives Matter' and 'No Justice, No Peace', a week after the police shooting of Jacob Blake KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Protesters marched with Blake's family towards the Kenosha County Courthouse where speakers encouraged the crowd to vote for change in November, and to push for legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: People march in support of Jacob Blake and his family to the Kenosha County Courthouse KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Jacob Blake Sr (pictured) gave an impassioned call for changing a system During the rally earlier, Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr, called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests before a tense calm set in the past three nights. 'Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing, Blake Sr said. 'Stop it. Show 'em for one night we don't have to tear up nothing.' He gave an impassioned call for changing a system he described as fostering police brutality and racial inequities. 'There were seven bullets put in my son's back... Hell yeah, I'm mad,' said Blake Sr. 'What gave [police] the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? 'What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? I'm tired of this,' he added. Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic dispute call on August 23 when Sheskey shot 29-year-old Blake in the back, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Trump is set to visit Kenosha on Tuesday, the White House announced Saturday. The president will meet with 'law enforcement and survey damage from recent riots', White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters aboard Air Force One. He did not say if the president will meet with Blake's family - but the visit is expected to exacerbate tensions in the city. Volution chief executive Ronnie George has been at the helm for eight years and has worked at the ventilation group for even longer. He knows the company behind brands such as Vent-Axia and Airtech inside out. So, when he buys and sells shares, investors take note. In October 2018, when Midas last looked at Volution, George had just spent 17,000 buying 10,000 shares at 1.70 each. The boss described the trade as a 'protest', a signal that he believed the shares were significantly undervalued. By December 2019, Volution shares were 58 per cent higher at almost 2.70 and George's purchase looked quite canny. Fan-tastic: Volution chief executive Ronnie George has been at the helm for eight years and has worked at the ventilation group for even longer George then decided to halve his stake in the company and on January 24, he and his wife sold just over three million shares at 2.30 each, pocketing 7million in the process. The coronavirus still seemed like a local Chinese problem at the time. Now George looks smart once again, as Volution shares have fallen back to 1.66. George still owns 1.5 per cent of Volution and the 50-year-old said his January share sale was designed to create a more balanced investment portfolio. Diversification is almost always sensible when it comes to investment, but fellow shareholders may wonder whether they should follow George's lead, especially given the events of recent months. In normal times, the company derives just under half its turnover from the UK, the rest coming from Northern Europe, Australia and New Zealand. UK sales slumped 70 per cent in April. But by July they were just 20 per cent lower than in the same month last year. There has been continued improvement in recent weeks and George believes the pace of growth is likely to be higher in coming months than before the pandemic erupted. There is also good momentum in Volution's other markets. Most of Volution's sales are to contractors, who are either building new homes or refurbishing existing properties. Demand has been particularly strong in the refurbishment camp lately, as people spend more time at home and want to upgrade their living space. George is optimistic about sales of new homes too, bolstered by cheap mortgages, the Help to Buy scheme and cut-price stamp duty. Over time, the company should benefit from two trends. First, regulators increasingly demand that homes and commercial buildings are properly ventilated for health, safety and environmental reasons. Second, it is increasingly clear that the better a property is ventilated, the less likely it is to harbour harmful viruses. Volution leads the way in several products, including fans that bring in fresh air without pushing out all the central heating. The group's financial year ended on July 31 and George expects to announce a 7 per cent fall in sales to 217million, with analysts predicting a 23 per cent slide in profits to 30.8million. In the current year, sales of 220million are forecast, with profits of 35million. The 2020 dividend was cancelled but 4.2p is pencilled in for 2021, compared to 4.9p last year. Midas verdict: Midas recommended Volution in 2014, shortly after the business was listed and the shares were 1.55. Having shot up by December of last year, the stock was hammered by Covid-19 concerns and is now just 7 per cent higher than it was six years ago. The business seems to making good progress, but economic prospects remain uncertain. Perhaps the best approach for shareholders is to follow George's lead cut their holdings by half and diversify. Traded on: Main market Ticker: FAN Contact: volutiongroupplc.com or 01293 441662 A caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump in Portland, Oregon (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP) One person was shot and killed in Portland, Oregon, as a large caravan of Donald Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed in the streets, police have said. It was not clear if the shooting was linked to fights that broke out as a caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by counter-demonstrators in the city centre. Police said the caravan had left the area at around 8.30pm local time on Saturday, and officers heard gunshots at about 8.46pm, according to a statement. Officers arrived at the shooting scene within a minute, police said, but the man who was shot did not survive. Expand Close Donald Trump supporters attend a rally and car parade from Clackamas to Portland (Paula Bronstein/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump supporters attend a rally and car parade from Clackamas to Portland (Paula Bronstein/AP) An Associated Press freelance photographer heard three gunshots and then observed police medics working on the victim, who appeared to be a white man. The freelancer said the man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group whose members have frequently clashed with protesters in Portland in the past. Police previously said the man was shot in the chest. He was not immediately identified and it is unclear who shot him. Portland has been the site of nightly protests for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Expand Close A Black Lives Matter supporter holds up a sign (Paula Bronstein/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Black Lives Matter supporter holds up a sign (Paula Bronstein/AP) Many of them end in vandalism and violence, and hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested by local and federal law enforcement since late May. In the two hours following the shooting, protesters gathered in the city centre and there was sporadic fighting and vandalism, police stated. Some gave speeches in Lownsdale Square Park before the protest petered out. Ten people were arrested, police said. The caravan had arrived in the city centre just as a protest planned for Saturday was getting under way. The chaotic scene came two days after President Trump invoked Portland as a liberal city overrun with violence in a speech at the Republican National Convention as part of his law and order re-election campaign theme. Expand Close Liza Durasenko, 16, from Oregon City, prays during a rally in support of Donald Trump in Clackamas (Paula Bronstein/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Liza Durasenko, 16, from Oregon City, prays during a rally in support of Donald Trump in Clackamas (Paula Bronstein/AP) The caravan marked the third Saturday in a row that Trump supporters have rallied in the city. The morning after the clashes, Mr Trump issued a flurry of tweets and retweets including several that blamed Portland mayor Ted Wheeler for the death and one in which the president appeared to be encouraging his supporters to move into Portland. Great Patriots! Mr Trump wrote as he shared footage of his supporters driving into Portland to confront the protesters. Acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf blamed local officials for failing to protect their communities. Im asking Portland officials, so thats the mayor, thats the governor and thats local law enforcement, to do their job to address any violent activity that is occurring in their streets, he told CBS. Mr Trump and other speakers at this weeks convention evoked a violent, dystopian future if Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden wins in November and pointed to Portland as a cautionary tale for what would be in store for Americans. The pro-Trump rallys organiser, who co-ordinated a similar caravan in Boise, Idaho, earlier in the week, said in a video posted on Twitter on Saturday afternoon that attendees should only carry concealed weapons and the route was being kept secret for safety reasons. The caravan had gathered earlier in the day at a suburban shopping centre and drove as a group to the heart of Portland. As they arrived in the city, protesters attempted to stop them by standing in the street and blocking bridges. Expand Close Trump supporters attend a rally in Clackamas (Paula Bronstein/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Trump supporters attend a rally in Clackamas (Paula Bronstein/AP) Videos from the scene showed sporadic fighting, as well as Trump supporters firing paintball pellets at opponents and using bear spray as counter-protesters threw things at the Trump caravan. The shooting happened several hours after the caravan began arriving in Portland. The Black Lives Matter demonstrations usually target police buildings and federal buildings. Some protesters have called for reductions in police budgets while the citys mayor and some in the black community have decried the violence, saying it is counterproductive. Early on Saturday morning, fires set outside a police union building that is a frequent site for protests prompted police to declare a riot. An accelerant was used to ignite a mattress and other debris that was laid against the door of the Portland Police Association building, police said in a statement. The president has assured that Ukraine is working to have the people who are being illegally detained in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia returned to Ukraine as soon as possible. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Day of Remembrance of Ukraine Defenders met with the families of those killed in action and those who have gone missing in the Donbas warzone. At the meeting, issues of social and medical support for the families were discussed, as well as effective rehabilitation of war veterans, expanding the list of social benefits and issues with the existing ones, the need to establish memorial plates to fallen soldiers across regions, housing repair issues, as well as those of a fair approach to compensation payments, the President's Office says. On the eve of International Day of the Missing Persons, the issues were raised of the work of the Commission on persons who have gone missing in special circumstances, as well as the issues of the Unified Register of Missing Persons, the development and approval of a unified protocol of exhumation, and mandatory psychological support for families of those killed in action, missing in action, and prisoners of war. We will get everyone back: both living and fallen. We eventually will "When the commission on missing persons under the Cabinet of Ministers starts working, it means that registers of missing persons will be created by category. Six years into the war, we still have no registers of missing persons," said the curator of the 40th Kryvbas battalion, coordinator of the working group at the Presidential Office on Donbas MIAs, military and civilian hostages (prisoners) Mykola Kolesnyk. Read alsoZelensky: Ukraine sends POW swap lists to DonbasAlso at the meeting, the parties discussed the efforts towards the release of those being illegally held in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia. Zelenskiy said Ukraine is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. "We actually put everyone in the swap lists. There is no such thing that we put civilians, while leaving out the military. There is no such thing," the president said. "We will get everyone back: both living and fallen. We eventually will," Zelensky added. Related news: On August 29, Ukraine marks Day of Remembrance of Defenders. On the anniversary of the Ilovaisk tragedy, the United States called on Russia to pull troops from Donbas. By Clifford Kulwin Exactly how Adolf Hitler rose to power has long been the subject of historical debate and likely always will be. History is an inexact science. Its not hard, however, to identify the techniques Hitler employed in his rise: xenophobic tirades against Jews, articulating a Wagnerian/Aryan ideal that was every Germans legacy, the promise of military, nationalistic and economic glory only he could provide. And then theres the Big Lie. Hitler explained it himself in his manifesto, Mein Kampf: The Big Lie works because the masses are easily manipulated in their emotionsthey more readily fall victim to the big lie than the small lie since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. Translation: its easier to get away with a big lie than a small one. And Hitler got away with a lot of big lies. Edwin L. James, a long-time New York Times Europe correspondent, listed many of them in an April 1943 article in the Times magazine: I am not so senseless as to want war. We want peace and nothing else. Later, that became, we have been dragged into a war against our will. We have no territorial demands in Europe. We do not wish to interfere with the rights of others, to restrict the lives of other peoples, to oppress or subjugate other peoples. (As a Jew, that one hits home.) Hitler was right. The Big Lie works. He proved it. I thought about the Big Lie last night while watching President Trump deliver his acceptance speech from the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. His mendacity is nothing new. But so many of the lies he told were Big Lies. My administration has a different approach. To save as many lives as possible, we are focusing on the science, the facts and the data. (This was said to an audience of 2,000 people at close quarters; no social distancing, hardly any masks. By the man who ignored his own experts. And said well have packed churches all over our country for Easter.) I say very modestly I have done more for the African American community than any president since Abraham Lincoln, our first Republican president. (Lyndon Johnson, who exerted considerable effort to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, might disagree. And President Trump has never said anything very modestly.) We will always and very strongly protect patients with preexisting conditions. And that is a pledge from the entire Republican Party. (Trumps fight to undo the Affordable Care Act including its preexisting coverage guarantee - is now before the Supreme Court. No replacement plan has ever been offered.) According to the Washington Post Fact Checker, the presidents false claims have rounded 20,000, gaining momentum like a snowball rolling down a mountain. His brazenness is reminiscent of his father and, of course, his mentor Roy Cohn. But we can perhaps best understand Trump through the words of Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers minister of propaganda: If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The president knows that. He says whatever will achieve his goal at any given moment. And he doesnt think twice about it because the more he says it, the more his words take on their own surreal truth, which is why his strongest supporters include many people who have suffered the most from his policies. Wealthy Americans received virtually all the benefits of Trumps 2017 tax cut yet nine of the 10 poorest states are solidly red. It is easy, tempting, really, to let our eyes glaze over. We hear nonsense, we know its nonsense, and we are outraged. The next time we still know its nonsense, but maybe we are not quite as outraged. And so on. We are worn down. Hopefully, enough voters recognize just what the president his doing and will reject his bid for a second term. His policies have endangered the environment, damaged our reputation with allies, and pit Americans against one another. Thats my opinion. Perhaps you see it differently, as perspectives can surely differ. Facts, on the other hand, are facts. And lies are lies. Clifford Kulwin is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Bnai Abraham in Livingston. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Sign up for our newsletter Message submitting... Thank you for waiting. {{message}} {{message}} Want us to email you top stories each lunch time? Palestinian groups ready for 'long-term' battle against Israel amid Gaza escalation Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 2:47 PM Amid the relentless Israeli acts of aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip, all Palestinian resistance groups have expressed their preparedness for a "long-term" battle against the occupying regime's acts of terror. Citing informed sources in the Joint Chamber of Palestinian resistance factions, the Arabic-language news website Palestine al-Youm reported on Saturday that all military wings of the Palestinian resistance groups announced their readiness to engage in a long-term battle against the occupiers under the command of the chamber. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Resistance Movement, Hamas, warned Israel against continued siege of Gaza and repeated acts of aggression. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said on Friday that the movement would not hesitate to enter into war with Israel in case Tel Aviv continued acts of aggression against the coastal enclave. "Whoever lays siege to our people will pay a heavy price in their security and stability," he said. "We will not hesitate in our national mission and in our commitment to our people," Barhoum said, adding that Hamas was committed to "protecting the people from all aggression and fighting the occupation if there is an escalation and the siege continues." On Friday, the Israeli military carried out airstrikes and artillery attacks on various sites across the Gaza Strip over what it cited as a volley of rockets launched from the Palestinian enclave into the occupied territories. The military said that underground infrastructure and military positions belonging to Hamas were targeted in strikes by Israeli tanks and military aircraft, after resistance fighters fired six rockets at southern Israel overnight. The rockets came shortly after the Israeli military initially bombed Hamas facilities in Gaza over alleged launch of incendiary and explosive balloons into the occupied land throughout Thursday. There have been no immediate reports on possible damage or casualties in the attacks. For the past several weeks, the Israeli war machine has been pounding different areas of Gaza either by its warplanes or through artillery fire, claiming that the attacks were mainly in response to incendiary balloons sent by Gazans to cause bush fire in the southern parts of the occupied territories. The coastal sliver, home to some two million people, has been under an Israeli-imposed crippling siege since June 2007, which has caused a decline in the living standards as well as unprecedented levels of unemployment and unrelenting poverty there. Israel has also launched three major wars against the enclave since 2008, killing thousands of Gazans each time and shattering the impoverished territory's already poor infrastructure. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Married At First Sight star Tash Herz appeared to take a subtle swipe at her 'ex-wife' Amanda Micallef on Saturday. The 31-year-old bartender shared a post to Instagram about 'karma', just two days after Amanda was blasted by fans for setting up a GoFundMe page to help 'start her brand new life' in Queensland. 'A year since filming for MAFS and I've stayed quiet about many things because it's a powerful move choosing not to direct your energy to certain places and people, that sh*t is precious,' she wrote. 'Karma': Married At First Sight star Tash Herz (pictured) appeared to take a swipe at her ex-wife Amanda Micallef on Saturday for launching a GoFundMe page to help pay for her move from Melbourne to the Gold Coast 'Just make sure you're not bowing to abuse or bullying out of fear because you are WORTH MORE THAN THAT. You know what is cute though? Karma,' she added. Tash also posted a quote which read: 'What have I tolerated from people in the past that I no longer have space for?' We're not really strangers.' On Thursday, Amanda launched her GoFundMe page, stating that she's decided it was time for her to 'start a brand new life' in Queensland. Cryptic post: Tash shared a post to Instagram, about her time filming MAFS one year ago and 'karma' She also shared a video to her Instagram Story, telling her followers: 'I'm actually not working full-time. 'For those that think that I am, yes, I sell a few programs online, but my business has been severely struggling because of COVID,' the personal trainer added. She continued: 'We're pretty screwed here in Melbourne, all the gyms are shut. I'm surviving off Centrelink for those of you who don't know. 'Just to give you a quick rundown, the hotel quarantine alone is going to cost close to $3000, plus getting myself there in a separate flight to Smokey, the car, my personal belongings,' she explained. Elsewhere, the former reality TV star said: 'I also don't need to justify myself, I just think I've done a lot for other businesses out there.' Relocating: Amanda (pictured) launched a GoFundMe page on Thursday to raise money for her move to the Gold Coast 'I've done a lot of posts for free, I actually haven't charged a lot of the businesses that I've worked with, and I'm just asking if you're feeling generous and you want to give back, now would be the perfect time to do it.' Amanda added: 'What I don't need is any hate messages or calling me a cheapskate or anything like that, because I can assure you that I'm struggling just like everyone else.' Former fans of the MAFS star criticised Amanda for asking people for cash when so many were struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. Amanda first rose to fame on season seven of Married At First Sight and was married to Tash Herz. They were the first lesbian couple in the reality show franchise. Chinese authorities say the has risen to 29 in the collapse of a two-story restaurant in the northern province of Shanxi. The Ministry of Emergency Management says another 28 people were injured, seven of them seriously, when the building suddenly tumbled on Saturday. It said Sunday that rescue operations have now concluded, but there was no immediate word on what caused the collapse. The restaurant was in Shanxi province's Xiangfen county, about 630 kilometers (400 miles) southwest of Beijing. Hundreds of rescue workers wearing hardhats and face masks had searched the rubble, lifting slabs of concrete in hopes of freeing survivors. (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 Colorado womans body was found inside of her car in a hospital emergency room parking lot, three days after she had died. Yvette Mooney of Denver, Colorado, was discovered dead inside her vehicle by police officers on 23 August in the emergency room (ER) car park of the Swedish Medical Centre in Englewood, an area of the city. The 50-year-old, who had several grandchildren, had driven to the hospital on 20 August, but her daughter-in-law Kandra Garcia told WKRN that she couldnt make it inside. Ms Garcia added: She thought, Im in an ER parking lot. They will find me somebody will come. Not three days later when shes blistered and too decomposed for us to have a proper burial. Ms Mooneys daughter-in-law said that she had driven to the hospital on 20 August to visit a family friend and to pray with them. Recommended Five people including three children found dead in suspected However, after Ms Mooney did not pick up any calls from the family later in the week, they called the police, who were able to find her dead inside her car at the hospital on 23 August. The authorities told WKRN that Ms Mooneys cause of death has yet to be determined by the coroners office, and added that they have requested surveillance footage from the hospital. The windows on Ms Mooneys car were tinted, and the police suggested that this would have made it difficult for people to realise that the 50-year-old was inside, according to the Daily Mail. In a statement to KDVR, the hospital said: We offer sincere condolences and deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones. Upon discovery of the event we immediately notified the Englewood Police Department and have worked closely with them throughout the ongoing investigation. Ms Garcia said that somebody dropped the ball and I want answers, and added that security should be asked to check cars, as there should never be an unattended death. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is addressing the nation on the measures his government is taking to curb the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. Todays address is the Presidents 16th update since Ghana recorded her first two cases of the novel disease in March this year. It could be recalled that the President, in his 15th update on COVID-19, informed Ghanaians he has directed the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) to work with the Ministry of Health and other stakenolders to make adequate preparations for the reopening of the airport, putting in place measures to combat transmission of the virus into the country. "I want to ensure that we are in a position to test every single passenger who arrives in the country to avoid the spread of the virus. The outcome of that exercise will show us the way and determine when we can re-open our border by air. "I'm hoping that by God's grace we will be ready to do so by the 1st of September [2020]. Until further notice, our borders by air, land and sea remain closed to human traffic," President Akufo-Addo said. The President today confirmed the Kotoka International Airport will commence operations on September 1st. He also touched on the education sector stating the second-year Junior High and Senior High School students will also reopen on 5th September. Primary schools and Creche will hopefully reopen in January, 2021, the President highlighted. Watch the President's full address 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. Featured Video (Newser) ABC will air Black Panther commercial-free Sunday night as a prime-time tribute to Chadwick Boseman. The film will be followed by an ABC News Special, "Chadwick Bosmeman: A Tribute for a King." Disney said the special "will celebrate Boseman's storied life, legacy and career," AP reports, and "shine a light on the medical condition he privately battled." The actor died Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43. story continues below Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC, released Black Panther as well as the other three Marvel movies Boseman appeared in. The film will be broadcast at 8pm EDT, with the special following at 10:20pm. Black Panther won three Oscars, was nominated for best picture, and grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide. (Read more Chadwick Boseman stories.) If you are a business owner, you might be juggling with many tasks related to your business. From production to management, to marketing, to the hiring of all essential employees, just to name a few. However, you may be overlooking an important element of your business: the legal one. Working with a corporate attorney becomes indispensable. Having someone who understands your business gives you an important ally who will help you make the right decisions regarding what you should and should not do, someone who will be right there to spot any issues or risks that might prop up now and in the future. Why hire a corporate lawyer? Corporate lawyers are experts at helping a company to succeed. By offering business strategies they can work with both founders and management to solve problems throughout the life cycle of any business. Whether founding documents need to get drafted or the company needs to be terminated for whatever reason, your corporate lawyer will take care of the documents and paperwork needed. What do corporate lawyers do? A corporate attorney will take the time to advise you on your day-to-day business operations. They will negotiate legal contracts and draft them for you. They will also take the necessary steps to avoid litigation by coming up with ideas and solutions to settle failing deals and clear up business dealings. They will draft all needed contracts, enable mergers and acquisitions, allow companies to be formed, and even give you a hand when you need to raise capital. How does a corporate lawyer help you avoid litigation? If your business is facing an issue that will involve litigation, your corporate attorney can assist you through mediation or by implemented other dispute resolution mechanisms. Your lawyer will also take preemptive actions in order to avoid problems and draft solutions and protection clauses into your documents. Should something go wrong in the future, a well-drafted agreement will unambiguously and clearly define the responsibilities and rights of all parties involved. What's the key to any transaction for a corporate lawyer? A corporate lawyer who accurately understands a business idea has in their hand the key to a successful business transaction. Starting with helping business owners determine the best way to legally register their business by considering what structure best adapts itself to their needs, a corporate lawyer will also guide business owners through administrative processes, such as issuing stock or establishing voting requirements. How can a corporate lawyer enable the startup process? A corporate lawyer will help you by drafting all intellectual property assignments, non-disclosure agreements, stock purchase and vesting agreements, supply and service agreements that may be required, independent contractor agreements, and any other document needed to make the running of the business go smoothly. Your corporate lawyer can also propose sources of funding, recommend additional avenues to acquire it, advise you as to whether bonds or loans make the best options and also if the best avenue for your business is to go public, and draft all the necessary documents to back up these decisions. When your business requires the services of a corporate attorney that will devote himself to serving you and your needs, you need to look no further than Attorney Rahul Parikh. Set up an appointment today to get started. Even as states expanded voting by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic, Nebraska voters shattered the record for absentee voting, casting nearly 400,000 in the primary. At the end of July, the Postal Service mailed letters to 46 states, telling state Secretaries of State that voters could be disenfranchised by late-arriving ballots said many states deadlines do not allow for enough time based on delivery estimates. And while the Washington Post found President Donald Trump casts his own ballots by mail, hes repeatedly criticized efforts to allow more people to do so, arguing without evidence will lead to increased voter fraud that could cost him the election with Joe Biden. Trump said in both a press conference and a follow-up interview, that he opposed providing additional money to the Post Office to help them deliver mail-in ballots. In an Aug. 13 interview with Fox Businesss Maria Bartiromo, he said negotiations of a stimulus package were held up due to Democratic proposals of $25 billion in aid to the post office. Can leadership change help mend Seoul-Tokyo ties? Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has tendered his resignation for health reasons. Japan is set to choose its new prime minister soon in mid-September. Now the question is whether the looming replacement of the Japanese leadership will bring about any changes in soured relations between Seoul and Tokyo. We hope the neighbors will mend ties to end their enmity and forge a new partnership. Abe has suffered from ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager. The health problem recently resurfaced to the extent he can no longer carry out the job. Abe first took office in September 2006 for a one-year stint but left for health reasons, retaking power in December 2012. He has become the longest-serving prime minister of Japan with more than eight and a half years in office. Abe has been facing setbacks amid a declining support rating since he failed to cope with the coronavirus pandemic coupled with a lingering economic slowdown. With his nationalistic character, Abe has pushed many controversial policies, including the expansion of Japan's military role in the region and revision of the postwar pacifist constitution to make Japan a normal country that can wage a war with others. He angered Koreans, Chinese and other Asians with his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines war criminals from World War II among others. Relations between Seoul and Tokyo have reached their lowest because Japan introduced trade restrictions against Korean firms last year in apparent retaliation over the Korean Supreme Court's ruling ordering Japanese firms to compensate for surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor. Abe has been under criticism here for using the ruling and fostering anti-Korean sentiment among Japanese voters for political gains. Despite relentless efforts by Seoul to resolve the trade dispute through dialogue, the Abe administration has shown no signs of compromise. As a result, the nations have been on a collision course. South Korea recently activated the setup of a dispute settlement panel with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to deal with Japan's unfair and unilateral trade measures. The prospect for settlement of the conflict is dim with both sides reluctant to budge from their hardline stance. Now all eyes are on who will succeed Abe. Potential candidates include former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and incumbent Defense Minister Taro Kono. Economic Revitalization Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, now in charge of COVID-19 measures, and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida are also being considered. Some experts point out that it is still premature to expect a breakthrough in stalled Seoul-Tokyo relations in light of the conservative tendencies within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which is not favorable to Korea. However, this does not necessarily mean the looming leadership change will be of no help for bilateral ties. After a new prime minister is picked, Seoul and Tokyo need to cooperate to improve relations for mutual benefit. Following Abe's offer to resign, Cheong Wa Dae said it would cooperate with a new Japanese leader and his Cabinet to move toward friendly and cooperative relations. We expect the leadership shift will serve as an occasion to mend bilateral ties. A deadly shooting resulted in the passing of one person in Portland late Sunday, as a large caravan of President Donald Trump's supporters clashed with protesters in the streets, police said. According to a USA Today report, it's not yet clear if the deadly shooting in Portland was linked to fights between the caravan and protesters. Portland Police are still investigating the event after they responded to the deadly shooting Saturday night, said a CNN report. Authorities said the shooting took place as protesters converged on the city for the 94th time in a row. Sounds of gunfire were heard on the site at around 8:46 p.m., they said in a statement where the victim was found with a gunshot wound on the chest. The victim was found on Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street and was determined dead by medical personnel. An Associated Press photographer observed the medics working on the victim's body, which he noticed was a white man. The photographer said the man was wearing a hat with an insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group that has clashed with Portland protesters in the past. The body remained on the scene after medics left. Next to it was camouflage gear with the infidel and thin blue patches. This usually indicates support for law enforcement, noted Oregon Live. Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson said he had also seen a photo of the man killed in the incident, but he did not say if he knew him. Before hanging up, he said he'll have to figure out what was going on. Protesters Were Told to Come Armed Various scuffles had taken place between pro-Trump demonstrators and protesters. A vehicle rally supporting Trump began near Clackamas Town Center and reached Portland. Organizers of the event told demonstrators to come armed but asked them not to carry their firearms out in the open. Police taped off the area near the body and had not released any additional details on the matter. They also did not say whether it was linked to the demonstrations. They also asked anyone with first-hand videos of the shooting or any witnesses to contact investigators. Nightly Protests in Portland Portland had been site to nightly protests for more than three months since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Many of the said protests end in vandalism and violence. Law enforcers have arrested hundreds of protesters since May. Arrests were also made in the recent protest, as police said they made several arrests before the deadly shooting. They advised residents to avoid the city core. This scene of chaos in Portland came two days after Trump tagged it as a liberal city that was overrun with violence. In his speech at the Republican National Convention, he said so in his speech as part of his re-election campaign theme of "law and order." The caravan is the third week that Trump supporters have rallied in the city. In a tweet posted Sunday, the organizer said that attendees will have to follow a secret route for safety reasons. Check these out! Two Seattle Protesters Hit by Car: One Dies, the Other in ICU RNC Vs. DNC: Who Won During the Convention? Police Declare Riot, Make Arrests at Seattle Protest Actor Himansh Kohli has revealed that his mother, father and sister have tested positive for the coronavirus. The actor tested negative. He shared the news on Instagram and was flooded with messages from industry colleagues, friends and fans. Himansh wrote in his note, Since the last 2-3 days mom, Dad and my sister Disha were having symptoms of viral infection, including mild fever. Recently, we all got tested for Novel Coronavirus -- Mom, Dad, and Disha have tested positive with mild COVID 19 infection and I have tested negative. We are home quarantined, taking all precautions, and are thankful to the government authorities for all the help and advice. Hats off to all the people working hard to make sure we are all safe. I hope we come out of it and recover very soon. Need your love and prayers. Sharing the note, Himansh wrote on Instagram, I am taking care of myself and my family members. In the meanwhile, safeguard your family and ensure that they are taking all precautions. Even the slightest bit of carelessness can be harmful. But, please dont be scared, a sane mind deals with all the problems better. Wishing all of you good health and lots of love. Love, #HimanshKohli. Rapper Harshdeep Kaur commented, Take care, while actor Rahul Dev wrote, Take care my brother.. love you .. and stay blessed. One fan wrote, I m praying for uh himanshu sir. Several others posted get well soon and take care messages. Earlier, Himansh had gone to Delhi after the lockdown ended and took to Instagram to share a picture of himself posing on the Delhi roads in front of the India Gate. Finally my 14 day self-quarantine came to end and I visited India Gate early morning to relive the most iconic memory in Delhi ever for my morning jogging. I so loved the virgin green grass, plants that have not been disturbed in a while, and roads less walked. Theres no question that the feel of any place is with its people. I hope things go back to normal really soon! #HimanshKohli #morningworkouts #jogging #indiagate #freshairtherapy #unlock1 #mondaymotivation, the actor captioned his post. While his debut film, Yaariyan (2014) garnered him praise, Himanshs subsequent movies failed to make a mark. After an almost two-year long sabbatical, Himansh recently signed a new film, Boondi Raita, and the shooting was to start in April. However, that got stuck because of the pandemic. He had told Hindustan Times in an interview, It was quite disturbing for me as I was hopeful to be back with new vigour. I was hopeful and preparing myself for this comeback but this lockdown suddenly happened and our schedules in Dehradun and Rishikesh got cancelled. It was quite depressing initially. Also read: Amul pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman with a topical: Marvel of an actor Its not just me, the entire world is struggling. Only a positive attitude can help us sail through. These are the things my family and friends made me believe in all over again. Those everyday calls and video calls really helped, he added. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON When Delores Gull was a little girl her grandmother taught her how to bead and sew. Ever since, creating art inspired by her Cree heritage has helped the 43-year-old mother of three navigate lifes ups and downs. So when the coronavirus pandemic struck, it seemed natural that she should turn those skills to making masks. She began researching masks and grew fascinated with the long, beak-like masks doctors used to wear in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries during outbreaks of the plague and other deadly epidemics. The masks were filled with aromatic scents like dried flowers, herbs or spices because the doctors wrongly believed they helped to ward off bad air. When I saw the doctor plague masks they reminded me of our Sundance ceremonies we have here, Delores explained, speaking by phone from her home in Ontario, Canada. I thought to myself, I have to make one. The Sundance is a sacred Plains Indian ceremony, that was once banned by European colonisers, and which involves community members gathering to dance, sing and pray. Delores says her culture influences everything she makes. Every time I come across smoked tan hide like moose or caribou, when I smell it, she pauses to take a long, deep breath, it drives me to make something. I believe Im supposed to be carrying on this tradition of my culture and showing the world that our work is still alive. Delores mask features a long beak made from smoked, tanned caribou hide. She packed traditional medicines from the land into the end of the beak to offset the stresses of dealing with the pandemic. I believe Im supposed to be carrying on this tradition of my culture and showing the world that our work is still alive, Delores says [Photo courtesy of Delores Gull] There is traditional flower beadwork intertwined with beading with symbolic meaning for Delores. A beaded thunder beam along the top edge of the beak is a reminder to keep balance, she says. The thunder represents lightning from above. That power reminds us to keep in balance. There are three circles on each side to represent breathing. This is to remember to take deep breaths. To keep life simple and not to complicate things. The mask is on display in her art studio. She says she has received several inquiries about creating custom-made masks but is currently backlogged with orders for the traditional multi-coloured ribbon skirts and other items she usually makes. It feels like we are not a priority Two provinces west of Ontario, in the golden prairie lands of Saskatchewan, another Cree artist from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band has made an eye-catching mask. Vanessa Hyggen, 38, lives in the city of Saskatoon. Her paintings of landscapes have been featured in various exhibitions across Canada. She is inspired by nature, her culture and sustainability, she explains. The land has always nurtured us and now, as we all stay home, Mother Earth has a chance to breathe, she says. Humans arent out running amok right now we are being more thoughtful. The animals are coming out into spaces they dont normally go. I heard our bear numbers are increasing up north because no tourist hunters are going there to hunt them. She says she wanted to create a tangible message and to document the pandemic in a way that would last forever. Vanessa Hyggens artwork is inspired by her Cree culture, nature and sustainability [Photo courtesy of Vanessa Hyggen] Her deer hide, beaded mask depicts a night and day landscape scene on either side with green grass and a river running through them. The day/night sides mean we are not escaping it [the pandemic]. Its our reality for an unforeseen amount of time, she explains. But I thought of the health of Indigenous Peoples and the relation to the river system. Theres a hospital in La Ronge, 20 minutes away from my reserve, but its already under-resourced. She discusses the discrepancies in the resources available to Indigenous communities and the resulting poverty, poor housing and inadequate access to healthcare and clean drinking water. The design on her mask also represents the treaties signed between the First Nations and the Crown upon the founding of the nation of Canada. Those sacred agreements included clauses, such as one in Treaty 6, promising a medicine chest or in modern terms, medical care for First Nations. As long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the river flows, was a binding promise made by the Commissioner of Treaty 6, Alexander Morris to indicate the everlasting nature of the Treaty. However, many Indigenous people, including Vanessa, believe those treaty obligations have not been honoured by the government. The day/night sides mean we are not escaping it [the pandemic]. Its our reality for an unforeseen amount of time, says Vanessa [Photo courtesy of Vanessa Hyggen] There is another ongoing epidemic Vanessa has been trying to draw attention to: Indigenous youth suicides. In the autumn of 2019, the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation declared a state of emergency after three children, one just 10 years old, committed suicide in three weeks. According to Statistics Canada, suicide rates among Indigenous people are significantly higher than those of non-Indigenous populations. I feel frustrated with our current provincial government. We have young people in Regina asking the government to act on a youth suicide intervention bill, but the government recently voted it down. It feels like we are not a priority to them, Vanessa says. Even though the conversations her mask invokes may be tough, she hopes the beauty of the design will help offset that and inspire and inform people interested in Indigenous culture and the issues affecting Indigenous people. Ive had pretty positive responses and its helpful for me during this stressful time, she says. Documenting history Meanwhile, high up in the Arctic community of Inuvik, North West Territories, Eliza Firth, 63, has also found comfort in crafting her response to the coronavirus pandemic. Her moosehide mask features colourful silk embroidered flowers with tufted moose hair. Hanging beads are attached with porcupine quills on each side with red, black, yellow and white beads representing the colours of all humanity. This symbolises we are all in this together, explains Eliza, who calls her piece the Delta Rose. It took her a month to make. It was an emotional experience, she says, and one that will stay with her forever. Eliza Firths moosehide mask incorporates porcupine quills, beads and tufted moose hair [Photo courtesy of Eliza Firth] Eliza is Metis, a mix of Gwichin and Scottish heritage. The Gwichin live mostly above the Arctic Circle and are known for their craftsmanship. It was during a two-week isolation period that Eliza was inspired to make a mask. She was feeling the effects of social isolation. Creating helped to take her mind off the severity of the pandemic. But while she was making it, she began thinking about her mother, who survived a tuberculosis pandemic. In the past, TB has devasted Indigenous communities in Canada. When Elizas mother caught it, she was sent thousands of kilometres away from home to an Indian hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, where she spent two years alone. It was a sad time in her life. My mother sewed while she was in the hospital to help her get through, she says. Elizas sister once spent time in a hospital being treated for hepatitis and experienced isolation too. I got emotional one evening. That feeling of loneliness just came over me. I thought of them (my mother and sister) and how they felt. I had to put it down, she says of the mask. [But] the next day I kept at it. The mask, called Delta Rose, features silk embroidered flowers [Photo courtesy of Eliza Firth] She stitched four tiny pockets to the inside of the mask. In them she tucked medicines including a mixture of pine needles, which when boiled and breathed in, is beneficial to the respiratory system. She asked a local photographer to take her photo in her mask. Unbeknown to her, the photographer entered it into a Facebook contest. The mask was chosen among 49 to be featured in a Canada-wide exhibit that will travel across the country over the next three years. But she says she will never make another pandemic mask again. I am wowed by the feedback. I guess I didnt know the strength of this project, she says. Its amazing and Im very fortunate to be chosen for the exhibition. But Ill never make one like this again. It was too much to go through for me. This was documenting history. Ill leave it at that. Donald Trump President Donald Trump participates in a Fox News Town Hall event on March 05, 2020 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Among other topics, President Trump discussed his administration's response to the Coronavirus and the economy. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Professors have asked President Donald Trump's alma mater to investigate his admittance to the university decades ago based on "new evidence" revealed by his niece. Eric Orts and five other faculty members have renewed their request that the University of Pennsylvania to look into Trump's transfer into the school in 1966 after his niece Mary Trump claimed in her recent book that he had paid someone else to take his SAT exam, reported the Washington Post. Penn's provost told Orts on July 20 that the admissions process had taken place too long ago to make an investigation possible, but added that might be possible if new evidence surfaced to substantiate Mary Trump's claim. Orts said he contacted provost Wendell Pritchett again after the Post published audio recordings made by Mary Trump of her conversations with Maryanne Trump Barry, her aunt and the president's older sister, that detailed the admissions scheme. "I drove him around New York City to try to get him into college," Barry said. "[He] went to Fordham for one year [actually two years] and then he got into University of Pennsylvania because he had somebody take the exams." Barry also told her niece that she'd done the future president's homework for him before he was admitted to Penn. Orts emailed that audio recording to the provost, but said he had not yet gotten a response to the new evidence. Related Articles (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Being a Black or brown politician in a party dedicated to buttressing racial hierarchy is both existential quandary and personal opportunity. Republican voters have shown they will reward nonwhite political leaders who safeguard the status quo generally even as they upset it particularly. And Republican leaders are always eager to showcase, and advance, whatever meager diversity the party can muster. In her appearance at the Republican convention last week, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley delivered a master class in navigating between racism and denial that it exists. In much of the Democratic Party, its now fashionable to say that America is racist. That is a lie, said Haley, who grew up in an immigrant Sikh family in rural South Carolina before rocketing to political success. America is not a racist country. Seconds later, Haley said her family faced discrimination and hardship, but my parents never gave into grievance and hate. Moments after that, she recounted the 2015 murder of Black parishioners at a Charleston church by a White supremacist. Just seconds later, she said, her state collectively made the hard choices needed to heal, and removed a divisive symbol peacefully and respectfully. The symbol, of course, was a Confederate flag. It flew at the state capitol, a location that ensured it would not only be a symbol of white supremacy but a daily assertion of it. Why was it there? Why was it divisive? If you answered racism, you must be a Democrat. To recap: Haleys Punjabi family faced discrimination. A White supremacist murdered Black churchgoers in her state just five years ago. The aftermath of the murder made it possible to remove, over the vehement objections of some white citizens, a symbol of white supremacy from a place of high honor. Also, any imputation of racism is a fashionable Democratic lie. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, one of two Black Republicans in Congress, had a more streamlined message with fewer loose ends. Story continues My grandfather's 99th birthday would have been tomorrow. Growing up, he had to cross the street if a white person was coming. He suffered the indignity of being forced out of school as a third grader to pick cotton, and never learned to read or write, Scott said. Yet, he lived to see his grandson become the first African American to be elected to both the United States House and Senate. Our family went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime. That may be an open invitation to Whites to applaud themselves for lowering the costs of bigotry. But its also historical fact. And Scott doesnt pretend that racism, like coronavirus, can be disappeared with magic words or a good dousing of bleach. We are not fully where we want to be, he said, but thank God we are not where we used to be! Yet while championing the unfinished journey of racial justice, Scott vows to protect his audience from too much of a good thing. Joe Biden's radical Democrats are trying to permanently transform what it means to be an American, Scott warned. Make no mistake: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris want a cultural revolution. A fundamentally different America. What goes unstated is that the central promise of this cultural revolution is to elevate more people who look like Haley and Scott to positions of power at the expense of Trumps white nationalist reaction. While Haley went short and convoluted, and Scott emphasized the long journey toward justice, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is Black, simply elided the conflict that the others finessed. Sadly, there are some who dont believe in this wisdom or in the better angels of our shared American history, he intoned, as they tear down the statues of people like Ulysses S. Grant, Frederick Douglass and even Mr. Lincoln himself. Its not false that, in the effort to cleanse American public spaces of racist iconography, statues of Douglass, Grant and Lincoln have also been attacked. But as Cameron well knows, its also mostly beside the point. Statues of people like the abolitionist Douglass are not the sort being systematically targeted for removal. Statues of people who sought to enslave Douglass are. In Camerons own state of Kentucky, a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis was finally removed from the capitol in June after serving as a beacon and proclamation of White supremacy for 84 years. Cameron supported that statues removal. But at a Republican convention re-nominating Trump for president, it was safer to discuss the outliers Douglass, Grant, Lincoln than the highly relevant Confederates who still elicit sympathy among Republican base voters. Why was White supremacy enshrined in marble at the Kentucky state capital until only two months ago? Why did some Kentuckians wish to keep it there? Never mind. The Trump Convention was incoherent both by necessity (the ideology of Trumpism, beyond white racial grievance and status anxiety, is whatever Trump perceives to be good for Trump at any minute) and design. But anyone simultaneously voicing support for racial equality and for MAGAs quest to return to the paradise lost of unchallenged White supremacy faced an especially high degree of rhetorical difficulty. The pairing requires creativity. That perhaps explains the most curious lyric of the GOP convention. The truth is, Scott said at one point, our nation's arc always bends back towards fairness. The reference is familiar The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice, Martin Luther King Jr. said. But in addition to making the phrase more compact and colloquial, Scott reversed the direction of the arc. It no longer stretches toward the ideal of justice in an imagined, more perfect, future. Instead, its bending back to the past, the direction of injustice, brutality and, not coincidentally, of the anxious, base yearnings of MAGA. 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 Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Published on 2020/08/30 | Source Several countries have toughened entry quarantine for travelers from Korea due to a resurgence of coronavirus infections here. Advertisement According to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Taiwan has removed Korea from a list of mid to low-risk countries. That means arrivals from Korea now have to be quarantined for 14 days instead of seven. Taiwanese health authorities pointed out that the Korean government has announced that the cases have yet to peak, posing "risks of a wider spread". Singapore also changed the rules to require Korean visitors to remain quarantined for 14 days at government facilities rather than at home or in their hotel. The measure applies even to travelers who merely transited through Korea. Meanwhile, a charter flight that was to take owners of small and medium-sized businesses to the Chinese city of Chongqing on Friday has been canceled by the Civil Aviation Administration of China due to the rising infections in Korea. And Korean Americans traveling to Korea on American Airlines must now present negative COVID-19 test results or they will be refused boarding. The Foreign Ministry in a statement on Thursday said the reason seems to be a misunderstanding of regulations by airline staff. The new restrictions are a blow for the Korean government, which had so far prided itself on how well it has managed to contain the epidemic. At present, 91 countries ban entry to Korean travelers. Read this article in Korean /* custom css */ .tdi_75_257.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_257 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_257.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_257.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_257.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement Gov Ganduje laments slow pace of the projects Disturbed by the slow pace of the Kano-Zaria-KadunaAbuja expressway, Kano-Maiduguri expressway and Kano Western Bypass road, among others, the House of Representatives Committee on Works, lamented that the projects were poorly handled in terms of the speed at which they are going. This was disclosed by the Chairman House Committee on Works, Honourable Engineer Abubakar Kabir Abubakar, when he and his Committee members paid a courtesy visit to Kano state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Friday, late evening, at his office. The Committee, according to the Chairman, were on their inspection tour to federal government projects under the federal Ministry of Works, while showing the dissatisfaction of the Committee over the slow rate of all the projects visited, they vowed not to leave the lackadaisical attitude go unattended. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_7c4.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_7c4 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_7c4.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_7c4.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_7c4.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Your Excellency it is sad to note that out of N155B for Kano-Abuja expressway, Julius Berger collected more than N70B, but the work done so far is not appreciable at all Sir. From Zuba to Kaduna Phase I, they did only 5 percent of 100km road, he lamented. Disclosing that, out of the total period given to them for the project, 26 months were gone already, what remains for them is only 9 months to come. Sir we asked them if they had any challenge, they said there was no challenge. But just look at what they are doing now. Your Excellency Kano-Abuja road is very important to our economy Sir. Apart from the economic aspect of the road, it is sad to also note that 2 to 5 people die on that road on daily basis. We have to support President Muhammadu Buhari to save the lives of Nigerians, he said. He further lamented that, from the 70km from Kaduna to Zaria, only 11km was completed. Disclosing that, from Zaria to Kano only 11km was completed. For Dantata & Sawoe handling Kano Western Bypass only 30 40 percent is completed after collecting more than N20B, he said. They all commended Ganduje for the infrastructural development in the state. Insisting that, Kano has recently, becomes a beacon of hope and an exemplary political entity, that needs to be copied by other states of the federation. In his remarks, governor Ganduje said Your oversight function is very important for the development of the nation as a whole. And without you visiting such sites you will not be able to understand what contractors are doing. The Kano-Maiduguri road expressway is over 10 years. So also Western Bypass. So also Katsina-Tsanyawa-Bichi-Kano expressway is also going at a very slow rate, he said. It comes early in an African American life. Before Pomp and Circumstance is played. Before the corsage and the limousine ride. Before final exam, favorite teacher and science project. Before first kiss. Before any of that, someone has appraised you millions of someones who have never met nor even seen you. And they have decided yours is a life that matters less. The consequences of that decision, often made implicitly, below the level of conscious thought, can be brutal. Which brings us to Jacob Blake. The 29-year-old African American father was shot in the back at close range Sunday by police in Kenosha, Wis., less than an hour south of Milwaukee. Witnesses say he had been breaking up an argument. A video taken from across the street shows him walking away, ignoring police who yell at him, guns drawn. As he tries to get into his parked SUV where three of his children are reportedly waiting, an officer grabs him by his tank top shirt. Blake opens the car door and seven shots are fired. At this writing, hes in a hospital, clinging to life. America is a racist nation. This is a plain fact codified by history and statistics, by the fact that George Zimmerman walks free while a Black man in Mississippi is doing 12 years for possession of a cellphone. Yet, as indisputable as that fact is, it is still reflexively disputed. Already, people are popping up on social media like weeds after the rain, claiming Jacob Blake caused his own shooting. As if there is ever justification for shooting an unarmed man multiple times in the back. But they must put forward this ludicrous defense because to do otherwise is to threaten the fiction of white innocence. It is to admit that what caused Blake to get shot was an appraisal made before he and those officers ever met. Before the dance in the middle school gym. Before Moms kiss became embarrassing. Before science projects and book reports. Before laughing so hard milk snorts out of your nose. Indeed, six years ago, the U.S. Department of Education documented racial bias toward African American preschoolers, who, it turns out, are significantly more likely to be suspended than their white playmates. And if you think thats bad: Days before Blake was shot came a study from George Mason University quantifying bias in the treatment of Black newborns. Newborns. In their analysis of 1.8 million Florida hospital births, researchers found that those babies were three times more likely to die when treated by white doctors than black ones. The mortality rate for white newborns, on the other hand, was stable regardless of the doctors race. It is news that sickens but does not surprise. One thinks of the people making excuses for the shooting of Jacob Blake, how they also made excuses for Trayvon, Tamir, Michael, Rodney, Amadou; how they draw themselves up in wounded indignation when you tell them the truth about America. And one wonders how long it will be how many fathers shot, how many newborns dead before they evolve the moral courage to understand America as African Americans do, to admit that what was true in the antebellum years is true still. To be Black and American is to be appraised, coldly and implicitly. Before the first diaper change. Before the first cry. Before the memory of angel song fades from brand new ears. Before the beginning. And every day until the end. Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald. Heaping mounds of trash everything from car bumpers, broken glass and fast food wrappers were cleared Sunday from several undeveloped lots in Third Ward in an effort to clean up the neighborhood. Dozens of volunteers led by Baytown-raised Navy veteran Trish West started at 7 a.m. to beat the heat, combing first through a vacant lot next to a No. 54 bus stop on McGowan Street near Scott Street less than a mile from the University of Houston campus. The lot was once home to a since-demolished food mart. The group of nearly 40 people then moved on to a stretch of overgrown land along Dennis Street, where household goods have been dumped for more than a decade. During the next three hours, volunteers packed a 40-cubic yard dumpster with trash overcoming obstacles that included a horde of ants. Ive got ants in my pants, said Chris Irving, who danced the bugs off his legs after being doused with water. The trash, he said, attracts insect infestations. He pointed to a row of shrubs on Bremond Street where he encountered the nest. We need some pesticide right over here, Irving continued. Years of them putting trash piles right over here, thats what accumulates: Ants, chiggers, bed bugs, whatever. And under the many layers of garbage, West found ground teeming with rats and roaches. Thats what they need, all that trash piled up there. Theyre safe, she said. During the first hour, Eric Douglas who lives across from Yates High School said he picked up at least three bags of garbage near the first lot. This is the historic Third Ward community, Douglas said. I dont think you should honor anything by trashing it. Who owns the trashed properties is a mystery to West. About three weeks ago, the Department of Neighborhoods posted a violation notice to a property at 3448 Dennis Street, where the owner was ordered to cut the weeds and remove trash within a week. That had not been done by the time volunteers arrived to shovel trash into a bin and remove debris from the overgrown grass. Among the tangles of vegetation was a 55-inch TV with a shattered screen. People just dump and we drive by every day and thats the norm, West said. We dont want that to be the norm. Thats not fair. West decided soon after leaving the Navy in 2005 that she wanted to host community cleanups. It took a pandemic to make it happen. It really pushed me into doing what I really wanted to do forever, she said. Were here, we have something going on but we can still come together and make things work for each other. The worst of the trash, she said, was around the corner from Dennis Street on Canfield Street, where another city-issued violation notice could be found. Her cleanup crew picked up dirty diapers, mattresses, a knocked down fence and an old dresser. She believes the culprits behind most of the trash are coming to the neighborhood soley to dump. West said the city provided gloves, wheelbarrows, weed wackers and trash bags, in addition to the dumpster, for her second clean up in recent weeks. A private company, L&R Junk Removal, brought more trucks and helping hands. At the end of their day, the clean up unearthed some sidewalks. She plans to host a third cleanup at 7 a.m. Sept. 12 at the historic Evergreen Negro Cementery in Fifth Ward along Carroll Oliver Way. nicole.hensley@chron.com Election officials across the country are bracing for a massive influx of absentee and mail-in ballot come November. This comes after spring and summer elections didnt exactly go smoothly. According to NPR, more than 550,000 ballots were rejected during the presidential primaries. We look at the battleground state of Wisconsin, which rejected more than 20,000 ballots during the April primary, and now expects nearly 2 million requests for mail-in ballots for November. CAIRO - Libyas Tripoli-based government has suspended its interior minister following a shooting at a demonstration in the capital earlier this week, the United Nations-supported government said Friday. Interior Minister Fathi Bashaga will face an investigation over violations committed against protesters, the government said in a statement. On Sunday, at least six people were abducted and others wounded when armed men in military uniforms opened fire on a demonstration in Tripoli against deteriorating economic conditions, according to a Wednesday statement by Amnesty International. At the time, the Interior Ministry accused outlawed infiltrators of firing at the protesters on Sunday and said an investigation was opened. Bashaga later acknowledged that a Tripoli-allied militia fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters. He said in a statement early Thursday that a militia, which he did not name, opened fire and abducted some of the protesters. Militias have featured heavily in the countrys civil war, with the U.N.-supported government employing an array of militiamen to fight their rivals in the east. They have proved difficult for the Tripoli government to control in the past. Tripoli and other territories under the U.N.-supported government saw a series of protests starting last week over deteriorating economic conditions. Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj had said in televised comments Monday that the protesters did not have a permit for their gathering. He also announced a 24-hour curfew lasting four days to fight the coronavirus, a move that protesters believe was meant to keep them from rallying. Protesters did not turn out on Friday for an announced demonstration amid a high security presence. Libya has seen a surge in coronavirus infections in recent weeks, with most of the cases in the countrys west. So far, authorities have reported more than 12,629 cases, including 226 deaths, though the actual numbers are thought to be far higher, in part due to limited testing. The pandemic has worsened the economic situation for many in the oil-rich the country, already torn by years of conflict. Oil-rich Libya was plunged into chaos when a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country is now split between rival east- and west-based administrations, each backed by different armed groups and foreign governments. Read more about: An Omaha attorney speculated that brain fog or respiratory distress from COVID may have caused his client to drive more than twice the speed limit and ram into three cars stopped at a light. Listen and subscribe to our podcast from your mobile device: Via Apple Podcasts | Via Spotify | Via Stitcher Many American states use the labor of inmates to help fight its fires, but none so more than California. Using incarcerated firefighters saves the states taxpayers an estimated $100 million a year. The women that choose to enter the firefighting camps are afforded better pay, by prison standards, and an improved quality of time served. However, the money they earn from putting their lives on the line is dwarfed by the salaries of the civilian firefighters they work alongside one woman reports to earn $500 a year, compared with the $40,000 starting salary on the outside. Black Panther cowriter and director Ryan Coogler shared a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman on Sunday. The 34-year-old filmmaker spoke about being awed at the Boseman's flexibility as a performer and his ability to learn lines in an African language on the day of a shoot. 'I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we werent destined to see,' Coogler wrote of the actor, who died on Friday, four years after he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Saying goodbye: Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, 34, shared a statement about his time with Chadwick Boseman, who died Friday at age 43; shown in 2018 Coogler's first memories of Boseman were when he saw an unfinished cut of his scenes in Captain America: Civil War, where he was introduced as T'Challa, a.k.a., Black Panther. 'I was deciding whether or not directing Black Panther was the right choice for me. Ill never forget, sitting in an editorial suite on the Disney Lot and watching his scenes,' he wrote. The Creed director was impressed by a scene in which Boseman and South African acting legend John Kani spoke in a different language after Scarlet Johansson's character left. 'It sounded familiar, full of the same clicks and smacks that young black children would make in the States. The same clicks that we would often be chided for being disrespectful or improper. But, it had a musicality to it that felt ancient, powerful, and African,' Coogler said. He later learned it was a real language, Xhosa, which is primarily spoken in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and Coogler was impressed that Boseman and Kani had decided to speak in the language on set that day without advance preparation. Blown away: Coogler first saw Boseman in unfinished scenes from Captain America: Civil War and was astounded that he chose to read lines in Xhosa on the day of the shoot; still from Black Panther Presence: 'He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying,' Coogler wrote. 'But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world...' shown in 2019 '"He just learned lines in another language, that day?"' Coogler asked one of the producers, shocked. 'I couldnt conceive how difficult that must have been, and even though I hadnt met Chad, I was already in awe of his capacity as actor.' Coogler's decision to take on Black Panther was strengthened after he learned that Boseman had been responsible for making Xhosa the language of Wakanda because he was able to learn it for his lines. The 42 star also wanted T'Challa to speak with 'an African accent, so that he could present TChalla to audiences as an African king, whose dialect had not been conquered by the West.' While Coogler was doing press for Creed, Boseman snuck back past journalists to spend some time with him and to discuss his past, including his studies to be a director at Howard University, though he later honed in on acting. 'I noticed then that Chad was an anomaly,' wrote the Fruitvale Station director. 'He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much beyond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time. So excited: '"They not ready for this, what we are doing,"' he remembered the star saying on set. '"This is Star Wars, this is The Lord Of The Rings, but for us and bigger!"'; still from Black Panther According to Coogler, Boseman could barely contain his excitement as filming for Black Panther was under way. '"They not ready for this, what we are doing,"' he remembered the star saying on set. '"This is Star Wars, this is The Lord Of The Rings, but for us and bigger!"' 'I wasnt sure I knew what I was doing. But I look back and realize that Chad knew something we all didnt. He was playing the long game. All while putting in the work. And work he did,' Coogler wrote. According to the director, Boseman 'deeply valued his privacy,' and so he was never alerted to his cancer diagnosis. 'After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Privacy: 'After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him,' Coogler wrote of the private actor; still from Black Panther 'Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year,' he continued. 'That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days. What an incredible mark hes left for us.' 'I havent grieved a loss this acute before,' Coogler added, while bemoaning the fact that Boseman would never read the new lines he wrote for T'Challa. 'It is with a heavy heart and a sense of deep gratitude to have ever been in his presence, that I have to reckon with the fact that Chad is an ancestor now. And I know that he will watch over us, until we meet again,' Coogler concluded; still from Black Panther Coogler concluded his tribute by referencing a tradition in African cultures of referring to deceased loved ones as ancestors, even if they're not blood relations. 'I had the privilege of directing scenes of Chads character, TChalla, communicating with the ancestors of Wakanda. Despite being on an artificial set, his performance made everything seem real. 'I think it was because from the time that I met him, the ancestors spoke through him. Its no secret to me now how he was able to skillfully portray some of our most notable ones. I had no doubt that he would live on and continue to bless us with more,' he wrote. 'But it is with a heavy heart and a sense of deep gratitude to have ever been in his presence, that I have to reckon with the fact that Chad is an ancestor now. And I know that he will watch over us, until we meet again.' Weighing in: Also paying their respects to Boseman were his directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who cast him in Captain America: Civil War and directed him in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame; Joe Russo shown in 2018 Also paying their respects to Boseman were his directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who initially cast him as T'Challa in Captain America: Civil War and again directed him in Avengers: Infinity War and its sequel Endgame. 'This is hard to process,' the brothers wrote in a statement to People. 'Chadwick was an incredibly elegant and thoughtful individual who conveyed dignity and integrity in a way that very few could. A tremendous talent who inspired a generation to stand up and be king. 'He understood something unique and noble about life, and was determined to use his talents in ways that impacted. He had so much to give' By Express News Service VELLORE: Two policemen sustained injuries after being attacked with sharp objects by a gang of illicit liquid brewers in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district. According to police sources, a team, including Anbazhagan (head constable) and Rakesh (constable), attached to Anaicut Police Station, went to the hills to conduct a meeting as part of Village Vigilance Committee (VVC), which has been set up to monitor anti-social activities. After the meeting, the team proceeded to conduct the VVC meeting at Nellimarathu Kollai village, which is two kilometres from Alleri. On the way, a gang attacked Rakesh, the constable with wooden logs, iron rods and sharp objects. Anbazhagan, the head constable, also sustained injuries in the attack. The other policemen thwarted the attack, and the gang fled the spot. The team then rescued the injured policemen and admitted them to a private hospital in Vellore. The two were said to be out of danger, police sources confirmed. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Vellore range N Kamini, Vellore district Superintendent of Police Pravesh Kumar visited the spot and held an inquiry. They formed a special team comprising Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Mathivaanan, two DSPs, eight inspectors, 10 sub-inspectors and 100 police personnel to nab the attacker and found that the attack was carried out by M Ganesan (35), a notorious prohibition offender who indulges in the transportation and selling of illicitly distilled (ID) arrack. The team identified Duraisamy, one of the 10-member gang involved in the attack. Preliminary investigation revealed that the constable Rakesh had played a vital role in the seizure of two two-wheelers from the accused Ganesan and the seizure of a country-made Single Barrel Muzzle Loading (SBML) gun from Ganesan's house recently. These incidents made Rakesh the target of the gang. A Los Angeles English teacher was forced to flee her home after receiving numerous death threats for wearing an 'I Cant Breathe' T-shirt during one of her virtual class sessions. The teacher at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California wore the shirt in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and included instruction about racial injustice in her teaching, which the school allowed. But a parent upset with her class allegedly shared a photo of the teacher on social media along with her e-mail address and invitations to harass her. She was bombarded with threats last week that forced her to leave her home with her daughter in fear of their lives. Protests and rallies in support of the teacher unfolded outside the school last week. A Los Angeles English teacher was forced to flee her home after receiving numerous death threats for wearing an 'I Cant breathe' T-shirt during one of her virtual class sessions. An angry parent shared an image of her on Twitter wearing the shirt along with her e-mail address, leading her to receive threats and hate messages Scott Blodgett is one of the parents upset with the teacher's curriculum that covers the civil unrest unfolding across the country. 'I just want my daughter to go to English class and learn about English,' Blodgett said The photo was later shared by Elijah Schaffer, the podcast host of YouTube's 'Slightly Offens*ve', on his Twitter account, which led the teacher to receive hundreds of emails and threats 'I cant afford to go to a hotel and I cant go home. My daughters a ninth-grader starting at this school. We cant stay in our home,' the teacher said to CBS Los Angeles. Scott Blodgett is one of the parents upset with the teacher's curriculum that covers the civil unrest unfolding across the country. 'I just want my daughter to go to English class and learn about English,' Blodgett said. The photo was later shared by Elijah Schaffer, the podcast host of YouTube's 'Slightly Offens*ve', on his Twitter account, which led the teacher to receive hundreds of emails and threats. Blodgett said he has been accused of trying to get the teacher fired but said that wasnt his intention, calling the death threats against her 'horrible'. The teacher says she has since filed a restraining order against Blodgett and two other men. She defended talking about racial injustice in her curriculum, stressing the importance of 'having authors of color, children of color writing, talking about being black in a biased world.' On Thursday students and locals came out to El Camino Real Charter High School to support the teacher and the Black Lives Matter movement Students were seen holding Black Lives Matter signs and a poster that said 'Walk Our Talk', in support of the teacher's effort to teach racial injustice to her students These locals held a sign that said 'Teaching Social Justice = Student Success' The school had permitted the teacher to include instruction about racial and social injustice in her classes following a string of instances of police brutality and national protests. The Los Angeles Unified School District also said the school is an independent charter and can develop instruction on these topics as long as they follow state guidelines. The school has also voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the teacher. El Caminos executive director David Hussey said administrators reached out to the teacher to 'help her and support her as best as we can.' 'The start of the school year with distance learning has been stressful and traumatic enough, but now this teacher has the stress and trauma of being attacked and harassed with hate speech and threats,' Cecily Myart-Cruz, the president of the United Teachers Los Angeles union said on behalf of the teacher. 'This is absolutely unacceptable,' she added. A day before Thiru Onam, the most auspicious of the 10-day harvest festival of Kerala, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday unveiled a 100-day action plan with 100 programmes aimed at elevating the image of the government that has suffered a dent after the gold smuggling case surfaced in the state. This is the fifth year of the Left Democratic Front government. Though last two years we avoided celebrations due to flood and pandemic there was no holiday for our development activities. As part of our endeavour we are announcing a 100-day action plan, Vijayan said adding these programmes will be implemented in 100 days. He said the welfare pension will be increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,300 and beneficiaries will be increased from 38 lakh to 58 lakh and free food kits to the economically weaker sections will be extended for four more months. He also said the base price of 12 essential vegetables will be announced to help farmers. The CM said the state government has also written to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Union government to extend moratorium on all loans in the state. The Covid-19 pandemic has crippled many sectors and people need more time to recover from it, he said. The government has also decided to recruit more health professionals and grassroot workers to help ease the burden of overworked health workers. We will give more emphasis to the health sector in view of the prevailing pandemic situation. Daily tests will be increased to 50,000 and 153 new family health centres will be opened, the CM said. But he evaded questions at the press conference this time. A youth allegedly committed suicide in Thiruvananthapuram district on Sunday after he failed to get a government job though he was in the merit list of the state public service commission. The list lapsed last month after the PSC failed to fill vacancies. Many youth activists hit the streets alleging that the government was responsible for his death. A number of issues have been plaguing the government as only eight months are left for the assembly elections. It is at the receiving end after the customs seized 30 kg of gold from a consignment that came in the name of an employee of the UAE consular office in the state capital. Later, it was forced to suspend the CMs powerful private secretary M Sivasankar, a senior IAS officer, for his alleged liaison with prime accused Swapna Suresh. A multi-agency headed by the National Investigation Agency is probing the case. State higher education minister K T Jaleel is also in trouble after he accepted monetary gift and religious books from the consulate flouting the foreign contribution regulations act. Last week many important files were destroyed after a fire at the state secretariat and the opposition alleged that it was a sabotage to weaken the smuggling case. Kerala has reported 2,154 virus cases on Sunday taking the total cases to 73,798_ 49,849 people have recovered and the active cases in the state now stand at 23,658. With seven deaths, the toll has gone up to 288. There are complaints that many Covid-19 deaths are not finding place in the list. Emboldened by a soaring stock market, Mr. Trump told the men to play hardball. They were not to accept another bill packed with Democratic policies. Did Mr. Mnuchin agree or disagree? It was irrelevant. The conciliatory Mr. Mnuchin whom Democrats had come to appreciate in March was now largely muzzled by Mr. Meadows, who at one point pounded his fist on a table and yelled at Ms. Pelosi. Youre supposed to be a good influence on him, Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, quipped to Mr. Mnuchin, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Hes not supposed to be a bad influence on you. When unemployment benefits expired, and both sides remained at an impasse, Mr. Meadows seemed unfazed. He told Republican senators that he was happy to be the skunk at the party, according to someone who was there. Mr. Mnuchin professes to be happy with Mr. Meadows at his side. We make a great team, he said. That team, however, was unable to strike a deal with Democrats. The White House walked away from the talks this month. The president instead issued a series of executive actions that would defer taxes, slow evictions and provide $300 a week in jobless benefits. Critics from both parties questioned the actions legality and practicality. Mr. Mnuchin reached out to Ms. Pelosi to try once more. He hewed to the White Houses refusal to extend the $600-a-week unemployment benefit or to provide federal aid to big-spending (and generally Democratic-voting) states. After they talked, Ms. Pelosi publicly accused Mr. Mnuchin of not taking the crisis seriously. Mr. Mnuchin responded that her comments were not an accurate reflection of their conversation. The talks appeared dead. Asked to comment on Mr. Mnuchin, a White House spokesman, Brian Morgenstern, provided a statement that did not mention the Treasury secretary. Mr. Morgenstern said the presidents team worked under his leadership and direction. He added: President Trump was elected because he is an outstanding negotiator. Modi during his monthly "Mann ki Baat" programme said that everyone believed in the ability of Indians to innovative and present solutions and when there was a feeling of dedication and compassion then this power becomes limitless. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised various apps that were a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge which are gaining popularity and are becoming a good sign for self-reliant India. Modi during his monthly Mann ki Baat programme said that everyone believed in the ability of Indians to innovative and present solutions and when there was a feeling of dedication and compassion then this power becomes limitless. He said that at the beginning of this month, the countrys youth were given an app innovation challenge. He added that the youth wholeheartedly participated in the Atmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge. He added that around 7,000 entries were received which included almost two-third apps made by youth from tier 2 and 3 cities. Also read: PM addresses 68th edition of his monthly programme Maan ki Baat on caution amid festivities Also read: Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi announces September as Nutrition Month The Prime Minister continued saying that for an Atmanirbhar Bharat and nations future, this is a good indication. After much scrutiny, about two dozen apps were awarded in different categories. You must learn and connect with these apps, he added. Prime Minister cited examples of various apps saying, One of these apps is the Kutuki Kids Learning App. This is an interactive app for small children in which kids can learn a lot about Math and Science through stories and songs. It also contains activities and games. He added that similarly, there was an app for microblogging platforms, it was called Koo, through which one could communicate and interact through text, audio and videos in their mother tongue, similarly, Chingari app was gaining popularity amongst the youth. One app is Ask Sarkar. There is an app in which you can interact via a checkboard and get accurate information about any government scheme. This app can help you in text, audio and video form also, the Prime Minister stated. He said that there was one more app-Step Set Go which was a fitness app, it kept all records of how much one walked, how many calories one burned. He said that it also motivates people to stay fit, many other apps had also won this challenge including many businesses, games apps. He added that anyone could come forward, innovate and implement something, their efforts in todays small start-ups would transform into global conglomerates tomorrow and make a mark for India. In July, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) had banned 47 apps, which were variants and cloned copies of the 59 apps banned earlier in June. The 59 apps had been banned by the Centre in June in view of the information available that they were engaged in activities which were prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence of the country. Almost all the apps banned had some preferential Chinese interest and the majority had parent Chinese companies. Also read: Unlock 4: Schools, colleges to remain closed, metros can resume. Know whats open, whats not Acting swiftly after the Galwan valley clash on June 15 in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy sailed out its frontline warship for deployment in the South China Sea much to the displeasure of the Chinese who raised objections over the move during the talks between the two sides. The Chinese have been objecting to the presence of Indian Navy ships in the region where it has significantly expanded its presence since 2009 through artificial islands and military presence. "Soon after the Galwan clash broke out in which 20 of our soldiers were killed, the Indian Navy deployed one of its frontline warship to the South China Sea where the People's Liberation Army's Navy objects to the presence of any other force claiming the majority of the waters as part of its territory," government sources told ANI. The immediate deployment of the Indian Navy warship in the South China Sea had a desired effect on the Chinese Navy and security establishment as they complained to the Indian side about the Indian warship's presence there during the diplomatic level talks with the Indian side, the sources said. During the deployment in the South China Sea where the American Navy had also deployed its destroyers and frigates, the Indian warship was continuously maintaining contact with their American counterparts over secure communication systems, the sources informed. As part of the routine drills, the Indian warship was being constantly updated about the status of the movement of military vessels of other countries there, they said adding that the entire mission was carried out in a very hush-hush manner to avoid any public glare on Navy's activities. Around the same time, the Indian Navy had deployed its frontline vessels along the Malacca Straits near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the route from where the Chinese Navy enters the Indian Ocean Region to keep a check on any activity of the Chinese Navy. A number of Chinese vessels also pass through the Malacca Straits while returning with oil or taking merchant shipments towards other continents. The sources said the Indian Navy is fully capable of checking any misadventure by the adversaries on either the eastern or the western front and the mission-based deployments have helped it to control the emerging situations effectively in and around the Indian Ocean Region. The Navy also has plans to urgently acquire and deploy autonomous underwater vessels and other unmanned systems and sensors to keep a close eye on the movement of PLAN from Malacca Straits towards the Indian Ocean Region, the sources said. The Navy is also taking care of the Chinese vessels present around the Djibouti area and has deployed its assets in the vicinity for protecting national interest. The Navy has also deployed its MiG-29K fighter aircraft at an important Air Force base where they are practicing missions for conflict over land and mountainous terrain, the sources said. The Navy is also going to fast track the procurement of 10 Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Vehicles under a deal expected to be worth over 1,245 crore. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Lukashenko, in office since 1994, has been defiant but beleaguered, unable to put down largest, most sustained wave of protests yet in this Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people. He has refused to rerun the election, which both the European Union and the United States have said was not free or fair, and also refused offers to help mediate the situation from Baltic nations. Actor Maisie Williams had a tongue-in-cheek response to the poor reviews that her new film, The New Mutants has been receiving. Taking to Twitter, the actor shared a review that declared the film to be the worst X-Men movie ever. She wrote, Sounds like a must see! Get your tickets now. The New Mutants, a horror-themed spin-off of the popular X-Men series of superhero films, was released in the US after multiple delays. The film was shot in 2017, and has been through a difficult production. It currently sits at a 29% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Sounds like a must see! Get your tickets now https://t.co/4fqry3JAse Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) August 28, 2020 Co-creator of the New Mutants comic book, Bob McLeod in a recent social media post slammed director Josh Boones interpretation of the characters. I was very excited when I heard they were making a New Mutants movie, McLeod said in a lengthy Facebook post. I thought making it into a horror movie was perhaps an interesting idea, but not at all how the characters should be introduced to the public at large. But, hey, my characters in a movie! I never would have thought that would actually happen. He continued, But then, I was disappointed when they didnt give Dani braids, although I like Blu Hunt. I was disappointed when Rahne wasnt a redhead with spiky hair, although I adore Maisie Williams. I was disappointed that Sam isnt tall and gawky, although I do like Charlie Heaton. But mainly I was very disappointed that Roberto isnt short and dark-skinned. Yet another example of Hollywood white-washing. Theres just no excuse. So basically, Josh Boone erased everything I contributed to the way the characters look. And now, the movie has come out at last, and apparently theyve credited someone named Bob Macleod as co-creator. They couldnt even be bothered to check the spelling of my name sometime in the last three years. And that cant be fixed. That will be on the movie forever. I think Im done with this movie. Also read: Studio was so upset with New Mutants, it contemplated abandoning X-Men spin-off, reshooting the entire thing It was recently reported that 20th Century Fox was at one point so disappointed with the movie that abandoning it completely and starting afresh was discussed. The X-Men will likely be rebooted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two men were arrested on Sunday for allegedly burglarising two properties in the Industrial Area on July 23 and August 2. The accused reportedly made off with electronic and household items worth 1 lakh. The accused, Rinku, 20, and Yogesh, 20, are residents of Maloya. They are both labourers. On July 23, they allegedly broke into a property in Industrial Area, Phase 1, and stole a 32-inch LED TV, two wall clocks, one induction cooker, one pen stand, one extension board and a mouse. Police said that they had broken into a plot in Industrial Area, Phase 2, and stolen a cooler, 12 cooler motors and a screwdriver on August 2. The accused were preparing to sell the stolen items when they were stopped at a checkpoint near the Maloya Bus Stand. The accused will be produced in court on Monday. Rinku is also a person of interest in a burglary that took place in 2019. Here is The Oregonians weekly look at the numbers behind the states economy. View past installments here. In April, writing about the looming aftermath of the pandemic lockdowns, The Economist magazine described a 90% economy, a chronically hobbled circumstance where the usual engines of commerce are not quite all there. Its proved to be an apt phrase that fits Oregon pretty neatly. Many parts of the economy are continuing as before, with factories and construction sites humming and office workers soldiering on albeit from attics, basements or cramped apartments. And it fits the highways, where traffic volumes down more than 40% in March and April have settled out at about 90% of where they were a year ago. Drive around the city on any given weekday this summer and you might not notice youre in a pandemic. If youre commuting in the morning, though, youd certainly notice as youre breezing into downtown from Beaverton, or heading in from Gresham along Interstate 84. And the absence of traffic jams isnt good news. Its an indication of how much things remain unsettled, and how far Oregon has yet to go in its recovery. Hotels, restaurants and neighborhood shops are all struggling mightily. Air travel remains rare. Offices remain largely vacant, contributing to the mounting crisis downtown. Which is all to say that, while many parts of Oregons economy have recovered or at least reached a sustainable level of new normal other segments remain seriously depleted, and are unlikely to recover until the pandemic is fully in hand. Highway volumes dont tell the full story of transportation, of course. While vehicle traffic has recovered most of what it lost to the pandemic, public transit continues to suffer serious damage. TriMet says July ridership was down nearly 60% from a year earlier. Some people still need to ride, though, for the simple reason they have no other way to get around. So beginning Monday, TriMet plans to increase service on 20 of its popular bus lines. At that point TriMet says service will be, you guessed it, 90% of where it was before the pandemic. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. (Natural News) Americas radical left is not happy with the fact that Jeff Bezos personal wealth has soared past $200 billion. They are so unhappy that several Antifa demonstrators built a small working guillotine outside of the Amazon CEOs mansion in Washington, D.C. Whats worse, this act of calling for the beheading of a person has been endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). The CTU is the main labor union that represents the interests of teachers and other professionals who are employed by the Chicago public school system. It claims to have over 20,000 members, teachers, school professionals and clinicians. We are completely frightened by, completely impressed by and completely in support of wherever this is headed. #Solidarity https://t.co/IfsQgJaD1z ChicagoTeachersUnion (@CTULocal1) August 27, 2020 The CTU signaled their endorsement of the violence promoted by the demonstrators when the handlers of their Twitter account retweeted a video of the guillotine and wrote We are completely frightened by, completely impressed by and completely in support of wherever this is headed. This strongly suggests that they would not raise any concerns and in fact would be happy if the demonstrators beheaded the Amazon CEO. (Related: BLOOD in the streets: Left-wing Portland rioters display bloody guillotine as they burn American flags; new Democrat logo says Death to America.) It is not surprising that the CTU is standing in solidarity with the Antifa demonstrators. Last year, the radical union locked Chicagos public school students out of their classrooms for two weeks during a strike. Back in July, they were just one of a small handful of teachers unions across the country that signed on to a radical safe schools plan that outlined a list of demands they wanted met before they would even consider holding in-person classes, much to the detriment of their students. Along with restrictive new health regulations, the CTU demanded that all police officers be taken out of Chicagos public schools, that they be given exorbitant cash handouts paid for by Chicago taxpayers, a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures and an end to private education. They have also been in the frontlines advocating for all classes in the 2020 to 2021 academic year to be held online, and for all of them to be given hazard pay, even if they wont be holding in-person classes. It should also be noted that the CTU is dependent on the wealth of Amazon. According to the unions 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund owned 45,754 shares of Amazon stock. At the end of fiscal year 2019, those stocks were worth $86,641,147. Officials from the CTU have not commented on their support for executing Bezos or on their ties to Amazon. Anti-Bezos demonstrators demand minimum wage The demonstration held outside Bezos Washington, D.C. mansion brought in about 100 people from all over the country, mostly current or former Amazon employees. Their main demand was for the companys workers to get a minimum wage of $30 an hour. It was organized by Chris Smalls, a former Amazon employee. According to him, he was fired for trying to organize a walkout, a charge that the company denies. Since his firing, he has staged protests targeting both Amazon and Bezos, including one demonstration held outside Bezos New York apartment building. Chris Smallss message to Bezos: If we dont get it, we shut it down. pic.twitter.com/tBiNcm5YQO Nic Rowan (@NicXTempore) August 27, 2020 Give a good reason why we dont deserve a $30 minimum wage when this man makes $4,000 a second, said Smalls. Angelia Mathlin, a demonstrator who traveled all the way from Jacksonville, Florida in order to join the rally, said that she was there to protest against Bezos treatment of his workers. While [Bezos is] living his luxury life, the people in his warehouses are suffering, said Mathlin. They make all this money off the backs of essential workers. They call us heroes, but you dont force a hero to be a hero. We arent heroes. We dont have a choice. This countrys school systems are increasingly being taken over by the radical left, such as those in the CTU who are openly calling for violence against people of wealth. Learn more about it at EducationSystem.news. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com CTULocal1.org TheCenterSquare.com DailyWire.com WashingtonExaminer.com BusinessInsider.com Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to 68th edition of the monthly radio broadcast Mann ki Baat" on Sunday. In his address to the nation, PM Modi spoke about the importance of ensuring ones safety by maintaining social distancing amid coronavirus. He mentioned the made in India apps that are gaining popularity after Chinese apps ban, the importance of toy in a childs development, and the incredible contribution of teachers in the ensuing pandemic. However, it was his mention of Sophie and Vida, the Army dogs who were given the Commendation Cards on Independence Day, that became a trending topic on microblogging site Twitter. The Prime Minister further urged his countrymen to adopt loyal Indian bred canines who were easy to maintain. During #MannKiBaat, PM @narendramodi talks about Sophie and Vida, the Army dogs who were given the 'Commendation Cards' on Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/EGDv3yJROE narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) August 30, 2020 While pooch Vida was key in the detection of five mines and a grenade, Sophie, an explosive detection dog saved lives by sniffing out the accelerant used to initiate makeshift bombs. Vida was instrumental in detection of five mines and one grenade buried underground and Sophie, an explosive detection dog sniffed out the presence of initiator/accelerant which could have been hastily used to fabricate an IED, thereby saving precious lives: Indian Army https://t.co/yrKUrBy3WR ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 Soon after PM Modis Mann ki Baat concluded, Twitterati came along to recognise the efforts of the brave and precious canines who ended up saving human lives. Army Dog Sophie gets Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card for detecting explosives in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/sX119WdIZG Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) August 30, 2020 Thank you PM @narendramodi for talking about canine soldiers and asking people to adopt desi. And as PM said, desi dogs r easy to maintain and r fuss free. They are loyal and loving. I have one, hence saying it with experience. Below is video of Sophie who got COAS Commendation. pic.twitter.com/IC0c9UCvrD Snehesh Alex Philip (@sneheshphilip) August 30, 2020 .@PMOIndias very IMP msg to encourage people to adopt n nurture Indian Bred canines, a breed largely ignored in India, itself! PM @narendramodi in #MannKiBaat cited how r home grown breed will leave us wonderstruck ( can vouch for this!!) PM also showered praise on Sophie pic.twitter.com/UjieooBOqp Meenakshi.B (@minakshibhanja1) August 30, 2020 Speaking of festivals, Modi lauded Indian citizens for being disciplined in such testing times. Usually these days are meant for various festivals but coronavirus has changed that. People are a lot more cautious now, and the discipline is touching and inspiring," he said. An investigation is underway in Co Kerry into the unexplained death of a man in his 20s found unconscious outside a premises on the outskirts of Killarney, gardai have confirmed. A scene at well-known hotel on the Muckross Road has been cordoned off and the young man is believed to be from north Cork. The body remains at the scene. A post mortem will be conducted at a later date and this will determine the course of the investigation, a garda spokesperson said. "Gardai are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the unexplained death of a man that occurred on Saturday, 29th August, 2020, outside a premises on the Muckross Road in Killarney, Co Kerry," they said. Gardai arrived at the scene at approximately 11.40pm last night and observed an unconscious man lying outside the entrance. He was pronounced dead a short time later. The scene is currently preserved for technical examination while investigations are ongoing. Separately, videos are circulating widely on social media of crowded streets in Killarney at the weekend, with party-goers some with shirts off, seen jumping onto telephone boxes which now contain defibrillators. People are seen in the videos drinking on the streets cheering at passing cars from crowded footpaths on the town's main street. This is the latest in a series of crowded street scenes of partying being posted on social media in the tourist town in the past number of weeks. Gardai are appealing for anyone with information in relation to this matter to come forward. Gardai are also appealing for any road users or pedestrians who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the Muckross Road area between 11pm and 11:45pm to make this footage available to Gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 6671160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. In March 2019, a month before the Lok Sabha polls, Congress general secretary in charge for Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi, discussed the possibility of fielding a popular Brahmin face as a party candidate against BJP stalwart Rajnath Singh in Lucknow. Her man of choice for this strategically important political gamble was Jitin Prasada. A man of sophistication, urban charm, and with two terms in union council of ministers, Prasadas nomination was deliberated upon with all seriousness; one that even in its defeat could have sent a strong message to the Brahmin voters across the state. It is said that Prasada was reluctant to pick up the gauntlet. Sources say the leader felt more comfortable contesting from his traditional seat Dhaurara and didnt see any sound political rationale in shifting to Lucknow. His adversaries in the party claimed he didnt want to challenge BJP stalwart Rajnath Singh. Eventually, Prasada went on to contest from Dhaurara seat and suffered a second consecutive defeat. He polled third on the seat he had represented in 2009. His party too touched the second lowest-ever in electoral history of Uttar Pradesh; party veteran Sonia Gandhi being the only candidate to win from Rai Bareilly. This was the second worst performance registered by the grand old party, the worst being in the post-Emergency elections of 1977 when Congress had lost on all 85 seats of undivided Uttar Pradesh. In the days that followed, Priyanka Gandhi, now in-charge of UP, selected her own team to steer the party out of political exile of three decades and more. A senior party functionary, considered a top member of Team Priyanka, said: In Uttar Pradesh, party organisation and leadership is undergoing a revolutionary change. But it doesnt mean that old and established faces are being ignored. Jitin Prasada or for that matter any other stalwart needs to understand that politics cant be a static affair, leadership and responsibilities change with time. Now, as Prasada witnesses voices of protest and criticism within the party and right under his nose in the area of his parliamentary constituency, the question is why he chose to sign the Group-23 letter. While the leadership changes in the UP Congress, under new president Ajay Kumar Lallu, and strong intervention at the strategy level by Team Priyanka led by former JNU student union president Sandeep Singh has disturbed equations of many old hands within the state Congress, none except Jitin Prasada and Raj Babbar chose to sign on the letter addressed to the Congress president seeking organisational changes. Prasadas move therefore speaks a lot. When contacted by News18, he refused to comment on the subject, calling it internal mattes of my party. A senior leader close to Prasada said After Sonia Gandhi made it clear that the letter doesnt mean any ill intentions and its part of our internal democracy, protests and criticism of top leaders is unfortunate. Jitin Prasada might choose not to respond now, but some in the CWC reportedly did not refrain from aiming their barbs at the young Congress leaders. In the CWC meet, Prasada was left rather defensive when fellow member Ambika Soni brought up the bitter history of his father, the late Jitendra Prasada, contesting and losing against Sonia Gandhi in the party president elections in the year 2000. Soni referred to a series of events to underscore internal democracy in the Congress when she made a reference to how Sonia Gandhi accommodated both Jitendra Prasada and his son after winning the elections for the Congress president. The fact that the entire UP Congress passed a resolution endorsing Sonia and Rahul Gandhis leadership, a day before the CWC meeting, has left Jitin Prasada more isolated in the partys state politics, which is now entirely being redefined by Priyanka Gandhi. No doubt, of late he has been trying hard to re-model himself as a Brahmin face in the state. But recent events in the Congress have changed the internal dynamics within the party. Amidst new hostilities and diminishing trust level, the future looks tense and uncertain. Police officers were horrified after discovering 39 corpses of Vietnamese immigrants inside a refrigerated truck. The consensus is that they were victims of human traffickers. Last Thursday, the British police declared that a total of 39 corpses were found chilling at the back of a refrigerated lorry last month. One suspicion is that the Vietnam nationals were supposed to be entered illegally into the country. But things went wrong and they ended up all chilled and dead. The authorities told the families of the deceased individuals about the fate of the fridge gang, reported by Sky News. Suspects are on the run A statement was given by Caroline Beasley-Murray, Essex County senior coroner, who said that it was just right that the next of kin were informed early on in the investigation. Beasley-Murray also expressed condolences for family and friends of the deceased, who met a tragic end in the back of a refrigerated lorry, according to Fox News. Contents of the truck were inspected by the authorities. Investigation revealed that there were corpses of 31 men and 8 women packed inside the truck. The vehicle was intercepted by the Industrial Park, about 25 miles in eastern London on October 23. Those arrested over the incident were several individuals who are connected to the crime. Suspects are two brothers who came from Northern Ireland. The suspects sought after by the police are Ronan Hughes, 40, and Christopher Hughes, 34, brothers who are high on the wanted list for trafficking and committing manslaughter, according to the Essex Police from last week. Both of them are residents of Armagh in Northern Ireland but have links to the Republic of Ireland, cited BBC. Also read: Meatworker Beheads Friend During Fishing Trip, Possibly Due to Wife's Infidelity Sources say that the driver known as Maurice Robinson, 25 years old, was immediately nabbed by the police when the chilled corpses were found in the interior of the compartment. He is also from the north of Ireland. Robinson is also facing charges for the complicity of the deaths of 39 illegal aliens. Some of the charges added were trafficking people, assisting illegal immigration, and lastly, money laundering. He's due for arraignment on the 25th of November, noted Essex Police. Other individuals who were arrested included a man and woman, both aged 38, with a 48-year-old man all involved in charges of trafficking. Proof was loose, so they were out on bail according to the officers. As explained by the investigators, the origin of the refrigerated container truck is registered in Bulgaria. They entered via a ferry to the U.K. from a port in Bulgaria at the Zeebrugge port. Identities of the victims were identified With the help of Vietnamese authorities, the victims inside the freezer truck were identified, bagged, and tagged as well. The exact place the truck was found is in the Waterglade Industrial Park. All the victims were verified from Vietnam. The files needed to positively identify the deceased was provided by the Vietnamese to the identification commission. Soon after, the commission completed the identification process and all the families were sent notice right away. One of the Essex officers, Assistant Chief Constable Tim Smith said that working with international police is crucial to get the job done. It is unfortunate that the Vietnamese immigrants died in a refrigerated truck, but hopefully, the investigation will give closure and bring the victims to justice. Related article: Cannibal Who Killed, Mutilated Girlfriend Found Sane to Stand Trial @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Civil unrest is everywhere and lawmakers are being pressured to restrict guns. But what we are seeing today is not a gun problem; its a moral problem called sin. We are witnessing the rapid deterioration of a nation. We have lost our moral compasswe have lost the fear of the Lord. When the fear of the Lord decreases, evil increases. A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both (Dwight D. Eisenhower). One of the Scriptures often used to support banning weapons is found in Proverbs 20:22, Do not say, I will recompense evil; wait for the Lord, and He will save you. This scripture is dealing with vengeance and vigilantism, not self defense. According to Romans 13:4 one of the purposes of the authorities is to execute wrath on him who practices evil. They are Gods avengers: Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled, either by a power within them, or by a power without them; either by the Word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible, or by the bayonet (Robert Winthrop; 1809 1894). Please dont misunderstandas Christians, I believe that we are to seek peace at every turn and not drape the cross with the flag. But what about self-defense as a last resort and biblical mandates to protect? The Old Testament offers a plethora of examples, but what about the New Testament? It does as well. In Matthew 26:52 Jesus says to Peter, Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Jesus didnt denounce the sword, but clarified its place. When we take premature emotionally charged action, it may cost us our life. How to Handle a Robber Later Jesus adds, Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? If He was a thief and a robber, the clubs and swords would have been justified. In my opinion, these Scriptures imply that weapons do have a place in society. Albeit we must be careful. Additionally, In Luke 22:36 Jesus says, But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. What is one to do with this Scripture? First, I would err on the side of peace, but this isnt always an option. One thing is certain: a sword was for defense. Jesus initially sent them on a peaceful mission trip where they did not need these items, but now Jesus may have been saying, I was your provision and your safety, and I still am, but I also want you to be preparedto use wisdom. But some may argue, Didnt Jesus say to love our enemies, and bless those who curse us, and do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute us? (cf. Matthew 5:43-48.) Yes. However, these references refer to personal assaults, offenses, and character assassinations. It is taking a quantum leap to believe that Jesus is saying, Do good to those who are trying to maim or destroy you or your family. Paul tells Timothy that if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8). But if I protect my family, which is often a greater responsibility (if not equal), then Im labeled a war-monger and accused of mis-applying the Scriptures? The Scriptures must be read in their totality. For example, when Jesus was slapped He didnt turn the other cheek. He said, If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me? (John 18:23). Although we are to err on the side of grace and peace, there may be a time and a place for confrontation and protection. Passivity vs. Forgiveness Clearly understand that Im not advocating violence or aggression; Im advocating scriptural consistency and continuity. Context is the key factor here. Forgiving is not being passive, and granting grace is not being gullible. Are we called to guard our families spiritually, emotionally, and financially but not physically? This makes no sense. However, my concern with the current gun debate is that we are buying into the fear frenzy. A minimizing of sovereignty is directly related to a magnifying of worry. Most Christians salute the sovereignty of God but believe in the sovereignty of man (R.C. Sproul). Many are prepared militarily but not spiritually; instilling unhealthy fear in their families. We are putting the fear of man into them rather than the fear of God. I hear all about Glock, Smith and Wesson, and Remington, but little about brokenness, surrender to God, and humility. Our gun safes are full but our prayer closets are empty. We need to spend less time watching OReilly, Hannity, Beck, and Coulter, and more time with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Every time Gods people trusted in their weapons and armies, He called them to repentance. Our protection is in daily submission to Him. Psalm 121:2 adds, Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber Our current trend beckons us to be very careful about who, or what, we worship. Who, or what, we place our trust in. Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic dispute call last Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake in the back seven times. Cellphone video captured the shooting, which has sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after George Floyds death at the hands of a Minneapolis officer touched off a wider reckoning on race. Trump visits areas hit by Cat. 4 Hurricane Laura that killed 16, left 650K without power Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Donald Trump on Saturday assured Texas and Louisiana that the federal government will take care of you as he toured areas hit by Category 4 Hurricane Laura, which killed at least 16 people and left more than 650,000 without power. Trump met with first responders and local officials and was briefed on emergency operations and relief efforts in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Orange, Texas, days after the storm with 150 mile-per-hour winds made landfall, according to USA Today. One thing I know about this state, it rebuilds fast, Trump told Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, FEMA Director Pete Gaynor, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, and congressmen in Lake Charles, a city of 80,000 residents. Trump said the death toll of 16 people is a tremendous number, but you were thinking it could be, could have been, a lot worse, according to The Epoch Times. This was a tremendously powerful storm. We have to take care of Louisiana. We have to take care of Texas, USA Today quoted the president as saying. Well supply what we have to supply and you know what a lot of that is, a thing called green. Well take care of you. The toll from the hurricane rose to 16 deaths Saturday, according to The Associated Press, which said more than half of them were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of generators. Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said the National Guard will start giving out tarps to residents to cover damaged roofs on Sunday. Katlyn Smith, 24, a resident of the Jesse James trailer park in Lake Charles, found the roof of her two-bedroom trailer damaged and the walls folded in. There is a time to cry and to be sad and theres a time to pick up, too. You have to pick yourself up and keeping going and my strength comes from God and my fiance, the newswire quoted her as saying. The hurricane also damaged buildings, felled trees and cut power to more than 650,000 people in the two states. On Friday, Trump signed a disaster declaration for Louisiana. Now it turned out we got a little bit lucky. It was very big. It was very powerful but it passed quickly, he said at the time. The Christian charity Convoy of Hope distributed relief supplies Saturday. The charitys Disaster Services team handed out food, water, and clean-up supplies. Lake Charles is facing enormous challenges the entire city is without power, nor water, the group says on its website. As residents come back to the devastation, theyll be in need of food, water, and relief supplies. Convoy of Hope says it will also start door-to-door distribution as soon as affected neighborhoods become accessible. Ending years of speculation and a gargantuan process involving thousands of personnel, the final list of Assams updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published on August 31 last year. But a year since that date, the process hasnt moved forward much. The 19 lakh applicants (of the total 3.30 crore) who were left out of the list, meant to identify Indian citizens and leave out suspected foreigners, have not been able to file appeals as they are yet to get rejection slips needed to do so. The state NRC office has to issue to rejection slips. The rejection slips, which will mention reasons for exclusion of an applicants name, are required for those left out of the NRC to file appeals in the foreigners tribunals (FTs), a quasi-judicial body that decides the fate of those declared suspected foreigners. While issuing the rejection slips, we need to attach speaking orders for each applicant. But several of these are not in order due to some discrepancies. All of these need to be checked before issuing the slips, NRC state coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma said. But the process is stuck as state government officials who do the checking are busy in Covid-19 duties for the past six months. We dont know the exact number of speaking orders which have discrepancies. During random checking, several such were detected. If these are not in order, it would lead to legal issues when the applicants file appeals, he added. The NRC was first prepared only for Assam in 1951 on the basis of the census conducted the same year. The process to update the 1951 list started in 2015 following directions from the Supreme Court, which acted on petitions seeking detection of illegal immigrants, especially from Bangladesh. The updated list was to include names of all those persons (or their descendants) who appear in the 1951 NRC, or in any of the electoral rolls up to the midnight of March 24, 1971- when the liberation war for Bangladeshs independence from Pakistan began. Names of foreigners found residing in Assam illegally after that date, were to be excluded from the updated list. The demand for identification of illegal immigrants, deletion of their names from voter lists and deportation started in 1979, with All Assam Students Union (AASU), spearheading a 6-year agitation. The agitation ended with signing of the Assam Accord in 1985, with March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for entry of foreigners into the state. The complete draft of NRC released in July, 2018 had left out nearly 40 lakh applicants. An additional list released in June last year, had excluded 100,000 more taking the total tally to 41 lakhs. The final list released on August 31 last year included names of 22 lakh applicants missing from the two earlier drafts. It was clarified that those left out of the final NRC wont be declared foreigners. They would have the option of filing appeals within 120 days in FTs which will decide their citizenship status based on provisions of Foreigners Act, 1946, and Foreigner (Tribunals) Order, 1964. Publication of the NRC final list was expected to end four decades of demands for detection of illegal foreigners residing in Assam. But the list was immediately denounced by the ruling BJP in the state claiming many genuine Indians have been left out while illegal immigrants have been included. The state government later filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking 20% re-verification of names of applicants from districts bordering Bangladesh. The plea was rejected by the apex court. In November last year, Prateek Hajela, who was the state NRC coordinator and had overseen the entire updating process, was transferred to Madhya Pradesh following a SC order and replaced by Hitesh Dev Sarma, who went on a months leave immediately. The developments in court and in the NRC office delayed the process of issuing rejection slips much earlier than the start of Covid-19 pandemic this year. In order to hear appeals filed by those left out of NRC, the state government had last year appointed 221 members for new FTs to be set up across the state. But they are yet to become operational and appointment letters of 1,600 people selected as support staff for these tribunals have also not been issued. I was selected as an upper division assistant cum accountant in September last year. Following the selection, I resigned from my job in a junior college. But even after 11 months since our selection, the state government hasnt issued us appointment letters, said Ritika Panging, a resident of Jonai in Dhemaji district. Our lives have been turned upside down due to this delay. I was the only earning member of my family, but Ive been unemployed for 11 months now. Our recruitment was to be valid for a year. The government should clarify whether that time limit will be extended and our appointment letters issued, she added. These new FTs are in addition to the 100 such tribunals which are already functioning. Those declared foreigners by a FT are sent to detention centres where they are kept for deportation to Bangladesh. But that process is not feasible as India doesnt have an extradition treaty with that country. Bangladesh has been clear that the NRC process is Indias internal matter and those left out of the list are not its citizens. There are currently around 500 inmates in 6 detention centres in Assam which are inside district jails. A large detention centre that can house around 3,000 inmates is being constructed in Goalpara district. The state government says it cant appoint the 1,600 support staff for the new FTs as the process of appeals by those left out of NRC hasnt begun yet due to non-issuance of rejection slips. The additional FTs are yet to be established and the new members are still attached to existing tribunals. The FT members and support staff were recruited for the NRC purpose, said MS Manivannan, commissioner and secretary, home and political department. The process is yet to start due to non-issuance of rejection slips by the NRC office and thats why the appointment of the 1,600 support staff is also stuck. The Covid-19 pandemic is another reason why there is delay in issuing the rejection slips as officials are busy tackling it, he added. Both Sarma and Manivannan said that theres no clarity yet on when the process of issuing rejection slips, starting the new FTs and issuing of appointment letters to the 1,600 support staff would begin. Meanwhile, Assam Public Works (APW), the Guwahati-based NGO on whose petition the SC ordered updating of the NRC, has reiterated its demand for 100% re-verification of NRC list. The NRC was supposed to be a vital document to bring closure to the pending infiltration issue. But how can we accept this NRC that has included names of illegal Bangladeshis and even jehadis in it? A year has passed, but the NRC process is still caught in stalemate, said APW president Aabhijeet Sharma. Amid all this, the 1.9 lakh applicants left out of the NRC list are still waiting for the process to move ahead so that they can file appeals, remove the foreigners tag and get included in the list as Indian citizens. Our names were in the draft NRC released in July, 2018, but names of 16 of my family members including myself, my three children and 5 sisters were missing in the final list. Despite being Indian citizens, we have been labeled foreigners. I hope the process starts soon and our nightmare ends, said Idris Ali, (43), teacher in a madrasa and resident of Hahsori in Chaygaon of Kamrup district. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Sunday that an investigation had been launched into a senior French officer who is suspected of being behind a "security breach". According to French media and a judicial source, the officer is believed to have transmitted sensitive documents to a "foreign power", possibly Russia. Europe 1 radio reported that a French lieutenant colonel based in Italy and stationed with NATO is suspected of having transmitted sensitive documents to the Russian secret services. Parly said her ministry had informed prosecutors about the case. She did not elaborate on what the officer was suspected of having done. "What I can confirm is that a senior officer is facing legal proceedings for a security breach," Florence Parly told Europe 1 radio, CNews and Les Echos newspaper. "We have implemented all the necessary safeguards," Parly said. A judicial source later confirmed that a senior officer had been indicted on charges involving "intelligence with a foreign power that undermines the fundamental interests of the nation". He is being prosecuted for "delivering information to a foreign power" as well as "collecting information harming the fundamental interests of the nation with a view to delivering them to a foreign power" and "compromising the secrecy of national defence", the source said. The man was arrested by DGSI intelligence service as he was about to leave for Italy at the end of his holidays in France and is being held at a prison in Paris, according to Europe 1. The official speaks Russian and was seen in Italy with a man identified as an agent of the GRU, the Russian military intelligence service, Europe 1 reported. (FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS) What a difference a week makes. Both the Democrats and Republicans have now completed their very unconventional conventions. It was a daunting task for both parties to produce a two-hour Zoom meeting or a political infomercial that could both hold an audiences attention and deliver the energy and messages a traditional convention would. Both parties seemed happy with what they produced. The Democrats had good production values that featured Hollywood-style, scripted performances by celebrities and party pols. The Republicans came across with real stories from real people. They focused on their own heartfelt experiences and how Donald Trump had helped them personally. Others talked about how Trump policies had made their lives better. Republican stagecraft helped carry the week for them. From live speakers in Andrew Mellon Auditorium to the stunning backdrop of Fort McHenry to the climatic extravaganza on the White House lawn and the spectacular fireworks display that concluded their convention, its hard to argue that it didnt beat a parking lot in Wilmington. But the show isnt what matters. The messages are. The Republican National Convention stood in stark contrast to what the Democrats offered the week before. There were differences in both style and substance. The Republicans showcased an optimistic approach to sometimes difficult times. They talked about the future and how the Great American Comeback will improve the lives of Americas families. Far from our grandparents Republican Party, there were few of the silk stocking variety and many more from working families. Among the most compelling speakers was Herschel Walker, who powerfully and emotionally debunked the myth of Trump being a racist. Sister Deirdre Byrne, an Army doctor turned Nun, was equally compelling in making the case for the right to life. If there were any dry eyes after Alice Marie Johnson spoke, they were rare. Imprisoned for the rest of her life she was pardoned by President Trump and given the opportunity to carry out the amazing work, including being a pastor, that she began in prison. Her appearance helped to showcase the deep divide between Joe Biden and his 1994 Crime Bill and President Trumps successful efforts in criminal justice reform. President Trump called his landmark First Step Act only a beginning. And there couldnt have been dry eyes as Ann Dorn, widow of slain police officer David Dorn, emotionally and powerfully told her story and of her total support for President Trump. The list went on and on, from Daniel Cameron, the young Attorney General of Kentucky, to Ambassador Nikki Haley superstars emerged on the Republican side. There were a couple of Pennsylvanians who addressed the convention, including war hero Sean Parnell, now a candidate for congress and Cheryl Allen, one of first African-American women to serve on our appellate courts. And who could have missed legendary Lou Holtz who brought the luck of the Irish to the Party? There was a Naturalization ceremony in the middle of the convention, where several new citizens were welcomed to the American family. Their stories were all exceptionally touching, especially for me as I, too, became a citizen by choice rather than birth. The First Lady made an impressive performance giving a very personal view of the man shes married to. And the Lefts response? They criticized her accent. They didnt seem to focus on how her accent might affect the several other languages she speaks fluently. They even took shots at her for being an immigrant. These are folks were supposed to take seriously? The Republicans focused on issues the Democrats didnt want to talk about. The Vice President and others clearly enunciated how Trumps foreign policy has successfully dealt with China. Joe Biden didnt want to talk about the violence in the nations streets either. So this week the nation heard a clear message of zero tolerance for rioting and anarchy from the GOP. After weeks of staying mute on the subject, even Sleepy Joe is waking up to the fact that most Americans are seriously concerned about their familys safety. Republicans routinely recited the Pledge of Allegiance using all the words, having witnessed several Democrat speakers intentionally omit under God. President Trump s acceptance speech brought the week to a crescendo. Perhaps a little long, he nonetheless did exactly what he had to do, reviewing the accomplishments of his administration, setting forth his plans for a second term and how he will continue to lead the great American comeback and finally, contrasting himself to Joe Biden. With the conventions concluded, the race now enters the home stretch. Undoubtedly President Trump will get a bounce from his partys convention. How large or how lasting remains to be seen. The debates will now become the focus for those vital swing voters who are not yet fully decided or remain persuadable. Sadly, some of Joe Bidens allies are trying to pave the way for him to duck the debates. Lets hope their efforts fall flat. The American people deserve to see the two men vying for the leadership of the free world aside-by-side, making their case directly to them. CHARLIE GEROW is a Republican strategist and CEO of Quantum Communications. He a Democrat Mark Singel write opposite each other each week in PennLive. They can also be seen each Sunday morning at 8:30 on CBS 21s Face the State. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces his resignation at his official residence in Tokyo Friday. AFP-Yonhap Extended disputes expected to make strained ties difficult for next PM to untangle By Yi Whan-woo Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's resignation, Friday, is fueling speculation over whether Korea and Japan can restore their relations which had been strained during Abe's eight years in office. Cheong Wa Dae said Friday it "will cooperate with the next prime minister to advance bilateral friendship." Some analysts, however, speculated, Sunday, it will be trickier than before as the Seoul-Tokyo feud has spread from imperial history issues to trade and security and that animosity between their people runs much deeper. "Whoever becomes the prime minister will struggle to untangle ties," said Park Wong-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. The professor argued Abe capitalized on Korea-bashing in a "timely" manner for various reasons, such as getting out of political trouble and pandering to voters. "The tactics have undermined the image of Korea in Japan. And putting everything back on track will take time," Park said. Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, voiced a similar view. "Abe's Cabinet was marked by historical revisionism and a push for heavier armament that evoked bitter memories of Japan's past militarism," he said. The Seoul-Tokyo row was mainly over wartime sex slavery, regarding which the two neighbors reached a deal in 2015 that was revoked following protest from several of the surviving victims and civic activists. The row intensified last year when Japan imposed export restrictions in retaliation for the 2018 Korean Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese firms to compensate surviving Korean victims of wartime forced labor. Tokyo also removed Korea from its list of preferential partners. In response, Seoul once considered terminating an intelligence-sharing pact, GSOMIA, that Washington sees as critical for a three-way alliance against Beijing and Pyongyang. While Seoul suspended the plan, it hinted this year that the pact, which is renewed every November, can be terminated depending on diplomatic circumstances. "This apparently makes a need for a dovish prime minster," Shin said. Among the touted candidates are Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Defense Minister Taro Kono, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida who is now policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Aso, Suga and Kono are considered hardliners while Ishiba and Kishida are seen as moderates. "The Korean government will have room for diplomatic maneuvering if Ishiba or Kishida become Japan's next leader," said Lee Won-deok, a professor of Japanese Studies at Kookmin University. Yang Ki-ho, a professor at Sungkonghoe University, speculated Abe's successor, whoever that may be, will have difficulty in "making an abrupt policy shift" because the power dynamics of the LDP are still at work. (Natural News) The State of Hawaii is turning the H-3 freeway on Oahu into a mandatory COVID-19 road block checkpoint, blocking traffic in both directions and subjecting travelers to mandatory testing, reports Hawaii News Now. It means that Hawaii is being rapidly transformed into a medical police state which will soon morph into mandatory quarantine camps like weve already seen rolled out in Australia and New Zealand. Testing stations will be set up inside the Harano Tunnel, in both directions of traffic, to maximize the number of individuals who can be tested, reports HNN. The news network goes on to explain a bizarre requirement that people who have been tested are not allowed to exit the H-3 freeway until they reach the very end. Once individuals have been tested, theyll be required to continue on to either end of the H-3 before using alternate Koolau routes, if necessary, to continue in transit, reports HNN. Hawaii, it seems is declaring war on its own people. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell likened Hawaiis battle against coronavirus to war on Thursday, reports HNN: Lets get real. We are at war. We are on war footing now in fighting this virus, Mayor Caldwell said. We dont have all the tools, but were building more. And today is about building those tools. The war, however, appears to be more of a war on the people of Hawaii than a war on any virus. Hawaii, run predominantly by Democrats, is joining other left-leaning states in trying to sharply increase coronavirus cases a medical misnomer since most people arent sick and show no symptoms as a justification for even more draconian lockdowns and economic damage that they hope can be blamed on President Trump. As in California and New York, Hawaii officials are punishing their own citizens to try to hurt Trump. And now, just to make sure no one can escape testing mandates, Hawaii is turning key roadways into medical police state checkpoints. Todays testing checkpoints will soon be transformed into mandatory vaccine checkpoints Theres no question these same checkpoints will soon be used to enforce vaccine mandates as well. Travelers who attempt to use the states freeways and public roads will be requested to show their vaccine passports in order to pass. Those who cant prove they have been vaccinated will be forcibly tested, then kidnapped and thrown into quarantine camps (i.e. death camps) if they test positive. New testing kits have just been announced that can produce test results in mere minutes, rather than days. But the accuracy of these tests may be even worse than what weve already seen, resulting in a wave of false positives that wrongly convict people of being COVID-19 carriers when they have no such virus at all. Criminal bureaucrats in Hawaii are, of course, spinning all this as a way to keep traffic flowing smoothly, even when they are the ones who put the road blocks in place. As HNN reports: Testing on the H-3 is a historic, first ever endeavor that will make a significant difference in getting more people tested, said Mayor Caldwell. This will be made possible by all of our Federal, State, and County teams working together to make sure traffic in and out of these sites can flow smoothly. Americans who have decided to continue living in Democrat-run states will soon find themselves rounded up and thrown into pandemic death camps unless they go along with mandatory testing and vaccination programs. Meanwhile, vaccines are being engineered as depopulation weapons against humanity, and many people who surrender to the vaccine will wind up dead in under two years. There is so far little to no resistance against this global genocide campaign being run by Bill Gates and other depopulation advocates who have long admitted they want to use vaccines to reduce human populations across the globe. Listen to my podcast below to stay informed: Share link: Brlghteon.com/52cd0c52-147e-4f34-905d-8f8b2b2319e7 A 35-year-old woman was killed and three others were injured when a house collapsed after heavy rains at Sehore in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, while nearly 60 stranded people were airlifted from a village in the district by an IAF helicopter, officials said. Following heavy showers in several parts of Madhya Pradesh in the last couple of days, nearly 7,000 people have so far been rescued across the state and 170 relief camps are set up in the affected districts, said Manish Rastogi, the principal secretary to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Eight people have been killed in rain-related incidents in Madhya Pradesh and efforts are currently underway to evacuate nearly 1,200 people stranded in 40 flooded villages of the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. In the last two days, over 7,000 people stranded in 454 villages of 12 districts were evacuated as heavy rains hit large parts of the state, Chouhan told reporters. Water level of the Narmada river, which flows across various districts of the state, has not risen further onSunday, he said. In the last two days, heavy rains pounded ninedistricts of the state, including Hoshangabad, Sehore, Chhindwara and Narshinghpur, leading to a rise in the level ofthe Narmada river at some places. A house in Ashta area of Sehore district collapsed around 3.10 am on Sunday, killing a woman, identified asRuksar Bi, a police official said. Three others who were trapped under the debris of the collapsed house were later pulled out and admitted to a hospital, he said. An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter rescued 60 people from a village in the district, Rastogi said. Three IAF helicopters have been pressed in evacuation works, he said, adding that one more chopper would join in the rescue operation shortly. An Army column comprising 70 personnel is deployed inHoshangabad and five more columns of the defence force are going to join in, said Rastogi, who is also the state revenue commissioner. Judge Erika Aifan, who has presided over corruption cases against businessmen, officials, judges and lawmakers, is pursued by her own colleagues. Other judges accuse her of overstepping when she ordered the phone company to provide numbers with whom a powerful businessman under investigation for corruption had maintained contact. Some of them were revealed to be other judges and lawmakers. Guatemalas supreme court has ordered that she be investigated. Members of the public noticed the odd sign near the N11 at Ferrycarrig as the Irish translation was completely off. It read: 'As Gaeilge 40m/Footpath ends in 40m'. This of course makes no sense, as the sign is translated as 'in Irish 40m'. I think you've lost something in translation here @wexfordcoco pic.twitter.com/fncYQxMiei Ronan Kennedy (@RonanJKennedy) August 29, 2020 This is where the plot thickens as the sign was brought to the attention of the county council, who claimed it was not put up by them. It has since been removed but there is still no information on who put the sign up. Wexford County Council said: "We can confirm that the mysterious Irish language road sign which appeared near the N11 at Ferrycarrig/Heritage Park has now been removed. The sign was not erected by Wexford County Council." Universities could become ground zero for a second wave of Covid-19 in the UK unless they avoid face-to-face teaching, it has been reported. The movement of an expected one million students around Britain as they return to universities in the next month has lead the University and College Union (UCU) to warn the Government is 'encouraging a public health crisis'. UCU general secretary Jo Grady told The Observer the mass movement 'could lead to universities being the care homes of any second wave of Covid'. She also accused the Government of a lack of planning, with more students expected on campuses following the admissions fiasco as data emerges that infection rates are increasing among younger people. The movement of an expected one million students around Britain as they return to universities in the next month has lead the University and College Union (UCU) to warn the Government is 'encouraging a public health crisis' (file image, Bristol University) 'So the very people who are increasingly getting infected by this virus are being encouraged in mass numbers to move all around the country and congregate and live together,' Ms Grady said. 'It doesn't make sense.' The UCU wants students to avoid campuses until Christmas unless a testing scheme begins operating at universities. It comes after a group of scientists recommended universities test all students and staff for coronavirus as they arrive on campus and avoid face-to-face teaching. Independent Sage reported on August 21 that all courses should be offered online ? apart from those which are lab or practice-based ? as in-person teaching carries a higher risk of virus transmission. It is the question that keeps college administrators awake at night: How do they stop students from gathering in large groups when theyre not on campus? As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, area colleges and universities have developed strict protocols for mask wearing and maintaining social distance on campus, including inside residence halls, with students subject to discipline for running afoul of the new rules. But many students live off campus, where they are less bound by institutional rules, and administrators acknowledged that for all the planning they have done to keep their campuses safe, they are relying on young adults to avoid the kinds of large group events that students expect while away at college. You can have the best-laid plans for sanitation, for social distancing, for hybrid learning, you can have reservation systems for the dining hall and touchless, cashless service, but if people dont buy into the element of the common good, then nothings going to work, really, said Daniel A. Dentino, vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Canisius College in western New York. At the lone college in Cayuga County with on-campus residential housing, Wells College in Aurora has a social distancing program in place, along with a testing protocal. Around 250 students had been tested as of Friday, with no positive cases so far. Wells Director of Communications and Marketing Christopher Pollock said some students began arriving nearly two weeks ago so they could quarantine. The college's previously announced new health and safety regulations includes masks getting worn by every person on campus while in public areas and while around others, six feet of social distancing, frequent hand washing and everyone taking a brief screening questionnaire every day. Pollock said things have been going well, with different types of students arriving on different days. People who came fro from a state on New York's list of travel restricted states or from outside the United States needed to quarantine for 14 days, and those students could come as soon as Aug. 17. Around 40-50 students from restricted states came to the college around that day, Pollack said. The north side of the residence hall Dodge Hall has been used to house quarantined out-of-state students. New students came in on Aug. 21 and 22 and were greeted with a "drive-through" check-in process with four different stations they went through by car. The arrivals of returning students were staggered between Aug. 25 and Friday. Students have largely complied with the rules, Pollock said. He has seen almost everyone wear masks while he has been on campus. A student told him there have been some cases where they might meet see someone not wearing a mask, but that person is to told to put one on and they comply. People aren't flagrantly violating the rules, Pollock continued, but the rules have to become habitual for everyone. "I think for the most part we have seen a lot of compliance. It's certainly not perfect, and there's always going to be some room for improvement," he said on Friday. "But in fact we just had a meeting today with a group of student leaders (in which) we're trying to hammer out exactly how to enforce these rules without being overly draconian or restrictive." Classes at Wells start Monday, Aug. 31. "Obviously everyone has to stay on guard and be disciplined, but if any college can do this, we feel like a college that's as relatively small and community-minded as Wells, I just feel that we're well-positioned to interact and operate safety as we move forward," Pollack said. In western New York, Canisius begins classes on Monday, as does the University at Buffalo. Some upstate New York colleges started the fall semester earlier this month. Outbreaks of COVID-19 infections already have occurred at other institutions, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Notre Dame University in Indiana. In both outbreaks, contract tracing pinned the spread of the virus to large off-campus parties in the first week of the semester. Both universities switched to remote-only instruction. The examples at two nationally prominent institutions have prompted plenty of concern that it will be only a matter of time before similar outbreaks happen in New York state with the influx of tens of thousands of students. Katherine S. Conway-Turner, president of SUNY Buffalo State, said she regularly worries about whether students will take the necessary precautions to limit viral spread, especially when they are off campus and not being closely monitored by the college. It is actually the issue that kind of keeps me up at night: what students do, or what faculty, staff or what anyone does, when theyre not within the community standards of Buffalo State, she said. I think it is probably the case that we will have at least some of our community members doing things that I would prefer them not to do in terms of not following protocol. The issue is, when there is a case, how quickly we can isolate that case and get that individual sequestered and get the tracing done and all of that, she added. The University at Buffalo, SUNY Fredonia, Niagara University and Daemen College have had a student or students who tested positive for COVID-19. UB also had a faculty member test positive, while SUNY Buffalo State had three faculty or staff test positive this month. Buffalo State has more than 9,000 students, but three-quarters of courses this semester will be taught online to dramatically reduce density on the campus. The college also reduced capacity in its residence halls and set aside 72 rooms as quarantine space for students infected or exposed to someone who has the virus. Im trying to work very hard with the campus to control everything that we can control and to provide all the education that we can and inundate people with the community standards. I can only hope that the community standards set for Buffalo State will reverberate outside when they leave, said Conway-Turner. Syracuse University suspended 23 students who gathered on campus without masks or social distance. And on Wednesday, SUNY Plattsburgh President Alex Envedi suspended 43 students who were at a closed city park together on Aug. 21. In response to what he called troubling reports of students congregating on campuses, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Thursday that if a college has 100 students or 5% of its campus population infected, it will have to switch to remote-only learning for two weeks. And while some area colleges and universities have struggled in the past to keep a lid on student partying, particularly at the beginning of the fall semester, administrators said they will be keeping close tabs off campus, with help from local police. Dentino said he and other staff from Canisius already have met with Buffalo police and county health officials to talk about consequences for students who host or attend large gatherings. If theres a big house party two blocks off campus, were going to deal with that very directly and very bluntly, said Dentino, the dean of students. We really need to make sure students get the message that just because youre off campus doesnt mean its not a health and safety threat if youve got 200 people at a house party. Canisius is a small enough college to hold people accountable by name, and thats what were going to need to do, he added. Niagara has taken a similar posture, amending its student conduct policy to allow for more discipline if students veer from college COVID-19 policies, whether on or off campus. Its so restrictive we had a couple parents call and complain, You cant make them do that, said Debra A. Colley, executive vice president of Niagara. Yes, we can. The Rev. James J. Maher, Niagara president, has been visiting students in off-campus housing along with the universitys dean of students to remind them how seriously the university is taking its policies on distancing, mask wearing and avoiding large gatherings, said Colley. You cant control everything, and they are young, but we have put all these layers in place as the precaution, and were ready to do what we have to do in terms of the discipline needed should things start going in a different direction, said Colley. The University at Buffalo has nearly 20,000 undergraduate students, six times as many as Niagara and Canisius. More than half of UB students live off campus, with many clustered in the citys University Heights neighborhood bordering the South Campus. UB staff and student volunteers visited 1,500 homes in University Heights this week to deliver the universitys new health and safety guidelines and remind students about the pandemic. The university's dean of students, Barb Ricotta, also warned students in a letter this week that failure to comply with UB's behavior guidelines "will have consequences, which could include educational intervention, removal from class and/or referral to student disciplinary action as appropriate." Ricotta said in an interview that UB students have been suspended in the past for off-campus behavior, but the university has not established a separate suspension policy for violations of COVID-19 protocols, such as attending large parties. "Our policy is written as, 'We expect you to follow these guidelines and have these behaviors, and if you don't there possibly could be sanctions," she said. "We haven't written the policy in such a way that says it would automatically be a suspension. But if you look at our off-campus neighborhood parties and things like that, have students been suspended? Sure. That is a possible outcome." Ricotta said it's also possible that the number of students residing in University Heights will be down dramatically this semester, but it's still too early to know. " I know how many are going to live on campus, but with classes starting on Monday we're still sorting through how many people will live in the Heights neighborhood and how many will live out here in Amherst, and what that will mean for us," she said. Buffalo police will be operating increased patrols in University Heights during the traditional party season, said Capt. Jeff Rinaldo. Ordinarily a normal party thats not being obnoxious or over occupied, you wouldnt bother with, where now the police will be engaged, as in previous years, for safety and security purposes, but also looking towards what effect this might have on Covid, Rinaldo said. The Citizen staff writer Kelly Rocheleau contributed to this story. The boss of Barclays has been dragged into the hunt for convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's vast wealth after prosecutors demanded to see correspondence between them. Jes Staley acted as Epstein's private banker at JP Morgan for 13 years. Lawyers representing Epstein's victims think Mr Staley's emails from his time at JP Morgan may shed light on Epstein's finances as they fight for compensation from his estate. Legal authorities have petitioned to receive all communications between Mr Staley and Epstein stretching back to 1998, according to documents seen by The Mail on Sunday. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Mr Staley, or that he knew anything about Epstein's criminal activities. Prosecutors want to see correspondence between Barclays boss Jes Stately (above with wife Debbie) and Jeffrey Epstein, from the 13 years he was Epstein's private banker at JP Morgan Prosecutors for the US Virgin Islands where Epstein owned two private retreats have demanded that JP Morgan hand over the information as part of a civil lawsuit against Epstein's estate. Denise George, the US Virgin Islands attorney general, wants to see all the information on Epstein's bank accounts, transactions, and any other services provided by Mr Staley. She has brought in the law firm Motley Rice to assist with legal action. She has also asked to see any communication about Epstein's so-called 'Paedo Island', Little Saint James, which Mr Staley visited just months before becoming Barclays chief executive in 2015. The island played host to powerful politicians, business executives and members of the Royal Family, as well as the scores of young women violated by Epstein. JP Morgan has also been asked to hand over correspondence about Epstein's second island, Great Saint James. Mr Staley has come under pressure to step down as Barclays boss over his ties to Epstein. They remained in contact for seven years after the paedophile's 2008 conviction for soliciting a child for prostitution. An attorney at a law firm representing victims said it was 'crucial' the public learned how Epstein amassed his estimated 475 million fortune. Lawyers representing Epstein's victims think Mr Staley's emails from his time at JP Morgan may shed light on Epstein's finances as they fight for compensation from his estate Arick Fudali, managing attorney at The Bloom Firm, said: 'Jeffrey Epstein used his enormous wealth to ruin countless lives for his own depraved sexual gratification. It is crucial that his victims and the public are able to have a full and transparent understanding of his finances, wealth, power, and influence.' The US Virgin Islands made 15 requests for information from JP Morgan in a subpoena in May. Its officials have also asked for details of Epstein's loans, offshore accounts, investments and any accounts that have been shut down. The subpoena demands information on any accounts held by Epstein, his estate, and a list of 18 entities connected to him. The disclosures could provide details of Epstein's mysterious finances. He owned three valuable properties, two jets and collections of art, jewellery and cars. But it is not known how he acquired his fortune. His victims are set to receive a payout from his estate after a compensation fund was approved in June. Seventy women have indicated they want to be included. They claim Mr Staley may have vital information on Epstein that could lead to more proceeds for the fund. Barclays and JP Morgan have declined to comment. A firefighter wields a hose against the Hennessy fire in Vacaville on Aug. 19. (Los Angeles Times) Its 112 degrees. Im blinking sweat out of my eyes as I try to breathe through my mask and talk to my guests about the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon in their glasses. Im bothered that the heat and breathless air dont seem to trouble them, but I continue on, talking about the distinguishing factors of that vintage: severe heat and wildfires. With COVID-19, wine tastings in Napa Valley can happen only outside. During the unprecedented heat spell in early August, I was advised to stay hydrated, take breaks, and watch for signs for heat exhaustion and heatstroke in both myself and our guests. Each day my co-workers and I carried on, pouring wine and pretending that we were superhumans who werent affected by the weather. Besides our safety, the only thing that mattered was guest satisfaction. Even in a crisis, wealthy tourists stay wealthy. They keep us in business, and in return, we dont bring the mood down. Under the beating sun, I tell my guests: This year looks like a great vintage. We just hope for a drama-free harvest. Three days later, on the morning of our commencement picking of Sauvignon Blanc, the Hennessey fire started on the east side of St. Helena, just four miles from the winery. Since then it has evolved into the LNU Lightning Fire Complex, burning more than 350,000 acres and destroying 800 structures, including my co-workers home in the Berryessa Highlands. As I write this, the fire is still burning, smoke taints the air and an eerie orange glow streams through my window. I came to Napa Valley a year and a half ago to pursue my passion for wine on the pretext of the California Dream. My job, as a wine educator for a high-end winery, should be one of the best around. But I might have moved here at the worst time in recent history. The last few years have been plagued with unthinkable heat waves and the apocalyptic wildfires that have ravaged the local wine industry: smoke-tainted grapes, evacuations during harvest, rolling blackouts and crippled tourism. Napa Valley is experiencing the reality of climate change: It is hotter and drier every year. What didnt burn this year will burn next year, and so on. Story continues If that wasnt bad enough, COVID-19 has dramatically strained the wine industry. When wineries in Napa Valley reopened in mid-June after being closed for three months, many hospitality staff members did not return to work because they were older (and more susceptible to the virus) or because they were permanently laid off. For many small wineries, tasting room sales and wine club sign-ups are their only form of business. But even the larger ones that sell wine to restaurants have seen their sales come to a screeching halt. Online sales are the saving grace for many brands, but theyre not always enough to keep the business afloat especially when the latest fires are causing tourism to decline again. Its hard to sell wine when the weather forecast is smoky, its raining ash and the global pandemic keeps people home. The people who live here are simply exhausted. We are tired of the anxiety, the packing and unpacking, and the fear of losing our loved ones and our homes. Besides, the region is pricing out its workers. Most people who work at wineries live far from them in less expensive towns such as Vacaville, Fairfield, Windsor, Healdsburg and Santa Rosa. Yet those locations have suffered the most from wildfires. I asked my co-workers why anyone would choose to live on the outskirts of the valley where rolling dry grasslands are prone to fires. It seemed obvious that those homes are risky investments considering the danger. But I was repeatedly told the same thing: It wasnt like this until a few years ago. Each year we wait patiently for the annual grape harvest, which starts in mid-August. Normally, this is the most exciting time to be in wine country there are endless parties, extravagant dinners, grape-stomping photo shoots and the promise of a great vintage. But things are different now. Napa Valley is deflated as many wineries question how badly the grapes have been tainted by smoke, and if its possible to use the fruit at all. Vineyard workers are risking their health due to unhealthful air quality and a pandemic because they cant afford not to. The winery I work for has been closed for a week because of bad air quality and its location in an evacuation zone. When we reopen, who will want to visit? Olivia L. Eckerson is a wine educator in Napa Valley. Montenegrins voted in force Sunday in an election that could weaken the three-decade domination of a pro-West party after a year of protests and high tension with supporters of the influential Orthodox church. A dynamic reformist to some and a corrupt autocrat to others, President Milo Djukanovic has led the Adriatic nation for half of his life, taking it from the end of communism in the 1990s to independence from Serbia in 2006 and more recently into NATO, to the dismay of Russia. His Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) has never lost an election. But its majority in parliament is razor thin, and this year the party faces a challenge from an emboldened right-wing and pro-Serb opposition that wants closer links with Belgrade and Moscow. The run-up to the election was marked by inflammatory rhetoric from both sides, with police warning of possible unrest on voting day. But the polls closed without major incidents at 1800 GMT and turnout was high despite the coronavirus pandemic. An hour before voting ended nearly 75 percent of registered voters cast ballots compared to under 71 percent in the last poll in 2016, according to the election monitor CeMI. "I hope that everything will go well, without any problems," said Branislav Sofranac, a 59-year-old civil servant in Podgorica. "And we all hope that we will start to live a little better, with more means," he added. The coronavirus pandemic has pummelled Montenegro's tourism-dependent economy, setting the small nation up for its worst contraction in over a decade. But the election has instead revolved around sensitive identity debates ignited by Djukanovic's row with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC). The conflict erupted in late 2019 when the government passed a law that could turn hundreds of SPC-run monasteries in Montenegro into state property. While Montenegro declared independence from Serbia in 2006, the SPC remains its largest religious institution and a third of the country's 620,000 population identify as Serb. Story continues - Strong turnout - On the night of the law's passing, opposition MPs physically attacked politicians in the assembly in an attempt to block the process. Months of huge anti-government protests followed, led by priests and backed by the opposition who accuse Djukanovic of trying to steal the holy sites and erase Serb heritage. Ahead of the election, demonstrations have taken the form of car rallies, with protesters waving Serbian flags. The president, who projects himself as a custodian of stability, used such reactions to raise fears about a threat to Montenegro's sovereignty. Casting his ballot on Sunday, he expressed confidence his party would prevail despite "attempts to stir up tensions from outside Montenegro". He has previously branded his rivals as the "the political infantry of Greater Serbia nationalism", referring to an ultra-nationalist dream to unite all parts of the Balkans with Serb communities. The leader of the main pro-Serb alliance, Zdravko Krivokapic, said he wanted to send a "message of peace", adding that a "new day is coming for Montenegro, which will take a different path". The Serbian Orthodox Church underlined, meanwhile, that "no gatherings organised by the Church are planned" and urged all to spend the evening at home. "We plead with all to wait for the end of the election day at home, in peace and fraternal love, so we will enable the election process to go ahead smoothly," it said. - 'Change is good' - While Montenegro is a front-runner in the Balkans on its path to joining the EU, festering issues like graft, threats to media freedoms and organised crime remain major concerns in Brussels. The US-based Freedom House recently downgraded from a democracy to a "hybrid regime" under Djukanovic' "strongman" rule. "It would be good to change, whatever the risk," said Nikola Jovanovic, a young businessman in the capital. "I don't really have any preferences for who, but changes are very important for the development of society." During the last parliamentary poll in 2016, authorities claimed to have foiled a coup plot -- allegedly with Russian help -- aimed at preventing Montenegro from joining NATO. Among the 20 arrested, mostly ethnic Serbs, were two opposition leaders later sentenced to five years in prison, which they are appealing. str-mbs/ssm/har Three60 Communities, a subsidiary of Eltizam Asset Management Group and leading provider of innovative community management services in the UAE and Oman, has obtained an Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) accreditation. With this, Three60 Communities has become one of the only two companies in the Middle East and outside the US to secure the coveted certification from the prestigious Community Associations Institute (CAI). The Emirati group offers a full spectrum of related services and activities to manage every aspect of premier developments in the region. Three60 closely collaborates with its clients to ensure that their needs are incorporated into its overall service model. On the AAMC accreditation, General Manager Alan Rowlands said: "It will keep Three60 way ahead of its competitors in the region. This achievement illustrates our commitment to exceeding expectations, as evidenced by its continuing efforts to meet industry standards at the local and global levels." "Achieving the designation was one of the key targets set under the Vision 21 pillar, which is our business transformation programme, as part of our wider groups Get Wonky culture, a business enhancement culture deployed to provide all employees with an inclusive work environment and ensure they deliver service excellence to customers, and we are proud to have achieved it ahead of time," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Advertisement Massive crowds of people flocked to beaches across Sydney on Sunday to enjoy the warm weather despite a coronavirus cluster in the city threatening to surge with 28 active cases. Bondi Beach and Coogee in the city's eastern suburbs were packed with thousands of people by midday while Manly Beach was the same despite seven new cases of coronavirus recorded in NSW on Sunday. Lifeguards used loudspeaker systems to try and encourage swimmers and sunbakers to practice social distancing but photographs showed crowds packed together like sardines on the shore. There are no restrictions on gathering in public or going to the beach in NSW, but Gladys Berejiklian has urged residents to try and stay 1.5metres apart and wear masks if social distancing is not possible. Hundreds of sunbathers flocked to Sydney beaches on Sunday to soak up the sun despite strict coronavirus warning for the city with the worrying CBD cluster continuing to spread (Coogee Beach pictured) New South Wales recorded seven new cases of coronavirus on Sunday as the worrying cluster in Sydney's CBD is continuing to grow Massive crowds flocked to beaches across Sydney on Sunday to soak in sun despite COVID-19 warnings (Bronte Beach pictured) The feeling on the sand was mixed. 'Who cares (about covid). It's just a flu that only kills people who are about to die anyway,' one beachgoer at Coogee told Daily Mail Australia. 'We can't do what that dictator is doing in Melbourne. Sun's out, guns out. Yeah the boys.' As the mercury reached 24C at 2pm, another local said she'd seen enough. 'I'm going home immediately. These people are so irresponsible. It makes my blood boil,' she said. 'If just one of them has coronavirus it will be a disaster and we'll all be back in lockdown next week. Social distancing has gone completely out the window.' Another local told Daily Mail Australia the beach at Bondi was busy before 10.30am. 'A couple of hours later it was unbelievably packed,' she said. 'It felt as though the past year never happened and people had completely forgotten about this horrific virus that has killed thousands of people around the globe.' Social media users slammed the crowds at the beaches, with many saying the behaviour will force the city into lockdown once again. 'Sitting up on the hill at Coogee away from people watching the world go by and feeling like I'm looking at a petrie dish and a lock down in a month,' one woman wrote on Twitter. 'No police sighted, only the Chief Lifeguard's truck.' 'I think Coogee missed the memo! Packed!' another wrote. One user tweeted: 'Randwick Council beaches are heaving. Looks like Sydney is going to learn the hard way.' A Waverley Council spokesperson said between 3,000 and 4,000 people had flocked to Bondi on Sunday but social distancing was being adhered to. 'We're hoping this continues,' she said. Social media users slammed the crowds at the beaches, with many saying the behaviour will force the city into lockdown once again (Coogee Beach pictured) Council rangers have been closely monitoring visitors to beaches in Sydney's east, which became coronavirus hot-spots in March after beachgoers ignored social distancing regulations Residents in Bondi and Coogee ignored warnings and packed the beachfront with many eager to get outdoors and soak up the sun as winter comes to an end Sydneysiders were quick to head outside and enjoy the sunshine after a week of chilly weather with temperatures hitting a balmy 25C on Sunday (Bondi Beach pictured) Lifeguard manager Matt du Plessis said beachgoers were told to keep one beach towel's distance from each other and everyone had been abiding by the rules. 'It's actually been really great - everybody's abiding health orders,' Mr du Plessis told news.com.au. 'It's been a long winter ... I think now everyone understands. We want to keep our beaches open.' A NSW Health spokeswoman told the SMH that Waverley, which covers Bronte to Bondi, remained an area of concern for coronavirus community transmission. Lifeguards and police were closely monitoring Bondi on Saturday amid fears the crowds would force the local council into shutting down the beach. But residents in Bondi and Coogee ignored warnings to social distance and wear face masks on Sunday; instead packing the beachfront in a bid to soak up the winter sunshine. At Manly, on Sydney's northern beaches, the promenade was packed with queues to get into nearby pubs and restaurants as shirtless beachgoers made their way down the strip to the sand. The return of warm weather has sparked fears the beaches could be once again closed to the public like they were in March when the outbreak began. Social media users slammed the crowds at the beaches, with many saying the behaviour will force the city into lockdown once again Worrying images show Bondi Beach packed with locals who seem completely unfazed about the growing cluster in the nearby Sydney CBD Crowds of people are seen enjoying the warm weather on Sunday at Coogee Beach in Sydney's east as Twitter users slam their behaviour Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos is actively warning people to avoid the beach if it looks busy - or risk facing similar consequences from the first lockdown. 'We need to remember that we are still in a pandemic and we need to adapt our behaviour to that reality,' Cr Masselos told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'If you are considering making the trip out to Bondi tomorrow, and the beaches look busy, please come back another time.' 'The last thing we want to do is to have our close our beaches.' Waverley Council has employed roving ambassadors who wear shirts reading 'spread kindness not germs.' Under New South Wales health guidelines residents are allowed to gather in groups of up to 20 people in public places, including parks and beaches. But lifeguards are urging beachgoers to try and stay one 'towel-length' apart from others and avoid crowding inside the flags. Beachgoers seen enjoying the sun on Sunday as the temperature reached 25C despite warning from health officials about the spread of COVID-19 The return of warm weather has sparked fears the beaches could be once again closed to the public like they were in March when the outbreak began People walk along beach path at Manly Beach, north of Sydney, on Sunday ignoring all social distancing rules Beaches in the Waverley and Randwick local government areas were closed in March after visitors failed to comply with social distancing restrictions. Bondi and Bronte were closed for four weeks, with those who broke the rules threatened with hefty $1,000 fines. Nearby beaches Coogee, Clovelly, Maroubra and Malabar were closed for three weeks. Of the seven new cases recorded in NSW on Sunday only one was from a returned traveller, meanwhile one is under investigation and the other five are linked to a known case or cluster. The list of venues put on high alert has also grown by seven after COVID-19 cases visited locations including a suburban shopping centre, a popular CBD gym and a health clinic. Anyone who attended the venues is considered to be a casual contact of the confirmed cases and must monitor for symptoms. A handful of bus routes have also been told to watch for symptoms of COVID-19. St Paul's Catholic College in Greystanes will be closed on Monday for cleaning, NSW Health said on Sunday. Manly Beach (pictured) was packed on Sunday despite seven new cases of coronavirus recorded in NSW on Sunday Lifeguards and police were closely monitoring Bondi (pictured) on Saturday amid fears the crowds would force the local council into shutting down the beach People who attended the City Tattersalls gym in the Sydney CBD between 8am and 2pm on August 19, 21, 23, 24 and 25 are now considered close contacts and must isolate themselves and get tested immediately. People who exercised at Virgin Active gyms on Pitt and Margaret Streets between 5pm and 6.40pm on August 25 and 26 are also urged to remain alert. Authorities are also investigating the source of an infection acquired by a staff member at the Surry Hills Police Cells Complex. An alert issued by NSW Health said the Health and Forensic Mental Health Network is taking appropriate health and safety measures. As a precaution, NSW Health has advised people living or working in the Greater Sydney metropolitan area and Central Coast to refrain from visiting aged care facilities until September 12. The preventative measure to keep the virus from infiltrating nursing homes and affecting the vulnerable elderly residents will mean many will be denied a visit on Father's Day. Meanwhile, three Sydney schools that closed on Friday after staff members contracted the virus will re-open on Monday. They include Homebush Public School, Double Bay Public School and Ryde Secondary College. Sun seekers packed on to Manly Beach on Sunday as winter comes to an end with warm temperatures of 24C Lifeguards used loudspeaker systems to try and encourage swimmers and sunbakers to practice social distancing but photographs showed crowds packed together like sardines (Bronte beach pictured) There are 66 active COVID-19 cases in the state, including six who are in intensive care, of whom three are on ventilators. It comes as Melbournians were outraged when people were seen standing shoulder-to-shoulder at Melbourne's St Kilda beach as warmer weather lured large crowds to the beach over the weekend. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews warned that Police and Australian Defence Force personnel would be patrolling beaches, but the 18C sunshine on Saturday proved too much of a temptation for long-suffering residents in the midst of lockdown. Melburnians have been cooped up since July 8 under Stage 4 stay-at-home orders and are only permitted to leave the house between 8am and 5pm for essential reasons like grocery shopping, health appointments, work and exercise. During that period new daily infections reached a peak of 723 coronavirus cases. On Saturday the number dropped to 94, the lowest day total since July 5. The number jumped to 114 again on Sunday. Premier Andrews has remained adamant that it is too soon to ease the draconian restrictions. A number of sun-seekers are pictured at St Kilda beach. Under COVID restrictions, residents are only allowed to travel a 5km radius away from their home During the lockdown period new daily infections reached a peak of 723 coronavirus cases. But on Saturday, that number dropped 94, the lowest daily totals since July 5 When asked about the weekend's warm weather forecast at a media conference on Friday, he said: 'I'm not often disappointed in a good forecast, but I am a bit about that.' He urged Victorians to follow the health officer's directions and not flout the rules by heading to the beach unnecessarily. 'We need to defeat this properly now... I'm not admonishing, I'm appealing please despite the lovely weather forecast please let's all make positive decisions, Mr Andrews said. 'Please don't make any choices that would contribute to the spread of this virus.' However on Saturday, he had eased his tone ever so slightly and he acknowledge crowds and gatherings could soon be part of Victoria's 'new COVID normal'. 'I think our COVID normal can involve some crowds, but that will be a matter of medical advice,' Mr Andrews said. He added that the size of crowds would have to be determined by 'how successful we are defeating the virus'. 'It is very, very difficult to plan ahead. It's very difficult to bring certainty to something that travels so quickly,' he said. 'Certainly even at 94 cases, we are not able to open up now and we are not able to open up now and we are not able to provide a detailed road map with the sort of certainty that I would want.' 'The numbers need to be lower than they are now.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 14:48:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on Aug. 29, 2020 shows the venue of an autumn music party in Xiqing District in north China's Tianjin. An autumn music party called "Cosmic Center Party 2.0" was held Saturday on the Wisdom Mountain Hill Square in Xiqing District. Lively and open music performances attract many audiences. (Photo by Zhao Zishuo/Xinhua) Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 07:15:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ACCRA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced here on Sunday that the country is going to resume international flights on Sept.1 after a nearly five-month suspension. In the meantime, the West African country's land and sea entry points would remain closed, the president said. Akufo-Addo said in his latest COVID-19 nationwide broadcast that each traveler coming into the country would be required to produce a negative COVID-19 test result from a certified laboratory in their countries of origin. "Each passenger arriving at the Kotoka International Airport will undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test at the airport terminal, at a fee to be borne by the passenger. The test result will be available within 30 minutes," Akufo-Addo added. He said the government would ensure that the gradual easing of restrictions, including the reopening of airports, does not lead to the importation or resurgence of the virus. Ghana has recorded 44,205 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 276 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in March. Enditem The Independent Parliamentary candidate for the Bekwai Constituency, Lawyer Kwasi Amofa-Agyemang, has expressed dissatisfaction about the lack of political leadership in the constituency hence his bid to contest the parliamentary seat and help reverse the mess. He said having gone into student politics years back at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), he would have gone far by now if his ambition was to be in the limelight of frontline politics. I had wanted to live a private life and stay completely out of frontline politics, but cannot help it at certain times when l see things not going the way I expected to see them work", Lawyer Amofa said in an interview with the media in Kumasi. The aspirant bemoaned that the Bekwai Constituency lacked political leadership because the incumbent MP, Lawyer Joseph Osei-Owusu is only pursuing his own personal interests to develop himself. He explained that politics should rather be a vehicle to help the vulnerable in the constituency rather than an avenue for personal business and stressed that this is what "we need to let the people of Bekwai understand that some other persons are given the chance to serve the interests of the constituents to make the difference". Beaming with vim and full of exuberance, Lawyer Amofa said his competitors camp is spewing lots of untruths about him, including allegations that he turned down an invitation by President Akufo-Addo for a talk on the issue of his candidature and which has been interpreted by party sympathizers to mean his disregard for the president. The aspirant said it is never true that some leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are engaging him (Amofa) with the view to convincing him to rescind his decision to contest the sitting MP for the Bekwai seat. Lawyer Amofa who has played various roles during the 2012 Election petition in the Supreme Court, said he is surprised at the propaganda being peddled in the constituency currently that he is an NDC man and is likely to join the minority side in parliament if he wins the seat. The electorate, according to the aspirant, complains that the incumbent MP who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament does not appear in the constituency after every general election since he got into parliament some twelve years ago which explains the lack of basic things like toilet facilities which can be provided at a reduced cost when the people are ready to support with communal labour. By: Bruce Misbahu Bulmuo Saudi-led coalition, mercenaries plunder oil in Yemen's Shabwah: Top official Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 10:19 AM A senior Yemeni official says Saudi Arabia and Saudi-backed mercenaries loyal to Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi are plundering crude oil in Yemen's southern province of Shabwah as the Riyadh regime and its allies press ahead with their devastating war on the impoverished Arab country. Shabwah Deputy Provincial Governor, Mohammed al-Salehi, said the Saudi-led alliance forces and their allies continue to loot oil from al-Uqlah and Thaba fields in addition to other oil-producing regions through collaboration with a mercenary named Mohammed Saleh bin Adeow, Yemen's official Saba news agency reported on Saturday. Salehi added that smugglers are trafficking substantial amounts of crude oil via Nashimiya port every month, steal revenues and distribute the money among the Saudi mercenaries. The high-ranking Yemeni official called on locals to stop the plunder of oil in their regions, and prevent the Saudi-sponsored militants from jeopardizing Yemen's national interests. Meanwhile, Yemeni armed forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees have launched clean-up operations in the northern province of al-Jawf after Saudi-led troops withdrew from the strategic al-Khanjar military camp and surrounding areas, leaving behind military equipment, munitions and armored vehicles. The media bureau of Yemen's Operations Command Center said in a statement that the operations covered the village of Bir Aziz, which was used by the Saudi mercenaries as a major stronghold to coordinate attacks. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing Hadi's government back to power. The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, estimates that the war has claimed more than 100,000 lives for more than the past five years. The Saudi regime has, however, failed to fulfill the objective of its deadly campaign. The war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN says over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address COLLINSVILLE At about 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, officers of the Collinsville Police Department responded to the area of Collinsville Crossing at N. Bluff Road in response to a report of gunfire. Initial investigation of the incident has revealed several individuals, who had arrived in several different motor vehicles engaging in an exchange of gunfire in the parking lot of Waffle House and St. Louis Bread Company. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 09:27 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c416baa2 4 City Bogor-city,West-Java,Bima-Arya,COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,curfew,social-restriction Free Bogor municipality in West Java has imposed a curfew to limit out-of-home activities at night after health authorities confirmed an increasing trend in COVID-19 cases across the city. Malls will be required to close at 6 p.m. and people will be prohibited from conducting outdoor activities after 9 p.m. The order was issued after the Bogor administration decided to impose micro and community-scale social restrictions for two weeks starting Saturday to contain the high rate of COVID-19 transmission in the region. Bogor Mayor Bima Arya said police and military personnel would be deployed to enforce the curfew. We will monitor the situation every night. We want to raise peoples awareness that the current situation is alarming, Bima said on Friday, as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: Indonesia sees record high in COVID-19 cases for third day running He added that he would issue a regulation that stipulated sanctions for violators, which would range from social punishments to fines. According to the National COVID-19 Task Forces website www.covid19.co.id, Bogor was declared a red zone on Thursday meaning a high level of virus transmission had been detected. On Saturday, health authorities confirmed 21 new COVID-19 cases in Bogor, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 574. Twenty-nine residents have died while 334 others have recovered from the disease. (aly) SACRAMENTO California lawmakers advanced proposals Saturday to study reparations for slavery and require more diversity on corporate boards, part of a broader push to address racial disparities in the state. AB3121 by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, would create a task force to study the history of slavery in the United States and its legacy, such as California laws with disproportionately negative effects on Black people. The panel would be expected to make recommendations to the Legislature by June 2022 for remedies that should be made and to educate the public on its findings, including Californias role in perpetuating slavery. The state Senate passed the measure Saturday on a bipartisan 33-3 vote. It moves next to the Assembly, which must act by the end of the legislative session on Monday. The Senate also advanced AB979, which would require corporations headquartered in California to have at least one board member from an underrepresented community by the end of 2021. Those directors could be people of color or identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The target would increase in 2022: at least two directors from underrepresented communities for companies with a board of between four and eight members, and at least three for companies with nine or more directors. Corporations could be fined if they missed the mark. The measure passed on a 26-8 vote, with most Democrats in support and most Republicans opposed. Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, introduced the bill in June, following nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice. While many companies publicly expressed support for the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, Holden said at the time, that message did not always translate to diversity in their own ranks. The Latino Corporate Directors Association completed an analysis this year of 662 publicly traded companies based in California and identified 233 with all-white boards of directors. Holdens bill is based on SB826, a law passed in 2018 that set similar benchmarks for hiring women for the boards of California corporations. The number of female directors increased by at least 23% in the first year. Developing a pipeline of candidates has become a priority for Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law was challenged in court last year by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a libertarian nonprofit, which argued that the quotas violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution in addition to being deeply patronizing to women. The case has not yet been decided. The study by the Latino Corporate Directors Association noted that the law has mainly benefited white women: Seventy-eight percent of the directors added last year were white, while only about 37% of California is white. Latinos are the largest ethnic group in California, at 39% of the population, but Latinas were appointed to just 3% of the new board seats. While California prides itself on being a majority-minority state, corporations do not reflect the vast cultural wealth in this state, Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, said on the Senate floor. There is no doubt that there is a structural and inherent bias in our economic system in our country. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff Aurora Humanitarian Initiative to allocate $500,000 to projects in Artsakh Sajid Javid: Britain must learn to live with COVID-19, it could be with us forever Erdogan suggests Putin and Zelensky meet face to face EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus meets Aliyev US imposes sanctions on Ukrainians related to 'Russian harmful foreign activities' Sabah: Ankara refuses to hold next Armenian-Turkish meeting in a third country US general discusses regional security and bilateral cooperation in Armenia Secret graves of alleged protesters discovered in Almaty Armenian side members to Armenian-American Intergovernmental Commission confirmed WHO advises countries to lift or ease international travel restrictions US sanctions against Vladimir Putin, Ruben Vardanian and members of the Russian government Armenian Foreign Ministry discusses Mirzoyan's participation in Turkey forum Thailand to resume non-quarantine travel scheme from February 1 Instagram introduces paid subscription feature NEWS.am daily digest: 20.01.22 Europe considers new strategy to combat COVID-19 Norwegian prosecutors refuse release Anders Breivik, 2011 mass murderer Erdogan urges Turks to sell foreign currency for liras Azerbaijan not yet returned about 300 sheep of Armenia villager Media: Israeli President thinks about visiting Turkey Dollar quite stable in Armenia Trade turnover between Ukraine and Armenia increases by 24% Armenia legislature speaker meets with of International Republican Institute president, and director for Eurasia Kremlin does not exclude new call between Putin and Biden EU Special Representative for South Caucasus to soon visit Armenia, Azerbaijan State Duma discusses work of biolaboratories near Russia's borders US lawmakers to parliament speaker: Armenian POWs must be returned to their homeland immediately Security Council chief: Armenia expects OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to visit region Armenia government does not approve plan to considerably raise minimum wage Turkish FM: Armenian representatives invited to diplomatic forum in Antalya Twitter suspends Mexican billionaire's account over offensive behavior Armenian PM says Omicron strain is slowly spreading Azerbaijan says it supports launching border delimitation process with Armenia with no conditions Zakharova speaks on Aliyev's visit to Kyiv Zakharova does not comment on Azerbaijan president's threats against France presidential candidate for her Artsakh visit Cavusoglu: Steps to increase mutual trust will be discussed at next meeting with Armenia US gives go-ahead to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send missiles and other American-made weapons to Ukraine Zakharova: Russia, as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, supports continuation of work in this format Cyber attack on Red Cross: data of over 515,000 people compromised Pashinyan: UK has been strong partner of newly independent Armenia Israel hopes UN will unanimously condemn Holocaust denial Armenia, Ukraine depositories sign memorandum of cooperation Azerbaijan advises Armenia to correctly assess the new geopolitical realities and draw conclusions Australia, UK to fight back against cyberattacks from China, Russia and Iran Protesting residents of Armenias Parakar community march to territorial administration ministry Armenia government approves protocol on implementation of readmission agreement with Lithuania Iran suspends gas supplies to Turkey MFA: Armenia has no preconditions for border delimitation 621 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Paris to have place named after Hrant Dink Armenias Parakar enlarged community residents protesting outside government building Turkey opposition party MPs petition for parliamentary inquiry into Hrant Dink assassination France, Germany, Italy and Spain call on Israel to halt construction in East Jerusalem Armenia parliament speaker in US, meets with Nancy Pelosi Iranian MFA: Relations between Iran and Russia have moved into a new diverse, intensified direction Biden says invasion of Ukraine will be disaster for Russia Newspaper: Armenia PM Pashinyan plans to hold Presidents office Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc, led by ex-President Kocharyan, starting new processes Taliban PM calls on Muslim countries to be first to formally recognize their government Saudi Arabia records lowest temperature in 30 years Erdogan's visit to Ukraine scheduled for February 3 Russian peacekeeping contingent establishes order of passage through Lachin corridor French Senate votes to ban hijab at sporting events Armenian FM: All necessary conditions to be created for Demarcation Commission work Olaf Scholz: Borders in Europe cannot be changed by force Lavrov presents Armenian Ambassador to Russia, with the Order of Friendship Bill Gates warns of pandemics far more serious than COVID-19 FM on mirror withdrawal of troops: Not a single Armenian village will be left without proper protection Macron: EU countries must work together on agreement for stability and security PM Pashinyan assumes accountability for Armenia special representative for negotiations with Turkey Turkey Central banks and UAE sign agreement worth almost $5 billion Blinken: Western countries need unity to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine Iranian President performs evening namaz in Kremlin after talks with Putin Turkish police detain women protesting price hikes in hygiene products Delegation headed by Chief of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff has meetings in Armenia Merkel refuses job in UN structure Greece receives the first batch of French Rafale fighters NEWS.am daily digest: 19.01.22 Azerbaijan hopes Pope to mediate in relations with Armenia Talks between presidents of Russia and Iran start in Kremlin Armenian FM: This is not first time Baku makes nonconstructive statements Armenian Investigative Committee: 3,809 people die in the 44-day war Ombudsman: I urge not to give in to Azerbaijani manipulations, to visit Artsakh Armenian FM: Armenia passes a package of proposals to Azerbaijan France names the main favorite of presidential election Garo Paylan concludes address in Turkey parliament in Armenian Russian Foreign Ministry believes there is no risk of large-scale war in Europe Dollar goes up in Armenia Sharmazanov: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan did not decide to hold press conference, he did not change his mind Blinken: Russia has plans to increase force on Ukraine borders : Azerbaijani military participate in Turkish drills Taliban say all conditions for recognizing legitimacy of government are met Azerbaijan MFA statement distorts events of Armenian massacres in Baku 32 years ago Karabakh ombudsmans office: Azerbaijans anti-Armenian, genocidal policy has clear chronology US official, Barzani are photographed against backdrop of Greater Armenia and Kurdistan map Armenia ex-defense minister, army General Staff chief, some others criminal case court hearing kicks off FM: Most important direction continues to be international recognition of Artsakh Armenia revenue committee chief on opening of Turkey border: Shall we live with closed borders? In fear? US selects Los Angeles to host Summit of the Americas in summer 2022 By Kazeem Ugbodaga Nigerians have punctured the presidential ambition of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in 2023, asking him to speak and condemn the death sentence placed on a Kano musician by a Sharia Court. Atiku is currently trending on Twitter for negative reasons. Nigerians on twitter are angry that Atiku, who often comment on any issues and condemn Buhari and others, had refused to speak on the death sentence placed on Kano musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu. A twitter user, Malachy Odo said Atiku has an opinion about everything except on the death sentence passed on that young fellow by a Sharia Court in Kano for blasphemy. His silence means hes an extremist just like the rest of them or he doesnt want to offend the extremists whose votes he needs tomorrow. A pity. Another user, Funmi Olusegun, said Atiku, Nigerians have been waiting for your stance on the death penalty passed down on a man for stating his mind. It will be nice to know d mind of someone who would likely be contesting to be our president soon. According to Tosin, I love Atiku, but Im beginning to get scared he wont end up a sectional leader like Buhari. Two cases The detention of Mubarak Bala and the Hausa guy they want to kill for BLASPHEMY. He has nothing to say about it but you guys want us to commit over 180m people in his hands? A twitter user, The Capitaine, said it would be nice if Atiku made his stance known on this matter. Read other reactions below. It would actually be in his best interest to be mute so as not to anger any side with his view DAVI$ (@DavisFamous3) August 29, 2020 For me atiku presidency is a NO. Tinubu is a fat NO Yemi Osinbajo is a NO too until I get certain explanation from him.. We dont need a politician to rule nigeria I dont know who nigeria need.. dewale (@waleobiz) August 29, 2020 Oga we still dey wait for you to speak for the guy that has been sentenced to death for blasphemy Blessed Beyond Measure (BBM) (@Drmuzoic) August 29, 2020 Buhari contested how many times again for presidency and we can see how he has moved this country to Eldorado. Atiku is on the same path. How many times will the same stick enter this country eye before we learn? If he really wants to help, he should support a qualified youth Blessed Beyond Measure (BBM) (@Drmuzoic) August 29, 2020 He (@atiku) initiated this insecurity and it can traced to some of the speech and interview he gave in the past. He is very capable of ending it but not as President of Nigeria. It will definitely come to an abrupt end sooner than we least expected it. Michael U. Ekpo (@Mikeekpo) August 29, 2020 Omo Atiku is tweeting about everything except the Mubarak & blasphemy issue. Legal Hermit (@LegalHermit) August 29, 2020 This country is full of clowns. You all didnt drag Buhari and other government officials for keeping mute about the death sentence handed to a musician for blasphemy. Its Atiku you are dragging. The height of werey! YADA (@yada_naija) August 29, 2020 What has @atiku said about the Southern Kaduna genocide? About the young man sentenced to death for blasphemy? About the unarmed Igbo boys massacred by the Nigerian Police? About a bag of local rice being 25K and rising? About medical tourism? Isnt @atiku too old to run? ???? serendipity (@doublejeopardee) August 29, 2020 Hahaahhhe cant go against it because of religion right? And he wants to be rhe president to end bokoharam? Bunch of jokers. Hes a monster and jihad like buhari who put religion and tribe above everything. Modasuckers BUTIKU MUST GO!? (@buharimustgo2) August 29, 2020 It will be a mistake for Atiku to Contest, as long as the South South region (which is the stronghold of the PDP) has a competitive candidate, they will not vote for him. Well rather support a son of the soil than an outsider. https://t.co/6RBv0fyhCN Stephen Enunwah (@senunwah) August 29, 2020 Related Visitors to Connecticut state parks will need to again pay parking fees as of Monday. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced Friday that nonresident visitors will be charged parking fees at some parks, that number eventually growing to 22. A list can be found at the DEEP website. The state has not collected these fees this season, except at three of the four shoreline state beaches, due to COVID-19 prevention measures and staffing limitations. Anyone in a Connecticut-registered vehicle can park free of charge at all state parks and forests year-round through the Passport to the Parks program. The new system will require visitors arriving in vehicles registered outside of Connecticut to purchase a parking pass online or by phone when they arrive at the park, according to a release. Signage at each park location will provide instructions on how to make their payment and complete the form to be placed on their vehicles dashboard to confirm payment. The collection system will be tested at various locations throughout the week. Additional staff will be deployed to oversee initial implementation of this new system and assist visitors with its operation. Park staff and DEEP Environmental Conservation officers will be able to view transaction logs to compare against parked vehicles. Failure to pay the required nonresident fee may result in a $75 ticket, according to the release. For most parks using this system, the fee is $10 per day on weekdays and $15 per day for weekends and holidays. Squantz Pond and Silver Sands each require a fee of $15 per day on weekdays and $22 per day for weekends and holidays. Nonresident visitors to shoreline state parks will continue to be charged at the entry ticket booths or by the new contactless system. About 1,000 people joined a mile-long march in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 29, chanting "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice, No Peace" as United States President Donald Trump announced plans to visit the violence-rocked city next week. Jacob Blake Sr., father of the 29-year-old Black man whose shooting by a white police officer on Sunday sparked the unrest, called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests before a tense calm set in the past three nights. "Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing," he told a gathering at a park that was the hub of protests in support of his son, Jacob Blake Jr. "Stop it. Show 'em for one night we don't have to tear up nothing." The shooting of Blake, in front of three of his children, turned the mostly white city of 100,000 people south of Milwaukee into the latest flashpoint in a summer of U.S.-wide demonstrations against police brutality and racism. Trump will visit Kenosha on September 1 to meet law enforcement officials and assess damage in the city, a White House official told reporters on Saturday. Blake, 29, survived but was left badly wounded and paralyzed from the waist down. He will likely participate via video from his hospital room in a court hearing next week about criminal charges that predated the shooting, his lawyer told Reuters on Saturday, adding he would plead not guilty. Anger at Blake's shooting, captured on video that went viral, led to street skirmishes; protesters hurled firecrackers and bricks at police in riot gear who fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets. On Tuesday night a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, and two of them died. In Kenosha on Saturday, people painted messages of unity on boards protecting storefronts after many businesses were burned to the ground in arson attacks and vandalism. Residents hoped calm would hold for a fourth night as protesters, some wearing "Justice for Jacob" masks, spoke about the need for racial justice. "We are tired," said Darius Johnson, 27, of Milwaukee. "There is no excuse for this kind of racism. It could have been any one of us, my brother, my sister. It needs to stop." The 17-year-old suspect in Tuesday night's killings, Kyle Rittenhouse, surrendered to police on Wednesday near his home in Illinois close to the Wisconsin border. Kenosha officials have been criticized for videos showing law enforcement agents giving him water before the burst of violence and acting chummy with armed militia men in the streets. By Friday, more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers were on the ground in Kenosha, many from out of state. As Kenosha went on curfew at 7 p.m. local time, authorities in Chicago blocked streets and braced for dueling demonstrations along the city's "Magnificent Mile", a 13-block stretch of downtown's Michigan Avenue, media accounts said. Some planned to protest police brutality while others prepared to demonstrate to support the police, they said. SELF-DEFENSE ARGUMENT Rittenhouse is being held without bond and awaiting an extradition hearing on returning him to Wisconsin to face six criminal counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm. His lawyers have indicated he would argue self-defense. "Kyle Rittenhouse stood up to protect his community and his country. He defended himself. We will no longer let Americas cities burn. The mayors and governors had their chance. They failed," John Pierce, one of Rittenhouse's lawyers, said on Twitter. Blake, who has undergone multiple surgeries since the shooting, had been handcuffed to a hospital bed because of an outstanding arrest warrant. The handcuffs were removed on Friday and officers guarding Blake stood down after the warrant was vacated, according to his attorney, Pat Cafferty. The warrant was based on a criminal complaint filed against Blake in July. The complaint shows that Blake's ex-girlfriend, the mother of three of his children, told police Blake broke into her home on May 3 and sexually assaulted her before stealing her truck and debit card. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said this week that police confronted Blake when called to the home of a woman who had reported her "boyfriend was present" without permission, and officers tried to arrest him. Kaul said efforts to subdue Blake with a Taser failed, and that investigators later recovered a knife from the floor of the car that Blake was leaning into when he was shot. On Friday, the Kenosha police union defended the officers, saying Blake was armed with a knife, fought the officers and was given several chances to cooperate before they used deadly force. Blake's family and his attorneys have said he did not provoke or threaten the police. "What gave them the right to attempted murder of my child. What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal," Blake's father told the crowd. "I'm tired of this." Around 100,000 protesters took to the streets of the capital Port Louis in Mauritius on Saturday, three weeks after an oil spill caused by the grounding of a cargo ship and days after dozens of dolphins were found dead. Marchers, dressed in black, held placards with drawings of dolphins or stating citoyen leve citoyen (citizens wake up citizens) and others waved Mauritian flags as they walked peacefully through the capital. Several statues, including one of Queen Victoria, were also wrapped in the Mauritian flag. It was one of the largest public demonstrations in recent Mauritian history. Siddick, 65, who declined to give his full name, said: I travelled two hours to get here. Ive never seen so many people before. A commentary in Le Mauricien, a national newspaper, said: Its clear we are at a turning point in the history of our country. Many shops in Port Louis closed early as owners joined the demonstration. Others set up makeshift stalls to provide fruit juices to marchers. Participants amassed under a scorching early summer sun at St Louis Cathedral, one of the countrys oldest churches. They were addressed by several activists who criticised the Mauritian government for its handling of the oil spill and called for it to step down. Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Show all 5 1 /5 Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Khalil A. Cassimally Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Khalil A. Cassimally Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Khalil A. Cassimally Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Khalil A. Cassimally Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Thousands protest Mauritius oil spill dolphin deaths Khalil A. Cassimally As the protest began just before 1300 local time [0900 GMT], marchers spontaneously burst into a rendition of Motherland, Mauritiuss national anthem. They also sang songs by Bob Marley and by Kaya, a Mauritian seggae musician (a fusion of sega and reggae) whose death 20 years ago in police custody sparked four days of riots. The grounding of the ship and the estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil that spilled have sparked widespread popular anger towards the government. Marchers say the spill could have been prevented. Christian Merle, 18, said: This didnt have to happen. It is sheer incompetence. What did [the government] do during those nearly two weeks between [the bulk carrier MV] Wakashio running aground and the oil spill? Nothing! Nothing! Others lamented about the potential ecological impact. Shekha Boolaky, 37, said: Its an ecological disaster for the country but it has broadened the minds of people, especially young people. They are concerned about our environment. Some marchers were keen to voice out their discontent at a government that they think is becoming increasingly authoritarian. A few days following the oil spill, police officers prevented journalists from attending a press conference by Dr Arvind Boolell MP, the leader of the opposition. Bruneau Laurette, a social activist, and one of the key organisers of the march, had previously alleged, following a meeting with a government minister, that there had been an attempt to intimidate him. Roseline, 65, who refused to give her full name, said: Enough is enough! I hope the government realises now that they can no longer dupe the people. The people are rising. Weve seen the Arab spring, now we have a Mauritian spring! Marina Edouard, 27, came with her husband, father, brother and her 20-month-old baby. She said: I am here to demand a better future for my baby. This march is for the future. It shows that the people will take action if the government keeps failing. Demonstrations were also organised by Mauritians overseas in cities including London, Paris, Geneva and in Ontario. Hans Balgobin, 31, attended the demonstration in front of the High Commission of Mauritius in South Kensington, London, saying: Mauritian society is unique. We all mix together and we live in mutual dignity. I was present today to show my support from abroad. Mario Isola says he always listens to the F1 drivers' complaints about tyres. Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said earlier at Spa that because there is no longer a tyre war, the "pressure" for better tyres now needs to come from the drivers. "We listen to the drivers," Pirelli's F1 boss Isola insisted. "I don't want to give the wrong impression, because every time the drivers are available to communicate, we listen to their opinion. And I am speaking not only on behalf of Pirelli, but also on behalf of the FIA." However, Isola said Pirelli is in a difficult situation, as the drivers' wishes and the reality of the situation amid the corona crisis means his hands are somewhat tied. "We are happy to listen to the wishes of Lewis, but theoretical wishes are one thing, and realising them in reality is quite another," said the Italian. "Sometimes you have to make compromises. It is physically not possible to create tyres that provide 100 percent grip and 100 percent stability without being subject to any degradation or overheating. It doesn't work like that. "I know drivers love grip and I know they are asking for the perfect tyre. That is what we are striving for in 2022," Isola added, referring to the looming switch to 18-inch rubber. "As for the 2021 tyres, we don't have the opportunity to rework them. We will focus on making the tyres for 2022." (GMM) The Paramount Chief of the Essikado traditional area, Nana Kobina Nketiah V, has urged journalists to uphold the values and ethics of their profession in their work during the December polls. He said journalists could effectively cover this year's competitive Election if they are bold and courageous. "No journalists can do a good coverage of this year's elections clouded in fear," adding that the journalists should be able to inform the public and not to misinform or to disinform them. Nana Nketiah V, who was addressing journalists at the 'Media Convention 2020' in Takoradi, called for fair-mindedness, consciousness and strict adherence to professional ethics. The programme was sponsored by the US Embassy, and organized by the Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA). It brought together selected media institutions from the Western, Western North and Central Regions. Other participants included the security agencies and representatives of political parties. It was on the theme: The 2020 Election: Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse. It served as a platform for dialogue by the stakeholders on issues relating to this year's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Topics discussed included, 'GJA Guidelines on Election Coverage and the various Guidelines of the NMC: Correlation and Synergies', 'Concerns and Expectations of the EC, political parties and security agencies on Media Coverage of Election 2020', and 'Social Media as a Tool for Information Flow - Prospects and Challenges'. The Paramount Chief said the media must promote the public interest, saying the media must not allow their parochial interest to cloud their sense of judgment as they report on political activities ahead of the December General Elections. He underscored the importance of journalists in the dispensation of multi-party democracy and tasked them to report the truth fairly and objectively. Nana Nketiah V pointed out that the media must serve as a mouth-piece and a guide to the electorates by keeping them informed of the activities and Programmes of the various political parties to enable the populace to make informed decisions. He reminded journalists of the need to always present truthful, factual and unbiased information. They should also ensure duty-bearers are accountable for their work and promises to the people. Vice-President of the GJA, Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei, stressed the critical role the media had played in strengthening democracy and the rule of law under the Fourth Republican Constitution. She said the 2020 polls presented another challenge to the media to be alive to their responsibilities by helping to reduce needless tension to ensure stability and sustainable development Mrs Asante-Agyei said the Association under the 'Media Convention' project, would continue to engage stakeholders for dialogue as it sought to create a harmonious environment before, during, and after the December General Election. She lauded the American Embassy for being a faithful partner in GJA activities, noting that the Ghanaian media has the responsibility to shape the elections, promote issues-based campaigns and to promote voter education. Dr Anthony Bonnah Koomson, a media consultant tasked journalists to be passionate about the code of ethics and conduct, adding that a good journalist should carry the burden of others. He said the media was doing quite well and journalists were now doing more follow-ups on government projects and taking duty-bearers to the task. Dr Koomson pointed out that "democracy suffers when journalists are not professional in their work and if they are not professional with their work it could lead to violence." 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 The hotel quarantine system for returned travellers is running below its stated capacity, with at times 1000 fewer Australians arriving home a week than allowed, as airlines warn it could take six months to return an estimated 100,000 people. Australia's travel ban and cap on returning travellers have not been replicated by many other countries but are deemed necessary to reduce pressure on the hotel quarantine system during COVID-19. States including NSW have resisted lifting the caps because of concerns about hotel quarantine capacity. Credit:Jacky Ghossein In July, national cabinet set a 4000 person-a-week cap on returning travellers, which comprises 350 a day (or 2450 a week) in Sydney, 525 a week in Perth and 500 a week in Brisbane. Adelaide has a 500 person cap and there are no flights into Melbourne due to the Victorian outbreak. Department of Home Affairs data provided to The Sun-Herald showed those caps were not being reached, although the numbers were rising. In the week of August 5, only 3080 people returned. In the week of August 12 that rose to 3289, and again in the week of August 19 to 3546. Ireland is not the only country where the government, parents and teachers have wrestled with the idea of children returning to classrooms in the middle of a global pandemic. While there is no global blueprint to draw from when planning school reopenings, some countries have done it much sooner than us and with varying degrees of success. DENMARK Shortly after Ireland went in to full lockdown, Denmark was already bringing pupils back to the classroom. Schools reopened there on April 15. Creches and primary schools were the first to reopen. Children aged between 12 and 16 returned about a month later. A key feature enabling the children to return was Denmark's low infection rate. The country was among the earliest to respond to outbreaks with a full lockdown, before any deaths were reported. Upon their return, all pupils were segregated into "protective bubbles" of 12. Here our pod numbers will vary depending on the size of each room and the number of pupils in it to maintain a one-metre gap between the groupings. Desks in Denmark are two metres apart. Danish pods arrive to school at staggered times, eat lunch apart and have their own zones in the playground. Danish students are not compelled to wear face masks but must wash their hands at least every two hours. Books and other materials are washed twice daily. There has been no significant impact on the number of positive cases of the virus before schools started a new academic year on August 10. Since then, Denmark has seen a slight rise. On August 13 and 14, it recorded 167 and 168 new cases respectively, the highest daily increases since April, but numbers have stabilised since. Many of these were in Aarhus, where localised measures were brought in, including postponing school for senior-cycle secondary school students. Half of these returned last Tuesday. Remaining pupils will return next week. GERMANY Measures adopted in Denmark were replicated in many other countries. Finland and Norway did so without any significant impact on case numbers. The same was said of Germany before there was a spike in Berlin. Each regional state in Gemany has its own education system, so rules vary. Some schools have already been back for a month. Others are still a week away from returning. This disjointed approach has led to complaints of confusion by teachers' unions and parents. In all the states where pupils have returned, there have been cases of teachers or pupils contracting the virus. Nine days ago there were 40 confirmed cases at schools in Berlin, but officials claim this is not alarming and can be managed. Ventilation is seen as key to suppressing the virus, and anyone with symptoms is routinely asked to stay in a well-ventilated room. Ventilating Germany's modern schools has been no problem, but older school buildings - dating back to the 1800s - have reported issues. ISRAEL Schools in Israel returned at the start of May, initially with pupils in pods and with caps on class sizes. These measures were relaxed after two weeks. A directive on the mandatory wearing of face coverings in schools and public spaces was also lifted temporarily after some pupils complained about having their mouths and noses covered during a heatwave. Within a month of reopening, the government was forced to close schools again after a spike in cases. More than 2,000 of these were linked to schools. One school alone had 130 cases. Israel has revised its plans for reopening schools, which will now consider local rates of infection rather than a nationwide approach. SOUTH KOREA Some schools were forced to shut shortly after reopening. This followed a series of delays, when the planned date earmarked for a return to school was postponed five times because of concern about the spread of the virus. Schools eventually reopened in phases, with the most senior students brought back first on May 20. Everyone else returned two weeks later. There was a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the capital, Seoul, which created further delays or forced schools to shut again. There are strict hygiene measures in place and temperature checks. Students must wear face masks. Some schools have implemented a blended-learning approach, with some online learning. In other schools students attend on alternate days. By Echo Wang NEW YORK (Reuters) - Triller Inc executive chairman Bobby Sarnevesht said on Friday that the short-video app had made a $20 billion offer with investment firm Centricus Asset Management Ltd for the assets of rival TikTok that China's ByteDance is seeking to a divest. ByteDance and TikTok denied knowledge of the offer, raising questions over whether the proposed deal between two of the most popular social media apps in the United States represented a serious bid or was a publicity stunt. ByteDance has been ordered by President Donald Trump to divest TikTok in the United States, amid security concerns over the personal data it handles. Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp are among the U.S. companies vying to acquire the assets of TikTok, which claims about 100 million monthly active users in the United States. The Chinese firm is expected to pick a bidder to enter into exclusive talks soon. "We submitted an offer directly to the chairman of ByteDance through Centricus, and have confirmation it was received and is under consideration by him," Sarnevesht told Reuters. Bloomberg News reported on the bid earlier on Friday. A TikTok spokesman said Centricus and Triller had not contacted the company about an offer. Sarnevesht said this was because TikTok was not involved in the talks, adding that Triller and Centricus were dealing directly with ByteDance chairman Zhang Yiming. ByteDance, however, said it was also unaware of the offer from Triller and Centricus. "The company has not had any conversations with them and we are unaware of any interest," ByteDance said in a statement. The proposed $20 billion bid will be financed by Centricus, with Triller executives running TikTok should their bid prevail, according to a person familiar with the financial details, who sought anonymity. It was not immediately clear, however, if Centricus, with $27 billion in assets according to its website, could muster the resources for such a bid. The London-based firm did not respond to a request for comment. Story continues "We understand our offer is upsetting to some TikTok U.S. executives, as it upsets a deal that may be more favorable to them and less favorable to the shareholders," Sarnevesht said in his statement. "They are doing everything they can to discredit our offer and keep it from being seen as real." Triller boasts 65 million monthly active users, versus TikTok's 100 million in the United States. Triller sought a $1.25 billion valuation in a private fundraising round this month. While TikTok is best known for its anodyne videos of people dancing and having going viral among teenagers, U.S. officials have expressed concern that user information could be passed to China's communist government. Trump, a prolific user of social media, joined Triller this month. "We've gotten assurances from people close to the White House that this is something that the administration would favor," Sarnevesht said. "All we need TikTok to do is to give us their user data and the content, and the Triller platform can handle it." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (This story corrects paragraph 19 quote to say "close to", instead of "in"). (Reporting by Echo Wang in New York; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) PORTAGE LAKES, Ohio A Summit County bar received a citation Saturday night after they were caught violating state health orders in place to try and curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Picks at Portage Lakes (530 Portage Lakes Drive) received a citation for improper conduct, a news release from the Ohio Investigative Unit states. OIU agents went to the bar about 10 p.m. and were denied entry at the front door, the release says. However, they were able to enter the bar from the lakeside dock area. Once inside, they saw between 100 and 150 patrons congregating with no social distancing measures in place. Agents also saw bar employees serving alcohol around 10:15 p.m., including a round of shots for some bar patrons, the news release says. In July, Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order stating bars must cut off liquor sales at 10 p.m. The case against Picks at Portage Lakes will go before the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, and the bar may be penalized, including fine or even the suspension or revocation of liquor permits. Three Ohio bars or restaurants received OIU citations overnight Friday, though none were in Northeast Ohio. More Ohio coronavirus coverage: Summit County Board of Health passes mask mandate; businesses could face $100 fine Cleveland Clinic switches to nasal swabs for drive-through coronavirus testing Ohio reports 1,216 new coronavirus cases, 21 new deaths: Saturday update Premier Jason Kenney says if Montreal chooses not to reinstall a statue of John A. Macdonald that was toppled by protesters on Saturday, he would have it installed on the grounds of Alberta's Legislature. The statue was tipped in downtown Montreal at the end of a march calling for police to be defunded, one of multiple demonstrations held in cities across the country. It wasn't immediately clear if those who tore down the statue were affiliated with protest organizers. A banner, hoisted as the statue was pulled down, said that Macdonald has "bloody hands" for disenfranchising the Asian community and for being one of the architects of the residential school system. Kenney responded to the protest action with a series of tweets, saying the "extreme left" is "responsible for this kind of violence" and that Macdonald overcame personal trauma to become Canada's first prime minister. "This vandalism of our history and heroes must stop," he said. "It's right to debate his legacy and life. But it is wrong to allow roving bands of thugs to vandalize our history with impunity." David MacDonald, a professor of political science at the University of Guelph, has written about how the residential school system has violated the U.N.'s genocide convention. He said that while Macdonald founded Canada as it's known today, he also committed horrible crimes against Indigenous people. While MacDonald and Macdonald share a last name, the professor, who is of Trinidad Indian and Scottish ancestry, said to his knowledge he is not related to the first prime minister. MacDonald said along with the first prime minister's involvement with the residential school system, he helped organize the systematic starvation of Indigenous people to drive them onto reserves. I think it's a shame that the statue was was torn down, but I can fully understand why it was done. And I don't think now that it's down that it should be put back up. - David B. MacDonald, political science professor Story continues "The reactions against his statues are not so much about trying to eliminate memory of Macdonald, but to react against the glorification of the first prime minister and to in some ways even ask for a more balance history," he said. "It's not really, I guess, cancelling Macdonald as much as asking for a reasoned discussion that puts him within the context of his time and talks about the kinds of crimes that he did." The father of confederation was born in Scotland. Two years ago, the Scottish government removed references to John A Macdonald from its websites, following what the government said were "the legitimate concerns raised by Canadian Indigenous communities about his legacy." MacDonald said it's one thing to tolerate or find a way to apply context to a statue in its present environment, but it's another to physically relocate and repair that monument. "I think it's a shame that the statue was torn down, but I can fully understand why it was done. And I don't think now that it's down that it should be put back up," he said. "There's a lot of Indigenous peoples and other people of colour, like Black people and other racialized peoples in Alberta, including a lot of my relatives who are from Trinidad. And, you know, I don't think John A. Macdonald is a good symbol for Alberta to put on the legislature why glorify someone like that now?" MacDonald also expressed concerns with Kenney's rhetoric, saying it felt derivative of American Republican responses to protests against Confederate monuments. Academics have written about the use of the word "thug" as a form of coded, racist language. Montreal's protest was organized by a coalition of Black, Indigenous and people of colour. "Kenney is the head of government for a province he needs to be a bit more considerate and try to see both sides of this issue rather than talking about mobs and thugs and things like that. It's not appropriate and it's just going to sow dissent and hatred," MacDonald said. When asked for comment, the premier's office referred to a series of tweets Kenney posted in 2018 after the city of Victoria removed a statue of Macdonald. "We must face up to the darker moments in our history. But we should teach those dark moments in a broader context - in the context of having created this remarkable free and prosperous democracy which would not exist were it not for the leadership and vision of John Macdonald," he wrote at the time. When asked about the use of the word "thugs," the premier's spokesperson wrote, "Yes, the mob in Montreal today which was predominantly white are indeed thugs." Treaty 6 Grand Chief says statue not welcome On Sunday, Chief Billy Morin of the Enoch Cree Nation and Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six wrote on Facebook that Treaty 6 chiefs do not support bringing the statue from Quebec to Treaty 6 territory. "I agree history cannot be changed, I agree John A. Macdonald was a foundational part of Canadian history, but given our current work in reconciliation, the focus today should be on that work which was started by the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission], and this Quebec statue of John A. Macdonald is a distraction to that important work," he said. Morin said he welcomes the premier to discuss a Treaty Medal monument, which he said has been designed but is underfunded, that is planned to be installed on the legislature grounds near the spot Treaty 6 was signed before Alberta became a province. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said the city's public art office will coordinate conservation of the statue, and the city will work with its heritage experts to decide on next steps. "Some historical monuments, here as elsewhere, are at the heart of current emotional debates. I reiterate that it's better to put them in context rather than remove them. I am also in favour of adding monuments that are more representative of the society to which we aspire," she wrote on Twitter. The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Saturday, said his administration will introduce death sentence for reckless drivers following the death of 15 of his supporters in a road accident after they welcomed him to Tsafe Local Government Area. The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Muhammed Shehu, said the accident occurred on Wednesday along Sokoto-Gusau road in Tsafe. He said the police have commenced an investigation into the matter. Also, the governors spokesperson, Zailani Bappa, said the victims of the crash are supporters of the governor from Tsafe Local Government Area who assembled and welcomed the governors entourage which returned from Abuja on Wednesday evening. While we were approaching Gusau, we got the news of the crash and the governor ordered for a u-turn and went to the accident scene and saw many trailers that are coming from Sokoto, one of them lost control and ran into three vehicles, Mr Bappa said. The scene of the crash was gory and some of the victims were rushed to the hospital, the official added. The governor in a statement on Saturday through his Director Media, Public Enlightenment and Communication, Yusuf Idris, promised to reintroduce death sentence on reckless drivers in the state. The governor stated this when he led members of his executive council and the management of BUA Group of industries on a condolence visit to the Emir of Gusau, Ibrahim Bello, over the death of the 15 people. Such new law will also ensure that such reckless drivers will be compelled by law to pay compensation on every life lost, he said. The governor also announced a donation of N2 million to families of each of the deceased who had a wife and N1.5 million to families of those unmarried among the deceased. The governor also said he will put the next of kin of each of the victims on a monthly allowance of N50,000 each. He said the beneficiaries will remain on the states payroll till the end of his tenure as governor of the state. READ ALSO: He said his administration will introduce speed limit gauge on highways as well as weight measurement on trucks and drug tests on drivers in order to guard against rough and reckless driving. Mr Matawalle urged the management of BUA company to call their drivers to order and caution them on the acceptable speed limit. Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of Gov. Mattawalle] Earlier, the team leader from BUA, Aminu Suleiman, said they were in the state to condole with the government, Gusau emirate, people of the state and the immediate families of those who were killed as a result of the accident involving the companys driver. He prayed Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased and for the government and people of the state to take heart over the unfortunate incident. In his response, the Emir of Gusau, Mr Bello, thanked Governor Matawalle and BUA company for their concern. He said every life must taste death and as Muslims, such happenings are usually seen as an act of Allah who knows best why they happen at the time they happen. A pro-Trump demonstrator was murdered last night in Portland, as a BLM crowd cheered the news. While we will know a lot more after an official investigation, preliminary video evidence seems to indicate that the member of a group called Patriot Prayer was deliberately murdered, perhaps even hunted down. Listen for yourself to the words shouted just before shots are heard: It sounds like someone is shouting, We got a Trumper right here just before the shots are fired and the man is killed. pic.twitter.com/MMCnp5iwtj Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020 More video, from a different angle here, with possibly the same words semi-audible: Here is video recorded from a distance of the shooting. pic.twitter.com/wtxItCDMay Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020 Victim being attended (Twitter video screen grab) Listen to the BLM speaker and crowd celebrate the news: Black Lives Matter celebrated the news that a pro-police, Patriot Prayer member was killed: pic.twitter.com/PZEi6CiWFl Brett MacDonald (@TweetBrettMac) August 30, 2020 The left wing propaganda media naturally are obfuscating the crime. The New York Times headlines, Deadly Shooting in Portland After Pro-Trump Ralliers Clash With Protesters, faintly implying that responsibility lies with the pro-Trump crowd who are the subject of the verb clash. Below the headline, it took the Times 150 words of passive voice prose that failed to differentiate aggressor from victim before admitting that the deceased could have been a Trump supporter. A caravan of supporters of President Trump drove through downtown Portland, which has seen nightly protests against police violence and racial injustice. One person was shot and killed in the conflicts that erupted. A man was shot and killed Saturday as a large group of supporters of President Trump traveled in a caravan through downtown Portland, Ore., which has seen nightly protests for three consecutive months. The pro-Trump rally drew hundreds of trucks full of supporters into the city. At times, Trump supporters and counterprotesters clashed on the streets, with people shooting paintball guns from the beds of pickup trucks and protesters throwing objects back at them. A video that purports to be of the shooting, taken from the far side of the street, showed a small group of people in the road outside what appears to be a parking garage. Gunfire erupts, and a man collapses in the street. Finally, when identifying the victim, the Times takes care to make sure readers know that his group was far-right and had been clashing with protestors in the past: The man who was shot and killed was wearing a hat with the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a far-right group based in Portland that has clashed with protesters in the past. It reminds me of comments about a rape victim having worn a short skirt. Faiz Siddiqui of the Washington Post went even farther in blaming the victim: pro-Trump supporters precipitated the violence by getting out of vehicles surrounded by BLM protesters That a murder has finally taken place is no surprise, nor, I fear, will it be unique for long. Left wingers like BLM and Antifa have been escalating their level of violence against Trump supporters. The Washington Free Beacon has compiled a list of 7 examples of violence and intimidation this week, including the failed effort to trap and seal Seattle police officers in a precinct station and burn it. But there are others they missed, including the mob surrounding Sen. Rand Paul and his wife Kelley following the presidents acceptance speech at the White House and the harassment of other guests by members of a mob that was staying at an expensive DC hotel, and this flag burning next to sleeping children that could easily have resulted in a tragic fatal fire. David Paulin asks: Wouldn't this be justification for Trump to send in the military under the Insurrection Act? Previous presidents sent in troops when black Americans were being attacked and harassed, and when local Democrat officials refused to do anything about it. How is this different? It is time to call to account Nancy Pelosi and other Dems for egging on extremists, not just failing to condemn them, which is bad enough. Hat tip: Ed Lasky (Newser) Marchers in Montreal toppled a statue of Canada's first prime minister Saturday and sent his head flying, the Montreal Gazette reports. The event began peacefully with about 200 activists walking through downtown in support of changes to police fundingbut when they reached Place du Canada, a large urban square, people in the group pulled down John A. Macdonald's statue. A tweeted video shows onlookers screaming with delight as the head goes bouncing. "Sir John A. Macdonald was a white supremacist who orchestrated the genocide of Indigenous peoples with the creation of the brutal residential schools system, as well as promoting other measures that attacked Indigenous peoples and traditions," reads a leaflet handed to a CBC reporter. story continues below The leaftlet also mentions an online petition with over 46,000 signatures urging Montreal's mayor to remove the statue. Quebec officials didn't respond well to the incident, with Premier Francois Legault tweeting that "whatever one might think of John A. Macdonald, destroying a monument in this way is unacceptable. We must fight racism, but destroying parts of our history is not the solution." Legault vowed to have the statue repaired and returned. No arrests were made, but police dispersed the crowd after Macdonald came down. The Montreal march was one of a nationwide group of protests assembled by the Coalition for BIPOC Liberation; BIPOC is an acronym for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. (Read more statues stories.) Ahead of electioneering for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, BJP chief JP Nadda on Saturday chaired a virtual meeting, in which party leaders in the State who are MPs were present. Bihar BJP President Sanjay Jaiswal said that every MP will visit two panchayats every day in September to prepare for the elections. Jaiswal further said that all the MPs will also meet the district officials separately. There will be virtual meetings in every block and every MP has the responsibility to conduct these meetings, he added. Earlier on August 23, Nadda addressed the Bihar BJP State working committee via video conferencing and said that BJP, and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will fight elections together under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and win the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. BJP, JDU, and LJP will fight elections together and win. We have to add value not only to BJP but to our alliance partners also, Nadda had said addressing Bihar BJP State Karyasamiti via video conferencing. The party, aiming to retain power in the state, has asked former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to go visit the election-bound state. Bihar has 243 Assembly constituencies and elections in the state are due in October-November as the tenure of the current Assembly is scheduled to end on November 29. The Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar due to coronavirus pandemic and has sought suggestions from political parties. Worker at Sydney Police Complex Has Virus A COVID-19 cluster in Sydneys CBD has grown to 28 as authorities investigate how a staff member at the Surry Hills Police Cells Complex caught the virus. New South Wales (NSW) recorded seven new cases overnight on Sunday with five infections linked to the fitness hotspot including a close contact of a prior diagnosed member. One new case is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine while a student at a western Sydney high school has also tested positive. St Pauls Catholic College in Greystanes will be closed on Monday for cleaning, NSW Health said on Sunday. People who attended the City Tattersalls gym in the Sydney CBD between 8am and 2pm on August 19, 21, 23, 24, and 25 are now considered close contacts and must isolate themselves and get tested immediately. People who exercised at Virgin Active gyms on Pitt and Margaret Streets between 5pm and 6.40pm on August 25 and 26 are also urged to remain alert. Authorities are also investigating the source of an infection acquired by a staff member at the Surry Hills Police Cells Complex. An alert issued by NSW Health said the Health and Forensic Mental Health Network is taking appropriate health and safety measures. As a precaution, NSW Health has advised people living or working in the Greater Sydney metropolitan area and Central Coast to refrain from visiting aged care facilities until September 12. The preventative measure to keep the virus from infiltrating nursing homes and affecting the vulnerable elderly residents will mean many will be denied a visit on Fathers Day. Meanwhile, three Sydney schools that closed on Friday after staff members contracted the virus will re-open on Monday. They include Homebush Public School, Double Bay Public School and Ryde Secondary College. There are 66 active COVID-19 cases in the state, including six who are in intensive care, of whom three are on ventilators. AAP ALBANY The University at Albany has suspended four students after investigating off-campus parties where campus leaders fear coronavirus could get a toehold. A fifth student has been thrown out of campus housing for an on-campus incident but can continue to attend classes, college officials said. The moves come as fall classes resumed at the university and as some students spent evening hours at off-campus parties. Since last weekend, the university had a number of staff members touring off-campus student housing areas looking for violations of social distancing and mask-wearing rules. College officials around the state fear a return of college students - and parties tied to student life - will trigger a burst of new coronavirus cases and force the closure of campus. State University of New York Chancellor James Malatras on Sunday said SUNY Oneonta's campus will be closed for two weeks while the state deals with an outbreak among more than 100 students and faculty members. Five students and three campus organizations were suspended at Oneonta for hosting parties An UAlbany student tested positive for the coronavirus two weeks ago but it was unclear if anyone has gotten sick after attending an off-campus party or an illegal on-campus gathering. "We have a collective moral obligation to protect the health of the community we call home, and there is no margin for carelessness," UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez said in a written statement released Sunday. "The vast majority of UAlbany students are taking this obligation seriously because they understand the stakes and know that being on campus is a privilege. It is time for the rest to get on board, or go home." Rodriguez said the dean of students office had staff "on the ground" in midtown this weekend. In addition to scrutinizing the midtown neighborhoods popular as off-campus housing, the office was "reviewing social media posts in an effort to identify any members of our community acting irresponsibly." "Any UAlbany students found to have endangered those around them by disregarding common sense public health precautions will face serious penalties up to and including suspension or dismissal," he said. Albany has an off-campus community popular with students that is tucked in housing near the downtown UAlbany campus and the College of Saint Rose. Late Friday and early Saturday, a reporter and photographer from the Times Union visited the area around Hudson Avenue and Quail Street, spotting many students wearing face masks but others were not. Many gathered in clusters outside of homes. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. New kind of weekend for returning college students in corona era Albany Police Department cruisers drove around the neighborhood, patrolling and waiting to remind students of the ban on having more than 50 of their friends over to hang out. Rodriguez was outraged by the scene UAlbany staff found. "The large gatherings this weekend in midtown Albany should anger anyone concerned about the health of our community. And they should embarrass anyone who participated in them," he said. UAlbany urged anyone who attended parties whether or not they are UAlbany students to monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested for COVID-19. UAlbany students can get tested through Student Health Services, the New York State COVID-19 hotline (1-888-364-3065) or by visiting https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov. The results of testing and contact tracing will not be shared with the student conduct office, the university promised. The city of Sugar Land will meet in regular session Tuesday, Sept. 1, with the citys budget up for discussion in a public hearing. The meeting is scheduled to convene at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting will air via livestream at www.sugarlandtx.gov/1238/SLTV-16-Live-Video or www.youtube.com/user/SugarLandTXgov/live. Sugar Land Comcast Cable Subscribers can also tune-in on Channel 16. In order to comment, members of the public may submit written comments to be read during the public portions of the meeting. The comments should be submitted to the city secretary at citysec@sugarlandtx.gov. Comments must be received by 3 p.m. Tuesday. The public hearing on the budget is expected to start about 6 p.m. For those wishing to comment during the public hearing, send an email to city secretary or call 281-275-2730. Once registered, the City Secretarys Office will provide instructions on participation. The proposed budget for fiscal year 2021 totals $254.4 million with $226.9 million for operating funds and issuance costs, and $27.5 million is for capital projects, including the first projects from the voter approved General Obligation Bond Program. In November 2019, voters approved $90.76 million in General Obligation bonds in four propositions: $47.6 million for drainage. $26.3 million for public safety facilities. $10.26 million for street improvements. $6.6 million for a new animal shelter. For more information, go to www.sugarlandtx.gov. Rosenberg City Council The Rosenberg City Council will meet in regular session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, via telephone/video conference. To join the meeting toll free call 833-548-0276 or 888-788-0099. The meeting ID is 822 1831 2482 and the topic is Rosenberg City Council Meeting. City Council meetings are broadcast live on Comcast Channel 16 within the city limits, via the citys website at rosenbergtx.gov/tv and the citys YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/yy4lra7a. The Council is expected to consider the citys budget for Fiscal Year 2021. The FY2021 proposed budget includes total expenditures for all funds in the amount of $85,906,786. For more information go to www.rosenbergtx.gov. County commission The Fort Bend County Commission will meet in regular session at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1. A live stream of the meeting can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/yylkyd4t. For more information or to view the agenda of the meeting go to https://tinyurl.com/y6teojtn. OakBend COVID testing OakBend Medical Group decided to temporarily close its COVID-19 testing site in Sugar Land last week in anticipation of Hurricane Lauras possible arrival in the region. The hospital reportedly will reopen its Sugar Land testing site Monday, Aug. 31. The site is located at 4911 Sandhill Drive in Sugar Land. For more information go to www.oakbendmedicalgroup.com. rkent@hcnonline.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:21:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Midea Group, a leading Chinese home appliance manufacturer, reported declines in both revenue and net profit in the first half of 2020 (H1) as the COVID-19 epidemic hit its business. Net profit attributable to its shareholders totaled 13.9 billion yuan (about 2 billion U.S. dollars) in the January-June period, down 8.29 percent year on year, Midea said in its interim financial report filed with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. During the six months, the company generated total revenue of 139.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.47 percent, according to the interim report. Enditem Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has warned Democrats that they seem to be engaging in the same election-losing mistakes they did in 2016, after new polls show President Trump's popularity among swing state voters is on the rise. Back in 2016, Moore was one of a handful of political activists who had predicted that Trump would defeat Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton at the polls. And in a Facebook post Friday, Moore said it is starting to look like Trump could pull off another win, as he urged people to register to vote. Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore (pictured) warned that President Trump could win the election again as a new poll showed that his numbers were on the rise in swing states The poll, which was conducted in mid-August, showed Trump at 48 per cent and Biden at 49 per cent among registered voters in battleground states 'Sorry to have to provide the reality check again, but when CNN polled registered voters in August in just the swing states, Biden and Trump were in a virtual tie. In Minnesota, its 47-47. In Michigan, where Biden had a big lead, Trump has closed the gap to 4 points,' Moore wrote. He then asked: 'Are you ready for a Trump victory? Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again? Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust youve placed in the DNC to pull this off?' Moore noted that the confidence was misplaced, as it seemed like the Democrats are heading down the path of making the same mistakes they made during Clinton's campaign. 'The Biden campaign just announced hell be visiting a number of states but not Michigan. Sound familiar?' he asked. Moore warned that people needed to go out and register to vote in order to avoid Trump (pictured) repeating his 2016 win because the Democrats can't oust him on their own Moore made his sentiments known in a Facebook post, adding a screenshot of the CNN poll Clinton was heavily criticized for not putting enough time and attention into swing states Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which observers blamed in part for costing her the election. The traditionally Democrat states wound up going to Trump by very thin margins. Pennsylvania and Michigan last voted Republican in 1988 with George HW Bush, while Wisconsin hadn't gone red since 1984 with Ronald Reagan. Moore then got to the crux of the matter. 'Im warning you almost 10 weeks in advance. The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trumps base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much,' Moore wrote. 'Dont leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump. YOU have to get rid of Trump. WE have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote. ACT NOW!' Moore accompanied his Facebook post with a screenshot of the poll results, showing Biden at 49 per cent and Trump at 48 per cent among registered voters in battleground states. Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin are considered swing or battleground states because votes are often very close between candidates in those states. In October 2016, just weeks before the election, Moore - a Bernie Sander supporter - had told attendees at a screening that 'Trumps election is going to be the biggest f**k you ever recorded in human history and it will feel good,' Moore said, according to Salon, while referring to lower- and middle-class voters who felt like they were being ignored. 'Whether Trump means it or not is kind of irrelevant because he's saying the things to people who are hurting, and that's why every beaten-down, nameless, forgotten working stiff who used to be part of what was called the middle class loves Trump,' Moore said. 'He is the human Molotov cocktail that they've been waiting for, the human hand grenade that they can legally throw into the system that stole their lives from them.' In February 2016, months before President Donald Trump was elected, First Lady Melania Trump was interviewed by MSNBC. She talked about her previous work as a fashion model, and she also said that she spoke multiple languages, namely Italian, French, English, Slovene, and German. Melania Trump's linguistic skills After the interview, social media posts and news articles declared her as a very skillful linguist. A lot of people are now wondering if it is true that she can speak five languages. Melania Trump was born in the Central European country of Slovenia, and she worked as a fashion model in different European countries before she traveled to New York City in 1996. In 2001, she attained permanent U.S residency through what is colloquially known as the "Einstein visa," which is a green card given to immigrants with amazing abilities. In 2006, she became a U.S citizen. Also Read: Ryan Seacrest Health Scare: 'American Idol' Host Dying from Uncurable Disease? The First Lady has given a lot of interviews and speeches in English as an American public figure. The public is now curious if there is any evidence that she speaks the languages that she claims she knows, as some are doubting her claims of being multilingual. The evidence In May 2017, President Trump, Melania Trump, and Ivanka Trump visited Pope Francis in Rome. A news clip captured the Pope asking the first lady in Italian what she feeds her husband. Melania Trump did not appear to understand the question until a translator repeated it in English. The video was posted by Inside Edition. During the same trip, Melania Trump visited a children's hospital but did not speak Italian aside from rudimentary phrases, while speaking in English with the children for the rest of the time. Even when she said some Italian phrases, she employed the incorrect conjugation. The video was posted by Rome Reports. Also, when President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited France, a video of the event was posted by The Telegraph, and it was captioned "Melania Trump speaks French" but it did not capture her saying much more than "Hello" and the phrase "My name is Melania" in French. There are no videos of her speaking German. She attended the G20 summit dinner in 2017, and she talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who can speak English and German, but it was not reported what language they used while conversing. According to AMERICAblog Editor John Aravosis, who is also multilingual, if Melania Trump is really distinctive among all the U.S first ladies with her fluency in multiple languages, she would at least demonstrate her skill by briefly engaging locals in conversations in their native languages when she went to Europe with the President, but she didn't. Basically, the claim that the First Lady can speak multiple languages is deemed "unproven" since there is no concrete evidence that she could speak the languages that she claims to know. The only two languages that she is undeniably fluent in are English and Slovene since it is her native language. The White House also did not release any statement regarding her claim, and no other videos were posted of her speaking in Italian and French, except during her visit to Europe. Related Article: TikTok CEO Resigns Following President Trump's Threat to Ban App @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dan Caldwell is a Navy veteran, served on the Clinton-Gore transition Team with Dr. Joseph Kruzel, and is currently distinguished professor of political science at Pepperdine University. Im not ready to cancel 2020, Alex Lofton, better known in Mobile as Huggy Bear da Poet, told an audience of about 100 Saturday afternoon in Mobiles Mardi Gras Park. Because 10 years down the road were going to look at 2020 as the year everything changed. The pendulum shifted. Loftons poetry provided some of the fieriest moments of a generally calm demonstration organized by Mobile For Us. Active in recent months since the controversial police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the groups primary priority has been calling for police reform. Saturdays event was in part a response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in another disputed police encounter in Kenosha, Wis. Loftons imagery about the fear of unfair policing in Black communities, and the toll that fear takes, found a sympathetic audience. Lofton said he felt good about the fact that the turnout for an event with a Black Lives Matter theme was about two-thirds white. Thats inspiring, he said. I feel hope. According to promotional information, Mobile For Us presented the event in conjunction with the Central Gulf Coast Peoples Council, the South Alabama Alliance of Workers, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (Central Gulf Coast); Planned Parenthood also was among groups represented. As we continue to fight Americas toxic culture of policing and systemic violence and oppression of the state, police departments continue to prove that they are not capable of incorporating these lessons and demands on their own -- our current methods of policing must be abolished, we cannot rely on committees and reform groups that work inside alongside the force, Mobile For Now posted in advance of the event. The physical and psychological attack on Jacob Blake and his young family is the most recent example. After his assault and the resulting protestors casualties from want-to-be cop, we stand in solidarity and support the Kenosha protestors This action will also begin to address the housing/eviction crisis intensified by the pandemic, in which capital is prioritized over human lives. Tiffany Trotter of Mobile For Us, at left, speaks to the crowd at a demonstration held Saturday, Aug. 29, in Mardi Gras Park. The event was organized in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Organizer Tiffany Trotter of Mobile For Us criticized the slow pace at which the Mobile Police Department has been releasing redacted portions of its policies and procedures. She also told the crowd that the call to defund police didnt mean to leave them unable to work. Instead it meant focusing police on their core mission and increasing funding for social service agencies that could prevent crime in the long run. Im saying demilitarize the police, she said. Trotter said that for her, cases like Jacob Blake -- whatever the disputed circumstances -- took her all the way back to the case of Trayvon Martin, a Black teen fatally shot by a member of a neighborhood community watch in 2012. That was my first murder, she said. That was my Emmitt Till. I was 11. Its happened again and again and again and again, she said. Im tired of doing this. Police maintained stand-off presence around the event, with vehicles stationed at nearby intersections. ESSEXVILLE>> Consumers Energy demolished a coal-fired power plant in Bay County that provided electricity for 76 years. Residents watched as the Weadock Plant came down Saturday near Essexville, at the mouth of Saginaw Bay. Coal plants in general they served the state of Michigan very well. But theyve come to the end of their useful life. Were closing one era and were opening a new one, said Dennis Dobbs, a vice president at Consumers Energy, referring to cleaner sources of energy. The plant, which was named for J.C. Weadock, a company founding father, burned about 1 million tons of coal per year and could generate up to 310 megawatts of electricity. The smokestacks were landmarks for boaters on the bay and the Saginaw River. The plants 1940 dedication ceremony was a campaign rally of sorts for Wendell Wilkie, president of the utility giant that then owned Consumers Power, the company said. Wilkie, the Republican nominee, lost the election to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks during a high-level meeting on Tibet work in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to build a new modern socialist Tibet. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the comments at the two-day seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, which ended in Beijing Saturday. Xi underlined the need to fully implement the CPC's policies on governing Tibet for a new era. Xi called for efforts to ensure national security and enduring peace and stability, steadily improve people's lives, maintain a good environment, solidify border defense and ensure frontier security. Efforts must be made to build a new modern socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, Xi said. Since the sixth symposium in 2015, Tibet has made comprehensive progress and historic achievements in its various undertakings, Xi said, noting achieving sustained stability and rapid development in Tibet constitutes a major contribution to the overall work of the Party and the state. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, policies on governing Tibet for a new era have taken shape, Xi said, stressing that the CPC leadership, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the system of regional ethnic autonomy must be upheld to carry out work related to Tibet. Work related to Tibet must focus on safeguarding national unity and strengthening ethnic solidarity, Xi said. More education and guidance should be provided for the public to mobilize their participation in combating separatist activities, thus forging an ironclad shield to safeguard stability, Xi noted. Xi stressed that patriotism should be incorporated into the whole process of education in all schools. He called for continuous efforts to enhance recognition of the great motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics by people of all ethnic groups. Tibetan Buddhism should be guided in adapting to the socialist society and should be developed in the Chinese context, Xi said. While stressing the implementation of the new development philosophy, Xi noted that efforts should be sped up to advance high-quality development. More work, measures and support are needed to consolidate the achievements made in poverty alleviation, Xi said. A number of major infrastructure projects and public service facilities will be completed, including the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, Xi said. Conserving the ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the greatest contribution to the survival and development of the Chinese nation, Xi said, emphasizing that scientific research should be further advanced on the plateau. He also stressed strengthening the building of leadership teams at all levels, cadre teams and primary-level Party organizations in order to improve the capacity to respond to major struggles and prevent major risks. Cadres and workers in Tibet should be cared for and supporting policies regarding their income, housing, medical care and retirement, as well as education for their children, should be further improved and well implemented, Xi noted. Xi stressed a long-term commitment to the CPC Central Committee's policy to ensure Tibet has support from the central authorities and assistance from the whole country. Continued and increasing support will be offered to Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces in their Tibet-related work, Xi said. Other senior Chinese leaders were at the symposium, which was presided over by Li Keqiang. Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng were in attendance, while Wang Yang spoke to sum up the event. Xi's speech at the symposium is a guiding document on Tibet-related work in a new era, Li Keqiang said while presiding over the event. In his concluding speech, Wang Yang also called for efforts to study Xi's speech, which laid out fundamental rules for carrying out Tibet-related work in a new era. A dad 'with a heart of gold' has tragically died in hospital from severe injuries after running into his burning home to save his family's beloved pet dogs. Wayne Rare, 54, and his wife Toni, 51, and children Ziggy, 25, and Jacinta, 23, were asleep inside their Moona Road home in Kirrawee, in Sydney's south, when a fire started. Emergency services were called following reports of a house fire early on Saturday morning, with all four family members managing to escape. A brave Mr Rare ran back into the home in hopes of saving his dogs Blaze, a husky, and Ilo, a staffy. Only Blaze survived the inferno. Wayne Rare, 54, has died after running back into his burning Kirrawee home (pictured), in Sydney's south, to save his beloved pet dogs Mr Rare suffered critical injuries and was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital where he later died. His partner Toni suffered smoke inhalation and remains heavily sedated at St George Hospital in a critical but stable condition, Daily Telegraph reported. The two children have already been discharged after being treated for smoke inhalation. Diaz Nailer, a family friend and former neighbour said Mr Rare tried everything to get to the pet dogs who were treated like family. 'Wayne with his heart of gold ran back inside to try and retrieve their family dogs, but he couldn't get to them,' she said. 'It all happened so fast.' Blaze and Ilo (pictured) could not be saved after the dad 'with a heart of gold' ran into the home in hopes of retrieving them Mr Rare, his partner Toni, 51, and children Ziggy, 25, and Jacinta, 23, were asleep inside their Moona Road in Kirrawee in Sydney's south home when a fire started. (pictured) Ms Nailer launched a GoFundMe page for the family, who lost everything in the devastating fire. 'They are the most beautiful family, who welcome people into their lives with open arms,' she said 'The family is just distraught and they have lost everything they literally have nothing left. Police are continuing their investigation into the house fire. Calvin Duncan Duncan is a first-year law student at Lewis & Clark Law School. He was on the legal team that brought Ramos v. Louisiana challenging the constitutionality of nonunanimous jury verdicts to the U.S. Supreme Court. He lives in Portland. When I was lying on my bunk in Angola prison, the maximum-security facility in Louisiana, my dream of coming back to Oregon sustained me. I missed the parks, the hiking trails and the friendly people. In 1982, I was 19 years old and learning the welding trade at the Job Corps program at Mt. Hood. I was planning to join the military. But someone called an anonymous tip line in New Orleans, my hometown, and said that a negro male with my name had committed a murder the previous year. I spent 28 years in prison for a crime I didnt commit. When lawyers with the Innocence Project New Orleans uncovered exculpatory evidence that the prosecutors hid from my lawyers, the Louisiana Supreme Court sent the case back to the trial court. The prosecutor then offered me a deal in exchange for my release. Now, Im back in Oregon as a first-year law student at Lewis & Clark Law School. While I was in prison, I was paid 20 cents an hour to help other men with their legal cases. Decades ago, I spotted a legal issue that put a lot of people behind bars unfairly. Louisiana allowed defendants to be sent to prison, sometimes for life, based on jury verdicts of 10-2 or 11-1. The only other state to recognize guilty verdicts by nonunanimous juries was Oregon. I knew plenty of guys who were innocent, but had been convicted by nonunanimous juries. In any other state or the federal system, they would not have been convicted because the government failed to meet its burden of proof. In Louisiana, the split-jury rule was adopted by a Jim Crow era constitutional convention in order to perpetuate the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race, according to official state records. In Oregon, as the U.S. Supreme Court recently observed, the rule permitting non-unanimous verdicts can similarly be traced to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and efforts to dilute the influence of racial, ethnic and religious minorities on Oregon juries. As Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote, the rule had just that effect in both states: allowing 10 jurors to simply ignore the views of their fellow panel members of a different race or class. As a jailhouse lawyer, I filed petition after petition challenging nonunanimous juries. I lost and lost. Even after I was released, I continued trying. Finally, on my 23rd attempt, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to address the issue, and on April 20, in Ramos v. Louisiana, the court struck down Oregon and Louisianas split-jury rule and said that from now on, jury verdicts must be unanimous. The ruling was an incredible victory. But its incomplete. The Supreme Court ruling entitles people convicted by nonunanimous juries to a new trial untainted by racism if their case is on direct appeal those cases in which convictions are under initial reviews by an appellate court. But when it comes to people whose cases are older, the law is murkier. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum appears to be taking the stance that those people are out of luck. Her office has already fought a Marion County mans attempt to challenge his 2016 conviction by a nonunanimous jury, arguing that the Ramos decision should not apply retroactively to older cases like his. And theres little to suggest her office will act any differently for the hundreds of other defendants in prison due to split jury verdicts who are filing their cases now. Rosenblums decision means that people will languish in prison based on an unconstitutional rule that Justice Sonia Sotomayor called racially biased and Justice Kavanaugh called an engine of discrimination. Rosenblum has the power to make this right. She can acknowledge the injustice of maintaining the nonunanimous jury verdict standard for older cases just as she has already acknowledged its injustice for cases still in the direct appeals process. As Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in striking down nonunanimous juries, it is wrong to perpetuate something we all know to be wrong only because we fear the consequences of being right. If Black lives and the lives of other minorities matter to the attorney general, she will do the right thing and give the benefit of Ramos v. Louisiana -- a new trial -- to all of those convicted by racially tainted nonunanimous juries, even those whose cases are beyond direct appeal. Subscribe to our free weekly Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Minsk, Belarus, on August 30, reports said, against President Alexander Lukashenko, whose disputed re-election sparked 22 days of protests in the country. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that a number of people were detained as protesters marched toward Independence Square for a rally dubbed the Peace and Independence March. Riot police blocked crowds from advancing toward several areas of the city, the report said. Anti-government protests were ignited after it was announced on August 9 that President Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected for a sixth term. He has been in power since 1994. The main opposition candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, claimed the vote was rigged. Credit: TUT.BY via Storyful A health worker takes a swab sample from a man to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at a testing camp in a residential area, in Chennai. AFP Photo The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns dampened the spirit of Chennai Malayalis to celebrate the annual harvest festival Onam. As many as 5 lakh Malayalis including around 90 Malayalee associations in the city had always rejoiced and celebrated Onam with various programmes and fervour that could last at least three months. But the Pandemic and subsequent restrictions have forced them to confine themselves behind the doors and celebrate online. Though it was a harvesting festival just like Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Onam is the reminder of the golden era of governance by the Asura King Mahabali who was known for secularism generosity. Each and every Malayali household spread across the world prepares flower carpets and sumptuous sadya and sings Onam songs on Thiruvonam day to receive Mahabali as he makes a visit to his state from the Netherworld to watch his prajas during Onam. The legend says Vamana, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, sent Mahabali to netherworld by stomping on his head after he failed to provide three-feet of land to conduct Yagnya (fire sacrifice) We celebrate Onam this year only online, says P.N. Sreekumar, General Secretary, Chennai-based All India Malayali Association. Usually Chennai Malayalis celebrate Onam in grand fashion with three-month long cultural festivities. But this year everything went upside down due to the pandemic. However, we had the opportunity to perform Thiruvathira, making of flower carpet and singing Onam songs on the Doordarsans Tamil Channel for a one-hour show that will be aired on Monday. Since Chennnai was in complete lockdown on Sunday, all Malayali families have preferred to conduct Uthradam shopping on Saturday. We have decided to organise some online celebration for our members on Thiruvonam day, he said. For Suja Ajayakumar, an entrepreneur, Onam is an emotional matter. She says whatever it happens in the world she will celebrate Onam with new clothes, pookalam(flower carpet) and the traditional Malayali sadya that includes Sambar, Avial, Khichdi, Pachadi, and Kalan Yes, the pandemic has indeed dampened the spirit of Onam. For at least 40percent of Chennai Malayalis Onam was an occasion of reunion of their relatives in ancestral homes in Kerala. But the Pandemic and subsequent travel restriction wiped out all such joyous moments, forcing them to celebrate a low-key Onam this year, she said. Subash, a domestic help in Chennai from Kannur, says he could not join his family during this Onam due to the travel restrictions. This year I could not shop anything for my children from Chennai. We have decided to conduct a low key celebration because its time everybody is responsible to deal with virus, he said. A fire burning in Spains Andalusia region has scorched thousands of hectares and forced more than 3,000 residents to evacuate as of Sunday, August 30, local media reported. The fire began in the mountains of the province Huelva, and has now burned at least 10,000 hectares of forest, reports said. This video, released by the Andalusia fire service, shows flames consuming brush as firefighters assess the blaze. Andalusian President Juan Manuel Moreno described the fire as the nightmare of the summer in Andalusia, according to reports. Credit: @Plan_INFOCA via Storyful Advertisement For the study, researchers reviewed hospital records in New York and Florida, two states with diverse populations. They identified a total of 5,567 new cases of cerebral venous thrombosis diagnosed between 2006 to 2016. Researchers then used U.S. Census data to identify total population numbers for those states as well as the country overall to calculate the incidence of CVT in the United States. They also looked at data for all strokes and the percentage of strokes caused by CVT.It is important to note that not all cases of CVT lead to stroke, and stroke from CVT is rare. In this study, researchers found that an average of 0.66% of all stroke hospitalizations during the decade were due to CVT and the proportion increased 70% over time, going from 0.47% at the start of the study to 0.80% at the end of the study.Researchers found that the incidence of CVT cases in the U.S. overall rose from an estimated 13.9 cases per million in 2006 to an estimated 20.2 cases per million in 2014. Cases among all men increased by 9.2%. Cases in women age 45 and older rose by 7.8%, with a 7.8% increase in women age 45 to 64 and a 7.4% increase in those 65 and older. The proportion of cases among women age 18 to 44 remained the same.Researchers also found that the incidence of CVT in Black people was higher than in people from other self-identified racial or ethnic groups. From 2010 to 2016, Black people had an estimated of 23 cases per million compared to 17 cases per million in white people, 14 cases per million in Hispanic people, and 9 cases per million in Asian people.Otite said,A limitation of the study was that it likely underestimated the number of cases of CVT since researchers used a hospital database to identify people diagnosed with the disease and therefore did not capture mild cases of CVT where people did not go to the hospital.Source: Eurekalert The quarantine view from bedroom windows has pushed many people to peer more closely at our neighborhoods. We notice who lives downstairs, who runs our favorite coffee shops, who sleeps on our streets. We become aware of the daily interactions we miss, as well as the neighbors we never bothered to get to know. The Bay Area has long been a place of comers and goers. Indeed, many of us who live here can attest to that vaguely ominous backdrop of a ticking clock: pre-pandemic commutes that consumed our waking hours, rents that feel untenable and widening inequality. Coronavirus, along with issues highlighted through the protests following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, have made these dynamics more acute and urgent. A lot of the positive things we attribute to homeownership being a good neighbor, knowing your neighbors, becoming involved in your community these are not actually about ownership. Theyre largely about stability, says Brian McCabe, a sociologist at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who studies urban planning. Here in the Bay Area, stability already felt like a luxury for the few a reality amplified by coronavirus and systemic racism. As tech behemoths like Twitter and Facebook allow their employees to work remotely, theres speculation about a mass exodus from the Bay Area. Surely, some will leave already, inbound migration to San Francisco has dipped since last year but plenty desperately want to stay. And they want to live in a community thats reimagined. Across the Bay Area, residents are envisioning how a region at its breaking point can use this tumultuous moment to rebuild a more equitable society. At the core of their considerations are the questions that feel fundamental to the heartbeat of the Bay Area and foundational to its future: Who gets to stay? How will our communities change? Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle In Donna Hunters eyes, the San Francisco shes known and loved has been swept up by a wave of transience. The 60-year-old Stanford University lecturer has lived in the Mission District for 19 years in a rent-controlled apartment that she jokes shell never leave. Staying at home has crystallized Hunters focus on her neighborhood, making her aware of how little she knows the people on her block. As highly paid tech workers have flooded her community, its grown to feel like a place where newcomers simply pass through. As its gotten younger, its also gotten whiter. These are people who are itinerant livers, says Hunter, whose father was Black and mother a German immigrant. I want to feel like people are invested in the neighborhood and the community more than just here for a job and to go to the trendiest new restaurant. Hunter is first to admit that her simmering resentment toward tech people dissuades her from connecting with those neighbors. Her frustration has mounted as shes watched longtime residents get priced out to be replaced with absentee neighbors who rent their homes as Airbnbs or dont live there full-time. That frustration is coupled with nostalgia: Its not a town full of progressives anymore, she says. Why am I so angry about it? I feel like the diversity has been lost. Now Playing: Donna Hunter Video: San Francisco Chronicle To Hunter, nothing encapsulates this sentiment more than the rigid divide she sees between the Missions lower-income renters and wealthy homeowners. But as she began to deliver groceries to at-risk neighbors through coronavirus mutual aid programs, she remembered what a cohesive community felt like and wonders if this crisis will be a turning point. Post-COVID, she craves a community that is present. If remote workers leave, she hopes the Mission will fill with people who intend to stick around though its hard to be sure whether theyll have the means to. Are those the people who are going to stay? Now Playing: Alina Musgrave Video: San Francisco Chronicle Alina Musgrave is one of the people trying to hang on. The 31-year-old managed a store on Fillmore Street that went out of business during the pandemic. Musgrave, who identifies as Latina, calls herself a nomad of the Bay Area. She grew up shuffling between her parents homes in Vacaville and Mill Valley, and lived in Oakland before moving to the Richmond District last year. Observing the intricacies of different communities has made her value the one shes chosen. Musgrave often hears Russian and Mandarin throughout her neighborhood, and sees faces that look different from hers. I grew up speaking three languages, and I love hearing different languages all around me, Musgrave says. This welcoming pull and affordability are what drew her to the neighborhood. I think thats pretty much why we all live out here, Musgrave says. Many neighbors also work in service or retail, and she finds comfort in living among people with similar incomes. When asked why, she sits in a long pause. Its hard to explain, Musgrave says slowly. Each time a new luxury apartment complex crops up nearby, she feels a pang of anxiety along with a rush of gratitude that she has a place to live. Rising rents are a lingering existential threat for Musgrave and her neighbors. I know Im not alone in those feelings, she says, adding that Sea Cliff among the citys priciest real estate, with stunning ocean views is a few blocks away. She suspects that any San Francisco exodus would be cyclical. Its consequences would be complicated. The tech boom brought an influx of revenue into the city, including to her store. How long can I stay where I am? is an active thought, she says. The uncertainty of it is not lost on me. Even so, Musgraves stepfather urges her to stay in San Francisco as long as possible. They always say, Never leave California, because you wont be able to move back. Now Playing: Heather Starnes Video: San Francisco Chronicle When Heather Starnes describes East Palo Alto, she speaks of her community as if it is a person who lives and breathes: It has a very grassroots, movement-oriented soul, she says. East Palo Alto is a tight-knit and connected place, where food and ideas are exchanged eagerly, says Starnes, who is white. People take pride in the community they have cultivated, a place residents fought to incorporate in 1983. The city remains a middle-class community among affluent Silicon Valley neighbors. Its also more racially and ethnically diverse in comparison. More than 60% of East Palo Alto residents are Latino, 12% are Black and 11% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders, according to census data from 2019. These demographics are reflected in East Palo Altos leadership: People of color make up the entirety of its City Council and school board. Meanwhile, just across Highway 101, Palo Alto and Menlo Park are majority-white communities. Starnes neighbors show up for one other. A local college student lives in her house for free, while she and her husband rent a below-market rate room to another students father. Her nonprofit organization, Live in Peace, has been fundraising to pay three months rent for vulnerable neighbors during the pandemic. 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. This period of instability between health, economic and equality issues is exposing what we know is true: this dual existence in Silicon Valley, she says, adding, Theres some comfort, maybe, in knowing that people can see it for what it is. Hows your neighborhood? Tell us how your community has changed during the pandemic, or what concerns you have about it by writing to culture@sfchronicle.com See More Collapse Her message is both urgent and clear: The region has been teetering on the brink of becoming a monoculture of wealth, and it has reached a breaking point. If Silicon Valleys tech presence disperses, she worries about exporting the injustice here to other burgeoning hubs. In a post-COVID world, Starnes longs for East Palo Alto to be a place where her communitys college graduates can afford to return and bring their knowledge, capacity and futures. But her neighbors must survive this time of crisis first: This region deserves a community like East Palo Alto to still be intact when this is over, she says. I really believe that this region has the capacity to not let this community disappear, she says. But under the weight of all the forces pushing people out, this could easily be the last nail in the coffin. Now Playing: Thornell Washington Video: San Francisco Chronicle Thornell Washington, a 37-year-old Black homeowner who lives in Oaklands Eastmont Hills, delivered food to older neighbors before the pandemic. The neighborhood is a place where people keep an eye out for each other. Members of his community give to each other freely: a carton of peaches, fresh zucchini, canned food. The pandemic has heightened awareness of economic problems that have been compounding in Oakland for a long time, he says: It feels like a third-world country, where theres truly no middle class. Its either the haves or the have-nots. You can go three blocks in one direction, and if you were driving in the car and your eyes were closed, when you wake up, youd probably think you were in a completely different city, Washington says. Potholes and trash abound in East Oakland, while the Oakland hills look like a wonderland for the wealthy. He points to the duality of renters paying $4,000 a month for apartments downtown, adjacent to homeless encampments where residents lack running water. Many people dont consider unhoused people living on their blocks a part of their community, Washington says. But this pandemic has urged Americans to think more deeply about who their neighbors include and what that means, says Claire Herbert, a sociologist at the University of Oregon who studies housing. Do you consider people who are visibly homeless a part of your community? Do you feel a sense of responsibility to them? asks Herbert. Whos in my group? Who am I responsible for? are questions that were being forced to reconsider, she says. The way Washington sees it, Bay Area progressivism has been masquerading as fairness for too long. Oakland has become a place where wealth has been extracted but post-pandemic, Washington envisions his city as an investment of it. He imagines a place where city programs assist educators with down payments so they can buy a house where they teach. Where city officials and employees, like firefighters and police, spend paychecks in the community where they earn them. Washington hopes that a wave of departures could be a healthy reset for the region, easing the burden on people who want to be here. Theyre holding onto hope that they can own a piece of their community, he says. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Carly Stern is a Bay Area writer. Email: culture@sfchronicle.com The death of popular Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman from colon cancer at age 43 highlights a fact about the disease not often headlined. African Americans are at higher risk for poorer outcomes associated with this type of cancer, given current screening recommendations that have benefited those 50 and older, and incidences of the disease continue to increase in younger people. African Americans have the highest rate of mortality as well as the shortest rate of survival for colorectal cancer compared to all racial groups, according to the American Cancer Society, which estimates colorectal cancer as the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. African Americans are also said to be more often diagnosed at a younger age with it and with a diagnosis at a more advanced stage. Boseman was said to have been diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, and that it had advanced from stage III to stage IV at the time of his death. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 50 years. This recommendation from June 2016 has a final research plan that was posted to the site a year ago to investigate whether there is clinical evidence going forward to support expanding screening to age 40. The USPSTFs recommendations are important as federal law requires private insurers and Medicare to cover tests the independent panel of experts recommends. According to the latest report from the American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures for African Americans 2019-2021, colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death in African Americans. The death rates from this cancer of the large intestine and rectum are said to be 47 percent higher in non-Hispanic black men and 34 percent higher in non-Hispanic black women compared to non-Hispanic white men and women. Reasons include failure to received best practices in treatment as well as lower survival rates at every stage of treatment. ACS researchers also concluded that access to care, as indicated by insurance status, accounted for half of the survival disparity in black and white patients under 65. The American College of Gastroenterology has, since 2005, recommended that African Americans at average risk for colorectal cancer begin to be screened for the disease at 45 because of the traditionally higher mortality rates associated with this population and the better outcomes associated with early detection. In the last two years, the American Cancer Society issued a recommendation that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start screening at 45. Screening with either a high-sensitivity stool-based test or a structural visual examination, such as a colonoscopy, is recommended with any positive results on the former followed up with a colonoscopy. Most colorectal cancers begin as slow growing benign growths called polyps that develop on the lining of the colon, and that can be detected and removed during a colonscopy. While statistics show similar survival rates for African Americans and whites when colorectal cancer is found in a localized stage as well as in clinical trials when given similar therapies for more advanced stages, African American survival rates overall remain the lowest for this cancer. According to the American Cancer Societys report, Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2020-2022, the five-year survival rate for all stages of colorectal cancer between the years 2009 and 2015 for non-Hispanic whites was 66 percent; non-Hispanic blacks, 60 percent; Asian and Pacific Islanders, 68 percent; American Indian and Alaskan Natives, 63 percent; and Hispanic, 65 percent. Related: Black Panther and 42 star Chadwick Boseman dies of colon cancer at 43 Oncologist: Earlier colorectal screening saves lives Zoom Telephonics, Inc. (Zoom) (OTCQB: ZMTP), a leading manufacturer of cable modems and other communications products, today announced that it will be presenting at the Amazon Accelerate conference panel on Thursday, September 3rd 2020 at 12 PM PDT. Julie Lee, Director of Retail Sales, and Hamza Ahmed, SAS-Core account manager, will be presenting best practices and success strategies for Amazons Seller Central to a live virtual audience. A licensee of Motorola home networking and security, Zoom Telephonics is leading the way in connectivity through innovative and customer-focused designs. The company has been selling on Amazon since early 2015. Amazon continues to be a top consumer channel. When we began our initial licensee partnership with Motorola, we viewed Amazon as a strategic part of our sales launch plan, both for product exposure and brand awareness, said Julie Lee, Director of Retail Sales at Zoom Telephonics, Inc. Weve most recently expanded into two new categories with our new Motorola Whole Home Mesh WiFi Systems and MotoManage App, and are excited to present at this conference because we believe that Amazon will continue to be a valuable asset to Zooms growth plan, new category introductions, and revenue streams moving forward. Zoom Telephonics recent launch is positioned to meet the growing demand for Internet security and stable WiFi as more U.S. homes make the transition over to remote working and learning in 2020. The company will be joined by Amazon experts and current sellers at this years conference to explore Seller Central, discuss how to leverage programs, create sponsored advertising campaigns, and review in-depth analytics. Attendees of the conference can expect to hear about Zoom Telephonics tactics for enhancing customer satisfaction and accelerating sales on Amazon in the future. Register Here: https://register.amazonaccelerate.com/agenda/session/317177 Take advantage of the exclusive pricing during pre-sales at Shop.MotoManage.com. New social media channels for this launch include: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShopMotoManage Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shopmotomanage/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/motomanage LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/motomanage About Zoom Telephonics Zoom Telephonics, Inc. (Zoom) (OTCQB: ZMTP) designs and manufactures innovative Internet access products that dependably connect people to the information they need and the people they love. Founded in 1977 in Boston, MA, the company now delivers cable modems, routers, and other communications products globally under the Motorola brand. For more information about Zoom and Motorola products, please visit http://www.zoom.net and http://www.motorolanetwork.com and http://www.motomanage.com About Motorola Strategic Brand Partnerships For over 90 years the Motorola brand has been known around the world for high quality, innovative and trusted products. Motorolas Strategic Brand Partnership program seeks to leverage the power of this iconic brand by teaming with dynamic companies who offer unique, high quality products that enrich consumers lives. Strategic brand partners work closely with Motorola engineers while developing and manufacturing their products, ensuring that their products meet the exacting safety, quality, and reliability standards that consumers have come to expect from Motorola. To learn more about Motorola strategic brand partnerships, follow us @ShopMotorola MOTOROLA, the Stylized Motorola Logo and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC, and are used under license. Media Contact: Marlana Trombley, Interim CMO Zoom Telephonics Phone: 203-592-9687 By Jian Seo and David Tizzard Society is composed of a variety of collectively gathered interest groups: Religious groups, politicians, journalists, educators, businessmen and so on. While they all are essential in creating the fabric of our society, their respective characteristics differ greatly. What unites these different interest groups is a common goal. Currently, one particular goal should be taking preference over many others: the health of the nation. Thus, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, artists have held shows and exhibitions on YouTube rather than stages; some restaurant owners have voluntarily closed their businesses; bus drivers, academy owners, delivery drivers, cleaners, electricians, medical workers, and a whole host of others have demonstrated their necessity to a society that had previously largely disregarded them. These people took on burdens and discomfort in order that the common goal might be achieved. But these benevolent acts and sacrifices should not be taken for granted. South Korea had been widely praised by the international community for its response in tackling this unforeseen and unprecedented health disaster. Even when the church-like cult of Shincheonji caused a great spike in numbers in the Daegu area, the country was able to recover and reduce the speed of virus diffusion through a collective effort from the citizens. Much of this included a public compliance with social distancing measures as well as shop owners abiding by quarantine rules. This is what we Koreans proudly call "collective intelligence" (jip-dan ji-sung). Global media outlets from Belgium to Bono applauded our efforts and recovery and brought a great sense of achievement to the country. But then something happened. Our once proud reputation was shattered. The previously record high numbers produced by the Shincheonji cult have been eclipsed by a new series of outbreaks once more centered on places of religious gatherings and worship. Despite being asked to self-isolate along with the 4,000 members of his church so as to undergo COVID-19 tests and take necessary precautions, Reverend Jun Kwang-hoon of the Sarang Jeil Church organized an anti-government protest in the country's capital. Jun, his wife, and nearly 1,000 members have since all tested positive for Covid-19. These are worrying numbers for a country that was used to seeing only single-figure increases. But the real problem was that, by design or not, members of this church have then spread the virus in drastic numbers. And now the daily lives of citizens are being directly affected by a religious group that many in the past simply ignored. Jun Gwang-hoon has previously courted great controversy by alleging President Moon to be "worse than Hitler" and "doing the devil's work". These are bold words from someone known by his critics as the "Panty Pastor" for having apparently suggested that female members of his congregation would "become children of God if they take off their underwear for him." Jun even suggested that the virus now afflicting him and his church was not his responsibility but instead, in something reminiscent of a Cold War spy tale, was planted by North Korean agents intent on bringing around the downfall of the South Korean nation-state through communization. The communion wine must be good over there. On Aug. 15, Korean National Liberation Day, despite the government's request for social distancing and care to be taken, we saw protesters sharing meals, singing hymns, and praying without the face masks that are now legally enforced. Many of those gathered publicly proclaimed that they would not follow the government's social distancing guidelines, refused to get tested, and would not cooperate with authorities. Three major Korean media platforms (Chosun Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo, and Donga Ilbo) ran paid advertisements for the rally in Gwanghwamun. Through other paid advertisements, they also publicized Jun's opinions, including the aforementioned "North Korean spy hypothesis" as well as criticism of the government's attitude towards religious groups. These media outlets have come in for criticism amid demand for journalistic and professional standards. Advertising and news should not be so easily confused, particularly when these advertisements can bring about danger to the nation's health and present information that contradicts the scientific consensus on how to best cope with the pandemic. These paid announcements in conservative media outlets, with Jun Kwang-hoon crying conspiracy regarding the testing and confirmed cases to anyone who will listen, cause a great strain on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are working hard to persuade people to remain vigilant in personal hygiene and to come forward should they show any symptoms, yet their trust as an institution is being undermined by the actions of this individual and his cohorts. Late last week, lawyers of Jun's church then had the temerity to file complaints against Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo and Jang Ha-yeun, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. They have argued that a ban on in-person worship is an "abuse of power", "violation of religious freedom," that their offices were "illegally raided," and Jun's mobile phone obtained without notifying his attorney. President Moon has responded in no uncertain terms saying, "Prayer or services can bring peace of mind, but they cannot defend against the virus. All religions should accept that quarantine is not the domain of God, but the domain of science and medicine." Strong words from South Korea's second sitting Catholic president. The situation the country is experiencing, the discomfort placed upon the shoulders of all those that acted responsibility, and the heightened restrictions on our daily behavior, could have all been prevented. Following the government's order that churches cease communal eating and gatherings beyond the scope of regular worship, many churches flagrantly disregarded these and acted in clear defiance of health and safety warnings. Last week, the Busan Metropolitan Government issued an administrative order that prohibited face-to-face worship as social distancing restrictions increased. And yet, despite this, 279 of the 1,765 churches in the area completely ignored the order and went ahead with their worship anyway. It is likely they will face punitive action. Looking at those numbers it would be wrong to tar all churches with the same brush of dangerous and paranoid behavior. Many have followed the government's orders and placed their worship online. Some have even come out and apologized for the behavior of others and asked for the public's understanding. And to provide a sense of perspective why it would be incorrect to perceive all Korean churches or Christians as cut from the same cloth, consider that there are apparently more distinct Protestant organizations in South Korea than there are chain convenience stores. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, there are 55,104 Protestant organizations and only 38,855 convenience stores. Believe it or not, it is easier to get blessed by Jesus than it is to buy a cup ramyen and a triangle kimbap. Christianity has deep and powerful roots here. Pyongyang used to be the home of Korean Christianity before the peninsula was divided and the Kim family began a seven-decade long reign over the citizens there that brought an end to the "Jerusalem of the East". Many early Protestant missionaries to Korea, such as Horace Allen and Horace Underwood in 1884 and 1885 respectively, also played important roles in establishing the institutions required for democracy: schools, newspapers, and hospitals. In the 1919 Declaration of Independence, 16 of the 33 Korean signatories were Protestant. Until its defeat in World War II at the hands of the allies in 1945, Japanese Imperialism and the presence of Shintoism meant that only 3 percent of the Korean population was Protestant. The subsequent revival of Christianity in Korea then went very much hand-in-hand with its economic fortunes as the "prosperity gospel" and mammonism found fertile ground here. Western money flooding into the country during the 1960s and 1970s created the impression that if you were a Christian nation like the United States, you would be rich. Conversely, communism and North Korea were associated with the devil. By 2000, 31 percent of the Korean population was Christian, and by 2006 it was exporting more missionaries than any other country except the United States. Three years ago, in 2017, it sent 27,000 missionaries overseas to spread the gospel. While more than half of the South Korean population now profess to not being religious, more than half of those that do are evangelical Protestants. A generation gap has appeared, however. South Korea has the world's third-largest age gap vis-a-vis affiliation to a religion: less than 40 percent of those under 40 are religious while 63 percent of those over 40 are. Combine this with a continued failure of church leadership as certain pastors become embroiled in a whole host of rather shocking controversies as well as conflicting attitudes towards modern issues such as abortion and homosexuality and it would seem the once prosperous revival is coming to an end. And so is Korea's once positive response to the pandemic. It remains to be seen how many people have become infected as a result of Gwanghwamun protests and surrounding issues, but the numbers are not good and the public and businesses are suffering as a result. But what of the courts' responsibility? On Aug. 20, a petition demanding the dismissal of a judge who allowed rallies in Gwanghwamun to take place on Liberation Day was uploaded to the Blue House's website, gaining nearly a quarter of a million signatures in less than three days. The petition charges the judiciary with having failed to protect people's health and putting citizens' lives at risk. While seven out of the 10 applications to hold rallies on Liberation Day were rejected and one was outright dismissed by the Seoul Administrative Court, the Hankyoreh reports that Judge Park Hyung-soon permitted two rallies to take place. One was to protest against perceived fraud in the recent national election; the other was held by the group "Ilpa Manpa". These largely Protestant groups congregate in the capital and believe they are saving the nation from the devil (President Moon and North Korea) and also take credit for orchestrating the dismissal of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Judge Park suggested that if these rallies were to only take place for 4-5 hours, have no more than 100 people, and maintain constant temperature checks and social distancing, the rallies could take place. With permission to enter Gwanghwamun having been granted, and contrary to the court's initial judgment, the number of participants is said to have reached somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000; a flagrant disregard of the rules while hiding behind a shield of religious freedom. Courts in Korea have been perceived to have bowed down to many of the churches here during the pandemic, often withdrawing rules or restrictions as a result of pressure being applied by religious groups and the cries of discrimination. The relationships between power, politics, and religion remain deeply entrenched. Ex-President Lee Myoung-bak, imprisoned on charges of bribery, embezzlement, and tax evasion, professed he would dedicate the city of Seoul to God and under his administration (2008-13) extended space for Gangnam's Church of Love was controversially secured land to which the Seoul Supreme Court has said the church is not entitled. Churches are also sometimes aligned with political parties and thus carry a great deal of political and economic clout. Jun Gwang-hoon even tried teaming up with other like-minded people to create his own party to run in the 2012 parliamentary elections. The Christian Liberal Democratic Party was short-lived, however, as most decried the direct relationship between the church and the state. Jun's policy to improve the nation's birth rate, to imprison anyone with fewer than five children, was also understandably not that popular. And you thought his previous comments were outlandish Just like anywhere else, churches in South Korea provide comfort and companionship to people. Yet here they are often run as a state within themselves a landlocked fully autonomous government. The leader takes on huge responsibility for his flock, finding marriage partners, jobs, political opportunities, and more. Allegiance is often paid to this leader rather than the government or ruling party and church cohesion among the congregation becomes incredibly high as a result. These idiosyncratic features could explain why some worshippers ignored quarantine rules: they were simply doing what their "Lord" told them. But what about when that affects us, too? The crisis is a reality and hospitals strain under the number of infections and people's livelihoods are hampered by the inability to go to work or open their restaurants, cafes, and clubs. We are as strong as our weakest link and our collective intelligence is needed once more. If the country is to eventually overcome this, it will require the efforts of everyone, including those of the churches that have thus far not adhered to the social contract. Before we wish for whatever salvation or future might be written in any of our individual hearts, together let's at least first dream of a world free from masks. And for those crying about their own religious freedoms, while you are certainly entitled to them, do be careful and tread softly. We are poor and have only our dreams dreams on which you are treading. Jian Seo (jiannieforever@gmail.com) studies International studies and Clothing & Textiles at Hanyang University. She is a society section editor at The Hanyang Journal, a member of Hanyang University Major Manager, and a former member of the Hanyang Debate Society. David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University where he teaches Korean Studies. He discusses the week's hottest issues on TBS eFM (101.3FM) on "Life Abroad" live every Thursday from 9:35 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mumbai, Aug 30 : Actor-comedian Paritosh Tripathi is looking forward to imitate Bollywood actors in his style. He will be soon seen in the show "Gangs of Filmistan". "During this pandemic, I got ready to do this show because it's a comedy show. Nowadays people are so upset with their lives, that they need a laughter break. When I heard the script of this show, I loved it. I have done comedy shows, but I never got a chance to imitate someone particularly. This will completely be something new for me and my audience," said Paritosh. "Since childhood we have been imitating people around us, even our parents used to ask us to act like someone or do some acts for which they even clapped. I believe we all have this talent in us since childhood, we copy things from our surroundings. Imitating others is not an easy task, people may not enjoy what you do, you have to become what character you play, and you have to be in your character's limit so that you don't overdo," he added. He believes he has a "very strong team and together, we will set new boundaries for comedy" The comedy show will also feature comedians like Sunil Grover and Siddharth Sagar. On July 5, a man in Tampa posed as a young womans Uber driver and then violently raped her until she fought him off and sprinted to safety. According to Florida police, Gary Pyrus who grew up in New Jersey and has lived and worked as a chef in both states was quickly identified as the suspect and arrested July 29. By Scott L. Bohn As executive director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and a former member of the state Health Departments Medical Marijuana Advisory Board, I would like to express my concerns, and those of many of our members, about the legalization of marijuana and the relative effects on public safety in or communities. I believe marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania will pose significant challenges for law enforcement resulting from the unanticipated consequences it has on crime and public safety. In our meeting with Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, we supported decriminalization. There is an important distinction to be made here for the states residents. Legalization of marijuana is the process of removing all legal prohibitions against it. Marijuana would be available to the adult general population for purchase and use at will, similar to tobacco and alcohol. Decriminalization is the act of removing criminal sanctions against an act, article or behavior. There are insufficient data to determine the true impact of legalized marijuana on crime and safety. However, studies in Colorado show: High-potency THC from marijuana hash oil extractions, which are used in making legalized, laced edibles and beverages, has led to overdoses, potential psychotic breaks, and suicide attempts. Youth use and addiction rates have increased due to ease of accessibility, and there is great concern about the significant health impacts of chronic marijuana use on the youth. Banking systems are unavailable to the marijuana industry because of federal laws, creating a dangerous level of cash that can lead to crime. Difficulties in establishing what is a legal marijuana operation have created problems in conducting investigations, determining probable cause and search and seizure procedures. Marijuana illegal trading through the black and other markets has not decreased. Diversion across state boundaries has created issues for states that do not have legalized marijuana laws. Detecting driving under the influence of marijuana is a significant challenge for law enforcement. Currently, there is no roadside test for marijuana intoxication. Many states have had difficulties caused by conflicting state legislation and local ordinances, policies, and procedures. The situation is even more complex because marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. One of the most salient concerns we have relates to the consequences of drug-impaired driving. We have all witnessed our share of crashes and traffic congestion, as well as vehicular, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. Law enforcement officials are uniquely qualified to discuss the issues and concerns related to impaired driving. Our efforts to curb drunk driving have met with a great deal of success over the last decade, but drug-impaired driving is not the same as alcohol-impaired driving, and our understanding of the impairments due to drug impairment is limited. Alcohol is unique among impairing drugs in that there is a documented correlation between blood levels and levels of impairment. This does not exist for other drugs and it has been shown to be nonexistent for THC in marijuana. It is not possible to currently identify a valid impairment. Scott L. Bohn is executive director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. Queensland has recorded four new coronavirus cases overnight with health officials urging more than three million people across the state to be on alert. Three of the new cases are residents living at a Forest Lake home, in south-west Brisbane. The other case is a resident living at Collingwood Park at Ipswich. The state's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young urged residents with symptoms to get tested, especially those in South East Queensland. More than 3.5 million people live in the region, which stretches across the east coast and covers Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. 'They might have been where one of our cases has been,' she said. 'Anyone who lives in that southeast corner should think of themselves as a casual contact.' A casual contact is someone who has had brief face-to-face contact or been in the same closed space for less than two hours with a person who has coronavirus. Queensland has recorded four new coronavirus cases overnight with top health officials urging more than three million people to get tested immediately (pictured, nurses at a drive-through COVID-19 pop-up clinic) All of the new cases are connected to the cluster at Queensland's Corrective Services Academy in Wacol, with 11 cases linked to the cluster Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Friday Schoolies Week had been cancelled less than three months before it was scheduled to begin Dr Jeanette Young went on to urge residents to wear face masks when visiting shopping centres. 'Over the last few days I've been saying to people this is the time to get out those ... surgical masks that you can now buy anywhere. 'Or if you've made a mask with three layers of thickness, they are effective as well not quite as effective, but they're pretty good.' All of the new cases are connected to the cluster at Queensland's Corrective Services Academy in Wacol, with 11 cases linked to the cluster. A Brisbane childcare centre in Fig Tree pocket has also been closed for at least a week after receiving a COVID-19 positive visitor on August 21. Queensland has extended its health restrictions, limiting the number of people who can gather at the Gold Coast and Darling Downs regions. No more than ten people can gather in Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan without a COVID-19 safety plan, following an initial outbreak at a youth detention centre. That will be extended south to the Gold Coast from 8am Saturday after two Pimpama residents linked to the cluster were diagnosed with the virus. The new rules will also come in to effect in the Darling Downs from 8am on Monday, after health alerts were issues for The Southern Hotel and Queens' Park Markets in Toowoomba. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Friday Schoolies Week had been cancelled less than three months before it was scheduled to begin. 'This is a mass event. It poses a high risk,' she told reporters. Concerts and large parties will be banned, with limits on gatherings at beaches and apartment complexes. 'It's a tough year for everyone. Hopefully, things will get better by the end of next year and we can have a double celebration,' she said. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he backed the decision but conceded it would be tough on local businesses, such as accommodation providers. 'There will be costs in their business operations and I sympathise ... because to get new business in 85 days is near impossible,' he said. Kimberley Brown (pictured), from Ballina, in northern New South Wales, was unable to obtain a travel exemption for urgent surgery in Queensland Mr Tate said the event should have been cancelled sooner and called on tourism promoters to encourage families to the region, to replace the students. Ms Palaszczuk has also been criticised over the border closure after a mother lost one of her unborn twins and another one was separated from her newborn son. Kimberley Brown, from Ballina, in northern New South Wales, was unable to obtain a travel exemption for urgent surgery in Queensland. Her unborn twins had developed twin transfusion syndrome - a disorder that leads to malnourishment and organ failure in one of the babies. Mrs Brown lived just two hours from Queensland's Mater Hospital but instead had to wait 16 hours for an emergency flight and travel 750km to Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. An ultrasound later showed Mrs Brown had lost one of the babies. Chantelle Northfield was also separated from her newborn son because of the border closure. She had given birth to her son at Lismore Base Hospital, in New South Wales. Chantelle Northfield (pictured) was also separated from her newborn son because of the border closure Her son experienced difficulty breathing and was airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Ms Northfield remained in New South Wales and was unable to visit her baby without quarantining for 14 days. Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke at a Bush Summit at Cooma on Friday to slam the border closure. 'Much more needs to be done to ensure these border movements are made easier and ultimately to ensure they're open again,' he said. 'While the scale of the Victorian outbreak meant the borders between NSW and Vic were regrettably necessary and they are and remain this does not diminish the principle that border restrictions, especially where there are no or very low cases in regional areas, cannot and should not be sustained. FEMA offering many forms of assistance to residents in disaster areas The African Court on Human and Peoples Right will begin its 58th Ordinary Session from Monday, August 31, to Friday, September 25, 2020 in Arusha, Tanzania to examine applications and give judgements. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic the Session would be organised through a virtual platform. The African Court is composed of eleven judges, nationals of Member States of the African Union, elected in their individual capacity and meet four times a year in ordinary sessions and who may hold extra-ordinary sessions. Justice Sylvian Ore, the African Court President, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Sunday, reminded the judicial community of the importance of justice in achieving stable societies. Timely justice that is administered without fear or favour has become a shared value across democratic societies, nations, regions and cultures; however, the globalisation of minimum core values of the right to justice has taken an inversely proportional slow course, he said. This state of affairs has left connections between courts at all levels loose, random, minimal or even inexistent to the paradoxical disadvantage of rights-holders who are the beneficiaries of our mandate. Justice Ore called for systematic and constant communication between administrators of justice whether national, sub-regional, continental or international to give life and flesh to justice and ensure political stability and socio-economic development. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Opponents of a proposed power plant in Umatilla County say state regulators are poised to allow construction of a road to nowhere that would allow the plants backers to avoid paying millions of dollars in extra fees under a strengthened global warming standard established this spring by Gov. Kate Brown. The Perennial-Windchaser, proposed by an affiliate of Sumitomo Corp., faces a Sept. 23 deadline to begin construction of the 415-megawatt natural gas fired plant under an approval the Energy Facility Siting Council gave in 2015 and amended in 2019, extending the construction deadline to the current date. As of today, however, the company does not meet state conditions to start construction by that deadline, which would force it to apply for another extension of its site certificate. If it does so, however, it would be subject to higher state fees meant to discourage carbon dioxide pollution. Complying with those updated guidelines could cost the company millions, perhaps more than $10 million, conservation groups estimate. The gas plant could become one of the largest stationary sources of global warming pollution in the state. Conservation groups are crying foul. They say council staff members have reported that the company will be allowed to start phase 1 of construction, including an access road to the plant. Breaking the project into phases would allow the company to say it had started the project and, thereby, avoid having to apply for that extension. The projects site certificate, essentially the councils permission to build, does not contemplate the project being constructed in phases. The council has never publicly agreed to such an accommodation. Such a course appears to be in direct violation of Oregon Administrative Rules governing construction of such energy facilities. And it contradicts the councils own commitments when it granted the first extension in November 2019. It is also eerily reminiscent of the Oregon Department of Energys cavalier interpretation of state rules and legislative directives in the past, which allowed energy developers to skirt state rules and qualify for millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies for which they were otherwise ineligible. It isnt clear how much the company would save in fees, and Perennial did not respond to calls or emails requesting comment. Todd Cornett, administrator of the siting councils staff, declined to answer specific questions about the project or staffs actions this week. This undermines Oregons goals for curbing climate-changing pollution and it confounds common sense, said Dan Serres, conservation director at Columbia Riverkeeper. The councils staff are suddenly pretending like the pre-construction requirements dont apply, or apply only when its convenient for the developer. Thats just plain wrong. And they are doing it to allow the developer to sidestep Oregons carbon mitigation rules. Serres and other conservation groups, including Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, testified against the maneuver during the public comment period at the siting councils meeting on Aug. 21, but received no direct response. They also wrote to council and their staff raising objections. Perennials attempt to meet the Sept 23rd construction deadline by building a road to nowhere is clearly an attempt to avoid applying for another site certificate extension, which would subject Perennials gas power plant to Oregon updated and strengthened carbon dioxide standard, Damon Motz-Storey, healthy climate director for Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, told the council. We urge the council to intervene and prevent staff from allowing Perennial to commence construction without complying with all pre-construction requirements. Jennifer Kalez, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Energy, said the opponents position differs from ours. However, as staff to the Energy Facility Siting Council, we are taking seriously the concerns Columbia Riverkeeper raised about our implementation of applicable statutes, rule, and conditions of approval related to the Perennial Wind Chaser Station project and are taking the time to carefully review and consider those concerns before responding. The governors office appeared to be taking a firmer stance Friday. Governor Brown expects all energy facilities in Oregon to strictly adhere to the requirements of state law, including the CO2 standard for new power plants, said Nikki Fisher, a spokeswoman. Our office has asked ODOE to review this issue to ensure that the facility in question meets the conditions of its site certificate. Oregon Administrative Rules clearly state that certificate holders may not begin construction or create a clearing on any part of the site until the certificate holder has construction rights on all parts of the site. The company has yet to secure those rights. It has not completed wildlife and vegetation surveys on the entire site for the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, required in the councils 2019 amendment. JJ Jamieson, a Perennial project manager, told the council in May that those surveys have to take place at a very specific time in April and that the company couldnt get the work done this spring because its contractors didnt want to take the health risk amid the coronavirus pandemic. In an email Tuesday responding to a query by Columbia Riverkeeper, an ODFW biologist from the Umatilla District said the state agency had agreed to the companys plan for restoration and biological monitoring for Phase 1. But the companys site certificate does not mention a Phase 1. The council has never discussed or approved a phased approach, and it has no other public meetings scheduled before the Sept. 23 construction deadline. Perennial also lacks another required permit: an air quality discharge permit from the Department of Environmental Quality. The companys previous permit expired, and while it reapplied in January, the agency put that process on hold after the company said it might redesign the plant before beginning construction. Allowing a phased construction approach would also contradict what the council said in granting the amendment to the projects site certificate in Nov. 2019. Even if the Council amends the site certificate to extend the construction commencement date to September 23, 2020, Perennial would not be able to commence facility construction without a valid DEQ permit, the council order said. Serres said he only stumbled on the phased approach after inquiring with council staff about whether the company had submitted an application for an extension and was told it wasnt going to be necessary. Perennial also has yet to secure a buyer for the plants output. Thats not condition required by the state. But it may explain why the company delayed getting started after originally receiving approval in 2015. Kalez, the energy department spokeswoman, said council staff would be examining the objections raised and responding next week. -- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-221-8505; @tedsickinger Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. A woman waves an old Belarusian national flag standing on the roof as Belarusian opposition supporters march to Independence Square in Minsk, Belarus, on Aug. 3, 2020. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo) Belarusians Must Be Provided Right to Choose Their Leaders: US Deputy State Secretary Aug. 9 Election Was Fraudulent, says Stephen Biegun U.S. Deputy State Secretary Stephen Biegun called for Belarusian authorities to give its people the right to choose their leaders through a truly free and fair election under independent observation in his remarks at a special meeting on the situation in Belarus held by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. What is clear to the world is that the Aug. 9 election in Belarus was fraudulent, Biegun said on Aug. 28 during the OSCE meeting of 57 member states where he represented the United States. In the period prior to the election, Belarusian authorities carried out an orchestrated campaign of intimidation and harassment against opposition candidates, civil society activists, and independent journalists, and detained hundreds participating in peaceful demonstrations, Biegun said. Candidate registration was severely flawed as restrictive measures were put in place to prevent potential candidates from fulfilling registration procedures. Leading opposition candidates were arrested prior to election day and remain in detention to this day. There were also serious irregularities with ballot counting and reporting of election results, and local independent observers were denied access to polling stations, he added. Therefore, Belarusians will never know the real outcome of their election. The results of the Belarusian presidential election held on Aug. 9 were also questioned by opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who claimed she won the election with 60 to 70 percent of the vote. The official election commission announced that the incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, 66, who ran for his sixth term won 80 percent of the vote while his main opposition rival Tsikhanouskaya won 10 percent of the vote. Tsikhanouskaya, a 37-year-old former English teacher, has since fled to Lithuania and formed a council to coordinate a peaceful transition of power. She has never intended to be the leader of popular resistance to Lukashenko, a former Soviet collective farm boss. But when her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a blogger, activist and presidential candidate who criticized Lukashenko for years, was jailed in May and other candidates were barred from running in the election, Tsikhanouskaya took her husbands place as an opposition candidate on the ballot. Protesting Election Results Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko armed with a Kalashnikov-type rifle as he greets riot police officers near the Palace of Independence in Minsk on Aug. 23, 2020. (State TV and Radio Company of Belarus via AP Photo) Mass protests involving thousands of Belarusians erupted in the Belarus capital of Minsk after the election in solidarity with the opposition and continue to this day. The government responded at first with blunt suppression. Police used tear gas, flash grenades, and beatings on the crowds in the capital of Minsk and elsewhere. They detained thousands, with hundreds injured and at least three deaths. But the heavy-handed measures in the days after the Aug. 9 election seemed to produce the opposite effect, emboldening more protesters, triggering strikes at state-run factories and forcing authorities to back off. After the third week of protests, Lukashenko is shifting tactics, moving to quell the demonstrations gradually with vague promises of reforms mixed with threats, court summonses, and the selective jailing of leading activists. Biegun called for an immediate end to violence against the Belarusian people and the release of all who are unjustly detained, as a prerequisite for a free and fair election. The United States strongly condemns the post-election brutality carried out by Belarusian authorities against peaceful protesters and journalists, including the mass detention of nearly 7,000 Belarusian citizens, as well as ongoing efforts to block internet service and use security forces to intimidate those engaged in peaceful protest, Biegun said, adding that authorities continue to detain people. Biegun also called on Belarusian authorities for the release of an American citizen, Vitali Shkliarov, who went to Belarus with his son in July to visit his mother. He was grabbed off the street, thrown in the back of a van, and driven 300 kilometers to a detention center. While imprisoned he refused to admit to crimes he did not commit, Biegun said. International reactions Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, candidate for the presidential elections, speaks at a news conference after the Belarusian presidential election in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 10, 2020. (Sergei Grits/AP Photo) Biegun met with Tsikhanouskaya in Vilnius, Lithuania, during his trip to Europe last week and said that he was inspired by her courage and resolve to advocate for the Belarusian people their right to choose their own government and their own future. During their two-hour conversation, Tsikhanouskaya asked the U.S. government to respect Belarusian sovereignty, Biegun said. He assured her that it would and he expects every other government participating in the OSCEs special meeting to do the same. The United States firmly supports the right of the Belarusian people to demand that their government adhere to the principles that the OSCE stands for: free and fair elections and the protection of human rights. Biegun also met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow last week during his trip to discuss the events in Belarus. It is clear to me, he said, this is not a contest between Russia and the United States. The United States does not seek to control or decide the destiny of the Belarusian people, Biegun said. However if the OSCE does not stand with the Belarusian people it will be a discredit to the OSCEs mission and values, he added. The missions of the United States, the UK, Switzerland, and the European Union on behalf of the EU Member States represented in Minsk issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning the excessive use of force by the Belarusian authorities to quell the peaceful protests and urged them to to stop the violence and the threats to use military force against the countrys own citizens and release immediately and unconditionally all those unlawfully detained. The statement also expressed solidarity with Belarusians demanding respect for freedom and human rights through free and fair elections. Ivan Pentchoukov, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Scott Morrison's approval rating has dropped for the first time in months as voters swing toward the Labor party. The Coalition and Opposition are deadlocked at 50:50 on a two party preferred basis, according to the latest Newspoll. The poll shows popular support for Prime Minister Scott Morrison has fallen for the first time since the height of the pandemic. A special poll also showed 80 per cent of Australians support border closures if the health situation demanded it. According to the latest Newspoll, public favour has swung by four points toward the Anthony Albanese-led Labor Party Ms Palaszcuk has been slammed for her tight border restrictions, with critics arguing they are destroying the economy (pictured, the border on August 7) Not surprisingly, Victorians, who remain in stage-four lockdown as the state grapples with a horror second wave of the pandemic, were the least enthusiastic. Mr Morrison has been outspoken in his criticism of border closures, urging state premiers to reconsider their tough stances unless absolutely necessary. Queensland in particular has copped flak in recent weeks for reversing the decision to open borders to New South Wales. The Sunshine State quickly closed borders when New South Wales started recording cases of community transmission after the infection spread north from Victoria. Residents in Queensland and Western Australia - the two states with the strictest border restrictions - were most in favour of their premiers' decisions to keep borders closed. Mr Morrison remains at record high popularity but his approval ratings fell for the first time since mid-April, dropping four points to 64 per cent. Dissatisfaction with Mr Morrison's performance rose three points to 32 per cent. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese had a two-point rise in approval rating to 43 per cent but dissatisfaction with his performance jumped three points to 41 per cent. Mr Morrison's rating as preferred prime minister fell two points from a high of 60 three weeks ago to 58 per cent Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland- New South Wales border earlier this month Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese had a two-point rise in approval rating to 43 per cent but dissatisfaction with his performance jumped three points to 41 per cent. Mr Morrison's rating as preferred prime minister fell two points from a high of 60 three weeks ago to 58 per cent. The Labor leader's fortunes rose four points to 29 per cent, the highest support for Mr Albanese since May. The swing to Labor of three primary vote points to take it to 36 per cent came with no change to the Greens on 11 per cent, no change to the other minor parties at 9 per cent and a single point drop to 3 per cent for Pauline Hanson's One Nation. At 41 per cent, the Coalition is back to the level of support it had near the end of April. After months of enjoying the public support through the height of the pandemic - possibly due to the introduction of stimulus packages to keep the economy afloat -it now appears to be a two-party contest for the public's votes as the nation looks to economic recovery. Police stop and question drivers at a checkpoint on the NSW/Victoria border when it was closed for the first time in 100 years amid the COVID-19 outbreak Arakhamia did not elaborate on details of possible changes in government. Personnel reshuffles in the Cabinet of Ministers are possible this fall, head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction David Arakhamia believes. "I don't rule this out, I think that by the fall there may definitely be some rotations in individual ministries. Two or three ministries, I believe. I won't name them, otherwise, people will stop working altogether," the leader of the Ukrainian parliament's ruling faction told Ukraine 24. Read alsoZelensky comments on latest intelligence reshuffleHe clarified that changes were possible in the economic bloc. "Our people are most of all dissatisfied with the economic bloc. We need people who, besides having a vision and programs, could quickly implement them. Our biggest issue is the enormous bureaucracy in all processes," said MP Arakhamia. Our people are most of all dissatisfied with the economic bloc Denys Shmyhal's Cabinet: background Denys Shmygal was appointed Prime Minister on March 4, 2020, having replaced Oleksiy Honcharuk. Vadym Prystaiko was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration; Oleksiy Reznikov was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories; and Mykhailo Fedorov became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation; Autumn parliamentary session: terms and details In a promising development in the preparation of intra-Afghan talks with Taliban, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a decree on August 29 approved 48 members of the High Council for National Reconciliation led by Abdullah Abdullah. Ghani also called on the religious scholars, the parliament, the private sector, media and provincial councils to introduce their own selections for the membership of the council within the upcoming week. ANI has reported that the members of the council announced in the decree include many personalities such as countrys former president Hamid Karzai, former mujahideen leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, former vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili former deputy chief executive Mohammad Mohaqiq among many others. The decree, as reported by media, said leadership members of the council include -- Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Abdul Salam Rahimi deputy head of the council, Enayatullah Farahmand deputy head of the council, Asadullah Saadati deputy head of the council, Zuhra Mutahari former deputy governor of Paktia, member of Afghanistan Ulema Council Atta-Ur-Rahman Salim, head of Hizb-e-Islami Nawin Din Mohammad, political figure Akram Khpulwak, head of the negotiation team Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, special presidential envoy Noor-Ul-Haq Olumi. As per the agreement signed between the Afghan government and Abdullah nack in May, it was Ghanis responsibility to authorise the members of the High Council for National reconciliation by issuing a decree. This High Council of Government that will be established, the agreement states, is to ensure political consensus in the nation and members will be political leaders and national figures. Read - Death Toll Rises To At Least 150 From Afghan Flooding Read - Afghan Watchdog: Half Of Police In Some Provinces Use Drugs Negotiations to start this week in Doha This comes after Abdullah and other top leaders had said earlier that US-backed intra-Afghan talks with Taliban are expected to start in this week and the first roundtable talks are expected to be conducted in Doha, Qatar. It would also mark the beginning of ending the years-long conflict in the nation. Abdullah Abdullah, who will lead the Afghans High Council for National Reconciliation had said in a seminar in Kabul that the team is well prepared to enter the negotiations. Meanwhile, international media agency had also reported that the Talibans chief has finalised a negotiating team for their side and is said to have sweeping decision-making powers. Groups top negotiator, Maulvi Hibatullah Akhunzada told AP that he has personally selected the 20-member team including 13 from the Taliban's leadership council, that is, around half of the council's total members. Read - Taliban Political Team In Pakistan To Talk Afghan Peace Push Read - Taliban Set Powerful Negotiating Team For Intra-Afghan Talks (With inputs from agencies) (Image: AP) Protesters against mask-wearing in London. Peter Summers/Getty Images A customer refusing to wear a mask inside a Chipotle urged an employee to call the police after being refused service. The employee repeatedly told the customer that it's company policy for everyone inside to wear a mask. The customer dismissed the employee over and over, at one point saying "I want to be served like a normal human being." The customer also threatened to file a lawsuit against Chipotle. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Related: Experts on how to make and wear effective DIY face masks A man refusing to wear a mask in a Chipotle threatened to sue the company and urged an employee to call the police when confronted. A video of the conflict between the anti-masker and the Chipotle worker was posted to TikTok Friday and shows the two in a confrontation about the customer not wearing a mask. The customer, standing in line to order, argued with the masked restaurant employee, who told the unmasked man a face covering is required inside the restaurant. The employee can be heard in the video repeatedly telling the customer that the restaurant has a policy that asks all customers to wear masks. But the customer, unyielding, responded that he was "not interested," before saying he has "a medical condition." At that point, the employee then told the customer he can be served outside of the restaurant instead. "I want to be served like a normal human being," the customer said, before threatening to file a lawsuit against the company and asking for the manager. "I have been here three times," he said. "Call your manager. Ask him about the guy who comes in, demanding to be served. He'll know exactly who you're talking about." In late July, Chipotle announced it would join the list of growing companies that would require both employees and customers to wear masks inside. Story continues On a webpage dedicated to safety measures implemented to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the restaurant chain's mask policy reads: "Chipotle has supplied non-medical masks for all employees to wear as part of their uniform and proactively made the decision to require guests to wear masks in all restaurants." When the employee repeated the restaurant's mask policy, the customer immediately replied, "Yes, I can." The Chipotle staffer then told the customer the police would be called if he wouldn't leave the restaurant. "Call 'em," the customer told the staffer. According to a follow-up video from the TikTok user, Justine Kitts, who originally posted the confrontation, the customer eventually left the restaurant. It's unclear where the Chipotle the confrontation occurred. Chipotle did not immediately return a request for comment from Insider. Read the original article on Insider A second unpiloted test flight of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner astronaut ferry ship is now targeted for no earlier than December, NASA announced Friday, a full year after an initial test flight was marred by major software problems and other glitches. If Orbital Test Flight No. 2 goes well, Boeing and NASA plan to launch a Starliner on the first piloted test flight next summer carrying a crew of three to the International Space Station. The capsule's first operational flight, carrying a crew of four, is expected toward the end of next year, the agency said in a blog post. Boeing first CST-100 Starliner capsule as it appeared in November 2019, a few weeks before its launch on the company's first unpiloted test flight. / Credit: Boeing "After a successful OFT-2, Boeing and NASA will fly Starliner's first crewed mission, the Crew Flight Test, currently targeted for no earlier than June 2021, with the first post-certification mission, called Starliner-1, tentatively scheduled for no earlier than late December 2021," NASA said. SpaceX is already launching astronauts to the space station aboard its Crew Dragon capsule following a successful unpiloted test flight last year and a follow-on piloted flight that carried astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken to the lab complex earlier this summer. The first operational Crew Dragon flight, with three NASA astronauts and a veteran Japanese flier, is targeted for launch around Oct. 23. Boeing launched its Starliner on the unpiloted OFT-1 test flight in December 2019. But the spacecraft's computer set its mission clock to the wrong time before liftoff, causing it to miss a critical orbit raising maneuver. That problem, combined with a communications issue, prevented a rendezvous and docking with the space station. Boeing engineers then found another software oversight that could have caused the spacecraft's service module, jettisoned prior to atmospheric entry, to crash back into the capsule. That problem was corrected in flight, but it and the timing error later were characterized as "high visibility close calls" by NASA, prompting an additional, more focused investigation and additional recommendations to address organizational issues. Story continues Boeing "remains focused on incorporating the recommendations from the joint NASA-Boeing Independent Review Team with almost 75 percent of the 80 proposed actions implemented," NASA said Friday. "Following a successful OFT-2, Boeing will focus full attention on preparations for its final flight test with astronauts and is already completing work on the Crew Flight Test spacecraft in parallel." New details in Jacob Blake police shooting emerge in first law enforcement press conferences Hurricane Laura makes landfall as Category 4 storm, bringing heavy winds and flooding Pence attacks Biden at RNC, calls for "law and order" amid protests Marvel StudiosThe tweet sent by Chadwick Boseman's official account announcing his passing has become the most-liked of all time, according to Twitter. The tweet included a black-and-white photo of the actor, along with a statement about his four-year battle with colon cancer, which he worked through while filming movies such as Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Marshall. It also noted that it was the "honor of his career" to star as King T'Challa in Marvel's Black Panther. Fans on Twitter have also been working to organize Black Panther Twitter watch parties using the #BlackPanther and #WakandaForever hashtags, so Twitter has reactivated its original Black Panther emoji for the occasion. Meanwhile, tonight at 8 p.m. ET, ABC will air Black Panther commercial free, followed by the ABC News special Chadwick Boseman -- A Tribute for a King, which will air from 10:20 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. It will feature the tributes to Bosman that have poured in from fellow actors, politicians and fans across the world, as well as comments from his co-stars and those who knew him best. In an interview with ABC's Popcorn with Peter Travers when Black Panther was first released, Boseman admitted that as a kid, he wasn't aware of the character that would make him a household name, but recognized its importance later in life. "It was not a superhero that I really knew as a kid," Boseman told Travers of T'Challa. "I was introduced to it in college. And once I, y'know, saw how how powerful it was -- you know, I wasn't thinking about me playing it, but I knew it would be cool if it was ever done one day." During that same interview, Boseman also delivered a soulful rendition of the Bill Withers classic "Grandma's Hands." By Andrea Dresdale Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Controversy around Oxfords Covid-19 vaccine in Australia, some clerics raise concerns A controversial imam in Australia has asked Muslims not to get the vaccine for the coronavirus disease being developed by Oxford University. Sufyaan Khalifa claimed the vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca is haram - meaning forbidden. Read more Metro travel during Covid-19 pandemic: 10 things you should know After five months, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will finally resume its service in the national capital from September 7. As per the Union ministry of home affairs in its guidelines for Unlock 4.0 issued on Saturday, the service will resume in a graded manner. Read more Sushant Singh Rajput case: Here are the 14 people facing probe In the 78 days since Sushant Singh Rajput passed away (since June 14), the CBI has narrowed down its probe and is now focussing on 14 people. Read more Haryana govt revokes order directing markets to be shut on Mondays, Tuesdays: Anil Vij Haryana government revoked its August 28 order directing markets to be shut on Mondays and Tuesdays in view of coronavirus crisis, according to cabinet minister Anil Vij. Read more Rhea Chakrabortys lawyer on reports of her confessing to drugs chats: We go by what CBI, ED, police or NCB officially says Rhea Chakrabortys lawyer Satish Maneshinde dismissed anonymous reports which claimed that she confessed to having drugs-related chats. Read more Covid-19 travelling rules: New dos and donts for flights and trains Wherever youre headed and whatever the reasons, its going to take longer and cost more. Airports are distanced and digital. Train bookings open a week in advance. And dont forget to pack your own snacks. Read more It takes time: Smriti Iranis latest Instagram post is all about motivation Union Minister Smriti Irani often takes to Instagram to share witty or inspirational posts which are highly relatable. Her latest motivational post is no different and now it has left many impressed, including actor Neena Gupta. Read more SheKnows When Kim Kardashian became famous, she ushered in an era of highly curated and airbrushed photos and she even influenced makeup trends with a heavily contoured face. But what we should be celebrating is how gorgeous she looks without all of the editing. The SKIMS founder was spotted in longtime friend Allison Statters birthday [] BHOPAL: A woman was killed and three others were injured when a house collapsed after heavy rains at Sehore in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday. According to reports, the house collapsed in Ashta area of Sehore district at around 3.10 am in the wee hours on Sunday. A woman, identified as Ruksar Bi, died on the spot while three others were trapped under the debris of the collapsed house. The injured were later pulled out and taken to a hospital. Following heavy showers in several parts of Madhya Pradesh in the last couple of days, nearly 7,000 people have so far been rescued across the state and 170 relief camps are set up in the affected districts. In the last two days, heavy rains pounded nine districts of the state, including Hoshangabad, Sehore, Chhindwara and Narshinghpur, leading to a rise in the level of the Narmada river at some places. Water level of the Narmada river, which flows across various districts of the state, has not risen further on Sunday Meanwhile, nearly 60 stranded people were airlifted from a village in the district by an IAF helicopter. Three IAF helicopters have been pressed in evacuation works and one chopper would join in the rescue operation shortly, Manish Rastogi, the principal secretary to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, told PTI. An Army column comprising 70 personnel is deployed in Hoshangabad and five more columns of the defence force are going to join in, said Rastogi, who is also the state's revenue commissioner. Two cardigans were acquired when I went to collect a free tent offered on Facebook Marketplace from an older couple offloading the possessions of their adult children. I credit my new-found clothing frugality to my recently acquired super-sized mortgage, alongside the teachings of Japanese organising guru Marie Kondo, which I have followed since first reading her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in about 2014. Since then, I've "Kondo-ed" my possessions several times, embarking on periodic purges of clothing, books, household items and sentimental objects. Stuff keeps creeping back in, of course. But overall, I've downsized dramatically. In dire need of another organisational adrenaline rush while working from home, I impulsively spent a lunch break throwing the entire contents of my wardrobe onto my bed, where I proceeded to leave them for a couple of hours. Just before bedtime, in dire need of a place to sleep, I began my sort and purge. In accordance with Kondo's advice, I individually held each item and decided if it "sparked joy". As I did this, I happened to also be listening to a new podcast by economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers called Think Like an Economist. The two activities combined, it dawned on me why the Kondo regime has always held special appeal. I don't know if she realises it, but Kondo herself is a closet economist. The entire Kondo method is about making decisions about your possessions. Economists, too, love decisionmaking. Indeed, the entire point of economics is to help optimise allocation of scarce resources, such as time and money. Kondo's method does just that. First, her advice to keep only items which "spark joy" is essentially an encouragement to consider the costs versus benefits of owning each item. For instance, does the joy sparked by each item outweigh the distress you may experience at owning too many items? Just like economists, Kondo also urges you to "think at the margin" and I'll explain what that means. When you're overhauling your wardrobe, you don't sit down in advance and decide how many pairs of socks you should own. Should it be five or 10? No, you sit down with each pair of socks and decide for each additional pair that is, at the "margin" of sock ownership whether the benefits to you of owning this sock outweigh potential costs. Loading Importantly, both Kondo and economists urge you to consider all the potential costs of owning an item, including the "opportunity cost". Economists have long known that there are hidden costs to every decision not in upfront dollars, but in the loss of an opportunity to pursue an alternate approach. Imagine a world where your wardrobe is pristine, you own only items which spark joy and getting dressed each day is a dream. That is what you are giving up when you decide to hold on to 33 pairs of socks. Importantly, Kondo and economists both advise to turn a blind eye to the "sunk cost" of whatever you've spent to purchase each item. Let go of the guilt. All that matters today is whether continued ownership of each item will bring you more joy than negativity. So, under the advisement of both Kondo and economists, I went through my wardrobe and earmarked for eviction about a fifth of my clothes. Keep in mind, I've done this process several times, so my true downsizing over the years has been much greater. And boy, does it ever feel gooooood. By Matthew Boyle, Zheping Huang and Vlad Savov Walmart Inc.s jump into the bidding for TikTok jolted investors and technology experts alike. What comes next could be even more disruptive, with the big-box American retailer taking a page from the playbook of TikToks Chinese counterpart. At first glance, a brick-and-mortar giant whose core shoppers grew up with rotary phones and three television channels isnt the likeliest candidate to own an internet app thats wildly popular with Generation Z. But a closer look at the retailers digital ambitions shows the move is part of a broader long-term play to bring more shoppers, advertisers and vendors into the fold as the lines between content and commerce continue to blur. If successful, Walmarts bid alongside partner Microsoft Corp. could also enhance its soon-to-launch delivery subscription service, making it a more credible threat to rival Amazon.com Inc.s Prime offering. TikTok could even become a platform to sell Walmarts products, catapulting the 58-year-old Arkansas retailer into the emerging realm of social commerce against Facebook and its Instagram platform. For Walmart, this will be like a rocket in their pocket, said Deborah Weinswig, founder and CEO of Coresight Research. Its a way to offer customers a hyper-personalized experience in both content and commerce. TikToks Chinese cousin Douyin offers Walmart a road map. TikTok, as Americans know it, doesnt exist in China. But both apps are owned by ByteDance Ltd., an innovative startup that has mastered blending social media with e-commerce. On Douyin, influencers use live-streamed videos to hawk wares from lipstick to smartphones in real-time to hundreds of millions of users, funneling followers to shopping websites or -- increasingly -- ByteDances own online mall. That model has taken off on a scale unseen elsewhere in the world -- a template Walmart can explore in its fight against Amazon. Walmart has already closely studied social media environments in India and China, two of its key emerging markets outside the US As part of that analysis, the company looked at how Tencent Holdings Ltd.s WeChat app combines social media and e-commerce in China, with an eye toward how that might work in the US The retailer even operates a popular so-called mini-program within WeChat, giving it first-hand knowledge of how social-media users shift from chatting to shopping. Walmart confirmed Thursday that its pursuing TikToks US operations in a partnership with Microsoft, but in a brief statement the company offered few details about the bid or the nature of its involvement. That didnt stop investors from getting excited, sending Walmarts shares up 4.5%, the biggest gain in seven weeks. Walmart was up another 1.2% at 11 a.m. in New York Friday. A deal for TikTok would help Walmart Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon move the company well beyond its brick-and-mortar roots, something hes been keen to do since taking the helm in 2014. It would buoy Walmarts third-party marketplace and advertising businesses, which both deliver fatter profit margins than selling Coke and Cheerios. TikTok would give Walmart access to a large, young and loyal group of users coveted by advertising agencies and their blue-chip clients, who might shift some of their marketing budgets from Google, Facebook and Amazon over to Walmarts in-house media arm. Data gleaned from TikToks users -- who currently dont shop at Walmart often, or at all -- could also influence the types of products that Walmart chooses to carry on its marketplace site, where Walmart doesnt own the inventory but generates a fee from every sale. TikToks digitally native viewers are just moving into their prime consumption years now, making it an ideal time to rope them in. A social platform like TikTok would give Walmart easy access to the very audience it wants and needs to attract, said Neil Saunders, an analyst at GlobalData Retail. Having a serious stake in the world of social media would not only allow Walmart to bolster its marketing efforts, it would also give it access to a rich seam of data that would help it target shoppers more effectively. Magic Formula A tie-up would allow Walmart to tap into purchases made via social media, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney. One-quarter of US Instagram users reported making a purchase on the site this year, RBC found, up from 15% a year ago. There isnt much direct commerce done over TikTok in the US now, but that could change under Walmarts stewardship. Combining social engagement with commerce is the magic formula for the future of retail, says Jordan Berke, who helped lead Walmarts Chinese digital operations before departing last year to start Tomorrow Retail Consulting. Facebook is in the pole position to be Americas super app, but this places Walmart plus Microsoft as a solid No. 2. Amazon still has a leg up due to its detailed shopping histories for nearly half a billion people, who already do most of their internet shopping there, RBCs Mahaney says. About 265 million people shop at a Walmart store or on its website each week, but Walmart knows less about them. Thats why its about to launch a new subscription service dubbed Walmart+, which could narrow that gap. Live-streamed commerce across China tripled to 451 billion yuan in 2019 ($66 billion), about 4.5% of total online retail according to iResearch. Thats why Douyin is accelerating its transformation from an ad platform to one that also handles purchases. Douyin now invites reputable creators to set up in-app shops that feature prominently on their bio pages. Its not just small merchants either. Chinese retailer Suning.com, a Best Buy equivalent, is the most recent to join. Hefty Cash Financing the deal likely wont be difficult for the worlds biggest retailer, given its hefty cash balances and access to debt. The real challenge lies in just how different social media is from Walmarts prior digital acquisitions, like Jet.com or Indian e-commerce site Flipkart. Theyre not a social media player or a real technology company. Thats probably the biggest risk, said Rupesh Parikh, managing director at Oppenheimer & Co. We dont have really much of a strategic rationale at this point. For McMillon, the rationale is remaining relevant at a tumultuous time for traditional retailers. The CEO keeps a list of the biggest retailers over the years close at hand, reminding him to constantly adapt or meet the fate of failed chains like Kmart and Woolworths. Bringing TikTok into the fold could help him do just that. One person was shot and killed late on Saturday in Portland, Oregon, as a large caravan of supporters of president Donald Trump and protesters in support of racial justice clashed in the streets. The clashes came just a day after Ted Wheeler, the mayor of Portland, sent a letter to the president again declining his offer to send federal law enforcement to the city. On Sunday morning in a stream of more than 90 tweets and retweets, the president retweeted a supporter who wrote: Ted Wheeler is the useless f***ing idiot and comic relief that gets everyone killed in every disaster movie. Trump added: Tone down the language, but TRUE! Portland has been the site of nightly protests for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Many of them end in vandalism and violence, and hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested by local and federal law enforcement since late May. The Associated Press reports that it wasnt clear if the shooting was linked to fights that broke out as the pro-Trump caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by counter-demonstrators in the citys downtown. In the two hours following the shooting, protesters gathered downtown and there was sporadic fighting and vandalism, police stated. Some gave speeches in Lownsdale Square Park before the protest petered out. Ten people were arrested. The pro-Trump caravan had arrived downtown just as a protest planned for Saturday was getting underway. This was the third Saturday in a row that Trump supporters have rallied in the city. Mr Trump and other speakers at last weeks convention evoked a violent, dystopian future if Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden wins in November and pointed to Portland as a cautionary tale for what would be in store for Americans. Democrats have pointed out that the unrest is happening under his watch and have accused him of repeatedly trying to inflame the situation to help his re-election campaign. Mayor Wheeler argues in his letter to the president that when federal law enforcement officers came to Portland in July they made the situation far worse. The racial justice demonstrations usually target police buildings and federal buildings. Some protesters have called for reductions in police budgets while the citys mayor and some in the Black community have decried the violence, saying its counterproductive. Early on Saturday morning, fires set outside a police union building that is a frequent site for protests prompted police to declare a riot. The commotion followed a sit-in in the lobby of the Portland mayors condominium building Friday night, which was also the subject of a number of the presidents retweets on Sunday morning. With reporting from the Associated Press Is the great swing-state flip to Trump finally happening? Sure looks like a maybe at least, based on a new poll out on the voter sentiment in Michigan. According to the Daily Caller: The president carries a narrow 46-45 lead Biden in the state, a poll published by the Trafalgar Group shows. The poll, conducted between Aug. 14 and Aug. 23, comes a day after Trump wrapped up the Republican National Convention, and less than a week after the Democratic National Convention. The poll surveyed 1,048 respondents and carries a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points. More than 40% of the people the firm polled were between the ages of 45 and 64, and white people made up 81% of respondents. The Daily Caller reports the news with skepticism, citing the polling firms mediocre track record and the fact that the GOP had pulled its ads in Michigan in June, suggesting that its internal polling showed a hopeless picture. In contravention to that, other polls, such as this one from CNBC/Change Research, show that Trump has gained in six battleground states in the wake of the Democratic convention. Thats before the GOP convention and the latter is expected to give Trump yet another bounce. Michigans governor, Gretchen Whitmer, who chairs Bidens reelection campaign in that state, sounds like shes a believer: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Democratic nominee Joe Biden shouldnt trust polls showing he has a strong lead in Michigan, arguing her state is definitely a tossup and will be a dogfight in the 2020 presidential race. Whitmer appeared on MSNBC before her speech at the Democratic National Convention Monday night when she was asked about an MLive report about recent polls in Michigan. The governor said she agrees with other Democrats who warned Biden not to take the state for granted, considering polls had similarly shown President Donald Trump faced an uphill battle before he narrowly won Michigan in 2016. Whats Bidens election strategy? Well, staying in his basement and taking Michigan for granted, which would explain why she sounds worried. Trumps 11,000-margin of victory in Michigan in 2016 was attributed, by Democrats at least, to faulty get-out-the-vote organization. Michigan has its urban and rural cultures, with basic urban-blue / rural red dynamics, yet there are a few little anomalies: Grand Rapids is a beautiful small city which tends to vote red, some parts of the rural Upper Peninsula, Muskegon, and Manistee tend to vote blue. Rural Cadillac is fiercely red, leftist university town Ann Arbor is never going to be anything but blue. Detroit, which is urban, and unioned-up, often dominates as big blue. Yet it curiously had very little in the way of riots that other cities had, mainly out of a been-there-done-that sensibility they know that riots will set a city back decades because it happened to them. Michael Moore, the soul of Flint, a rabid leftist, and a historically accurate prognosticator, warns that Michigan is on track to vote red, too, citing polls and says it goes for Minnesota, too. Here are his hysterical ravings as reported by The Hill: "Are you ready for a Trump victory? Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again? Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust youve placed in the DNC [Democratic National Committee] to pull this off?" Moore wrote in a Facebook post on Friday. "Im warning you almost 10 weeks in advance. The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trumps base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much," he added. "Dont leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump. YOU have to get rid of Trump. WE have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote. ACT NOW!" If Moore and Whitmer are concerned, one can only guess what their internals are telling them. Theres also Whitmer herself who may be a factor in moving Michigan red. Does anyone really believe the polls out there that claim Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is popular? Supposedly, she is, but in light of her harsh measures to keep the economy shut, schools closed, her husbands corrupt bid to jump the queue for a boat ride in a partial reopening, her persistent orders to seed nursing homes with COVID patients, and her constant fighting with President Trump, its very hard to understand why she would be. Some of that might rub off onto support for President Trump. Biden himself is a problem, too, not just in hiding but in his disrespectful treatment of a Michigan voter when he does come out, telling a Michigan autoworker 'you're full of sh**!' when he asked Biden about the Second Amendment, Midwest-wise, he also abused an old Iowa farmer, who asked him a tough question. Instead of answer the question, Biden challenged the voter to pushups during the primary, calling him Hey, fat! Both incidents are likely to disgust voters in Michigan. Historically, Michigan has always been the toughest of the battleground states to flip red Wisconsin and Minnesota have been just a little easier. But a poll like this Trafalgar one, even if imperfect does say something when coupled with other factors. Could Michigan turn red? Nobody should get cocky, but that poll was just the latest in a string of flashing red lights suggesting so. Image credit: SpeedMcCool, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0 The body of a Fultondale man missing for more than a month after a boating accident on Smith Lake was recovered Saturday. Dustin New, 26, had not been seen Thursday, July 16, when he was involved in the boating accident in the Cullman County area of Smith Lake. Since then, multiple agencies have searched for New, who worked at Birminghams Tin Roof and had served as a volunteer firefighter with Locust Fork Fire Department. Led by ALEAs Marine Patrol Division, the search teams included the Logan Fire & Rescue, Crane Hill Fire & Rescue, Cullman County Sheriffs Office, Houston County Search & Rescue, Christian Aid Ministries Search & Rescue, Elite Detection K-9, ALEA Aviation and many others throughout the more than six-week search. More than $14,000 was raised during the search for New. The searchers used side scan sonar, a towable submersible sonar, cadaver dogs, aerial assets, and dive teams to look for New. ALEA Marine Patrol Northern District Assistant Commander Lt. Chad Pate said the lengthy search was difficult due to water depth, lake bottom conditions, and extreme heat. The search area was 140 feet deep with standing timber as well as cut timber on bottom. Pate said divers recovered News body from about 90 feet of water in the area where the accident was thought to have happened. Southeast Louisiana Underwater Recover, Logan Volunteer Fire Department and the Cullman County Sheriffs Office Dive Team assisted ALEA in Saturdays recovery. Portage Mayor Rick Dodd said the city has been largely operating under its own percentages since they are unable to get answers from the county health department. He specifically criticized Lorenzs lack of communication with the public through municipality officials and news sources. Through use of two Census tracts, the city has been able to ensure its own numbers, Dodd said. Their positivity rate had been slightly more than 2% and is currently around 4% or slightly less, he said. They have been tracking numbers daily. At this point, were considering everything to be fairly stable yet, Dodd said. Were trying to see what the mask requirement is going to do for us because at this point, thats the best thing we could do. The city remains concerned, Dodd said. It doesnt have its own health officer and has relied on the county in the past. In Sauk County, testing numbers have been decreasing in recent weeks. Part of that is fewer testing events, but also the likelihood that the public is not as vigilant in its willingness to take part, Lawther said. Newbury Coat enters the history books Pair of tailors scissors used by James White to cut the cloth used to make the Newbury Coat in June 1811. His father, Isaac, was also a tailor; he witnessed the event. NEBYM:1969.8.1 Highlights of West Berkshire Museum Collection: The Newbury Coat IN June 1811, Sir John Throckmorton issued a bet that John Coxeter, the owner of Greenham Mills, could make him a woollen coat in one day, between sunrise and sunset. The process had to start with shearing of two sheep at 5am and the coat had to be ready for Sir John to wear at 8pm for a formal dinner. The sheep were shorn and the wool was spun into yarn that was woven into cloth by John Coxeters son. It was washed and dyed before being given to the tailor at 4pm to make into the coat. Many people worked to finish each stage of making the coat which was completed at 20 minutes past six oclock a total of 13 hours and 20 minutes, with an hour and 40 minutes to spare. John Coxeter won the 1,000 guineas bet and celebrated by buying 120 gallons of beer for the large crowd of 5,000 who had come to watch, and they ate roast mutton from the two sheep whose fleeces had made the coat. Coughton Court, a National Trust property, is now the home of the original Newbury Coat (also called the Throckmorton Coat) and an oil painting depicting the event. The coat and oil painting were shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and numerous copies of an engraving of the picture were sold. Another Newbury Coat was made in 1991 and is a replica of the 1811 Throckmorton coat. It is made of blue-dyed wool with 10 bone buttons on the front and four buttons on the coat tail. The coat was made in 12 hours 36 minutes and 26 seconds from when shearing of sheep commenced until the coat was worn by radio and television personality Johnny Morris, who lived in Hungerford. This coat was made at Newbury Agricultural Show during the presidency of David Hopson, whose company sponsored the attempt on the 18th Newbury Coat Record. The coat was presented to the museum during an event held at St Nicolas Church Hall for all the people involved in its making. The 1991 Newbury Coat, along with a pair of scissors used in the making of the original coat and a lithograph print of the engraving, can be seen on display in the Lives and Landscape exhibition at West Berkshire Museum. The Newbury Coat, 1991. A replica of the 1811 Throckmorton coat. It was made in 12 hours 36 minutes and 26 seconds at the Newbury Agricultural Show during a sponsored attempt on the 18th Newbury Coat Record. NEBYM:1992.4 Visit www.westberkshireheritage.org/west-berkshire-museum for information about visiting the museum. Pictures courtesy of West Berkshire Museum For nearly three decades, voiceover actor Kevin Conroy has been the voice of (animated) Batman. He has voiced almost every iteration of Batman in cartoons, animated movies or video games. Conroy began his career as a theater actor, attending Julliard, a prestigious acting school in New York City. He studied alongside heavyweights Robin Williams, Kelsey Grammer and more. Conroy would go on to perform on Broadway and off-Broadway when his agent called him about auditioning for the role of Batman in a new animated show. During the audition Kevin was able to use his theater background to manifest one of the most memorable voices in cartoon history. A parkland being built on the site of an old contaminated tip in Sydney's inner west as part of the WestConnex motorway project is almost a year behind schedule after heavy downpours washed away soil from a large hill formed out of waste. Residents are sceptical of the state government delivering on its latest pledge to open the six-hectare parkland at St Peters later this year, citing erosion on the hill near Canal Road and the Princes Highway during heavy rain. St Peters resident Anne Picot doubts the parkland will be opened to the public later this year. Credit:Janie Barrett The first parcel of parkland built in and around a spaghetti junction of motorway ramps just south of Sydney Park was originally planned to be finished last year. St Peters resident Anne Picot said there was "no way" the site was close to being ready to become usable parkland for the local community. "It is just a joke, frankly. In heavy rain events, it is quite clear that that mound is not stable," she said. Premier Dan Andrews has left Victorians outraged after speaking at length about a mysterious 'plan' out of lockdown without providing explicit details. Mr Andrews mentioned the 'plan' 22 times during a press conference on Sunday morning, announcing the state had recorded 114 new cases and 11 deaths overnight. 'These case numbers are too high for us to open up, and they are still too high for us to put forward a definitive plan,' he said. 'Now, there will be a plan. It will come soon. Angry Victorians have flocked online to vent their frustration after Premier Dan Andrews (pictured) repeatedly referenced a 'plan' out of lockdown during a press conference on Sunday without providing explicit details 'It needs to be a clear plan that we are confident we can actually deliver. And I do appreciate that it is frustrating, but a plan that is real is always much better, I think, than one that is rushed out and really doesnt have the data sitting behind it, the evidence, the science.' Victoria's stage four restrictions are due to end in two weeks, but Mr Andrews indicated they will likely be extended. Without a clear path to freedom in sight, scores of furious Melburnians flocked to social media to vent their frustration over Mr Andrews' vague update. 'Dan Andrews is constantly talking about "the plan" that he won't comment on. Right. It was time to resign a long time ago. Do the honourable thing and go. Take your failed ministers with you,' one person Tweeted. Another wrote: 'Same s**t different day except another 11 lives lost. Let's deflect again and talk about kids immunisations. Is this guy for real? Someone else said 'no definitive plan means no plan at all', while a woman, who said she had been a big supporter of Dan Andrews declared she 'had about enough'. 'Fine if the numbers are currently too high to open up. But whats the plan? What number are we aiming for? Less than 10 cases for a week and then we go to stage 3? What is the goal? What is the plan ? Our lives and livelihoods depend on it,' vented another. Stage four restrictions are due to be lifted in Victoria in two weeks, but Mr Andrews has indicated they will likely be extended. A general view of Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne on Friday, which has been deserted since residents were ordered to stay home The once-bustling Flinders Street Station was eerily quiet on Thursday night as Melburnians are subject an 8pm to 5am curfew But others threw their support behind the embattled Premier, arguing that critics were being unduly harsh. 'How can you have a plan when you have no idea what the general public will do? If numbers rise again, we will stay in lockdown, if they dont, a plan is needed so we dont keep on a roller coaster. Not easy, dont envy those with these decisions at all,' one person wrote. Another added:'Yes, he mentioned a plan but gave no detail. However, surely the strategy would have to be multi-optional at this stage. Depends on where we are at come 13/9. No doubt theres a range of options. Why release them all to the hungry pack if they never need to happen?' One man thanked the leader for his efforts. 'The coronavirus cases are shrinking. Thank you our great premier you took decisive action and we are seeing the benefits of your actions. It has been difficult but with the current results, I will do it again if I have to,' he wrote. Furious Victorians flocked to social media to share their anger over Mr Andrews mysterious references to a end-of-lockdown plan Some speculated the Andrews government do not have a plan at all It comes as the state recorded 114 new coronavirus cases and 11 more deaths on Sunday, with the latest victims a man in his 70s, five women and one man in their 80s and three women and one man in their 90s. Nine of the 11 deaths are linked to outbreaks at aged care facilities. The state's toll from the virus is now 524, while the national figure is 611. Mr Andrews said 382 deaths were linked to the aged care sector. The new figures come after Saturday's daily coronavirus dipped below 100 for the first time since July 5 Mr Andrews said while case numbers 'will bounce around a little bit', they were trending down. 'We are seeing a fall across each of the key metrics and the strategy is working and that is a credit to every Victorian who has made a powerful contribution to that end,' he said. Melburnians are subject to another fortnight of strict stage four restrictions including an 8pm to 5am curfew. The figure comes a day after the state recorded 94 new cases - the first time cases have dipped below the three figure mark since July 5 Restrictions across Melbourne are due to expire on September 13 but will be reduced gradually rather than removed completely (pictured, Melburnians go out for a stroll on Saturday) Regional Victorians are under slightly less strict stage three restrictions for the same period. Mr Andrews said he would make announcements on Monday about how the government would collaborate with the business sector on the process to ease restrictions. Meanwhile, a potential solution to the political impasse on the government's desire to extend the state of emergency beyond September 13 could be close. Victorian upper house MP Fiona Patten said on Saturday she could get the support to make a deal with the government for a sixth-month extension of the state of emergency. Under the Reason Party leader's proposal, the government would get an extension of powers enabling it to write and pass COVID-19-specific laws until March, but not for 12 months. The government would have to brief minor parties and independents once a month to justify the continuation of the state of emergency. If the government wants to extend the powers beyond March, it will have to go back to parliament to argue for it again. 'This is a fair arrangement that I believe could gain the support of several of my colleagues and pass the parliament - only by a small margin though,' Ms Patten said. Victoria's 2830 active cases include 406 healthcare workers and 1277 in aged care. There are 472 Victorians in hospital with coronavirus, including 25 in intensive care. Nur-sultan, Aug 30 : Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that closure the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site has largely reduced the threat of nuclear proliferation to the international community. Semipalatinsk was the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons, with over 450 tests carried out since 1949, reports Xinhua news agency. On August 29, 1991, then President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed an executive order to shut down the site. Tokayev said the Semipalatinsk site near Semey city had caused intensive radioactive contamination of the surrounding areas of 300,000 square km, with more than 500,000 people exposed to direct radiation. After the closure of the test site, the Kazakh government prioritized social rehabilitation and long-term safety of the area, said Tokayev, adding that a comprehensive environmental survey covering 18,500 square km will be completed next year. In 2009, the UN General Assembly declared August 29 as the International day of action against nuclear testing. Doesnt it just seem like one thing after another? Were in the midst of a global pandemic, which has taken the lives of more than one thousand Iowans, and then we get hit by a derecho. Its been a trying year for folks across Iowa. The challenges were facing as a state, and a nation, are some of the toughest in a lifetime. But its in these dark times that the light can shine through. I believe in Iowans. Ive seen your grit and determination throughout this pandemic and as we start to recover from the devastating storms. I was over in Grinnell recently visiting with some community leaders about how COVID-19 and the derecho has impacted their work and lives. I got to hear the story of Julie Gosselink, a single mom of three who is the president and CEO of a local nonprofit, the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation. The Ahrens Foundation is focused on lifting up folks in the Grinnell community, with the motto: Leave it better than you found it. Julies passion was so apparent in the way she spoke about her work and emphasized the need to support organizations like hers. Whether its helping with food insecurity or creating new places of recreation in the community or just connecting Iowans with resources following the derecho and during COVID-19, local organizations across our state are always ready to lend a hand. Its why I fought hard to make sure Iowas nonprofits were eligible for relief under the Paycheck Protection Program. Over in Marshalltown a community that is no stranger to natural disasters I met with some volunteers at the local Salvation Army. These men and women truly do Gods work, volunteering their time to package and deliver meals to ensure their neighbors get a decent meal. And during this same visit to Marshall County, I got to thank some of our front line workers our line men who have literally been working around the clock to restore power to Iowans. Some folks have even traveled from out of state to help out. Its remarkable how people come together during tragedy. This same spirit of volunteerism is something I witnessed during the 2008 floods when I was on the ground in Cedar Rapids with the Iowa National Guard. Folks came together for the good of their neighbors and community, and they did it with a smile on their face. And thats true of Iowans near my home in Montgomery, Mills, and Fremont counties. Weve faced significant flooding and damage and while at the federal level Ive been working with the Army Corps on recovery efforts and flood mitigation projectsmy neighbors were taking meals to folks and just checking in on one another to make sure they were okay. Folks, in times of need, Iowans will always help out their fellow Iowans. Im so proud of our state and the way we respond to challenges. Certainly, the federal and state governments play a key role in getting resources to communities and individuals to help with recovery. Its what Im working to do right now in the face of these storms and during this ongoing pandemic. But its individual Iowans who are lifting one another up. You make me proud to be an Iowan and humbled by the opportunity to share your stories, concerns, and challenges on the national level. We might get knocked down, but us Iowans, we get back up, and we keep fighting, day after day. Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine The Most Popular Utica Greens Invented by Joe Morelle Versions for Greens Plain sauteed in garlic Greens with meat and potatoes Greens with Cheese Greens Morelle Basic Ingredients to Make Utica Greens Recipe escarole cored and coarsely chopped extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling garlic cloves, thinly sliced dried hot red pepper flakes Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs Pecorino Romano cheese grated Tips Boiling them first is an important step, it kills bacteria, get all the dirt out and bugs and makes them melt in your mouth tender Do not over brown garlic it should be a golden brown, remove it and add it back later after you flavor the oil Dressed greens are a version that can be adapted with more or fewer ingredients, IE hot peppers instead of sweet bell and prosciutto along with hot capicola Greens last around 2 days in the refrigerator when mixed with other ingredients Escarole boiled can be frozen and used for any of these recipes Other Additions to Add Italian hot or sweet sausage Italian hot peppers, cherry peppers, assorted colors of pepper Potatoes, Mozzarella melted cheese on top Utica grind red pepper flakes on top or freshly cracked black pepper Drizzled with extra virgin olive oil when greens are just sauteed with Pecorino Romano cheese Hot Capicola Any other kind of ham you prefer Proscuitto For vegetarians add artichokes hearts, fresh spinach leaves, chopped Roma tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower florets steamed Try Some Other Famous Utica Recipes Utica, N.Y. Greens Pin for later A Delicious Side Dish or Full Meal Print With Image Without Image Italian Utica Greens Sauteed Escarole Recipe Yield: 6 Author: Claudia Lamascolo Prep time: 10 M Cook time: 35 M Total time: 45 M These are famous greens made with escarole in the Utican New York area. Many local families make them and on the menus in several restaurants. Greens can be plain and sauteed in garlic or dressed to the nines adding sausage, peppers and potatoes to them. There are many versions here in the recipe card to choose from. Ingredients: Italian style Greens are famous in Upstate Utica New York and Rome New York areas. Here are adapted recipes below found in several favorite Restaurants and are copycats of what we have tasted through the years. There are 3 versions below to chose from and easy to make using escarole which was a staple in our home growing up in the 1960s in our Italian home living in East Utica. Instructions: First Version 4 lb escarole (about 4 heads), cored and coarsely chopped 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs Locatelli cheese grated Wash escarole in a sinkful of hot water, lift to drain. Cook in a heavy pot full of boiling salted water for 30 minutes, drain. Heat oil in the same pot over medium heat, saute garlic and red pepper flakes with oil for around 1 minute. Add escarole, stirring to coat evenly with oil. Place on low heat and saute until tender around 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes if you love it hot! Spoon onto a large platter and drizzle with a good grade extra virgin olive oil, Italian flavored bread crumbs, and Locatelli cheese grated or shredded mozzarella. Second Version (This version is found in most Central NY Utica/Rome areas) 1 large escarole (or 2 small heads) 4 slices prosciutto-thin slices, chopped 2 garlic cloves minced 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 long Italian hot peppers, seeded & julienned 1/2 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated cheese 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper black pepper and the pinch of salt Follow directions above except saute the garlic, peppers in oil with prosciutto first, add cooked escarole with spices, add broth, top with cheese and breadcrumbs at the end. Third Version A Version of Greens Morelle Utica Greens All Dressed Up (a whole meal in itself!) Cut and peel 4 potatoes into 1-inch chunks and fry until golden brown and crisp, set aside. 2 lbs of link Italian sausage cut in small pieces and fried, set aside. 6 slices of prosciutto, ham, or capicola ( Italian hot ham). Boil 2 heads of Escarole a little saltwater, slowly in a large pot simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and do the same procedure above to extract water. In a large frying pan: add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil boiled drained greens 2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 1 jar of roasted peppers or use homemade roasted peppers, you can also use sweet cherry peppers or long hot peppers cut into strips 1/2 cup chicken broth, at the end optional chopped tomatoes In a large frying pan add oil saute; peppers and ham, add all spices. Add potatoes, sausage, and ham mix greens in stir, add the broth. Garnish: 1 cup shredded blend of provolone and mozzarella 1/2 cup of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder 3/4 cup Locatelli or Parmesan grated cheese salt and pepper to taste Add topping to greens mixture. Place in a greased casserole dish and sprinkle with cheeses and flavored bread crumbs on top. Broil until cheese melts. https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2010/05/italian-utica-greens-sauteed-escarole.html escarole recipes, Utica New York Greens recipes, favorite escarole recipes, greens recipe, Utica Greens Recipes escarole recipes, greens recipes, healthy recipes Italian, American Created using The Recipes Generator Italian Utica Greens Sauteed Escarole Recipe Pin for later Oldie Video on YouTube Family Favorite Recipes We Love This dish was popularized by Joe Morelle in the late 1980s at the Chesterfield Restaurant in Utica, N.Y., where it is on the menu as greens Morelle.Mr. Morelle being a chef at the Grimaldi's Restaurant (now closed) observed a chef making greens, they were only served as an occasional special.Then he started at the Chesterfield's in 1988. He then tweaked those greens and put it on the menu as a regular appetizer.His greens were an immediate hit and became famous quickly.He later quit the restaurant business to work as a postman. He only made greens by request, in huge trays for weddings, birthdays, and holidays.Mr. Morelle passed away in 2017 and will be forever known for these greens in Utica, New York but we will keep his memory alive in our kitchens with his recipe for these delicious greens.A great side dish and so healthy for you is our Italian Sauteed Escarole with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a little heat version, simple to make and deliciousI make three different versions here is just one of them.Scroll through the recipes and get a little taste of Utica, N.Y. greens the recipes are all easy.Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2020. A special status should be granted to the entire territory of Donbas, not just the temporarily occupied parts as Russia has been demanding, Fokin suggests. First prime minister of Ukraine Vitold Fokin, who has recently been appointed deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation at the Donbas settlement talks within the Trilateral Contact Group, believes "general pardon" is required today as a prerequisite to end the war. "Another important question is about pardon. On both sides, many crimes have been committed that should ultimately be investigated, and let the perpetrators be prosecuted. But today, in order to end the war and save the lives of soldiers and commanders, my position is to declare general pardon, hold elections, resolve the issue of the special status of certain regions, and best of all, the entire Donbas," he told Strana. Also, the delegate said he was ready to go for a working trip to the occupied areas, and that the idea saw support from the chief of Ukraine's delegation, Leonid Kravchuk, who was the first president of Ukraine. Read alsoRussia trying to shift Donbas settlement talks away from Normandy Four to TCG Ukraine delegate"Moreover, given specific security guarantees, [Kravchuk] is ready to go with me to Donbas. I haven't met the president, so I don't know his opinion," Fokin added. He clarified that he was ready to communicate with the local warlords if tasked with president or parliament. "Special status" for Donbas" background A "special status" for Donbas, or the law on a special procedure for local government in the occupied areas, is a cause of concern for Ukrainian society, although officials reassure the public they will make no moves in this regard until Russia pulls its troops from the country's east. The Kremlin has been exerting constant pressure on Kyiv, demanding that the law be passed without Moscow fulfilling its obligations to withdraw troops, military equipment, and hand control over the border sections in the region back to Ukraine. The existing law on local government in certain areas of Donbas on December 12, 2019, was extended until December 31, 2020. Pardon for enemy forces in Donbas: legislation Every so often, the world of tennis is thrown into the spotlight for reasons that have littl Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Joshua Howat Berger (Agence France-Presse) Rio de Janeiro Sun, August 30, 2020 11:05 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417228c 2 World Brazil,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free Just over six months after registering its first case of the new coronavirus, Brazil crossed the grim threshold of 120,000 people killed by COVID-19 Saturday, with no end in sight to the crisis. The country of 212 million people has now registered 120,262 deaths from the virus and 3,846,153 infections, the health ministry said in its daily update. Brazil is just the second country to surpass a death toll of 120,000 in the pandemic, after the United States, where the number killed is now more than 182,000. Unlike in Europe and Asia, where the virus hit hard and then subsided, Brazil's outbreak is advancing at a slow but devastating pace, said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at public health institute Fiocruz. "Brazil is unique in the world. Since the start of the pandemic, its curve has been different from other countries', much slower," he told AFP. "It has stabilized now, but at a very dangerous level: nearly 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day.... And Brazil still isn't past the peak." 'Total lack of coordination' Brazil confirmed its first case of the virus on February 26, a Sao Paulo businessman returning from a trip to Italy. It recorded its first death on March 16. The pandemic soon turned political in Latin America's largest country. President Jair Bolsonaro condemned the "hysteria" around the virus, and attacked governors and mayors who imposed lockdown measures, arguing the economic damage would be worse than the disease itself. The far-right leader has instead pushed the drug hydroxychloroquine as the solution to the health crisis, despite studies showing it is ineffective against COVID-19. He again said Saturday the controversial medication had "saved thousands of victims' lives" in Brazil. Bolsonaro even took what he called the "right-wing" drug himself when he was diagnosed with the virus in July. Experts widely agree the lack of a cohesive message from Brazil's leaders is responsible for the country's failure to "flatten the curve." "It's terrible. There's been a total lack of coordination by the federal government, which unfortunately is another characteristic of the pandemic in Brazil," said Barcellos. The virus has meanwhile spread from the first demographic it infected -- wealthy travelers returning from abroad -- to more vulnerable groups and to the interior of the country. Impoverished residents of overcrowded favelas, or slums, in cities such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have been hit especially hard. So have indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest, who have a history of vulnerability to outside diseases. Read also: Brazil paradise island reopens, with a COVID catch Bolsonaro popular as ever Brazil's economy, the biggest in Latin America, is meanwhile heading for a record recession this year because of the fallout. The economy ministry estimates GDP contracted by eight to 10 percent in the second quarter of 2020, and economists are predicting a contraction of more than five percent for the year. But Bolsonaro, paradoxically, is as popular as ever. The president, who took office in January 2019, received the best approval rating of his term earlier this month, 37 percent, up five points from June, according to leading polling firm Datafolha. It found he was performing particularly well among poor Brazilians who have been receiving monthly stimulus payments of 600 reals (about $110) to offset the economic pain of the pandemic. The former army captain had an approval rating of 42 percent among recipients of the temporary stimulus payments. The poll also found 47 percent of Brazilians do not blame Bolsonaro for the country's COVID-19 death toll, while just 11 percent saw him as the "main culprit." Other recent polls have also found the man dubbed the "Tropical Trump" has rebounding popularity and a strong chance at re-election in 2022. "Bolsonaro is a phenomenon. He's a political force to be reckoned with," said political analyst Michael Mohallem of the Getulio Vargas Foundation. Still, he added, "it's shocking the way he has handled this. It's not just his denialism.... He has often crossed the line of disrespecting victims." Meanwhile, "the number of deaths is scandalously high," he said. "And I think someday he'll have to pay the price." 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #35 Posted on 30 August 2020 by John Hartz Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Climate Feedback Article Review... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Tropical Storm Lauras flooding and other impacts on the ground: What we know The storms wind speed, deaths, damages, and possible ties to climate change, explained. Shutterstock Tropical Storm Laura, which has been downgraded from a hurricane, made landfall early Thursday morning in Cameron, Louisiana just 35 miles east of the Texas-Louisiana border &mdas idh; as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds. Already, pictures and videos of the storm from Lake Charles, Louisiana, a town about 50 miles north of Cameron, show torn-off roofs, downed power lines, blown-out windows, and dozens of trees ripped from the ground. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said hed received a report Thursday morning of the first American fatality from Laura, a 14-year-old girl from Vernon Parish who died when a tree fell on her home. Edwards later said a total of four people in his state have died all as a result of fallen trees. Laura was also responsible for at least 23 deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this week. There has been no official word of other injuries or deaths in the US since the storm made landfall. What we know is that about 20 million people reside in the path of the storm and 500,000 have been ordered to evacuate, a task complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic. And so far, more than 740,000 homes and businesses are without power in Texas and Louisiana. Click here to access the entire article originally posted on the Vox website. Tropical Storm Lauras flooding and other impacts on the ground: What we know by Roge Karma, Energy & Environment, Vox, Aug 27, 2020 Toon of the Week... Hat tip to the Stop Climate Science Denial Facebook page. Climate Feedback Article Review... Article by CNN exaggerates studys implications for future Greenland ice loss with point of no return claim Analysis of "Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, according to new study" published in CNN, by Brandon Miller & Max Claypool on Aug 14, 2020 Three scientists analyzed the article and estimate its overall scientific credibility to be 'low'. A majority of reviewers tagged the article as: Exaggerating. Article by CNN exaggerates studys implications for future Greenland ice loss with point of no return claim, Edited by Niki Forrester, Climate Feedback, Aug 20, 2020 Coming Soon on SkS... Climate TRACE to track real-time global carbon emissions (Bruce Lieberman) (Bruce Lieberman) Siberias 2020 heatwave made 600 times more likely by climate change (Daisy Dunne) (Daisy Dunne) SkS New Research for Week #35 (Doug Bostrom) (Doug Bostrom) History of Consensus Video (John Cook) Video (John Cook) Will Fusion Power solve Climate Change? (Climate Adam) (Climate Adam) 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #36 (John Hartz) Climate Feedback Claim Review... Planting trees can help mitigate some aspects of climate change, but it cannot solve all environmental crises CLAIM: Trees provide a solution to almost all environmental crises we're facing. Trees reverse climate change by cleaning carbon from the air." VERDICT: SOURCE: Pamela Anderson 8 Billion Trees, Aug 23, 2020 KEY TAKE AWAY: Trees provide a variety of ecosystem services, such as absorbing and storing carbon, that can help mitigate environmental crises and climate change. However, that alone is not sufficient to halt climate change. Reducing fossil fuel emissions and avoiding deforestation are necessary climate solutions, to which planting trees could provide additional benefits. Planting trees can help mitigate some aspects of climate change, but it cannot solve all environmental crises, Edited by Nikki Forrester, Climate Feedback, Aug 25, 2020 SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... /* custom css */ .tdi_75_994.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_994 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_994.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_994.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_994.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Enugu Branch, has elected Mrs. Uchenwa Ujam, as the first female chairman at her just concluded 2020 Annual General Meeting/ Election. The election which held on Thursday night at the Science Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board Hall, threw the women engineers into jubilation after Mrs. Ujam was declared the winner in the society where men seemed to dominate. Ujam recorded a landslide victory with 61 votes to defeat her co-contestant, Mr Chibuzo Aka who scored 29 votes. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_144.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_144 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_144.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_144.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_144.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } In her acceptance speech as the Chairman-elect, Ujam thanked her colleagues for finding her worthy to lead the society, saying that she would not disappoint them. She said that NSE Enugu Branch has already achieved a landmark by electing her, being the first female chairman over 60 years of the branchs existence. Speaking on the issue of building collapse in various parts of the state, Ujam said though many factors causes building collapse, she however, vowed that there would be no room for quacks in engineering in the state under her leadership. There are many causes of building collapse in our society. The major one is the activity of the quacks, those who answer engineers when they are not but are undertaking construction of buildings which is meant to be job of engineers. The Engineering Regulation and Monitoring (ERM), a regulatory body within the NSE which sees to disciplining and sanctioning of such impostors will be better armed to perform their duty under my tenure. I will equally build a synergy between the NSE and other bodies in the building and construction industry, he promised. Mrs Ujam said that her tenure shall have the mentoring of young engineers, especially the female ones as a cardinal objective with a view to making them self reliant considering the scarcity of jobs in Nigeria. Bangladeshi authorities are all set to restore mobile internet in Cox bazaar, which houses over 7,45,000 Rohingya refugees, international media reported. Last year, the government snapped the area's 3G and 4G connections. However, the South Asian country has now decided to restore it owing to "international pressure" and criticisms. A deadly crackdown by Myanmar's army on Rohingya Muslims, in 2017, sent hundreds of thousands fleeing across the border into Bangladesh. Since then, they continue to reside there, making it the word's largest refugee camp. Speaking to media reporters, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Bangladesh Minister of Home Affairs epotedly revealed the refugees were still using Myanmars sim cards, and by restoring internet services, they could probably get them to use Bangladeshi network. "We want to get them back in our network to keep their activities in control," he said. Read: Indonesian Fishermen Discover 94 Rohingya Adrift At Sea Read: India-Bangladesh Inland Waterway Route To Be Operational In September 'Internet could be shut again' Elaborating further the lawmaker said that though the countrys government did not want to control the Rohingya people, they sure wanted to keep an eye on terrorist elements that may provoke the refugees. However, he warned that the internet could be cut again, "if the situation demands". Read: Foreign Secretary Meets Bangladesh PM; Topics Of Mutual Interest Likely Discussed Read: BSF Apprehends Seven Bangladeshi Trying To Enter India With Support Of Human Traffickers In 2017, a military crackdown led to over 7,30,000 ethnic Rohingya people crossing the border to enter Bangladesh, Later, investigations by United Nations discovered that the crackdown was made with genocidal intent. Since then, refugees in the camps are increasing, creating border troubles for Myanmar, Bangladesh and India. The Rohingya people have been described as "one of the world's least wanted minorities" and "some of the world's most persecuted people" in the world. In February 1992, Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release, "In actual fact, although there are (135) national races living in Myanmar today, the so-called Rohingya people is not one of them. By Clare Jim and William James HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters) - Hong Konger Winnie Tong aims to move to Britain with her family in two years, but is stalling on plans to buy a house there after prices jumped almost 15% since April. The 40-year-old who used to be in two minds about leaving Hong Kong now wants to settle in Birmingham as she is concerned about an increasingly politicised environment for her young children. "Last year because of the anti-extradition law protests I wanted to migrate more, and it's pretty much this year, because of the national security law that I'm determined to move." Property agents said they sold more than double the number of apartments to Hong Kong buyers in the past two months, with the spike in purchases mainly for personal use. "The good quality houses are all sold out and prices are more expensive," Tong told Reuters. "Too many Hong Kong people are snatching up (property) in the UK now." The UK government in July offered about 3 million British National Overseas passport holders in Hong Kong a path to British citizenship after Beijing imposed sweeping new security legislation in Hong Kong. "We have never received so many calls from existing clients," said Marc von Grundherr, director of London estate agent Benham and Reeves, which lets UK properties for about 1,000 clients in Hong Kong. A weaker pound since 2014 and a stamp duty holiday in Britain for homes priced below 500,000 pounds ($654,400), have also encouraged Hong Kong buyers to invest in the UK. Property agent Arlington Residential in London said it completed more than 10 deals in the past two months, a figure it would normally achieve in a year. Centaline in Hong Kong said it sold around 60 apartments in July alone, adding that they had a waiting list of clients due to a shortage of supply. Hong Kong investors buy homes anywhere from 300,000 pounds to 50 million pounds ($390,000-$65.50 million) and are increasingly looking outside London, such as in Manchester and Bristol, for cheaper options. Story continues "Because of the situation in Hong Kong, those who didn't know the UK very well are now also looking...and they don't want to commit too much yet because their economic power is not as strong," said David Hui, Centaline Property sales director. Hong Kong buyers have climbed a notch to become the fifth largest foreign investors in central London in the past 12 months, Knight Frank data showed, after China, the United States, India and Russia. They accounted for 4% of purchases, up from 2.5% in 2016. Guy Bradshaw, head of London Residential at Sotheby's International Realty UK, said Hong Kong buyers are nervous about the political situation and want to ensure their families are safe and their income is protected. Some of his clients are well-known and ultra high net worth families who are "ready to pounce if need be" to relocate the whole family, he added. The surge in interest has prompted some UK developers to pick Hong Kong for their first international launch, versus Shanghai or Singapore previously, agents said. Battersea Power Station Development Co said inquiries from Hong Kong had climbed 150% since Easter, and it is planning to hold a sales exhibition in Hong Kong later this year. But finding a good venue for an exhibition could be a challenge as many developers jump on the bandwagon. Von Grundherr of Benham and Reeves said: "You cannot get a room in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for a month at the moment - and that will be a small rubbishy room. The good rooms are booked out to the end of the year. ($1 = 0.7641 pounds) (Editing by Jacqueline Wong) A full-size model of a privately-developed moon lander has arrived at the U.S. space agency NASA for examination and testing. The model, also known as a mock-up, stands more than 12 meters high. The design represents one of three lunar landers being developed for NASA by three different companies. The mock-up was recently sent to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Blue Origin, a Washington state-based space flight company, produced it. NASA announced earlier this year it had chosen three American businesses to develop, build and fly lunar landers for future missions to the moon. The other two companies are Californias SpaceX and Dynetics of Alabama. SpaceX made history in May by launching two astronauts into space aboard a spacecraft the company built and operated for NASA. It was the first time astronauts had launched from American soil since the last space shuttle flight in 2011. Altogether, NASA has agreed to pay the three companies $967 million to design and develop human landing systems for its Artemis program. The goal of Artemis is to return astronauts to the moon in 2024, NASA officials have said. The space agencys next goal is to establish a long-term base on the moon by 2028. From there, NASA says it hopes to launch a series of space operations, including missions to Mars. Blue Origins model is not a working version of the lander. But it does include full elements designed to give NASA engineers an up-close look at the landing system. One of the main goals of the mock-up operation will be to test how effectively the lunar lander can get crew, equipment and supplies on and off of the vehicle, Blue Origin said in a statement. It will also be a chance for astronauts to examine the equipment and provide their feedback on the design. Blue Origin formed a National Team with other companies to work on the lunar lander project. The team includes Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper. The system is based on three main parts: the Ascent Element, the Descent Element and the Transfer Element. Lockheed Martin is designing the Ascent Element, where the crew would be housed during moon missions. The Descent Element, developed by Blue Origin, would carry the astronauts to the surface of the moon. The Transfer Element, designed by Northrop Grumman, links up with the lander and would guide the crew through low lunar orbit in preparation for landing. Leaders of the National Team say they decided to create the three lander components to speed up the design and development process. This method permits the team to carry out independent development and testing of individual elements, without affecting the full system, Blue Origin said. Both the Ascent Element and the Descent Element were sent to NASA for examination and testing. Brent Sherwood is vice president of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin. Testing this engineering mock-up for crew interaction is a step toward making this historic mission real, he said in a statement. He noted the importance of receiving NASAs expertise and feedback on Blue Origins design as early as possible to help improve the overall development progress. The learning we get from full-scale mock-ups cant be done any other way, Sherwood added. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Blue Origin and NASA. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - Privately-Developed Moon Lander Model Arrives at NASA for Testing Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story mission n. an important task, usually involving travel somewhere feedback n. helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance or product component n. one of the parts of something, especially a machine full-scale adj. very large or serious and involving everything that is possible or expected Valerie Obaze, 40, founded beauty brand R&R Luxury in 2010. She lives between London and Accra, in Ghana, with her husband, Stan, and their three children, aged ten, eight and six. Growing up in London with Ghanaian ancestry, I would often visit Accra in the summer holidays with my family. My mum would always bring back tons of raw shea butter in a solid lump that you'd have to heat up on the stove. I went on to study communications at Coventry University, then took a job in PR. I never thought I'd set up my own beauty business. Valerie Obaze, 40, lives between London and Accra, in Ghana, with her husband, Stan, and their three children, aged ten, eight and six In 2009, I married and had my first child, Rebecca Rose. She started developing awful, red rashes. None of the regular baby oils or creams agreed with her, then Mum gave me an amazing, unlabelled bottle of natural oil, which turned out to be shea. It worked magic on my daughter her rashes disappeared quickly and she had beautiful, buttery skin so Stan and I started using it too, and it was amazing, so much easier to apply in liquid form. That was my lightbulb moment. I realised we were on to something this shea oil could be a massive gamechanger in skincare. We launched R&R Luxury, named after Rebecca Rose, in 2010. I took several online courses in cosmetics compliance and organic formulation my goal was to create a 'clean' product with as few ingredients as possible. Lots of brands sell shea butters, but they contain only tiny amounts. Valerie founded R&R Luxury in 2010 after discovering how good shea oil was for her family's skin We use it in its purest, rawest form: our oil is 100 per cent shea and we add only essential oils for their aromatherapeutic properties. I also wanted to find a way of supporting the rural shea farmers in Ghana, 90 per cent of whom are women. It can be a dangerous job, due to snake bites, and historically, they have not been rewarded sufficiently for their work. We buy above market value and set up the Women of the Savannah Development Project to provide health, safety and business training to help break the poverty cycle. R&R Luxury now sells more than 30 products online in the UK, from scrubs to body butters, soaps and a moisturising lemongrass hand sanitiser, which we just launched. The pandemic has been tough, we had to close our shops temporarily in Nigeria and Ghana, but our online sales have blown me away. So many oils have become a trend and later disappeared, but I believe shea is a forever oil. EDWARDSVILLE Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranks in the top 25 colleges in Illinois. According to Niche, SIUE ranks 23rd on its recently released 2021 Best Colleges Rankings. SIUE ranked ahead of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, which was ranked 34th in the state. SIUE received an overall score of a B; SIU received a B-. Factors considered include price, average test scores, diversity and safety. The most significant difference was safety and cost. SIUE received a B+ rating in safety; SIU received a C+ rating. Also, SIUEs average cost for 2019 was $13,773 whereas SIUs was $16,105. SIUE has consistently fared well for its affordable academic excellence delivered in a safe environment on a beautiful campus, Executive Director University Marketing & Communications at SIUE Doug McIlhagga said. Those are just a few reasons why SIUE has been the fastest-growing public institution in Illinois during the past 20 years and generates more bachelors degrees than any other higher ed institution in the St. Louis Metro area. According to its website, Niche conducts analysis on large data sets, and combines them with feedback from the community for insight into U.S. colleges, schools, neighborhoods and companies. Niches Best Colleges rankings use a balance of quantitative and qualitative data points to provide a more realistic view of the student experience at a specific school. The platform combines U.S. Department of Education data with user input (reviews from current students, alumni and parents) in an analysis of 12 factors including academics, campus, dorm life, professors and value for the financial investment. Niches 2021 Best Colleges includes updated data and reviews for 4,150 colleges nationwide. As in past years, it includes rankings like top public universities, best liberal arts colleges and best value colleges, as well as rankings of the best colleges by state and major. Searchers can also apply filters to better refine the rankings based on their personal preferences. With more and more families relying on online resources to navigate the college search process, we see a huge opportunity to help students find the school thats right for them, CEO and Founder of Niche Luke Skurman said. Our 2021 college rankings will provide valuable information and insights to the millions of college-bound students and their families during this admissions cycle. Were humbled to continue to play a key role in the college search in these uncertain times. To see a full list of the 2021 Best Colleges rankings, visit: https://www.niche.com/colleges/rankings/. Some students will take 20 years to pay off their university debts under the government's overhaul of fees, with the financial burden of humanities and communications degrees to drag on for twice as long as it does under the current system. The new modelling by the independent Parliamentary Library, commissioned by the Greens, has found that women will feel a disproportionate impact, taking longer to pay off the larger HELP debts than their male counterparts in a range of disciplines. University students face many more years of debt under the government's funding shake-up. Credit:Eddie Jim According to the projections, men who study a degree made up entirely of social science subjects will take 12.3 years to pay off their HELP debt, up from 6.2 years a 98 per cent increase. Women studying social sciences will take 14.2 years to repay their debt, up from 7.1 years a 100 per cent increase. Men who study a communications degree will take 19.7 years to pay off their debts, a 98 per cent increase from the current 9.8. Women who undertake a communications degree will take 16.7 years to pay off the debt, up 100 per cent from the current 8.5. The insurance industry has hardly covered itself in glory in recent months, refusing to pay out on claims made by owners of small firms who understandably thought their business interruption policies would kick in as a result of the pandemic. Yet its reputation has not been entirely left in shreds. While providers of such cover nervously await a High Court judgment due next month on whether they should (rightly) be required to pay such claims, there is a cohort of insurance companies determined to do the right thing by customers. They are providers of financial protection insurance. This cover comes in many forms, but typically pays policyholders who suffer a serious illness such as cancer or a stroke a lump sum (critical illness cover) or regular monthly sum (income protection), or a lump sum upon death (life insurance). Hope: Peter Tompkins, who has a rare cancer, with his wife Bethan, Charlie and Ella All payouts are tax-free and major providers include Aviva, Aegon, Legal & General and Zurich. Although this hasn't always been the case, the overwhelming majority of claims made on such plans are now met by insurers. Tomorrow, insurer Zurich will demonstrate the renewed robustness of this cover when it releases its claims statistics for the first six months of this year. Like most but not all financial protection insurers, Zurich publishes data regularly to prove the cover is worth buying and that it accepts far more claims than it rejects. The figures will show that Zurich paid more than 154million in life insurance claims a jump of more than 14.2million on the same period last year with Covid-19 claims accounting for a third of this increase. Just 1 per cent of claims were rejected, a result of customers not revealing key medical details (for example a history of alcohol abuse) when they took out cover, it will say. The data for critical illness cover will show that 86 per cent of claims were met with nearly one in five claims being breast cancer related. Of the 42million paid out, 575,000 related to claims for children typically resulting from leukaemia. Of the 14 per cent of claims rejected, the main reason cited is the non-disclosure of key medical data when cover was purchased. While all new claims under income protection cover were paid, the number of claims on both income protection and critical illness plans were sharply down on the same period last year. MY 200,000 PAYOUT TO FUND CANCER QUEST Peter Tompkins, 37, is determined to find a treatment that will keep his lung cancer at bay long term. Helped by his wife Bethan, he has researched a host of new possible remedies for the rare form of cancer (mucinous adenocarcinoma) that has already resulted in a fifth of his right lung being removed and he has tried many of them. 'I'm determined to fight the cancer,' he says. 'I've never smoked and until the cancer struck I was a keen runner and a rugby player. I also want to enjoy my children and see them grow up.' Ella is seven and Charlie four. His quest to find a treatment has been made easier by a 200,000 payout from a combined critical illness and life policy that he and Bethan took out when buying their home in Cardiff 11 years ago. The Zurich policy paid out late last year, enabling him to test treatments he wouldn't otherwise have been able to afford. It has also allowed the family to spend some money renovating their home, where Peter spent most of lockdown shielding. 'The prognosis for my cancer is not good,' he admits. 'More surgery may be necessary but I'll keep going.' This was a result of many hospitals postponing diagnoses and treatments as they dealt with the intake of Covid-19 patients. Peter Hamilton, head of retail protection at Zurich, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Our claims data shows we have seen a marked increase in the number of customers and their families needing to claim on their life insurance policies, with this jump driven in part by the Covid-19 pandemic. 'This is exactly why we're in business to help families at the most difficult times in their lives. 'We've also seen fewer critical illness claims towards the end of the first half of this year, so we urge customers to seek medical advice to ensure they are accessing any treatment they may need.' As reported in The Mail on Sunday last month, many protection insurers and advisers have seen an increase in the number of households buying financial protection. This continues to be the case. Roy Mcloughlin is a director of the wealth manager Cavendish Ware. He says: 'The last six months have seen many people examine their own mortality and financial security in a manner never seen before. This has resulted in an increase in queries and questions from individuals and small business owners. Coronavirus has put a spotlight on financial protection insurance.' Yet advisers believe the tide could turn as workers are laid off and household finances come under increasing pressure leading to policies being cancelled. Ben Burgess, senior adviser at the protection specialist LifeSearch, says: 'It's clear that disposable income is getting tight as people begin to experience the full impact of the recession. We have seen an increase in people asking to make changes to their policies, including cancellations. Yet this is not always the best option.' Burgess is 'pleased' that some insurers allow policyholders to take temporary payment holidays without compromising their cover. Others have permitted the amount of existing cover to be decreased, thereby reducing the monthly premium that a customer must pay. Mcloughlin implores customers struggling to keep their cover going to talk to either an adviser or their insurer before cancelling. Cover is not cheap. According to Alan Lakey of the critical illness comparison service CIExpert, 200,000 of critical illness cover for a 30-year-old that would remain in place until they reach age 65 ranges from 61.70 to 90.45 a month. The same amount for a 40- year-old costs between 95.44 and 127.26 a month. This would pay out in the event of death or one of a list of specified serious illnesses. The second piece, the necklace called Fenetre sur Ciel, or Window to the Sky, is a scarf style made of titanium knit covered in mother-of-pearl and diamonds and airbrushed with lacquer to create a dreamy sky pattern. For all the cutting-edge manufacturing required to produce the piece, the design is borrowed from a 1925 ruby-set necklace by Boucheron that Ms. Choisne described as really feminine and bold. There is a consensus among jewelers that its simple forms make Art Deco constantly ripe for reinvention. Decos clean lines make it easy for everyone to understand and enjoy, said Russell Zelenetz, co-founder of Stephen Russell, an estate jewelry dealer on Madison Avenue in New York. It gets right to the point, no pun intended. The dawn of Art Deco is often linked to the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, held in Paris in 1925 although the term wasnt popularized until the 1960s, by the British historian Bevis Hillier. Yet the modernist ideas that spawned the international movement were in the making years before the exposition, when Western jewelers like Jacques Cartier traveled to India and the Persian Gulf in the 1910s, returning with gems that would become central to the emerging style. We were already using carved stones from India in the 1910s in composition with diamonds and onyx, Pierre Rainero, Cartiers head of heritage and design, said in an online interview. Today, Cartiers contemporary design language conveys a 21st-century vision of Art Deco by combining the periods sharp-edged stone cuts with organic shapes redolent of jewelry of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Mr. Rainero said. Teamwork, a software development company, has secured a 4m debt facility from the UK branch of Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group. The Cork-based company, which was co-founded by Peter Coppinger and Daniel Mackey in 2007, secured the facility as a stepping stone toward taking venture capital (VC), as well as a resource it can tap into during the Covid-19 pandemic. It could also utilise the facility to help it boost business should it need to in future. Peter Coppinger, chief executive of Teamwork, said one of the things the company could do with the money is to accelerate its growth plan. He said the company doesn't need the debt facility currently, but that the board felt it would be prudent during the pandemic. "It's a double-edged sword, so it's a Covid-19 backup," he said. "We have pretty senior people on our board who have seasoned heads on them. They are saying in an environment like this access to capital is always a good thing. "If we want to, we can drop that money into our bank account in two days, if we want to go hell for leather. That is nice to have as a weapon in our chest." Coppinger added that Teamwork had paused previously announced plans to raise funds as the company felt Covid would harm its valuation. He said it would be picking back up on its fundraising aim in late December or early next year. Brian Geraghty, a director at Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group UK, said the bank had developed a good relationship with Teamwork ahead of the debt deal. "We think it's a fantastic business," he said. "It's even more impressive that it has grown organically with no VC funding as yet." Geraghty said the bank had recently closed a 4.4m debt facility with Irish firm Diaceuctics to support its growth and international expansion. Since March, he said Silicon Valley Bank had also completed two other debt deals with Irish tech firms, Brightflag and Glofox. "We are seeing some real quality in terms of Irish innovation businesses raising strong equity rounds in this environment," said Geraghty. Here are todays leading news stories: Society -- No new cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was reported in Vietnam on Sunday morning. The countrys tally remains at 1040, with 677 having recovered. -- Vietnams Ministry of Health documented the countrys 33rd coronavirus-related death on Sunday morning. The patient, a 55-year-old man in the central city of Da Nang, passed away on Thursday before his test for the novel coronavirus returned positive on Friday. He was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient on Saturday. -- Authorities in the central city of Da Nang on Saturday began conducting COVID-19 tests on representatives of all households in the city in an effort to prevent community-based infections. -- The inauguration of a ferry route connecting Can Gio District in Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau, a popular beach city in southern Vietnam, has been postponed from September 2 to October due to the COVID-19 epidemic. -- Minister of Transport on Saturday ordered that the runway upgrade at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City must be finished by late December so that the runway will be ready for operation in 2021. Business -- Vietnams consumer price index (CPI) slightly increased by 0.07 percent month-on-month in August due to the impacts of heavy rains nationwide and a rise in domestic rice and education service prices, said the General Statistics Office. -- Vietnam ran a surplus of US$6.2 billion in agro-forestry-fishery trade in January-August, a 4.9 percent increase year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. -- The health ministry has issued an urgent warning stating that a vegan liver pate product of the brand Minh Chay contains a dangerous toxin. Nine people were hospitalized from July 17 to August 18 after consuming the product. World News -- Over 25.1 million people have caught COVID-19 while nearly 17.5 million have recovered from the disease, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health's statistics. More than 845,900 patients have lost their lives. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Mayank Singh By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Hailing the role of 'canine soldiers' in the security of the nation and safety of the force personnel, PM Narendra Modi also encouraged citizens to choose from Indian breeds when considering adopting animals. In his 68th 'Mann ki Baat' address, the Prime Minister suggested people to bring home indigenous breeds as they require less expense on upkeep and are already well adapted to the country's climatic conditions. 'Mudhol Hound', 'Himachal Hound', 'Rajpalayam', 'Kanni', 'Chippiparai' and 'Combai', are some of India's indigenous breeds, the Prime Minister mentioned. PM Modi also mentioned the names of 'Vida', a labrador of an Army Dog Unit located in Northern Command, and 'Sophie', a cocker spaniel of Special Frontier Force (Bomb Disposal Squad) who were awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card on the 74th Independence Day. Vida was instrumental in detection of five mines and one grenade buried underground, thus preventing any casualties/injuries to own troops. Sophie on the other hand, who is an Explosive Detection dog, sniffed out the presence of initiator/accelerant which could have been hastily used to fabricate an IED, thereby saving precious lives. Apart from acting as 'Force Multipliers' and helping in counter insurgency/ terrorist operations, these dogs also help rescue people and save lives in case of a natural calamity. Which is why the CISF, CRPF and NSG have already started inducting indigenous breeds in their forces. These dogs undergo extensive training under National Disaster Relief Force. These dogs have played very important role in stopping number of bomb blasts and conspiracies of terrorists, PM Modi said. In the past one year, Army dogs have contributed to a number of operational successes. The Canine units have succeeded in recovering 30 IEDs/explosives, tracking and locating at least five terrorists, recovery of 14 arms, ammunition and other war like stores among other achievements. The operational success of the canine soldiers employed by the Indian Army is also reflected in the increasing demand from Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) like Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia for acquiring Indian Armys Remount Veterinary Corp trained dogs. South Africa, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Seychelles and Japan have come also forward to get their Army personnel trained in dog handling course conducted by Indian Army. How would you spend 340 ($450)? Its a lot of money enough for a haute couture purse from Yves Saint Laurent. It is also the market rate for a kilogram of scales from the worlds most trafficked animal. The story of how the trade of pangolin scales became one of the most profitable illegal businesses in Africa is one that unfolds alongside the globalisation of crime and the increased Asian presence in Africa. In the first part of this series, the conditions that forced destitute locals to poach pangolins were examined. But what happens afterwards? And what are the sophisticated networks behind this illegal trade that deliver these animal parts to consumers halfway across the world? Pangolin scales are trafficked more like drugs than ivory, explains Steve Galster of non-governmental organisation Freeland. [With ivory], buyers want a full tusk. You can move scales in different quantities, disguise them as fish scales, put them in canvas bags. They can make their way over long distances without degrading from dampness, unlike cocaine. Based in Bangkok, Freeland seeks to combat international wildlife trafficking and human slavery. It is also part of the EndPandemics alliance of NGOs that are campaigning to address the root cause of all zoonotic outbreaks the wildlife trade and destruction of wild habitats. Asian demand for pangolin parts has quickly outpaced potential supply from Asian pangolin populations. The Zoological Socety of London lists the four Asian pangolin species Chinese, Sunda, Philippine and Indian as critically endangered or endangered. The African trade in pangolins has grown exponentially in recent years, pretty much because the four Asian species have been decimated, says Professor Ray Jansen from the African Pangolin Working Group. The Covid-19 conservation crisis has shown the urgency of The Independents campaign African pangolins now form a large proportion of the scales that reach consumer populations in China and Vietnam. Jansen believes that this change has only taken hold in the last four years. Before, pangolins were poached in Africa for their meat but the scales were largely seen as a waste product. You used to see piles of scales lying openly in chop shops and bushmeat markets, he says. Asian expat workers, who now number over 1 million in 54 African countries, came across them in markets and realised their value. Four years ago, they went from a waste product to an expensive commodity. It was a whole new form of income for African people. The trade has since been turned on its head, with the shimmering keratin scales now eclipsing the meat as a commodity. According to Freeland, 97 tonnes of pangolin scales were recorded to have left the African continent the equivalent of about 150,000 pangolins. Its incomprehensible, Jansen says. As pangolin numbers dwindled in China, India and southeast Asia, criminal syndicates began to look to the African market. According to Freeland, Vietnamese organised crime leads the procurement of scales in Africa, with the implicit consent of bureaucrats and the military in those countries. Theyre running the black-market FedEx, moving stuff from A to Z, Galster says. And its not just pangolin scales that these gangs run. Theyre offering coke, drugs, anything. The Vietnamese sent their own sourcing agents to African countries, where they would set up and control the trade. The Nigerian gangs that control the cocaine trade coming out of Africa and into southeast Asia are also involved. Douglas Hendrie is the director of counter-wildlife-trafficking operations at the wildlife crime and investigations unit of Educating Nature Vietnam. In 2005, they created a national hotline for people to report wildlife crime in Vietnam. They now receive five new cases a day. He tells The Independent of the last major seizure, on 31 March, that left Nigeria for Vietnam but was intercepted in Malaysia. Authorities found 6 tonnes of scales nestled between shipments the equivalent of over 9,000 pangolins. A report by the NGO Traffic from 2017 emphasises the global nature of the pangolin trade. An average of 33 countries and territories were involved in international pangolin trafficking per year. Notably, an average of 27 new trade routes were identified each year, highlighting that wildlife trafficking occurs through a highly mobile trade network with constantly shifting trade routes. The top 29 trade routes that have been used five times or more in international pangolin trafficking incidents between 2010 and 2015 (n = 539). The directional arrows (edges) are weighted by the normalised total number of incidents occurring along each unique trade route. The 12 trade routes that have also been used in five or six consecutive years are displayed in red. Single arrow heads (>) indicate a transit edge in a trade route, and double arrow heads (>>) indicate the last edge in the trade route. Note: The start and end points of a trade route have been approximately centralised per country/territory and do not indicate a specific location within it a country. (Copyright: Traffic) (Copyright: TRAFFIC) An unfortunate pangolin in Cameroon could find itself plucked out of a burrow by a local, who would then sell it to a middleman to pass on to an agent of a Nigerian crime syndicate in Yaounde. Its body parts would be frozen and transported to a port in Nigeria, where a Vietnamese syndicate would organise for it to be shipped to Laos. From Laos, it would cross the "golden triangle" (the border region between Laos, Vietnam and China) into consumer markets in Vietnam and China. Huge, highly organised trafficking networks collect scales on the ground [in Africa], says Professor Jansen. He says that Nigerian ports are responsible for 70 per cent of the African pangolin trade. It has evolved into a cat and mouse game, explains Galster. Phones seized from traffickers that reveal how they pick one lane or country one week. Rival gangs are intensely competitive and often hostile. Some seizures are just the result of one syndicate ratting on another, he adds. With the help of organisations such as Freeland, Asian customs forces are able to crack down on pangolin smuggling. Vietnamese and Malaysian officials have received specialised training. The Chinese and Hong Kongers have been on the ball, according to Galster. Syndicates have been forced to route shipments through Europe, notably Germany and the Netherlands. Some scales end up in the United States too, where there is a persistent market for pangolin parts and other wildlife. In 2015, an investigation by the Humane Society International found medicinal products containing or likely to contain pangolin parts openly for sale online and on the high street. Other shipments cross the border into China by oxen cart, but much of it goes through southeast Asia, Galster explains. The Golden Triangle is one of many spots where smuggling occurs. In fact, the bulk of wildlife trafficking that occurs through Thailand happens in plain sight, passing through airports, seaports, and major highways, hidden under the cover of legal cargo. Slowly but surely were starting to close routes down, but these guys find ways. Traffics report states that the top 10 countries involved with pangolin-trafficking incidents are China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, the United States, Nigeria and Germany. The top trade routes used for large-quantity shipments of pangolins, based on the available data of international incidents with quantitative information. Trade routes for body parts are depicted in blue (sum 100 body parts), for scales in red (sum 1000 kg), for whole animals in yellow (sum 500 animals). Large-quantity shipments are weighted equally (using the same line thickness) across the three different commodities. Single arrow heads (>) indicate a transit edge in a trade route, and double arrow heads (>>) indicate the last edge in the trade route. (Copyright: Traffic) (Copyright: TRAFFIC) Since the start of the pandemic, global shipping has sharply declined and pangolin seizures along with it. Industry analysts expect that demand for container transport will drop by 30 per cent this year. This time last year we had tracked 70 tonnes of scales. Today we are only sitting on 10 tonnes, says Jansen. But wildlife experts do not think that poaching and wildlife crime levels have significantly changed in comparison with last year. Instead, pangolin parts are sitting in warehouses across Africa and southeast Asia. According to Hendrie, Vietnam has only seen 10 seizures of live pangolins this year. All our sources close to the trade are saying that Vietnam is dry even from ivory and tiger parts. Our African sources tell us that poaching is continuing, stockpiles are building up in Africa and waiting for the resumption of shipping. According to Freelands report, criminal syndicates will actively benefit from the continued threat of extinction to pangolins. Organised criminal networks favour population reductions and even extinction of pangolins because it drives up the value of their stockpiled pangolin scales. In both China and Vietnam, pangolins are a traditional part of culture and alternative medicine. According to a 1938 edition of the British weekly scientific journal Nature, the scales have a range of applications: Fresh scales are never used, but dried scales are roasted, ashed, cooked in oil, butter, vinegar, boy's urine, or roasted with earth or oyster shells, to cure a variety of ills. Amongst these are excessive nervousness and hysterical crying in children, women possessed by devils and ogres, malarial fever and deafness. Ground-up pangolin scales are also believed to promote menstruation and lactation in women. Meanwhile their meat, organs and foetuses are served as luxury dishes in Africa and southeast Asia. Pangolins, like bats, are known to carry coronaviruses. One working theory of the outbreak of this coronavirus is that it came into the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan in a bat. The bat may then have passed it to a live pangolin at the market, which could have allowed the virus to make the jump to humans. Recommended Endangered pangolins for sale on Facebook China made headlines in June by supposedly banning pangolin scales from use in traditional Chinese medicine, as well as increasing protections for its native pangolin populations. In February, China permanently banned consumption of wildlife, including pangolins. Campaigners hailed these steps as a victory, but the Environmental Investigations Agency has cast doubt on whether pangolin scales have been completely removed as an ingredient in remedies. And what will happen to those tonnes of pangolin scales, waiting to enter the market? Hendrie, who has worked in Vietnam since 1996, has seen the astronomical growth in prosperity of the country's middle classes. Vietnams rise in wealth from 2000 to now is probably a repetition of what happened in China 20 years ago. Yet the bulk of consumers of pangolin meat, he explains, tend to be the older generations in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi for whom it remains a status symbol and luxury dish. The kids who grew up now are more global citizens internet savvy and globally valued. They grew up in a different Vietnam. There is hope that attitudes towards pangolins are changing across the world. Hendrie notes that 15 years ago the only exotic food readily available to wealthy Vietnamese was wildlife. Now in terms of the diversity of food available, it is no longer the only, limited choice. We used to say boy, if we could open up a franchise of Indian restaurants across Vietnam, we could end the wildlife trade in one swoop." A Thames Clipper was stolen from where it was docked in the early hours of Saturday. (Stock picture: Getty) A 22-year-old man is set to appear in court after a Thames Clipper river bus was stolen in the early hours of Saturday, sparking a dramatic police chase. The Uber-sponsored catamaran, which can carry 200 passengers, was untied from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, East London, at around 3am on Saturday, sparking the pursuit down the Thames. River police in a fleet of boats pursued the boat for four miles to Canary Wharf dock where a man, reported to be a former Thames Clipper employee, was arrested. Marine police pursued the stolen boat and managed to catch it, arresting a man. (Stock picture: Reuters) The Met Police said on Sunday that a 22-year-old man from Chatham, Kent had been charged with taking a conveyance without the owners consent. Joseph Hawkridge will appear in custody at Thames Magistrates Court on August 31. Read more: Coastguard rescues four children who got stranded 'up to their necks in water' The boat that was taken is one of 17 clippers that serve as river buses along the Thames. Known as the Thames Clippers, the service is currently sponsored by Uber. Bhushan, who was convicted for contempt of court on 14 August over his tweets criticising the judiciary, is facing imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or both under the Contempt of Court Act. A day before the Supreme Court is slated to pronounce its decision on the quantum of sentence for Prashant Bhushan, who was convicted for contempt of court, 122 students have penned an open letter to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justice Arun Mishra seeking that the judgment be reconsidered, according to several media reports. A group of 'vigilant students' write an open letter to CJI and Justice Arun Mishra seeking reconsideration of the contempt verdict against Prahsant Bhushan, stating that they are staring for "judicial accountability and reforms".@pbhushan1 pic.twitter.com/SreXqwzZAa Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) August 30, 2020 Bhushan, who was convicted for contempt of court on 14 August over his tweets criticising the judiciary, is facing imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or both under the Contempt of Court Act. Justice Mishra, who is demitting office on 2 September, will head the bench that is set to pronounce the quantum of sentence tomorrow. As per Bar&Bench, 78 law students and 44 students from streams ranging from engineering to fashion, in the letter, describing themselves as "vigilant", said they were "disheartened witnessing the way our Supreme Court reacted" to two tweets from Bhushan. The students, in their letter, also expressed their consternation at three incidents that occurred during the proceedings against Bhushan: the recalling of the 2009 contempt case and then it relisting it; the deletion of the case regarding the constitutional challenge to the provisions of contempt law from the list of the court presided by Justice DY Chandrachud and the suo motu cognisance in the contempt case against Bhushan through a poor petition without "sound legal reasoning" over two tweets. All this occurring during a pandemic when the marginalised and voiceless are awaiting justice in many cases "raises our doubts on intention of the judiciary", the students wrote, as per Bar&Bench. The students further said that fair criticism is part of free speech and the judiciary ought not to take offence but rather respond by "restoring public confidence and changing course", as per LiveLaw. "The judiciary ought to reply for criticism by restoration of public confidence. The judiciary ought to reply for criticism by changing its course. The judiciary ought not to charge for contempt when criticism arises out of anguish and love for justice, from a person aiding in profoundness of the same justice he asks for others," the students wrote in the letter, as per LiveLaw. Recalling the apex court's remarks in Re S. Mulgaokar [AIR 1978 SC 727] that judges should not be "hypersensitive" even where distortions and criticisms overstep the limits, they wrote: "The Supreme Court seems to have weak albeit broad shoulder for social media opinions [sic]. It feels scandalised for being fiercely criticised by one of its own whose real motive is for judicial reforms. There is only so much left to say that hasn't already been said by the charged person himself but the hope of imploring the court is still prevalent among some of us." The court was on 25 August, after Bhushan rejected fresh suggestions from the court for an apology, urged to recall the verdict by his lawyer who who urged the apex court to show "judicial statesmanship" and not make Bhushan a "martyr" by punishing him. Attorney General KK Venugopal also requested the court to forgive Bhushan with a message that he should not repeat this act. Bhushan on 24 August, filing a supplementary reply to the Supreme Court, said an insincere apology would amount to the 'contempt of my conscience and of an institution'. Bhushan, on 20 August, after the Supreme Court rejected his plea that the arguments on quantum of sentence be heard by another top court bench, said his tweets were "nothing but a small attempt to discharge" what he considered to be his "highest duty at this juncture in the history of our republic." Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Bhushan said ' I do not ask for mercy. I do not appeal to magnanimity'. Bhushan had, on 20 August, been granted time till 24 August to reconsider his his defiant statement refusing to apologise and tender unconditional apology for contemptuous tweets against the judiciary. On 14 August, in its 108-page verdict, the top court had said: "The tweets which are based on the distorted facts, in our considered view, amount to committing criminal contempt. In the result, we hold alleged contemnor No.1 - Mr. Prashant Bhushan guilty of having committed criminal contempt of this Court." The top court had analysed the two tweets of Bhushan posted on the micro-blogging site on 27 June on the functioning of judiciary in past six years, and on 22 July with regard to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde. "In our considered view, it cannot be said that the tweets can be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary, made bona fide in the public interest," it had said. With inputs from PTI One year ago, our Midland and Odessa communities were beset by a force of evil. A man on a mobile rampage indiscriminately killed innocent lives and left countless families grieving and forever torn. But in the face of such daunting darkness, the people of the Permian Basin emerged as a bright light for all the world to see. Brave first responders, surrounded by a fury of chaos, risked their own lives to save others by getting the wounded to safety and neutralizing the shooter before even more untold damage could be done. God bless the men and women of the Midland and Odessa police and fire departments, the dispatcher and deputies with the Midland County and Ector County sheriffs offices, state troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety and all others who stepped up when duty required. Trauma teams at Medical Center Hospital, Odessa Regional Medical Center and Midland Memorial Hospital treated dozens of wounded patients with a calm efficiency that saved lives and allowed some families to be reunited even before the sun set on that last night in August. Kind people from all across the Permian Basin gave anything they had even their own blood to help strangers and did so without batting an eye. All of these actions happened across Midland and Odessa without anyone thinking twice. Nobody had to. Its ingrained in the people of West Texas to be gritty and strong for a cause that is greater than ourselves. I was born and raised here in West Texas, and Im honored to serve many of its people in the Texas House of Representatives, alongside our legendary dean, Midlands state Rep. Tom Craddick. Ive always been proud of Odessa and Midland, but Ive never loved our cities more than I do now, a year after our darkest day. But make no mistake, there is also work to be done. As a member of the House Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention and Community Safety, which was formed in September last year in the aftermath of the El Paso and Midland-Odessa shootings, I can tell you that the Texas Legislature is taking the threat of mass violence seriously. Thankfully, the committee was able to hold hearings in Odessa, El Paso, and Dallas before COVID-19 made things difficult for committees to meet. During those hearings, we received testimony from mass shooting survivors, elected officials, public safety experts and other concerned Texans on what should and should not be done to prevent mass violence in our state. In addition to the testimony provided during these hearings, I also received a great deal of direct input from many West Texans in the form of letters, e-mails, calls and text messages. I want to thank everyone for providing your feedback and recommendations on ways to assist with mass-violence prevention. Scripture teaches us that there is a time to mourn, and those who mourn are blessed and will be comforted. We will never stop mourning those we lost or listening to ideas about how to make our communities safer. There are many unknowns heading into the 87th Legislative session in January. But one thing you can count on is my commitment to supporting efforts to improve public safety that do not infringe upon our constitutional rights. While cuts must be made to the state budget during this time of economic uncertainty, any cuts to law enforcement or mental health service programs are non-starters for me. Instead, I will fight to expand access to mental health services in rural areas and increase the presence of Department of Public Safety troopers in strategic parts of the state. By the way, Im grateful to all of the pastors, counselors, mental health professionals and loving neighbors who have taken the time to listen and be a shoulder to cry on for those who have needed it in the aftermath of the unimaginable violence of a year ago, and who still need it today. There are obviously widely differing opinions in our state and our nation regarding how to go about how to confront the scourge of mass violence. Transparently, I believe in the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to own and possess firearms. I understand that everyone doesnt share that belief. Regardless of your position on the issue, if youre my constituent, I will listen to your ideas and suggestions, and I hope that we can have respectful and productive conversations about them. Related to that, Ive been contacted by many of you with ideas about implementing an active-shooter alert system, similar to Amber Alerts, that could better inform the public and save lives in the process. These are the types of proposals that West Texas had the common sense to think of immediately after last years tragedy, and I look forward to advocating for this policy in next years session of the Texas Legislature. I welcome other ideas, as well. Lastly, I know that these tragedies can often leave us feeling powerless, and I can certainly understand why. But in my view, I believe that they are reminders of how powerful and resilient we actually are. Heaven knows 2019 and 2020 have presented us with so many challenges. But its a reminder that no matter how others act in the world around us, we have the power to choose what is in our own heart. We have the power to choose kindness over hatred. We have the power to help instead of hurt. The people of Midland, Odessa, and the Permian Basin are empowered with strong hearts and resilient resolve thats why in the face of evil darkness, West Texas will continue to rise. God bless Texas! Odessan Brooks Landgraf represents District 81 in the Texas House of Representatives. - Sky Drive Ince started making prototypes for flying cars in 2014 - The first test drive was conducted on August 25 with the car taking off with one person aboard - The company hopes to produce more cars by 2023 for the market An automobile company in Japan has successfully completed the first test drive for a flying car. The test drive for the Sky Drive Inc car was conducted on August 25 at the Toyota Test Field, one of the largest in Japan and home to the car company's development base. READ ALSO: William Ruto asks Murathe to leave Jubilee for supporting Raila: "Mnatuongelesha nini?" The SD-03 during test drive in Japan. Photo: CNN Source: UGC READ ALSO: Adhabu ya ufisadi: Obado, makinda wake 4 waswekwa korokoroni hadi wiki ijayo The car, named SD-03, manned with a pilot, took off and circled around the field for about four minutes, as reported by CNN. "We are extremely excited to have achieved Japan's first-ever manned flight of a flying car in the two years since we founded Sky Drive... with the goal of commercializing such aircraft," CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said in a statement. The SD-03 entered history as one of the world's smallest electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle that takes up the space of about two parked cars. The vehicle has been designed with one seat and eight motors with two propellers on each side to ensure safety in emergency situations. READ ALSO: Comedienne Mammito leaves fans thirsty with eye-catching bikini photo "In designing an unexplored, new genre of transportation known as the flying car, we chose the keyword "progressive" for inspiration, "We wanted this vehicle to be futuristic, charismatic and desirable for all future customers, while fully incorporating the high technology of SkyDrive," Design Director Takumi Yamamot said.. The process for making a flying car was started in 2012 by members of a volunteer organization called Cartivator before Sky Drive started making prototypes for the car in 2014. The company hopes to revolutionalise the automobile industry with the flying car and more tests are set to be undertaken in the future under different conditions to ensure its safe for use. The company will continue to develop technologies to safely and securely launch the flying car in 2023, the news release said. No price has been announced yet. 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 One of the harsh realities of India in the current economic crisis is that very little has been done for its unorganised sector workers, who have been the hardest hit and constitute 94% of its total workforce (437 million of total 465 million workers). The plight of migrant workers - hundreds of thousands of them walking home from urban areas to the hinterland, some perishing on the way - was the most visible part of it. Train services did start in May (more than a month after the country was abruptly shut down with less than four hours' notice from the midnight of March 24-25) and ferried 6.29 million of them, but many still kept walking because of mismanagement and confusion. The government and Indian Railways did not shy away from charging the crisis-hit migrant workers fully for their tickets. State governments stepped in to pay. Also Read: Rebooting Economy XXII: Why is India reluctant to provide unemployment allowance? Indian Railways is a fully public-owned entity; built, maintained and run with taxpayers' money. It made a cool profit of Rs 428 crore out of this operation, as the Railway Board subsequently revealed in an RTI reply on July 23, 2020 - reproduced below. India's half-measures and little fiscal support to crisis-hit workers The government took a few half-measures to address the crisis that hit its workforce due to its own untimely and unplanned lockdown with no time to prepare. The first was for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to issue a circular on March 29 asking private enterprises to pay wages/salaries to their employees for the lockdown period. It involved no government expenditure (taxpayers' money). On May 17, this directive was withdrawn after the Supreme Court (SC) stayed it on appeal from private enterprises which said the government was passing the burden on to them for a period when work was shut but not using the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) fund (meant for organised sector workers) to help. The second was to facilitate workers (organised sector) to withdraw from their own post-retirement contingency fund, the Provident Fund (PF), jeopardising their future security. This is a contributory fund to which employers and employees pay their share. This involved no government spending either. Such was the government push for workers to exhaust their own future contingency money (PF) that of the 20 press statements the labour ministry issued between April 18 and July 8, 2020, 12 were about this and other PF related matters. The details can't be updated now because the relevant site is down for several days. (For more read " Rebooting Economy VI: Is Modi govt ignoring job crisis in India or unable to tackle it? ") The third was fiscal support, paying PF contributions for establishments having up to 100 employees, 90% of which earn less than Rs 15,000 a month. This was for a period of six months from March to August 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs 4,800 crore to the exchequer (taxpayers' money). The fourth was to facilitate construction workers (unorganised sector) to access their own welfare fund of Rs 52,000 crore, lying unutilised for decades due to government mismanagement. This fund is collected from cess on builders and involves no government spending. The fifth measure was announced on August 20, 2020 to provide unemployment allowance to insured workers (organised sector) under the ESIC. This too is contributory and involves no government spending. The idea of this allowance came from private enterprises in April when they opposed the MHA circular of March 29 asking them to pay wages for the locked down period. Also Read: Rebooting Economy XXI: Will NEP 2020 bring quality and equity in education? According to ESIC officials, it is expected to benefit 3.03 million out of 8.04 million who have seemingly lost their jobs since they stopped contributing in April-May 2020. The sixth measure was additional fiscal support of Rs 40,000 crore for the rural job guarantee scheme MGNREGS, but those who avail this relief are not part of the official count of 465 million workforce. Supreme Court's reluctance to stand up for workers The Supreme Court did not come to the rescue of migrant workers either. It repeatedly dismissed desperate pleas for help from multiple quarters for two months when hundreds of thousands were walking home, jobless, shelter-less and starved. It dismissed a plea for wage support from the government with the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde asking their counsel Prashant Bhushan in open court: "If they are being provided meals, then why do they need money for meals?" The stark realities missed the court's attention. The SC also stayed the MHA's notification asking employers to pay wages/salaries for the lockdown period and stopped the central and state governments from taking coercive actions against them. It said it can't force private entities to do that either. It could have directed the government to pay from taxpayers' money, but it didn't. Having taken such stands, the apex court, on May 26,2020, took "suo motu" cognisance (on its own) of the migrant workers' plight and said: "The adequate transport arrangement, food and shelters are immediately to be provided by the Centre and State governments free of cost." This was irrelevant by then. The migrant workers had been walking for more than two months (lockdown began on March 25) and 26 days had passed since the central government was forced to start train services to take them home and make profit (Rs 428 crore) out of it. Also Read: Rebooting Economy XX: Do developed economies depend on private schooling and funding for quality education? The apex court did not take cognizance of unpaid wages of migrant workers for the days of March they had worked and complained to whoever would listen (mainly media) nor the need for monetary support in subsequent months that left them jobless, shelter-less and starving with no fault of theirs. That is not what is expected in any democratic country. No other country in the world witnessed the hardship and indignity that befell the Indian workers. The developed economies take good care of their workers, not only in economic crisis but also in normal times when workers fall on bad times. Here is what they are doing. OECD countries helped 50 million workers through job retention schemes The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (ORCD), an elite club of 36 developed economies across the world, released a report on August 3, 2020 detailing how their member countries took care of their workers in the current economic crisis. It said the main policy tool to contain job loss and social fallout of the economic crisis was "Job Retention (JR) schemes". The report elaborated on it: "By May 2020, JR schemes supported about 50 million jobs across the OECD, about ten times as many as during the global financial crisis of 2008-09. By reducing labour costs, JR schemes have prevented a surge in unemployment, while they have mitigated financial hardship and buttressed aggregate demand by supporting the incomes of workers on reduced working time." India has no such scheme but could have designed one to meet the crisis. The report gave detailed accounts of what some countries did and all of it involved higher fiscal spending. About the US, it said apart from its existing unemployment allowance scheme (predates the pandemic) - weekly $600 for four months - it launched several new measures specifically for the current situation. These included Short-Term Compensation (STC) programme, CARES Act of 2020, Paycheck Protection Programme (PPP) and Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). These programmes provide loans to pay salaries which are forgiven if employment and compensation (salary/pay) levels are maintained, refundable tax credit to firms and many more such measures. A CNN International report of August 20 said that by the week ending August 8, 14.8 million Americans were on regular claims of unemployment allowance and "all in all, nearly 28.1 million Americans were claiming benefits under the various government programs available in the week ending August 1". Germany runs "Kurzarbeit", a social insurance programme in which employers reduce working hours instead of laying their workers off in troubled times. Workers get paid for actual hours of work plus 60% (67% for workers with children) for the non-work hours. The government fully reimburses the cost to firms. This programme was relaxed to allow government reimbursement if 10% of a firm's workforce is affected by cuts in working hours, from 30% earlier (pre-pandemic). Its public employment service reimburses 100% of social insurance contributions for lost work too. France has a similar system (as do several European countries) to prevent workers' lay-off by reducing working hours, called "Activite Partielle". The French government allows firms to invoke the health crisis as "force majeure" and extended the scheme from six to 12 months. Also Read: Rebooting Economy XIX: How India relies on low-paid ad hoc teachers for schooling children The report said how it works: "All employees with a contract (whether permanent or not) are eligible and receive 70% of their gross wage from the employer. During the COVID-19 crisis, most employers do not bear any cost for hours not worked, as the state reimburses what they pay to employees up to a cap of 4.5 times the hourly minimum wage." The Oxford dictionary defines "force majeure" as "unexpected circumstances, such as war, that can be used as an excuse when they prevent somebody from doing something that is written in a contract". India is diluting social security cover for workers India has been diluting and curtailing, instead of strengthening and expanding social security cover. Here are two examples. One, on June 13, 2019 the government reduced the rate of contributions (employers plus employees) under the ESI Act of 1948 (applicable to factories having 10 or more workers and earning a maximum of Rs 21,000 per month) from 6.5% to 4%. The purpose was to increase take-home salary of workers (they are organised sector workers) and it was officially described as a "historic decision". It came into force on July 1, 2019. The ESIC officials are, however, worried. The total contributions in FY20 (audited report is yet to be released) fell by about Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 22,000 crore. The fall would have been sharper (which would be the case in next fiscals) had the new rate come into force on April1, instead of July 1. ESIC has built up a corpus of Rs 91,444 crore (as on March 31, 2019) and its annual savings in the past 10 years have been 60% or more of the total contributions. The corpus is used to support workers and their families falling on bad times like job loss, death, disability, healthcare and retirement benefits like pension and continued healthcare. Two, the Code on Social Security 2019, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha last year, to provide comprehensive social security cover to 437 million unorganised workers, removed the provision for unemployment allowance for those that existed in its earlier draft. This was revealed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, which examined it and submitted its report (Number 9) in July 2020. The panel took the government to task for lofty promises without any substance as would be clear from its diagnosis or prescriptions. The prescriptions included: (i) incorporate unemployment allowance for unorganised workers, which is "the biggest gap" in the Code (ii) make universalisation of social protection for all unorganised workers "legally binding" and "within a definite time frame" (iii) give "unequivocal and conclusive definition" of unorganised workers, remove multiplicity of their registration and create national database on them (iv) quantify expenditure and source of funding for social security schemes (v) study welfare schemes to know what to do and how etc. Also Read: Rebooting Economy XVIII: Does quality education really matter to India? There are many other steps that the government needs to take. The most important thing is to provide an estimate of its total workforce, its distribution across sectors and status (whether organised, unorganised, formal or informal) in absolute numbers. The official Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFSs) provide unemployment rate and distribution of workers in percentage terms but none in absolute numbers. That requires a study of its unit-level data, which is for domain experts to do. Those who prepare PLFS reports can do it easily but they don't for reasons not very convincing (like, they don't have population projections for a particular year). The labour ministry says India has 465 million workers; of which 28 million (6%) are organised sector workers and 437 million (94%) are unorganised sector workers. But where did it get this data from is not revealed. Their sector-wise break up (numbers) is also not given. The RBI's annual report of 2019-20, released on August 25, 2020, provided its own estimates on distribution of workers, sector-wise and employment category-wise, in percentage of respective employment category. Also Read: Rebooting Economy XVII: Why governments promote shadow banking The data is mapped below. The numbers in parenthesis show the share of different categories of employees in the total workforce, as provided in the PLFS report of 2017-18. Even more important and critical in the current crisis is to find out how many have lost their jobs in which sector and rush them immediate monetary and other support (from taxpayers' money). An unhealthy and insecure workforce like that of India doesn't build rich and prosperous economies nor capable of quick rebound in the time of crisis. Government has rejected accusations by the Government of Nigeria that its citizens [Nigerians] are being maltreated in Ghana. In a six-page response signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ghana denied several allegations by Nigeria and provided detailed explanations showing it was incorrect to suggest Nigerians were being targeted for maltreatment in Ghana. The Government of Ghana notes, with concern, a statement, dated Friday, August 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture and signed by the Federal Minister, Hon. Lai Mohammed, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concerning current relations between Ghana and Nigeria. Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries, the statement said. Mr. Nkrumah said Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by the Nigerian Federal Minister is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified. The Information Minister used the opportunity as a first step, to provide a more reflective account of events while urging both countries to pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to have their issues resolved. The statement by the Government of Ghana also assured that President Akufo-Addo, who currently has a very excellent relations with his Nigerian counterpart will engage President Buhari with a view to immediately developing a framework for validating claims of ill-treatment of citizens of either country and ensure citizens enjoy the full exercise of their rights while respecting the sovereignty and laws of both countries. citinewsroom As if there wasnt enough trouble around the world, two NATO allies, Greece and Turkey, have lit up a new and dangerous crisis, dragging in countries near and far. In this game of thrones, only Germany seems to have the sway to mediate a return to sanity. At the core of the crisis, as in so many other dangerous squabbles around the globe, is energy specifically the rich gas deposits discovered over the past decade under the eastern Mediterranean. Greece claims that its many islands in that region give it sole drilling rights in the waters around them, a stance broadly supported by international law. But Turkey, feeling hemmed in, says otherwise, and it has sent ships, accompanied by warships, to explore for gas off Cyprus. Feuds between Greece and Turkey are hardly new. What complicates this one is that the gas reserves are also being eyed by many other countries. In principle, the vast reserves should bring those countries together to tap and share the riches off their shores. In fact, most of the countries including Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Egypt, Italy, Jordan and even the Palestinians have done just that. Turkey, however, has found itself excluded, in part because of Greeces territorial claims, and in part because Turkeys authoritarian president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has antagonized many of his allies and friends with his aggressive behavior in Syria, Libya and at home. Further complicating matters is that Turkey is a member of NATO but not of the European Union; Cyprus is a member of the European Union but not NATO; and Greece is a member of both, creating overlapping and conflicting loyalties. Then theres the fact that Cyprus is divided into a Greek south and a Turkish north, although nobody except Turkey recognizes the Turkish part as a separate state. They said a tractor-trailer that had been stopped on the right shoulder began to pull back into the travel lanes. As it did, the police said, a van struck it from behind. The tractor-trailer left the scene and continued southbound, police said. In response to a tweet by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accusing the United States government of "murdering" young American protesters, State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Saturday that Iranians deserve "freedom and a future, not the Basij's bullets. "Khamenei's thugs killed 1,500 Iranians on the streets of Iran last November, Ortagus wrote, quoting Khamenei's tweet. At least 23 were children. They deserved freedom and a future. In his tweet on August 27, Khamenei had said that when young Americans go into the street, they can't be sure that they wont be murdered by a gun. Khamenei was apparently referring to recent protests in some U.S. cities against police violence against African-Americans, some of which led to clashes and deaths. In fall 2019, protests erupted across Iran in response to the sudden tripling of gas prices. Thousands were arrested, and according to Amnesty International, at least 304 protesters were killed in 37 Iranian cities, with many of the victims suffering gunshot wounds in the upper part of their chest, evidencing that security forces had a shoot-to-kill order. Reuters, in a December 2019 report, quoted three sources close to Khamenei's inner circle claiming that 1,500 Iranians were killed during the protests. Khamenei had previously told the security forces in a public meeting to do whatever is necessary to stop" the protests. U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, estimated the death toll at around 1,000 protesters killed by Iranian security forces in November 2019. Following the protests, the Iranian government stayed silent on the deaths for nearly seven months, despite criticism by Iranian and international media and political figures, until May 2020, when Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli suggested that the death toll stood around 200 protesters. Regime officials have also claimed that "enemies" and opposition groups, including monarchists, Mujahedi-e Khalq (MEK) and ISIS, were training the protesters for armed conflict, and that some protesters had also killed other protesters. DAA chief executive Dalton Philips has told a staff member in an email ahead of a likely ballot of staff which could dictate the future of the company that the state-owned airport authority is "heading into a wall economically as a company". The interaction came after the staff member emailed him to raise concerns about industrial relations issues, prompting Philips to arrange a face-to-face meeting. DAA's passenger numbers at Dublin and Cork airports were down 85pc in August compared to 2019, and by June it had already lost 160m in turnover due to the pandemic. According to communications seen by the Sunday Independent, Siptu and the airport authority have now agreed a set of proposals that the trade union is prepared to put to a ballot of airport search unit staff following what it described as "an extensive set of discussions". "Significant progress" had been made after "exceptionally challenging" negotiations, according to a senior trade union official. "We have arrived at the best possible set of proposals achievable given the current circumstances and the long term outlook for the airport," the official added. The staff member who met with Philips began the interaction "in the hopes that somehow, despite the state of relations between our department and management, some understanding may be had," they said in the email to Philips, detailing a long list of grievances but insisted that staff understood the company's situation. "Savings are here to be made. We are not unbending but we are utterly without trust," the person wrote. Philips responded to request a meeting with the individual staff member: "Clearly there's a total miscommunication between what I'm trying to say and what you are hearing in your team. We're heading into a wall economically as a company - and whilst in many areas there is work, in others we're totally over-staffed. I thought that keeping people's wages going was the right thing to do in this crisis (vs what other companies have done). But clearly you have strong and clear views - which I'd love to talk to you about further. Would you mind me giving you a call - as it would really help me to talk this through." Following a subsequent lunch meeting, the staff member reacted angrily in a follow-up email to the CEO after another senior DAA manager sent out a set of proposed work practice changes that unions had refused to put to ballot. Philips replied that the manager's intent "was one of trying to help - not hinder the process. I'm sorry if others felt there was more to it. There absolutely wasn't". A DAA spokesman said while it would not be appropriate to comment on the contents of a personal email between Philips and an individual employee, "it's normal for Dalton to respond directly to staff members who raise issues with him and to meet them to discuss any concerns they may have". These startling before-and-after pictures show a popular Russian bodybuilder who is now impoverished and asking for financial support for medical treatment in Turkey after being diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer. Bodybuilder Nikita Kuleshov, 24, from the city of Rostov-on-Don in the western Russian region of Rostov Oblast was a popular figure on social media thanks to his bodybuilding exploits. But that all changed when he went to visit a doctor around four months ago. He was complaining of back pain and thought he was just suffering from a cold but was shocked when the doctors told him he was suffering from late-stage liver cancer, despite living a healthy lifestyle. Local media outlet Life reported that Mr Kuleshov was told nothing could be done to halt the disease but the desperate young man decided to fight for his life anyway with a treatment in Turkey. The bodybuilder lost 20 kilograms during the first month after his diagnosis and announced his disease to his 24,000 followers on Instagram, sharing his mothers bank details for donations after contacting the experts in Turkey who reportedly offered him a glimmer of hope. The Russian body builder was stunned to receive the diagnosis. Source: Australscope Despite the fact that people started donating money, another obstacle popped up, according to Life. The 24-year-old became stranded at home and unable to leave for Turkey because of the coronavirus pandemic which had halted flights out of Russia. He then announced that a random netizen named Katya offered him a personal flight on her private plane, and Mr Kuleshov flew to the resort city of Antalya to undergo treatment. The latest videos shared on his social media page shows him exhausted in his bed as the off-camera voice explains that he is waking up after the first surgery. The operation cost us $US20,000 USD. The treatment is very expensive here. We still have chances to survive. Hope you are with us, the female voice said. His followers online continue to support the young man with words of hope and donations for his treatment. Story continues Get better soon and get back to the lifestyle you were following, commented one, while others also expressed hope for a miracle recovery. Australscope 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 09:56 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c416c694 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,epidemiologist,health-crisis,health-care,health-care-in-Indonesia,long-weekend Free Epidemiologists have raised concerns over the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, which has led to a crisis at health facilities following the countrys consecutive long weekends that saw high mobility among the people. The country recorded its biggest one-day rise on three consecutive days from Thursday to Friday. According to the Health Ministry, there were 9,030 new COVID-19 on those days. Indonesia has recorded 169,195 confirmed cases as of Saturday, with 7,261 fatalities and 122,802 recoveries. Pandu Riono, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, said that the recent surge in cases was caused by the two long weekends for Independence Day on Aug. 17 and Islamic New Year on Aug. 20. Read also: Indonesia sees record high in COVID-19 cases for third day running Another epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Syahrizal Syarif, echoed Pandus statement, saying that COVID-19 was spreading faster than it ever had. It took 114 days for the first 50,000 cases, 33 days for another 50,000 and only 23 days for the other 50,000, Syahrizal said on Friday. We estimate that could reach 500,000 by the end of the year or early next year. He added that the countrys healthcare system was currently handling around 40,000 active cases nationwide. If the number of new cases continues to rise, it could put a burden on hospitals. Hospitals in Jakarta, the hardest-hit province where the weekly positivity rate is around 10.1 percent, have been overwhelmed with new patients since authorities decided to ease restrictions and allow businesses to resume activities. Data from the Jakarta Health Agency, as quoted by tempo.co, show that around 71 percent of the 483 intensive care units beds for COVID-19 patients across the capital had been occupied as of Aug. 23. Syahrizal estimated that the country would need between 140,000 and 150,000 additional beds for new patients. The situation is chaotic and worrying due to the lack of compliance to health protocols. We need serious and large-scale steps, said Syahrizal. Read also: 'Pull the brake': Unease as more than half of COVID-19 beds in Jakarta in use Despite calls from experts to pull the emergency brake, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan decided to extend the transitional period of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to Sept. 10. Syahrizal urged the city administration to enforce health protocols during the transitional PSBB, especially in regard to face mask usage in public. He also called on the central government to hold a massive campaign on wearing face masks and sanctions for violators. Authorities in Jakarta are also raising awareness on the importance of face masks. On Friday, the South Jakarta Police and local military personnel distributed free masks for people found not wearing one at Kebayoran Lama Market, tempo.co reported. Pandu urged health authorities to strengthen surveillance by pushing for more and better testing, large-scale contact tracing and isolation for people who test positive. He acknowledged that it might be challenging to control transmission in the capital given that a large number of people from suburban areas come into the city for work almost daily. The central government can play an important role here. Good coordination with the local administration is necessary because this involves peoples mobility across administrative borders, said Pandu. (kuk) Its been a roller coaster for women in Louisiana. As the centennial anniversary of the 19th amendment passes, a look back on womens suffrage and how it played out locally shows both a complex, and progressive at times, journey for women. Its been a hundred years since the United States formally gave women the right to vote, but in Louisiana, women were voting long before 1920. That is, if they were white and property owners. As long as they had their taxes paid and the property was in their name, we were actually recognized as individuals, said Slidell historian Bonnie Vanney, who works with the Slidell History Museum. We were pretty progressive. In 1898, the Louisiana Constitutional Convention granted taxpaying women the right to vote on issues surrounding taxation. Of course, the right to vote for political officials and other matters would take a while to catch on in the same state that, at first, appeared progressive. Louisiana wouldnt ratify the 19th amendment recognizing womens voting rights until 1970. Fast forward to 2020, and women make up the majority of voters not only in the state, but also here in St. Tammany Parish. According to the most updated figures from the Louisiana Secretary of States Office, there are 97,431 registered female voters in St. Tammany Parish, far outnumbering men. There are 83,451 registered male voters in the parish. However, there are still obvious disparities between the voting base and representation, said Sharon Hewitt, state senator for District 1. Only 15% of legislators in Louisiana are female, despite women having 54% of the vote. Women taking an active role in government has taken some time to evolve. Women have to be asked five or six times to run for office, while men automatically identify themselves as a good candidate, said Hewitt. Its the same in the job market. It was a slow start for women in the parish. Notably, Ann Fowler was one of the first women to vie for an elected position. She ran for Slidell City Council in 1966 against 12 men, according to documents from the Slidell History Museum. Her run was not successful, but she got a considerable number of votes, showing a slight shift in the culture. By the 1980s, women in St. Tammany Parish were on the move, slowly creeping their way into a male-dominated government. Leading the way in that was Pat Clanton, the first woman to win a city council seat in St. Tammany Parish. Clanton was elected in 1987 to the Covington City Council and paved the way for a wave of women to follow. However, as with the state of Louisiana, St. Tammany parish has had its own discrepancies. It wouldnt be until 2011 that the parish had its first female president, Pat Brister. And a female mayor wasnt elected until Candace Watkins was sworn into office as the mayor of Covington in 2003. That same year, St. Tammany Public Schools would hire its first female superintendent, Gayle Sloan. Why is it still that Slidell has never had one, Mandeville has never had one (female mayors), said Watkins. I dont know if its because more women arent interested or because St. Tammany is a little slow to keep up. Watkins said she never felt out of place as a woman, even in a male-dominated field, but in hindsight, she was too stupid to realize that yes, I was living under a completely different standard of measure than the men that I was working alongside. However, she said she had a lot of female support in town hall and was able to get a lot done. Watkins, who is now a consultant for the city of Kenner, said she had to learn how to finesse her language to achieve results and learn that it doesnt matter who gets the credit. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Mary DuBuisson, state representative for District 90, was the first woman elected to her district when she took over in 2018. She cited state records that showed that only four women from St. Tammany Parish have served in the Louisiana House of Representatives since 1812. DuBuisson is one of 20 women currently serving in the 105-seat house. Were not there completely, but I do think we have a strong enough voice that men listen and appreciate what we have to offer, said DuBuisson. That being said, there are a considerable number of women now in government serving the citizens of St. Tammany, from judges to parish and city council women, school board members, state legislators and clerks of court. While men still tend to outnumber women in government, the elected women in St. Tammany are what some might consider a force to be reckoned with. Sen. Hewitt, for example, was no stranger to working in a male-dominated industry. Working in the oil and gas business, she was one of the first women to work offshore on the oil rigs. She would eventually manage billions of dollars worth of assets for Shell and oversee hundreds of employees. She quit her job to focus on her young family at the time, she said, but later found herself in politics because she felt the state and the country were headed in the wrong direction. She now has focused some of her efforts on STEM education and encouraging girls to go down these nontraditional paths. There are more women in nontraditional roles than there used to be, and there are more female leaders, but we still have such a long way to go, said Hewitt. Until you have 50% of women in leadership roles and nontraditional careers, I dont think weve accomplished quite what we could. Leslie Denham, District A councilwoman in Slidell, is another example of female leadership in the area. Denham is the second African-American woman to serve on the council. She found herself in government after serving in her homeowners association, then the planning and zoning board and eventually running for a council seat. Women, and particularly black women, need to take an active role in government, she said, because no one will stand up for you as well as you. Who is better to know our needs than us. Men dont understand us. We represent at least half of the population. We are at least half of the workforce. We run single-family households, said Denham. Our needs need to be taken into consideration when decisions are made, and I dont think men have been doing that historically, and who better to stand up for us than us. She said it starts at the local level. Maureen OBrien, District 10 Councilwoman for St. Tammany Parish, has won a number of awards for her work as an elected official, including Good Government Legislator of the Year Award in 2016. OBrien said her biggest goal is to leave a legacy of how to live a life to serve others to her children and grandchildren. I truly believe more participation leads to better government, said OBrien. I think men and women are different, there are many books written about that. I guess because of the mothers instinct, we may see the world differently. I really hate to look at life in terms of gender, but we are somewhat different. I think everybody has a value, and these differences allow us to bring more to the table. Still, despite all the women currently leading the way in St. Tammany, they all had one interesting thing in common. They never planned on being in politics. Whether it was child rearing that got in the way, timing, or the confidence to run, it wasnt first on their agenda and many put it off. DuBuisson said stepping outside her comfort zone and running was one of the hardest things I ever did in my life. I think that times are changing and women do see more possibilities, said Hewitt. But we still have a long ways to go. In many cases, I think what we are lacking are role models. As for voting, perhaps now more than ever we can appreciate how far weve come, said OBrien. And perhaps this year, the work done by womens suffragettes hits home just a little more than usual. Honestly, its hard to believe that women didnt always have the right to vote when you think about the importance of women in the world and how we are so accustomed to equality today. We often take for granted what people worked very hard to achieve, said OBrien. If nothing else, I think COVID-19 has reminded us whats truly important in life, and we should never take anything for granted, including our right to vote. BEIRUT: Lebanons ambassador to Germany Mustapha Adib looks set to be designated prime minister at formal consultations on Monday after winning political backing from the main Sunni Muslim party, the Future Movement. Lebanons prime minister must be a Sunni according to the countrys sectarian system. The government led by Hassan Diab quit earlier this month following the catastrophic explosion at Beirut port that killed some 190 people. Lebanon is grappling with a financial meltdown that has devastated the economy and is seen as the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-90 civil war. If the designation goes ahead without last minute complications, Adib will be nominated before a visit to Beirut on Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron, who is leading efforts to press Lebanese leaders to reform. The Future Movement, led by former premier Saad al-Hariri, announced its support for Adib after a meeting of its parliamentary bloc on Sunday. The Iran-backed Shiite party Hezbollah and its Shiite ally the Amal Movement will also nominate Adib in the consultations, a senior Shiite source told Reuters. President Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian allied with Hezbollah, is required to designate the candidate with the greatest level of support among MPs at Mondays consultations. Once designated, the process of forming a new government will get underway. Until a new administration is agreed, the Diab government continues in a caretaker capacity. 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 Lukashenko had earlier threatened to expel foreign journalists, accusing them of inciting protests against him before the election Moscow: Belarus has revoked the accreditations of some journalists working for foreign media and covering anti-government protests that erupted after a disputed presidential election, news organisations and a journalist association said on Saturday. The accreditations, issued by the Foreign Ministry, were revoked for 17 journalists including a video journalist and a photographer from Reuters, two from the BBC and four from Radio Liberty, the Belarusian Association of Journalists said. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anatoly Glaz could not be reached for comment. A Reuters spokesperson said in a statement that Reuters journalists had been stripped of their accreditation, adding We are not aware of any acts by our Belarus journalists that might warrant loss of accreditation. We hope the authorities will reinstate their credentials to ensure our journalists can continue to deliver independent, unbiased news in the public interest, the spokesperson said. Radio Liberty in a report on its website cited the Foreign Ministry as saying the decision to revoke the accreditations was taken for security reasons. The ministry declined to say how many journalists had lost their accreditation, Radio Liberty said. In comments at a government meeting on July 23, President Alexander Lukashenko threatened to expel foreign journalists, accusing them of inciting protests against him before the Aug. 9 election. Lukashenko denies opposition accusations that he rigged the election to prolong his 26-year rule. Thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand he step down. The U.S. Embassy in Minsk issued a statement on Saturday that did not refer specifically to the revocation of accreditations, but said, We are concerned by the continued targeting of journalists, the blocking of independent media and opposition websites as well as intermittent internet blackouts and detentions of citizens exercising their rights of free assembly and speech. The embassy could not be reached for further comment. The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment. The BBC said in a statement that two journalists working for the BBC Russian service had had their accreditations revoked, with immediate effect, and called on the authorities to reverse the decision. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this stifling of independent journalism, the BBC said. On Saturday, AFPs Global News Director Phil Chetwynd issued a statement calling on the authorities in Belarus to reinstate the accreditations of its Belarusian journalists to enable them to continue to provide independent and impartial reporting of the facts. The statement, which did not disclose how many journalists were affected, also said the AFP was given no explanation for the governments action and that it was not aware of any reason for the press credentials to be withdrawn. Daisy Sindelar, the acting president of RFE/RL, a nonprofit that is funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress, said in a statement that Stripping our journalists of accreditation on grounds of extremism is a desperate and ominous move by an authoritarian government to stifle the independent media. President Trump will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday amid unrest over the Aug. 23 police shooting that left Jacob Blake paralyzed from the waist down, the White House confirmed. Why it matters: Per AP, Trump's trip is "certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence." White House spokesperson Judd Deere told reporters the president would "survey damage from recent riots," AFP reports. Trump is touting his law and order credentials as he seeks re-election. Go deeper: Trump and Biden ready to refight 1968 Patna, Aug 30 : Suraj Kumar, a native of Vaishali was a part of the group comprising eight persons that arrived at the Jai Prakash Narayan International airport here to catch a flight to national capital Delhi. During an interaction with IANS on Saturday, he said that his employer has sent air tickets to group members to reach Delhi to resume their work that was on a pause due to the coronavirus-triggered crisis. "Our group specialises in marble installation in under-construction residential as well as commercial buildings. Our contractor needed our services since Unlock period began in Delhi. As selected trains are currently operational, our employer sent air tickets as well as three months' advance salary before re-appointment," Suraj said. His colleague Ram Mahto said, "it was a painful experience for us when the lockdown was imposed in late March". "We had walked 35 km to reach Anand Vihar bus terminal in Delhi. Then we somehow managed to board a UP roadways bus bound to Lucknow. After waiting there for three days, we decided to walk 650 km... through Gorakhpur, Chapra and other districts to reach our native place in Vaishali," Mahto said. "We have started looking for a job since the first Unlock period was announced in June. We have visited cities like Patna and Muzaffarpur in expectation of some job. We are ready to work as labourers despite being skilled in marble installations but no one has given jobs," Mahto said. "We are lucky that our employer contacted us and provided air tickets. We are not in a position to buy flight tickets costing around Rs 6,500 per person," said another person Sunil Kumar. "We are skilled in mushroom farming and our employer wants us. He has given us air tickets," said Vinod Sharma, a labourer. "I would be travelling on an air plane for the first time," he added. Pappan Singh Gahlot, another mushroom farmer in Tigi Pur village in the outer district of Delhi is one of the farmers who has provided flight tickets to his labourers. "I have 3 acres of land which I have been using for mushroom farming. It required skilled labourers," he said. Migrant labourers of Bihar returning to other states like Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra have now become a poll issue for the state's opposition parties. Tejashvi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition and younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, slammed the Nitish Kumar government for his failure on job creation. Jan Adhikar Party chief Pappu Yadav also criticised the JDU-BJP combine government on the same issue on Friday. The situation, for whatever reason, had escalated; when police are seemingly on hair trigger, walking away is never the best option. But does walking away from the police justify lethal force? Imagine had Blake stayed, can we say with absolute certainty the situation would have been avoided? Reasonable persons would most likely offer in the affirmative. As a Black man, the best I can offer is perhaps. How might George Floyd, Breonna Taylor or Philando Castile answer the aforementioned question? Therein lies reason for the distrust and anger of many who take to the streets. There is no guarantee that the methods traditionally applied to deescalate a situation with law enforcement are applicable to African Americans. I must also examine this scenario through the lens of an American citizen. Its quite possible, in spite of the video, that law enforcement did nothing wrong. That may be the most tragic scenario. But to reach that conclusion there is much that the video does not reveal. Why were guns drawn on Blake? Though preliminary reports said he was unarmed and not the subject of why the police were initially called, it was later reported there was a knife in his car. Does that make a difference? China has launched two sets of military drills off the countrys east coast in a bid to display its power while countering the rising US military presence in the region. According to the South China Morning Post, the first exercise started in the Yellow Sea on Saturday, August 29, and will continue until Thursday while another drill began on Friday in the Bohai Sea and will last a week. READ: Belarus Forces Hold Military Drills China shows off powers According to the reports, the latest exercises are a series of military war games that Chinese forces have publicly declared since the end of July. At least nine drills, with some involving live rounds, have been conducted since the end of July in various waters including the South China Sea and East China. A Chinese military observer told South China Morning Post that the high profile exercises are regularly conducted in the face of US provocations. READ: Taiwan Holds Military Drills Against Potential China Threat Diao Daming, an associate professor at Renmin Universitys National Academy of Development and Strategy, touted the recent drills as routine training which were meant to strengthen public confidence and intimidate the US and Taiwan. The researcher is reported to have added that while these drills do not target any particular country, the military maneuvers can still yield enemies without actual use of arms. He further explained that the US has been establishing its control over the South China Sea in a bid to limit China. However, these drills demonstrate China's resolve to maintain regional status quo. READ: Pentagon Slams Beijing For Conducting Military Drills In Disputed South China Sea On the other hand, China claims the resource-rich South China Sea as its own territory which puts countries like Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei in a difficult position. Witnessing the growing Chinese hegemony over the region, the US has deployed warships and aircraft in patrols that it says are intended to promote freedom of navigation. In recent days, China has stepped up its military presence in the Yellow, East China and Bohai seas with multiple high profile military drills to show off its defence powers. In response, the US has also conducted exercises with Japan and South Korea in the past two weeks and is holding a biennial war exercise with nine other countries, including the Philippines and Singapore, in Hawaii. READ: China Protests Alleged US Spy Plane Incursion During Drills September is known for being a seasonally volatile month, but long-term, some are looking at the glass half full. Goldman Sachs has become more optimistic about U.S. economic growth, as it expects that by Q2 2021, an effective COVID-19 vaccine will be widely distributed. Based on this assumption, the firms chief economist Jan Hatzius bumped up his 2021 U.S. GDP forecast from 5.6% to 6.2%. On top of this, 2021 unemployment levels also might not be as dismal as previously expected, with the economist calling for the figure to land at 6.5%, versus his previous 7% estimate. This modest revision is driven by the conclusion that consumer services spending accelerates in the first half of 2021 as consumers resume activities that would previously have exposed them to COVID-19 risk. That said, the firm does issue a warning. We still expect a package worth at least $1.5 trillion to become law... but the risk of no further legislative action has increased and could pose a threat to the budding recovery, Hatzius wrote. As the analysts from Goldman Sachs have pointed to two stocks in particular that could gain over 30% in the next year, we wanted to dig a little deeper. By using TipRanks database, we found out that both have received Buy ratings from the rest of the Street as well. Vasta Platform (VSTA) First up we have Vasta Platform, which is an education company in Brazil that provides end-to-end educational and digital solutions to cater to the needs of private schools operating in the K-12 educational segment. Based on the strength of its product offering, Goldman Sachs is pounding the table on this name. Representing the firm, analyst Diego Aragao argues VSTAs learning platform is helping to fundamentally change the nature and process of the overall learning experience within private K-12 schools in Brazil. The analyst added, In addition, as its digitally native technological platform evolves, we see a solid opportunity for all stakeholders in the K-12 ecosystem to benefit from the ongoing digitalization trend that creates solid growth prospects and improved returns for the company over the coming years. Story continues Part of what makes the company stand out, in Aragaos opinion, is that it boasts a distinctive asset-light business model, that combines recurrence, predictability and scalability by providing a strong portfolio of solutions that fully integrates the K-12 ecosystem in Brazil. Additionally, the market for core K-12 content is very fragmented, with the after-school market still very much underpenetrated. To this end, the analyst believes there is a substantial top-line opportunity for VSTA. Not to mention the company has made a significant investment in enhancing its technological offering with digital management solutions focused on schools. According to Aragao, this reflects a greenfield opportunity that VSTAs different go-to-market could address. Lastly, we see M&A as an optionality in the next 12 months (that could add up to U.S. $4.0/share), while the potential for scaling-up Plurall the companys super app is an opportunity in the mid-to-long run, Aragao also mentioned. It should come as no surprise, then, that Aragao joined the bulls. Kicking off his VSTA coverage, he put a Buy rating and $26 price target on the stock. Should this target be met, a twelve-month gain of 70% could be in the cards. (To watch Aragaos track record, click here) All in all, other analysts echo Argaos sentiment. 4 Buys and no Holds or Sells add up to a Strong Buy consensus rating. With an average price target of $22.13, the upside potential comes in at 44%. (See Vasta Platform stock analysis on TipRanks) Halliburton Company (HAL) With operations in more than 70 countries, Halliburton counts itself as one of the largest oil field services companies in the world. Following a conversation with management, Goldman Sachs is even more confident about its long-term growth prospects. Firm analyst Angie Sedita tells clients that she has several takeaways from the meeting with HALs leadership team. First of all, it is estimated that the industry would need to drill 6,000 oil wells, implying 500 drilling rigs and roughly 200 frac fleets are required to keep U.S. production flat. Many E&Ps are placing a significant focus on keeping production flat, meaning that the frac count could more than double next year. The analyst added, HAL expected a fast start to U.S. activity in 2021, vs a slow build. On top of this, Sedita stated, The company believes the U.S. market comes back at two-thirds of the level of prior activity, but the overarching goal is to generate higher EBITDA, and more importantly higher FCF in a structurally smaller market. Given the right-sizing of their structural costs ($1.3 billion in structural cost-cutting in 2019-2022), the company believes normalized margins in the mid-teens are achievable. Additionally, as demand for oil and gas bounces back, activity increases and there are fewer players in the market, margins could experience a meaningful recovery in 2022. Speaking to the reduction of competitors, the cost of capital is growing for smaller names, and the sector is seeing large quantities of equipment leave the market as more companies face headwinds. Sedita explained, The market could see consolidation merely to increase access to capital, vs gain scale. When it comes to international markets, 2021 is expected to start off at a slower pace, but Sedita believes it will pick up. HAL noted that the most economic barrels are in the International markets, and not in the U.S. and expected the International markets to be long-term drivers of growth. Artificial lift (ESPs in particular) and chemicals should continue to see growth, as well as completion technology, she commented. For pricing, there isnt a lot to give back, so there should be limited pricing pressure, in Seditas opinion. HAL also thinks margins will trend higher over time in the international markets. Variable costs are slated to return at lower levels, with debt reduction and returning capital to shareholders remaining key priorities, so the deal is sealed for Sedita. To this end, she reiterated her Buy rating. The price target was also lifted from $20 to $22.50, implying shares could gain 38% in the next twelve months. (To watch Seditas track record, click here) Looking at the consensus breakdown, 6 Buys and 10 Holds have been published in the last three months. Therefore, HAL gets a Moderate Buy consensus rating. Based on the $15.70 average price target, shares could drop 4% in the next year. (See Halliburton stock analysis on TipRanks) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Jacob Blake, 29, has been left paralysed from the waist down following the shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and is being treated in hospital The new claim came from the Kenosha police union which offered the most detailed account yet from the officers' perspective of the moments before the shooting. Last Sunday's incident led to peaceful protests and also violent demonstrations, including the fatal shooting of two people in the US city on Tuesday. Ben Crump, a lawyer for the Blake family, has called for the arrest of Rusten Sheskey - the officer who shot Mr Blake - and for the two other officers involved in the shooting, Vincent Arenas and Brittany Meronek, to be sacked. All three officers have now been put on administrative leave. Mr Crump has claimed Mr Blake was only trying to break up a domestic dispute and did nothing to provoke police, saying witnesses did not see him with a knife. Mobile phone footage, filmed by Raysean White, showed Mr Sheskey and another officer following Mr Blake with their guns drawn as he walked around the front of a parked SUV. Mr Blake's three children were in the back. The officers had been sent there following a complaint by a telephone caller that Mr Blake was trying to steal their keys and vehicle, said Brendan Matthews, a lawyer for the Kenosha Professional Police Association. Mr Blake was armed with a knife, but officers did not initially see it, Mr Matthews said The officers first saw him holding the knife while they were on the passenger side of the vehicle, he added.Mr White said he saw Mr Blake scuffling with three officers and heard them shout 'drop the knife, drop the knife' before there was gunfire. He said he did not see a knife in Mr Blake's hands. Investigators have said officers saw a knife on the floor of the car. They have not said whether Mr Blake threatened anyone with it. Officers made several requests to Mr Blake to drop the knife, but he was uncooperative, Mr Matthews said, adding officers used a Taser on Mr Blake, but it did not incapacitate him. Mr Blake forcefully fought with the officers, including putting one of the officers in a headlock, Mr Matthews said. A second stun from a Taser also did not stop him, he added. As Mr Blake opened the driver's door of the SUV, Mr Sheskey pulled on Mr Blake's shirt and then opened fire. Officers drew their firearms based on the inability to gain compliance and control after using verbal, physical and less-lethal means, Mr Matthews said. Home Just In Three Nepalis abroad died of Covid-19 last week Kathmandu, August 30 Three Nepalis residing abroad have died in the past week due to the coronavirus infection, informs Non-resident Nepali Association. The organisations Health Committee says two Nepalis died in the United Arab Emirates and one in the United Kingdom. With this, the number of non-resident Nepalis dying of Covid-19 has reached 195. Over 200 Nepalis have died of the disease within the country so far. NRNA Health Committee Coordinator Dr Sanjeev Sapkota says some countries with a significant Nepali population have seen a slight increase in the rate of coronavirus infection recently. They include South Africa, Portugal, Spain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Likewise, the second wave of infection has started in Australia and some European countries, and Nepalis have been affected. So far, 34,701 Nepalis living in 38 countries except Nepal have been infected with the coronavirus, according to him. Of them, 32,511 have already recovered. A criminal convicted of using the INLA's name to extort builders was able to buy a 350,000 home despite being on disability benefits. Brian Gillan was planning a sizeable extension to the house on Lurgan Road in Glenavy, Co Antrim, when he was arrested by the PSNI's Paramilitary Crime Taskforce (PCT). He was initially charged with brothel-keeping and blackmail, but the sex trade charge was withdrawn when Romanian co-accused Florin Ghita (34) and Teodora-Christina Musa (24) skipped bail and fled Northern Ireland. At Belfast Crown Court last Tuesday, Gillan confessed to extortion, with separate charges of possessing criminal property left on the books. Police linked the blackmail directly to the INLA, which the 62-year-old has long since severed links with. "Gillan hasn't been involved with the INLA for some time. After he was arrested in 2018 on the extortion and brothel-keeping charges, he was warned by the organisation not to use its name again," an insider said. "He had been threatening builders up around Glenavy with the INLA and getting them to hand over protection money. "This wasn't sanctioned and he is a lucky boy because if it had happened 10 years ago he would have ended up with a bullet in the head." Gillan was on the fringes of the INLA during the 1980s, attending parades and buying memorabilia from the headquarters of the IRSP, the terror gang's political wing, on Belfast's Falls Road. He was arrested on extortion charges in April 2018 by the PCT, which also raided the IRSP offices and a house he was leasing on Agincourt Avenue in the university area of the city. Expand Close 13th April 2018: PSNI officers at the IRSP office on the Falls Road in west Belfast after police conducted a number searches throughout Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 13th April 2018: PSNI officers at the IRSP office on the Falls Road in west Belfast after police conducted a number searches throughout Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Ex-INLA prisoner Gerry Foster was pictured arguing with cops as they searched the party premises. Police claimed at the time that the Agincourt Avenue property doubled up as a brothel and that Gillan was the frontman for the sex den, but the charge was later dropped. As part of his bail conditions he has been living in the Bawnmore area of north Belfast, where the INLA has a strong presence. Cops are probing how Gillan was able to afford a 350,000 home in Glenavy when his main source of income is disability benefits. He was found to have more than 1,200 on him when he was arrested. It later emerged he had just put down a 2,000 deposit on a 15,000 car. Undercover police spent the morning on the day of his arrest watching him visit two building sites, collecting at least one brown envelope stuffed with cash. Earlier surveillance between September 2017 and April 2018 linked him to three other sites. Denying he was running brothels with two Romanian nationals, Gillan told detectives he was in a relationship with co-accused Teodora-Christina Musa, who is almost 40 years his junior. He further claimed to have no knowledge of the women found in different rooms of the suspected sex den, which he was renting for 500 per month. Gillan's guilty plea to extortion shows that paramilitary-linked protection rackets, which are often mistakenly thought to be a relic of the Troubles, remain rife. Last year Carrickfergus construction boss David Brown took his builders off a site in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast after being threatened by the republican gang Action Against Drugs. The same group was responsible for workers downing tools on a housing project in the nearby New Lodge district when their foreman was ordered to hand over cash. When two loyalists, David Moore and David Pollins, were convicted in 2016 of extorting building sites by claiming to be from the UDA, a detective told a court: "Extortion and paramilitary blackmail is going on in Northern Ireland today. "It's as prevalent in areas of Belfast today as it was 20 to 30 years ago. "Businesses can't work unless they pay the paramilitaries." Welcoming Gillan's conviction, Inspector Cummings from the PCT said: "This has been a complex case involving officers from across the Police Service of Northern Ireland, all working hard to gather evidence in order to place Brian Gillan before the court. "His conviction is not only a result of excellent work by PCT officers, but it also reflects the clear commitment of the victims to stand up against this form of paramilitary criminality." Representative image The Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Delhi Anil Baijal has permitted JEE and NEET exams to be held in the city, following the Supreme Court order. The permission comes despite opposition from the state government. A proposal for the same was brought before the L-G and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the Delhi Disaster Management Authoritys (DDMA) last meeting, state government sources told the Business Standard. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report. Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here 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 Delhi government conveyed to the L-G its recommendation to not hold JEE and NEET exams in the city, citing safety concerns for students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, sources said. However, the L-G returned the file giving his permission to hold the exams," they added. Total confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections in India stands at 3,463,972. This number includes cases related to foreign nationals, reported active cases, patients who have recovered and the COVID-19 death toll in the country. While 2,648,998 patients have recovered, 62,550 have died. President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the family, friends and associates of the Attah Igala, Michael Oboni II, over the transition of the monarch. Oboni II, the paramount ruler of Igala Kingdom and President, Kogi State Council of Chiefs, died on Thursday in Abuja. He was aged 72. In a condolence message signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Mr Buhari described the late Attah Igala as a man of peace, who devoted his life and reign to the unity and progress of his people, Kogi and Nigeria. READ ALSO: Mr Buhari said the 27th Attah Igala would be greatly missed for his wise counsel and reputation for honesty, urging his subjects to sustain achievements he recorded during his eight-year rule. He prayed to God to console the family of the deceased and grant his soul eternal rest. (NAN) https://www.aish.com/ci/s/Growing-Up-Jewish-In-the-South.html By fierce example, my father taught me the importance of social justice, equality and fairness. There is no better cure for America's racial divide than children who observe parents who foster social justice, respect and concern for others, devoting their life to economic, educational and social justice. By example, my father taught me and my brother the importance of social justice, equality and fairness. More than 40 years after my fathers death, he remains my hero. I grew up in the early 40s in Newport News, Virginia, a southeastern city of about 50,000 residents. On Shabbat I would walk to shul with my mother, Esther, an immigrant from Lithuania. Shabbat afternoons typically meant a large, afternoon meal with lots of relatives and guests. It was a joyful, relaxing day. I remember walking with my father, Joe, one Sunday afternoon, seeing something I had never seen before. The Pastor and congregation of a large African American church were marching to the river, singing religious songs. At the river my friend, Johnny, who like me was about 10 years old, walked into the river with the Pastor. The Pastor then pushed him into the river so you couldnt see him. I thought he was being drowned. I cried out, "He's drowning Johnny!" My father calmed me and began to describe the religious ceremony called Baptism. My father worked hard to improve the lives of Black Americans, earning the respect of the Black community. At least once a week an African American man would come to the house in need of a job At least once a week an African American man would come to the house in need of a job. My father would call a local store owner or a company and through persuasion, and at times coercion, he would secure the man a job. One African American, a college-educated neighbor with a family, had always dreamed of becoming a police officer. At that time Newport News had no African American police or fire department officers. My father called several politicians and through what today might be considered mild threats had the unwritten White Only law changed. The neighbor was hired as the first Newport News African American police officer. A few years after my fathers death in 1980, that African American police officer became Chief of Police. I saw father express anger three times; two of the incidents were over racial slurs. In one angry outburst my mother, father, my brother Norton, and I were driving to a restaurant. At a stoplight a pickup truck with three White men was almost hit by an elderly African American couple. They screamed obscenities and racial slurs blocking the couple's lane. My father, all 52, 115 pounds of him, slammed on brakes, jumped out of our car and ran screaming at the three in the truck. They froze, turned to him, then jumped in the truck and drove away. The author with his grandchildren In the second incident, a White neighbor down the street came to the door of our house ranting and raving about the neighborhood being infested with people he referred to using the n-word. I dont know how he did it, but my father grabbed him, lifting him what appeared to me to be a yard off the ground, telling him never to set foot on his doorstep again. In the early 70s my father had a stroke. He couldn't drive a car and could only manage to walk a few yards with a walker. Within a week after returning home from the hospital, an elderly, retired gentleman from the Black church knocked at the door. He was sent by the Church to drive my father where he wanted to go on a daily basis. My mother attempted to pay him but he refused. Finally, my mother insisted that if he wouldnt take the money she would not feel right about his help. My guess is that he gave the money to the church. When I was 5 years old my father was elected Chair of the Newport News Democratic delegation to represent the city at the State Democratic Convention in Richmond, Virginia. Since the city was 35% Black, my father decided to have 35% Black representation for Newport News. This was a first for the State; no African American had ever been selected to represent a city in Virginia at the Democratic Convention. At the convention, the White representatives my father selected refused to sit with him and the Black representatives. In the 50s the Governor of Virginia selected my father to be the Port Commissioner. The job was important and demanding; Newport News had only two major industries, the Shipyard and the foreign and domestic ships docking in the harbor. He had a relatively large staff and hired as his office manager an African American woman who fully capable to run the office. There was one major problem: she had White employees working under her. For months people inside and outside the office complained about a Black woman as office manager. Finally, the governor asked my father to consider demoting or firing her, for no reason other than her skin color and the complaints he was getting. My father refused, time and time again, until the governor gave him an ultimatum: either demote or fire her, or he would have to find another Port Commissioner. My father refused and the governor relieved them both from their positions. Nothing is more powerful than the example my father provided, living his life free from bigotry and devoting his energy to ensure positive change. Three years later that my father decided to run for City Council. He urged two African American friends to also run. He envisioned that the City Council could have a majority of its members (there were five on the Council) as spokesmen for the poor and the Black citizens of the city. My father lost the election by five votes. Everyone urged him to ask for a recount, but he refused. I vividly remember his precinct workers gathered at our house crying while my father was beaming from ear to ear. He said, "Wait four years, we'll have at least one Black City Councilman." He didnt run in that election; he exerted all of his efforts to ensure that his close Black friend, Louis Thompson, would win. He did. Courses on racism, workshops and similar programs may affect change. But nothing is more powerful than the example my father provided, living his life free from bigotry and devoting his energy to ensure positive change. KENOSHA, Wis. - Scores of police supporters gathered Sunday in downtown Kenosha where protesters have been demonstrating against police brutality since the shooting of Jacob Blake last weekend. Some attending the rally in the Wisconsin city wore back the blue shirts. Others carried American flags. They applauded when law enforcement vehicles rolled by. With the things that they face on a daily basis, they need that little extra push of love and to show that they are needed, said Jennifer Peyton, 44, who attended the rally. I mean, if you went in to work every day, and you were told that you were bad or had things thrown at you, I think it would weigh on your psyche a little bit, too. A Kenosha police officer shot Blake in the back Aug. 23, leaving the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed. Protesters have marched in Kenosha every night since Blakes shooting, with some protests devolving into unrest that damaged buildings and vehicles. Authorities say a teenager from northern Illinois shot and killed two protesters in Kenosha on Tuesday night. A 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. state of emergency curfew that was set to expire Sunday has been extended through 7 a.m. Wednesday, the Kenosha County sheriffs office said. Blakes shooting sparked renewed protests against racial injustice and police brutality several months after George Floyds May 25 death touched off a wider reckoning on race. Floyd, another Black man, was handcuffed and died after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck. Blake was shot after three Kenosha officers responded to a domestic dispute call. In cellphone video recorded by a bystander, Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of an SUV to his driver-side door as officers follow him with their guns drawn and shout at him. As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV, an officer grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire. Three of Blakes children were in the vehicle. City officials have identified Rusten Sheskey as the officer who shot Blake. The Kenosha police union said Blake had a knife and fought with officers. State investigators have said only that officers found a knife on the floor of the car. Blake is being treated in a hospital. His father, Jacob Blake Sr., said hes paralyzed from the waist down. Ben Crump, an attorney for the family, told CBS Face the Nation on Sunday that the younger Blake suffered catastrophic injuries that include a pierced spinal cord and shattered vertebrae. He has lost his colon and most of his intestine, Crump said. Like Floyds death, Blakes shooting has fueled a national movement against police brutality and the slayings of Black people by law enforcement officers. The movement has further exposed deep divisions in the country. Some people at Sundays rally signed petitions urging the recall of Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, both Democrats, and added messages of support on handwritten posters thanking police as heroes. About 1,000 people attended a rally to protest police violence Saturday. The citys mayor, John Antaramian, said Sunday that he will ask the state for $30 million to rebuild parts of Kenosha destroyed or damaged by the violence, according to the Kenosha News. President Donald Trump has spoken out against the summer-long protests. He is expected to visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from the demonstrations. Evers wrote to Trump on Sunday, urging the president to reconsider his plans to visit Kenosha. I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state. I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together, Evers wrote. Barnes indicated that Trump may not be welcome. I dont know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful and we absolutely dont need that right now, Barnes told CNN on Sunday. Crump said the Blake family has not been contacted at this time by Trump. On Sunday, some Kenosha residents gathered around a Family Dollar as volunteers passed out donations and painted messages of peace on boarded up buildings. A DJ played house music and hip-hop while volunteers danced, wearing masks to protect against the coronavirus. I needed this today, said David Sanchez, 66, who is retired. I went to church this morning and it was all about Jacob Blake and his family. Its 100% positive. Sanchez said the Blake shooting forced Kenosha to come out of the closet. Theres been a lot of prejudice here, for years, said Sanchez, whose family relocated to San Antonio, Texas, in the 1950s. We need to confront it. New Delhi, Aug 30 : Several animal rights activists on Sunday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarion call to citizens to adopt native Indian dog breeds, with a few claiming that the step will discourage commercialisation of exotic pets. In his monthly radio broadcast, the Prime Minister lauded Indian breed dogs for their bravery and sacrifice for the country. Modi said that several local breeds such as Mudhol Hound, Himachali Hound, Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Combai are "very good and competent". Over the last few decades, foreign breeds have caught the fancy of animal lovers across the country, while the native dogs continue to be shunned. Indian stray or community dogs are mixed breeds. There are numerous Indian pure-bred dogs that have either already gone extinct or are fast in the process. Besides the names mentioned by the Prime Minister, others include Bakharwal, Gaddi Kutta, Gull Dong, Gull Terrier, Indian Spitz, Bully Kutta, Jonangi, Kaikadi, Kumaon Mastiff, Mahratta Greyhound, Pandikona, Indian Pariah, Rampur Greyhound, Vanjari Hound and Vikhan Sheepdog. Ratty P. Javeri, Honorary Secretary at Indian National Kennel Club said, "People are not aware about the pure-bred dogs because breeders do not bring them forth. Besides this, people should opt for them only if they have ample open space. Those living in flats or small houses should go for street dogs." Modi said that the cost of their upkeep is low, and they are also accustomed to Indian conditions. He said that there are many such brave dogs with the armed forces who live for the country and also make the supreme sacrifice. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightfully reminded people how wonderful and smart Indian dogs are, and that includes those we see on every street. People with time, resources, patience, and love should opt to adopt dogs in need from local animal shelters," said Sachin Bangera of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. He said that every time someone buys an exotic dog from a breeder or a pet store, the dogs at animal shelters or on the streets lose their chance at finding a loving home. Another activist Gauri Maulekhi, who has been very vocal about the issue, thanked the Prime Minister and said that it will "discourage cruel and illegal breeding and mindless commercialisation of exotic pets." (Aakanksha Khajuria can be contacted at aakanksha.k@ians.in) Khurshid said he wouldn't have signed the letter calling for organisational changes in the Congress, even if he had been approached by the 'group of 23' New Delhi: Asserting that there was no urgency to have an elected Congress president, senior leader Salman Khurshid on Sunday said he "can't see the heavens falling" for the need of a party chief as Sonia Gandhi was still at the helm and should be the one to decide on the leadership issue. Khurshid, a former Union minister, is among the party leaders considered close to the Gandhi family. He told news agency PTI in an interview that he would not have signed the letter even if he was approached by the group that wrote to Gandhi seeking urgent organisational overhaul, including an active and full-time leadership. On Ghulam Nabi Azad, the most vocal among the 23 letter writers, Khurshid said the senior leader from Jammu and Kashmir had been part of the top echelons of the party for years where there has been no such election and still the party prospered. He said Azad probably now wanted a change in what the party has been doing over the years and expressed confidence that the leadership will give a thought to what the senior leader said. Khurshid said the leaders who have written to Sonia Gandhi always had access to her and could have approached her rather than writing to her. "It is very clear that the important persons who wrote this letter belong to the top echelons of our party and therefore Mrs Gandhi has indicated that it was best that they could have discussed it within the confines of the party," he said. Khurshid's remarks assume significance as they come days after the 'group of 23' wrote to Gandhi calling for far-reaching reforms within the party such as having a "full time, active and visible" leadership, devolution of powers to state units and revamping the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in line with the party constitution. Asked about the suggestions made in the letter, Khurshid said the discussion seems to be about electing a leader and the Congress president has indicated that it can be done at an appropriate time, when it is physically possible to do so. "For people like me, we already have leaders, we have a leader in Mrs Sonia Gandhi, we have a leader in Rahul Gandhi. So for me there is no sense of urgency about electing leaders. Electing a president, yes that will happen when it happens, I can't see the heavens falling down. What is the sense of urgency that is being expressed, is not clear to me," he said. "We don't have a part-time president, we have a full-time president but the full-time president is an interim president, and no ordinary person is the interim president as she is the longest-serving president. We must just trust and leave it to the longest-serving president to take steps when she thinks it is appropriate," the Congress leader said. On whether it would have been better to go to the president for articulating concerns than writing a letter, Khurshid said the leaders had done that for the last 20 years and he did not know what was different now or had changed that they felt the need to write a letter. Asked about the future of the party, when knives were out within the organisation at a time it needs to be revitalised, he said, "The pens are out, so what is the problem? Of course, the words written with pens can hurt and they did, but they don't draw blood...it's only ink, it's something we can live with and I am sure that the ink will fade in due course." Khurshid said no one had approached him for signing the letter and even if anyone had done so, he would not have signed because he does not agree with the letter. "There is nothing about that letter that gives an opportunity for me to express and say what I may want to say...We have always spoken directly with the leadership, so I don't know what changed that people are not speaking directly. Nothing has changed for me and therefore, I don't see the urge for writing the letter," he said. Khurshid said he still feels that instead of leaders continuously urging Rahul Gandhi to come back as party chief, they must leave the decision to him. "Surely he understands the implications of that letter more than I do, he will do what he thinks is the best to do," he said, when asked if it was now imperative for Rahul Gandhi to return as party chief to set the house in order. After the seven-hour meeting of the party's top decision-making body last week, the CWC urged Sonia Gandhi to continue as its interim chief till an AICC session could be convened and authorised her to effect necessary organisational changes to deal with the challenges facing the party. It made it clear no one would be permitted to undermine or weaken the party and its leadership. The CWC also resolved that inner-party issues cannot be deliberated through the media or in public fora and all such issues must be raised within the party "in the interest of propriety and discipline". . A coalition of not-for-profit groups has called out the National Assembly for failing to meet for 181 days in its first legislative year as stipulated by the Nigerian constitution. The legislative period for the current national assembly reached its first year in July with a series of holidays and a two-month annual vacation punctuating it along the way. Under section 63 of the Nigerian constitution, both chambers are mandated to meet at least 181 days in a year, but the groups said, the National Assembly sat for only 149 days. They have had two months vacation, 56 days public holiday, 42 day Yuletide, 49 days coronavirus break, in addition to 62 days for Saturdays and Sunday. This means 216 days out of 365 days in a year, the groups said in a joint statement, Sunday. In a year schedule that was altered by the coronavirus pandemic, the National Assembly went on a seven-week break to help it put measures in place to avoid the spread of the disease. But the groups questioned why the National Assembly was unable to perfect those measures during the nationwide lockdown, thereby devising means of extending its plenary sittings and meeting the constitutionally-mandated 181 sitting days in a legislative year given the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The joint statement also raised questions over why the legislative hearings of the parliament were abruptly suspended at a time when citizens who were rattled by the revelations coming out of those hearings were waiting with keen interest for their logical conclusions and outcomes. It was good to see these activities continue even into the vacation of the lawmakers, they wrote adding that August 19th hearing suspension was ill-advised, ill-timed and unhelpful as it fuels all forms of conspiracy theories and interpretation of collusion and attempt to cover up fraud, especially given that the National Assembly is already plagued by a lack of credibility or public trust. The National Assembly cannot afford another bad press given its already negative image and perception by citizens. We therefore urge the House leadership to treat these as matters of urgent national and public importance, rescind this decision and allow various committees to carry on with legislative and oversight activities, including concluding the suspended investigative hearings, the statement said. The groups called on the House of Representatives to ensure that the reports and outcomes of their investigative hearings are made available to the public and that all culpable officials are brought to book. We call on all anti-corruption agencies to live up to their responsibilities by following up on these investigative hearings to gather actionable evidence to prosecute those who have violated various anti-corruptions laws and regulations. There is already an enormous amount of information in the public domain and it baffles the imagination that anti-corruption agencies are sitting helplessly and tight-lipped at a time like this when they should be busy filling criminal charges against those already indicted by the evidence that emanated from the legislative hearings, the coalition said. Joined in the statement are Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CRDDERT), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP), Zero-Corruption Coalition (ZCC). Also are: Accountability Maternal New-born and Child Health in Nigeria (AMHiN), Partners on Electoral Reform Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), National Procurement Watch Platform, Say NO CampaignNigeria, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civil Education (CHRICED), Social Action, Community Action for Popular Participation. Others are: Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP), Global Rights, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA). Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, Women In Nigeria, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC). The remaining are: Women Advocate Research And Documentation Centre, Community Life Project, Nigerian Feminist Forum, Alliances for Africa Spaces for Change, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, BudgiT Foundation, State of the Union (SOTU), Order Paper, Femi Falana Chamber, HEDA Resource Centre, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution. Few New Mexicans at this point need to be convinced of the awesome powers of the states 2003 Public Health Emergency Response Act. Those who are living through the school and business closures, cancelled medical procedures and examinations, ban on mass gatherings, orders to wear masks and self-quarantine or loss of a job neednt be convinced of the far-ranging reach of the law into their lives. And while the original 30-day invocation of the act by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was crucial to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and preserving medical equipment and capacity, that was five months ago. The act has been re-upped several times since then. Never before has a single law impacted the everyday lives of so many New Mexicans, and all that unchecked power rests in the Governors Office. In the post 9/11 era, state and federal lawmakers passed legislation giving the respective executive branches unprecedented powers to deal with emergencies. New Mexicos Public Health Emergency Response Act sailed through the Legislature in 2003 with inadequate concern about the powers state lawmakers were ceding to the fourth floor of the Roundhouse. After all, in America in 2003 or 2020, an emergency is a situation demanding immediate action, not a lifestyle. Except its become one in New Mexico. More than five months after its first-ever implementation by the governor on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic, some lawmakers are publicly stating the law needs to be revisited. The governors administration has used other emergency laws throughout the pandemic, but the Public Health Emergency Response Act is the one most felt by New Mexicans. It says the executive may issue an enhanced public health advisory if the governor has reasonable cause to believe that a public health emergency may occur. Former state Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez was the only senator to vote against the 2003 bill. The Belen Democrat told the Journals Dan Boyd in April he was generally wary of bills giving exclusive powers to one branch of government It always has scared me if one person has all the authority, even though I understand why its needed in times of emergency. The concern about one branch of government exercising autocratic powers without any checks and balances from the Legislature has been boiling for weeks among Republicans, who have blasted the Democratic governors public health orders as heavy-handed and unnecessarily damaging to businesses. Lujan Grisham and Democrats have said the states response to the virus has saved lives and been guided by public health experts, not politics. And those views are not mutually exclusive both sides may very well be right but weve had no discussion, debate or compromise since March. Efforts by Republicans alone at revisiting the Public Health Emergency Response Act have been unsuccessful, their push for an extraordinary session to check the governors powers gaining little traction during the pandemic. But bipartisanship may break this political logjam. State Rep. Daymon Ely, D-Corrales, told the Journal Editorial Board last week he is working with state Rep. Greg Nibert, R-Roswell, on a bill to update the Public Health Emergency Response Act. (Nibert proposed a bill for the June special session that would have required legislative approval of public health orders after 30 days; it failed to receive a hearing.) Ely, chair of the House rules committee and vice chair of the Judiciary Committee, is right that only a bipartisan approach will work. He emphasizes the legislation he and Nibert are considering for the regular session in January is not a criticism of the powers exercised by the governor throughout the pandemic, but an effort to more evenly balance powers going forward between the executive and legislative branches. Legislators have ceded too much authority to the executive branch across the country, Ely says. Yes, we need Greg Niberts bill. Ely says the 2003 law was never intended to last indefinitely and new legislation is needed to provide checks and balances beyond requiring periodic legislative approval of public health orders. For example, the Legislature should be able to call in (Human Services Secretary) Dr. David Scrase and ask questions. Nibert says any revision of the law will have to be not just bipartisan but veto-proof. The executive, when you start reeling in her powers, shes going to veto the bill, he cautions. Nibert says several Democratic state lawmakers have expressed a desire to him privately to change the law but Ely is the first Democrat to state so publicly. At some point we shirk our responsibilities to our constituents if we dont get to weigh in. (Though tens of millions of dollars have been spent), we havent even appropriated monies to deal with the emergency The executive cant have unfettered power for extended periods of time; I dont care what the emergency is. And its important to realize such a broad law could be invoked again perhaps to address a public health opioid crisis, or measles crisis, or vaping crisis, or climate-change crisis, etc. The standard to invoke the emergency act is extraordinarily low, which the state Supreme Court affirmed in a ruling last week in a case brought by the N.M. Restaurant Association. Our state lawmakers got caught up in the post 9/11 bandwagon and unwittingly ceded too much power to the executive branch. They have been shut out of virtually all decisions since before Easter. Of course, some may prefer to not have to face the tough decisions Lujan Grisham is announcing each week. But thats not the way the balance of power is supposed to work. America is a representative democracy, not a monarchy. While we need to keep the executive branch strong enough to deal with any crisis, we never should shut out our state lawmakers from decisions that effect citizens in every corner of the state over such an extended period of time. If ever there were a law in need of a serious revision, its the Public Health Emergency Response Act. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. KABUL, Afghanistan Rockets launched at a U.S. military base and a joint U.S.-Afghan airfield in southern Afghanistan in recent weeks are believed to have been fired by the Taliban, according to three American military officials, in what would amount to a clear breach of the peace agreement between the United States and the insurgent group. Roughly a dozen rockets struck in late July around Camp Bastion, a sprawling air base used by Afghan and American forces in the southern province of Helmand. And several rockets were fired within the last week or so at Camp Dwyer, a large U.S. military base about 50 miles south of Bastion. A Taliban commander familiar with the region denied that the group had carried out any strikes on American bases in Helmand and said that the group would investigate. The rocket strikes may also have been carried out by a Taliban faction that is against the agreement, according to one military official who was briefed on the matter. There were no U.S. casualties in either attack, nor a public response from Washington during a stretch in which American officials have struggled to keep an already shaky peace process on track. Realme fans got some new information about Realme 7, while Poco fans got confirmation on some features on the upcoming handset. Wrapping up the last week of August were brands like LG, Apple, Western Digital and more. We saw leaks and rumours with regards to uniquely-shaped smartphones, iPads, apps among others. Realme fans got some new information about Realme 7, while Poco fans got confirmation on some features on the upcoming handset. This and a lot more that made headlines in tech today: LG's T-shaped dual-screen phones leaks in second video, shows popular title Asphalt LG could be working on a new smartphone that is not foldable or has dual screen but is rather different as it may have a T-shape design. While one part will feature a half-sized screen, the other one will be a full-lenght panel. The device has showed up in a second video. Apple iPad successor may get TouchID on power button, FaceID and other features It looks like last years 10.2-inch iPad tablet may get a successor that takes design cues from the Pro lineup. According to a leak, the design is said to include thinner bezels, sensors for FaceID tech and support for Magic Keyboard. This time, the new iPad could have a bigger screen at 10.8-inch size. Western Digital wants you to rent hard drives for storing your photos The company has launched a new service called Monthly Subscription Program where it rents hard disk (yes, you heard it right!) based on their requirements. What happens is that when users avail a particular plan, Wester Digital sends them a hard disk drive on which they can store their data until the end of their service plan. Once the plan ends, users can either renew the contract or end it. PM Modi praises various apps developed under 'Atmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge' Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised various apps that were a part of "Atmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge" which are gaining popularity and are becoming a good sign for self-reliant India. The Prime Minister continued saying that for an Atmanirbhar Bharat and nation's future, this is a good indication. Realme 7, Realme 7 Pro set to launch in India on September 3 Realme is gearing up for the launch of Realme 7 series in India. Scheduled to launch on September 3, the new series will feature at least two devices, Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro. The new phones will compete with Xiaomis popular Redmi Note 9 series which starts at 11,999. Ahead of the official launch, Realme has begun building hype around the new phones through a bunch of teasers on its social media channels. Here is what we know about the new phones so far. Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection now available for Android Microsoft has quietly rolled out its Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) application for Android users. The app is currently available in a preview version. Note that Microsoft users with 365 E5 license can only use the application. Aimed at enterprise users, Microsoft Defender ATP is not a free application. Poco X3 is coming soon with 64MP camera, better battery Poco will soon launch a new smartphone. The company has not disclosed an official launch date yet but has begun posting teasers on its social media handles. Here is what is officially known about the next Poco smartphone. Pocos Product Manager and global spokesperson Angus Kai Ho Ng has confirmed the upcoming Poco X3 will sport a 64-megapixel camera. Ghana will reopen air borders to international travel as of Sept. 1 after closing them in March to limit the spread of the coronavirus, President Nana Akufo-Addo said in a speech to the nation on Sunday. Land and sea borders will remain closed, he said. Not 10 minutes later, just down the street in the 7100 block of South Honore Street, a 32-year-old was shot in the stomach. He said it was a stray bullet fired by an unknown person who was arguing with another man down the street, according to police. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was listed in serious condition. No arrests had been made in either shooting. Today's protesters carry signs claiming that "Silence Is Complicity." They believe that systemic racism exists in the U.S. and that silence perpetuates it. Only by supporting or even joining the street protests can silent Americans prove they are guiltless. Many of the protesters also believe that those who remain silent should be attacked, either online or in person. Innocent bystanders, and those who try to defend them, are beaten, and crowds are brought to the homes of perceived opponents. What we have witnessed goes far beyond pushing and shoving: we have seen vicious assaults, shootings, looting, and acts of arson. Protesters believe that the silent American must be punished for remaining silent. There are several problems with this reasoning. First, it assumes the existence of "systemic racism." I have never seen any evidence that America is a systemically racist society. Recent polling confirms my impression. In a recent Pew Research poll, 78% of Americans said they have confidence in the police. Broken down by race, 84% of whites, 74% of Hispanics, and 56% of blacks have confidence in the police, and this even after unprecedented media coverage of anti-police protests. (The numbers were higher before the much publicized killing of George Floyd.) If there were systemic racism in America, there would not be such confidence in the police, even among minorities. What racism does exist in America is anti-white in nature: the racism of affirmative action, minority set-aside contracting, and other minority privileges. Biden's criteria for selecting a vice presidential running mate ("a woman of color") was the essence of racism and sexism, since it excluded 85% of the population on the basis of race and sex. No matter how qualified a white male, a white female, or a black male was, Biden refused to consider any such person. Is this the way we should choose the person who stands a heartbeat away from the presidency? Even if racism did exist to the extent liberals claim that it does, individuals in America would have every right to remain silent. Our First Amendment guarantees the freedom to speak or not speak as we wish. It is only in totalitarian states like North Korea or Venezuela that the population is marched out and forced to cheer for the party in power. Those who don't cheer loudly enough are beaten, starved, sent to concentration camps, or shot. Do you think it won't happen here? Unfortunately, the left believes that its causes take precedence over the Constitution. If progressives gain control, our constitutional liberties will be taken from us because it is always possible to find a cause that takes precedence over our freedoms. That was the argument of our first female Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003). In the majority decision, which O'Connor wrote, the justice as much as admitted that affirmative action is unconstitutional, but, she asserted, it must be tolerated for another 30 years or more because social justice takes precedence over constitutional rights. It was just that sort of opinion that our Founders dreaded. This is one reason why our Founders included the Constitution's so-called supremacy clause stating that "the legislative acts of the United States ... shall be the supreme law of the respective states." Our Founders foresaw attempts by states or local entities or groups to defy the Constitution (not to be confused with powers duly reserved for the states), and they attempted to forestall these attempts. Today, many discrete interests racial, sex-based, or lifestyle-based, and many of them regional in character ("coastal" in nature, for instance) come into conflict with the Constitution. Like the early "nullifiers" who wanted to carve out exceptions for their special interests, today's social justice activists believe that the Constitution does not apply to them because of the overriding importance of their beliefs. Our Founders understood that no true union can survive that sort of divisiveness. It has gotten worse since Grutter v. Bollinger. While Justice O'Connor grudgingly accepted the social needs argument, now half of our justices don't even flinch. Like Justice Ginsburg, they consider the Constitution a "living" document that can be made to say whatever they want it to say, and they believe that a mere five justices have the right to legislate from the bench. According to the living Constitution logic, those who disagree with the protesters might have no recourse when their safety and property are attacked. Joe Biden called the protesters "peaceful" even as they were looting and assaulting others. It's difficult to know what's going on in Biden's mind, but he seems to believe that anyone who acts in support of a liberal cause must be given a pass regardless of the criminality of his actions. This is just another variation on the idea that social justice overrides liberty. In the end, this line of thought leads to social anarchy, with the mob the arbiter of what is legal. It seems that Biden would accept the use of force in support of BLM while abandoning those who wish to remain silent. He has joined the "Silence Is Complicity" crowd. Underlying Biden's position is the collectivist principle that all existence is ideological and that the private life should no longer exist. If one has earned a comfortable retirement and wishes to spend it collecting stamps or pursuing some other hobby, that sort of behavior is deemed racist. If one is devoted to making life better for one's family, that activity is seen as white privilege. Progressives believe that everyone has the moral duty to support the protests and the protests are, in effect, supporting two key demands: socialism and minority privilege. In the long run, it goes farther. It's not just remaining silent it's living a comfortable life that is seen as criminal. The ultimate object of attack is not the police it's what the police protect or are supposed to protect, and that goes beyond the upscale stores on the Magnificent Mile. What's at stake is capitalism itself and the bourgeois existence it funds. The more radical protesters, who often come from affluent families, despise affluence and wish to eliminate it. The logic of complicity would sweep up every American in a revolutionary whirlwind that would end with anarchy, penury, and violence. With no concept of constitutional rights to protect them, Americans would find themselves subject to the mob. In the end, as America declined into chaos, the silent American would find himself huddled in his once comfortable home, without water, electricity, or food, fearing every moment the arrival of the looters. It should be obvious that it's really the protesters who are "complicit." They believe that the mob has every right to attack those who disagree with it, even those who merely wish to remain silent and lead their own lives. They are the ones we should fear. Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011). Image: Johnny Silvercloud via Flickr (cropped), CC BY-SA 2.0. Watch: PM Modi hails Army dogs who sniff out bombs, says adopt Indian breeds Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the contribution of canine units in national security and disaster response. He began with invoking the work of Vida and Sophie, two dogs who were recently felicitated with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards. Vida, a labrador deployed with the canine unit at Army's Northern Command, has helped find 5 mines and 1 grenade buried underground. Sophie, a cocker spaniel deployed with the Special Frontier Force (Bomb Disposal Squad), has helped find initiator/accelerant which is used in improvised explosive devices. In his Mann Ki Baat address to the nation, PM Modi also listed the various Indian breeds which are being used by security forces. He said that people should consider adopting indigenous breeds as part of the 'atmanirbhar' or self-reliance movement. Watch the full video for more. ...read more College reopening plans are crumbling across the country even as administrators take drastic steps to make the fall work. The big picture: The close to 2,000 campuses trying to reopen this fall are finding that it's nearly impossible to prevent outbreaks when you bring together thousands of undergraduates who've been starved of social contact all summer. Several reopening plans have already failed. The University of Alabama which had planned for face-to-face instruction in 80% of classes and was allowing indoor gatherings of up to 50 people has had the worst case volume, with positive tests approaching 600 in just one week. UNC Chapel Hill sent students home after discovering outbreaks linked to parties at dorms and frats. Notre Dame moved students to remote learning after its own outbreaks. Other colleges are attempting to control partying by taking steep disciplinary measures against the students that do gather. Northeastern sent warnings to 115 freshmen who said in an Instagram poll that they plan to party. The university went as far as to threaten to rescind admissions. Purdue and Syracuse have both suspended students who have been caught partying, and UConn has evicted them. But universities that are reopening without substantive testing and tracing strategies can't just point fingers at the students, experts say. "Its irresponsible and the outcome is predictable, and blaming the students is just misplaced," says Joshua Salomon, a professor of medicine at Stanford. "A lot of these school reopening plans that bring students back without testing are like turning on a faucet and sternly telling the water not to flow." Colleges could be making things worse by trying to pin the blame on the students. "If there's too much scolding and too much animosity, it becomes an us vs. them, the students vs. the university," Sherry Pagoto, a psychologist at the University of Connecticut, tells Axios. "The much better approach is to say, 'Were all on the same side here. We all want this to work.'" Some plans do seem to be working. Public health experts say the best way to prevent outbreaks on campuses from turning into outbreaks is to test every student every few days, Salomon tells Axios. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is doing just that. It conducted 17,000 tests on the first day of classes alone. "Everybody's watching U of I right now," says Salomon. The bottom line: "I think it would be great for students to hear some empathy," Pagoto says. "Like, 'this is hard. This is your freshman year or your senior year, and that sucks.'" The Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group-: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has lamented that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is seriously not interested in achieving holistic and sustainable reforms of the near moribund Nigeria Police Force just as the Rights group said the so-called community policing introduced by the current administration is a mere SMOKESCREEN to stop the much needed constitutional reforms that would lead to formation of functional State and Local Policing architectures for effective and efficient policing of the Country. HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has also expressed disappointment that the federal government has quickly thrown up N13 BILLION into the hurriedly choreographed community policing that lacks any legislative or legal frameworks which would have ensured that it is not a project set on quicksand which has then exposed the entire charade as an experiment in futility actually set up as a cash guzzling venture to benefit some few persons with connections to the corridors of power just as there will inevitably not be any constructive and long lasting impacts in stamping out the expanding frontiers of sophisticated crimes of armed banditry, mass killings by armed Fulani herdsmen and terrorism by a motley collection of armed non state actors who are currently holding the Country on its jocular. In a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, the frontline Civil Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) asked Nigerians to demand accountability from President Muhammadu Buhari on why his administration is announcing a N13 billion take off of the community policing project about the same time that the MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE OWNERS ASSOCIATION has announced the formation of a quasi national policing outfits all across the Country which absolutely offends the Constitutional provisions that prohibits the setting up of a parallel national policing institution which is what the MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE OWNERS ASSOCIATION has announced but President Muhammadu Buhari maintained conspiratorial silence in the face of this national provocation which has inevitably unleashed a national outrage from a cross section of the Nigerian society. "HURIWA has on many occasions suggested the idea of rewriting certain provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 to divest the Command and Control structures of the Police away from the President of the Country to enable the federating units to establish their properly trained and armed policing institutions to protect and safeguard their immediate surrounding but to liaise actively with a loose federal policing structure that will remain under the Command and Control of the Federal Government of Nigeria just like how the policing institutions work harmoniously in other civilized societies like the United States of America from where Nigeria borrowed the Presidential system of government. We are aware that the 8th session of the National Assembly indeed passed the necessary amendments to bring into being the creation of State Police but the PresidentMuhammadu Buhari reportedly refused to ratify these amendments but now we are regaled with the drama of setting up what the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari calls community police which lacks legal anchor and is at best an adventure in money wasting enterprise which will not achieve much in terms of the demand by Nigerians for an effective law enforcement architecture to be set up in the Nigeria states to arrest the imminent collapse of law and order which have started manifesting in the North East of Nigeria and the North West of Nigeria with constant violent attacks by Islamic terrorists and the violence unleashed by armed Fulani herdsmen and armed bandits that have resulted in thousands of casualties. The fact that emphasis is already on the N13 billion released for this gambit of community police shows where the heart and mind of the formators is and that is exactly on how to share the money. As we were told that much of the N13 billion just approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the take- off of community policing in the country will go into training, sensitization and purchase of equipment, Police Inspector General Mohammed Adamu said on Friday. And then to show Nigerians the organised confusion that the community police is, the IGP Mohammed Adamu reportedly warned vigilance and neighborhood watch groups against using the community policing programme to get involved in illegal possession of arms. This government at the centre and a lot of other state governments are not really committed to the critical issue of defending their homelands and their people. The community POLICE project is a huge joke because if the Nigerian Police Force as currently constituted in which hundreds of billions of Naira have been invested into has turned out as the most ineffective policing institution in the entire World, how do you expect a mere drop in the ocean which is what N13 billion represents to change the status quo when the legal frameworks are not fundamentally tinkered with? This is simply an insane joke which will further expose Nigeria to international odium ". HURIWA has relatedly backed the call by the Benue state governor to democratize ownership if weapons for self defence just as the Rights group said the RIGHT TO LIFE IS THE ONLY RIGHT THAT HAS NO REMEDY IF TAKEN AWAY and therefore has asked the National Assembly and state assemblies to legalize ownership of guns by sane minds. HURIWA recalled that the governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State made a fresh case for Nigerians to be allowed to bear AK-47 rifles for self-protection and defence in view of the general insecurity in the country. HURIWA recalled that Samuel Ortom of Benue State said the N13.5 Benue state governor Ortom also insisted that Nigerians be allowed to bear AK-47 for self-protection and defence in view of the general insecurity in the country. His state, he said, has so far arrested 400 herdsmen, prosecuted 130 herders and arrested 9,000 cattle that violated its law prohibiting open grazing. Tolerance, debate are snuffed out Can I ask you a question: When did everything become political? When did we all become so intolerant of each other? No matter what my political opinions are, I see a problem arising from both sides. We have become so intolerant of people that we refuse to hear what anyone who disagrees with us has to say. We have really enacted a cancel culture that not only cancels celebrities but family and friends now. Isnt America supposed to be a place where we can have free speech and free thoughts? We should be able to have our own opinions. But with the way things are going, we are all going to be canceled by someone we love very soon. I cant tell you how many times I am scrolling through social media and I see posts saying if you support this person or this belief, unfriend me or never speak to me again. Im sorry, but if we cant even open up to conversations about different things than what is this world coming to? The extent of Ronan Hughes's role in the people-smuggling plot that led to the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants can now be revealed. The ringleader was the operator of the lorry in which the migrants suffocated to death during a ferry journey from Belgium to England last October. He also booked the trailer onto the ship under a false cargo and provided the details to the crony who picked it up. At the Old Bailey on Friday, Co Monaghan man Hughes pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter and one count of conspiring to assist illegal immigration between May 1, 2018, and October 24, 2014. In April, Armagh co-conspirator and lorry driver Mo Robinson, who discovered the bodies, admitted 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to assist illegal immigration between May 1, 2018, and October 24, 2014, and acquiring criminal property. Following Hughes's guilty pleas, it can now be disclosed that he organised and financed the criminal enterprise smuggling people into the UK from Europe dating back to May 2018. The 40-year-old recruited Robinson and paid him 1,500 per migrant smuggled, according to court documents. Expand Close Essex / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Essex Robinson (25) used payments from the racket to bankroll a lifestyle beyond his modest trucker's wage, which included the purchase of an impressive 160,000 home and providing cash to an associate to set up in business. The fateful journey for the 39 Vietnamese migrants began in Dunkirk, France, with the trailer being driven to the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, arriving on October 22. When it boarded the MV Clementine, Hughes had falsely declared its cargo to be biscuits and the ferry set off on its nine-hour journey to Purfleet in Essex at 3pm. The ship arrived at its destination at 12.30am on October 23 and the trailer was collected by Robinson using a pin code from the ferry company given to Hughes and passed onto him. By his own reckoning, Robinson expected to pocket around 58,500 for driving the lorry from the port to the pick-up point, but it never made it. He drove to the Westgate Industrial Estate in Grays, Essex, where he stopped to open the doors and discovered that the 39 occupants were dead. They died because of a lack of oxygen, with hyperthermia also a possible factor as the temperature during the journey hit a high of 38.5 degrees celsius. Expand Close Mo / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mo Although the trailer was fitted with a refrigeration unit, this was not switched on and there was no other cooling of any kind. Along with frantic mobile phone calls to family made by those inside, bloody hand prints were also found on the trailer doors, suggesting some had made desperate attempts to escape. In all 31 men and eight women died, with 10 of the victims in their teens and the youngest pair just 15. Prosecutors have evidence going back to May 9, 2018, when a lorry operated by Hughes was found to have 18 illegal migrants in the trailer. He has pleaded guilty to that offence. Hughes further admitted to being responsible for another smuggling run on October 10 last year, with witnesses providing testimony that they saw a number of people, believed to be illegal migrants, get out of a trailer near a farm in Essex to be taken away by cars which had followed the lorry. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan is leaving office a year early with no obvious successor. But whoever ultimately emerges from the fierce jockeying within his party will face a clear set of monumental challenges. The coronavirus, although relatively contained now, could yet rage out of control. The Japanese economy, the world's third largest, has taken a historic nosedive. Chinese military aggression is rising in the region. Decisions must be made about whether the postponed Tokyo Olympics can actually be held next summer. A hugely contentious presidential election in the United States, Japan's closest ally, is a little more than two months away. The resignation of Shinzo Abe sent the Japanese stockmarket plunging on Friday. Credit:Getty Images And those are just the present dangers. In the longer term, Japan's next leader faces the unfinished business of Abe's promises to advance women in politics and the workplace, and to improve working conditions so that men can help more at home. The country is confronting labor shortages as it grapples with a shrinking population and a stubbornly low birthrate, as well as snags in bringing in foreign workers. With the highest proportion of elderly people in the world, Japan could soon struggle to meet pension obligations and provide health care to the ageing public. 1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up. 2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed. 3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms. 4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually. 5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings. Vote View Results We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So before you buy or sell EMIS Group plc (LON:EMIS), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. Do Insider Transactions Matter? It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise'. Check out our latest analysis for EMIS Group EMIS Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by CEO & Executive Director Andrew Thorburn for UK77k worth of shares, at about UK7.89 per share. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of UK10.30. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! EMIS Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Insider Ownership For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Our data suggests EMIS Group insiders own 0.1% of the company, worth about UK819k. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At EMIS Group Tell Us? It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded EMIS Group shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. The transactions are fine but it'd be more encouraging if EMIS Group insiders bought more shares in the company. Therefore, you should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for EMIS Group. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 30 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns. 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. The protest coalition that campaigned against former Mali president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has proposed that the military junta that ousted him organise a transition to civilian rule within 24 months, one of its leaders said Sunday. Military rulers received representatives of the June 5 Movement at the Kati barracks near Bamako late Saturday, after announcing they would postpone a meeting with civic groups, political organisations and former rebels on the transfer of power due to "organisational reasons". The protest movement has demanded that the military junta give it a role in the transition, in keeping with its role in spearheading Keita's ouster. It has proposed "a transition of 18 to 24 months" with civilians heading a transitional presidency, government and assembly, one of the movement's leaders, Choguel Maiga, told AFP. It also called for "a committee to monitor and supervise the transition which will be composed of a majority of members of the junta and the (June 5 Movement)," he said. The junta did not comment on the meeting. The August 18 coup has prompted the West African country's neighbours and ally France to call for a swift transfer of power, amid heightened worries over instability in a country already struggling with an Islamist insurgency, ethnic violence and economic malaise. French Defence Minister Florence Parly told media Sunday that any delay in restoring civilian rule would benefit terrorists. Mali's influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, a key player in the mass opposition protests that led to Keita's ouster, warned Friday that the military rulers did not have "carte blanche". Dicko's spokesman Issa Kaou Djim later expanded on this, saying the imam "said the people have started to doubt" the junta. Within hours of taking control, the junta pledged to enact a political transition and stage elections within a "reasonable time". Chief envoy of the regional bloc ECOWAS, former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, said last week that the coup leaders wanted a three-year transition period. This was rejected by the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States, which has demanded an immediate civilian transition and elections within 12 months. Search Keywords: Short link: Detentions are reported, while infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers were seen driving toward the city center. This Sunday marks the third week of protests in Belarus where citizens contest what they believe was a rigged presidential election where long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko, who is celebrating his 60 birthday today, claimed a landslide win. After two Sundays in which the opposition had called huge rallies in Minsk and been left largely unmolested by riot police, this week the president had promised protests would be met with a tough response, according to the Guardian. Police have already detained over 100 protesters at the unauthorized rally, Deutsche Welle reports citing local media and eyewitnesses. Police have blocked access to the central Independence Square to keep crowds away from the government buildings, while witness videos of armored infantry vehicles driving toward the city center were posted on a number of Telegram channels. Last Sunday, Lukashenko's propaganda team released footage of him flying a helicopter over Minsk center, carrying an assault rifle, along with his 15-year-old son in full tactical gear. Belarus protests: background, reactions Presidential elections were held in Belarus on August 9. The Central Election Commission said over 80% of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, while his main rival, a political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, gained just over 10%. Thousands of Belarusians who believe the vote count was rigged took to the streets to protest election results. Security officials violently slammed on protesters, detaining thousands, beating and injuring many in captivity. On August 19, leaders of EU member states agreed to impose sanctions on Belarus in response to falsified vote count and the use of violence against protesters. They have not recognized the presidential election results. Ukraine has joined the EU declaration on Belarus. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine in no way intends to interfere in Belarus' internal affairs, while remaining ready to assist in settlement efforts. Two St. Louis police officers were shot, with one left in a critical condition, on Saturday evening by a suspect who remains barricaded inside a house, authorities said. The officers were responding to a report of a shooting on the city's south side shortly before 6pm and were searching for the victim when the gunman opened fire in the South Grand neighborhood near Tower Grove Park. The gunman entered the home of a family before ordering them out of their residence at gunpoint and barricading himself inside, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief John Hayden said. Police said no victim of an earlier shooting was found, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. One officer was shot in the head and was 'very critically' injured, Hayden told reporters outside of St. Louis University Hospital, where the officer had been taken. The other officer suffered a leg wound, he added. SWAT teams were scrambled after the gunman entered the home of a family before ordering them out of their residence at gunpoint and barricading himself inside Police surrounded the residence where the suspect is blocked in with SUVs and officers armed with rifles The officers were searching for a victim in response to a report of a shooting when the gunman fired shots and struck the one of the officers in the head, Hayden said. After other officers went to check on the wounded officer, the suspect then shot a second officer in the leg, he said. Several streets were closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Nearby residents were cautioned to shelter inside as SWAT officers swarmed the neighborhood. Police surrounded the residence where the suspect is blocked in with SUVs and officers armed with rifles. As of 8 p.m., police said officers were negotiating with the gunman to get him to come out of the house. Officers were negotiating with the gunman to get him to come out of the house Nearby residents were cautioned to shelter inside as SWAT officers swarmed the neighborhood Police officers used a bullhorn to order the suspect to leave the house. At one point, police said they were firing tear gas into the house. Hayden said the officer who suffered the head wound was around the age of 29 and has 3 1/2 years of experience with the department. The second officer is around the same age and has one year of experience. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief John Hayden said the wounded officers were 'trying to do their job' The officers were 'trying to do their job, thats all theyre trying to do and theyre suffering under gunfire,' Hayden said, adding that the incidents are part of 'a surge in violence' this summer. He asked residents to pray for the officers. 'Were trying to cope through a very trying summer, and its very difficult. Its very difficult,' he said. Since June 1, Hayden noted that a total of eight officers have been shot in the line of duty. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson tweeted her condolences following the incident. 'Please keep our injured officers and all the men and women of @SLMPD in your thoughts and prayers as this situation continues to develop. Their friends, family and loved ones, too,' Krewson said. Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner also issued a statement of support. 'We extend our deepest concern and sadness surrounding todays unfortunate events,' Gardner told KDSK-TV. 'I want to extend my prayers for the injured SLMPD officers and their families.' Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who arrived at the hospital Saturday night, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he was there to show his support for the officers and their families. 'Theyre doing very dangerous work protecting all of us, and they deserve that kind of respect,' Schmitt said. Corey Feldman has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Courts against We TV and the production company behind the network's hit reality series Marriage Boot Camp. Feldman, 49, was allegedly held 'hostage' while filming Marriage Boot Camp: Family Edition in 2019, which resulted in 'severe emotional trauma,' according to court documents obtained by The Blast on Saturday. The Lost Boys star also claimed that producers knowingly exploited his 'most traumatic moments,' including being a victim of sexual violence, to boost ratings. 'The harm caused by the Defendants' breaches, fraud, and false promises have caused severe emotional trauma to Mr. Feldman. Such conduct has caused Mr. Feldman ongoing feelings of helplessness and suffering, which were reignited after decades of lying dormant due to successful therapy,' read one portion of the filing. Filed: Corey Feldman has filed a lawsuit against We TV and the production company behind the network's hit reality series Marriage Boot Camp; Feldman pictured in February The documents explained that 'the show was initially 'sold' to Mr. Feldman on the premises of being able, through guidance from licensed medical professionals, to help heal the tumultuous relationship Mr. Feldman had with his brother Eden over the years.' 'Instead, of healing this brotherly relationship the (show) instead created questions and exercises that would focus and would reveal past sexual assaults on the celebrities and how such sexual trauma affected them and their lives.' Feldman claimed in the documents that the 'doctors' on the highly watched TV program give participants a 'false sense of security' and that producers 'held him and his family hostage under duress in a location unknown to them [while filming], causing severe emotional trauma.' Traumatic: Feldman, 49, claimed he was held 'hostage' while filming Marriage Boot Camp: Family Edition in 2019, which resulted in 'severe emotional trauma,' according to court documents obtained by The Blast on Saturday; Corey, his brother Eden, and wife Courtney Anne Mitchell on Marriage Boot Camp: Family Edition in 2019 'Mr. Feldman's brother and wife came on the Show at his request in reliance on the assurances given to Mr. Feldman by the Defendants to their detriment,' one line reads. The lawsuit also made heavy note of Feldman's role as an aggressive advocate against child abuse and pedophilia and that he has been 'heavily involved in helping abolish the statute of limitations laws regarding sexual harassment and sexual abuse in both New York and California.' 'Feldman is now an ACTIVE advocate for his childhood best friend, the late actor Corey Haim and other children who have been sexually abused in the industry,' the documents added. Exploited: The Lost Boys star also alleged that producers knowingly exploited his 'most traumatic moments,' including being a victim of sexual violence, to boost ratings Misleading: The documents explained that 'the show was initially 'sold' to Mr. Feldman on the premises of being able, through guidance from licensed medical professionals, to help heal the tumultuous relationship Mr. Feldman had with his brother Eden over the years' And Corey alleged that, despite producers having 'full knowledge of the importance and the nature of [his] lifetime work,' they, instead, 'falsified information to the public [and] they discredited Mr. Feldman as a liar on their show 'Marriage Boot Camp: Family Edition.' While describing his experience on the show, Feldman claimed that We TV and the show's production company Think Factory Media 'produced what is known as 'reality' childhood emotional trauma porn for their audiences, capitalizing the patient's difficulty dealing with challenges and underlining the suffering by offering no palatable option for healing or even having a safety net ready for when they fall.' He also claimed that they 'Intentionally included and uprooted emotional trauma from the childhoods of their "celebrity participants," almost glamorizing the abuse by making light of it, and forcing the trauma survivor to forcibly discuss life-altering traumatic episodes for the mere purpose of sensationalization and ratings.' Hostage: Feldman claimed in the documents that the 'doctors' on the highly watched TV program give participants a 'false sense of security' and that producers 'held him and his family hostage under duress in a location unknown to them [while filming], causing severe emotional trauma' According to Feldman, there was an emphasis on highlighting participants' 'most traumatic moments' and using them for insensitive 'commercial breaks,' which would specifically draw the viewer's eyes to the words 'rape' and 'sexual abuse.' Corey added that clips of him from his time on Marriage Boot Camp: Family Edition are still being used to promote the series and that the highly circulated clips 'continue to negatively impact Mr. Feldman's reputation, credibility and causing him emotional anguish.' All in all, the lawsuit claims that We TV, production company Think Factory Media, and several doctors from Marriage Boot Camp, who Corey is suing for damages, 'knowingly put him in mental anguish and physical danger, treating and portraying (him) as a joke and a liar, through public victimization and discrediting him throughout the world not only causing severe emotional harm to him but also putting Mr. Feldman in disrepute, greatly diminishing his earning potential as both an actor and a musician and causing further destruction of his life's work and his documentary.' Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The Kenya umbrella workers body, the Confederation of Trade Unions (COTU), and two civil aviation workers unions Sunday called for the immediate resignation of Kenya Airways chief executive officer and senior managers, citing mismanagement STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As families prepare for whats sure to be a first day of school unlike any other, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com decided to take a look back at simpler times, when kids could be kids without the fear of contracting and spreading a potentially deadly virus. In years past, the first day of school was a bittersweet experience for most Staten Island students. Meladul Haq Ahmadzai Meladul Haq Ahmadzai, 2020. Meladul Haq Ahmadzai, 2020. OTTAWA, Aug. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Afghanistan war which has been ongoing for almost two decades has a final chance to come to a peaceful end. The truth is that this war has not been won by any group; internal nor foreign. In February 2020, the USA and Taliban formally signed an agreement to put an end to the conflict in Afghanistan between the two forces. This peace-war analysis is written by Meladul Haq Ahmadzai, CEO of Taleam Systems based in Canada. The credit should now go to the people who sacrificed their lives in the war. They served to protect humanity. Millions of widows are now counting on the non-profit organizations in Afghanistan to help them because the government is unable. Real peace and stability will pave the way for much needed support to be delivered to these vulnerable people. While the discussion today is about bringing peace, but simultaneously there needs to be debates on how to best help the people. The people want education, healthcare and jobs. Yes, peace will come to Afghanistan as the agreement between Taliban forces and American government is now signed, but still the foreign military has yet to leave the soil which is doubting the peace efforts undertaken by Afghan government. Today, Afghanistan is working for friendly relations with Pakistan, India and Iran, but tensions with Iran and Pakistan have reached climax for Afghanistan since there has been increased killings on the border line and drowning of migrants. To conclude, Afghanistan people want real peace and stability. How and when that can happen is when foreign forces fully withdraw from Afghan soil. US President Donald Trump said that all American forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by early next year. This is the longest combat mission for the American people. Media contact: Meladul Haq Ahmadzai CEO, Taleam Systems Phone: 613-521-9229 Published on 2020/08/29 Gang Dong-won answered questions from William and Panos before the release of "Peninsula" in the USA on August 21st. Advertisement 1) How was your cooperation with Yeon Sang-ho and how did he guide you for the part? Did you have to audition to get the part? I'm not sure if it was because Director Yeon started his career with animation, but he was very skilled with visualizing things. It was very easy to work with him because he had a very clear idea of what to shoot and what was unnecessary. He only shot what was absolutely needed, so at times it was to the point where I even wondered whether we needed to be shooting more. He put forth a lot of effort to ensure others were comfortable. Prior to shooting, I spoke with the director a lot about the scenario. Because the audience's point of view is through the character Jeong-seok, I put in more effort to help make it easier for the audience to understand. I don't know the casting system in the U.S. or Europe, but in Korea, unless you are a new actor, it is not a system that requires you to audition for Korean films. 2) What did attract you the most in the character? Jeong-seok is a character who undergoes trauma throughout the story. I really enjoyed the moments when Jeong-seok undergoes changes, because the audience is able to experience those emotions with him. Jeong-seok can be considered the toughest character in the movie, but on the other hand, in some ways he knows the least about his surroundings and can be the weakest character as well. Because this was different from previous characters, it was refreshing for me. The first half of the film is through the viewpoint of Jeong-seok, but when he meets Min-jeong (played by Lee Jung-hyun) and her family, the point of view changes and then Jeong-seok becomes a supporting role. I thought that was very new. It was also nice to see the elderly, women, and children who usually play weaker roles in movies have more action in the script. In the second half of the movie, I tried very hard to play the character Jeong-seok as a supporting character. 3) How much do you feel regret shapes people? Everyone lives with mistakes and regrets. Some people are not able to pull out of it, while others are able to successfully overcome it. I think as we do, we become better people for it. 4) It's been over fifteen years since you've appeared in a television drama. Have you given any thought to returning to the small screen, or are you determined to only star in movies going forward? If an opportunity arises for a TV series, I have the desire to work hard to make it a good product. Right now, it may be difficult with my schedule, but if a good project is available, I would like to try it. There are many things that you are unable to convey in a two-hour movie, and I sometimes want to get rid of that stress by opening up, letting loose, and talking freely. 5) How does Peninsula compare in physical intensity to previous action movies you've appeared in? I've done a lot of action acting in my previous films ("KUNDO : Age of the Rampant", "Master", "Illang : The Wolf Brigade"). In Korea, I am known as an actor who is good with action acting. Truthfully, the action acting in this film was not more difficult than my previous works. This is because it wasn't a setting where I was a killer who skillfully handled guns, nor was it a swordmaster character. Of course, it wasn't easy to fight in harmony with zombies, but it wasn't difficult or tiring either. ___________ "Peninsula" is directed by Yeon Sang-ho, and features Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Re, Kwon Hae-hyo, Kim Min-jae, Koo Kyo-hwan. Release date in Korea: 2020/07/15. Martinsville, Ind. Just visible through the trees off Indiana State Road 37, south of Indianapolis, there was for many years a derelict iron bridge carrying a fragment of an older incarnation of the highway. You wouldnt have known to look at it, but that old pony-truss bridge was an indirect ancestor not only of State Road 37, presently being converted to the southern-Indiana leg of Interstate 69, but of the whole American interstate system. The conversion of Indiana 37 is the latest step in a controversial project that began near Evansville in 2008 and has been marching up the 142 miles between southwest Indiana and Indianapolis ever since. Presently there are about 30 miles to go. Waiting in my car amid the dust and roar of earth movers recently, I noticed that the old iron bridge was gone, finally giving way to time and progress, cleared to make room for a county road exit ramp. Its too bad. The bridge was one of the last remnants of the old, winding two-lane State Road 37 that was replaced in 1976 by the four-lane on which Im stopped in construction traffic. Old roads dont just magically vanish when bypassed. Through the years they tend to fade slowly away, a bit like Cheshire cats, leaving traces of themselves behind. The bridge was one of those traces. Old 37 today is just a lane here, a weed-covered track there; in places a longish driveway. A piece of it winds for a lovely ten miles or so through the Hoosier National Forest above Bloomington, along wooded ridgetops and past old rural settlements like Hindustan and Dolan, now just loose scatterings of well-lived-in roadside homes. Some places its plainly marked as Old 37. Other pieces bear different names: New Harmony Road, Liberty Church Road, Hacker Creek Road. The practiced eye can spot these ghosts of the old highway by their character of meandering Indian trail (which they quite likely grew from) compared to the squared-off grid of county-road systems. There are people who make a hobby of finding and tracing these old tracks the forgotten slivers of crumbling cement, asphalt, and sometimes brick they call alignments, the tag ends of early motor-age roads like the old east-west Lincoln Highway and its successor, the more famous Route 66. These hobbyists are a bit like explorers of an America that is in the sad process of disappearing, buried by time and poor choices. Story continues As it happens, the old, two-lane 37 was in its turn the descendant of one of these older traces, call it the ur-37, the Indiana portion of a route from the Midwest to Florida known as the Dixie Highway, which existed under that name from about 1915 to 1926, when the country moved to a more uniform highway-numbering system. The brainchild of Indianapolis businessman Carl G. Fisher, a principal in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and an auto-parts inventor and salesman, the Dixie Highway was created to be an escape route from bitter Midwestern winters to warm, sunny holidays in the South especially another Fisher creation, the resort city of Miami Beach. The Dixie at first merely a skein of loosely connected local roads zigzagged through parts of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, labored up and through the mountains of Tennessee and northern Georgia, and then coasted down through the tobacco fields and pine barrens into Florida. At a time when roads almost invariably centered on and served rural Americas innumerable tiny villages, the Dixie Highway became in a sense the nations first primitive interstate-highway system. It also prefigured and midwifed the birth of the automobile age and the explosion of travel by road. As detailed in the book Dixie Highway, by Tammy Ingram, an assistant professor of history at the College of Charleston, road-building then shifted from a chaotic, locally controlled process-on-the-fly to a high-priority national project. But it wasnt easy. Ingram describes the fractious process of choosing the Dixies route, with communities vying for its promised tourism dollars and access to regional markets. A 1915 planning meeting in Chattanooga brought the competing parties together and promptly devolved into a donnybrook that earned the nickname The Second Battle of Chattanooga. Eventually, Fisher and the Dixie Highway Association simply chose not to choose, essentially doubling the communities it served by creating two northsouth branches instead of one main trunk. Connector roads between the branches almost accidentally gave the Dixie its prototypical highway-system character. Like the Dixie Highway, the planning process for Indianas southern leg of I-69 the work presently underway here was also a rough road, so to speak. There were lawsuits, protests, and angry slogans painted on the statehouse. But this time people werent clamoring to be included; they wanted out. They demanded that the highway project be stopped or rerouted away from them. The reasons they gave were manifold: The funding violated the debt-averse Indiana constitution. It would ruin the folksy character of the countryside. It might damage the karst system of caves and sinkholes honeycombing the limestone beneath south-central Indiana. A vocal minority made it sound like the highway would kill the lifestyles of thousands of Hoosiers, but many just wanted to come and go without hours spent on winding two-lanes that were old in the 1950s. I grew up in far southwest Indiana, and I can testify that the lack of decent highways linking it to the rest of the state was a matter of dour humor down there for decades. Finally, a judge allowed the project to go forward, but the contrast between the enthusiastic can-do spirit of a century ago and todays dont-you-dare mood couldnt be more stark. In the earlier era the impulse was to find a way to get something done. Now, its to find a way to get things stopped. Today, the Dixie Highway might have been stopped before it was started by a 60 Minutes expose of millionaire Carl Fishers hidden Miami Beach real-estate holdings. Its comforting that Indiana, and the Midwest in general, is among the last redoubts where things like this very necessary project can get past the small number of squeaky wheels that keep holding up traffic elsewhere. But too often now everything is vulnerable. Want to support private schools? No, that kills public education. Want to put a political sign in your yard? Your homeowners association will want to speak to you. Want to send kids back to school because practically everyone except the teachers unions, oddly enough thinks its best for them? The first allergy sneeze will cause a panicked stampede for home. We seem to be frozen in fear of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as places like Portland and Seattle are abandoning the rule of law in the face of rioters. Could it be that Americas tradition of risk-taking and civic spirit has also been undermined and bypassed like that old bridge near Martinsville? The modern truism that it is much easier to apologize than to get permission only demonstrates how common the dont-do-it default has become. We didnt use to be like this. The Dixie Highway when it opened in many stretches consisted of tailbone-pounding dirt roads through fields, forests, and occasionally streams. Automobiles were held together with baling twine and good works. At sunset travelers didnt look for a Holiday Inn Express; they pulled into some fallow field or alongside a river, set up camp, and settled in for the night. It was a risk, but people were happy to take it to get where they were going. Today, even with all our roads and planes and high-speed rail and cars that will park themselves and slap you back into the correct lane when you wander, we sometimes seem afraid to move. Its no surprise we end up going nowhere. More from National Review T he Treasury is considering tax hikes of up to 20 billion to deal with the mounting cost of the Covid-19 crisis, it has been reported. Rishi Sunak is looking at raising capital gains tax and corporation tax in the November Budget, according to reports in the Sunday Times. The Chancelllor could raise corporation tax from 19 per cent to 24 per cent in order to boost revenue by 12 billion next year, the newspaper suggested. Money could be clawed back from pensions, businesses, the wealthy and foreign aid, in a bid to help pay for the coronavirus pandemic. Under the proposals being looked at, capital gains tax might also be paid at the same rate as income tax. Pension tax relief could be slashed under measures being considered by the Treasury to help pay for the Covid-19 crisis, the Sunday Telegraph reported. The newspaper also said that raising fuel and other duties was also being looked at. Rishi Sunak will reportedly raise taxes in the November budget / PA It was claimed the international development budget could also be caught up in Treasury reappraisals due to the cost of the pandemic. The aid budget has already been cut by 2.9 billion from 15.8 billion this year, due to the contraction in the economy caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the Government insists it still meets its obligation to provide 0.7 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to international development. Treasury sources told the PA news agency that they do not comment on what may, or may not be, in the upcoming Budget. A coalition of some of the planet's wealthiest people recently urged governments around the world to permanently increase taxes on the rich to help pay for the financial fallout triggered by the pandemic. Chancellor Rishi Sunak answers questions on Twitter about Treasury's coronavirus response In an open letter shared in July, the group petitioned governments to "raise taxes on people like us. Immediately. Substantially. Permanently. Meanwhile the Government has admitted to paying social media influencers and reality TV stars to promote the NHS Test and Trace system as it failed to reach its 80 per cent target for the ninth week in a row. A spokesman said the Government had a responsibility to use every means possible to keep the public informed during the pandemic. He said: Our use of social media influencers has meant over 7 million people have been reached. This is just one part of a wider campaign utilising TV, radio, social, print and other advertisements to ensure the public has the information it needs. It comes as the Sunday Mirror reported Love Island stars Shaughna Phillips, Chris Hughes and Josh Denzel were among those paid by the Cabinet Office to tell their online followers testing for Covid-19 was free, quick and vital to stop the spread. Love Island star Josh Denzel is reportedly among those paid by the Government to promote the NHS Test and Trace / PA But Phillips and Hughes have also both posted images online in the last month which showed them failing to socially distance from others on Mediterranean islands. The Mirror cited a social media expert as saying the stars would usually command between 5,000 and 10,000 for an ad post. "All costs involved in the campaign will be published as part of the regular transparency reports on gov.uk," said the Government spokesman. The celebrities could also face an investigation by the Advertising Standards Agency after not initially labelling their posts as advertisements. Recent data showed three-quarters of close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 were reached through the Test and Trace system, once again falling short of the Governments target. Loading.... Some 75.5 per cent of close contacts in England were reached in the week ending August 19. While this is up from 71.6 per cent in the previous week, it is the ninth week in a row where the Governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) target of isolating 80 per cent of contacts of coronavirus cases within 48-72 hours has been missed. Ahead of the figures being published, Health Secretary Matt Hancock acknowledged the system was not quite there. It comes as academics have warned the risk of infection on campuses could see universities become ground zero for a second wave of Covid-19 unless they avoid face-to-face teaching. The movement of an expected one million students around Britain as they return to universities in the next month has led the University and College Union (UCU) to say the Government is encouraging a public health crisis. 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 UCU general secretary Jo Grady said the mass movement could lead to universities being the care homes of any second wave of Covid. She also accused the Government of a lack of planning, with more students expected on campuses following the admissions fiasco as data emerges that infection rates are increasing among younger people. So the very people who are increasingly getting infected by this virus are being encouraged in mass numbers to move all around the country and congregate and live together, Ms Grady said. It doesnt make sense. The UCU wants students to avoid campuses until Christmas unless a testing scheme begins operating at universities. It comes after a group of scientists recommended universities test all students and staff for coronavirus as they arrive on campus and avoid face-to-face teaching. Independent Sage reported on August 21 that all courses should be offered online, apart from those which are lab or practice-based, as in-person teaching carries a higher risk of virus transmission. The group also recommended socialising among students should be restricted to residential bubbles in the first few weeks to prevent infection. Additional reporting by PA Media. Within a few hours after Hindustan Times reported about the plight of Mumbais dabbawalas and their appeal to the public to donate cycles, good samaritans on the internet instantly responded with help. Manish Mundra, who has produced films like Masaan and Newton, pledged 100 cycles for the dabbawalas after reading the story. Anybody in Mumbai can help me negotiate for 100 cycles for Mumbai Dabbawala association. They need Atlas double bar cycle for sturdiness. I am donating 100 cycles. Anybody else wanna donate or contribute for more ?, he tweeted. Mundras appeal got a good response with nearly a 100 people volunteering to help the community. Please count me in for 10 bicycles, stated a Twitter user. Subhash Talekar, president, Mumbai Dabbawala Association said he was flooded with phone calls. So many people have come forward to help our dabbawalas. The community is really happy and is looking forward to start work now. Thanks to this, thousands of dabbawalas will now get help. We are all eager to start work soon and are now hoping to get permissions to ply on the trains too, he added. Anybody in mumbai can help me negotiate for 100 cycles for Mumbai Dabbawala association. They need Atlas double bar cycle for sturdiness. I am donating 100 cycles. Anybody else wanna donate or contribute for more ? @lifeofapatrakar @samarmumbaikhan @Rajput_Ramesh @HTMumbai https://t.co/PLzyDKiQqY Manish Mundra (@ManMundra) August 30, 2020 On Saturday, Mumbai Dabbawala Association appealed to people to donate cycles to them as they could not afford to pay the maintenance costs of their rusted cycles which have been lying outside the stations for six months now. The association has been demanding the central government to start regular local trains or allow dabbawalas into the essential services category. They submitted a written request to that effect on Saturday. There are nearly 5,000 dabbawalas working in the city who deliver meals to people on a daily basis. Known for their timely and accurate food deliveries, Mumbais dabbawalas have been used as a case study in several management institutes. In 2003, when Prince Charles met a few members of the community, he lauded their work. Ever since, the dabbawalas have always been in the limelight. With the growing uncertainty around the nature of work and the utility of tiffins in future, the community is now clueless about what the future holds. At the age of 34, I pivoted in my career for the second time. My biological clock was ticking, and dipping into danger zones around the world as a freelance journalist and film-maker was not conducive with conceiving and raising a child. Over the years I had built up the necessary armour to confront the many challenges this industry offered up. I had learned quite early on that working in media can be a tough place for women. In the UK, where I had worked for the BBC and on Channel 4's acclaimed Unreported World for 10 years, the majority of foreign news journalists are contract workers. There are inherent risks in a job like this, and nobody is in it for the money. But, when I wanted to start a family, the prospect of being without work while pregnant and postpartum was unthinkable. Fortunately, I was headhunted for a permanent and largely office-based position at the Financial Times. So, I shipped my life and a very willing husband to the bright lights of New York. It was five days after I returned from Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, where I was making a short film for the FT about climate migrants, when I placed a plastic stick with our future on my husband's desk in Brooklyn. We were both ecstatic, although we didn't realise it would happen so fast. I certainly would have thought twice about journeying into a hostile environment and Zika zone if I'd known there was a mini New Yorker on his way. Becoming a mum is, of course, the best thing I've ever done. I'm extremely lucky to have been able to conceive, and have a job with some security. I did, however, spend 18 months mourning my identity as a foreign correspondent. Being a mother and doing that job shouldn't be mutually exclusive. When I started my new podcast Media Tribe - which features interviews with some of the world's leading journalists, telling the story behind the storytellers - I found that other leading female journalists had also faced some type of motherhood penalty. However, it's far from the only challenge women face in this industry. I've worked with some extraordinary colleagues over the years, male and female, who have gone out of their way to support and mentor the next generation, including myself. However, I've also seen how unconscious bias can permeate a newsroom and become a silent career killer, not just for women but for minority groups too. Microaggressions based on your gender, race, disability, social strata or sexual orientation can slowly erode confidence even in the most competent of individuals. As a female journalist, perhaps you've been branded 'too emotional' and your script has been rewritten by a male colleague as you sit silently in the corner like a bold infant, shrouded in shame. Maybe you were told that your male colleagues would have done a better job, had they been sent out on location instead of you. Again, you listen and envelop yourself in this shame. In fact, why not just cut you out of your story entirely? This constant chiseling of morale and this ugly manifestation of shame becomes too much and you leave. Another perspective and lens set lost. The easiest way to assess gender parity in any industry is by examining the pay gap. It's a black and white measure of the difference in how men and women are compensated when carrying out the same job. Equal pay for equal work is supposed to be part of every person's contract of employment, no matter what the industry. That is the law in most developed nations, yet in 2020, even some women with a public voice in global media have to fight to be heard and treated equally. Among the first episodes of Media Tribe are interviews with Rana Ayyub of The Washington Post and Arielle Duhaime-Ross from Vox Media. Rana is a Muslim investigative journalist living on the sectarian lines in India. She receives death and rape threats on a regular basis. Her image was even put into a porn video that was widely shared online. She's under so much fire, because of her reporting into religious violence and extra-judicial killings by the state in India, that Time magazine named her one of the most threatened journalists in the world. Arielle - a woman of colour who identifies as queer - has also been on the receiving end of online death and rape threats because of her rigorous reporting on climate change and science. Both of these women are in their 30s, yet they wear these battle scars as if they've been veterans on their beat for decades. Harassment seems, simply, to be a cost of doing business. If you want to be a successful woman in global media you need allies, both male and female. Speaking to me for the podcast, CNN's Senior International Correspondent, Nima Elbagir said that without the support of colleagues like Jon Snow and Lindsey Hilsum from Channel 4 News, she, as a woman of colour, might never have been able to get her foot in the door. Since our conversation, her words 'spend your capital' ring fresh in my mind. Without the capital of my mentor Evan Davis at the BBC and Siobhan Sinnerton, my commissioning editor at Channel 4, I most certainly would not have succeeded. My hope with the Media Tribe is to continue using my own capital to amplify diverse voices - particularly female ones - and to inspire the generation coming after me with my guests' zig-zagged journeys into journalism, and some of their extraordinary stories that had real and tangible impact. Yes, this is a tough industry for women, but it's also an industry that needs us. For more information about Shaunagh Connaire's 'Media Tribe' podcast, see thismediatribe.com Two United Nations agencies call for the urgent disembarkation of nearly 400 refugees and migrants rescued by three ships in the Mediterranean. A joint statement issued by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration said it was a "humanitarian imperative to save lives". By Susy Hodges The two UN agencies said they were deeply concerned about the continued absence of dedicated EU-led search and rescue capacity in the Central Mediterranean. Italy's coastguard on Saturday evacuated 49 people from an overloaded rescue vessel named Louise Michel that is funded by the British artist Banksy. Those evacuated included 32 women and 13 children. The crew of Louise Michel had earlier issued a series of tweets calling for immediate assistance from the authorities in Italy, Malta and Germany. They said they were stranded and overloaded with 219 migrants picked up off the coast of Libya over the previous 2 days. One tweet said the boat was unable to move due to her overcrowded deck and were also carrying the body of a migrant who had died earlier. The crew accused the European authorities of not responding adequately to their appeals for help. Shortly after the evacuation of the most vulnerable migrants, another rescue boat, Sea Watch 4, took the remainder of the Louise Michels 150 migrants on board. It said it was now carrying a total of 350 people who needed to disembark as soon as possible. A third boat also needs assistance. A group of 27 migrants and refugees, including a pregnant woman and children from Libya, have been aboard the commercial tanker Maersk Etienne since their rescue on August the 5th. The two UN agencies said the lack of a deal on a regional landing system could not be an excuse to deny vulnerable people safe harbour and stressed the humanitarian imperative of saving lives should not be penalized or stigmatized. The Louise Michel rescue boat funded by Banksy only started operating last week in the Mediterranean. The artist posted a video on his official Instagram page saying he had bought the Louise Michel because, he claimed, the EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans. Italy is the destination of most migrants who embark on the often dangerous journey of crossing the Mediterranean from the coast of Libya in recent years. According to UN data, 443 people have died or have gone missing trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2020. In a speech to the European parliament in 2014, Pope Francis urged leaders not to allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery for those migrants risking their lives trying to reach the continent. Bella Thorne issued an apology after her success on the website OnlyFans sparked a backlash in defence of sex workers. The 22-year-old former Disney star claimed to have made millions within 24 hours of launching her page, on which she charged fans $200 (150) to view photos of her wearing lingerie. However, fellow users who charge fans to view fully nude and sexually explicit content on their own pages were furious, as Thornes success was speculated to have caused a change in the websites rules. The website now prevents members from charging more than $50 (38) for photos, while payment waiting times were increased from seven to 30 days. A spokesperson for the website dismissed claims that the changes were linked to Thornes success, and said instead the transaction limits had been introduced to help prevent overspending and to allow our users to continue to use the site safely. We value all of the feedback received since this change was implemented and we will continue to review these limits, they said. Sex workers accused Thorne of lying to fans over the nature of the photos she was sharing, as a screenshot appeared to show her promising nude content. Fans also accused her of creating a scam. Thorne, who has said from the beginning that her venture into OnlyFans was part of her research for a film role, has now apologised. PT1 Remove the stigma behind sex, sex work, and the negativity that surrounds the word SEX itself by bringing a mainstream face to it thats what I was trying to do, to help bring more faces to the site to create more revenue for content creators on the site, she tweeted. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up I wanted to bring attention to the site, the more people on the site the more likely of a chance to normalize the stigmas, And in trying to do this I hurt you. Thorne said she had risked her career in her attempts to remove the stigma behind sex work, porn, and the natural hatred people spew behind anything sex related. I wrote and directed a porn against the high brows of my peers and managers because I WANTED to help with the stigma behind sex, she said. I am a mainstream face and when you have a voice, a platform, you try to use you in helping others and advocate for something bigger than yourself. Again in this process I hurt you and for that Im truly sorry. Thorne added that she plans to meet with the people behind the OnlyFans website to discuss the new restrictions, calling them f***ed up. Last week, director Sean Baker dismissed Thornes earlier announcement that her OnlyFans experiment was research for his film, in which she was set to appear. I would like to make it clear that the news of me making a film (documentary or fiction narrative) about Onlyfans and using Bella Thorne as research is false, he wrote in a statement on Twitter. Im NOT attached to this project. Im actually in development on two features that Ive put years of research and love in to and neither of these films have anything to do with Ms Thorne or Onlyfans. Baker said that he had engaged in a conversation with Thorne about a possible collaboration in the far future involving OnlyFans, but a project had not been confirmed. On that call, I advised her team to consult with sex workers and address the way she went about this as to NOT hurt the sex work industry. This has been the extent of my involvement, he said. He added: I am an ally and have literally devoted my career to tell stories that remove stigma and normalise lifestyles that are under attack. I would never do anything that could possibly hurt the community. So please know that this news is not correct. Thank you. The Independent has contacted Thornes representatives for additional comment. By Trend Given the close economic ties that Turkmenistan has with its region, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) expects a similar level of investment in the country as in the region, Chief of UNCTAD Astrit Sulstarova told Trend. There is no information available for the amount of planned investment in Turkmenistan for this year, Sulstarova noted adding that uncertainties about forecasting are huge this year. However, UNCTAD expects decline in the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of transition economies. Talking about Turkmenistans FDI last year, Sulstarova said: "UNCTAD estimated the year 2019 FDI inflows of Turkmenistan at $2.1 billion, which is 9 percent more than in 2018 ($1.9 billion)." There is no detailed report about the sectoral breakdown of FDI inflows. Individual FDI projects target mostly natural gas, and to a lesser degree, textile and food production, telecommunications and financial services, he added. As reported, Turkmenistan is interested in attracting investments. The investment policy carried out by Turkmenistan creates new work places and allows to improve the living conditions of Turkmenistans citizens. The main form of foreign investment in Turkmenistan is direct investment. Foreign direct investments can improve technical level of enterprises, increase the competitiveness of products and allow manufacturers to enter international markets. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Vietnams upper class, whose net worth is invested in more than $30 million, has increased to 13 percent in the past five years, surpassing 10,000 people. I recently attended a seminar among Vietnams leading scholars and a Japanese panel speaker Hamada Kazuyuki about the future of the world in the context of the US-China trade war. Vietnam is a populous country with an increasing upper class Kazuyuki gave astute remarks that Vietnamese scholars could not disagree with. Kazuyuki is a politician who has held many different positions, including Deputy Minister of the Internal Affairs and Communications, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator. He is a prestigious scholar in political economy in Japan. Nguyen Dinh Cung, former Director of the Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM), a friend of Kazuyuki, said that the Japanese scholar, in a book roughly translated as Future Power - Redrawing the world map in 2030, predicted that Vietnam would be among top 20 powers of the world in terms of economic scale by 2048. His comments on Vietnam prompted me to read what he wrote about Vietnam today. Vietnams upper class He wrote that Vietnam is currently the country with the most prominent economic development in Asia. Vietnams upper class has increased to 13 percent in the past five years, surpassing 10,000. With such a tempo, by 2026, the growth rate of the upper class in Vietnam would outperform China and India. Though the country pursues the single-party political system, Vietnam's economic policy develops in the direction of liberalization, giving priority to market principles. The population growth rate in Vietnam is high, and total population will quickly reach 100 million. With the average age of 26, Vietnam has a high percentage of young people, and with rapid economic development, the consumption demand is very strong. Vietnams streets are full of vitality as seen in the long period of strong development after the war in Japan. The rapidly growing domestic market alone can help Vietnam become a power in the future. One may think that in such a socialist country, the enterprises would be all state owned. However, private enterprises are developing rapidly in the country. Everything, from infrastructure to production and entrepreneurial sprit, have been developing strongly. The biggest advantage of Vietnam is political stability and the economic development path. The strategy to conquer the world with high technology The Japanese scholar noted that Vietnam is making heavy investment in information technology (IT), and the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) is taking necessary measures to promote the development of the industry. Vietnamese love new things. At present, there are 60 million people using Facebook and Youtube. Vietnam ranks 7th in the world in number of Facebook users. Based on a national strategy targeting the world's number one position in the field of high technology, Vietnam has been making moves to develop and apply new services using IT in many fields such as medicine, education, agriculture and tourism. The head of MIC, which is promoting the IT development strategy, is the former General Director of Vietnam's largest telecommunications company - Viettel. This shows that the government focuses on a national strategy on IT development. Vietnam has begun providing services to neighboring developing countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. As such, a new power in the future is from Asia and with IT as the weapon. The Vietnamese government has a development plan to be comparable to the US Silicon Valley. Based on a national strategy targeting the world's number one position in the field of high technology, Vietnam has been making moves to develop and apply new services using IT in many fields such as medicine, education, agriculture and tourism. Vietnam is also showing its determination to join the 4.0 industrial revolution. He affirmed that Japan should make the most of this opportunity, and should respect Vietnam as a partner in the future. The Japanese scholar thinks that Vietnam is pursuing a wise foreign policy with China. Kazuyukis belief that Vietnam would be among the worlds top 20 economies by 2048, according to Cung from CIEM, is built on these factors as follows: Vietnam is a populous country with an increasing upper class. Its population is young and the market is open. The national spirit is strong. Vietnamese people are dynamic and they are ready to cope with challenges and eager for discoveries, thus creating an open environment for new technology and service application. Though Cung doesnt fully agree with all the views of Kazuyuki, he believes that this is a great opportunity for Vietnamese to re-analyze their potential and opportunities, as well as the problems the countries are facing. According to Cung, we are going towatd the G0 era, where there is no superpower. This is the era where every individual will create an ideal space for themselves. There will be no more superpowers and the abilities of each individual will be optimized. Tu Giang Vietnams economy in first seven months on a tightrope Giving forecasts about economic performance has never been so difficult as there are now too many influencing factors. Actor Ankita Lokhande has paid tribute to the power of women and said that while they might be sensitive, they can be immensely strong in the face of lifes challenges. She shared several gorgeous pictures of herself in a pink and gold saree, along with a caption emphasising how fierce women can be. In an Instagram post, Ankita wrote, Ladkiya choti choti baaton per ro deti hai per life ki badi se badi mushkil haste haste handle kar leti hai (Girls might get emotional about little things but they overcome the biggest obstacles of life with a smile) #powerofwomen. Ankita, who dated late actor Sushant Singh Rajput for six years before parting ways in 2016, has been crusading for justice for him. In several interviews, she dismissed the theory that he was depressed and had taken his own life. Sushant died on June 14, with the Mumbai Police ruling it as a case of suicide. However, his father KK Singh has now alleged that he was murdered by Rhea Chakraborty. The family has filed an abetment to suicide case against her and has accused her of drugging him and misappropriating his funds. The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation, after a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month. The Enforcement Directorate and Narcotics Control Bureau are conducting separate investigations into financial irregularities and the drugs angle, respectively. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs brother-in-law slams Rhea Chakrabortys allegations against family, defends SSRs sisters and father Recently, in an interview, Rhea questioned Ankitas alleged claims of being in touch with Sushant in 2019 when her film, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi released. However, Ankita hit back in a social media post, in which she wrote, Neither in any platform I have ever said that me and Sushant were in touch with each other after our separation. Fact is what I have said while shooting for Manikarnika, Sushant has commented on one of my posters on a friends Insta post, Mukesh Chhabra, he just wished me luck for the project and in a courteous way I replied. So I deny Rheas claim that I have said we spoke on the phone. Ankita also denied Rheas claims that Sushant had first experienced depression in 2013. 1st of all from beginning till the end me and Sushant were together about 23rd February 2016. He never had any conditions of depression and had visited any psychiatrist. He was totally fine, she wrote. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918 Follow @htshowbiz for more Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Like many other organizations, the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival is pivoting in order to present its festival in October. Once the governor extended her order through August, we started thinking that it would be unlikely that movie theaters would be open in October, says Jacques Paisner, SFIFF artistic director. We knew we had to move forward with making the festival happen. When the 12th iteration of the festival takes place Oct. 14-18, it will offer a different experience. The essence of SFIFF is an in-person experience, since red carpet premieres, Q&A sessions with filmmakers and fabulous parties can seldom be done at home, Paisner says. The competition, cash prizes and juried awards can, however, be completed remotely. Of course, there will be the expected program that represents the years best international films, American independents and documentaries. The festival will launch a safety-focused online platform for part of the festival, offering further accessibility to more distant audiences. One major change is the collaboration with Motorama at the Downs Santa Fe. The drive-in movie theater made of shipping containers is owned and operated by Liam and Amber Nohr-Forrester from Santa Fe and is set up on the infield of the Santa Fe Downs. Paisner says beginning Sept. 6, the festival will program one night of films at the drive-in theater. The series kicks off with the independent film Yes, God, Yes, which stars Natalia Dyer. The rest of the September dates include The Big Ugly on Sept. 13; The Mortuary Collection on Sept. 20; and Ava on Sept. 27. We will program two more events in October until the festival starts, Paisner says. These will be releases that people will have the chance to see for the first time. A lot of movies are coming to us, Paisner says. Were going to have films that are going to be special presentations, as well as those films that are expected to be in competition come awards season. Motorama was able to collaborate with the festival. The screen is made of 16 shipping containers and the infield area fits 300 socially distanced vehicles. By having this collaboration, were going to be able to show more films, he says. While we cant be in theaters right now, this is something that gives movie lovers an experience to see cinema on the big screen. Since half of festivals programming is in the competition section, official selections will be announced in early September. As in past years, SFiFF will award the same cash prizes and trophies, according to Paisner. If theaters remain closed through October, Paisner has a plan. (The festival) will present a selection of festival films once local theaters reopen, he says. This is in addition to the drive-in options. Paisner says the festival has partnered with the State of New Mexico in making the New Mexico Safe Promise. This state-wide pledge of cooperation with businesses, citizens and organizations for adherence to operating safely, allows New Mexicans to work together toward a safer environment. Monitoring reports from the State of New Mexico and around the country, SFiFF maintains its top priority: the health and well-being of both Festivalgoers and residents of the Santa Fe community, Paisner says. Online Tickets for Motorama at the Downs Santa Fe are available at eventbrite.com by searching Motorama at the Downs Santa Fe. 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At least 24 people were killed in flooding in MP and Odisha. and thousands were displaced as heavy rainfall lashed other parts of India, causing reservors to overflow. Rainfall has been 25% more than normal in August, which India Meteorological Department (IMD) is the highest for the month in 44 years. The previous highest in August was recorded in 1983, when rain was 23.8% more than the normal. A view of the flood-affected area as Madhya Pradesh. (ANI) In Madhya Pradesh, at least eight people were killed in the past 24 hours and more than 9,000 were moved to relief camps during rescue operations; 454 villages in 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh have been affected by the floods caused by incessant rain since Thursday. The latest fatalities took the rain- and flood-related death toll in MP to 129 since this monsoon. Sixteen people died in flooding in Odisha, officials said. Rain intensity reduces in Mumbai, IMD predicts moderate rain for today Flood-hit districts in the state include Hoshangabad, Raisen, Sehore, Bhopal, Vidisha, Chhindwara, Balaghat, Seoni, Katni, Sagar, Shivpuri and Ujjain. A large number of people were airlifted to safety with the help of air force helicopters; they included 62 residents of Somalwada village in Sehore district. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning and sought his help in rescue operations being carried on by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Home Guards, police and personnel of other departments. Photos: Indias wettest August in 44 years brings 25% excess rains The rescue operations have been continuing since Friday evening. There are 454 villages in 12 districts affected by the flood. As many as 9,300 people have been moved to 170 relief camps, Chouhan said, adding that he was monitoring the flood situation from a control room set up at his residence. He said huge damage had been caused to standing crops and added that farmers will be compensated with crop insurance and other relief schemes. Large parts of the Narmada river basin in Gujarat were flooded as excess water was released from the Sardar Sarovar dam in the state and dams in Madhya Pradesh. According to home ministry data, until Sunday, 175 people had died because in floods in Gujarat with half the deaths reported in August. We are providing relief and relocating people from the worst affected areas, PTI quoted chief minister Vijay Rupani as saying. Over 800,000 have been affected across 500 villages of Odisha, said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Kumar Jena on Sunday. He said 50,000 people evacuated to safe shelters. According to the the Central Water Commissions update dated August 29, eight dams have overflown including the Tawa dam in MP on the river Narmada; Rengali dam in Odisha on river Brahmani; and Hidkal in Karnataka on Ghataptrabha. River Mahanadi in parts of Chhattisgarh; Wainganga and Narmada in MP are rising rapidly because of heavy rain forecast for the next two days, CWC said. Its a dangerous situation. Any dam that reaches full reservoir level when monsoon is still underway can be disastrous for districts downstream. The dam operators should have released water gradually and not when its already 100%. Naramada, Mahanadi and Godavari basins are affected. CWC and dam operators should have been aware of the likely inflow and planned release accordingly, said Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of South Asia Network of Dams, Rivers and People. The well-marked low pressure area over West Madhya Pradesh and adjoining East Rajasthan is likely to move west-northwestwards during the next two days, IMD said in its Sunday bulletin. Extremely heavy rain in Madhya Pradesh and other parts of central India is mainly because of a strong low pressure area over west Madhya Pradesh and east Rajasthan. We are expecting rain to decrease gradually over central India but Gujarat may experience very heavy rains for one more day. Then rains will increase over the northern plains when the monsoon trough shifts northwards around September 2, said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD. The western end of the monsoon trough (line of low pressure) lies south to its normal position and its eastern end lies close to foothills of the Himalayas. Under the influence of these systems, widespread and very heavy to extremely heavy rain is likely over Gujarat on August 30 and 31. Widespread rain with very heavy rain is likely over West Madhya Pradesh and north Konkan on August 30 and over Rajasthan on August 30 and 31. We are not expecting any low-pressure area to develop next week so we are hoping rain will gradually reduce in central India. Rains may increase over northwest India, northeast India and south Peninsula particularly Kerala-Karnataka region, said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at the National Weather Forecasting Centre. Excess rains could ensure soil moisture for months. There are different ways of harvesting water. But the most important source of water for agriculture is groundwater, more than both dams and rivers. So the focus should be on local storage and local recharge systems. We have to store rainwater where it falls and avoid runoff, added Thakkar. Monsoon rain over the country since June 1 has been 9% excess with 21% excess over the southern Peninsula; 19% excess over central India; 11% deficiency over northwest India and 3% over east and northeast India. According to Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region, a report by the ministry of earth sciences released earlier this year, from 1950 onwards there has been a significant rising trend in the frequency and intensity of extreme and heavy rain events over central India, along with a decreasing trend in moderate rain events. A study published in Nature journal in 2017 by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology had concluded that there had been a three-fold rise in extreme rains along the west coast and central India during 1950 to 2015 A giant snowman erected on the bank of Songhua River in Harbin, the capital of Northeast Chinas Heilongjiang province, has drawn much attention online. Around 2,000 cubic meters of snow was used to create the 18.5-meter-tall figure dressed in a red hat and scarf. Since December, ice and snow sculptures featuring Winter Olympics and Lunar New Year elements have popped up across the city famed for its ice festivals, drawing many visitors Jan 20, 2022 06:19 PM In this file photo, a polling worker holds 2020 presidential primary ballots that were dropped at a post office and brought to a government center to be processed and counted at the Stamford Government Center in Hartford, Connecticut, on Aug. 11, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Iowa Judge Sides With Trump Campaign, Voids 50,000 Absentee Ballot Requests An Iowa judge ordered a local county auditor to invalidate 50,000 absentee ballot requests, agreeing with a Trump campaign argument that a local elections commissioner broke the law by pre-filling the applications with voters personal information. Judge Ian Thornhill ordered Linn County Auditor Joel Miller, a Democrat, to notify the affected voters in writing that their absentee ballot requests cant be processed because they shouldnt have been pre-filled with their personal information. The affected voters would have to fill out new requests or vote in person on Election Day; Miller said he would comply with the order and send new blank forms to the voters in September. District Court Judge Ian Thornhill presides during a hearing in Linn County District Court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Aug. 27, 2020. (Liz Martin/The Gazette via AP) The Trump campaign has filed similar challenges in other counties in Iowa. The Democrats and Republicans are waging an extensive legal battle across the nation that will shape the rules of the 2020 election. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has said that his campaign has retained more than 600 lawyers for the effort. Democrats called Thornhills decision an act of voter suppression, while Republicans said the ruling will enhance voting security and hold a rogue auditor accountable. Miller in July sent 140,000 absentee ballot request forms to voters, pre-filled with their personal information, including their names, dates of birth, and voter identification numbers. Miller has said his intention was to make it easier to vote amid the pandemic. The judge ruled that Millers move violated an order from Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, who told county officials in July that the absentee ballot request forms mailed to voters must be blank to ensure uniformity. The voters signed and returned 50,000 of the forms. The state will begin to send out absentee ballots on Oct. 5. Absentee voting resulted in record turnout in the Iowa primary in June. Iowa is one of 16 toss-up states in the 2020 election, according to a tally maintained by Real Clear Politics. Weeks after the primary, the states Republican-controlled legislature passed a law blocking county auditors from filling in voters four-digit voting identification numbers, which few know and are routinely left blank on the forms. Instead, the law requires auditors to contact voters by email or mail to have them correct mistakes themselves. Supporters argued that requiring voters to fill out their forms is a step to make absentee ballots more secure. Miller and elections commissioners in Johnson and Woodbury counties said contacting voters who leave the information blank would have been too burdensome and potentially disenfranchised people, so they mailed forms with that information already filled in. They contended that the law didnt block them from doing so. Trumps campaign and state and national Republican Party groups filed lawsuits against the three counties, seeking to invalidate all forms returned in response to the mailings. They warned that any ballots cast in response to the mailings could be challenged later. Thornhills ruling, issued after he heard arguments Aug. 27, is the first so far. Another hearing is set for Sept. 4 in Woodbury County, where 14,000 of the absentee ballot requests have been returned. A hearing in the Democratic stronghold of Johnson County, where thousands more have been returned, is planned for this week. Thornhill was appointed by Democratic Gov. Chet Culver in 2009. The secretary of state has alleged that the mailing violated a law intended to protect the personal information stored in government and corporate databases, and asked prosecutors to investigate. It argues that Miller had no legitimate purpose to access voters identification numbers and share them with a vendor that processed the mailing. Attorney generals office spokesman Lynn Hicks said the office hasnt decided whether to open an investigation. Assistant Linn County attorney Elena Wolford warned that an injunction would hurt voters who are expecting to receive absentee ballots as well as taxpayers who would be forced to pay for additional notifications to be sent. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A woman in her 60s has been robbed at knifepoint at her home in a south-west suburb of Perth after a gang broke into her property on Sunday morning. The woman was home alone between 7.20am and 7.40am when police say a group of five people gained entry to the property in Munster. A police spokeswoman said one member of the group held the victim at knife-point while other members stole several items from the residence including jewellery, a mobile phone and other items. A short time later a stolen silver Mitsubishi Pajero was located burnt out in Browning Avenue, Lake Coogee, which is approximately one kilometer from the burglary location, she said. It is believed the group fled the abandoned vehicle through bushland towards Stock Road. You can tell a lot from a persons hands. Every time Joan Dawson of Birmingham has a video call with her mother, she asks to see them. You look for marks or scratches, Dawson said. Are they clean? Is there dirt under the fingernails? Dawsons mother lives in a nursing home, and these calls have provided the only contact between the two women since early March, when nursing homes in Alabama closed to all visitors. The calls have replaced daily visits by Dawson and her sister. For mother and for us, FaceTime has been a lifesaver, Dawson said. It has saved my sanity. Not every family is so lucky. Not all nursing homes have made video visits available to families, and some residents are too ill to participate. Even the best video call cant replace an in-person visit, Dawson said. She and other family members have come together as part of a national group called Caregivers for Compromise to ask Alabama officials to reopen nursing homes to essential caregivers, a designated person for each resident allowed at least one weekly visit. Training, protective equipment and negative COVID-19 tests would be required for all essential caregivers. Officials in Minnesota, Indiana, New Jersey, Florida and South Dakota have already approved similar plans. More than a dozen other states require nursing homes to make outdoor visits available to families with adequate social distancing. Alabama leaves decisions about video and outdoor visits to individual facilities, shutting out some families that have not been able to access video or outdoor meetings. In response, some relatives have taken extraordinary steps - even working inside a loved ones nursing home, to maintain contact. So far, the Alabama Department of Public Health has not eased its restrictions on nursing homes, which closed to visitors on March 13. The states Safer at Home order still requires nursing homes to restrict visitation. ADPH Bureau of Health Provider Standards advises [long-term care facilities] that any visitation should take into account CMS guidance, said Dr. Karen Landers, area health officer for north Alabama. Some facilities have been able to implement some creative measures in accordance with [federal] guidance to allow some level of visitation. A Deadly Visitor Authorities locked down nursing home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The virus hit hard at long-term care facilities that house frail and elderly residents. Even with strict visitation guidelines, the virus infiltrated thousands of facilities across the country, infecting residents and staff. According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than 5,300 nursing home residents in Alabama have contracted COVID-19 and almost 800 have died from the virus. To protect residents, many nursing homes have taken extraordinary steps. They have closed communal dining rooms, suspended group activities and confined most residents to their rooms. Federal and state health officials have designated nursing homes as one of the last places that will reopen to the public. All that isolation has its own health consequences. It is changing them mentally and it is changing them physically, said Wendy Keeler of Madison. She works as a speech therapist at a nursing home in north Alabama. The virus is real and we want to keep them safe, she said. But were killing them too because of the isolation. Keelers father had the flu in January and struggled to recover. She had him transferred to the facility where she works for rehabilitation and was able to see him after the lockdown began. Medicare funding for his rehab ran out in May and he transferred to another nursing home. Keeler made a video call soon after he moved, but her father couldnt understand how to communicate with her. While he could see me, his dementia was such that it confused him, Keeler said. Less than a week after he moved, Keelers father fell, hit his head and died. She was able to see him briefly at the hospital before he passed. At the nursing home where she works, residents have been mostly confined to their rooms for months as staff battles outbreaks of coronavirus. Residents without outlets for communication need her therapy now more than ever. There are so many skills that are going down, Keeler said. Its heartbreaking. It really is. I sit in my car sometimes and I dont want to go in. But I do it for the residents. Essential Caregivers Janet Daniels mother lives in a Birmingham nursing home. She and Dawson sit on a council of family members that regularly volunteered at the home by putting up decorations and holding events for residents. Before lockdown, family members filled essential roles, often assuming caregiving tasks for overburdened staff. They wiped sleep from residents eyes, brushed their teeth and sat with them during meals to make sure they consumed enough food and water. Residents who can feed themselves now eat alone in their rooms without the kind of social stimulation they got in dining rooms. As a result, many may not be consuming enough calories. There are so many things my sister and I used to do for her, Dawson said. The essential caregiver role is vital to their ability to thrive. Brandon Farmer, president and CEO of the Alabama Nursing Home Association, said his organization understands why families want to resume visits, but cautioned the state should move with care. While reopening visitation is critically important, our top priority remains the health and safety of our residents and staff, Farmer said. Thanks to the hard work of our employees, we have made tremendous progress caring for those who are most vulnerable to this disease and many facilities that experienced outbreaks are now COVID-19-free or have very few cases. We want to be confident that we have made in-person visits as safe as possible before reopening. The last thing we want to do is jeopardize this progress and have to close our doors again after reopening them for visitation. Farmer said the organization is encouraging homes to reopen for in-person visits as soon as safely possible. Keeler said facilities with positive cases will not allow visitors, even under the strict guidelines issued for essential caregivers. Meanwhile, Dawson is trying to make the most of video visits. Recently her mother lost her hearing aid and staff had to scramble to create another system for communication. Still, when she does hear, she can sing along as her other daughter plays the piano and laugh at her familys jokes. Fortunately FaceTime has worked pretty well for us, Dawson said. The nurse will set the phone up so my mother can use it. Shes able to talk to us and laugh with us. But theres a lot of things we have to do to make this call work, and we still miss seeing her in person. Story updated at 11:52 a.m. on Monday, August 31 to correct a quote given by Joan Dawson ADUBA When you stop to think about what this woman chose to do with her life and more specifically when, because think about how powerful it is today to see Senator Harris. This woman was doing this almost 50 years ago! It just makes you understand the mettle that this woman was made of that was so meaningful to me, and really humbling. Theres another generation of people who get to think differently about themselves. Let me ask you: What is it like to have now been part of two culture-shaping stories? WILEY Playing Poussey, getting to know her I spent four years with her, and I was so in touch with the things that she taught me. Shes so loyal. Her moral center is so centered; its immovable. That show helped me understand the kind of person I want to be. And Moira is someone who taught me to embrace my activism; to be a champion for the L.G.B.T. community, to be a champion for the Black community and to not be afraid to speak up. Its such a gift to be able to have lived with these women, to be able to shape who Samira is. ADUBA Did they shape Samira? Or do you think Samira shaped them as well? WILEY I remember being in school, trying to create a character and telling my teacher I couldnt access something. I will never forget what my teacher said: Well, its nobody up there but you. You cant create something up there out of nothing; it lives within you somewhere. So thats always in my head: It has to come from me. But these people, its almost like therapy. Having internal conversations with Moira and Poussey has made me aware of these things that are deep inside me that I am now comfortable bringing to light. Something you just did, which I have never done and would love to do one day and now youre nominated for an Emmy for it is bringing an actual woman to life. Is it fulfilling in a different way? ADUBA Theres space for invention still. Obviously theres dramatic license with certain scenes, and theres getting the exterior right key elements of who Shirley was, in terms of having listened to her speeches. Why? is always the first question: Why are we doing this? Why am I doing this? Because theres gallons of footage of Shirley Chisholm, so why do we need an actor to do it? So I was watching this documentary called Unbought and Unbossed, and in the last 10 minutes theres one scene where shes releasing her [Electoral College] delegates. She lets them go, shes backstage, and she just collapses into her hands and starts crying. You could feel the weight of something in her tears, and I remember thinking, Thats the real Shirley Chisholm. I want to tell that persons story, when she goes home and shes not carrying the expectations of everyone in Bed-Stuy, and all the Blacks in America and all of the women in this caucus who are excited to have a woman as president. She clearly has a different idea for who she is in the world than these limited definitions the world holds for her Im interested in getting to the bottom of that. "Now there will be a plan, it will come soon, but it will be one we will be confident of, not something that potentially gets us a few weeks of people being happier but then ultimately has to be revised because it didn't mean much when you first announced it," Mr Andrews said. "We all want this second wave to be defeated, but it needs to be defeated properly so that it's not some smouldering fire that then takes off again, potentially burns more intensely than it ever has." Tim Piper, the Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group, said his team would raise issues including the need to strike a balance between protecting people's health and livelihoods, recognising that businesses can operate safely, and not imposing a blanket ban on geographical locations or industries. He would also "seek surety around the contact tracing team" and whether the government was confident it could keep up with demand when restrictions eased. "We need to make sure there is a balance and recognition for the impact this is having on people's lives, not just from a physical health perspective but mental health," Mr Piper said. "People are coming to the end of their tether by being in these restrictions and it's not just a few, it's many people. So we have to understand what these restrictions are doing to people's lives, livelihoods and to our economy." He said the government must recognise the level of risk across different sectors, saying the manufacturing and construction industries, for example, had been low-risk. Mr Andrews said Victorians could have confidence in the contact tracing team, which had been bolstered in recent months. "I think we face a prospect of a very different set of circumstances [compared to the end of the first wave], but at the same time we will need to be incredibly vigilant and that's why the team is working incredibly hard," Mr Andrews said. "They have made a whole range of improvements very few that deliver hours, but many of which deliver minutes. That is the frustrating nature of this, it is a real grind to find the small wins, to find the small savings in time. "We are across many of the high-risk workforces better than we've ever been ... the contact tracing team is bigger than it has ever been and it will remain larger than the task." Meanwhile, a claim filed in the Victorian Supreme Court last Friday says the government and its ministers were negligent and breached their duty of care through mismanagement of hotel quarantine. Genome sequencing has shown infections among workers employed in hotel quarantine were responsible for almost all the cases in Victoria's second surge of COVID-19 cases, which led to many businesses being forced to close under stage four restrictions. Loading 5 Districts NY, an American-style eatery in Melbourne's north-west, will be the lead plaintiff representing a group of businesses that claim to have lost revenue after stage three and four restrictions were imposed. But several legal experts have suggested the litigation is unlikely to succeed because it would be difficult to prove a definite link between the hotel quarantine system failures and the impact on businesses. The government is still negotiating with crossbench MPs to extend state of emergency powers ahead of Parliament sitting this week. Mr Andrews confirmed on Sunday that the state of disaster, announced on August 2 for one month, would also most likely need to be extended. Representative image A controversial iman in Australia has asked Muslims not to get the potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, claiming that the vaccine is 'haram'- meaning forbidden. Australia earlier this month announced a deal with AstraZeneca to manufacture the promising vaccine with plans to offer it for free to the entire population. Sufyaan Khalifa in his YouTube video titled "A message to Aussie Muslims stand up: Follow the way of the Prophets" told Muslims in Australia about the method adopted by the company to develop the COVID-19 vaccine. He said the vaccine is made using foetal cells of an aborted baby in the 1970s and replicated in a laboratory. Khalifa in his video said, Shame on some Muslim bodies justifying the use of the vaccine. Shame on any imam who did sign this fatwah. His is the growing voice of religious figures who are against Australias vaccine deal with AstraZeneca. 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 A senior Catholic archbishop also warned that he is deeply troubled by the COVID-19 vaccine deal, claiming that the potential vaccine uses a fetal cell line that creates an ethical quandary for Christians. The Sydney's Archbishop Anthony Fisher wrote a letter to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, outlining concerns of some Christians over the COVID-19 vaccine and urged him to pursue other ethical vaccine candidates. The letter was also supported and signed by Anglican and Greek Orthodox religious leaders. Referring to the objection raised by the Catholics, Imam Khalifa said, The Catholics have stood up against this clearly because they know its haram, its unlawful. But you stand with the government instead. Officials in Australia have said they respect the sentiments of religious communities and that that they are investing in research and technology that we hope will produce a range of vaccines that will be suitable for as many Australians as possible. As Hindustan Times reported, another candidate in the list is the University of Queenslands vaccine which has received Australian $5 million in government funding. The vaccine, which officials claim does not contain any fetal cell lines, is currently in Phase 1 efficacy trials. The Oxford vaccine, however, is among a handful globally that have reached Phase 3 trails. Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Saturday expressed sorrow over the demise of Hollywood star Chadwick Boseman and said that the actors death as a tragic loss of a remarkably gifted talent. This year has been so hard. What a tragic loss of remarkably gifted talent, wrote the Baywatch actor as she paid an emotional tribute to the late Black Panther star. The Dostana star also said that the late actor has fought a silent battle. She noted, Chadwick, you fought a silent battle, all while giving us some of the most inspiring films of the last few years. Your legacy will live on forever. Sending her thoughts and prayers to the family of the bereaved star, Chopra added, My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. Alongside the emotional post, the Mary Kom actor shared a lively monochromatic picture of the late star as she mourned the loss. With the snap, Priyanka also shared a statement by the Black Panther actors family that read, It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV. ALSO READ: Excited about the 80s look and feel: Vaani Kapoor on her preparations for Bell Bottom This years been so hard. What a tragic loss of a remarkably gifted talent. Chadwick, you fought a silent battle, all while giving us some of the most inspiring films of the last few years. Your legacy will live on forever. My thoughts & prayers are with his family & loved ones. pic.twitter.com/lcc3JsFJyh PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) August 29, 2020 The statement further read, A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilsons Ma Raineys Black Bottom and several more. all were filmed 0 during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.It was the honour of his career to bring King TChalla to life in Black Panther. He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side, the statement concluded. ALSO READ: I still feel Sushant was murdered: Ravi Kisan writes to PM Modi ALSO READ: Weerushka on the way: Amul celebrates Anushka Sharmas pregnancy news with adorable cartoon Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for commerce and industry, has asked the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to strengthen the rules of origin provisions, one of Indias key concerns, because the nations markets are being flooded by Chinese goods through some Asean countries. Goyal co-chaired the 17th Asean-India Economic (AEM) Ministers Consultations held on Saturday via videoconference in a bid to maintain social distancing norms because of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. He highlighted that the free trade agreement (FTA) has to be mutually beneficial and expressed the need to strengthen the rules of origin provisions, work towards removal of non-tariff barriers and provide better market access, a ministry statement said on Sunday. Goyal asked for an early review of the Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), as the trade pact is hurting Indias interest, particularly because of the violation of rules of origin clauses. Also read: PM Modi lauds Indias farmers for higher crop production amid Covid crisis India is concerned and wants to review FTAs, as several Chinese goods are dumped in its markets through a third country with which the nation has an agreement, a government official said requesting anonymity. The review is necessary, as many items enter Indian markets taking advantage of Asean-India FTA. Imports at reduced or zero duty put the domestic industry at a major disadvantage, the official said. Goyal used the Asean ministerial forum to reiterate Indias consistent position that the review of the FTA has been inordinately delayed. He asked for a closer engagement ahead of the Asean-India Leaders Summit scheduled to be held in November and to start the full review before the end of this year, the commerce ministry said in the statement. Goyal co-chaired the meeting with Tran Tuan Anh, Vietnams minister of industry and trade. A report of the Asean India Business Council (AIBC) was also presented in the meeting. It also recommended a review of the AITIGA for mutual benefit. The ministers from India and Asean countries instructed the officials to start the discussions to determine the scope of the review at the earliest to make the FTA more user-friendly for businesses. Sangita Reddy, co-chair of AIBC (India), said the nation and Asean should develop a road map for collaboration in healthcare and pharmaceuticals sectors along with exchange of knowledge and digital connectivity. She shared that special incentives for Indian pharmaceutical companies should be introduced for setting up plants in dedicated Asean zones, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in a statement. The industry association is the Indian secretariat of AIBC. The meeting was attended by the trade ministers of all the 10 Asean countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to take collective actions in mitigating the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and resolved to ensure macroeconomic and financial stability and resilient supply chain connectivity, particularly the unimpeded flow of essential goods and medicines in the region, in compliance with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, the statement said. AIBC also recommended elimination of non- tariff measures to enable seamless movement of goods and services, FICCI said in the statement. It proposed the introduction of a business travel card which would facilitate business travel between India and Asean countries with a minimum 90-day validity. . State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health Date: August 29, 2020 Number: NR20-212 Contact: CDPHpress@cdph.ca.gov SACRAMENTO The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California has 693,839 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed. There were 4,981 newly recorded confirmed cases Friday. Numbers do not represent true day-over-day change as these results include cases from prior to yesterday. The 7-day positivity rate is 5.5% and the 14-day positivity rate is 5.6%. There have been 11,109,630 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 98,993 over the prior 24-hour reporting period. s case numbers continue to rise in California, the total number of individuals who will have serious outcomes will also increase. There have been 12,834 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Blueprint for a Safer Economy Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, a statewide plan for reducing COVID-19 and keeping Californians healthy and safe. The plan imposes risk-based criteria on tightening and loosening COVID-19 allowable activities and expands the length of time between changes to assess how any movement affects the trajectory of the disease. Californians can go to covid19.ca.gov to find out where their county falls and what activities are allowable in each county. Data and Tools A wide range of data and analysis guides California's response to COVID-19. The state is making the data and its analytical tools available to researchers, scientists and the public at covid19.ca.gov. Popular links include: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Each week, the California Department of Public Health updates the number of cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in the state. As of August 24, 47 cases of MIS-C have been reported statewide. To protect patient confidentiality in counties with fewer than 11 cases, we are not providing total counts at this time. MIS-C is a rare inflammatory condition associated with COVID-19 that can damage multiple organ systems. MIS-C can require hospitalization and be life threatening. Parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of MIS-C including fever that does not go away, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling tired. Contact your child's doctor immediately if your child has these symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients is critical to preventing long-term complications. Racial Demographics A More Complete Picture The California Department of Public Health is committed to health equity and collecting more detailed racial and ethnic data that will provide additional understanding for determining future action. Health outcomes are affected by forces including structural racism, poverty and the disproportionate prevalence of underlying conditions such as asthma and heart disease among Latinos and African American Californians. Only by looking at the full picture can we understand how to ensure the best outcomes for all Californians. The differences in health outcomes related to COVID-19 are most stark in COVID-19 deaths. We have nearly complete data on race and ethnicity for COVID-19 deaths, and we are seeing the following trends. Overall, for adults 18 and older, Latinos, African Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher levels. The proportion of COVID-19 deaths in African Americans is about double their population representation across all adult age categories. For Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, overall numbers are low, but about three-fold difference between the proportion of COVID-19 deaths and their population representation. More males are dying from COVID-19 than females, in line with national trends. More information is available at COVID-19 Race and Ethnicity Data. Health Care Worker Infection Rates As of August 28, local health departments have reported 31,767 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 148 deaths statewide. Your Actions Save Lives Every person has a role to play. Protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense: Staying home except for essential needs/activities following local and state public health guidelines when patronizing approved businesses. To the extent that such sectors are re-opened, Californians may leave their homes to work at, patronize, or otherwise engage with those businesses, establishments or activities. Practicing social distancing. Wearing a cloth face mask when out in public. Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. Covering a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward. Avoiding close contact with people who are sick. Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough. Answer the call if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or your local health department tries to connect. Contact tracers will connect you to free, confidential testing and other resources, if needed. Following guidance from public health officials. What to Do if You Think You're Sick Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath), call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken. More than 100 community testing sites also offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site. For more information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California. California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting California from COVID-19. Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health's Guidance web page. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Democrats are fighting back hard against the Trump administration's decision to cease delivering verbal briefings to politicians on securing the 2020 US elections. A subpoena "is certainly one of the tools that we may use" to compel intelligence officials to testify about election security concerns, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said in an interview with CNN on Sunday. "I can't speak for what decision ultimately we'll make. That's a decision that will have to go to the speaker," Mr Schiff said, deferring any action on subpoenas to the authority of his fellow California Democrat, Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Ms Pelosi has been unsparing in her criticism of Republicans' approach to election security, branding Donald Trump and his allies in Congress "enemies of the state" for making statements that have undermined Americans' faith in the results of the 2020 elections. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence informed lawmakers on Friday that it will continue to provide written briefings to the House and Senate intelligence panels but will not guarantee in-person ones, CNN reported previously. John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, defended that decision on Fox News on Sunday, saying he had grown exasperated with Democratic lawmakers leaking "classified information" from oral briefings to various news outlets. "Within minutes of one of those briefings ending, a number of members of Congress went to a number of different outlets and leaked classified information for political purposes," Mr Ratcliffe alleged. "To create a narrative that simply isn't true, that somehow Russia is a greater national security threat than China," Mr Ratcliffe said. He added: "I don't mean to minimize Russia. They are a serious national security threat, but day in, day out, the threats that we face from China are significantly greater. ... Anyone who says otherwise is just politicizing intelligence for their own narrative." Denying lawmakers in-person briefings means they cannot ask US intelligence officials tough questions, Mr Schiff has indicated. The cessation of verbal, back-and-forth briefings highlights the breakdown of trust between Democratic politicians and Mr Trump's national security and intelligence political appointees. The ODNI has been heavily politicised during the last couple years of Mr Trump's administration as the president has sought to push back against the narrative confirmed by the consensus opinion of the major US intelligence agencies that Russia sought to boost his campaign in 2016. "This intelligence paid for by taxpayers doesn't belong to Donald Trump. It doesn't belong to the intelligence agencies. It belongs to the American people. The agencies are merely the custodians of that information," Mr Schiff said on Sunday. "The American people ought to know what Russia is doing. They ought to know their president is unwilling to stand up to Vladimir Putin," Mr Schiff said, referring to Mr Trump's counterpart in the Kremlin. On Saturday, Mr Trump's Democratic opponent this November, former Vice President Joe Biden, denounced the move to cancel oral briefings on election security as "nothing less than a shameless partisan manipulation to protect the personal interests of President Trump." Mr Biden and congressional Democrats have advocated for the federal government to send billions of dollars in additional aid to states to help secure their election systems as man of them roll out unprecedented mail-in ballot initiatives to reduce voters' exposure to Covid-19. A Republican bill to provide relief from the coronavirus pandemic did not include any money for election security assistance. Mr Biden suggested in a statement on Saturday that the ODNI's latest decision is a malign effort to conceal information from the public that further demonstrates the GOP's unseriousness about Russia election meddling. There can be only one conclusion: President Trump is hoping Vladimir Putin will once more boost his candidacy ... And he does not want the American people to know the steps Vladimir Putin is taking," Mr Biden said. Security sources have said they believe the Kremlin wants Mr Trump to win re-election in November, and has also said they believe China favours Joe Biden as he is less unpredictable, something Republicans have seized on to boost their candidate. In July Bill Evanina, the top intelligence official in charge of election security, issued a statement saying: "We assess that China prefers that President Trump -- whom Beijing sees as unpredictable -- does not win re-election. "China has been expanding its influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States, pressure political figures it views as opposed to China's interests, and deflect and counter criticism of China." He added: "We assess that Russia is using a range of measures to primarily denigrate former Vice President Biden and what it sees as an anti-Russia 'establishment'. "This is consistent with Moscow's public criticism of him when he was Vice President for his role in the Obama Administration's policies on Ukraine and its support for the anti-Putin opposition inside Russia." The death toll from this month's Beirut port blast has risen to 190 with more than 6,500 injured and three people missing, Lebanon's caretaker government said in a report dated Sunday. Lebanese authorities are probing what caused highly explosive material stored unsafely for years to detonate in a mushroom cloud, wrecking swathes of the city and fuelling anger at a political class already blamed for the country's economic meltdown. The army said on Saturday that seven people were still missing - three Lebanese, three Syrians and one Egyptian. It was not immediately clear if some had since been found. The Aug. 4 explosion left 300,000 people homeless and caused $15 billion in direct damage, said the report issued on Sunday by the presidency of the council of ministers. It said 50,000 houses, nine major hospitals and 178 schools had been damaged. The outgoing government quit over the blast. The presidency will talk to parliamentary blocs on Monday to designate a new prime minister, a day before French President Emmanuel Macron visits to press leaders to act to save the country from a deep financial crisis rooted in endemic corruption and mismanagement. Search Keywords: Short link: The brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he has been slapped with a 10,000 fine for his part in the 'Unite for Freedom' rally on Saturday which saw thousands descend on Trafalgar Square. The 73-year-old, a climate change denier who set up controversial weather forecasting business Weather Action, said on Twitter he had been handed the fixed penalty fine as organiser. In the tweet to his more than 31,000 followers, he called the demonstration an epic success. He separately confirmed that he would "refuse" to pay the penalty and would "appeal the process". Trafalgar Square was awash with unmasked protesters on Saturday / REUTERS Hours earlier, Metropolitan Police said they had arrested a 73-year-old man on suspicion of breaking newly introduced coronavirus laws. He was punished, according to the Health Protection Regulations, for holding a gathering of more than 30 people in an outdoor place, Scotland Yard said. He has now been released from custody. In a statement, Metropolitan Police Commander Bas Javid said officers had been working "tirelessly" to remind local communities "that we remain in a health pandemic." Our interaction and intervention saw the majority of people gathered disperse," he said. "Five people have been spoken to in relation to the new legislation." Under the tightened measures, those attending a gathering of more than 30 people may be committing a criminal offence. Mr Javid also warned that detectives had begun a "post investigation operation" which would enable them to "retrospectively take action" on "individuals contravening the regulations". As further rallies took place in the capital throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, he added: "There are currently a number of demonstrations in central London and we are actively out on the ground, speaking with people taking part." He said officers were "continuing to emphasis the public health risk and the regulations, and that it is incumbent on them to fulfill the requirements under the new legislation to (...) ensure that they are not committing an offence by being involved in a large gathering or they may be subject to a large fine. Sunday saw hundreds of demonstrators take to the streets of west London to take part in the first ever Million People March to protest against systemic racism in the UK. Organisers said they hoped the march will drive conversations about race, sparked by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, and give the BAME community a louder voice. Notting Hill prepares for Carnival 2020 - In pictures 1 /16 Notting Hill prepares for Carnival 2020 - In pictures Boards are fitted to the Elgin public house in Notting Hill, in west London PA Boards are fitted to a property in Notting Hill, in west London PA Boards are fitted to a property in Notting Hill, in west London PA Boards are fitted to a property in Notting Hill, in west London PA A trio of Caribbean soca dancers, Donna Cupid-Thuesday, Andrea Wallace and Fiona Compton, entertain passers-by as Samsung unveil on the Piccadilly Circus screens a trailer for the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival Matt Alexander/PA Boards are fitted to a property in Notting Hill PA Boards are fitted to a property in Notting Hill PA Boards are fitted to the Elgin public house in Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, in west London PA A view of shops on Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, in west London PA A Caribbean soca dancer displays her costume as she promotes the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival, following the cancellation of the normal Carnival festivities due to the continued spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London REUTERS Caribbean soca dancers display their costumes as they promote the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival, following the cancellation of the normal Carnival festivities due to the continued spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London REUTERS Costumes that have been used for Notting Hill Carnivals in previous years in a shop in Harlesden, North Londo PA The march took place this year in lieu of the annual Notting Hill carnival, though organisers said they aimed to incorporate the same spirit of freedom through peaceful protest. Around 400 demonstrators walked along Bayswater Road from Notting Hill tube station, finishing in Hyde Park. At several points along the way the crowd stopped, sitting down in the road and even breaking into a rendition of Redemption Song by Bob Marley, as demonstrators raised their fists. People held up placards as they marched through the streets of west London / AFP via Getty Images The march was organised by Ken Hinds, an adviser to Scotland Yard, Sasha Johnson, a youth worker and activist, rapper 2 Badda, and author Anthony Spencer. Mr Spencer said fighting systemic racism was a huge task and likened the struggle to rowing from one side of the Atlantic to the other. This is not a hardened protesters march, this is a family protest march for people who dont normally protest, he said. This is a million people march because of the numbers, were trying to have a louder voice. This is like a rowing expedition from one side of the Atlantic to the other side on a little boat. You start rowing but that rowing will stop at some point when you get to the other side, and thats how we see this fight. Its a huge task. Black Lives Matter protesters are seen during the Million People March / Getty Images Mr Spencer said the movement aimed to introduce a new initiative, the Race Offenders Register, to prosecute those committing race offences. This is a fight that can be won by laws. This is why the Million People March is asking about laws, he said. The Race Offenders Register is a tool that we believe can begin the changing of behaviour right across wherever racism exists. Were looking at bringing in laws to protect our black citizens. We protect everything else. We protect dogs, we protect eagles, we protect dead statues. Lets protect people for a change. Lets protect black people. Once we see theres actual true intention to protect the lives of black people and change systemic suffering, we will stop marching and we will work with the Government. Racism has been defined by the white population, not by us, we need to redefine racism to start this conversation again. Black Lives Matter protests across the world - In pictures 1 /28 Black Lives Matter protests across the world - In pictures A banner and a US. flag are placed on the Monument a la Republique in Paris REUTERS Protesters in Perth Australia Getty Images Speakers at the Black Lives Matter Rally at Langley Park in Perth Getty Images Police officers are seen during a protest against police brutality and the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Paris REUTERS Perth protests Getty Images Speakers take to the stage during the Black Lives Matter Rally in Perty Getty Images Protesters show their support during the Black Lives Matter Rally at Langley Park in Perty Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth AFP via Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth Getty Images Demonstrators march through the streets in Perth Getty Images Thousands of people take part in a demonstration against police brutality and racism in Paris AP French riot police forces detain a protester during a rally as part of the 'Black Lives Matter' AFP via Getty Images French riot police forces detain protesters AFP via Getty Images The crowds in Paris AFP via Getty Images A man wearing a protective face mask and googles walks past a broken store window in Paris REUTERS Assa Traore (C), the sister of Adama Traore, who died in police custody in 2016 in Paris AFP via Getty Images Protesters hold flares as they stand next to a banner reading 'Confronted to police brutality - Self defence' in Paris AFP via Getty Images A house facade with a graffiti against police in Paris. AFP via Getty Images An injured demonstrator is helped away in Paris AFP via Getty Images Co-organiser Ken Hinds previously accused Met Police of discrimination after he was threatened with arrest for organising the march. Organisers of Sundays demonstration reminded those involved several times throughout the day to adhere to social-distancing measures as much as possible. Sasha Johnson, another co-organiser, said she hoped the movement would empower the community to strive for better. As a people, were not going to stop until we have equal rights and justice, she said. Our message is listen to us, hear our words, we want sustainable and tangible change. We dont just want tokenistic promises, we dont want it to come from a hegemonic standpoint. We want it to be for the people." Specialist marine police officers swooped on a stolen river bus and seized control during a dramatic chase on the River Thames, near to London's Tower Bridge. Marine support units intercepted the Thames Clippers vessel in the early hours of Saturday morning after police received reports of a man jumping a security gate and stealing a river bus from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, east London. Police say the marine support units, who had their blue lights illuminated, attempted to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a stop. Marine officers instead decided to board the Thames Clippers vessel, which was said to be travelling 'at speed' prior to police intercepting it, and took control of it. The vessel was then taken to Canary Wharf dock, where Metropolitan Police officers arrested a man in his 20s. Marine support units intercepted the Thames Clippers vessel after Metropolitan Police received reports that a man had jumped a security gate and stolen the river bus from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, east London Police say the marine support units, who had their blue lights illuminated, attempted to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a stop. Pictured: Library image of a training exercise by the Metropolitan Police Marine Police Unit and Royal Marines The man, who is thought may be a former employee of Thames Clipper, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft. Police say he remains in custody at this time and that investigations continue. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police today told MailOnline: 'On Saturday August 29, at 3:10am, marine support units were called to reports that a man jumped over a security gate and stolen a Thames Clipper boat from Trinity Buoy Wharf. 'Marine support units intercepted the Clipper with the blue lights illuminated. The vessel slowed but did not come to a stop. 'Marine officers boarded and took control of the vessel and it was taken to Canary Wharf dock. 'They were joined by local units who arrested the man, aged in his 20s, on suspicion of burglary and theft. Police are said to have intercepted the stolen river boat, reportedly near to Tower Bridge, on Saturday night 'He remains in police custody and the investigation continues.' Thames Clipper tonight told MailOnline that they were unable to comment due to the police investigation. A spokesperson said: 'As this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment at this time.' Thames Clippers is a river bus service on the River Thames in London. It runs commuter services between eastern and central London, as well as tourist services. Around 10,000 passengers use the service each day. In June this year, America company Uber won the naming rights to the service, which has since been re-branded 'Uber Boat by Thames Clippers'. Joe Biden will defeat Donald Trump, says Allan Lichtman - an author and history professor at American University - who correctly predicted Donald Trumps win in 2016 presidential election over Democratic Party rival Hillary Clinton. Lichtman has correctly predicted every presidential contest since 1984. "I am predicting, contrary to my 2016 predictions, that with seven keys out against him -- one more than is needed to predict his defeat -- Trump is going to lose this time," Lichtman told CTV's Your Morning. Lichtman calls his system the "13 keys" to predict who will win US presidential elections. This is a collection of true or false questions. A true answer gives one point to the incumbent candidate or party. A false answer gives a point for the challenger. "My model is unique. It's based on the insight that American presidential elections are essentially votes up or down on the strength and performance of the party holding the White House," Lichtman said. Lichtman was one of the only forecasters to predict that Donald Trump would become the US president in 2016. He also correctly predicted that Trump would be impeached. "In 2016, I defied all the conventional wisdom and made myself very unpopular in 90 per cent plus Democratic Washington, D.C. by predicting a Trump victory," Lichtman said. National Conference (NC) leaders and former chief ministers Farooq and Omar Abdullah are bitter about, and feel betrayed by, the constitutional changes related to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) pushed through by the Centre last year, and will contest them both politically and legally, while asserting that their struggle will be entirely peaceful. The two leaders, in perhaps their first joint interview, said they rejected the Union governments constituency delimitation exercise and domicile laws as efforts to change the demography of the Valley. They also spoke of the pain of on the one hand being seen as separatists by ultra-nationalists in the rest of the country, and on the other, as nationalists in Kashmir. Read the full interview here The father-son duo sitting in their heavily protected Gupkar residence in Srinagar told Hindustan Times that the mood on the Kashmiri street was of not being a part of India and not Indian; warned about the impact in J&K of growing Hindu-Muslim hatred in the rest of the country; pointed to the unrepresentative character of the current administration in the UT with local Muslims having little space; and said that no door was open for a dialogue with the Centre. When asked about the mood on the Kashmiri street, Farooq Abdullah, 83, said: If you want to know the honest truth, they are not part of India. This is Gods truth. You ask an ordinary person, he does not want to be Pakistani. Lets be frank about it. He is not a Pakistani, but he is not an Indian today after what they (the Centre) did. Last year, Parliament effectively nullified Article 370, which conferred special status on J&K, removed Article 35A, which empowered the state legislature to define permanent residents for government jobs and property ownership, reorganised the state into two separate administrative units of J&K and Ladakh, and made them both Union Territories. On August 15 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that after the delimitation process is complete, there would be elections to the new assembly in J&K. The Centre has also appointed a new lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha. The new UTs major parties have, meanwhile, issued a Gupkar joint statement, taking forward their Gupkar declaration of last year, pledging that they will fight the constitutional changes together. Rejecting the charge that Article 370 led to separatism, Farooq Abdullah said, There is more separatism now than before August 5 last year. Its not the Pakistanis who are dying today, it is the Kashmiris. Who has created them (militants)? Not Farooq Abdullah. I was in the jail. They (the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government) created them. The hatred they have created between Hindus and Muslims in the rest of the nationdo you think it will not have an effect here? It will. Elaborating on the legal dimension of their battle against the constitutional changes, the younger Abdullah, 50, said that their petition in the Supreme Court rested on a strong point. A governor cannot assume the powers of an assembly, and an assembly cannot assume the powers of a constituent assembly....There is a fundamental flaw to what New Delhi did on August 5, 2019. You can wish away the merit of our case politically, but not legally. When asked about the fact that there appeared to be a broader national consensus against Article 370, Omar Abdullah acknowledged being on the losing side of public opinion. On the position of mainstream parties in the UT, he later said, You have to understand how difficult it is for us. We get fixed from both sides. The ultra-nationalists in the rest of country treat us as separatists. But here in Kashmir we are treated as nationalists. Please tell me what we are. On the PMs statement on delimitation, Farooq Abdullah said, We told them on their face that we dont believe in your delimitation. The BJP has a certain purpose. It wants that in J&K, a Hindu majority emerges and the Muslim majority goes down. Omar Abdullah added: The delimitation commission is a product of the changes brought about on August 5 last year. When we dont recognise those changes, how can we recognise this panel? National Conferences political committee meets for the first time since nullification of Article 370 He also elaborated on the apprehensions about demographic changes in the Valley, especially due to the domicile law. I dont have actual numbers but I can guarantee you that more than 90% of the new domicile certificates that have been issued will be to non-Muslims. Not that the demographic change will take place overnight; it will be a creeping effect. While Farooq Abdullah said he did not want to be a bridge between Delhi and Srinagar since the Centre had deceived his people, Omar Abdullah said that if being a bridge meant voicing the concerns of the people, they would do so but if it meant propagating the Centres views, they would not do so. Farooq Abdullah also said that he saw no meeting ground with the Centre, while his son said, When (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee sahib said that the matter of Kashmir will be decided within the umbrella of Jamooriyat, Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, that opened the door for us. Today, no such door is open...Tomorrow, if a government is formed in Delhi that is open to a dialogue, then we will see. Business revival panel meets in Jammu-Kashmir, discusses way forward Referring to the move to nullify Article 370, Omar Abdullah said that integration does not come from a piece of paper, it comes from emotions. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PODGORICA, Montenegro: Voters in Montenegro on Sunday cast ballots in a tense election that is pitting the long-ruling pro-Western party against the opposition seeking closer ties with Serbia and Russia. The parliamentary vote is marked by a dispute over a law on religious rights that is staunchly opposed by the influential Serbian Orthodox Church. The issue has fueled divisions in the nation of 620,000 people that has defied traditional Slavic allies Belgrade and Moscow to become independent in 2006 and join NATO in 2017. Months of church-led protests against the property bill have raised tensions and fears of potential incidents during and after the election on Sunday. In October 2016, the authorities said they thwarted a planned election-day coup orchestrated by two Russia military intelligence officers. Some 540,000 voters are choosing whether to keep in power the Democratic Party of Socialists, which has governed Montenegro for some 30 years. The party had led Montenegro to independence peacefully from much larger Serbia and into NATO, despite strong opposition from Russia. However, the DPS and its leader, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, have faced accusations of an autocratic rule, widespread graft and criminal links. Djukanovic has said Sundays vote will determine whether Montenegro will continue toward membership in the European Union or allow Serbia and Russia to install their stooges. The Montenegrin president, known as the longest-serving European leader, has been a key Western ally in the efforts to push the volatile Balkan region toward Euro Atlantic integration. Opinion polls ahead of the election have predicted that the DPS will finish ahead of other groups, but might not garner enough votes to form the government on its own. The main opposition group, the pro-Serb and pro-Russian For the future of Montenegro" alliance, has backed the church-led protests against the religion law, and it wants closer ties with Belgrade and Moscow. The Serbian Orthodox Church has argued that the law allows the Montenegrin state to confiscate its property as a prelude to setting up a separate Montenegrin church. This has been denied by the government. About one third of Montenegros 620,000 people declare themselves as Serbs, which makes relations with Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church a highly sensitive issue. The third-placed in pre-election surveys has been Peace is our nation" group that comprises more moderate parties seeking middle ground in the Montenegrin political dispute. Several other smaller parties and those run by ethnic minorities are also in the race that is being held amid the new coronavirus outbreak. The virus this summer ravaged Montenegros tourism, which normally feeds the countrys weak economy. The mountainous Adriatic Sea nation is blessed by stunning nature and golden beaches. 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 Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard has revealed three things he expects from the clubs new signing, Thiago Silva, at Stamford Bridge. Recall th... Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard has revealed three things he expects from the clubs new signing, Thiago Silva, at Stamford Bridge. Recall that Silva officially joined Chelsea from Paris Saint-Germain on Friday. The Brazilian defender joined Lampards side on a one-year contract. But Lampard is now saying that he expects the 35-year-old to bring his experience, leadership and qualities to the Chelsea squad, adding that it would be important for the west London club. The Blues boss said this after Chelsea played a 1-1 draw with Brighton in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night at the Falmer Stadium. With Thiago Silva, we are looking at a player I know very well, pretty much as we all do, Lampard said as quoted by Chelseas official website. He brings great experience for us, he is still playing at a massively high level, as we saw in the Champions League final and games towards the final. So, I expect him to come and bring that, bring his experience, leadership and his qualities. It is going to be very important for us. Chelseas first 2020/21 Premier League fixture is against Brighton on September 14. Over the past decade, the European Union has widely been viewed as being ahead of the renewables curve, and it recently-launched new hydrogen strategy has only served to cement its credentials. The EU has a highly ambitious plan to install 40 gigawatts of electrolyzers within its borders and support the development of another 40 gigawatts of green hydrogen in nearby countries by 2030 that can export to the EU. That is a good 320x the current global installed capacity of 250 MW. But one desert country could soon make the EUs hydrogen plans seem pedestrian: Australia is single-handedly developing a monster 15,000-megawatt project that will generate hydrogen for export, potentially making the worlds driest continent the Saudi Arabia of renewables. Dubbed the Asian Renewable Energy Hub, the $20B project is set to become the worlds largest wind-solar hybrid with the vast amounts of renewable energy generated used to produce hydrogen for export. It is a classic example of the hydrogen economy finally taking off, with some experts predicting that hydrogen could soon become a globally traded energy source, just like oil and gas. Natural gas hydrogen injection As part of the mega-project, a 5,000-megawatt renewable hydrogen export operation is being developed in Western Australia in the remote town of Kalbarri off the shores of the Indian Ocean about 2,715 miles from Sydney. However, given the challenges of transporting hydrogen, the first phase of the Kalbarri project at first aims to blend the hydrogen directly with natural gas in order to lower its carbon footprint. Earlier in the year, the UK became one of the first countries to successfully implement grid injection of hydrogen, with the country injecting the gas into its natural gas network to create a 20% hydrogen/natural gas blend--the highest in Europe. A 20% volume blend allows customers to continue using their existing gas appliances and nat gas pipeworks with no need for extra adjustments. According to ITM Power, the company implementing a pilot project at Keele University, a 20% hydrogen blend rolled out across the entire country could save ~6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year, or about the equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off the roads. Story continues Related: Putin Would Like To See Oil Prices Above $46 Per Barrel Phase one of the project could be complete in just two years. The second phase of the Kalbarri project will see the gas compressed and supercooled, just like LNG, and then exported to Asian nations like Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The hydrogen exports could kick off in four years and take another three years to scale. The third phase of the project actually has the local residents most excited: Using the hydrogen to manufacture green steel for export. Given that steel production accounts for ~7% of global carbon emissions, steel made from renewable energy is expected to become a multi-billion industry as countries move to decarbonize. Kalbarri could be exporting green steel in a decade or less. However, the hydrogen economy will have to face--and overcome--the same cost conundrum that wind and solar have faced over the past decade. The cost conundrum Over the years, the hydrogen economy has endured many false dawns, mainly due to technical and, mostly, cost issues. This has led to a situation whereby wind and solar energy are now competitive with traditional fossil fuels in electricity generation, whereas hydrogen remains considerably more expensive. For instance, fueling a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) in California costs around $16.50 per kilogram compared to $3.232 per gallon of regular petrol in the same state. Light-duty FCEVs are typically 2.5x more fuel-efficient than comparable gasoline-powered vehicles, which means that achieving price parity with gasoline would require that 1 kilogram of hydrogen sells for not more than $8.08. In other words, hydrogen costs need to fall by 50% to become competitive with fossil fuels. Luckily, there is hope on the horizon. Related: Oil Major Equinor Stops Drilling In U.S. Shale Patch According to a recent report by the Hydrogen Council, ...scaling fuel cell production from 10,000 to 200,000 units can reduce unit costs by as much as 45%, irrespective of any major technological breakthroughs, and can impact multiple end-use cases. Scaling up to 70 GW of electrolysis will lead to electrolyser costs of less than $400 per kW. This already appears to be happening in California: FirstElement Fuel has reported selling hydrogen for $12 per kilogram plus tax for a total $13.11 per kilogram and expects prices to continue coming down as hydrogen production cost falls. Currently, California has a network of 43 open retail hydrogen refueling stations, capable of dispensing more than 11,800 kilograms of hydrogen each day. That is enough to support nearly 17,000 light-duty FCEVs or more than double Californias fleet of 7,000 FCEVs ( 5,000 FCEVs in 2018). Source: California Energy Commission Looking beyond FCEVs, the Hydrogen Council says Fuel Cells for Combined Heat and Power (FC-CHP) are likely to achieve cost parity with both low-carbon (hydrogen boilers and heat pumps with grid electricity) and natural gas (boiler plus grid electricity and natural gas CHP) by around 2030. The organization estimates that the cost of fuel cells and hydrogen tanks could decline by 70% by 2030, driven by larger market volumes of fuel cells and tanks, while the cost of hydrogen supplied could fall by up to 40% by the same timeframe to $4.50/kg and $6/kg. Hydrogen fuel cell generators may also become viable alternatives to backup generators that use diesel or natural gas in remote locations where batteries and renewables are not viable due to suboptimal conditions. For instance, currently, hydrogen generators could save more than 40% compared to a solar plant and battery in places like Edinburgh. In a nutshell, it could take the hydrogen economy about a decade before it can fully compete with traditional fuel sources or renewables on a cost basis. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Read this article on OilPrice.com The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly set to be offered a seven figure deal to produce podcasts for Spotify. Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 39, who are currently living in their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, having officially stepped back from royal duty seeking financial independence in March. The streaming giant, which is worth 22bn, are hoping to sign the royal couple following the success of The Michelle Obama podcast, which launched last month, and has been a huge ratings hit. Sources told the Mirror that money is 'no object' for Spotify and Meghan would be able to 'more or less name her price'. Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 39, are reportedly set to be offered a seven figure deal to produce podcasts for Spotify (They are pictured on Zoom call last month) An insider said: 'The Duke and Duchess have been on their hit list for a while and a detailed proposal is set to be presented to Meghan's US agent in a matter of weeks.' Rumors of Harry and Meghan seeking to gain a foothold in Hollywood have run rampant ever since the couple announced their plans to quit as senior royals, seek financial independence and move to North America in January. The couple, who are breaking away from the monarchy to earn their own money in the US, have had to ditch using Sussex Royal as their brand name. The Sussexes already have some experience in podcasts and radio appearances. Sources said money is 'no object' for Spotify and Meghan will be able to more or less name her price'. Meghan is pictured during a visit to Brixton's Reprezent 107.3 FM in 2018 The couple's second ever engagement as a couple was a visit to Reprezent 107.3 FM in Brixton, a 24-hour underground music station. Meanwhile in 2017, Prince Harry guest edited BBC Radio 4's Today show, while has a starring role in a new Netflix documentary Rising Phoenix, which was released on Wednesday. And this week Meghan took part in an online chat with Gloria Steinem hosted by Makers Women, to discuss feminism, oppression and the importance of voting in the upcoming US election. The news that the couple may start a podcast comes after reports emerged Prince Harry and Meghan are quietly shopping a top secret project to network executives as they settle into their new life in Hollywood. Harry also has experience in TV and radio. In 2017, the father-of-one guest edited BBC Radio 4's Today show (pictured) Sources told Variety that the former royal couple began pitching their idea to 'numerous' media companies back in June, around the time that they purchased a sprawling estate in Santa Barbara. Very few details are known about the project, including the concept behind it and whether it would be a TV series or some other format. However, one source with knowledge of the idea said Harry and Meghan intend to serve as joint producers on the venture should it get picked up. The decision to work in podcasts would be another move reminiscent of former US president Barack Obama and his lawyer wife Michelle. Earlier this week Meghan took part in an online chat with Gloria Steinem hosted by Makers Women, to discuss feminism, oppression and the importance of voting in the upcoming US election In January, sources confirmed the couple had discussed their plans with the former US president and his wife and wanted to mimic the way they had managed to build a successful, but dignified, life for themselves after the White House. Since leaving the White House, the Obamas have earned a small fortune by selling rights to their autobiographies and setting up their own production company, which has bagged a lucrative deal with Netflix. A source said: They have found huge commercial success without actually looking like they are getting their hands dirty, to put it bluntly, and retaining their popularity. In fact it is fair to say that their star has soared since leaving the White House, particularly Michelles, and this is something Meghan admires very, very much. The move would be reminiscent of Michelle Obama, who has also launched a podcast on Spotify. It focused on meaningful relationships and debuted on July 29 Sources previously revealed how the duke and duchess want to follow in the footsteps of former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle After stepping down as senior members of the Firm in March, the couple signed with New York-based Harry Walker Agency in June, which represents the Obamas and the Clintons. Finding Freedom co-author Omid Scobie also claimed the couple have big plans for the next few years, and are basing their working model on the Obamas. He said their plans were 'not too dissimilar' from what the former president created after leaving the White House and setting up Higher Ground production company. He pointed to the Obama's multiyear production deal with Netflix to produce films and documentaries covering topics like race, class and civil rights. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Read more Astronaut Jeanette Epps is getting ready to shatter a long-standing glass ceiling on her way to the International Space Station. NASA announced this week that Epps will go on her first six-month expedition to the orbiting space laboratory next year, making the 49-year-old aerospace engineer of Syracuse, N.Y., the first Black woman to live and work aboard the station for a long-duration mission. She will take part in the first operational crewed flight of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner. According to the agency, NASA's Commercial Crew Program aims to "develop and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems capable of carrying crews to low-Earth orbit and to the space station." Epps will be joined by astronauts Sunita Williams and Josh Cassada. "They are both wonderful people to work with, so I'm looking forward to the mission," she said in a video shared on Twitter, adding that she is "super excited" to be part of the crew. "Jeanette is a fantastic addition to the Starliner-1 team," NASA Administrator Jim Bridestine wrote in a tweet. Epps, who has a master's degree in science and a doctorate in aerospace engineering, was scheduled to launch into space in 2018. But without providing any explanations, NASA announced on Jan. 18, 2018 that astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancellor would take her place in a June expedition. Epps was to "return to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to assume duties in the Astronaut Office and be considered for assignment to future missions," the agency said. The Washington Post reported at the time that her brother, Henry Epps, suggested that the reason behind the unexpected change in crew had been fueled by racism. "My sister Dr. Jeannette Epps has been fighting against oppressive racism and misogynist in NASA and now they are holding her back and allowing a Caucasian Astronaut to take her place!" he wrote in a since-deleted Facebook. He also linked his post to an online petition demanding the agency to return Dr. Jeanette Epps back To ISS mission. The Maharashtra unit of Congress on Sunday continued its attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning its links with film producer Sandeep Ssingh, even as the latter party refuted all allegations as fake and a bid to divert the narrative in the probe into actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death. Ssinghs name has surfaced in the Rajput death investigation. When HT called Ssingh for a comment, his phone was switched off, and he had not responded to messages till the time of going to press. State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant raised the issue of a 177-crore memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Ssingh, producer of the biopic on PM Narendra Modi, and the Gujarat government for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2019. In a series of tweets, Sawant had also alleged on Saturday that Ssingh had called the office of BJPs Maharashtra unit 53 times between September 1 and December 23 last year. Every day there are revelations linking the BJP with the Sushant Singh Rajput case, specifically the partys connection with Ssingh, who had made a biopic on PM Modi. Days after the making of this biopic, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani had signed a 177-crore MoU with Ssingh in 2019. Ssinghs company was the only one called for the MOU. As per financial statements filed by Ssinghs company, it had made a loss worth 4 lakh in 2019, said Sawant on Sunday, tweeting that BJPs blue eyed boy Ssinghs companys financials reflect a sorry story. He questioned how a loss making company was going to raise 177 crore and whether this MOU was a quid pro quo in return for making of the biopic. The truth behind this must come out, BJP must clarify. Further, days after Rajputs death, Ssingh met a state BJP leader. The party must clarify who was the leader who met Ssingh and what was discussed at this meeting, said Sawant, who had earlier written to state home minister Anil Deshmukh asking for Ssinghs drug links to be probed. Deshmukh on Saturday had said the government will ask the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct the probe. In Delhi, Congress national spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, too, raised the issue of the 53 calls made by Ssingh to the BJPs Maharashtra unit office. So, the question we ask is, who is the special person, the special protector, the special link, the special surkhsha chakra, as I said in Hindi, the special Aaka who is taking responsibility for this person? said Singhvi. The BJP has refuted the allegations as fake. BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar slammed the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Why is he [Sawant] making the allegations now. For more than two months the probe was with Mumbai Police. This is just a diversionary tactic. We have no issues if they want to probe anyone even now, said Bhatkhalkar. In a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, Bhatkhalkar claimed that someone from within the state home department and one minister had exerted pressure to hide the political-Bollywood-drug nexus in the Rajput case. Who in the state home department was acting to hide this nexus in the Rajput case and which minister exerted pressure on Mumbai Police to not call some actors for interrogation or demanded that they be asked only certain things? We have this information. I have written to the Union home minister Amit Shah to probe this, said Bhatkhalkar. Bhatkhalkar, however, did not name either the minister or the actors who the alleged person tried to shield. He also alleged that Deshmukhs tweets and initial declaration within three hours of his death that the case was one of suicide coloured the Mumbai police investigation. (With inputs from New Delhi) For the first time in its history, the Delhi Metro police have asked the headquarters for additional forces to enforce Covid-19 rules with the Centre allowing Metro train operations in a graded manner from September 7. While the Central Industrial Security Force ensures security from the checking point onwards, the Delhi Police is responsible for security from the entrance to the checking point. So, the Metro Police can also impose fines in their jurisdiction. Further, the Delhi Police is also responsible for investigating crimes that take place inside the Metro station premises or trains. We have written to the police headquarters to request eight companies of police, said Jitendra Mani Tripathi, deputy commissioner of police (Metro). Tripathi said additional forces were necessitated after repeated meetings with other Metro stakeholders the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the police forces of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It was decided that only about 200 metro station gates will be opened, out of around 900. We will have to deploy two to four police personnel at each of these stations to control the crowd, said the officer. An increased number of police personnel will also be deployed at 30 busy stations and interchanges, apart from the 23 Metro police booths, which are expected to receive a large number of complaints against passengers not wearing masks or flouting social distancing norms. We have also written to the district police to help with deployment outside Metro stations if the situation turns unruly, said Tripathi. From March 22 till mid-August, the Metro police have registered just 1,200 cases compared to about 3,000 in the corresponding period last year. A Nespresso coffee maker, a portrait of the late Brian Lenihan, wireless headsets and paintings of "something to do with Cork" were among the requests made as ministers moved into their new offices. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan's staff asked for help in turning press and constituency rooms into an office, according to emails. The wish list for the office included a ministerial desk, two soft armchairs, art and flags with holders. "I would appreciate if this could be given highest priority," said an internal email. All of the furnishings were provided from existing Office of Public Works supply, except for three floor lamps that cost a combined 535 and three desk lamps for 110. Electronic equipment for Mr Ryan cost 2,313, according to receipts, with 1,174 paid out for a Surface Pro laptop, 480 for three stereo headsets, and 60 for three mini-cameras. Another 2,665 was paid out for devices for Hildegarde Naughton, which included 480 for three headsets and a Surface Pro for 1,174. The Department of Public Expenditure said it had provided a range of computer and mobile equipment for their ministers but would not disclose the prices paid. Department of Public Expenditure staff also asked for new paintings for the office of Minister Michael McGrath as the existing artwork was being removed. "Is there any chance they [the OPW] might have two they could bring in to replace them - maybe something to do with Cork?" The OPW suggested four pictures by various artists. "I'm sorry, none of the art work is suitable," came the response. McGrath's staff also looked for a portrait of the late Brian Lenihan Jr. In the Department of the Taoiseach the art choices were more straightforward, with a portrait of Eamon de Valera and a smaller drawing of Countess Markievicz requested. Micheal Martin was also provided with an iPad Pro 11, which cost 1,443. At the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, a handful of new items was bought for ministers. Catherine Martin received a Samsung Galaxy phone costing 115 with a monthly tariff of 43, while 270 was spent on a headset. Staff also asked for a number of specific items for the office of Minister of State Colm Brophy in the Department of Foreign Affairs. This included a coffee machine and a replacement carpet. An email from his private secretary said she wanted to follow up on requests: "The provision of a coffee machine - Nespresso Vertuo is the Minister's preference." The Department of Agriculture said it spent just over 4,200 on new equipment for Barry Cowen and Dara Calleary. Together they served just 57 days in office. Toronto Coun. John Filion has been diagnosed with West Nile virus. Filion, a former chair of Torontos Board of Health and Councillor for Willowdale, made the diagnosis public on Twitter and in his e-newsletter, and confirmed it by telephone. The disease is usually borne by mosquito bite and has been in Toronto for more than 20 years. Symptoms include rashes, swollen lymph glands, nausea and vomiting, headaches and fever. Last week, Toronto Public Health reported the first confirmed case of West Nile virus in Toronto while in 2019 there were nine laboratory-confirmed human cases and 10 positive mosquito tests. In his newsletter, Filion said he first noted symptoms Aug. 17. I woke with an extreme case of double vision, quickly followed by an extremely high temperature and very high blood pressure, he wrote. This led me to Michael Garron Hospital, where I was admitted and sent for a battery of tests. After more than a week, I got the surprising result: West Nile virus. Reached at home, Filion declined to speak on the record but confirmed what he wrote in his newsletter: he is resting at home as the more serious symptoms have subsided. I am now at home dealing with the main remaining one: extreme fatigue, said Filion, who wrote that the rare occurrence of the disease should serve as a reminder, as most peoples attention is on preventing the spread of COVID-19. It is a very random thing that the mosquito found me, but mine is a cautionary tale that you cant be too careful about protecting yourself outdoors, he said. Filion had high praise for the physicians at Michael Garron, who were able to make the West Nile diagnosis because they kept testing for everything until they hit on the right one even though the original symptoms did not entirely match. Toronto Public Health recommends that in the summer months people remember to wear insect repellent and light-coloured clothing, pants and long-sleeved shirts to prevent being bitten by infected mosquitoes. David Nickle is a reporter and columnist for Metroland Media Toronto, who specializes in municipal politics. All 32 accused in the Babri masjid demolition case are likely to file their written reply on Monday in the special CBI court (Ayodhya case) here. Surendra Kumar Yadav, judge, CBI court, had set August 31 deadline for the accused to file their reply. The CBI court had set August 31 deadline for filing reply in the case. On Monday, we will file the replies, said lawyer KK Mishra, who is representing 25 of the 32 accused, including senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh. The apex courts deadline for pronouncement of judgment in the case was to expire on August 31 but the court recently extended the deadline by a month till September 30. All the accused have already submitted their written arguments in the case, which is in its final stage. Also, all 351 witnesses of the prosecution have appeared before the CBI court. President Trump will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, following days of protests in the city over the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake, the White House announced on Saturday. Trump will meet with 'law enforcement and survey damage from recent riots', White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters aboard Air Force One. He did not say if the president will meet the family of Blake, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot multiple times in the back by police officers on August 23. The visit is certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is also set to travel to an undisclosed location on Monday to 'condemn violence, and to note that chaos has unfolded' on Trump's watch, the New York Times reported. While detail's of Biden's travel plans are not yet known, some have speculated that he could be headed to Kenosha as well. Trump (pictured on Saturday) will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to 'meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent riots', the White House said Protesters march with the family of Jacob Blake during a rally against racism and police brutality in Kenosha on Saturday Trump has been running his reelection campaign on a law-and-order mantle, denouncing protesters as 'thugs' while voicing his support for police. He has also repeatedly offered to send in the National Guard or federal assistance to quell the unrest. Blake, 29, took at least half a dozen shots in the back in front of his small children as he tried to get into his car last Sunday, in an incident that triggered an outpouring of anger over yet another shooting of a black man by white police. During the rally against police brutality and racism on Saturday, his father, Jacob Blake Sr, called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests before a tense calm set in the past three nights. 'Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing,' he told a gathering at a park that was the hub of protests in support of his son, Jacob Blake Jr. 'Stop it. Show 'em for one night we don't have to tear up nothing.' The shooting of Blake has turned the mostly white city of 100,000 people south of Milwaukee into the latest flashpoint in a summer of nationwide demonstrations against police brutality and racism. Blake, who is a father of six, has been left paralyzed after cops shot him multiple times in the back as he entered his car last Sunday Jacob Blake's father pleaded for peace during a rally at Civic Center Park in Kenosha on Saturday Blake will likely participate via video from his hospital room in a court hearing next week about criminal charges that predated the shooting, his lawyer told Reuters on Saturday, adding he would plead not guilty. Anger at Blake's shooting, captured on video that went viral, led to street skirmishes; protesters hurled firecrackers and bricks at police in riot gear who fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets. On Tuesday night a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, and two of them died. In Kenosha on Saturday, people painted messages of unity on boards protecting storefronts after many businesses were burned to the ground in arson attacks and vandalism. People march in support of Jacob Blake and his family to the Kenosha County Courthouse on Saturday Residents hoped calm would hold for a fourth night as protesters, some wearing 'Justice for Jacob' masks, spoke about the need for racial justice. The 17-year-old suspect in Tuesday night's killings, Kyle Rittenhouse, surrendered to police on Wednesday near his home in Illinois close to the Wisconsin border. Kenosha officials have been criticized for videos showing law enforcement agents giving him water before the burst of violence and acting chummy with armed militia men in the streets. Trump has repeatedly condemned the protests that have rocked the country since the death of George Floyd in May, as he presses a law and order message while fighting an uphill battle for re-election in November. The president has not specifically commented on Rittenhouse or Blake. News of Trump's Kenosha visit caused a stir on Twitter as users said it would likely incite more violence in the city. 'Last thing needed right now, Trump coming in to politically capitalize on police violence and the protests against it,' one man wrote. 'He wants to bask in the misery and chaos. He wants to make it somehow about him and how he's the hero. And he wants to revel in the pain,' another wrote. One person tweeted a cartoon of Trump as a gas canister giving a speech to a crowd of unlit matches, writing: 'Trump will arrive to ensure the fighting continues and worsens.' Another user questioned: 'Optics not withstanding, am I the only one who feels this is a bad idea? I see no scenario where @realDonaldTrump going heals wounds. 'I so hope I'm wrong. We're on the edge of a #CivilWar. I hope he goes as peacemaker.' A few critics called for Trump to cancel the visit altogether - while others tweeted at Biden and Harris asking them to show up in Kenosha as well. News of Trump's Kenosha visit caused a stir on Twitter as users said it would likely incite more violence in the city A few critics called for Trump to cancel the visit altogether - while others tweeted at Biden and Harris asking them to show up in Kenosha as well It's possible that Biden could be on his way to Wisconsin, as a source familiar with his plans told the Times he's traveling somewhere on Monday to address violence. The report came as Biden spoke to the National Guard Association of America in a virtual meeting on Saturday. 'You've been called out to help keep the peace as the country continues to struggle and overcome our racial justice crisis,' the former vice president said, noting the National Guard had been deployed to Kenosha. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is also set to travel to an undisclosed location on Monday to 'condemn violence, and to note that chaos has unfolded' on Trump's watch Biden also took aim at Trump, saying: 'I promise you, as president, I'll never put you in the middle of politics or personal vendettas. I'll never use the military as a prop or as a private militia to violate rights of fellow citizens. That's not law and order. You don't deserve that.' Monday's trip could be a sign that the Biden campaign is worried about losing ground on the issue of law and order. Biden mentioned the Rittenhouse shooting in an interview with CNN last week, saying: 'I don't know enough to know whether that 17-year-old kid, exactly what he did. 'Allegedly he's part of a militia coming out in the state of Illinois. Have you ever heard the president say one negative thing about white supremacists? Have you ever heard it?' While Trump has not said anything about Rittenhouse, his son Donald Trump Jr appeared to show support for the gunman by retweeting a post calling him 'a good example of why I decided to vote for Trump'. 'Violent extremists were destroying people's lives for months, 30 people were killed. Democrats rejected Federal assistance every time Trump offered it. Media lied about Trump deploying "secret police,"' read the tweet originally posted by journalist Tim Pool. 'Finally some kid from a nearby town, about 20 minutes drive, decides to go up and protect businesses and offer medical support to people, even the rioters. He was threatened and shot at.' A criminal complaint released following Rittenhouse's arrest did not confirm whether he was shot at. His victims were reportedly unarmed. BENGALURU: BJP Karnataka state unit President Nalin Kumar Kateel on Sunday (August 30) said he has tested positive for COVID-19 but was asyomptomatic. "I underwent COVID-19 test and the reports have come out as positive. Despite being asymptomatic, on the advice of the doctors, I'm getting hospitalised," Kateel, also a member of Lok Sabha from Dakshina Kannada constituency, tweeted. Expressing confidence that with the blessings and good wishes from everyone he will recover and get back soon, the 53-year-old requested all those who had come in contact with him to be cautious. Kateel, who recently completed one year in the party post, has been travelling across the state and holding meetings at several districts strengthening the organisation. Earlier several senior politicians in the state including Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, Congress state President D K Shivakumar had tested positive for coronavirus. While Yediyurappa and Siddaramaiah have been discharged, Shivakumar is undergoing treatment. Several ministers of the state government, also legislators have tested positive and are under medication. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has called on stakeholders to join the fight against human trafficking and its related issues in the country. The call was made by Mrs Abena Annobea Asare, Head of Human Trafficking Department at the Ministry in the commemoration of this year's International Day against trafficking of persons (Blue Day) at Komenda. She said poverty was no excuse for people to look on for human trafficking to thrive in our communities at the peril of the lives of the victims. Mrs Asare revealed that human trafficking occurred in different forms and appealed to parents to prioritize their children's protection. She urged stakeholders to help educate young people against rushing out to chase non-existing employment opportunities outside the country, which mostly ended up being sold into slavery. Mrs. Florence Ayisi Quartey, the Acting Director of the Department of Children said the welfare of children must be considered paramount adding that they must be protected at all times. She tasked parents to provide the basic needs of their wards to help reduce the temptation to depend on fraudsters who will eventually traffic them into slavery. Mrs Quartey also appealed to religious and traditional leaders to support young people struggling to earn a living in their various communities to help curb the situation. Mrs. Benedicta Aba Mends, the Komenda- Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development who spoke on 'Combating Human Trafficking in Ghana', urged parents to educate their wards on the effects of teenage pregnancies. Know the movement and activities of your child, advise them on unprotected sex, and also provide their needs. Mr. Abbey Francis, a participant urged the Ministry to establish a coalition of chiefs and heads of clans in various communities against human trafficking to support the efforts of the Ministry in combating the menace. He also urged parents to pay attention to what their children watch on their phones during this era of COVID-19 as they may be exposed to sexual materials on social media. GNA New Delhi With dates for the Joint Entrance Examination, or JEE (Main), for admission to top engineering schools and the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical and dental courses approaching, the Centre has written to state governments seeking their support for the conduct of the exams in which over 2.5 million students will appear across the country. In a letter addressed to chief secretaries of all states, Union higher education secretary Amit Khare has sought the unstinted support of all states and Union territories for successful conduct of JEE, NEET and other tests by the National Testing Agency, an autonomous body under the education ministry. The JEE (Main) exam, on the basis of which admission to top engineering schools including the elite Indian Institutes of Technology is decided, is due to be held from September 1 to 6. NEET is scheduled to take place on September 30. Scheduling of the two examinations at a time when the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic is still raging has triggered concern among some students, parents and educationists, but the Centre has dismissed worries and said all requisite precautions will be taken in conducting the tests. In the letter, a copy of which was seen by HT, Khare also referred to the Supreme Court ruling on the matter, and that the future of the students cannot be put in peril and a full academic year cannot be wasted. The top education ministry official said Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Vineet Joshi, the director general of the National Testing Agency, had also written to states seeking their support in the conduct of these exams. Precautions include adequate police protection at each exam venue, he said. The education secretary asked the chief secretaries of all states to issue suitable instructions so that the exams can be conducted smoothly. Significantly, on Sunday, Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank also sought the support of all stakeholders in the smooth conduct of the exams. Pokhriyal said there had been attempts to spread misinformation on the issue, adding that this is a subject that shouldnt be politicised . Xinjiang debunks accusations of 'birth-control' measures on Uygurs Global Times By Liu Xin and Fan Lingzhi Source: Global Times Published: 2020/8/29 18:50:40 The population of the Uygur ethnic group in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has increased from 10.17 million to 12.71 million during the period from 2010 to 2018, showing a higher growth rate than other ethnic minorities in the data of the entire region, a Xinjiang regional government spokesperson told a press conference on Saturday, in refuting German "scholar" Adrian Zenz's accusations of Xinjiang restricting its Uygur population. Xinjiang's total population from 2010 to 2018 has increased - the number of permanently registered residents rose from 21.81 million to 24.87 million. Among them, the population of ethnic minority groups had increased from 12.99 million to 15.86 million. The Uygur population had further risen by 2.54 million over the eight-year period, showing the highest growth rate in the region, Tursunay AbuduRhym, an official from the Xinjiang Regional Statistics Bureau, told a press conference on Saturday. The official said that German "scholar" Adrian Zenz's so-called research report claiming that "Xinjiang's natural population growth has declined dramatically" and that "Xinjiang has suppressed the birthrates of Uygurs" are against academic research principles and serve to twist the reality in Xinjiang. Zenz, who has been honored as a "leading expert of China's Xinjiang" by Western media outlets and has been exposed as a right-wing Christian fundamentalist "led only by God" against China, released his new "research" piece on Xinjiang regarding a more sensational topic in June - birth control, in which he accused the Chinese government of using mass sterilization, IUDs and mandatory birth control measures to suppress Uygur birth rates. To debunk the rumors created by Zenz and hyped up further by some Western media outlets, and to also clarify regulations on family planning policy in Xinjiang, the regional government held a press conference on Saturday. Mutalip Roz, director of the Xinjiang regional health commission, told the press conference that Xinjiang began to implement family planning policy in 1975 and that the regional government has always adopted lenient policies toward ethnic minorities. According to "Measures on Family Planning of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region" that was published in 1992, urban Han couples could have only one child whereas rural Han couples could have two; however, urban ethnic minorities can have two children whereas those in rural areas can have three. In 2017, Xinjiang revised its population and family planning regulations, granting the same policy to all ethnic groups, including Han: Urban couples can have two children, rural couples can have three. "As can be seen, the family planning policy was implemented toward ethnic minorities 17 years later than the Han people, and still with more leniency compared to other Chinese provinces," Mutalip said. Xinjiang regional government spokesperson Eljan Anayt also debunked the lies from some "actresses" that were cited by Zenz in his report. For example, Zumrat Dawut was quoted by Zenz as saying that after her release from the education and training center, she was forced to be sterilized and have her uterus removed because she gave birth to more than two children. Actually, Zumrat has never studied in any education and training center, and her fifth brother Abduhelil Dawut had clarified this fact in a previous interview with the Global Times. Eljan noted that in March 2013, Zumrat gave birth to her third child in Urumqi's Maternal and Child Care Service Center and voluntary signed a childbirth consent form, firmly requesting "to have a caesarean section and tubal ligation," and then the center conducted the operation as required. She was never sterilized, not to mention ever had her "uterus removed." Another "actress," Mihrigul Tursun, claimed that she was forced to take unknown drugs which led to irregular bleeding and reduced menstrual cycles when she was in an education and training center. She went on to claim further that she was confirmed as having been "sterilized" by US doctors. Eljan said that Mihrigul was detained on April 21, 2017 for inciting ethnic hatred and discrimination by the public security bureau (PSB) in Qiemo county. As Mihrigul had many infectious diseases including syphilis, the county PSB withdrew coercive measures toward her out of humanitarian considerations on May 10, 2017. Another investigation shows that there had been no record confirming her receiving any contraceptive operation, and her parents have said she is fertile. The "actress" Tursunay Zinavdin claimed that the tubal legation she was forced to have was conducted in an irreversible way. However, an investigation found that she had never taken any contraceptive measures. Tursunay Zinavdin has been married twice, with her first marriage ending in divorce with her ex-husband Tursunjan Ahmetjan objecting to her infertility. She had no child with her present husband either. Her so-called biological daughter is actually the daughter of her present husband's niece. "We'd like to remind friends who care about Xinjiang that you may toss the reports that are related to those 'actresses' into the dustbin once you see them because they are fake news," Eljan said. As for Zenz's accusations of Xinjiang "forcing" ethnic minority women to take IUD or other contraceptive measures, Mutalip said that these are "scandalous remarks with a malicious purpose." The official noted that in Xinjiang, illegal medical practices like late pregnancy induced labor, compulsory birth control and forced pregnancy tests are banned. People of all ethnic groups are free to choose whether or not to have contraception and how to practice it with no organization or individual intervening. Xinjiang regional government spokesperson Eljan also refuted rumors of people being sent to training centers for violating family planning policies or refusing to pay for social maintenance fees. In response to Zenz' claims that in order to find people violating the family planning policy, Xinjiang has carried out extensive physical examinations, Mutalip said that "this is another ridiculous lie." Since 2016, Xinjiang has carried out the project of free physical examinations on residents with the purpose of assisting people of all ethnic groups to receive early treatment in case they have any diseases. "There is no such evidence of using health checkups to punish or force birth control measures on those who violate the family planning policy," Mutalip said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Angola, Africas second-largest oil producer after Nigeria, will need foreign and government investments to discover up to 57 billion barrels of crude oil by 2025, according to a new energy strategy reported by state news agency ANGOP. Angolas plan includes foreign investment of US$679 million as well as US$188 million investment by the Angolan state, the news agency said. Angolas new oil and gas strategy to boost production comes a week after the countrys upstream regulator ANPG issued its forecast for oil production from existing fields, which showed that after peaking in 2008 at nearly 2 million bpd, Angolas oil production would average 1.28 million bpd in 2020, and continuously decline as oilfields mature, to just above 500,000 bpd by 2028, if no new discoveries are made. OPEC producer Angola has suffered a steady production decline over the past decade, especially after the oil price crash of 2014, because older fields were maturing while prohibitive costs offshore Angola drove upstream investment away. This year, just after Italys Eni started up the Agogo oilfield only nine months after its discovery, the pandemic and the oil price crash deferred exploration drilling everywhere, including in Angola. Apart from Eni, Frances Total has also been active offshore Angola in recent years, planning to drill an ultra-deepwater well off the coast of Angola that will be the deepest in the world. The campaign, which began in January 2020, was estimated to last 240 days, said Maersk Drilling, whose drillship Maersk Voyager was set to drill the deepest well ever drilled offshore. However, the pandemic halted drilling activities for several months. Olivier Jouny, Managing Director of Total Exploration & Production Angola, told Africa Oil & Power last week that Maersk Voyager was due to restart drilling at the end of August. We are now ramping-up our activities offshore and will restart drilling wells, perform seismic acquisitions and non-routine production and maintenance operations on both Block 17 and 32, Jouny said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: It is "absolutely devastating" that two young men who served in the Royal Irish have taken their own lives in the last few weeks, an Assembly member said today. Brett Savage turned 19 while serving in Iraq and was there at the siege of Musa Qala, a 55-day fire fight with the Taliban. Mr Savage, who spoke out about the trauma this had caused him, took his own life this last weekend. Mr Beattie commanded both Mr Savage and Alex Browne, who took his own life on July 12. "The loss of these two young men so close together is absolutely devastating," said Mr Beattie, a Military Cross recipient who served in the British Army for 28 years. "I feel it personally, these are people I served with so I feel the loss deeply. They received support but the demons overcame them." He added that the two deaths made the new Veterans Commissioner's job even more important. Secretary of State Brandon Lewis announced last week the appointment of former MP and Army veteran Danny Kinahan as the first to hold the position in Northern Ireland. Expand Close Brett Savage from the Royal Irish / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brett Savage from the Royal Irish Advocates for veterans say there are many agencies, including non-profits, that are set up to help veterans, but accessing them is sometimes confusing. After a documentary released in April, in which Mr Savage revealed the problems and trauma he suffered following his tours of duty, the 31-year-old thanked all those involved in the film, including his support group, Newtownards-headquartered Beyond the Battlefield. He thanked people, including chairman Robert McCartney and chief executive Annemarie Hastings "for everything they have done and are still doing for they have made my life far better", and "how they been there and still are there for me and will never give up on me". They helped him get off the streets and into a home. In the documentary, Mr Savage spoke about his time in Iraq, about how he saw "intestines all hanging out like a pile of sausages, seen a lot of stuff, seen a lot of things". After his return, the young man hit the "drink, drugs, you name it" and told how he was homeless, slept in his car and was "near enough living in a tent up the mountains". "Cannot do butchers, remains are too much, smell of meat is horrible, not in a good place sometimes," Brett said. "Sound, fireworks are a nightmare for me... even a car going over a grating." He told of his problems with the police, paramilitaries, and drug dealers, and how he did not even need to be in the Army for his life to be in danger. He also spoke of his dreams. "Get a van, like a camper sort of thing, and just go off travelling, something to get away, see this life," he said. "Sometimes it feels lonelier living in a house. I have lost a lot of contact with my friends... sitting here, in my house, on my own, it's like, what life is that? "That's why I want to drive around, see different things, see what is out there". Mr McCartney told the Belfast News Letter that around 300-450 veterans from Northern Ireland attempt suicide every year, and at least a couple of dozen succeed. "But what you cannot take into consideration, which is the main problem that we have, is death by self-infliction, that is by alcohol, prescription drugs, and non-prescription drugs," Mr McCartney said. He also noted that Northern Ireland makes up only 3% of the UK population but supplies 7% of the armed forces personnel, and 15% of them have been in battle in the past 10 years. Srinagar, Aug 30 : A soldier was killed in action on Sunday after Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violation at the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. The ceasefire violation took place in Nowshera sector, the Army said, adding that troops responded strongly to the enemy fire. In the incident, Naib Subedar Rajwinder Singh was critically injured and later died. OTTAWA, Aug. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Afghanistan war which has been ongoing for almost two decades has a final chance to come to a peaceful end. The truth is that this war has not been won by any group; internal nor foreign. In February 2020, the USA and Taliban formally signed an agreement to put an end to the conflict in Afghanistan between the two forces. This peace-war analysis is written by Meladul Haq Ahmadzai, CEO of Taleam Systems based in Canada. The credit should now go to the people who sacrificed their lives in the war. They served to protect humanity. Millions of widows are now counting on the non-profit organizations in Afghanistan to help them because the government is unable. Real peace and stability will pave the way for much needed support to be delivered to these vulnerable people. While the discussion today is about bringing peace, but simultaneously there needs to be debates on how to best help the people. The people want education, healthcare and jobs. Yes, peace will come to Afghanistan as the agreement between Taliban forces and American government is now signed, but still the foreign military has yet to leave the soil which is doubting the peace efforts undertaken by Afghan government. Today, Afghanistan is working for friendly relations with Pakistan, India and Iran, but tensions with Iran and Pakistan have reached climax for Afghanistan since there has been increased killings on the border line and drowning of migrants. To conclude, Afghanistan people want real peace and stability. How and when that can happen is when foreign forces fully withdraw from Afghan soil. US President Donald Trump said that all American forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by early next year. This is the longest combat mission for the American people. Media contact: Meladul Haq Ahmadzai CEO, Taleam Systems Phone: 613-521-9229 Liberty Us campus pastor apologizes to students for shameful Jerry Falwell Jr. scandal Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment David Nasser, Liberty Universitys campus pastor and senior vice president of the schools office of spiritual development, apologized Wednesday night to students for the shameful sex scandal involving the institutions former president, Jerry Falwell Jr., saying that they deserved much better than this. This, this moment that were in is a mess. Let me begin by saying to you I am sorry. In my opinion, you as a liberty student deserve better and the embarrassment thats been brought upon you as a Liberty student and more importantly brought upon the name of Christ is wrong. I know that many of you are hurting and that breaks my heart. Your concerns, if youre concerned, are valid. If youre not concerned, you should be concerned, Nasser said during a Campus Community event. You and your family have worked hard to pay for a Christian education and this wasnt what you signed up for. I heard from one of you that you hesitated wearing your Liberty T-shirt this summer because you did not want the more recent baggage that came with it and it just shouldnt have been that way so let me be the first to say to you if no one else has and to personally apologize and say I am sorry not on behalf of anybody else but me. The Board of Trustees of Liberty University, one of the largest evangelical Christian universities in the world, announced Tuesday that they had accepted Falwells resignation effective immediately after he and his wife, Rebecca, were implicated in a sex scandal Monday. The resignation comes after a tumultuous weekend for Falwell, during which it was first revealed on Sunday that his wife had an affair with former pool boy Giancarlo Granda, 29, which began eight years ago. Granda allegedly later attempted to blackmail the couple. Falwell said he was shocked to learn about his wifes affair, but Granda contradicted that claim Monday when he said he had engaged in the affair with Falwells knowledge and provided audio he said is evidence supporting his claim. Becki and I developed an intimate relationship and Jerry enjoyed watching from the corner of the room, Granda told Reuters. He claimed his liaisons with Rebecca Falwell were frequent happening multiple times per year noting that they would meet at hotels in Miami, New York, and the Falwells home in Virginia. In a statement he published on Twitter Tuesday night, Granda further slammed Falwell and his wife as liars, noting that Falwell abused his position of authority at the Christian university and even sent him a photo of a female Liberty University student exposing herself. Nasser noted that Liberty University is Gods college and as our founder always said, if its Christian, it ought to be better, certainly better than this. He explained that a year ago at this time, the office of spiritual development at Liberty University had grown to become perhaps the most diverse office in all of the university and explained that it was intentional. All of that work was upended this summer, however, when several African-American staff members left the school this summer. The black staffers, as well as black student-athletes, left the Lynchburg, Virginia-based university in the wake of Falwells decision earlier this year to mock Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Twitter with a mask that depicted racist imagery from Northam's medical school yearbook page. Falwell was protesting a mandate requiring Virginia residents wear face coverings in public during the coronavirus pandemic and argued in the now deleted tweet that he would only wear a mask if it featured a photo from the governors medical school yearbook page, which showed a man wearing a Ku Klux Klan robe and another man in blackface. Nasser said he wept as a result of the fallout from the incident and took time to honor all the athletes who chose to remain at Liberty on Wednesday while describing the string of incidents that led to Falwells exit as shameful. We still believe in the God-given vision that was given to us in 1979 and together we're going to make sure we are on Gods path to accomplish this vision more than ever before, he said. Houses for poor will be built in every city on the land freed from the mafia: Yogi 20 Jan 2022 | 11:23 PM Lucknow, Jan 20(UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday assured that houses will be constructed for the poor and dalits on the land freed from the mafia in every urban body of the state, adding that the work has already started in Prayagraj. He also said that the Anti-Land Mafia Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Government is active and action will be taken by marking such land under every urban body. see more.. RLD announces candidates for two seats 20 Jan 2022 | 11:12 PM Lucknow, Jan 20 (UNI) Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which is contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) announced its candidates for Rampur Maniharan and Bijnor seats here on Thursday. see more.. Kashmir village is India's first to inoculate all children 20 Jan 2022 | 11:07 PM Srinagar, Jan 20 (UNI) A remote snowbound hamlet in Kashmirs Bandipora district- Weyan- has become the first village in the country where the entire population from the age group of 15 years and above has been vaccinated against CoVID-19, health officials in Kashmir said on Thursday. see more.. Digvijaya to stage dharna 20 Jan 2022 | 10:59 PM Bhopal, Jan 20 (UNI) Rajya Sabha Member Digvijaya Singh announced on Thursday that he would stage a sit-in on Friday in front of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence to highlight the plight of submergence-affected people vis-a-vis the Tem and Suthaliya projects. I sought time for a discussion and was informed on Wednesday by the Chief Ministers Office that a meeting has been scheduled at 1115 hrs on Friday. However, on this day I was told that the interaction stands cancelled owing to Mr Chouhans busy schedule. This is not proper, the erstwhile chief minister conveyed via social media. see more.. The BBC's new director-general will clamp down on presenters making money by hosting corporate events and restrain their use of social media, it has been reported. Tim Davie, who takes over on Tuesday, is said to be planning to 'shame' stars out of taking controversial jobs and moonlighting for international companies by forcing them to declare the earnings publicly alongside their six-figure salaries. He will also allegedly be taking an iron fist to the broadcaster's social media policy and reminding employees, including the highest paid, that they cannot post what they like. The expected move is believed to be part of Davies vision of putting impartiality at the heart of the BBC and ensuring it is worthy of the expensive 157.50 annual licence fee. It follows accusations the broadcaster has become a victim of 'woke group-think' and the broadcast station for Black Lives Matter. Incoming BBC director-general Tim Davie is said to be planning a big shake-up when he starts his role at the corporation on Tuesday He will reportedly crack down on presenters taking extra work. Naga Munchetty was criticised after she agreed to appear in a corporate video for Aston Martin last month A source close to Davies told the Sunday Times: 'Tim sees impartiality as the cornerstone of the BBC. 'We need to think about whether there are things that happen with outside interests and on social media that can erode trust and confidence.' Another added: 'Outside work causes BBC managers major headaches and often they'll turn a blind eye. I've always thought it could be our version of the MPs' expenses scandal.' BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty, the North America editor Jon Sopel, Question Time host Fiona Bruce and business editor Simon Jack have all been criticised for taking top ups to their hefty salaries. They are all required to request approval from line managers before taking on extra work outside the corporation. Jon Sopel, North America editor, was slammed last year for speaking at a tobacco conference Davie will take over from Tony Hall (left) on Tuesday and make his maiden speech on Thursday Former No 10 adviser launches a TV rival to 'woke wet BBC' A former Downing Street adviser is behind a secret new project to set up an impartial television news channel to rival the crisis-hit BBC, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Sir Robbie Gibb who was a senior BBC executive before becoming Theresa Mays director of communications at No 10 is spearheading a drive to raise funds for GB News. The 24-hour station, due to launch early next year, aims to capitalise on growing discontent over the BBC, with sources describing it as an antidote to the woke, wet Corporation. The BBC has been rocked by a series of controversies over whats seen as its politically correct agenda, culminating in public outrage over its decision last week to perform Land Of Hope And Glory and Rule Britannia without their patriotic lyrics at the Last Night Of The Proms. Advertisement Munchetty, who earns up to 195,000-a-year, was warned last month that she faced a 'conflict of interest' after appearing in a corporate video for crisis-hit car maker Aston Martin. She is believed to have earned up to 10,000 for the gig where she questioned the company's vice-president Peter Freedman on how workers are being 'protected' despite the pandemic. Aston Martin made 500 redundancies in June. Sopel, who earns 240,000, was attacked by health campaigners last year after he was paid to address executives at the tobacco giant Philip Morris's staff conference in Miami. Newsnight's policy editor Lewis Goodall came under pressure when he was accused of 'off the scale' bias for writing for a Left-wing magazine attacking the government's handling of the exam crisis. Goodall claimed his article looked at the handling of exams by all political parties. Davies is also set to address allegations of bias levelled at the corporation in his maiden speech on Thursday, after Lord Hall stands aside. The Sunday Telegraph says he will touch on the findings of an internal review by former director of Global News Richard Sambrook, which raised concerns about a 'small minority' of journalsits working for the corporation whose conduct online had triggered complaints. A source told the newspaper last night: 'Tim buys into the idea of impartiality properly and you are going to hear a lot more about that in the coming months.' A second added: 'It would be surprising if an incoming director general did not set out his broad aims and objectives when he takes over the reigns. It would be surprising if he did not touch on the issue of impartiality, given it is such a live issue.' Newsnight Policy editor Lewis Goodall came under pressure when he was accused of 'off the scale' bias for writing an article critical of the government in a left-wing magazine As many as 14 Conservative MPs have written to the corporation to call on it to fulfil its role of being impartial. The government previously boycotted BBC Radio 4's Today programme amid allegations of bias. BBC's new director general Tim Davie 'is considering reversing decision not to sing Rule Britannia! at Last Night of the Proms' insiders say By Katie Feehan for MailOnline The BBC's new director general is considering reversing the decision not to sing Rule Britannia! at the Last Night of the Proms, it has been reported. Tim Davie, who takes over on Tuesday, is understood to believe his predecessor Lord Tony Hall's move wreaked 'terrible damage' to the BBC, insiders have told the Sun. The Last Night of the Proms has been hit with controversy surrounding the BBC's decision to remove the lyrics from Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory after critics claimed the patriotic anthems were 'racist'. Classical-music enthusiasts have to watch the show from their sofas this year due to coronavirus restrictions as performers remained spaced out in a socially-distanced arrangement. The BBC's incoming director general Tim Davie is understood to be considering reversing the unpopular decision to perform Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory without lyrics Ex-marketing executive Davie could immediately change the policy on not singing the lyrics at this year's Proms when he takes up the role this week. An insider told the Sun: 'Tim's immediate priority will be to undo the terrible damage done by Tony. 'Tim has a chance to do a big, crowd-pleasing U-turn on a policy that is wildly unpopular. 'Tim has already insisted on an announcement making clear that Rule Britannia will be sung at next year's Proms.' As it stands, the patriotic songs will be played by an orchestra only on September 12, supposedly because the lack of an audience will diminish their impact. God Save the Queen and Jerusalem will still be played in full at the event, led by Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska, 35, which will take place without an audience and with limited performers. Two thirds of voters in an exclusive Daily Mail poll wanted the 157.50 television charge scrapped and 59 per cent believed the BBC was wrong over the Rule Britannia singing row Critics have accused outgoing BBC boss Lord Tony Hall, pictured, of 'walking into a completely unnecessary and absurd row about culture' after the decision about the Proms was announced The 1902 lyrics of Land of Hope and Glory are associated with Cecil Rhodes the British imperialist whose statue is being removed from an Oxford college. The decision to use instrumental versions of the patriotic anthems for the summer festival has drawn widespread anger - with staff at the corporation also venting their frustration at bosses' apparent submission to 'woke' activists who find the anthems offensive. One senior insider said: 'This is another example of the BBC walking into a completely unnecessary and absurd row about culture. 'It makes a lot of us despair when this kind of thing happens again and again. 'There's lots of things you can say about both of the songs and they are not up to the minute. But that's the case with 99 per cent of our culture one way or the other.' And ex-BBC chairman Michael Grade launched a blistering attack on the corporation, calling the decision 'idiotic' and a 'ghastly mistake' by bosses who have 'lost touch' with the British public. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week opposed the BBC's decision. He said: 'I think it's time we stopped our cringing embarrassment about our history.' The 1902 lyrics of Land of Hope and Glory traditionally performed are associated with Cecil Rhodes the British imperialist whose statue is being removed from an Oxford college The compromise was drawn up after incoming director general Tim Davie - who takes over on 1 September - intervened to insist both Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory were performed in some form. It comes as an exclusive Daily Mail poll reveals growing public discontent with the broadcaster. Two thirds of voters want the 157.50 television charge scrapped and 59 per cent believe the BBC was wrong over the Rule Britannia singing row. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Female fund managers, who remain woefully under-represented in the US Mutual Fund industry, have done a better job picking stocks than their male counterparts in 2020, Bloomberg reported. According to data compiled by Goldman Sachs Group, among 500 large-cap US mutual funds, those with at least one-third manager posts held by women have exceeded those with no women by 1 percentage point this year. The gender difference hardly had any impact on fund performance in the previous three years, Bloomberg reported. The woman-managed funds benefitted from their liking towards tech shares, which are on an upswing since the outbreak of COVID-19, with the S&P 500 IT index gaining 58 percent so far in 2020. Their investment in electric carmaker Tesla, which has soared over 400 percent this year against S&P 500's gain of 10 percent, has helped them increase their lead. On the other hand, male managers favoured financial stock which has been the second-worst performing sector on S&P 500, down 3.84 percent in 2020. "Even after adjusting for risk, female-managed funds have outperformed their counterparts amid the pandemic-related market swings," said Goldman strategists led by David Kostin in a note to clients. The note said the tech sector is the largest source of disagreement between female-managed and all other large-cap mutual funds". Only 3 percent of the mutual funds tracked by Goldman have an all-female fund manager team, collectively managing just 2 percent of total assets. In contrast, 77 percent are managed by an all-male team, with these funds accounting for 57 percent of assets. Amid a hostile situation on its borders with China and Pakistan, India on Saturday decided not to take part in a multilateral strategic command post exercise in Russia next month in which its two neighbours were also participating. An Indian military contingent was to take part in "Kavkaz 2020" ("Caucasus 2020"), exercise next month where various countries, including China and Pakistan, were participants. The Indian government on Saturday decided it would not take part in the exercise. It stated, "...in view of the pandemic and consequent difficulties in the exercise, including arrangements of logistics, India has decided not to send a contingent this year to Kavkaz-2020. The same has been informed to the Russian side." The government reiterated that Russia and India are close and privileged strategic partners. The exercise in Astrakhan region of south Russia between September 15 and 26 would witness the participation of over 12,500 troops, including from Russia. China is sending an army contingent, and also a naval deployment of three ships to the exercise. The aim and scope of the exercise is improving cooperation. The idea is for militaries to prepare for joint action with units of armies of foreign states. Apart from India's fellow Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members China, Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the other counties participating were Mongolia, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Belarus, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Contingents from Abkhazia, and South Osetia, which are partially recognised by states by Russia and a few other nations, will also be present. The exercise comes amid an over three-month-long standoff between India and China at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Despite several levels of dialogue, there has not been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues. There have been several clashes between troops of both sides and the most brutal took place on June 15 in Galwan Valley where India lost 20 of its men while there was an undisclosed number of casualties on the Chinese side. In response to questions from his followers about participation in the ceremonies traditionally held during the month of Muharram, the Iraq-Based Grand Ayatollah Sistani has advised partaking through online and television programs and other safer alternatives. In an edict published by his office on Thursday, the prominent Iraq-based Shiite source of emulation who has many followers in his birth country Iran, urged religious and cultural centers "to encourage the faithful to listen to sermons and eulogists' homilies at their own homes and similar places". During the month of Muharram millions of Shiites across the world participate in ceremonies and mourning processions to honor the anniversary of the slaying of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad in 680 AD. Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani, one of the most influential senior clerics among Shiite Muslims, is of Iranian origin but has lived in Iraq since 1951. Ayatollah Sistani's influence among Iranian Shiites has hugely increased since the fall of Saddam Hussein and the opening of Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to millions of Iranian pilgrims every year. More than 4,500 of Iraq's 38 million population have been lost to COVID-19 so far while the death toll in the 82 million strong Iran has reached nearly 17,000 according to the latest figures released by the Health Ministry. Iran's hardliner establishment in recent days has been adamant that the traditional gatherings must be held despite the coronavirus pandemic and repeated warnings of health officials. Some Iranian Grand Ayatollahs such as Naser Makarem Shirazi have insisted on holding the mourning ceremonies as usual, albeit with some safety measures in place. Health authorities have until now said rituals this year may be observed only "for short periods of time, along with social distancing and sanitization while everyone wears face masks". There are also hygienic concerns about the food that is usually offered to those who take part. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has yet not made any comments or issued a religious edict on the observance of Muharram rituals in the time of coronavirus. He has personally been in self-isolation since the breakout in February and has not appeared in public except for a meeting last week with the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. Ever since I rashly declared that I would be happy to feature artisanal products and delivery foods in Rude Food to help businesses hit by the lockdown, all I seem to do is eat. I have been so inundated with DMs on Instagram from people telling me about their products, that I must apologise to those who are still waiting for a reply. It has been a hectic time. Funnily enough, some of the most interesting things I have tried reached my home, not because of any producer telling me about his or her products, but through word of mouth. My friend, the diplomat and global gourmet Vikram Doraiswami, enjoys cured meats as much as I do. He tipped me off about a small Delhi restaurant called HMan run by a guy called Harman (geddit?) that does barbecue. Vikrams son Arjun is a barbecue fan and he said that the food was as good as high-end barbecue in Canada. Harman has his own smoker, marinates, makes rubs and grills the meat on his own. The sandwiches at Plats are among the best in the capital Owing to the lockdown, Vikram said HMan had started delivering its uncooked meats. Vikram had bought sausages, tossed them in butter till they started to brown and then cooked them covered for four minutes. They were, he said bluntly, much better than the usual sawdust sausages available online and in stores. So, I called up and ordered lots of things. The buffalo burger patties were excellent: nicely seasoned and moist. The sausages lived up to Vikrams praise. They had done their best with the buffalo steaks, which we cooked over an open fire (nice) and in a cast iron pan (not so good), but at the end of the day, there is only so much you can do with buffalo meat. I have still to try the bacon I ordered from HMan. I wrote some weeks ago about the excellent ice cream made by Cold Love, run by Aditya Tripathi (the man who made me do my first food show). That reference led to a lot of interest on social media and to a message from Ayesha Kapur, whom I know from her Diva days. Salted Caramel is among the popular ice cream flavours from Chubby Cheeks Ayesha has launched her own brand of artisanal ice cream called Chubby Cheeks and she sent me some. My wife Seema loved the Salted Caramel (one of Chubby Cheekss most popular flavours) while I stuck to the Coorg Vanilla, which had the distinctive flavour of real vanilla. There is so much talent and enterprise out there that one is constantly amazed by the range of the newly-emerging food and beverage sector I tweeted about it and was startled when so many people tweeted back saying they loved Chubby Cheeks. Obviously Ayesha has a large fan following (including many well-known people) for her artisanal ice cream. The conversation about ice cream led Shivam Bhagat (who I know only from Twitter) to tweet to me that he liked vegan ice cream. I avoid lactose (but make an exception for ice cream, despite the abdominal discomfort this sometimes causes). Shivam, who is lactose intolerant and has avoided dairy for the last two years insisted that he had found a great almond milk-based brand. Not only were the ice creams vegan, they were also sugar-free. He sent me some and recommended the Dark Chocolate, which was, as he had said, excellent. Almond milk ice cream can be a little thin but the chocolate flavour was strong enough to make up for that. Only later did I realise that the ice cream (Minus 30) was made by the granddaughter of my old friends from Kolkata, Naresh and Sunita Kumar. Life can take you by surprise sometimes. Ayesha Kapur has launched an artisanal ice cream brand Sticking with desserts, I have been dealing with Divya Sreeji for nearly two months now ever since she first DMed me. I finally ordered a gluten-free chocolate cake from her De Cakery. It was very good. Two of the best chefs I know are Kayasths and justly proud of their cuisine. (Manu Chandra and Suvir Saran.) But to the country at large, Kayasth food remains a mystery, mangled by hotels at useless pop-ups and rarely available to the general public. So, I was delighted when Vrinda Mathur, who offers Kayasth/Mathur food cooked by her mother, DMed me. I ordered three meat dishes: a dal meat, a biryani and mutton parsinde. All of it was outstanding. The dal meat was her nanas special recipe and the biryani was very Delhi: the family is from Old Delhi. Nothing was too heavy and it had the flavours of home cooking. Nitin from The Gravy Kitchen also got in touch with me on Instagram with his tale of woe. We are a start-up in Gurgaon doing North Indian food: delivery only. Started last year in November, we were badly hit by the pandemic and had to close shop in mid-March. We have restarted from July 7. The buffalo burger patties from HMan restaurant in Delhi are nicely seasoned and moist I ordered some gravy dishes and though all of them were good, the standout was the Chicken Rara Masala. Rara Gosht is a Punjabi dish much favoured by an older generation of chefs. It has suddenly come back into vogue. I had a wonderful version at Sukh Vilas three years ago when Simran Singh Thapar was the chef. And the Maurya, which has always had a tradition of very gifted Punjabi chefs (from Manisha Bhasin to Rajdeep Kapoor) does some terrific Punjabi dishes ( including Rara Meat), which remain under-recognised because of the fuss about ITCs Awadhi food. I had Rajdeeps Rara Meat and it was truly outstanding. So I was skeptical about how good Nitins Rara could be when it arrived days after Rajdeeps, but he blew me away with his terrific chicken version which I had never had before. If you live in Gurgaon, give The Gravy Kitchen a shot. Sticking with Indian food, I have been enjoying pickles, spices and masalas made by small artisanal operations. The most notable, of course, is run by Aditya Bal who found fame first as a top model before launching a second career as a TV chef. Aditya shifted to Kolkata but his products are available all over India and I recommend them highly. Aditya Bal is a top model-turned-TV chef Sticking with Kolkata, I also recommend masalas by Nina Doshi, a Gujarati with a Kolkata connection (sounds familiar?). They have a wonderful home-made flavour about them and if you like Gujarati food, you should try them. Radhika Singh wrote to me on Instagram to say, My brother and I are farmers in Uttarakhand and have recently launched our range of handmade mustards under our brand Kuninda Mustards They are made using ingredients that we grow ourselves or source locally, excluding a couple of spices that come from Kerala. She sent me pictures of their range, which included fancy, gluten-free Bavarian mustard and something like a French country mustard. I am a Kasundi kind of guy when it comes to mustard, so I asked for something more desi. She came up with options and I bought her garlic mustard and the mirchi mustard, both of which were good. Artisanal pickles from chef Aditya Bal are highly recommended I have known Jamsheed Bhote since he worked at Tres. In fact, it was Julia and Jatin, the chefs who run Tres, who recommended that I visit Plats, the restaurant that Jamsheed and his wife Haneesha have started in Lajpat Nagar. Then the lockdown intervened and I had to wait till Plats started delivery. Jamsheed and Hanishas forte is artisanry. Nearly everything, from the bread to the raw pasta, is made on the premises and their most popular dishes seem to be their pastas, for which the pasta is freshly handmade each day. But I ordered the sandwiches and they were sensational. I loved the Cubano and they do a wonderful hamburger in fact, it might be one of the best hamburgers in Delhi except for Jatins classic version at Tres. I am going to try the pastas next. This is the sort of restaurant that Delhi needs, small, family-run, artisanal, everything house-made and lots of love and care in cooking the food. Hanisha Singh and her husband Jamsheed Bhotes forte is artisanry I wrote last week about an Indian gin. Well, Bengal Bay is an Indian tonic water. The company was founded in 2018 by Rishabh Gupta and his basic tonic has notes of sweet orange and cardamom and is sweetened with organic cane sugar. It adds a different dimension to your gin. As I said four weeks ago: there is just so much talent and enterprise out there that I am constantly amazed by the range of the newly-emerging food and beverage sector. And especially by the guys who dont usually get written about. From HT Brunch, August 30, 2020 Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PLA Garrison in Macao completes 21st routine rotation PLA Daily Source: CGTN.COM Editor: Chen Zhuo 2020-08-29 15:33:38 The Macao Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) completed its 21st rotation early Saturday since it began garrisoning the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) in 1999. The officers and soldiers leaving Macao on rotation had successfully completed all tasks during their garrison in the region and their work has been widely recognized by Macao compatriots. The new personnel have been trained and taken courses to systematically master military skills, knowledge of Macao's situation and related laws, equipped with necessary skills to perform their duty to defend Macao before arriving at the garrison barracks. The PLA Macao Garrison has pledged to resolutely obey the command of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Central Military Commission and implement the "One Country, Two Systems" principle to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. It will strictly carry out the Basic Law of the Macao SAR and the Garrison Law, and make greater contributions to safeguarding Macao's peace and prosperity, the PLA Macao Garrison said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Peak groups representing older Australians and aged care workers have calculated that billions of dollars in extra funding is needed to address years of neglect in the beleaguered aged care sector. Ian Yates, chief executive of Council on the Ageing (COTA), the national peak body for elderly Australians, said overall staffing levels needed to increase to improve standards of care. He said more than 100,000 people were waiting as long as 18 months for home care and many were forced into residential care prematurely. New analysis shows billions of dollars are needed to improve staffing levels and standards in aged care. Credit:Shapecharge "The number one priority is increasing home care," he said. "Many thousands of people die while waiting. The government should fund home care packages to ensure no one waits more than a month to get it and that would cost $2.5 billion a year." Staffing numbers and skills training also needed to improve. "We are going to have to spend billions of dollars more on staffing," Mr Yates said. Nagpur: More than 18,000 people were evacuated after torrential rains in the last two days triggered flooding at several places in Nagpur and some other districts in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, officials said on Sunday. Apart from Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Gondia districts in east Vidarbha bore the brunt of the rain fury on Friday and Saturday, they said. Till Sunday evening, as many as 18,261 people were evacuated from 148 affected villages in these five districts, the Nagpur divisional commissioner office said. The number of villages that were affected by heavy rains was 51 in Nagpur district, 57 in Bhandara, 30 in Gondia, six in Chandrapur and four in Gadchiroli, it said, adding that all these districts fall under Nagpur division. In all, 83 relief camps were set up for the affected people. According to officials, in Nagpur district, Mouda, Kamptee, Parseoni and Kuhi were the worst affected tehsils, and the administration had to call in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army to rescue people at some places. Till around 6 pm on Sunday, 14,800 people were evacuated from 51 affected villages in Nagpur district as incessant downpour in the last two days resulted in flow of water from dams and rivers, the official statement said. Nagpur Guardian Minister Nitin Raut inspected the affected areas with district collector Ravindra Thakre and directed the administration to conduct assessment of crop damage due to rains and flooding. Maharashtra Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat tweeted that he was constantly taking a review of the flood situation in east Vidarbha. Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation Vijay Waddetiwar is coordinating with all the administrative departments and giving necessary directions to the state control room, he said. Several villages in Mouda tehsil were flooded, from where 1,568 people were moved to safer place by the State Disaster Response Team (SDRF) and the NDRF on Saturday. Similarly, eight villages in Kamptee tehsil were hit by rains and 620 people were shifted to safer places the rescue teams on Saturday, the officials said. Defence spokesperson Basantkumar Pande said that as per the request made by the Nagpur district administration, Army was deployed for assistance in the submerged areas of Kuhi. "UMANG Sub Area pressed into service two columns overnight for rescue and relief operations. With the unprecedented rains and resultant heavy flow of water in various rivers, a number of areas in Nagpur district have been inundated," he said in a statement. "The Army columns will be assisting the administration in rescuing villagers stranded in submerged areas of Kuhi and the surrounding places, and also help in restoring normalcy in these inundated areas," he added. Hundreds gathered at Custer High School before marching with torches to Pageant Hill and burning a giant wooden beetle as part of the 2022 Bur Press Release August 29, 2020 Angara sees urgent need to digitize PhilHealth's database and upgrade its IT system to reduce fraud and improve efficiency Senator Sonny Angara has called for a strengthening of the anti-fraud mechanisms of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as part of the ongoing efforts to rid the institution of wastages due to corruption or inefficient systems. Apart from pushing for the conduct of a special audit on PhilHealth funds following the most recent controversy faced by the state health insurer involving its allegedly overpriced information technology system and interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM), Angara noted the weaknesses in the firm's anti-fraud mechanisms that has subjected its funds to abuse and misuse by some unscrupulous groups and individuals. Angara said it is high time for PhilHealth to digitize its records and to utilize systems to validate membership claims just like what is being used by pension funds Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System. "They (PhilHealth) should likewise look into strengthening their manpower complement by hiring more medical reviewers, anti-fraud officers, data scientists, data analytics personnel, and even experts in artificial intelligence and big data," Angara said. The need to immediately digitize its records was highlighted during the Senate hearings where now resigned PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales disclosed that there are about 5,000 members who are 130 years old and that nobody knows if they are dead or alive. Earlier this week, a television report noted how a senior citizen was told that he was already dead for almost four years already based on his PhilHealth member data record. Angara has been pushing for the digitization of both the government and private sector as part of the national digital transformation program to improve efficiency in the delivery of services and prepare the country for the requirements of a rapidly changing world. This is contained in Senate Bill 1470 of the proposed National Digital Transformation Act, which Angara filed last May 4. Angara also reiterated his call for PhilHealth to immediately release detailed guidelines on the deferred liquidation of the COVID-19 IRM funds. "PhilHealth, being a recipient of government funds, should ensure that these are paid, released and accounted for according to existing rules and regulations," Angara said. He also recommended an amendment of the Universal Health Care Act to include the mandatory audit of PhilHealth's finances and to provide copies of the annual report to the Congressional Oversight Committee the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations. A comprehensive review on PhilHealth's implementation of All Case Rates claims payment scheme, including the re-calculation of the top 32 case rates for at least 90 percent of cases or claims filed was also recommended by Angara as part of his inputs to the drafting of the committee report on the hearings. Angara previously noted how there were questionable case rates wherein some minor procedures or ailments would be paid more by PhilHealth than critical conditions. This has also led to the practice of upcasing or when a health facility would upgrade certain ailments such as simple cough and colds to more serious conditions like pneumonia in order to collect bigger payouts from PhilHealth. During the Senate hearings, Angara noted the claims for pneumonia recorded a sudden jump from less than P3 billion a year between 2009 and 2011 to P9.7 billion in 2015. From 2017 to 2019, claims for pneumonia have averaged at P10.5 billion a year. Five years on, Balkans still a road of hope for migrants A lonely migrant from Syria on his journey towards Germany, rests in an abandoned railway tunnel in Belgrade With a smart black sweater and clean-shaven face, Younes Qermoua recalls his first attempt to reach Europe five years ago, at the peak of the continent's refugee crisis. Half a decade later, the world's attention has moved on but the 35-year-old Moroccan is back on the Balkan route, where traffic is picking up this summer even amid the coronavirus pandemic. After years of bouncing back and forth across the region in attempts by boat, on foot and even tucked above the wheel of a truck, Qermoua's goal remains unchanged. "I want to live in a country where I can work and get paid for my work, a country where the laws are respected, where there are hospitals, schools," he told AFP in a migrant centre outside Sarajevo, where he is catching some rest before continuing westward towards EU member Croatia. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees traversed the Balkans in weary columns, reaching the peninsula through Greece before trundling northwards. The route was officially shut down under a 2016 deal between Brussels and Turkey. But in reality, the movement has never stopped. While the numbers are lower, tens of thousands still flow through the region annually, escaping war and poverty in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Qermoua, who in his first attempt never made it past Greece, is now making progress on a new route that bends west through Bosnia to avoid tighter controls in Hungary, which built a border fence in 2015. He joins a summer surge of travellers in the Balkans who are on the move after the loosening in early spring of virus lockdowns, when movement was curtailed and some migrant camps were sealed shut. In June, the Western Balkans was the most active migratory route into Europe, while the first six months of 2020 saw a 73-percent increase in migrants detected at the borders compared to the same period last year, according to Frontex, the EU's border police. Story continues - Deja vu - For Lence Zdravkin, whose front porch looks out onto a railway track slicing through the centre of North Macedonia, there is a sense of deja vu. When huge numbers of people started passing her doorstep during the crisis five years ago -- following the train tracks as a guide -- she became a local hero for collecting food, clothing and other donated aid for them. This summer, the 53-year-old sits on her balcony with a bright light to help spot travellers who are again passing regularly, though fewer donations are coming in as the world's attention is focused on the pandemic. "The refugees are facing the same sufferings, with the same journeys, with all the problems that accompany them from the beginning of their travel to its end," she told AFP. The warm months always bring a new tide of migrants but this summer the numbers have "drastically increased", she said. While North Macedonia built a barrier on its southern border with Greece in 2015, migrants can still slip in through a mountainous region where the barrier doesn't reach, said Jasmin Redjepi, from the Skopje-based NGO Legis. Many then take the railway tracks, often hopping onto the links between the carriages of freight trains barrelling past. According to data from the UN's refugee agency, arrivals in North Macedonia over the past six months have already topped last year's figures for the same period, reaching nearly 23,000. "They want to cross during this period and get to Europe because they do not want to find themselves in autumn and winter with closed borders and quarantines again," Redjepi told AFP. - Violent rejections - Some stretches of the Balkan route are more complicated than they were five years ago, with migrants forced to cross difficult terrain to avoid border barriers and boosted patrols. Reports of violent pushbacks at the frontiers have also become commonplace, with migrants describing beatings, theft and other abuse at the hands of police. After crossing Turkey's land border with Greece, Qermoua walked some 700 kilometres (435 miles), mostly alone he says to avoid detection, through Albania and Montenegro to reach Bosnia. But the next leg of his journey may be even tougher as the country's northwest -- which flanks the border with Croatia -- once again becomes a dead end. Local authorities have started blocking the entry of new arrivals to the region, where official camps are filling up and thousands more migrants are sleeping rough in abandoned homes and factories. While locals were initially receptive to the foreigners, some are now protesting against the influx, calling on authorities to "clear" the streets. Local mobs have recently stopped buses and pulled off migrants and asylum seekers, leaving them stranded. The mood has also soured in Serbia, where right-wing groups have become more vocally anti-migrant in recent years. In a park near Belgrade's bus station, scores of foreigners gather on the grass, a common meeting point to link up with smugglers. Many bear the same wounds from thwarted attempts to cross the Croatian, Hungarian or Romanian borders: gashes on their lower legs and smashed mobile phones they attribute to violent police expulsions. After five years stuck in the Balkans, Arif, a soft-spoken 24-year-old from Pakistan, is one of those whose hope is fading. "My mother and father keep calling me to come back home, and now I tell them, as soon as I get my papers, I'll be back". str-rus-ssm/kjm London, Aug 30 : Legendary England pacer James Anderson is looking forward to a tough contest against Virat Kohli when his side travels to India next year. Anderson recently became the highest Test wicket taker among pacers with 600 scalps during the home series against Pakistan, and Kohli have had some intriguing battles over the years. "It's always tough bowling at batsmen of that quality. It will be a tough battle but that's something I do enjoy. You want to get the best players out," Anderson told the Test Match Special podcast. "I had some success against him in 2014 and then he came back a completely different player in 2018 and was incredible," the 38-year-old Anderson, who is currently in the fourth place among all-time highest Test wicket-takers, said. Asked what changes he saw in Kohli's batting in 2018, Anderson said, "He left the ball really well in 2018. The first time he came over (in 2014), when I was bowling out-swingers he might chase it early on and that brought the edge and the slips into play. "He left it a lot better and he was a lot more patient (in 2018). He waited for you to bowl at him and then he's very strong off his legs so he could score freely," said Anderson. On the techniques he would use on continental pitches, he said, "We have had our success. We tried to roll fingers down the side of the ball, just try to make it grip on the dry surface." Being boiled alive is a gruesome fate for any animal but for centuries that's how we've cooked lobsters, convinced they did not feel pain. But as researchers have found that the shellfish do experience trauma, chefs have come under pressure to find more human methods of cooking them. Now vets are demanding that the process, which can take up to 15 minutes to kill a lobster, be outlawed on animal cruelty grounds, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Vets demand that boiling lobsters, which can take up to 15 minutes to kill the shellfish, be outlawed on animal cruelty grounds, as research shows the creatures experience trauma The British Veterinary Association is, for the first time, lending its weight to calls to protect lobsters and crabs, given the latest scientific evidence shows that shellfish are sentient. The body, which represents more than 18,000 vets, wants it to become compulsory for chefs to stun the creatures before they are killed and cooked. Many leading kitchens already use electronic stunning devices, which they say improves the taste since crustaceans release unpleasant hormones when stressed. Celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli, who runs the Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli in London with his wife Plaxy, uses such a device. He said: 'In my opinion, not only is it more humane it also improves the quality of the meat. Many years ago my wife saw a chef put a live lobster in a pot in our kitchen and nearly divorced me. Since then we have used a stunning machine.' Gary Jones, executive head chef at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, said he had been using a 3,200 stunning device for years. 'It is very fast, efficient and easy to use,' he said. 'Nobody enjoys cooking lobster and crabs alive and not only is this machine more humane than traditional methods but we are noticing an improvement in the quality of the product.' Celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli (above), who runs Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli in London, uses electronic stunning devices on lobsters before they are killed and cooked Switzerland was the first country to impose a ban on cooking crustaceans alive in 2018, and Norway, New Zealand, Austria and parts of Australia have since followed suit. Maisie Tomlinson of Crustacean Compassion said: 'We call ourselves a nation of animal lovers but crabs and lobsters are Britain's forgotten animals. What happens to them at slaughter is cruel and unacceptable. Unless these animals have been electronically stunned, it can take up to three minutes for a crab to die in boiling water and even longer for a lobster.' The vets' association is also calling for protections for octopus and squid, as well as fish caught on commercial trawlers. Some fish, including cod and haddock, suffocate if caught in the middle of the net while those still alive and stored on ice can take up to two hours to die. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that the UK slaughter welfare standards already 'some of the highest in the world' were under review. Junior soldiers are being ordered to repeat mantras on diversity and inclusion on their annual assessment forms or risk punishment. They have been told to pledge that their main objective for the next year will be to contribute towards an inclusive culture within their regiments. Under new rules intended to help troops of different ethnic, religious or sexual backgrounds work better together, squaddies must state word for word that their primary aim is to work to increase understanding of minority groups. They are also expected to vow to increase their engagement with soldiers from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) groups. Junior soldiers are being ordered to repeat mantras on diversity and inclusion on their annual assessment forms or risk punishment. Pictured: What soldiers must pledge on annual assessments Military law has even been amended to ensure a commitment to diversity and inclusion is demonstrated at every level of the Armys chain of command from privates up to generals. Some soldiers are irritated by the implication that they are racist or homophobic. My problem with these sorts of initiatives is they assume we are so riddled with prejudices that we cannot work with anyone from a different background, said one. But being in a regiment means we all train together and, if required, fight together. We care about what makes us the same, not what makes us different. Ordering soldiers to write woke mantras on their SJARS [service persons joint appraisal reports] smacks of brainwashing. It isnt necessarily our fault that people from these communities are not banging down the recruitment officers door to enlist. The new diktat comes as Army top brass seek to hire a Director of Diversity and Inclusion. The post comes with a salary of 110,000-a-year the same as that earned by an Army brigadier who has served for around 20 years and commands 5,000 troops. Both the new post and the so-called Compulsory Objectives Scheme for appraisals have been approved by General Sir Nick Carter, the head of the UKs Armed Forces. A sample SJAR document seen by The Mail on Sunday sets out exactly what soldiers are expected to write on the form. Under new rules intended to help troops of different ethnic, religious or sexual backgrounds work better together, squaddies must state word for word that their primary aim is to work to increase understanding of minority groups (file image) On the first line of the objectives page, a soldier wrote: To work and promote in an inclusive culture within area of responsibility, working to increase understanding and engagement through education and initiative. The Ministry of Defence is desperate to improve its record on recruiting from minority groups. Only 8.8 per cent of regular troops come from the BAME community and just 10.9 per cent of full-time personnel are female. Last night an Army spokesman said: Defence is at its best when it is diverse and we ask all personnel to commit to our core diversity and inclusion values when setting their objectives. These high standards and expectations make clear, that whatever your rank or role, diversity and inclusion are a priority. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Slovakia amounted to $34.7 million over 1H2020, compared to $15.8 million during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee. The share of Slovakia in the total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover stood at 0.1 percent during the reporting period compared to less than 0.1 percent during the same period of 2019. Kazakhstans export to Slovakia amounted to $320,181 over the period from January through June 2020, compared to $1.04 million during the same period of 2019. Slovakias share in the total volume of Kazakhstans export also amounted to 0.001 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 0.003 than percent during the same period of 2019. In turn, Kazakhstans imports from Slovakia stood at about $34.4 million over the reporting period, compared to $14.8 million during the same period of 2019. Slovakias share in the total volume of Kazakhstans import amounted to 0.2 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 0.1 percent during the same period of 2019. The total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover amounted to $42.5 billion over the period from Jan. through June 2020 which indicates a decrease from $46.1 billion during the same period of 2019. Kazakhstans export amounted to $26 billion during the reporting period of 2020 ($28.6 billion in the same period of 2019), whereas imports amounted to $16.5 billion ($17.5 billion in 2019). --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh A good actor is one who completely sinks in the role that he has to portray in the film but he is also expected to do multiple roles that are written for him. Still, some actors struggle to do different roles. They usually fall in the trap of typecast roles and it becomes inevitable for them to break out of those roles. So, here are a few Bollywood actors who got stuck in typecast roles and couldnt even break away from it- Alok Nath- Babuji Twitter Alok Nath is the national Babuji of Bollywood and Rajshri Productions has helped him in getting that tag. He has always played the role of a father, uncle, or a guardian who is responsible and a grounded man. Also, Babuji memes took over the internet many times and made him even more popular than he was. Kirron Kher- Quintessential Punjabi Mother Kirron Kher has played the role of a typical fun-loving Punjabi mother in many Bollywood films. From Dostana to Hum Tum, Kirron Kher has aced the role of Punjabi's mom and the audience loves her for her acting. Varun Dhawan- Typical Younger Brother Varun Dhawan played the role of a pampered young brother in Dilwale and he has many similar roles in which he has acted in a certain way. In many of his films, he has played the role of a young dumb good boy who falls in love with some girl. The list includes Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Main Tera Hero, and many more. Anupam Kher- The Friendly Papa Anupam Kher has played the role of a typical friendly dad in many films and we love him for his acting. In films like DDLJ, Rehna Hai Tere Dill Mein, and many more Bollywood movies he has aced the role of a cool dad who is best friends with his sons. Reema Lagoo- the Typical Mom The renowned actress passed away recently and it was a huge loss for the Hindi film industry. Reema Lagoo has played the role of a typical modern mom in many Bollywood films. She started coming in the limelight for her role in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988, and she has been widely loved for her work. Coronavirus-related deaths in the United States were nearing 180,000 on Sunday as states hit hard by a surge of infections earlier in the summer continued to report high numbers of daily fatalities. The country has reported at least 1000 deaths per day for most of the past six weeks, pushing the US death toll far beyond what officials optimistically predicted in the early stages of the pandemic. US health bureaucrats fear the coronavirus crisis is being used for political purposes ahead of the November election. Credit:AP Coronavirus infections are rising sharply at the University of Alabama, where school officials have reported more than 1000 cases since classes began August 19. The outbreak is one of the largest coronavirus clusters reported at any educational institution since the start of the new academic year. Infections trended upward over the past week in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas, and have flatlined in Illinois and Wisconsin, according to The Washington Post's tracking. North Dakota reported a single-day record of 374 cases on Saturday. In Iowa, daily infections have topped 1000 for three days straight. Protesters who will be found guilty of causing violence on the streets will no longer be able to receive their $600 enhanced coronavirus unemployment benefits. This, should the bill introduced by Indiana's third congressional district Rep. Jim Banks dubbed as the Support Peaceful Protest Act get passed. Aside from losing the federal benefit, those found guilty of instigating violence will also be made liable financially for the federal policing. These are people who are charged and found guilty of violence, looting or vandalism in relation to a protest, according to a report on Fox News. According to Banks, he decided to introduce the bill after what happened to his friends and constituents, an older couple, who got harassed by protesters while leaving the White House after the Republican National Convention. The couple had attended U.S. President Donald Trump's acceptance speech of his nomination. Banks did not mention who the couple was. However, the National Public Radio reported that protesters surrounded sen. Rand Paul and wife as they were leaving the White House on the night of August 27. They had come from attending the Republican National Convention wherein Trump had accepted his nomination. The protesters who surrounded them were shouting "justice for Breonna Taylor," "no justice, no peace," and "you need to respond." Taylor was the 26-year-old emergency medical technician who was killed by police officers who were in the process of executing a no-knock warrant in Kentucky. Senator Paul represents Kentucky. Banks said that his bill would take away the $600 benefits that these protesters are making as professional protesters by night. According to the representative, he wondered who pays these people to protest every night and cause violence to erupt on the streets. Banks added that the left-wing could fund them, but then he also realized that they are also getting from the taxes that the U.S. citizens pay by receiving federal benefits. So, if these people are found guilty of causing violence during protests, they should not receive the federal benefits. Banks said that his bill could help end the violence during protests in the same way that the executive order that Trump signed instituting a 10-year prison term on people who vandalizes statues and tearing them down worked. Banks added that Trump had said during his acceptance speech that those incidents have come to an end once he signed the order. The president himself also aimed at people who join protests against social injustices such as police brutality and racial injustice, as Bloomberg reported. President Trump said they were not protesters but troublemakers. He added that they do not really know anything about the police killing a Black man. Instead, they are just agitators, anarchists, looters, and rioters. Banks said he has nothing against people protesting as long as they do it peacefully. Should Banks' bill get passed, then protesters who will be proven guilty of instigating violence on the streets will no longer receive the coronavirus benefits. Check these out: US Election Issues: Trump, Biden Present American Realities That Are Polars Apart Reviving Florida Tourism: DeSantis Says Air Travel Is Safe Stimulus Checks Put on Hold Prompts Americans to Spend Less on Groceries Everyone I speak with is aghast or depressed with today's self-absorbed national political leaders across the globe. People yearn for sparkling and inspiring leaders who once lit the horizons with light and hope. Can leadership be taught? What are the differences between a great manager and a leader? Carly Fiorina speaking at Stanford defined a manager as someone who sees things as they are and organizes to make operations effective and efficient. A leader has a vision and sees things as they ought to be. And then there are provocative leaders personified by my personal hero, Robert F. Kennedy, who "[s]ee things as they are and ask, why? I dream of things that never were, and ask, why not?" Inspiring leaders are able to instill ardor among the people and get them to rise to the clarion call, "Follow me." Every successful activist, the military men and women we remember across the face of history, the outstanding politician, each has been able to get the people to follow. IDF brigadier general Gal Hirsch (Gefen Publishing House, 2020) has a new book titled Follow Me. It is the watchword of every Israeli officer and explains why the Israeli military is so successful. Leaders may be great managers, or they hire them. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, built GE from a company making light bulbs into a multinational conglomerate. "Neutron Jack" didn't hesitate to fire employees in cost-cutting times. Characterizations of him are not always flattering; he was hard-hearted and relentless in pushing for growth and maximizing shareholder returns. But Welch, Hirsch, and other leaders share the commitment underpinning their success that leadership is all about managing people first and foremost. Leaders reflecting on their careers evangelize with lists. Welch repeatedly told young leaders to speak with candor and be insatiably curious. Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha, lists six qualities of leaders; he also advises them to "read 500 pages a day" because a key ingredient of leadership is knowledge, and knowledge must be built over time. It is knowledge that helps limiting mistakes. Gen. Hirsch argues that leaders succeed by first "not making mistakes, and ... doing things right." But that requires friction; without learning, initiative, and taking calculated risks, or "there is no progress, no change." Leaders do not commit to maintaining harmony. Hirsch lists 18 qualities leaders must hone. I've learned from my four decades in business and more than two decades in government that leaders instinctively know that their first task is to articulate and sell their vision to shareholders, corporate employees, or military personnel. Keep it simple. For Bill Gates, it is a laptop on every desk. Hirsch makes the point that leaders must always have "one foot in the future [but it] is arduous ... one of the various prices a leader must pay." Hirsch offers nascent leaders 18 qualities that must be translated into skills to motivate people. And then, "Never forget to be grateful and to express your gratitude." Hirsch movingly pays homage to his former commanding officer. Hirsch uses verbs to introduce each of the 18 e.g., "Find Your Inner Voice"; Cultivate, Demonstrate, Adopt, Envision, Inspire, Prepare, and so on. Leaders recognize the power of words. Share prices rise and plummet on the words of CEOs. Writes Hirsch, "The entire soul of a nation can be galvanized and set in motion by words uttered by a leader during a moving speech." The soldier in Hirsch gets him to remind the reader that Proverbs 18:21 warns leaders, "The tongue has the power of life and death." The omnipresent angst, anguish, discomfort, and skepticism we feel today are exacerbated by the lack of positive leadership qualities among elected officials and those trying to unseat them. All are more akin to what lovers are to pornography than leaders to citizens. Except for fringe-element acolytes, who is willing to "follow me"? There is no unity in the war on the novel coronavirus; no common faith in science and medicine. Perhaps the cause lies in the failure of national officials to internalize Hirsch's 18th commandment to "Display Humility and Reverence." Dr. Goldmeier was teaching international students in Tel Aviv, a research and teaching fellow at Harvard, and manager of an investment firm. His book Healthcare Insights: Better Care, Better Business is available on Amazon. Image: Vinoth Chandar via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. ST. LOUIS Missouri reported its worst daily total for deaths from COVID-19 since mid-June, with 32 deaths driving the states total to 1,496 on Saturday. The state also reported 1,198 new infections, pushing the total to 82,190. Over the past week, all but one of Missouris 117 local health jurisdictions reported new COVID-19 infections, the Department of Health and Senior Services said. The weekly average for cases per day increased to 1,133 per day from 1,122 the previous week. A total of 976 people were hospitalized across the state on Saturday. The states seven-day positivity rate is 12.2%. Locally, the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported 49 new hospital admissions and a seven-day moving average of 45. The city of St. Louis reported 6,086 total confirmed cases on Saturday, an increase of 27 from the day before. St. Louis County on Saturday reported 327 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the cumulative total to 19,071. The death toll increased by two to 729. Franklin County was the only other county in the immediate St. Louis area to report a death on Saturday: a 60-year-old man from Robertsville brought the countys death toll to 21. The Franklin County Health Department also reported another potential COVID-19 exposure at a church. The department said that a symptomatic person with COVID-19 attended a service at the First Baptist Church of Stanton at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 23. The health department has asked individuals to self-quarantine for 14 days if they were at the service, and monitor for symptoms. The news follows a separate notice on Wednesday that an individual had tested positive for the virus after attending recent services at two other Franklin County churches: St. Mary of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Villa Ridge and St. James Catholic Church of Catawissa. Illinois On Saturday, Illinois reported 1,880 new cases, bringing the statewide total to 231,363. The death toll rose by 11 to 8,008. In Metro East, the positivity rate for Region 4 which includes Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington counties remained at 10.4%. The region is poised for new restrictions, including closing all indoor service at bars and restaurants, after it was given a Sept. 1 deadline to bring the positivity rate down below 6.5%. The Monroe County Health Department is scheduled to hold a free COVID-19 testing event on Sept. 4, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 901 Illinois Avenue in Waterloo. The tests are free, available to individuals with or without symptoms, and dont require an appointment. Belleville is offering free masks to its residents on a first-come, first-serve basis. Residents who are unable to travel to the distribution locations can contact their local alderman to arrange a delivery. The city has 85,500 in stock, and each resident can pick up two. The masks are available at six locations, during each buildings regular operating hours. City Hall, at 101 South Illinois Street. Fire House #4, at 1125 South Illinois Street. Parks & Recreation, at 510 West Main Street. Community and General Assistance Office, at 512 West Main Street. Residential and Commercial Development Services, at 407 East Lincoln Street. Belleville Police Department, at 720 West Main Street. The Associated Press contributed to this report. COVID-19 in Missouri and Illinois: By the numbers These maps and charts show the spread of COVID-19 in Missouri and Illinois. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Annika Merrilees business reporter Follow Annika Merrilees Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Leo Quinones Sociology 308 March 15, 2030 Dear Professor Perez-Bankole, No offense, but this assignment of yours has been rough. Its 5 a.m. and Ive spent all night starting draft after draft, writing and deleting, trying to get at what youre asking for: Write about what you remember most about those first months of The COVID Era, and how you think they shaped your life. With all due respect: thats impossible. Like most people my age, I cant think of a single thing in my life that hasnt been shaped by TCE, so its sort of like asking a fish to describe water. All the hoopla in the news about the 10-year-anniversary of it starting doesnt make it any easier to fathom. Thats why Im rebelling here and busting out of the five-paragraph essay format, to write you a letter instead. Im breaking the rules, I know but hey, thats actually something the pandemic taught those of us who were kids back then: the rules of the world arent as stable as you think, and things that look super solid can fall apart at the drop of a hat, or the drop of a mask (see what I did there? stretching the metaphor? not bad for a science major, yeah? Truth is I cant help it, I was raised by an English teacher) and even the grown-ups in charge are actually winging it and freaking out inside. Once you live through that kind of disruption as a kid, it never leaves you, I think. The rules dont seem immutable anymore. That can be terrifying, but its also kind of amazing. I know Im generalizing, and that its probably bad form to speak for my whole generation when I can only speak for myself, and in any case you might still fail me on this essay for not following instructions. Im asking you not to. Im taking the assignment seriously, I promise. Its just that this is the only path I can find into your enormous question. Everybody knows the story from the outside. Heres what it was like on the inside, at least for me: it was as if the world had decided to fall apart but couldnt quite make up its mind whether to melt or crumble or crack like an egg, as if it didnt quite understand its own substance so it just kept wobbling between this and that type of dissolution. Weirdly, though, I dont remember being very afraid. Angry, sure, that I couldnt see my best friend more often and even then that we had to talk through masks and stay outside and keep it short, that I couldnt climb on the monkey bars at the local park, that distance learning was so dumb and boring and chaotic and I still had to show up for it, that my fifth-grade graduation was a bunch of little boxes on a screen with all my classmates looking overdressed and hopeful and alone. It was only later that I understood how much some of them had been going through. Whod run out of food, lost a parent to COVID, or been evicted from their homes. The full sadness of all that wasnt visible to me yet, in those little online boxes. It would take us all many years to understand each others stories. Actually, I think were still learning to understand. Anyway: I was definitely among the lucky ones. My mothers kept us in a pretty strict lockdown the whole year. Family trips were canceled. Everything was canceled. Our house became our world. And it was a full world: two parents, my little sister, and me, plus my grandma who flew up to Oakland and moved in with us when it all started, because where shed been living wasnt safe. So our house was crowded in a way that kind of felt like a nonstop party. Grandma made us laugh and read the funnies out loud to us, we stayed up too late watching movies and learning how to make pineapple upside-down cake, and we got more screen time than before while the moms scrambled to work remotely and keep it all together. One morning, in June, we were all sitting in the dining room with the newspaper splayed open as we ate our scrambled eggs and bacon. The grown-ups were talking about the protests, and about the big photograph of Angela Davis, fist high in the air, leading a huge crowd from the Port of Oakland to Oscar Grant Plaza. I tried to tune out at that point, as I usually did at the mention of Oscar Grants name. Once, Mami had told me that Oscar Grant was murdered when she was pregnant with me, and that it had happened not far from our home, and though she hadnt added anything like, and I thought about how that could one day be you, there was still something bleakly close and personal about his death, his name, that at 11 years old hollowed me out inside. So as soon as Id gulped down my breakfast, I reached for my video game. But the grown-ups went on talking. This reminds me of the 60s, Grandma said, but its also nothing like it at all. What do you mean? said Mama, whod also finished eating and was at her machine at the corner of the table, sewing masks. Now I was listening, pretending not to. Grandma had some pretty incredible stories from back in the day, of risking her life to register voters in Mississippi, of marching, getting arrested and surviving Molotov cocktails thrown through the plate glass window of the house where she was sleeping. She knew some things. The level of involvement, she said, sipping her coffee. The amount of white people on the streets, and really seeming invested. Maybe this can be an inflection point after all though it shouldnt have taken us all this horror to get here. I remember the way sunlight spilled into the room and illumined her hands, wrapped around the coffee mug. Maybe thats the memory Ill pick to represent my early COVID days. Two sunlit hands, creased and beautiful, cupped around warmth. I wish my grandma could have been here to see the victories of this past year. Not that anything could justify the horrors. I mean, COVID alone there are no words. Half a million people. I cant wrap my head around that, and Im a math guy. Im glad theres going to be a memorial. I get the national controversy about making it virtual instead of physical, but I think President Ocasio-Cortez has the right idea. This piece of history just doesnt belong to one city or geographic place more than others. The memory of it should be everywhere and nowhere, real and ethereal, anchored but also transcendent. Virtual. Like so much of our lives now. I looked up the roots of the word virtual. Turns out its from the Latin virtus: excellence, potency. So a virtual experience holds the essence of something, its excellence, without keeping to the same physical form. Virtual versus IRL is an outdated framework, really. 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. Its a false binary just like the one we have around gender, and, you know what, my generation sees through them both. Maybe we should be called the No-More-Binaries Generation, or the Spectrum Generation, or something. Ha! The problem is that young generations never get to name themselves. Unless thats another old rule we can explode. Maybe thats what I learned from TCE: we dont have to fear change. This isnt some dystopian future where all is lost. Those old narratives are so lazy. If all is lost, you can just throw up your hands in despair, and then what? Look at the climate crisis. We cant afford those old despair stories anymore. The more complicated truth takes all of where we are, and tries to see it clearly. The more complicated truth is that I may be part of a different generation, but Im also my grandmas grandson, and we all have to pick up where past generations left off and carry the work forward. For me, though Ill always fight racism, my main work is on a different but connected front. Im an aspiring biologist of color in an era of ecological collapse. I have dreams about the collapse that are terrifyingly real, in which I hear the trees screaming as they burn, the ocean wailing a song of poison. Its what gets me up in the morning and keeps me up all night poring over molecular configurations and calculus functions. Fear, maybe, but also determination, because theres work to do and I intend to be part of it as long as Im alive. Will I make it, as a scientist? And will it make a difference? I have no idea. But scared as I am, I have to try. My Mami has a proverb framed on the wall, in Spanish: El que no sabe de donde viene no sabe donde va. He who doesnt know where he comes from doesnt know where hes going. OK, aside from the gendered phrasing, its deep, right? We look at the past to understand where were going, to help ensure well have a place to go to at all. Now I feel like the floodgates are open memories, thoughts, ideas, sparks. But Im running out of space! What the hell? You said something once in VirtuClass about how the best thinking doesnt actually lead us to answers, but to deeper layers of questions. I feel that happening. Does it go on forever? Is that a good thing? One more etymology-nerd-fact: the word essay comes from the Old French, to endeavor, to attempt. What if I never finish this essay? What if Im just getting started? Yours, Leo Pamela Denise Harris Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 20:18:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close By sportswriters Wang Haoming, Li Xiongying GUANGZHOU, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- "There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope." This is a widely quoted saying by the famous physicist Steven Hawking. Hawking continued to explore the universe with great perseverance after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recently, the 22-year-old Fang Jianze, who suffers from a rare muscle disease called EDMD, a similar syndrome with Hawking, broke his limits and won an HSA (Handicapped Diving) diving certificate. Fang became the country's first diver with muscle disease. Inside his "frozen" body, the fire of life is burning; on his "frozen" body, the wings of his dreams are growing. FROZEN Fang Jianze was born with Emery Dreyfus Muscular Dystrophy(EDMD). The muscles in his arms and legs began to shrink, his body was gradually frozen. He has only been able to sit in a wheelchair since he was three years old. "The school didn't have wheelchair-accessible stairs. My parents carried me with my wheelchair upstairs every time I went to the classroom," Fang said. "I was accompanied by endless frustration, and I was unable to take care of everything by myself. Everytime I wanted to do something, I needed someone's help. "I didn't even dare to go to the bathroom. I could wait for a day to pee because I didn't want to bother my classmates," he said. BREAKTHROUGHS The tremendous pain stimulated Fang to make a change and become a person who can live by himself. After going through school, Fang Jianze was admitted to Zhuhai College of Jilin University and became a college student majoring in communications engineering in 2017. This was a new start for Fang, who began to try to break through the constraints of his disability. "If I can't make changes in the university, there would be no hope in the rest of my life," he told himself. He began to open his heart to his classmates, and made more friends on campus. In 2018, he bought an electric wheelchair. For the first time in two years, he went off the campus. "I found that there were not so many people paying attention to me. In fact, I had always set restrictions on myself," Fang said. He went to the mall and the beach, spending a whole day in the city. "From then on, I started to participate in club activities, join debate teams, and participate in competitions. I became more and more cheerful and optimistic," he said. He made a list of problems that needed to be solved in order to live a life by himself: eating, going to the bathroom, studying in the classroom, reading in the library. With the help of his classmates and the support of his university, Fang completed the tasks one by one. He declared "mission accomplished" one year later. He even went to Zhuhai from Guangzhou, then Hong Kong from Zhuhai, traversing China's Pearl River Delta region all by himself. DREAMS REALIZED Fang has dreamed to be an explorer, ever since childhood. When he achieved the goal of living on his own, the dream began to take root. Inspired by the French movie "Intouchables", Fang was able to complete a tandem skydive. "At that time, I had a feeling of epiphany. I suddenly realized that as long as I dare to try, physical disabilities are never a problem, and the obstacles are actually in my heart," he said. Fang was born in a coastal town in the east of Guangdong. His long-time dream was to swim in the sea. He started the physically training - riding a tricycle for five kilometers every day. It took him 50 minutes, a similar speed of walking for able-bodied individuals. After a whole year of physical preparation, he began to attend diving courses in May. In the first class, he was exhausted, but didn't give up. "I have an advantage in diving because of my slow metabolism, I can stay in the water longer than others with the same tank of gas." He overcame unimaginable fears under water. He can't fully stretch his legs, he can't swim breaststroke or butterfly, but he finally found a way to swim. For a typical able bodied person, it only takes about four days to obtain a "Open Water Diver Certificate". For Fang, it took 15 months: physical training for more than one year and learning to dive for more than three months. Finally he dived 12 meters underwater two weeks ago. "Finally, I realized my dream!" Fang got the HSA (Handicapped Diving) diving certificate numbered C2075 on August 19. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Fang posted a video of his dive on the internet, which has been watched by more than 10 million people. He became an internet celebrity and inspired many. But he said neither skydiving nor diving was his "main business." "I am a student, I am preparing for the postgraduate entrance examination. I want to study applied psychology for my postgraduate time," Fang said. "Many people with the same symptoms as me suffer from depression, and I want to help them," he added. Fang also wrote a few barrier-free travel guides and shared his stories on the internet. He wants to promote barrier-free transformation in public places. "One day, I want to start a barrier-free IT company to help more people and make the society more friendly to people with disabilities," he said. Enditem GRAND RAPIDS, MI A 30-year-old man called police around midnight Saturday, and stated he had shot another man in the chest at Fish Ladder Park on the citys Northwest side. The victim, a 27-year-old man, was transported to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital, where he underwent surgery overnight, according to a news release from the Grand Rapids Police Department. The victim, who has a single gunshot wound to the right side of his chest, is currently listed in stable but critical condition, GRPD spokesperson Raul Alvarez said. His injuries are considered life-threatening. Police responded to the park, via Front Avenue NW, at around midnight Saturday, Aug. 29, where they interviewed the shooter, according to the release. The subject told police he had a license to conceal carry and when the shooting victim assaulted him he fired one time at him, the release states. The shooter was cooperative and was taken into custody without incident. The shooting continues to be investigated, the release states. Also on MLive: One injured in drive-by shooting in Grand Rapids Put these 16 sweet new Michigan breweries on your must-try list Three people taken to hospital after South Haven water rescue A man was shot and killed late Saturday in Portland as a large caravan of hundreds of trucks filled with supporters of President Donald Trump made its way through the citys downtown and clashed with groups of counter protesters along the way. It was unclear whether the shooting was directly connected to the clashing protests but it seems certain that it will be considering all the immediately available information. Footage from the scene shows that the man who was killed was wearing a hat with the logo of Patriot Prayer, the far-right group that has clashed with protesters in Portland numerous times over the past few weeks. The man also appeared to be wearing a Thin Blue Line patch on his shorts, which normally indicates support for police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting took place after numerous confrontations between the people who took part in the pro-Trump rally and counter-protesters, which sometimes devolved into fistfights. Organizers of the rally had encouraged attendees to carry weapons to the protest, but not do so openly. Police said the shooting took place in an area through which the pro-Trump caravan had passed only minutes earlier. The caravan had left downtown Portland at around 8:30 p.m. and the gunshots were heard at about 8:46 p.m., according to a police statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have been nightly protests in Portland for the past three months ever since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolils. And this marked the third weekend there have been clashes between Pro-Trump demonstrators and counterprotesters that had grown increasingly violent. Last weekend, Portland police came under heavy criticism after right-wing demonstrators violently attacked counterprotesters. One right-wing activist even pointed a gun at the crowd but didnt fire. Advertisement The increased violence in Portland comes as Trump has continually focused on criticizing the unrest in Portland and calling on the citys politicians to end the protests. At the Republican National Convention, Trump and other speakers pointed to Portland as a cautionary tale for cities across America. On Friday, Trump sad the federal government would go into Portland if the mayor was unable to keep things under control. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler fired back in a letter saying that when federal officials came into the city things were worse. The shooting in Portland marks the end of a violent week in the United States that began with the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wis. Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has revealed her hopes to be walking again by the end of 2020 after undergoing botched hip surgery. The 63-year-old actress has vowed to film a proper sendoff for her long-running character Liz McDonald - insisting that she'll strut away from the cobbles in a pair of Liz's trademark high heels by hook or by crook. Beverley revealed recently that she has been in excruciating agony for the past six months, after her routine hip operation left her fearing that she'd need a wheelchair, forcing her character to suddenly disappear from Corrie. Focused: Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has revealed her hopes to be walking again by the end of 2020 after undergoing botched hip surgery And in a further chat with The Mirror, Beverley said: 'I hope Ill be back on my feet without crutches by the end of the year... 'Being physically fit and having that taken away from me was a shock. My heart goes out to people suffering with pain every single day. The pain drives you insane.' She will be leaving the iconic ITV soap, but is determined to go out with a bang, even revealing that her character won't be killed off and that she may even return again one day in the future. 'As much as I hate Lizs outfits, I cant wait to get those heels on again,' she went on. 'This is the toughest fight of my life but I am determined to win it... An exit to remember: The 63-year-old actress has vowed to film a proper sendoff for her long-running character Liz McDonald 'I am a strong woman but another strong woman in my life is Liz McDonald and she has been for 31 years. 'I love playing her and she has inspired me to want to get on my feet again so I can do it one last time. If there is anything apart from my family that makes me want to get back on my feet, its being Liz again.' Beverley also revealed that producers were willing to write a wheelchair into Liz's exit, but that she refused this. Sashay away! She insisted she'll strut away from the cobbles in a pair of Liz's trademark high heels by hook or by crook [pictured in character in 1990 with on-screen husband Charles Lawson] 'It wouldnt work for me or for Liz! As soon as Im well enough I will film Lizs exit. I just hope its a belter.' Liz first appeared on Corrie in 1989 and has appeared almost consistently on the show for three decades, taking years off here and there. The feisty character - who has dealt with feuds, death and divorce - is unlikely to find a happy ending, however, according to Beverley. Pain: The 63-year-old actress opened up on the excruciating agony she has been enduring amid her sudden disappearance from the show 'Id love for Liz to find happiness, romance and everything else. I doubt that will happen as they never do that for Liz,' she said, before confirming soap bosses want to 'leave the door open' for a return. Beverley is suing the hospital responsible for her operation after a second opinion from a doctor led to her minor keyhole surgery being changed to a full hip replacement. 'It has been the worst six months of my life. I have been in the most excruciating pain you can imagine like teeth grinding inside my hip,' she previously told The Mirror. 'Worse than that was the mental torture of thinking, "Is this the end for me?" A huge part of me thought Id never be able to return to Coronation Street that I wouldn't even walk again.' Queen Liz: 'Id love for Liz to find happiness, romance and everything else. I doubt that will happen as they never do that for Liz,' she said, before confirming soap bosses want to 'leave the door open' for a return The star, who admitted that she had even considered installing a stair lift as she could barely walk, opened up on her fear of losing her job and ability to walk. She explained: 'Liz is famous for mini skirts, stockings and high heel shoes. Not crutches and a mobility scooter. I thought I wouldnt be able to do my job any more. That is how bad it has been. There was definite doubt over whether I would walk again.' The blonde revealed that after initially quitting the cobbles, she changed her mind and had agreed to stay another year. But earlier this month fans were left baffled as Liz suddenly left Weatherfield off-screen, with it revealed that she had moved to Spain. Nightmare: In a new interview, Beverley reveals she's had the 'worst six months of my life' after a routine hip operation left her fearing that she'd need a wheelchair However, her plans to continue on the show were scuppered by the operation, with the star explaining the pain in the aftermath was 'absolute hell'. Beverley's nightmare began when she visited her GP in March to seek advice on a 'niggle in my hip, in my groin on the right side'. Her doctor said it could easily be fixed with a small operation, however, what followed was a world of pain for the star. Beverley explained that following what she thought was a 'minor operation' at the hospital, which she is not naming for legal reasons, she was told that the surgery didn't go as planned. Shock: The star revealed that she is suing the hospital which carried out the operation after a second opinion from a doctor led to her minor keyhole surgery being changed to a full hip replacement (pictured in character in 2015) She explained to the publication that she was told afterwards that during the procedure, her hip had 'crumbled' and that she needed 'further operations' while there. Days after being released from the hospital, Beverley began to experience excruciating pain which only grew worse. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the thespian was left in agony for months while she waited for a new operation. It wasn't until a trauma surgeon pal stepped in that Beverley, who was left in constant 'tears' over the pain, got a new appointment the next day, with the surgery following afterwards. Agony: 'I have been gone because it has been the worst six months of my life. I have been in the most excruciating pain you can imagine like teeth grinding inside my hip' Earlier this month, Coronation Street fans said they were 'gutted' after Beverley's character Liz was given a quiet exit despite being on the soap for 31 years. The popular character, was said to have left the cobbles and moved to Spain during the episode. After the episode aired several people took to Twitter to express their confusion and frustration at the storyline, with one saying Liz 'did not deserve an off-screen exit'. During the episode Liz's absence was mentioned by Leanne Battersby, played by Jane Danson, and Steve McDonald, played by Simon Gregson, her son. During one conversation Leanne said to Steve: 'I don't suppose it helps that your mum's in Spain either.' Change of plan: The blonde revealed that after initially quitting the cobbles, she changed her mind and had agreed to stay another year (pictured with onscreen ex husband Jim in 2018) 'Hell': However, her plans to continue on the show were scuppered by the operation, with the star explaining the pain in the aftermath was 'absolute hell' (pictured with onscreen son Steve in 2010) Several avid fans were left 'gutted' at Liz's underwhelming exit and took to Twitter to vent their frustration. Corrie fan account Coronation Street Memories wrote: 'Gutted at this. Bev /Liz deserved a proper exit!' While another fan said: 'What's the storyline with Liz McDonald in #corrie. I must have missed something' Someone else added: 'So apparently Liz won't be returning to Corrie and last night's episode where they mentioned she had gone to Spain will be the last we hear about her. LIZ MCDONALD DID NOT DESERVE AN OFF-SCREEN EXIT' And another disappointed fan questioned: 'Has Liz McDonald left #corrie for Spain??? Did they not film any final scenes?' President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced the opening of the Kotoka International Airport from Tuesday, September 1, 2020. The President in the 16th national address on measures taken to control the spread of the Coronavirus on Sunday, August 30, added that the country's land and sea borders remain closed. The President affirmed that the decision to open the airport is after a thorough work by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health. He also said the passengers arriving in Ghana will be required to provide PCR test results produced within not more than 72 hours before traveling to Ghana. "Fellow Ghanaians, I am glad to announce that Kotoka International Airport will reopen and resume operations from Tuesday, 1st September 2020. This decision has been communicated to international airlines. It has been well-established that the very first cases of COVID-19 in Ghana were imported into our shores. We are determined to make sure this scenario does not recur. The commitment to ensuring that the gradual easing of restrictions, including the reopening of our airports, does not lead to the importation or resurgence of the virus into our country, is firmly in place. That is why the following measures have been taken and duly communicated to airlines wishing to resume flights to Ghana: 1. any passenger arriving in Ghana must be in possession of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin. The test should have been done not more than seventy-two (72) hours before the scheduled departure from the country of origin. All airlines have been instructed to ensure compliance with this directive for all passengers wishing to travel to Ghana, and those airlines who fail in this regard will be duly sanctioned; 2. disembarking passengers must do so wearing face masks; 3. upon disembarking from the aeroplane, each passenger will undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test at the airport terminal, at a fee to be borne by the passenger. The test result will be available within thirty (30) minutes; 4. children under the ages of five (5) will not be required to undergo testing at the airport; 5. passengers, who test positive for COVID-19, will be handled by the health authorities for further clinical assessment and management; and 6. passengers, who test negative, can, thereupon, enter Ghana to go about their lawful activities, and will be advised to continue to observe COVID-19 safety precautions during their stay in Ghana. The Ministries of Information, Health and Aviation, and their respective agencies the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Airports Co. Ltd., and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority will spell out in further detail the protocols surrounding the re-opening of our international airport, and the procedures to be adhered to by passengers arriving in Ghana at the COVID-19 media briefing tomorrow, Monday, 31st August. For the avoidance of doubt, our borders, by land and sea, will continue to remain closed to human traffic until further notice." View this post on Instagram - Prez. Akufo-Addo #UTVGhana #UTVNews #DespiteMedia A post shared by UTV Ghana (@utvghana) on Aug 30, 2020 at 1:16pm PDT Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Anybody who frequently passes through Lutyens zone must have come across a road named after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk -the founding father of Republic of Turkey. In fact, Ataturk has been the most popular Turk leader in India, with cross-cutting popularity as well as the strongest pillar of Indo-Turkic friendship. However, his legacy is being jeopardised in his home country itself as Erdogan is working on an ambitious agenda of projecting himself as the tallest leader of Turkey and undermining Ataturks legacy is a part of the same plan. During the opening ceremony of the converted Hagia Sophia mosque, Ali Erbas, head of Turkish religious directorate Diyanet, attacked Ataturk for converting the Islamic property to a museum. Besides, the highest administrative court of Turkey, Council of States in its judgments had criticized the decisions of Ataturk for converting Islamic monuments to museums without naming him, and eventually overturned Ataturks decisions. As per some analysts, The Turkish population as well as the world is noticing the pattern how Erdogan has been taking over the state institutions of Turkey to establish his authoritarian control. The Diyanet as well as the Council of States are the two major institutions that have been acting as puppets of Erdogan to help him fulfil his ambitions. In another sinister attempt to dent Ataturks heritage, Erdogans government banned the celebrations of Victory Day, falling on August 30, under the excuse of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Victory Day is one of the most important national days of Turkey when the Turkish President offers tributes at Kemal Ataturks mausoleum and delivers his speech during a grand celebration at the place. The day is also marked by celebrations all across the nation. Critics and opposition parties have condemned Erdogan by arguing that while Victory Day celebrations have been abandoned on grounds of Covid-19 pandemic, yet Hagia Sophia mosque was opened for prayers and attended by around 3.5 lakh people. Also, other eminent days are still being celebrated, including the anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert and the July 15 coup attempt. When Turkey is undertaking its normal day to day activities including examinations and tourism, the banning of Victory Day celebrations is being seen as Erdogans effort to omit Ataturks imprints from history and to undercut the influence of his thoughts on Turkish society. In another effort to downplay Kemal Ataturks legacy, his iconic white train car was removed from display at the train terminal of Izmir on August 21. Though the decision was protested by civil society groups and the opposition, yet it was not restored at its location. Reflecting a predetermined motive, Ataturks images are either found missing from national events or pushed to the corner with minimised size. Erdogans image has replaced Ataturk from almost every depiction and representations at the national level. Opposition parties and dissident organisations are challenging the moves of Erdogan to attack the founding father of Turkey. Political parties like The Republican People's Party ( CHP) and Good Party ( IVI) have countered Erdogan in a scathing manner for banning Victory Day celebrations and damaging Ataturks image. Similarly, Ataturkcu Dusunce Dernegi - an association working on Ataturkist thoughts has filed a petition in court against the decision of banning August 30 celebrations. The association is also campaigning against the removal of Ataturks white train car from lzmir train terminal. Further, a prominent legal group, Adana Bar Association has filed a criminal suit against Diyanets head Ali Erbas under The Law Concerning Crimes Committed against Ataturk law for his comments against Ataturk on turning Hagia Sophia to a museum. Harold Innis argued about the dimensions of space and time controlling the history and narratives. By subversions and using terrorist outfits to his advantage across the world, Erdogan is trying to champion the dimension of space and by removing the imprints of Ataturk and discontinuing his legacy, he has now started to work for conquering the dimension of time. However, the intense resistance from opposition parties and civil society groups is an indication that the road is not going to be easy for Erdogan as it is impossible to erase Mustafa Kemal Ataturk from the consciences of Turkish society. A mother has been 'shamed' by other parents for packing a 'rainbow' Mickey Mouse-shaped grilled cheese toastie in her four-year-old daughter's lunchbox. The woman, from Queensland, said she used six food colouring pens to create the sandwich in the shape of the iconic Disney character. 'My four-year-old had a Mickey Mouse rainbow grilled cheese today... it was finicky but I don't think it came out too bad,' she wrote in a Facebook group. To create toastie, she lined the bread with the coloured cheese in the form of individual lines so when it's melted, it created the rainbow effect. From there, she used an edible pen to draw Mickey's face on the bread. 'Cheese and food dye. I did six colours and just put them in stripes across the bread then put the sandwich in a pan and cooked until melted,' she explained. A mother has been 'shamed' by other parents for packing a 'rainbow' Mickey Mouse-shaped grilled cheese toastie in her four-year-old daughter's lunchbox But after sharing her seemingly innocent post on social media, she was bombarded with rude remarks from other mothers. 'Wow. That is unique. But my two-year-old son could do so much better,' one woman said, while another added: 'My only concern is what did you use to draw on the sandwich?' Others couldn't help but questioned the mother: 'What food is that?' despite her already explaining what she used to create the lunch for her daughter. However, the mother fired back at the cruel trolls, saying: 'I've never been shamed until today. I posted a lunch I made for my daughter only to be told a toddler could do better. The woman, from Queensland, said she used six food colouring pens to create the sandwich in the shape of the iconic Disney character 'I didn't claim to be an artist, I got into this because my four year old daughter was a prem [premature baby] and has feeding issues as a result. 'This is a problem with a lot of groups I've noticed, there seems to be this culture of mum shaming with comments like yours. 'If you can do better great for you, but why tear someone down to make yourself feel better?' Many mothers quickly jumped to her defence, saying her creation looks 'amazing'. 'It's cute! You're way more creative than me. I did eyes on a sandwich then gave up.' One said: 'Love the sandwich and it's way better than anything I could do,' while another added: 'Please don't lose confidence or take anything said by a nasty few to heart. My kids would be delighted with a lunchbox like that.' Representative Image Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas on August 30. #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: People airlifted and rescued from flood-affected areas of Somalwada in Sehore by Indian Air Force pic.twitter.com/pWKJV65luB ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been carrying out rescue operations in the flood-affected areas. More than 9,000 people have been rescued already, and eight persons have died , reported Hindustan Times. Madhya Pradesh chief minister has already spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the flood situation in the state, and has also called for a high-level meeting later in the day to review the same. The chief minister said: I explained the entire situation to PM Modi today morning. We are being given his support. I am happy that we continued the rescue operations overnight. The five people of Sehore district stranded in Narela village were rescued at 2:30 am. India Today quoted Chouhan as saying that the state has not received so much rain since the year 1999 and that the deluge has affected over 400 villages in Madhya Pradesh. As per the Indian Meteorological Departments weather forecast, isolated pockets in Ratlam, Mandsaur, Shajapur, Neemuch, Agar, Rajgarh, and Sheopurkalan will receive heavy rainfall throughout August 30, while the rest of the areas in these districts will be receiving moderate rainfall. (With agency inputs) Upcoming political events in the Bay Area. Events take place online unless otherwise noted: WEDNESDAY Rep. Barbara Lee: Oakland Democrat holds a town hall meeting on reopening schools in the Alameda County. 4 p.m. Join meeting here. THURSDAY Racism in the Castro: San Francisco Pride and the Commonwealth Club host a discussion on racism and discrimination in San Franciscos Castro neighborhood as part of the Lavender Talks series. Noon. More information is here. Libertarian vice-presidential candidate: Spike Cohen, vice presidential nominee on the Libertarian Party ticket, holds a meet-and-greet event. 4:30 p.m., Empowerment Park, 462 Bellevue Park, Oakland. More information is here. SATURDAY Anti-Trump protest: A rally and march against President Trump. Organized by Refuse Fascism Bay Area. Noon. Gather at Market and Steuart streets in San Francisco and march to City Hall. More information is here. TUESDAY Erin Brockovich: Activist discusses how people and communities can take collective action to safeguard the environment. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 9:30 a.m. More information is here. John Bolton: President Trumps former national security adviser talks about the administration and his new book, The Room Where It Happened. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 10:30 a.m. More information is here. Populism and nationalism: How right-wing populism boosts once-marginalized threats like white supremacy and anti-immigration fervor. A discussion with Lawrence Rosenthal, founder of the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies, and Arlie Hochschild, UC Berkeley professor emerita and author of Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right. Hosted by the Commomwealth Club. 12:30 p.m. More information is here. Sen. Chris Murphy: Connecticut Democrat discusses his book The Violence Inside Us: A Brief History of an Ongoing American Tragedy. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 5 p.m. More information is here. SEPT. 9 Atomic bombings legacy: Former Gov. Jerry Brown and Lesley Blume, author of Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed It to the World, discuss the legacy of the U.S. nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. Noon. More information is here. Charles Munger Jr.: Activist on political reforms that work. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 12:30 p.m. More information is here. Brian Stelter: CNN chief media correspondent on his new book, Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth, in conversation with Mother Jones editor in chief Clara Jeffery. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 3:30 p.m. More information is here. S.F. D7 candidates: Candidates for San Francisco supervisor in District Seven Emily Murase, Joel Engardio, Myrna Melgar and Vilaska Nguyen in a debate hosted by sf.citi. 5 p.m. More information is here. SEPT. 10 Niki Solis on Kamala Harris: San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Niki Solis on Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Solis was a manager in the public defenders office when Harris was San Francisco district attorney. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 10 a.m. More information is here. Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Former White House press secretary and author of Speaking for Myself: Faith, Freedom, and the Fight of Our Lives Inside the Trump White House, in conversation at the Commonwealth Club. Noon. More information is here. SEPT. 12 Flipping Texas: A Zoom event in support of Democratic candidates for the Texas state House, Sharon Hirsch and Akilah Bacy. Sponsored by Sister District CA Peninsula. 6 p.m. More information is here. To list an event, please email Chronicle politics editor Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has tightened after this weeks Republican National Convention, according to a new Yahoo News-YouGov poll, with Bidens lead shrinking to 6 points his smallest margin in nearly two months. The convention appears to have boosted perceptions of Trumps strength and convinced a small number of former Biden supporters to move toward the president. But the unrest in Kenosha, Wis., following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a major talking point at the RNC, has not had a clear impact on voters choices at least not yet. For its latest Yahoo News survey, which was conducted from Aug. 27 to Aug. 28, YouGov recontacted respondents who participated in Yahoo News-YouGov poll one month earlier to gauge how the RNC and other events have affected their views. The poll taken at the end of July showed Biden with a lead of a little less than 9 percentage points. In the new survey, those same registered voters give Biden an edge of just over 6 points (47 percent to 41 percent). That shift about two and a half percent overall is the result of roughly 1 percent of registered voters switching from Biden to Trump and a smaller number who previously said they would not vote now saying they will vote for Trump. These small changes were enough to transform a big Biden lead into a moderate Biden lead. (Before and after the Democratic National Convention, Yahoo News and YouGov surveyed a separate sample of registered voters who gave Biden an 11-point lead.) The new Yahoo News-YouGov poll shows that nearly every voter in America has made up his or her mind, with 96 percent Biden and Trump supporters now saying they have decided how they will vote up 2 percent from when the same voters were surveyed in late July. Only 8 percent remain undecided. There was no change in Congressional voting intention over the same period: 49 percent of registered voters say they will vote Democratic and 38 percent say they will vote Republican. Story continues According to the poll, 62 percent of Republicans and only 34 percent of Democrats say they watched the RNC meaning that 42 percent of registered voters (and 51 percent of all adults) did not watch either convention. Just a third of the public (32 percent) watched both conventions. Fifty-nine percent of Democrats and 33 percent of Republicans say they watched the DNC. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., on night four of the Democratic National Convention at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del., on Aug. 20. (Andrew Harnik/AP) So why did a small number of voters shift toward Trump over the last month? The most pronounced change involved perceptions of the presidents strength. Right before the RNC, 33 percent of Americans said Trump possessed this quality; right after, that number increased to 38 percent. Over the last month, the numbers of Americans saying Trump cares a lot about people like you rose from 19 percent to 22 percent, while the percentage saying they like him a lot or somewhat rose from 24 percent to 28 percent. Its possible that a handful of voters who now consider Trump stronger and more likeable than before have decided to vote for him as a result. Since late July Trump's job approval on COVID-19 has also increased slightly from 38 percent to 40 percent as the rate of growth in cases and daily death figures have been gradually declining. (Deaths now total over 180,000 and are growing at around 1,000 a day.) Yet beyond these modest changes, the poll does not show voters gravitating toward Trump in search of law and order at a time of protest and civil unrest. Its not that Americans are unconcerned about the issue. In July, 59 percent said they were either very or somewhat worried about a breakdown of law and order in American cities; exactly 59 percent say the same now, one month later. They are evenly divided over whether systemic racism (49 percent) or a breakdown of law and order (51 percent) is the bigger problem. President Trump delivers his acceptance speech as the 2020 Republican presidential nominee during the final event of the Republican National Convention on the South Lawn of the White House on Aug 27. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) The issue for Trump is that voters remain unconvinced he will improve the situation. If the goal of the RNC was to tar Biden as a radical who will endanger Americans safety, it was not a success. One month ago, 37 percent of the public thought America would become more safe if Biden were elected; 35 percent said the country would become less safe. After both conventions, those numbers were 39 percent to 38 percent no real change in the margin. Nor did Trump convince Americans that he will make them safer. Today, 43 percent say the country will be less safe if Trump is reelected. Just 32 percent say it will be safer. One month ago, those numbers were nearly identical: 44 percent to 31 percent. Asked who would have handled the protests better, 43 percent say Biden. Only 35 percent say Trump. And despite the RNCs grim warnings and the nightly news reports about chaos in Kenosha most Americans arent particularly concerned about violence in their own communities, with 62 percent saying they are not very worried or not worried at all. In fact, a majority of Americans (52 percent) think a second Trump term will lead to more violence of the sort seen in Kenosha. Only a quarter think Trumps reelection will lead to less violence. Asked which comes closest to their view, just 27 percent say Trump will protect us from the chaos. A plurality (46 percent) say Trump is the source of the chaos. Those numbers have not changed over the last month. Meanwhile, more people (34 percent) think Trump is a radical than think the same of Biden (21 percent) a sign that the president comes across as a more extreme figure than his opponent. A full 61 percent of Americans now say bringing people together is the right way to get things under control versus just 39 percent who prefer law and order a 10-point swing toward unity since late July. People march during a protest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wis. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) This isnt to say that voters dismiss the unrest in Kenosha, or that if similar events were to grip other cities, it wouldnt affect their political views. While Americans continue to approve of the Black Lives Matter movement (49 percent favorable, 37 percent unfavorable) and say that protestors want to improve (54 percent) rather than destroy (46 percent) America numbers that have barely moved over the last month they also seem to be losing patience with scenes of violence. Since late July, the number who say the protests over police shootings of Black Americans have been mostly peaceful has fallen from 30 percent to 28 percent while the number who say the protests have been mostly violent riots has climbed from 33 percent to 37 percent. A majority (54 percent) say the protests have gone too far. Only 20 percent of Americans say the shooting of Jacob Blake was justified. At the same time, they also think the protests in Kenosha were mostly violent (40 percent) rather than mostly peaceful (15 percent). A wide majority (59 percent to 21 percent) says that violence by protesters was a bigger problem than violence toward protesters even though three protesters were shot and two killed by Kyle Rittenhouse, an armed teenager from Illinois who took it upon himself to patrol the streets. Twenty percent of Americans believe Rittenhouse was right to try to maintain order when no one else would, a position forcefully advanced by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, among others. Part of the shift in sympathy away from protesters may reflect declining awareness of events. A few days after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, 75 percent of Americans said they had heard at least some news about the situation there; 70 percent reported seeing the video of Floyds killing. Today, only 58 percent say they have heard at least some news about whats happening in Kenosha, Wisc., while just half say they have watched the Blake video. Perhaps as a result, far fewer Americans consider race a major factor in Blakes shooting (40 percent) than said the same about Floyds killing (61 percent) in late May. Joe Biden and President Trump. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP (2), Getty Images) ____________________ The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,001 U.S. adult residents interviewed online August 27-28, 2020. The respondents all participated in a prior Yahoo News survey conducted July 28-30, 2020 and were contacted to participate. Of the 1,506 adults in the July 28-30, 2020 survey, 1,001 responded to this survey a recontact rate of 66.5%. Respondents were re-interviewed from the previous nationally representative survey. The sample was weighted to gender, age, race, education, geographic region, news interest, 2016 Presidential vote and registration status, and baseline vote intention of the first wave. The margin of error is 4.2 percent (and 4.5 percent for the sample of registered voters)._____ Read more from Yahoo News: Police in Ho Chi Minh City have apprehended two men who posed as officers and read a fake arrest warrant at a local house in an attempt to extort the family. Officers in Ward 7, District 11 confirmed on Sunday they had captured Tran Van Son, 41, and Tran Hong Thai, 37, for appropriation of property. According to preliminary information, Son and Thai arrived at the house of 52-year-old L.H.T. in District 11 at around 10:00 pm on Friday. They were in police uniform and drove a car with a blue license plate, which is only granted to vehicles of state agencies. Son and Thai then entered the house and served an arrest warrant on T. for organizing gambling and usury. T. felt suspicious as she had not commited such crimes. Thai and Sons fake police card is confiscated by police in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. She pretended to follow the directions of the impostors and said she needed to change her clothes before going with them. The woman then headed to her room and told her younger brother to call local police and report the case. After changing, T. continued talking with Thai and Son to buy her some time, before police officers arrived at the location after about five minutes. The impersonators still insisted that they were working for the criminal investigation division under the Ministry of Public Security. They also presented a police card, but the officers found that it was fake. A rented car with a fake license plate that Thai and Son drove to L.H.T.s house on August 28, 2020. Thai and Son were then brought to the local police station. They admitted to dressing as police officers and reading the arrest warrant in an attempt to extort T. and her family. They bought the police uniforms and blue license plate online, while the car was a rental. Son was previously convicted of fraud, police added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Acting Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Saturday criticized an Office of the Director of National Intelligence decision to cancel in-person briefings with Congress on election security issues, but also claimed leaks by members of Congress are part of the problem. What he's saying: Congressional oversight of intelligence activities now faces a historic crisis," Rubio said in a statement. "Intelligence agencies have a legal obligation to keep Congress informed of their activities. And members of Congress have a legal obligation to not divulge classified information. In my short time as Acting Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I have witnessed firsthand how this delicate balance has been destroyed. Divulging access to classified information in order to employ it as a political weapon is not only an abuse, it is a serious federal crime with potentially severe consequences on our national security. This situation we now face is due, in no small part, to the willingness of some to commit federal crimes for the purpose of advancing their electoral aims." "Yet, this grotesque criminal misconduct does not release the intelligence community from fulfilling its legal requirements to respond to Congressional oversight committees and to keep members of Congress fully informed of relevant information on a timely basis." "I have spoken to the Director Radcliffe who stated unequivocally that he will continue to fulfill these obligations. In particular, he made explicitly clear that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will continue receiving briefings on all oversight topics, including election matters. Go deeper: Read: Intelligence chief's letter to Congress on election security briefings PRISTINA, Kosovo - The European Unions mission in Kosovo on Sunday called on ethnic Albanians in the country to give blood samples to help identify the remains of people missing for more than two decades since they were taken away by Serb police and paramilitary forces. The EU Rule of Law Mission, or EULEX, established in Kosovo after the 2008 independence declaration, made the call on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. Kosovar authorities say 1,643 ethnic Albanians are still unaccounted-for since the 1998-1999 armed uprising by ethnic Albanian separatists that led to a bloody Serb crackdown and an international humanitarian crisis. It ended after a NATO bombing campaign. Initially, 10,000 people were reported as dead and some 6,500 missing, but authorities who have recovered remains from mass graves say only 1,643 people now remain unaccounted-for. EULEX expert Tarja Formisto said the lack of new and credible information on the exact location of graves has made the process of locating the remains very difficult. Some of the missing are believed to be in mass graves, others buried individually in clandestine graves in cemeteries and other sites. To add to the problem, Formisto said that some families of the missing refuse to provide samples for DNA analysis. I estimate that up to 20 missing persons could be identified through DNA if the families of all missing persons provide blood samples, she said. The EU mission has conducted 656 field operations over about a decade, resulting in the identification of the remains of 316 individuals previously listed as missing. Only eight cases were solved in 2019, and so far this year the whereabouts of only three people have been traced. The International Committee of the Red Cross in Kosovo, too, urged Kosovars, Serbs and the international community to work harder in the identification process. The main obstacle to a swifter progress is the lack of new information that could lead to new grave sites, said ICRCs Kosovo head, Agim Gashi. Local experts want the international community to exert more pressure on the Serbian government. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, and Serbia does not recognize it as a separate state. Tensions between the two remain high. But efforts to identify remains from both sides of the brutal war have gone on slowly in both Serbia and Kosovo to determine if missing individuals can be declared dead and the remains repatriated. The international community should exploit any tool at its disposal to exert pressure on Serbia and enlighten the fate of the missing and every crime in Kosovo, said Kosovar President Hashim Thaci. In a separate event related to the war, Kosovar authorities inaugurated a plaque marking a visit to the country by U.S. senators in 1990, headed by Bob Dole, which stamped U.S. support on the Albanians rights in former Yugoslavia, up to liberation, independence and state-building in Kosovo, said a Foreign Ministry statement. Since that time the United States of America has stood by the Kosovo people, said Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj Stublla at the ceremony in the downtown area of the capital, Pristina. ___ Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. The former Navy Seal credited with killing Osama bin Laden who was banned from Delta Air Lines after posting a selfie of him not wearing a mask on one of their planes has said the photo was a joke. Robert ONeill, 44, a former US Navy SEAL Team Six member, discussed the controversy on the Chris Salcedo Show on Wednesday. Mr ONeil said he was peacefully protesting the hypocrisy of the mask policy surrounding mealtimes on the flight and that the post was a joke. I was thinking, if I cant wear it while Im drinking and eating, what if Im drinking and eating the entire flight? he said. So I just snapped a quick selfie. He added: I was just pointing out that ... you need to wear a mask to protect us all unless youre having something to eat, and it was snack time on Delta Airlines. I thought it was, you know, kind of a joke. The veteran had tweeted an image of himself on a flight where he was seen smiling in his seat without a mask, which has since been deleted. Im not a p***y, he wrote in the caption. The image sparked a backlash and was shared widely online spurring Delta Air Lines to ban him from future flights. I just got banned from @Delta for posting a picture. Wow, Mr ONeill wrote on Twitter, announcing the ban. A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines previously confirmed to The Independent that Mr ONeill has been banned from the airline. "It's not like I blew the rules off, Mr ONeil said in the interview. It got way way out of hand." Some Twitter users assumed that the photo was a dig at a man in the background of the photo, who was wearing a USMC (United States Marine Corps) hat while wearing a mask. Mr ONeil restated that this was not the case. It was not a dig at the Marine Corps. I love the Marine Corps, he said. The Centres for Disease Control affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against Covid-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities. All of the Melbourne suburbs cautioned to boil their water due to a contamination scare have been given the all-clear, as storm-smashed regions braced for another windy day on Sunday. On Sunday afternoon, Melbourne Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water and the Department of Health and Human Services lifted the entire boiled water advisory notice issued on Friday. Jacqui Agostinello and four-year-old Kobe from Boronia collecting clean drinking water from a water tanker set up by South East Water at Ferntree Gully on Saturday. Credit:Scott McNaughton Yarra Valley Water advised that "all water quality sampling results have come back clear", but residents should run taps inside their homes for two minutes to bring fresh water into the plumbing. Water testing had occurred suburb by suburb on Sunday to ensure tap water is free from flora that may cause gastroenteritis. Pablo Escobar's son has revealed he is furious with a man who claims to be his brother as he says there are 'holes in his story'. Sebastian Marroquin, 43, says that Phillip Witcomb, 55, is 'the third guy in the world who claims to be the first-born'. He added: 'Im used to this kind of crazy guy.' Mr Witcomb, a painter, now lives in Mallorca and says his original name is Roberto Sendoya Escobar. Sebastian Marroquin (pictured), 43, says that Phillip Witcomb, 55, is 'the third guy in the world who claims to be the first-born' Mr Marroquin, who has met around 150 families of his fathers victims to ask for their forgiveness, told The Mirror that his father told him there are no sons outside of his marriage. He said Escobar told him 'he'd forced the abortion of one of his mistresses'. Mr Witcomb said he found out about his birth father in 1989 in what he described as 'an extraordinary moment'. Mr Witcomb (pictured) said he found out about his birth father in 1989 in what he described as 'an extraordinary moment' Under his birth name, Mr Witcomb wrote a novel titled Son Of Escobar: First Born which was published earlier this month. Mr Marroquin said Escobar (pictured) wasn't the head of a cartel then, but was a farmer and student In an interview at the beginning of this month, Mr Witcomb said his adoptive father regularly took him, as a young boy, to visit Escobar in Medellin. He said this was to keep the drug lord on board and to track his movements for MI6. But Mr Marroquin claims his father would have been 16 when Mr Witcomb said his father was working for MI6 to bring Escobar to authorities. Mr Marroquin said Escobar wasn't the head of a cartel then, but was a farmer and student. Mr Witcomb added that he was recently given a series of codes, which he is yet to decipher, which lead to his birth father's missing millions. He said his birth, after an encounter between his father, then aged 16, and Maria Luisa Sendoya, who was 14, was kept quiet. He does not have a birth certificate which names Escobar as his father but says a baptism document claims he was born to the drug lord. MailOnline has contacted Phillip Witcomb for comment. The Savannah Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service is investigating an attack on three women on Saturday night by some faceless persons who accused them of being witches. The attack occurred at Lantekura in the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region. The incident, according to the police, happened at about 11 pm during the celebration of the annual fire festival. At least 14 persons are currently standing trial over a similar offence in the same region after lynching 90-year-old Akua Denteh at Kafaba. That incident generated public uproar resulting in massive calls for such acts to be stopped and also the closure of so-called witches camps. The acting Savannah Regional Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Agyekum Owusu, commenting on the recent incident said the command will do all it can to arrest the perpetrators of the act while the victims are currently receiving treatment at the West Gonja district hospital. Yesterday around 11 pm, I had a call from the Tamale communication that some three women were being attacked by a group that they are witches so we quickly dispatched policemen there and one of the women was rescued by the team. So it was this morning that I also have other information that a certain village, two women were also attacked making three. The attack was in the night and when the saw the police coming there ran away so we couldn't make an arrest in the night but the victims have been sent to West Gonja Municipal Hospital for treatment which the police are preparing to get the culprits arrested. Court consolidates charge sheets of various suspects in Kafaba lynching case Meanwhile, the Bole Magistrate Court had earlier consolidated all the charge sheets in the case involving the murder of Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region. The case is now addressed as the Republic vs. Haruna Aness and (14) others. The suspects are currently on remand. They are to reappear in court on September 18, 2020. citinewsroom About 1,000 people joined a mile-long march in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday, chanting "Black Lives Matter" and "No Justice, No Peace" as US President Donald Trump announced plans to visit the violence-rocked city next week. Jacob Blake Sr, father of the 29-year-old Black man whose shooting by a white police officer on Sunday sparked the unrest, called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests before a tense calm set in the past three nights. "Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing," he told a gathering at a park that was the hub of protests in support of his son, Jacob Blake Jr. "Stop it. Show `em for one night we don`t have to tear up nothing." The shooting of Blake, in front of three of his children, turned the mostly white city of 100,000 people south of Milwaukee into the latest flashpoint in a summer of US-wide demonstrations against police brutality and racism. Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet law enforcement officials and assess damage in the city, a White House official told reporters on Saturday. Blake, 29, survived but was left badly wounded and paralyzed from the waist down. He will likely participate via video from his hospital room in a court hearing next week about criminal charges that predated the shooting, his lawyer told Reuters on Saturday, adding he would plead not guilty. Anger at Blake`s shooting, captured on video that went viral, led to street skirmishes; protesters hurled firecrackers and bricks at police in riot gear who fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets. On Tuesday night a white teenager with a semi-automatic rifle shot three demonstrators, and two of them died. In Kenosha on Saturday, people painted messages of unity on boards protecting storefronts after many businesses were burned to the ground in arson attacks and vandalism. Residents hoped calm would hold for a fourth night as protesters, some wearing "Justice for Jacob" masks, spoke about the need for racial justice. "We are tired," said Darius Johnson, 27, of Milwaukee. "There is no excuse for this kind of racism. It could have been any one of us, my brother, my sister. It needs to stop." The 17-year-old suspect in Tuesday night`s killings, Kyle Rittenhouse, surrendered to police on Wednesday near his home in Illinois close to the Wisconsin border. Kenosha officials have been criticized for videos showing law enforcement agents giving him water before the burst of violence and acting chummy with armed militia men in the streets. By Friday, more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers were on the ground in Kenosha, many from out of state. As Kenosha went on curfew at 7 p.m. local time, authorities in Chicago blocked streets and braced for dueling demonstrations along the city`s "Magnificent Mile", a 13-block stretch of downtown`s Michigan Avenue, media accounts said. Some planned to protest police brutality while others prepared to demonstrate to support the police, they said. SELF-DEFENSE ARGUMENT Rittenhouse is being held without bond and awaiting an extradition hearing on returning him to Wisconsin to face six criminal counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a firearm. His lawyers have indicated he would argue self-defense. "Kyle Rittenhouse stood up to protect his community and his country. He defended himself. We will no longer let Americas cities burn. The mayors and governors had their chance. They failed," John Pierce, one of Rittenhouse`s lawyers, said on Twitter. Blake, who has undergone multiple surgeries since the shooting, had been handcuffed to a hospital bed because of an outstanding arrest warrant. The handcuffs were removed on Friday and officers guarding Blake stood down after the warrant was vacated, according to his attorney, Pat Cafferty. The warrant was based on a criminal complaint filed against Blake in July. The complaint shows that Blake`s ex-girlfriend, the mother of three of his children, told police Blake broke into her home on May 3 and sexually assaulted her before stealing her truck and debit card. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said this week that police confronted Blake when called to the home of a woman who had reported her "boyfriend was present" without permission, and officers tried to arrest him. Kaul said efforts to subdue Blake with a Taser failed, and that investigators later recovered a knife from the floor of the car that Blake was leaning into when he was shot. On Friday, the Kenosha police union defended the officers, saying Blake was armed with a knife, fought the officers and was given several chances to cooperate before they used deadly force. Blake`s family and his attorneys have said he did not provoke or threaten the police. "What gave them the right to attempted murder of my child. What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal," Blake`s father told the crowd. "I`m tired of this." A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was killed in Pakistani shelling along the LoC (Line of Control) in Nowshera sector of Jammu divisions Rajouri district on Sunday morning. A defence official said that Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violation on Sunday morning using small arms at Kalsian, Khanger and Bhawani areas along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri. A JCO sustained injuries in Pak shelling in the Kalsian sector. He was immediately evacuated to an army hospital but he succumbed to his injuries, said the official. In the incident, Naib Subedar Rajwinder Singh was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries, said Defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand. Naib Subedar Rajwinder Singh was a brave, highly motivated and a sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, said Colonel Anand. The deceased soldier belonged to Goindwal Sahib village in Khadur Sahib Tehsil of Amritsar district in Punjab. On Saturday, the BSF had detected a transborder tunnel that originated from Pakistan and stretched 150 meters into Samba sector of the union territory. Also Read: Police personnel killed, 3 terrorists gunned down in encounter in J-Ks Srinagar Since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 last year, Pakistan has been regularly pushing militants across and also opening heavy fire on the LoC and international border. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON She recently took on the role of Her Majesty in series three of Netflix hit The Crown. But despite her regal poise in the much-loved show, Olivia Colman admitted she swore when she met The Queen in real life. The award-winning actress, 46, confessed she let slip the F-bomb when she encountered the monarch, who was luckily not in earshot of her four-letter slip. Whoops! Despite her regal poise portraying Her Majesty in The Crown, Olivia Colman admitted she swore when she met The Queen in real life (pictured in February) Speaking to The Mirror, Olivia recalled the unexpected moment she came face-to-face with the Queen six years ago at a film industry event held at Windsor Castle. The star told how she became baffled as she found herself standing in a line of people, after not being aware that the Queen would be in attendance. Discussing her bewilderment, she told the publication: 'I didnt think shed be there and suddenly we all ended up in a big queue.' She continued: 'I thought somebody was using the rooms for the bash and then suddenly we looked down the corridor and went "Oh, f**k!"' Awkward: The award-winning actress, 46, confessed she let slip the F-bomb when she encountered the monarch, who was luckily not in earshot of her four-letter slip The thespian added: 'A man in epaulettes was telling us to do "just a little bow, dont overdo it". He sort of shuffled us forwards saying "your majesty, then your royal highness, then keep moving because she has hundreds of people to get through."' Luckily, she regained her composure long enough to greet the monarch. Olivia joined The Crown in series three, taking over from actress Claire Foy who portrayed the Queen in her younger years. She joined co-star Helena Bonham Carter on the show, who stepped into the role of Princess Margaret following Vanessa Kirby's portrayal. Meeting: Speaking to The Mirror, Olivia recalled the unexpected moment she came face-to-face with the Queen six years ago at a film industry event held at Windsor Castle Unexpected meeting: The star told how she became baffled as she found herself standing in a line of people, after not being aware that the Queen would be in attendance And Olivia sweetly revealed that she and Helena, 54, have become the best of pals after bonding on set. She said: 'Id like to say we have become lifelong friends and we found it very easy to get on with one another. It became quite sisterly.' While Helena remarked: 'Ive never had a sister and Ive always wanted one and now I have got one.' Earlier this month, Olivia was once again a dead ringer for Queen Elizabeth II in the first trailer for series four of The Crown. Turning the air royally blue: I thought somebody was using the rooms for the bash and then suddenly we looked down the corridor and went "oh f**k!"' (pictured as The Queen in The Crown) The Oscar winner dons the Guards' Regiment uniform to ride horseback for the preview, for what appears to be a recreation of the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony. Series four - which will be released on Sunday, November 15th - will also see the introduction of Princess Diana, played by Emma Corrin, and will recreate her early romance, and later wedding, to Prince Charles. In the first seconds of the preview, Olivia can be seen dressed in the regal attire which the Queen traditionally wore as Colonel-in-Chief for each and every Trooping of the Colour until 1986. Like sisters: And Olivia sweetly revealed that she and Helena, 54, have become the best of pals after bonding on set Close: 'Id like to say we have become lifelong friends and we found it very easy to get on with one another. It became quite sisterly' Once again she is the spitting image of Her Majesty in the late 1970s, which is when series four of The Crown will begin, as she emerges from Buckingham Palace for the annual ceremony. The Trooping of the Colour was an annual ceremony performed by the regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies to celebrate the Queen's official birthday, and typically sees the Royal Family in attendance. This year, the ceremony was substantially scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Queen simply watching a mini-version from Windsor Castle. Trouble ahead: Olivia was once again a dead ringer for Queen Elizabeth II in the first trailer for series four of The Crown (left in the trailer and right in 1979) In the trailer, Olivia also offers an eery voiceover, saying: 'Something as important as monarchy simply cannot be allowed to fail.' But a majority of the trailer focuses on Emma Corrin's depiction of Lady Diana Spencer, who would eventually become Princess Of Wales, one of the most iconic figures in Royal History. The fourth series will document her blossoming romance with Prince Charles, as the trailer features the moment she emerges to greet an army of photographers, along with crowds cheering her name as she travels the world on behalf of the monarchy. The trailer hints there could be dark times ahead for the monarchy as behind closed doors they are growing increasingly divided. Following the Queen's introduction, the trailer cuts to a glimpse of Gillian Anderson as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, with the series set to begin at the start of her rise to power. It's here! The trailer also gave fans their first glimpse of Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in her iconic wedding gown (left in the trailer and right in 1981) Divisive: The trailer shows Gillian Anderson as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, with the fourth series set to begin in the late 1970s Controversial: The X Files star Gillian (pictured left in filming) will play the divisive politician (right in 1995) who governed the UK throughout the 1980s PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie says the United States handling of the coronavirus pandemic has led to needless deaths due to a tragic embarrassment of a national crisis. Sign up for Eagles Extra: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text directly with reporters We have 800,000 deaths and rising around the world, Lurie said Saturday. We have almost 200,000 deaths in the United States. This is from COVID-19 alone: 30,000 (deaths) in the month of August. Over 1,000 in the United States every single day. Lurie, who has donated more than $1 million to coronavirus research in Philadelphia, compared the countrys COVID-19 death toll to the casualties of five Boeing 737 crashes on a daily basis. Its been like that for many weeks, Lurie said. We are four percent of the worlds population, 21 percent of the (COVID) fatalities. Theres a lot to figure out ... Were able to socially distance better than any country, or we have the potential to, we have life-saving mechanisms more than any third-world country, but we are and have been the epicenter of exactly what has taken place, and thats our history. We have to own this. We have to own the questions of leadership, we have to own the questions of policy and theres a lot to be discussed here on that in the future. But, thats the reality that I think we face. Lurie called the statistics heartbreaking as he candidly dissected the countrys current outlook on the virus. These are needless deaths, needless, Lurie said. We should be similar to most countries on this planet, and yet we are an embarrassment and a tragic embarrassment, and thats where we stand. Get Eagles text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text directly with beat writer Mike Kaye. Plus, exclusive news and analysis. Sign up now for a free trial. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Three University of Ottawa students and Conservative Party members say they hope the party can unite under its new leader, Erin O'Toole, and work to address items relevant to today's younger voters. O'Toole won the party's leadership on a third-round ballot, beating out runner-up Peter MacKay by more than 27,000 votes on Monday. "Whether it came to COVID or before that, Mr. O'Toole had a strong plan in how he wanted to unite his conservatives, how he wanted to win," said Lee Boswell, who supported O'Toole in the race. "He knew what he wanted to do, he did it, and he ended up winning, and it was a strong victory at that." Louis-Charles Dumais Photographe/Submitted by Lee Boswell Cameron Doherty supported Peter MacKay, but is ready for the party to gear up for the next election with O'Toole at the helm. "At the end of the day, the voters are always right, and they've spoken and now's the time for coming together," he told CBC Radio's All In A Day. "I think this is an exciting time for all Conservatives, as we rally around our new leader and look forward to beating Justin Trudeau in the next election." Kevin Geenen hopes the party will now address "21st century problems," and focus on a positive Conservative vision. He's worried too much of O'Toole's campaign was focused on the current prime minister and not on what the party planned to do for voters. "Conservatives should stop being obsessed with Trudeau," said Geenen. Both Doherty and Boswell agree the Tories need to focus on policies and ways to expand their voter base, including reaching out to Millennials who are experiencing economic uncertainty and are concerned about the environment. Doherty believes Canada can become a world leader in small, modular nuclear reactors, for example. Reform party voting One aspect Geenen does want the party to change is how it elects Conservative leaders. He supported Leslyn Lewis, who was ultimately eliminated after the second round. He believes the current system that gives equal weight to each riding across the country, no matter how many party members they have, should be re-evaluated. Story continues Kayla Szymczuk "The point system means that someone in a rural Quebec riding with 40 members in it has a vote that is worth more than someone in an Alberta riding with 1,000 members in it," he said. "Is that fair?" Doherty said any member could propose changing the system at the party's next policy meeting, but acknowledges the different ideas of members across the country need to be balanced in whatever system is ultimately chosen. Joe Biden will "go out this week, addressing this moment in the country" as parts of the US are racked by demonstrations over racial justice, a top aide to the Democratic presidential candidate said. Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager, said on Fox News Sunday that President Donald Trump has been inciting violence around protests all summer - comments echoed by other Democrats. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Credit:Bloomberg "You're going to see him travel, and you're going to see him in battleground states," Bedingfield said of Biden. The Democrat has mostly stayed at home in Delaware during the months long coronavirus pandemic. She didn't say where Biden plans to make campaign stops this week, though the nominee said last week that he plans to begin travelling to critical election states including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Arizona after Labour Day, on September 7. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 23:43:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Sunday that it is outrageous that some lawmakers continuously smeared the upcoming massive COVID-19 testing in Hong Kong and incited residents to boycott the scheme. Lam said through her social media account that the testing will help find invisible COVID-19 patients and curb the spread of the disease, which is conducive to Hong Kong's anti-epidemic fight. Hong Kong witnessed a resurgence of local infections since July, and currently about 30 percent of the new cases are still untraceable and some patients are asymptomatic, Lam said, stressing the significance of the massive testing. Those lawmakers just do not miss any opportunity to make trouble and create controversies even if people's health is involved, Lam said. Lam called for concerted efforts of Hong Kong residents to break the rumors about the testing scheme and help control the epidemic so that Hong Kong can return to normal at an early date. Enditem Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, 43, has died of colon cancer. On Friday, the actor's team released a statement explaining that he had been battling the illness for four years, after being diagnosed in 2016. "A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you so many of the films you have come to love so much," the statement said. "From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy." Colon, or colorectal cancer, is any cancer involving the large intestine and/or rectum, and can be as painful as that sounds. Here are the signs and symptoms of colon cancer you need to look out for. Read on, and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had Coronavirus. 1 Silent Sign: Diarrhea Woman grabbing toilet paper from the roll. "Tumors in the right-colon are likely to bleed and cause diarrhea," explains Dr. Beatriz Amendola of Innovative Cancer Institute in Miami, Fl. She points out that younger patients are more likely to be misdiagnosed for IBS irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 2 Silent Sign: Constipation A man holding his stomach. "As the tumor grows it can cause the diameter of the colon to become smaller and smaller making it harder to pass stool through the colon," explains Kristina Booth, MD, OU Medicine colorectal surgeon. "This can result in less frequent bowel movements and in some cases narrowing of the stool, too." 3 Silent Sign: Thin, Bloody Stools upset woman in toilet by diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, piles In addition to constipation and diarrhea, any other changes in stools can be a sign of colon cancer. Steven Reisman, MD, Director of New York Cardiac Diagnostic Center, specifies that narrow or thin stools or those with blood in them (red or black) are things to look out for. "These symptoms can represent a tumor blocking the colon or bleeding into the colon," he explains. The Rx (Unusual BMs): If you notice any abnormality in your stoolespecially bloodyou should see a gastroenterologist and arrange a colonoscopy. And if you do receive an IBS diagnosis and your bowel movements don't seem to improve after treatment, go back for a second opinion. Story continues 4 Silent Sign: Hard Belly Button Lump If you notice any hardness around your belly button, do not ignore it. "A hard knot at the belly button could be a Sister Mary Joseph node," explains Dr. Booth. In addition to being a sign of colon cancer, it could also be a sign of another cancer in the abdomen, that has spread outside the colon. The Rx: Since this symptom can imply a variety of cancers, call your physician as soon as you notice hardness at the belly button. 5 Silent Sign: Iron Deficiency and Anemia Laboratory assistant with a sample of blood in a test tube Anemia, or a lack of iron, can be a symptom of colon cancer. "This is due to the gradual loss of blood in the stool," says William Tierney, MD, OU Medicine gastroenterologist. "The bleeding very slow and is not visible in the bowel movement so it is silent but occurs continuously over months to years leading to depletion of the body's iron stores." The Rx: Stay up to date on your blood work. "Iron deficiency in any male and any non-menstruating female warrants a search for blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract and colon cancer is a common cause," Dr. Tierney says. 6 Silent Sign: Unexplained Weight Loss woman disappointed after checking weight If you are losing weight and have no explanation for it, it could be a sign of a variety of different cancersincluding colon. If you have any other symptomsespecially a change in stoolsyou shouldn't ignore the numbers going down on the scale, says Dr. Reisman. The Rx: "Consult a physician for an evaluation for weight loss," instructs Dr. Reisman. 7 Silent Sign: Abdominal Cramping or Pain African-american man suffering from stomach ache, lying on sofa at home If you are feeling discomfort, pain, or cramping in your midsection and it won't seem to go away, you shouldn't ignore it. "If this lasts for a significant amount of time (more than a week) or gets progressively worse it may represent a tumor in the colon," explains Dr. Reisman. The Rx: Pain and cramping in the abdominal region can represent a variety of health issues. Dr. Reisman suggests making an appointment with your gastroenterologist to schedule a colonoscopy to rule out colon cancer. 8 Silent Sign: Unexplained Loss of Appetite While losing your appetite for no explainable reason could be due to so many health issues or cancer, if it is paired with other colon cancer symptomsespecially changes in bowel habitsit shouldn't be overlooked. The Rx: "One should see a physician to get blood tests and determine if a colonoscopy is warranted," Dr. Reisman urges. 9 Silent Sign: Weakness and Fatigue Tired red haired man take glasses off working too long at computer, exhausted millennial male suffer from headache or eye tension, young student massaging nose bridge feeling fatigue Weakness and fatigue may be a really common part of your day. However, they can be symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, a symptom of colon cancer, reminds Dr. Reisman. The Rx: If you are feeling tired and weak all the time, you should make an appointment with your MD to have blood work done. While anemia in and of itself isn't a huge concern, it could be a symptom of a greater health issuesuch as colon cancer. 10 What to Do if You Experience These Symptoms Doctor and senior man wearing facemasks during coronavirus and flu outbreak If any of these signs or symptoms are present, it is imperative that you discuss with your primary or seek immediate medical attention. "Your doctor will likely order testing if you have any of the aforementioned complaints but in many cases you will need to have a colonoscopy for further evaluation," explains Dr. Masoud. "This procedure is very safe and represents the mainstay of cancer detection and prevention." RELATED: The 20 Most Common Cancer-Causing Habits 11 What to Do: Early Detection Is Key patient with doctor As with most health complications and especially cancer, early detection can be the key to a favorable outcome and eventual successful therapy. "As always, the best protection against cancer is prevention," Amir Masoud, MD, a Yale Medicine gastroenterologist, explains to Eat This, Not That! Health. "Non invasive screening tests and colonoscopy have lead to a significant reduction in cancers and related deaths. It is imperative that we follow screening recommendations and do not neglect symptoms or signs that could point to something more going on." 12 What to Do: A Colonoscopy Can Help Gastrologist. Doctor's office. Doctor gastroenterologist with probe to perform gastroscopy and colonoscopy The best way to detect colon cancer early is colonoscopy. "Colonoscopy has been routinely recommended to be done every 10 years starting at age 50," explains Matthew Mintz, MD, FACP. People with other risk factors, such as a first degree relative who had colon cancer, can be screened even earlier. "Colonoscopy is excellent for identifying pre-cancerous polyps, which are small, early growth that haven't become cancer just yet," he says. The gastroenterologist who performs the colonoscopy sees these pre-cancerous polyps and removes them-cancer averted, life-saved. "The problem is that most people decide not to do the colonoscopy because they are afraid of the procedure or they find it inconvenient," he points out. 13 What to Do: Try Cologuard Cologuard box Cologuard is a new test which looks for cancer DNA in your stool, Dr. Mintz points out. "It is easy and convenient, and it is almost (about 90%) as good as colonoscopy," he says. While he doesn't endorse it as the preferred screening method for patients, "it is certainly much better than not doing anything, and thus a reasonable alternative for patients who want to avoid a colonoscopy." 14 What Are the Chances You Will Get Colon Cancer? Woman holding model of human intestines in front of body. Unfortunately, it is very common, with almost 150,000 new cases diagnosed each year. "In the United States, it remains the second most lethal cancer in men and third most in women," explains Dr. Masoud. "While the incidence of colorectal cancer has declined in people over the age of 50thanks to effective screening programswe are seeing an uptick in new cases involving younger patients." 15 Can You Spot Colon Cancer Symptoms in the Early Stages? Doctors discussing intestines x-ray at medical office Usually symptoms do not present themselves until colon cancer is in more advanced stages, although a colonoscopy before it starts to cause symptoms can help. "It is therefore imperative that we are aware of the possible warning signs and seek immediate medical attention if any of these are present," explains Dr. Masoud. As for yourself: To get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don't miss these 37 Places You're Most Likely to Catch Coronavirus. Take a millionaire architect, a couple of prominent QCs, a Real Housewives of Melbourne star and a $US4.7 million ($6.3 million) jet aircraft claimed to be a dud and what do you have? A Supreme Court trial scheduled to start at 10.30am on Monday. Andrew Norbury, the millionaire architect and developer, is taking time out from his day job as the husband of Real Housewives of Melbourne star Lydia Schiavello to sue Textron Aviation over a Cessna jet he says is now un-airworthy. To argue his case Norbury, whose Metier3 firm designed Seven17Bourke, home to Channel Nine and The Age, has enlisted Ian Freckelton QC, the Victoria Police lawyer who has acted for police giving evidence in the Lawyer X royal commission and conducted the City of Melbourne inquiry into sexual assault allegations against former lord mayor Robert Doyle. US-based Textron has hired Hamish Austin QC, whose expertise in commercial litigation has been recognised in the Victorian and Australian Senior Counsel rankings of Doyles Guide to the Australian Legal Profession, according to his Victorian Bar profile. Over the past month the lawyers have been discussing with Supreme Court Justice Peter Riordan if court times need to be rescheduled to hear evidence from US witnesses and if his honour can view the jet under COVID-safe conditions. Preparations are in top gear ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections and reports on the polls topped political reports last week. The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, was named Chairman of the campaign committee for the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State by the National Central Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He will head the 145-member panel which has Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara as Deputy Chairman and Abdullahi Maibasira as the secretary. Also, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), named 953 persons as members of his campaign committees for the election. Members of the panel are prominent politicians in the state, including some of those who had challenged him for the ticket. Jimoh Ibrahim Photo: PointBlank News Meanwhile, businessman Jimoh Ibrahim announced his defection from the PDP to the APC as he vowed to use his influence to cripple the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election. He also donated 20 vehicles to support Mr Akeredolus campaign. The PDP has since ridiculed his defection saying the politician was not its member. Ahead of the September 19 Edo polls, the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, said the commission is fully prepared and ready for the conduct of the election. He said the commission has successfully carried out 10 of the 14 activities on schedule for the polls. In other election news, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank Limited, Tokunbo Abiru, announced his retirement from the service of the bank, to enable him take a shot at the senatorial slot for Lagos East District. The position became vacant after the death of Adebayo Osinowo who died on June 15 at 64. Mali crisis Following several meetings between West African mediators and Malis military coup leaders, military junta said they have released ousted President Ibrahim Keita who had been detained since the coup last Tuesday. The soldiers had arrested Mr Keita and forced him to resign from power at gunpoint. He was held at Kati military base outside of Bamako where the mutiny first began a coup which was condemned by the international community but celebrated by many in the country after months of political unrest. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (PHOTO CREDIT: @IBK_PRMALI) Mr Keitas release was, however, a sequel to demands by Malis international partners, especially the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Other reports Another major political story was the claim by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, stating how former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, raised money for then-candidate Muhammadu Buhari to win the 2015 presidential election. Mr Lawal, who was removed from office for alleged misappropriation of funds, said it was Mr Tinubu who raised funds for the APC to defeat the then president, Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP, in 2015. READ ALSO: Also, the counsel to the suspended acting chairman of the anti-graft agency, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, Wahab Shittu, restated his stance that the panel probing his client has not submitted any report. He said reports claiming an interim report indicting Mr Magu was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari are false. The Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Ahmed Amshi, called for an increase in the National Assemblys annual budget. This, he said, is because the budgetary allocation of N125 billion is not enough to fund the institution. The Council of State approved the presidential pardon granted late the first democratically elected governor of old Bendel State (now Edo and Delta states), Ambrose Ali, who was controversially indicted over a N900,000 scandal while he was alive. The council also pardoned one Ajayi Babalola. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, described reports of his presidential ambition in 2023, especially being the running mate to the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a distraction. Advertisements His aide, Turaki Hassan, said in a statement that the reports were being sponsored by the Bauchi State Government. (CNN) Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has asked a judge to dismiss murder charges against him in the death of George Floyd. In court papers Friday, Chauvin's attorney says there is not probable cause to support charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd's killing sparked protests against systemic racism and police brutality around the world. Meanwhile, prosecutors said Friday that Floyd's killing was so cruel that they want stricter sentences than recommended by state guidelines if Chauvin and the three other officers involved are found guilty. Floyd died on May 25 after Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost eight minutes. Three other former officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. All four officers were fired. Prosecutors filed a notice that they will be asking for an "upward sentencing departure" in the cases of Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Kiernan Lane and Tou Thao. Attorney General Keith Ellison did not define what the request will be, but he told the judge he has reason to go beyond the "sentencing guidelines grid" used in Minnesota to factor in a convicted person's past criminal history. "Mr. Floyd was treated with particular cruelty," prosecutors wrote. "Despite Mr. Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe and was going to die, as well as the pleas of eyewitnesses to get off Mr. Floyd and help him, Defendant and his codefendants continued to restrain Mr. Floyd." The state also argues that the case has aggravated circumstances because Floyd was particularly vulnerable in handcuffs, and also claims that the officers abused their authority. The other three former officers earlier filed motions to dismiss. Judge Peter Cahill has not yet ruled on any of them. Chauvin also wants Hennepin County Attorney's Office disqualified, in part because of what Chauvin's attorney called "an inappropriate, pretrial publicity campaign," according to the filing. Cahill has denied a similar request by another former officer. CNN reached out to the officers' attorneys for comment but has not heard back. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Former officer in George Floyd killing asks judge to dismiss charges." Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Mayor Mario Kranjac said a bill for police overtime totaling $2,500 that was sent to a teenager who organized a Black Lives Matter rally last month has been rescinded, and added that it should not have been sent in the first place. The bill was mistakenly issued based on advice I received from our borough administrator who I understand consulted the borough attorney, Kranjac told NJ Advance Media. I was told that all private events requiring police overtime should be paid for by the organizers. That advice was incorrect. Kranjac said he further researched the issue with his own attorney and said it was clear that the exercise of constitutional rights are treated differently when it comes to borough administration and billing. I always want to make certain that everyones constitutional rights are fully respected, the mayor continued. We will have to adjust the boroughs ordinances accordingly to ensure this never happens again. Emily Gil, an 18-year-old Englewood Cliffs resident who graduated from Bergen County Technical School in June, organized a small, peaceful Black Lives Matter protest last month, she told NJ Advance Media this week. Englewood Cliffs has dodged affordable housing requirements for 40-plus years, Gil said. I find that unacceptable. Emily Gil, 18, said she organized the Black Lives Matter rally in Englewood Cliffs over concerns about affordable housing issues in the borough.Courtesy of Emily Gil Four days after the July 25 rally, Gil received a letter from the mayor seeking payment of $2,499.26 for the police overtime caused by your protest. Gil could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday evening. The towns letter said she had not met with officials before her protest, requiring them to hastily come up with security plans. Gil said she didnt meet with them in person over coronavirus concerns, but made an offer to meet via Zoom, which wasnt accepted, and then officials stopped responding to her. She said she had reached out to the mayor after receiving the bill but had received no response. Kranjac earlier told NJ Advance Media that protesters rights of free speech and assembly were respected, and that Gil was wrong to link affordable housing to her protest. As with any privately-sponsored event that takes place in the borough requiring police safety, an invoice was sent to the organizer for police overtime since it would be unfair to require our residents to financially support a private event, he said. Four Democratic members of the towns Council said in a statement that they would seek to cancel the bill and called on the Republican mayor to apologize to the teenager. Jeanne LoCicero, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, told The Associated Press, the idea of sending a bill to protesters is shocking. She said while its been attempted before, she hadnt heard of any other town trying something similar over the protests of recent months. This article contains material from the Associated Press. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. National Liberal Party (PNL) Deputies' leader Florin Roman has announced that the parliamentary group he is running will not participate in the voting on the censure motion. "The PNL Deputies' group will not participate in the voting on the censure motion, which the PSD [Social Democratic Party] turned into a ball of lies. The PSD motion should have been called: PSD wants to set Romania on fire, in full pandemic," Roman wrote on Facebook on Sunday. He has added that the PSD gesture of filing a censure motion in the current circumstances is "deeply irresponsible." "Given that Romania is fighting the pandemic and we are only a few weeks away from the local and parliamentary elections, PSD's gesture is not only unconstitutional, but also deeply irresponsible. After leaving Romania with no medicine stocks, with 'zero' stocks, the PSD has been constantly fighting for the sabotage of the Government. They have complained that the measures taken by the Government are too harsh, they have asked for more and more relaxation, and the result is that we have reached an average of over 1,200 cases a day. They left the Government without the possibility of legal action and thus the number of serious cases in ICUs exploded," Deputy Florin Roman added. According to him, the PSD wants to generate a political crisis and "throw Romania into chaos only for party interests". By PTI NEW DELHI: Reacting sharply to Pakistan hailing the recent Gupkar Declaration in which six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir vowed to fight collectively against the abrogation of Article 370, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday asserted that "we are not anyone's puppets". "Pakistan has always abused mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir but now suddenly they like us", the former chief minister said when asked about Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement that the declaration issued by the NC, PDP, Congress and three other parties was "not an ordinary occurrence but an important development". "Let me make it clear that we are not anyone's puppets, neither New Delhi's nor of anyone across the border. We are answerable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will work for them," he told PTI from Srinagar. In response to a question on cross-border terrorism, Abdullah said, "I would urge Pakistan to stop sending armed men into Kashmir. We want an end to the bloodshed in our state. All political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are committed to fight for our rights peacefully, including for what was unconstitutionally snatched away from us on August 5 last year". At the same time, the NC leader urged both India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue "for everyone's greater good". "Our people are being killed on both sides of the Line of Control every time there are ceasefire violations. For God's sake bring a halt to that", he said. In a declaration issued on August 22, six prominent mainstream political parties came together for restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after describing as "unconstitutional" steps approved by Parliament last year to end the erstwhile state's special status and slice it into two union territories. The joint statement is known as "Gupkar Declaration-2", being second declaration on Article 370 issued after meetings held at the Gupkar Road residence of Abdullah which clearly asks the Centre that "there can be nothing about us without us", an indication that the Centre has to take into confidence the people before implementing any constitutional change. Cuffe Parade police booked a 66-year-old man for allegedly sodomising his four-year-old grandchild on two occasions. The police said that the incident came to light after the minors father, who is an advocate, filed the complaint against the accused on Saturday. According to the complainant, the boy was sexually assaulted for the first time in February. When the accused committed the crime again this month, the child told his father about it, following which the latter decided to file a case. A first information report (FIR) registered under section 377 (unnatural offences) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 4 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault) and 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered against the accused. Back in March, our government advised us NOT to come home from Singapore. Let me be clear: the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advised us, and thousands of Australian expats like us, that if we had a job and a home where we were, it was probably best for us to remain in place. The alternative was no job and no home in Australia. We would have become a financial burden because we would have knocked on Centrelinks door. We saved you, the taxpayer, about $30,000 by staying where we were. If 100,000 of us had come home in March to no job, it could have cost close to $3 billion. Tens of thousands of Australians are still stranded overseas. Credit: My business was Australian. We took motorcyclists to events such as the MotoGP at Phillip Island, the Malaysian MotoGP, and were about to expand to include the Thailand MotoGP, Tibet and Morocco. That business is now gone. These things happen. I will look for further opportunities in domestic tourism, which I predict will become the next big thing, as the International Air Transport Association recently announced it expects global travel will remain devastated until at least 2024. Which brings me to my partners job. She works in corporate travel and after many years of hard work, she was offered a promotion that she truly deserved. This would see us relocate to Singapore. That was three years ago, and much like businesses that export their goods and services to overseas customers (think mining, oil and gas), she was exporting her skills and services with a net return to Australia. Our savings (if there is anything left after this adventure) will be returned to Australia. He said he would meet with F.B.I. agents this week for a painstaking review of the new information in the report. The shooting is being investigated by both the state authorities and the F.B.I. Mr. Cameron declined to say what the ballistics report found or what further information was needed before his office would make a decision about criminal charges in the case. I dont want to get into the specifics, he said. It is an ongoing investigation, and I dont want to compromise it in any way. He added that his office was leaving no stone unturned. David James, president of the Louisville Metro Council, said in an interview that although the ballistics report was an important element of the case, its just a step along the path, and did not signify that the investigation was nearing its end. The circumstances of the shooting and the investigation have fed into the widespread anger and protests across the nation over police use of deadly force, especially against Black people. Before the shooting in March, the Louisville police were investigating two men who they believed were selling drugs out of a house in another part of the city. A judge signed a warrant allowing the police to search Ms. Taylors residence because the police said they believed that one of the two men had used her apartment to receive packages. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. With most New Jersey public schools just a week or so away from reopening for the new school year, districts are finalizing their preparations for either hybrid learning or an implementation of full virtual learning, amid the coronavirus pandemic. MINNEAPOLIS Abe Demaag drove through downtown, watching people break windows and loot businesses, and he felt the sear of anguish all over again. His own furniture business had been burned down during the unrest that exploded after George Floyd died in police custody. Floyds death on May 25 sparked protests around the country and a national reckoning on racial inequality and police brutality, but the city where it all began remains a powder keg of tension as traumatized residents still reeling from this summer's events look toward an uncertain future. Its just going to keep going, people have a lot of anger with the police. People are frustrated with the system, Demaag, 45, said standing outside the charred remains of his former furniture store. The minute we have this anger, people are going to hijack it and do other stuff again, the same thing. Its a very scary situation. That anger was reignited Wednesday when a murder suspect being pursued by police fatally shot himself outside Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, sparking false rumors amid mistrust in police that the man had been gunned down by law enforcement. Police released surveillance video of the mans death within 90 minutes of the incident, but crowds gathered, leading to protests, looting and confrontations with police as some people began breaking into restaurants and retail stores surrounding the mall. Gov. Tim Walz declared an emergency in Minneapolis and sent in the National Guard and more than 100 state troopers. Officers used flash-bang grenades to dispel protesters who continued to gather late into the night. More than 130 people were arrested. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ordered two days of curfews, though Thursday night was largely quiet with a few dozen arrests for curfew violations. Demaag said the recent unrest felt like the initial looting, and said that business owners once again were not getting enough protection. We dont want to be seeing this more again, and if you dont have control over your city, then who has it? he asked. Story continues He called on city and state officials to do more to address longstanding issues over injustice and policing that had been brought to a boiling point with Floyds killing. If thats not going to be fixed, were going to keep suffering more and more of this trauma and things are going to be coming up again, he said. Image: Minneapolis after George Floyd (Ed Ou / NBC News) Demaag, an immigrant from Ethiopia, and his brother started the Chicago Furniture Warehouse almost 30 years ago, chasing their American dream of having their own business. But waves of mostly peaceful protests that swept Minneapolis after Floyds death were marred by several days of looting. More than a dozen businesses near E. Lake Street and Chicago Avenue were destroyed, including Demaags store. Overall, nearly 150 buildings were targeted and set afire, with dozens burning to the ground in Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul, according to the StarTribune. Frey said Thursday in a news conference that the killing of George Floyd has brought a torrent of pain and anguish to our entire city, to our entire nation, and has especially impacted our Black community. It is righteous to vent that pain and anguish in the form of peaceful protest, but what happened last night was neither peaceful nor was it a form of protest that effectively moves us forward, he said. Our neighborhoods have endured an extraordinary amount of pain already this year. Minneapolis City Council Member Lisa Goodman, who represents the affected area downtown, said the destruction did nothing to advance racial justice in the city. Small, minority-owned businesses were targeted," she said. "There was no regard for the workers and the people who have put their lifeblood into these businesses. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said it was time to restore peace and order. Last night we experienced compounded trauma in our city, he said. Its shameful that anyone would ever try to equate the actions last night with Mr. George Floyd. Because it is not. These individuals were not peacefully protesting or assembling." Image: Minneapolis after George Floyd (Courtesy Abe Demaag) Demaag said looters initially broke into his store one evening during protests in late May and June and stole furniture. But they returned the next night, putting furniture outside and setting it on fire before burning down the whole store. The business was already struggling after being forced to close by the coronavirus pandemic and was destroyed within a week or two of reopening, he said. He has been dealing with financial and insurance issues since and feels little hope of rebuilding what was once a source of pride for his family. You follow the American dream thinking you want to grow bigger, you want to serve your community and your people, he said. It's just very distressful. Whoever hijacked the cause of the peaceful protest really did a huge damage, as you see its all crumbled and its just a very sad situation. Demaag said the entire neighborhood, with many Black and immigrant owners, was struggling from the damage. I think its been very traumatized because this is a neighborhood that was almost at zero and was growing fast for the better, he said. What remains is rubble and storefronts boarded up with plywood. Lake Street is a place for immigrants when they come and they could be accepted into this community," he said. "This is the place you start your dream, and now that dream is gone, shattered. Demaag recently founded the African Immigrant Lake Council to advocate for his community. Sean Johnson, a member of the group and a local resident, said watching the neighborhood and Black-owned businesses burn was distressing. The city was traumatized to the core, said Johnson, 39. Its so unstable right now, we dont know whats going to happen. If something doesnt change, its going to keep happening. Image: Minneapolis after George Floyd (Ed Ou / NBC News) Kristin Berg, a manager at Hen House Eatery, which was looted last week, said the past few months have been a whirlwind from top to bottom. The restaurant's windows were smashed, the liquor was cleared out and several cash registers were stolen. In the last couple of weeks, theres been another tension, its back to where we were," Berg said. "I feel like theres that second wave of unrest. You add emotion and true feeling to that tension, and it feels like any minute the wrong thing could set it off really bad. Im not really surprised that something so close caused the powder keg to explode," she continued. "Everyone is questioning everything, its very uncertain. Nobody really knows who is protecting who at this point. Berg said she knows what she would tell the people causing the damage. Were struggling right along with you," she said. "Were working hard and were doing what we can, but everyone has been set back. She watched a livestream of the destruction and was encouraged when two men tried to stop people from breaking into her restaurant. It gave me so much hope sitting here on my couch feeling so hopeless, she said. Many Quad-City seniors have been isolated for months by the pandemic. CASI advocates are here to help. August 29, 2020 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper's Meeting With Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono On August 29, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper hosted Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono in Guam, where they reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Japan Alliance and discussed ways to deepen and expand bilateral defense cooperation. Secretary Esper and Minister Kono exchanged views on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Secretary expressed serious concern regarding Beijing's decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong, as well as coercive and destabilizing actions vis-a-vis Taiwan. Both Ministers restated their commitment to maintain a rules-based order in the East and South China Seas, and more broadly in the region and world. The Secretary welcomed Japan's efforts to strengthen cooperation with other likeminded partners, including members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), India, Australia, and trilaterally with the United States and the Republic of Korea. Secretary Esper reiterated the U.S. commitment to the full implementation of President Trump and Chairman Kim's Joint Statement at the 2018 Singapore Summit, which includes the complete elimination of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction, their means of production, and their means of delivery. Secretary Esper thanked Japan for its strong leadership in implementing United Nations Security Council Resolutions sanctions to disrupt North Korea's illicit ship-to-ship transfers, and for hosting multinational forces that support this effort. Secretary Esper and Minister Kono agreed to continue efforts to support interoperability and to enhance Alliance capabilities, particularly for integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) and for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) functions. They also agreed on the importance of secure networks and of strengthening information security to protect advanced defense technologies. The Ministers committed to work together closely to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to cooperate in providing assistance in response. They reaffirmed their commitment to the realignment plan to move U.S. forces from Okinawa to Guam and other initiatives, including construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility. The Secretary noted the importance of Japan's steps towards completing the purchase of Mageshima to support field carrier landing practice. Secretary Esper and Minister Kono recognized the importance of local community engagement in ensuring stable stationing of U.S. forces in Japan. Secretary Esper further committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety for all U.S. personnel, while emphasizing the necessity of training to maintain readiness. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2329750/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A recurring nightmare for progressives? Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images Its probably safe to say that a lot of progressive Americans look forward to Election Day 2020 in hopes of exorcising the demons that turned their worlds upside down on November 8, 2016. A year after that bizarre night, I was still not quite over it: I sometimes envy those who had a full emotional breakdown on November 8, 2016, and then had time to fully recover. There are ways to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-Trump stress disorder is a condition that will continue to cause less evolved progressives like me terrible tremors, until such time as there is a 46th president and new hopes and fears emerge. At my age, that cant happen too soon. At the moment, in the wake of the 2020 RNC, Trumps reelection prospects dont look good. The Caligula-like excesses of his acceptance speech on the White House lawn on Thursday night feel more like a final desperate abuse of power than the beginning of another Electoral College coup. But unless the Biden-Trump race turns into a true rout, the likelihood of any Election Night catharsis for Democrats is quite low, for reasons some of us have been writing about for some time now. As I wrote last month: Polls are showing a large and growing partisan gap in willingness to vote by mail. This disparity could feed Trumps willingness to contest an adverse result. In most states, Election Day results are reported first (and in all states they are counted before late-arriving mail ballots and provisional ballots, both of which already tend to skew Democratic). So if Republicans are disproportionately voting in person and Democrats are disproportionately voting by mail, misleading early returns may show Trump and other Republicans doing much better than they will eventually do, enabling Trump to claim fraud when those evil mail ballots turn it all around for Biden and his Democrats. Now comes Nathaniel Rakich with some fresh polling data on this possibility and what it might portend for those gazing at TV screens on the evening of November 3: According to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 30 percent of registered voters said they planned to vote by mail, and 43 percent said they planned to vote in person on Election Day. But among Trump supporters, only 11 percent said they planned to vote by mail, and 66 percent said they planned to vote in person on Election Day. Among Joe Biden backers, 47 percent said they planned to vote by mail, while only 26 percent said they planned to vote in person on Election Day. (The share who said they would vote early in person was consistently 20-21 percent among all three groups: Trump supporters, Biden supporters and voters overall.) If this holds, it would mean votes cast on Election Day would skew heavily toward Trump, and votes cast by mail would skew heavily toward Biden. How heavily might the Election Day vote skew? Crazy far, says Rakich: In the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll overall, Biden led Trump by 9 percentage points among registered voters. But Biden led Trump by 63 points (!) among voters who planned to vote by mail, and Trump led Biden by 33 points among voters who planned to vote in person on Election Day. If this kind of partisan split occurred in every state, Biden would win the mail vote in all 50 states from Alabama to Wyoming and Trump would win the Election Day vote in all 50 We could not necessarily will, but could have absurd initial results like Trump winning Massachusetts or Illinois. Its possible that Trump could even lead in New York State, his very blue former home state, on Election Night, especially given the states troubles in counting mail ballots after the June 23 primary. As Rakich cautions, votes cast on Election Day are not the only votes reported on Election Night: There are in-person early votes, which may actually tilt Democratic, and then in some states mail ballots received well before Election Day may be counted pretty quickly. In addition, how the whole deal goes down may depend significantly on how media choose to report and explain it. The exit polls media outlets rely on to call elections will be affected by any partisan gap in when votes are cast, which means supplemental polling to assess early voting will become very important; the odds of exit-poll data being off may well be much higher than in past elections. And as Elaine Kamarck recently noted, the need for caution and patience in this particular election cuts against deeply instilled competitive instincts: If differences between in-person and absentee results persist and if the networks rush to judgement on election night, they will play right into the hands of conspiracy theorists who will argue that the election was rigged and corrupt. This is why, right now, it is the civic duty of network news executives to keep from rushing to judgement on election night and to explain to the public that it will take longer to count the votes than usual. Some media outlets, of course, may have particular reasons to rush to judgment, particularly if their candidate is claiming victory on the basis of Election Day returns and suggesting that the mail ballots slowly being counted later are part of an effort to steal the presidency. But ultimately, we can talk about these scenarios endlessly (and we should until it really sinks in and even Fox News viewers understand that many millions of entirely legitimate votes are going to be counted and reported after Election Night) without being able to completely predict how the country will react if on the evening of November 3, Donald Trump has taken a big lead in Massachusetts. Heads still tender from November 2016 may explode. And in MAGA-land, a mighty roar of triumph may spill into the streets. Get your psychic Go Kit in order, progressives. On Election Night, it could get crazy dark before the dawn. Another five migrants injured after fire breaks out on boat carrying around 20 people, two of them reportedly critical. At least three migrants have died after a fire broke out on a boat carrying around 20 people during rescue operations off the southern coast of Italy, police and health officials have said. Another five migrants have been injured and taken to hospitals, health authorities in the Italian port city of Crotone said on Sunday, adding that two of them were in a serious condition. Two police officers were hurt as they tried to steer the migrant ship to safety, a police commander Emilio Fiora was reported as saying by AdnKronos news agency. He said the ships engine caught fire and there was an explosion. ANSA news agency reported 12 survivors were taken to a migrant reception centre in the city of Crotone. The migrant vessel originally had 34 people on board, but 13 migrants reached the shore before the Guardia di Finanza the Italian customs and financial crimes police intervened to bring it to port, ANSA said. Italy was previously a major route into Europe for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants, but numbers fell sharply after a crackdown in Libya on smugglers. However, there has been a pick-up in 2020 although Rome has closed its ports to migrant boats, saying it is impossible to help migrants due to the coronavirus crisis. Some 18,000 migrants have reached Italys shores so far in 2020, interior ministry official data showed, compared with around 4,900 in the same period in 2019. General strike The surge in migrant arrivals via sea has sparked protests from politicians representing front line areas. On the island of Lampedusa, Italys southernmost point, Mayor Toto Martello on Sunday announced a general strike to protest against the latest mass arrival of sea migrants from North Africa. He spoke after a fishing boat docked overnight with around 450 people on board, who were greeted by angry protesters, including Angela Maraventano, the local leader of the far-right League party. Tomorrow, I will summon representatives of professional organisations on the island. We will declare a general strike, shops will close, Martello said in a statement. The mayor chastised Prime Minister Giuseppe Contes government for continuing to maintain a scary silence about the situation in Lampedusa. He called for navy boats to be used to intercept migrant vessels and transfer them out of Lampedusa since the local migrant reception centre is full beyond all limits. The president of Sicily, Nello Musumeci, on Facebook urged Conte to call a cabinet meeting to tackle the [migrant] emergency of the past months, which has become unbearable in the past hours. Italys interior ministry reacted by saying three more COVID-19 quarantine ferries adding to the two already present were being sent to Lampedusa to host newly-arrived migrants. One ferry will arrive by Monday, and two more by Wednesday, the ministry said, adding that 328 migrants would be transferred from the island between late Sunday and Monday morning. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday expressed confidence that the countrys Covid-19 count will be under control by Diwali this year. Inaugurating the Nation First webinar series, organised by the Anathkumar Foundation, he pointed out that the country was much ahead in tackling the pandemic. The Covid-19 will significantly come under control by the Deepavali this year. The leaders and common people effectively worked together to fight the pandemic. He inaugurated Nation first webinar series organised by Ananth Kumar Foundation, the press release said. He further said that the health officials had held a meeting much before the first Covid-19 case was reported in India. Later on, Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed a committee led by me which has already met 22 times until yesterday, he said. There was only one laboratory in June by February, which has now been increased to 1,583 nationwide. Out of this, more than 1,000 are government labs. The country is conducting about 1 million tests per day which is way ahead of the target, the health minister said. He observed that compared to earlier there is no scarcity of PPE kits, ventilators, and N 95 masks now The scarcity of PPE kits, ventilators, and N 95 masks is no more now. Every day, five lakh PPE kits are produced in the country while 10 manufacturers are producing N95 masks. 25 producers are manufacturing ventilators, he added. He said that vaccine trials are in full swing, with three clinical trials and four pre-clinical trials underway. We are expecting vaccines to be ready by the end of the year. It is because of the farsightedness of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we could reach until here, he added. Meanwhile, Pope Francis on Sunday told a crowd in Rome that he was following with worry the tensions in the eastern Mediterranean. The pontiff did not name a specific country but appealed for constructive dialogue and respect for international law to resolve the conflicts that threaten the peace of the peoples of that region. A French woman arrested for allegedly making a video of herself without clothes on a holy bridge in India apologised Sunday, but denied being completely naked and said she carried out the stunt to bring attention to sexual harassment. Indian police said Saturday that the 27-year-old identified as Marie-Helene faced charges under the countrys internet laws after posting footage of herself on the Lakshman Jhula, a footbridge over the Ganges river made famous by the Beatles in the 1960s and which remains a draw for backpackers and yoga practitioners. She told us she sells bead necklaces online and the shoot was aimed at promoting her business," said R.K Saklani, head of the local police station. But in a statement to AFP, Marie-Helene said no-one was around when she carried out the stunt, and she did it to raise awareness about harassment in India. I chose to partially uncover on Laxman Jhula because each time I crossed the bridge I felt I was being harassed My Indian sisters and fellow female travelers surely have experienced the same," she wrote. The main goal was to help oppressed Indian women to access education and to leave abusive marriages or situations, where there are no other options or help." Police said Marie-Helene was arrested on Thursday and released on bail. Her mobile phone was seized as part of the investigation. The first thing I want to say is that I am sorry my actions hurt the local community," Marie-Helene added. I was lacking awareness on cultural specificities." Police said they were alerted after the footage was posted on social media. BEIRUT: Lebanese security forces have arrested three Egyptian men wanted in their home country on charges of involvement in an alleged gang rape six years ago. The arrest, reported late Saturday, followed an Interpol notice for the suspects at the request of Egypt. A Lebanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Sunday that legal and administrative procedures were underway to deport the three men, who are in their early 30s. The case was uncovered by a social media account following sexual assaults in Egypt. The alleged gang rape took place at a five-star Cairo hotel in 2014 but word of the assault surfaced only in July when an Instagram account, Assault Police, reported the allegations as part of a vigorous #MeToo campaign that swept Egypt this summer. Last week, Egyptian prosecutors named nine men as suspects seven had already left the country after allegations of the rape went viral in July. Five of the suspects arrived in Lebanon, according to a statement from Lebanons Internal Security Forces. Acting on a request from Egypt, three were arrested late Friday in the village of Fatqa, north of Beirut, while the other two have apparently left Lebanon. Another two suspects were arrested in Egypt, including one last week as he attempted to flee the country. The whereabouts of the other suspects remain unknown. The Egypt #MeToo campaign also led to the arrest of a former student at Egypts most elite university, the American University of Cairo, over multiple accusations of rape and sexual assaults. Police Assault said at least six men hailing from wealthy and powerful families had drugged and raped a woman after a party at Cairos five-star Fairmont Nile City Hotel. Following the Instagram report, Egypts chief prosecutor opened an investigation and last week, General Prosecutor Hamada el-Sawy issued the arrest warrants. 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 This letter is in response to the letter to the editor on Aug. 22 from Nancy Liebrecht. The facts are that the Virginia House Democrats have already passed a bill that will seize all semi-auto rifles held by Virginia citizens that were purchased legally. This bill was not approved in the Democratic-controlled Senate because of a Democratic senator that wrote to me and said he did not think it was right to take guns from citizens that purchased them legally. Our Democratic governor has called for the Senate to pass the House bill. Yes, it is irrational, but that is what the new radical Democrats in the House are attempting to pass into law in Richmond. Many Democrats have advocated confiscating guns, including the former Democratic House member from Texas who ran for president in the Democratic primary, and Joe Biden was recorded saying it during the primary. Our Founders wrote the Second Amendment because they wanted our citizens to be armed for their own defense in the event we are invaded and if our Government attempted to take our freedoms away, as was done in Europe. All one has to do is study world history and they will learn that every country in Europe has been invaded. If you think that armed citizens cant successfully fight an army, just read what the people of Finland did when invaded by the Russian army just before World War II. They killed 40,000 Russian soldiers and retained their freedom. Also look what the armed Taliban has done for 18 years fighting the US and the NATO countries in Afghanistan. Sometime this week, Pakistan will call a joint session of the two Houses of Parliament to pass two Bills, which are crucial for the country to avoid being shifted to the black list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Pakistan got a reprieve in June when Covid-19 forced the terror financing watchdog to put off its review meeting until October. The FATF had warned Pakistan that it had made progress only on 14 of the 27 legal and public policy changes it needed to bring about if it wanted to move out of the grey list. The worst-case scenario would be Pakistan featuring in the black ... Kolkata. Why cant any non-Bengali pronounce it correctly? And I am not going to help you either. But we Bengalis will look down on you because you cant get your tongue around a simple three-syllable name. I am sure most of you can do so with Vadodara and Thiruvanthanthapuram, however Anglicised and deracinated you are. Thats only one of the many reasons Bengalis think of themselves as superior to other Indians. The principal reason for that came from a Maharashtrian, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who, perhaps in a fit of irrationality, said, about a century ago: What Bengal thinks today, all of India thinks tomorrow." That really ruined things for us. We clutched our bolsters and slept secure in the knowledge that millions of other Indians, for all of whom we had a dismissive name, would be lining up at our door in the morning. But I digress. Kolkata. Due to a family emergency, I have been staying here for the last 20 days, which is the longest stretch in 30 years. I have no roots. I have no village or home town to go to, like most of my friends, since that will mean getting a visa for Bangladesh, and Im not interested. I have spent only about one-eighth of my life in Kolkata, my teenage years in Bombay, and most of my adult life in Delhi. I cannot call any of these places home. At best, I am a tourist; at worst, serving my time. I seriously cannot think of a city that I would prefer to die in. How did I even get here? All Delhi-Kolkata flights have been stopped. We went to Guwahati and took another flight from there. Of the 200 people flying Delhi-Guwahati, at least 120 were going to Kolkata. The people at Guwahati airport were kind, and pointed us to a special queue for those going to Kolkata. On the Guwahati-Kolkata flight, we were given a West Bengal government form to fill up, where we had to give our Kolkata addresses and cellphone numbers. These were to be deposited at Kolkata airport. But we couldnt find anyone there to give the form to. We walked out with our luggage. Travel as usual. This is a ridiculous tomfoolery. Other cities and other airports are collecting details of every arriving passenger. And the state governments are following up. My mother lives in a middle-class apartment building, which is, against all logic, located in one of the poshest part of the city. But it is also the only building in a two-kilometre radius that houses Bengalis. The entire area, which used to house chiefs of British companies, and the Calcutta mansions of princely states, have been replaced by Amazon-carton houses. No balconies, and every window has awesome grills. They have made their money from scrap metal and other residues of industrialization that actual industrialists did not pay attention to. Meanwhile, the Bengali life goes on. People walk around without masks. The high point in many Bengali mens lives is jostling and haggling over fish in the morning; the rest of the day is a steady downhill. This is a genetic trait that no lockdown can suppress. The astrology channels on TV, a Bengal speciality I love to watch, are thriving. Babas are solving complicated life issues and peddling rings and pendants with two-for-one offers. In fact, the speed with which the Bengali pantheon of easily angered and quickly appeased has expanded over 34 years of Communist rule, and nine years of Mamata Banerjee deserves a book by itself. Page 2 of all Bangla newspapers feature seersboth Hindu and Muslimwho guarantee solutions in 24 hours. All offer bashikaran"controlling a person, usually an unsatisfactory wife or unresponsive object of love. Salvation and peace of mind are available for all Bengalis, but only through spells and amulets placed secretly under pillows. My best friend in Kolkata is a private tutor, whose observations of the Bengali middle class tell me more than any jargonized sociologist could. How do you answer this simple question that he often asks the parents of his students: Why are you so desperate to send your child for undergrad studies outside Bengal, but still vote for Mamata Banerjee? From him, I learn many things that are a way of life in Kolkata. If you havent ever heard of a three-wheeler auto mafia and cartel, come to Kolkata and try to reach Gariahat from Chetla. What about the covid situation? Its as good or bad as in any other Indian metropolis, except that one hardly ever gets to know any authentic news from the media. In a state that has no thriving private enterprise, all media, electronic or print, is dependent on government advertising for survival. So theres no bad news; not allowed. If you feel anxious, you may buy a Hanuman-blessed ring or consult Baba Sarfaraz Khan, who has already published his monthly itinerary. Gokhale should take the blame. He cannot be forgiven. But the only recourse seems to be a mass Bengali takeover of Pune. And there lies the problemPune doesnt have fish markets where cultural and social exchanges can happen through the pretence of haggling and pressing the fishs gullet to see if any blood is still oozing. Punekars really have to get their act together. They need to get ready for what Bengal thought yesterday. Sandipan Deb is a former editor of Financial Express, and founder-editor of Open and Swarajya magazines Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Leo Messi openly made a declaration of war with FC Barcelona this morning. Until now, his battle with the club had been conducted through lawyers and burofaxes through which, both sides have stated their arguments - Messi has announced that he wants to leave the club and Barcelona have told him that he is under contract and not for sale. Messi fails to show up for PCR test It was rumoured that Messi was planning not to show up for his RT-PCR test today and he remained true to his word. All members of the first team squad were given an individual time to turn up at their Ciutat Deportiva with testing staggered throughout the morning. Jordi Alba and Martin Braithwaite were the first to arrive, at just after 8:00 hours, they were followed by Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Rafinha. But there was no sign of Messi, who was due to report at the training ground at 10:15 hours. His close friend Luis Suarez, arrived at 10:05 on his own and with a very serious as he drove past reporters. As far as Barcelona are concerned, Messi remains under contract at the club and therefore must comply with all of his obligations - including this morning's PCR test. However, that viewpoint is not shared by the player or his lawyers, who feel that after informing the club by burofax that he wants to leave, he no longer has to follow club orders. Messi could face disciplinary action By failing to show up at the Ciutat Esportiva for his PCR test, Messi is automatically ruled out of taking part in Monday's training session which has been programmed for 17:30 hours. It also leaves Barcelona with two options - to serve Messi a fine for breaching the terms of his contract by failing to show up for work or begin the process of releasing the player. It putsJosep Maria Bartomeu in a difficult position as he does not want to go down in history as the president who sold the best player in the world. Messi and his legal team hope to resolve the matter amicably and without the need of going through the law courts. Nigerian veteran comedian and actor, Bright Okpocha popularly known as Basketmouth has stated that Chinese may become Nigerias second language in 10 years due to the sovereignty clause in Nigerias loans from China. Earlier, a House of Representatives panel had raised alarm in an investigative hearing over a clause conceding Nigerias sovereignty in a loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China. Abubakar Malami, the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF), however, said that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration will guard Nigerias sovereignty as regards foreign loans. However, reacting to the development in a short clip to address Nigerians who expressed concerns about the countrys repayment plans, Basketmouth charged citizens to dwell on the prospects of bilingualism. I understand that a lot of Nigerian are really upset right now especially with whats going on with the $5.3 billion loan and the sovereignty clause hidden somewhere in that document, he said. Nigerians, why are you getting upset for nothing? Our political elites are way older than us, which means theyre wiser. I believe they had options. The first would have been to call on China and have them invest in the rail track, run it for whatever duration of years, make their money back, and leave the trail for us. The other is to take the loan, build it ourselves, run it, and pay off the loan with the interest. And they went for the latter, which is the best actually, based on the fact that they have a TRACK record. They did it with NIPOST, NNPCgreat, beautiful. NEPAthat investment is flourishing to date. NICON, Nigerian Airways. yes! Also, they did it with the Nigeria Railway Corporation. the same railway theyre doing. Do yourself a favour. Lets look at the bright side. In the next ten years, the Chinese language will be our second language. Ive always wanted to learn Chinese. Fellow Nigerians, I have a message for you. pic.twitter.com/BxiFz8qj6W Basketmouth (@basket_mouth) August 26, 2020 Related Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin -- (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, August 31 2020 Bogor municipality in West Java has imposed a curfew to limit out-of-home activities at night after health authorities confirmed an increasing trend in COVID-19 cases across the city. Malls will be required to close at 6 p.m. and people will be prohibited from conducting outdoor activities after 9 p.m. The order was issued after the Bogor administration decided to impose micro and community-scale social restrictions for two weeks starting Saturday to contain the high rate of COVID-19 transmission in the region. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Lourdes and Francisco Perez moved to the U.S. from Galicia, Spain in 1972 to give what Alicia Vilas, their daughter, describes as a better life. Now 50 years later, Vilas has been named the Hudson County Teacher of the Year. She said she credits her success to her parents, especially one reminder her mom consistently told her as she went to school as a child. Alicia, be the best you can be. Dont ever let anyone make you think you cant do something, her mom would say in Spanish. Anything is possible. Vilas said her mothers words didnt put pressure on her. Instead, it motivated her to do even better. Vilas, 50, will be teaching the fifth grade this school year in all subjects at the Dr. Maya Angelou Elementary School No. 20 on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City. Shes been a teacher for 28 years. The award is given by the New Jersey Education Association and is handed to 21 teachers throughout the state, each representing the county they teach in. But Vilas didnt just teach in Hudson County for the last two decades, she also learned and grew up there as well. Vilas attended Mahatma K. Gandhi School No. 23 on Romaine Avenue before going to McNair Academic High School, which was formerly known as Academic High School. She continued her education at St. Peters University previously St. Peters College where she majored in education. I think growing up in Jersey City and going through the public school system, it helps me better understand issues students may have and that parents might be dealing with because I saw it on a regular basis, she said. I quickly adjusted as a teacher. Vilas said one of the best things about Jersey City specifically School No. 23 is that the students and their families come from different cultures and races. She said its crucial to be empathetic because everyone has different situations. And with different situations, comes different solutions. In 2017, the veteran teacher was chosen to be one of 24 educators chosen worldwide for the Google for Education Certified Innovator program, which is headquartered in London. There, Vilas learned about Design Thinking and how to come up with solutions to existing problems or challenges. It was a great experience just learning about innovation and design thinking... the process of understanding the consumers and the audience, and empathy, Vilas said. Everything is tied to empathy. County Teachers of the Year can apply for the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year award. This program highlights educational innovation, student achievement and services outside the classroom environment that lead to student success. When Vilas learned she was named Hudson County Teacher of the Year, she said she was shocked. But shes seizing the opportunity to give her a louder voice for culturally responsive content, educational equity and to open the minds of fellow educators. Sometimes I tell other educators the things that we go through when we have a lockdown and they dont understand, Vilas said. They know that it exists, but theyre not connected to that at all. (The award) gives me a voice to help people understand the difficulties some students and parents face. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 15:07 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4179239 1 Politics PKS,Siti-Nur-Azizah,South-Tangerang,mayoral-race,2020-regional-elections,regional-election,regional-elections,pilkada,Banten,Gerindra-Party,rahayu-saraswati,Prabowo,Prabowo-Subianto Free The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has nominated the daughter of Vice President Maruf Amin, Siti Nur Azizah, and Ruhama Ben to run as the mayoral candidate pair in an upcoming race in South Tangerang, Banten. The nomination, announced during the PKS national coordination meeting on Saturday, further demonstrates the cooling relations between the PKS and former ally the Gerindra Party. Defense Minister Prabowo Subiantos niece, Rahayu Saraswati, is running as a deputy mayor candidate alongside incumbent South Tangerang administrative secretary Muhamad. The Muhammad-Rahayu ticked is backed by Gerindra, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the NasDem Party and the Hanura Party. The PKS and Gerindra have been longtime political allies, including in last years presidential elections, when the PKS backed Gerindra chairman Prabowo for the countrys top spot. Their paths since the elections have diverged, however, as Gerindra joined President Joko Jokowi Widodos coalition while the PKS has continued to remain outside the government. Prior to the PKS nomination, the Siti-Ruhama ticket had also received an official endorsement from the Democratic Party. PKS chairman Sohibul Iman said the partys and Dems endorsement of the pair was a form of coalition favoring national unity. Siti and Ruhama must pay attention to social harmony and pluralism, Sohibul said on Saturday as quoted by kompas.com. Sanuji Pentamarta, who helms the Banten chapter of the PKS, said his office would give the candidate pair its complete support. From this day on, every PKS representative in South Tangerang will automatically [and] completely support Siti and Ruhama, Sanuji said. (rfa) The writer is a keen observer of the goings-on in the backrooms of power. The grudge against otherwise affable Patel is that he is pushing his favourites at all levels of the Congress hierarchy Favouritism stink Its 23 versus 23. On the face of it, the Congress power struggle is between the 23 dissenters and the Gandhis but a closer look would reveal something additional. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tiwari and others have problems more with AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel than with Sonia or Rahul. The grudge against otherwise affable Patel is that he is pushing his favourites at all levels of the Congress hierarchy. Since Patels residential address in New Delhi is 23, Mother Teresa Crescent, Congress insiders are dubbing the leadership challenge as 23 versus 23. New kid on the block The BJPs nominee for a Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat, Zafar-ul Islam, has a past in the Congress. The BJP spokesman who got his nomination for the remaining term of the late Amar Singh from Uttar Pradesh [in Rajya Sabha bypolls, the ruling party gets the numerical strength] was a part of the Congress social media team till 2014. Zafar, then an investment banker, had joined Deependra Singh Hoodas team and functioned from 15, Gurudwara Rakabgunj Marg, when he became disillusioned with the grand old party. There has been no looking back since. It is a different matter that not everyone in the BJP is happy over the rise and rise of Zafar-ul Islam. Veteran Shahnawaz Hussain was a contender for the Upper House berth. Interminable wait? Call it a Covid-19 impact but in the coming Parliament session, Central Hall will be out of bounds for journalists and ex-MPs. The Lok Sabha Speaker has already constituted a panel to look into criteria for issuance of Central Hall passes. Cynics believe by the time the panel submits its report there will be a new Parliament building in the central vista. The panel, headed by TV personality Rajat Sharma, has not been meeting as its chairman wants to discuss issues online while most members feel a physical, offline discussion would be suitable. Emails are being exchanged to work out a consensus. Meanwhile, senior journalists who have passes in the Long and Distinguished (L&D) category are most exercised over the delay. Azads motivations The Congress disquiet has rattled many, particularly the manner in which Ghulam Nabi Azad has turned dissident. Azads term is ending in early 2021 and there is no sign of renomination. At present Azad is the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, enjoying the perks of a Union minister. There is likelihood that Mallikarjun Kharge, who was the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha during 2014-2019, may get the job in the Upper House. Some Congress insiders see more in Azads defiance pointing that he has been the only former J&K chief minister who was not booked or detained under the Public Safety Act after the abrogation of Article 370. There is also talk of misuse of the Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, popularly known as the Roshni Act during Azads chief ministerial stint. Investigations into the land transfers subsequently said to have found that land in Gulmarg and elsewhere in the valley had been given over to ineligible beneficiaries. Surrender to Sangh BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia was recently at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. It prompted Digvijaya Singh and a number of Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders to twist a notable Buddhist chant, Buddham Sharanam Gachchami, to Sangham Charanam Gachchami. In the original chanting, the disciple supposedly surrenders to the Buddha, the awakened one but in the perverted form, Scindia is accused of taking a shelter in RSS. The disasters that unfolded in nursing homes in the United States and Western Europe during the pandemic have exposed the neglect and underfunding that have bedeviled elderly care in much of the West. Japans more positive experience may offer important lessons for the entire industry as it reviews policies and protocols for the next possible world health crisis. Reporter Ben Zigterman is a reporter covering business at The News-Gazette. His email is bzigterman@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@bzigterman). Addis Ababa, Aug 30 : More than 27,700 Ethiopian migrants have been repatriated since April this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Between April 1 and August 27, Ethiopia received over 27,700 returnees, reports Xinhua news agency. The returnees comprised 6,944 from Djibouti, 6,696 from Somalia, and 5,329 from Sudan, the UN migration agency said in its latest Covid-19 response update for Ethiopia on Saturday. The IOM also noted that it has registered some 912 new migrant returnees in the last week in Ethiopia. As the designated lead agency for supporting the Ethiopian government in the management of migrant returnees, the IOM stressed that it has continued to support the government in coordinating support for quarantine facilities in Addis Ababa and the regions, with 35 in total. The UN migration agency also revealed that it has provided Covid-19 screening for 2,732 individuals in quarantine facilities and government health posts. In coordination with Ethiopia's Disaster Prevention and Food Security Program Coordination Office, the IOM has also provided orientation on coronavirus preventative measures and provided personal protective equipment to volunteers working in arrival areas for migrant returnees. Amid the rapid spread of the virus in the East African country and the eventual preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus, the UN migration agency provides direct assistance to returnee migrants in quarantine facilities, including registration, food, water and onward transportation assistance. It also distributes non-food items in quarantine facilities in the capital, Addis Ababa and across various regional states, including soaps, dignity kits, medications, kitchen sets, clothes, bed sheets and mattresses. Ethiopia's confirmed Covid-19 cases have reached 48,140 as the death toll rose to 758, according to the Ministry of Health. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) By Express News Service MYSURU: CSIR-CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute) and GRAAM (Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide a mutual technical social collaboration for establishing rural livelihood initiatives in India. As the first initiative under the framework of this MoU, GRAAM is implementing a social business project in a selected village of Mysuru district. The goal of the project is to support rural women entrepreneurs to develop sustainable livelihood. GRAAM, having rich expertise in developing livelihood model for rural communities based on rural wealth creation principles, will handhold women entrepreneurs with necessary capacity building, training, mobilising and motivating them to find a sustainable livelihood. It also intends to develop a brand for products produced by these women. The project aims at developing a resurgent economy in rural India by adding value to the local agricultural produce. The programme is expected to benefit entrepreneurs as well as farmers in rural areas. GRAAM will establish a millet-based value-added product manufacturing unit and will handhold women entrepreneurs to streamline their business functions in a sustainable manner. The project is being supported by the Wuerth Elektronik, a 75-year-old multinational company which is a world market leader in the sale of assembly and fastening materials, under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme. As part of the MOU, CFTRI will extend technical support for planning production units, technical training to the women entrepreneurs, quality assurance, etc. The memorandum serves to provide a framework for understanding and cooperation between both the institutions in implementing rural livelihood projects. Stating that thid partnership will become a catalyst for the social change, Dr Basavaraju, Executive Director of GRAAM, highlighted the importance of partnership to aid rural women and rural economy through such social business models. Dr Raghavarao, director, CFTRI said that CFTRI is enthusiastic about taking technology to rural areas. CFTRI will be providing the required technology to develop a state-of-the-art processing unit and nutritious millet-based food products with a community-centric approach. The memorandum was signed on behalf of GRAAM by Dr R Balasubramaniam, chairman, GRAAM and Dr Raghavarao, director, CFTRI on August 20. Joe Biden will go out this week, addressing this moment in the country as parts of the U.S. are racked by demonstrations over racial justice, a top aide to the Democratic presidential candidate said. Kate Bedingfield, Bidens deputy campaign manager, said on Fox News Sunday that President Donald Trump has been inciting violence around protests all summer -- comments echoed by other Democrats. Youre going to see him travel, and youre going to see him in battleground states, Bedingfield said of Biden. The Democrat has mostly stayed at home in Delaware during the monthslong coronavirus pandemic. She didnt say where Biden plans to make campaign stops this week, though the nominee said last week that he plans to begin traveling to critical election states including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Arizona after Labor Day. Bedingfield didnt rule out a visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin, a current focal point of protests. Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday. The Wisconsin city was rocked by violent protests after police were filmed shooting a Black man, Jacob Blake, in the back multiple times at close range a week ago. At one of those protests, two people were killed and a third seriously wounded. A 17-year-old Trump supporter from Illinois has been charged with homicide. Bedingfields sentiment was echoed by other Democrats on Sunday, including Representative Karen Bass of California, who said Trump is stoking violence in cities because he believes it benefits his re-election prospects. Bass said on CNNs State of the Union that Trumps upcoming trip to Kenosha has one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to agitate things and to make things worse. They are unlikely to get very sick. Most won't show symptoms, and studies show that children who get Covid-19 tend not to pass it to each other and rarely take it into their homes. Sending children to school in a pandemic seems like a no-brainer. Yes, there will be outbreaks, parents were told by health officials last week, but trust in the health authorities to handle them. As with many aspects of Covid-19, however, not all experts agree that Ireland is doing the right thing by sending children back to school. Professor Gerry Killeen, a virologist at University College Cork, believes schools should stay shut. And here's why. Ireland's Covid-19 caseload has gradually increased from below 10 per day in June to close to 100 a day on average two months later, he says. The average number of daily cases over the past seven days rose to 104. "We have 10 times more cases today than we did two months ago," says Prof Killeen. "So if it was 10 cases a day, two months ago, and it's 100 cases per day today, unless something changes there's no reason to believe anything other than it would be 1,000 cases per day in two months from now. There is no reason to believe that wouldn't become 10,000 cases a day by Christmas." Read More That's the path we've been on, he says, and is one that "required emergency response weeks ago". And, unless something changes, the country will continue down that path. His prediction arises from a simple mathematical calculation based on a Covid-19 reproduction rate of 1.4. The figures sound alarming, if not alarmist. Even at the peak of the pandemic, Ireland reached 1,000 or more cases a day only twice. However, Prof Killeen is an expert on virus control. He is research chair in applied pathogen ecology at the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at UCC, and previously worked in Tanzania, most recently on fighting malaria. In the debate over whether to eliminate the virus or live with it, Prof Killeen is in the 'crush it' camp. With Covid-19 cases rising, according to Prof Killeen, reopening schools can only accelerate the trajectory of the virus. Asymptomatic carriers - people who have Covid-19 but don't know it - are "stealth bombers" of the virus, he says. And that is "especially the case for children". For every child that develops symptoms and gets tested, there will almost certainly be several other children who have the virus - or had it - but did not show symptoms, he says. By the time one child with symptoms is confirmed as Covid-19-positive, the virus may have been circulating for days among his or her classmates who have no symptoms. Testing and tracing will be playing catch up, and means serial testing the population of one million pupils plus their teachers. According to Prof Killeen, the "horse will have bolted" by the time the test-and-trace process has caught up. And serial testing of the one million-strong population of school children is "mission impossible", given the sheer scale and cost of what's involved. "The issue is not about how fast outbreaks happen, but how quietly they happen. And that's going to be particularly the case in schools," he says. "That's why we get spikes in Covid-19 cases that you don't see in other outbreaks. The reason for that is that the Covid-19 outbreaks are already very large before someone gets sick enough to get tested." His concern is for the long-term health impacts caused by Covid-19, for which there is mounting evidence. There is evidence that children who contract the virus may suffer lasting damage, he says, but adds: "I think the tragedies that are going to terminate this experiment are going to be parents and teachers. "If you accept that asymptomatic transmission is the big factor that makes Covid-19 different from Sars, different from Ebola and different from other infectious diseases that have been successfully contained... If you accept that that's how it walked into the country, how it walked into our hospitals and our care homes and our meat plants... And you know that children are even more likely to carry the disease, without symptoms, you have to ask yourself: how long can Covid-19 be in a school before anybody knows? "And how big do those outbreaks get before somebody gets sick enough to get tested?" In Prof Killeen's view, the solution comes back to pursuing a policy of eliminating the virus, which studies have shown could be achieved in three months - a solution largely deemed to be workable by many public health experts, economically and socially. "The tragedy is if we just stuck with what we were doing, if we got serious about getting down to zero cases, we could be opening the schools safely now or pretty soon. But we blew that chance over the last two months," he says. Prof Killeen predicts that school closures are "inevitable" and could start within a fortnight of their reopening. Time will tell. The top U.S. intelligence official, National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe, told lawmakers that they would only be receiving written updates about election security to help ensure the information is not misunderstood nor politicized. (AFP) Washington: The White House has revealed it is to end in-person briefings to congressional intelligence committees about foreign election interference, sparking accusations Saturday that it was covering up Russian help for President Donald Trump's reelection. The move comes two months ahead of the general election, with Trump playing down the threat of foreign interference and accusing Democrats of leaking sensitive information. "Probably Shifty Schiff, but others also, LEAK information to the Fake News," the president tweeted Saturday, referring to House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff. He offered no evidence for the claim, which he has made several times during his presidency. "No matter what or who it is about, including China, these deranged lowlifes like the Russia, Russia, Russia narrative. Plays better for them," he added. Congress will still have access to classified written reports, but lawmakers will no longer be able to question officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) about what they learn. Democrats in Congress reacted with fury, describing the move as "shameful" and accusing Trump of covering up Russian interference. "As usual, President Trump is lying and projecting. Trump fired the last DNI for briefing Congress on Russian efforts to help his campaign," Schiff tweeted. "Now he's ending briefings altogether. Trump doesn't want the American people to know about Russia's efforts to aid his re-election." Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called in a separate statement for the administration and intelligence community to resume the briefings. "If they are unwilling to, we will consider the full range of tools available to the House to compel compliance," they said. DNI John Ratcliffe wrote to the top lawmakers from both parties in the House and Senate intelligence committees explaining the change, in a letter dated August 28, which was circulated in US media Saturday. 'Unprecedented "I believe this approach helps ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the information ODNI provides the Congress in support of your oversight responsibilities on elections security, foreign malign influence, and election interference is not misunderstood nor politicized," he wrote. "It will also better protect our sources and methods and most sensitive intelligence from additional unauthorized disclosures or misuse." White House chief-of-staff Mark Meadows said during a visit with Trump to hurricane-hit Louisiana and Texas Saturday that "the last time they gave briefings, a few members went out and talked to the press, disclosed information that they shouldn't have disclosed." But Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner called the decision to stop in-person briefings an "unprecedented attempt to politicize an issue -- protecting our democracy from foreign intervention -- that should be non-partisan." Members of the US intelligence committee as well as former FBI chief Robert Mueller have said publicly that Moscow is reprising its 2016 campaign to help Trump win the election. William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, warned earlier this month that China, Russia and Iran were all seeking to interfere, using online disinformation and other means. The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee earlier in August released the most detailed report to date on Russian interference in 2016. It accused the Trump campaign of welcoming Moscow's help, and set out new information on contacts between Russian intelligence officials and Trump's inner circle. Trump has never criticized Russia over the issue and infamously sided with President Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence agencies at a 2018 summit in Helsinki. The Australian Education Union has called on the federal government to invest heavily in public schools, preschools and TAFE in its coronavirus recovery budget. In a pre-budget submission to treasury, the union said a funding boost to public education would have ongoing economic benefits but would also support future generations and address social inequality. The federal government is being urged to better fund public education for post-coronavirus recovery. Credit:Paul Harris "2020 has been an extraordinary year with COVID-19 and its impact on education in particular, and in terms of economic stimulus that requires an extraordinary response," Australian Education Union federal president Correna Haythorpe said. The union's recommendations include lifting the 20 per cent cap on Commonwealth contributions to public schools and funding, implementing a program of capital works including maintenance projects and building new schools, restoring funding cut from TAFE and guaranteeing funds for preschool for three and four-year-olds. A municipal planning panel is accused of ignoring rules designed to protect south-west Sydney's koala population in approving the preliminary works for a major residential development near land announced by the state government as a conservation area. Save Sydney's Koalas alleges Campbelltown Local Planning Panel failed to properly consider whether the land designated for the proposed 1700-home Figtree Hill estate was potential or core koala habitat before it gave development consent to Lendlease, in documents lodged before the Land and Environment Court. A local planning panel has been accused of failing to consider koala habitat in approving a major residential development in Sydney's south-west. The environmental group's spokesperson Sue Gay said the protection of koalas in the urban growth corridor was "of utmost important" in the wake of the deadly summer bushfires, which extensively decimated the marsupial's habitat. "It has the potential to save koalas against extinction in NSW," Ms Gay said. 16:15 Asserting that there was no urgency to have an elected Congress president, senior leader Salman Khurshid on Sunday said he "can't see the heavens falling" for the need of a party chief as Sonia Gandhi was still at the helm and should be the one to decide on the leadership issue. Khurshid, a former Union minister and among the leaders considered close to the Gandhi family, told PTI in an interview that he would not have signed the letter even if he was approached by the group that wrote to Gandhi seeking urgent organisational overhaul, including an active and full-time leadership. On Ghulam Nabi Azad, the most vocal among the 23 letter writers, seeking organisational elections to ensure that the Congress does not remain out of power for decades, Khurshid said the senior leader from Jammu and Kashmir had been part of the top echelons of the party for years when there has been no such elections and still the party prospered. He said probably Azad wanted a change now in what the party has been doing over the years and expressed confidence that the leadership will give a thought to what he is saying as he is a senior leader Khurshid said the leaders who have written to Sonia Gandhi always had access to her and could have approached her rather than writing to her. "It is very clear that the important persons in this letter do belong to the top echelons of our party and therefore Mrs Gandhi has indicated that it was best that they could have discussed it within the confines of the party," he said. Khurshid's remarks assume significance as they come days after the 'group of 23' wrote to Gandhi calling for far-reaching reforms within the party such as having a "full time, active and visible" leadership, devolution of powers to state units and revamping the Congress Working Committee in line with the party constitution. Asked about the suggestions made in the letter, Khurshid said the discussion seems to be about electing a leader and the Congress president has indicated that it can be done at an appropriate time when physically it is possible. "For people like me, we already have leaders, we have a leader in Mrs Sonia Gandhi, we have a leader in Rahul Gandhi. So for me there is no sense of urgency about electing leaders. Electing a president, yes that will happen when it happens, I can't see the heavens falling down. What is the sense of urgency that is being expressed, is not clear to me," he said. "We don't have a part-time president, we have a full-time president but the full-time president is an interim president and no ordinary person as an interim president as she is the longest serving president. We must just trust and leave it to the longest serving president to take steps when she thinks it is appropriate," the Congress leader said. On whether it would have been better to go to the president for articulating concerns than writing a letter, Khurshid said the leaders had done that for the last 20 years and he did not know what was different now or had changed that they felt the need to write a letter. -- PTI A 23-year-old man, suspected to be a cellphone thief, died after being allegedly tied to a tree and beaten up with sticks and iron rods in a public park by four men in west Delhis Naraina on Friday, the police said. All the four alleged killers were arrested on Friday. The sticks and iron rods used in the crime were also recovered from them, senior police officials associated with the case said on Saturday. The park where the murder took place is located behind a police post at Loha Mandi in Naraina. The dead man had been involved in nearly a dozen petty crimes and arrested at least thrice. He had come out of jail just ten days ago, his family members said. The police control room received a call around 6am about the incident at a municipal park in Loha Mandi on Friday, deputy commissioner of police (west) Deepak Purohit said. He added that a team from the Naraina police station reached there and found a man lying under a tree with injuries. A coconut fibre rope and a white muffler were also found on the crime scene, suggesting that the man was tie to a tree. Shesh Kumar, a washerman who is a witness to the crime, told police that he saw his four neighbours assaulting the man and taking him to the park early morning, Purohit said. Kumar told officials that the four men tied the victim to a tree and beat him up with sticks and iron rods, according to Purohit. Kumar lives near the park. Kumar tried to intervene and requested them to release the injured person. But they did not pay heed to his request and said the man and his associates had stolen a mobile phone from a truck. Since his associates ran away with the mobile phone, they said they would not spare him, Purohit said, quoting Kumars statement. The four men --- identified as Mushtaq Ahmed, his brother Shiraj Ahmed, Anish and Ishtihar (all residents of Loha Mandi) --- fled the crime scene after the condition of the victim deteriorated. They work as loaders in Loha Mandi. Police identified the victim as Rahul, alias Dhancha, a 23-year-old resident of Jawahar Camp in Kirti Nagar. The police took him to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. His body was later shifted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital, where the autopsy was conducted on Saturday. The suspects were soon arrested from Loha Mandi itself. They said Rahul and his associates had stolen Shirajs cellphone from his truck. While they caught hold of Rahul, his associates escaped with the stolen phone. We are verifying the allegations of the arrested men, said an official associated with the probe, requesting anonymity. Mukesh Yadav, a native of Uttar Pradeshs Faizabad who works at an iron sheet manufacturing factory opposite the park said, Nobody knows the actual reason for which the four men killed the man. Most of us (workers) were sleeping when the incident happened. By the time I reached the park, the man had fallen unconscious and his attackers had fled. Officials said Rahul lived with his parents, wife, and two children Jawahar Camp in Kirti Nagar area, which is across the railway tracks from Loha Mandi. He had a love marriage four years ago. His wife, Pooja, said that on Thursday evening, he packed his clothes in a bag after they had an argument over storing drinking water in jars and left home, saying he would return only after getting a legitimate job. When he did not return till midnight, i searched him in the neighbourhood and asked his friends but they all were unaware of his whereabouts. I thought he would return in the morning, said Pooja. Around 11 am on Friday, Pooja said, a neighbour told him that some policemen were asking about her husband and their address. She went to the police station to enquire if her husband has been named in any crime yet again. The policemen asked me to wait at the police station. An hour later, one of them told me that my husband was murdered for stealing a phone and his four killers were arrested. I dont know what the truth is, Pooja said, adding that her husband was last arrested for possessing a knife and an illegal gun. He had come out of jail on August 17. The police always looked for him wherever any crime occurred in Naraina or Kirti Nagar, she said. The TV executive and presenter was chairman of the scandal-hit charity as it headed for financial meltdown despite receiving almost 50 million of taxpayers cash The BBCs Alan Yentob could be barred from screens this autumn due to a legal wrangle over the controversial Kids Company charity. The TV executive and presenter was chairman of the scandal-hit charity as it headed for financial meltdown despite receiving almost 50 million of taxpayers cash. Now, five years after The Mail on Sunday made a string of revelations including how Kids Company spent tens of thousands of pounds of public money helping migrants to remain in the country and claim benefits, Mr Yentob faces a court case brought by the Insolvency Service from October 12. The 73-year-old, who is thought to earn more than 200,000 a year for his work on the BBCs arts programme Imagine, is among seven charity managers who could face three-year bans from being company directors. Corporation insiders argue his involvement in the high-profile legal action means that he should not appear on screen during the ten-week hearing. Others due to give evidence are Kids Companys chief executive Camila Batmanghelidjh. The organisation, which helped troubled children in South London, was given huge subsidies over almost 20 years including 7.3 million in the five months before it folded in 2015. Among the revelations, the charity arranged for one of its clients to have private sex-change surgery. It emerged that Ms Batmanghelidjh had a personal private swimming pool in a 5,000-a-month mansion paid for from charity funds. Others due to give evidence are Kids Companys chief executive Camila Batmanghelidjh It was also alleged that thousands went on the boarding school costs of a chauffeurs daughter. And we also showed how Mr Yentob, who reportedly has a 6.3 million BBC pension, secretly lobbied the Labour government over an unpaid 700,000 tax bill which was later waived at public expense. A Charity Commission report into Kids Company cannot be published until the court case is over. The Insolvency Service is pushing for a six-year ban on Ms Batmanghelidjh from being a company director. In 2018, one former director, Sunetra Atkinson the ex-wife of actor Rowan Atkinson was banned for more than two years because of her role in the scandal. Last night, a former Kids Company employee said: Many ex-Kids Company staff still havent been paid wages they are owed, while Alan Yentob and the others have carried on with their lives quite happily. 'Now theyre spending even more public money fighting this case. Its disgraceful. Last night, both Mr Yentob and the BBC declined to comment. Modesto, CA A Republican lawmaker who represented the Mother Lode for 12 years at the state capitol in Sacramento has died. Tom Berryhill passed away today. Berryhill served in the Assembly from 2006-2010 and in the Senate from 2010-2018. He had most recently been serving as a Stanislaus County Supervisor. Our community has lost a giant, says Senator Andreas Borgeas, who followed Berryhill in Senate District 8. Tom Berryhill led a dedicated life of service to his community both in the California Legislature and the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. Tom was my mentor and imparted the importance of respect, civility and collegiality in California politics. My wife Anna and I would like to express our deepest condolences to the Berryhill family as they endure this difficult time. Berryhills father Clare was a state lawmaker, and a Secretary of the California Department of Agriculture. His brother Bill Berryhill was also a California Assembly member. Berryhill had been battling health issues in recent years. A broken hip in 2018 forced him to miss the final months of the legislative session. Around that time he was also diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease. Berryhill was 67 years old. Pennsylvania State Police this week filed felony and other charges against a man and a woman related to the seizure more than seven months of a variety of drugs in Bethlehem. Suspects Jose D. Maldonado Jr., 44, whose address is listed as Northampton County Prison, and 38-year-old Wendy L. Cicon-Flandorffer, of East Garrison Street in Bethlehem, were not immediately arraigned on the counts, according to court records. Police say in the court papers the case is part of an ongoing investigation. The charges stem from police surveillance Jan. 13 of Maldonado while he was at Cicon-Flandorffers home, police wrote. Officers a month earlier had searched Maldonados then-residence in the 1800 block of Eaton Avenue in Bethlehem. Around 4:50 p.m. Jan. 13, Maldonado approached a vehicle that had pulled up outside the East Garrison Street home and was taken into custody as he tossed an object into the rear of the car, police said. The vehicle was also stopped, and police recovered a bag containing about 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from the rear seat, court records say. Officers then approached the home and were given consent by Cicon-Flandorffer to conduct a search, according to police. Investigators reportedly recovered a gray backpack that Maldonado admitted was his, and which contained 29 amphetamine pills; 2.52 grams of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl; 0.06 of a gram of methamphetamine; a bag of numerous empty bags; glass smoking pipes and a key to a storage unit. One of four other people also in the home at the time told police an item was removed from Maldonados bag prior to police entry, and Cicon-Flandorffer admitted to removing a box from the bag and hiding it in the basement, police said. Authorities said they recovered the box from inside a cardboard box that also contained a jar of about 1.3 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and suspected drug paraphernalia. Cicon-Flandorffer allegedly admitted that the marijuana and other items in the cardboard box were hers. Inside the box that had been hidden, police recovered a bag containing about 27.88 grams of methamphetamine; a bag of about 20.83 grams of heroin and fentanyl; a container of about 0.61 of a gram of liquid methamphetamine; a bag with about 0.39 of a gram of methamphetamine; another bag containing about 0.09 of a gram of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl; five strips containing the opioid overdose antidote naloxone and opioid addiction treatment buprenorphine; and 10 small bags, court records say. Police also recovered two cellphones, one of which was found to contain photos and messages related to drug sales, and say Maldonado admitted my prints will be on the box that had been hidden, according to court papers. Maldonado faces four felony counts of drug possession with intent to deliver, four misdemeanor drug possession counts and single counts of felony criminal use of a communication facility and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Investigators filed the charges Aug. 26, six days after Maldonado was paroled in a 2018 drug case also in Northampton County, court records indicate. Cicon-Flandorffer faces single counts filed Aug. 26 of felony count of drug possession with intent to deliver and misdemeanor conspiracy, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence. Once the suspects are arraigned, preliminary hearings will be scheduled to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the cases toward trial in Northampton County Court. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. https://www.aish.com/jw/me/Danny-Danons-Five-Years-at-the-United-Nations.html Exclusive conversation with Israels outgoing ambassador on everything from peace to the Torah. Danny Danon is back in Israel, having completed a 5-year stint as Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations one of the toughest diplomatic positions in the world. His tenure corresponded with the global rise of anti-Semitism and BDS, and was punctuated this month with the historic peace agreement between Israel and United Arab Emirates. Danon a gritty, focused and eminently straightforward tactician got his start in the early 1990s as a Jewish Agency emissary in Miami. He then became global head of Betar, and later global head of Likud. In 2009, Danon was elected to Israeli Knesset, successively serving as Deputy Speaker, Deputy Minister of Defense, Minister of Science and Technology, and in 2015, Israel's Ambassador to the U.N. Aish.com caught up with Danon for a behind-the-scenes look at the past five years of his diplomatic rollercoaster ride. Middle East Dynamics Aish.com: Israels new peace deal with the UAE is a seismic shift opening up Israeli technology and export to the second-largest economy in the Middle East. The UAE agreement also weakens the BDS movement as Arab countries move away from boycott. Most of all, the agreement puts to rest the myth that peace in the Middle East revolves around first solving the Palestinian issue. How do you envision Middle East dynamics unfolding over the next few years, and how does the UAE deal impact the Palestinian stalemate? Danon: Unfortunately, I don't see a Palestinian leadership willing to negotiate directly with Israel. So today we have to speak about a new paradigm. In the past, in order to advance Israel regionally, the paradigm was to first solve the Palestinian conflict. Today it's the exact opposite. We are working with the Arab world and they will help us negotiate with the Palestinians. Today we have full diplomatic relations with Jordan, Egypt, the UAE and other countries may follow soon. Then maybe we can sit down together and try to resolve the Palestinian conflict. Voting Blocs Aish.com: The wall of U.N. headquarters is engraved with the visionary words of Isaiah "They shall beat their swords into plowshares" hearkening to the U.N.'s original, noble mandate to promote peace and justice. Yet the entire apparatus has been hijacked by corrupt Third World forces a voting bloc that results in Israel being condemned by more U.N. resolutions than any other nation in the world. Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Abba Eban once said that if the U.N. introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and Israel flattened it, it would pass by an overwhelming majority. Over the past five years, how did you manage to shift sentiment toward Israel in such a hostile environment? Danon: When the U.N. was established after the Second World War, it had a clear agenda to prevent war and to promote dialogue. Unfortunately, the U.N. today is not the U.N. that was established 75 years ago. Today you see anti-Israel resolutions in a proportion that doesn't make sense. Twenty-two resolutions every year condemn Israel, and only one resolution condemns Iran. This is absurd. By focusing on three pillars Judaism, Israel, and innovation we changed the reality at the U.N. The best example is when I ran for chairmanship of the U.N. legal committee. It was a secret ballot, and I received the support of 109 member states. Only 44 voted against me. I became the first Israeli ever to chair a permanent U.N. committee. This is proof that change is possible. Danny Danon with then-U.S. Ambassador the U.N. Nikky Haley. On the right: U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. U.S-Israel Relations Aish.com: At the U.N., the United States and Israel vote in concert 88 percent of the time; by contrast, other Mideast "allies" like Egypt and Saudi Arabia vote with the U.S. less than 10 percent of the time. In fact, U.S. State Department figures show that for decades, Israel votes with the U.S. more than Great Britain, France, Canada or any other country in the world. Yet Israel has always walked a fine line in asserting its own national priorities. Ben Gurion defied American pressure by declaring statehood; Levi Eshkol boldly defied the U.S. with the 1967 preemptive strike; and Menachem Begin was condemned by the U.S. for annexing the Golan Heights and destroying the Iraqi nuclear reactor. In the past, youve spoken against appeasing the United States, saying that U.S. pressure on Israel hurts Israel and does nothing to advance peace. This was a theme of your 2012 book, Israel: The Will to Prevail. Having spent five years in such a sensitive diplomatic post, working closely with three American ambassadors to the U.N., has your view of this matter evolved? Danon: Whenever Israel makes decisions by itself without asking permission from friends and allies, in the long run we gain the respect of the world that these were the right decisions. Aside from the examples you mention, Prime Minister Olmert, whose political positions I don't support, deserves credit for his decision in 2007 to attack the Syrian nuclear reactor. President George W. Bush writes in his memoir about the day he told Olmert not to attack yet after Israel demolished the reactor, Bushs respect for Israel increased. So you don't always have to appease your allies. We have to do what's good for Israel and the Jewish people in the long run. Biblical Rights Aish.com: In 2010, the U.N.s cultural arm, UNESCO, voted to declare Rachel's Tomb a mosque, and decreed that preserving it as a Jewish site is a violation of international law. Then in 2016, the White House helped orchestrate the passage of Resolution 2334, saying that Jewish presence in the Old City of Jerusalem including the Western Wall flagrantly violates international law. In response to such hateful denials of the truth, you donned a kippah and delivered a speech at the U.N. which subsequently went viral speaking about the land of Israel as the cradle of Jewish identity. You read in Hebrew from the Bible, then held it aloft and declared: "This is our deed to the land." Also, during your tenure as Israeli Ambassador, you brought over 100 U.N. Ambassadors on trips to Poland and Israel first showing them gas chambers in Auschwitz, then Hamas terror tunnels in Israels south and Hezbollah terror tunnels in the north (dug under the nose of U.N. peacekeepers). How does Israels religious and historic identity impact your approach to global diplomacy, and how does that all affect Israeli security? Danon: From a Jewish perspective, I led a new wave at the U.N. First, I am a very proud Jew. So I brought Judaism into the halls of the U.N. I brought kosher food to the cafeterias, got Yom Kippur to be recognized, and educated other ambassadors about Jewish holidays, traditions and culture. Not only did I bring Israel to the U.N., but I brought the U.N. to Israel. Together with these 100 U.N. ambassadors, I traveled the land and walked through the Old City of Jerusalem. In seeing these Jewish historic sites, I asked them, How can you now say that we have no connection to the land, as claimed by U.N. resolutions and the Security Council? I gained the respect of many U.N. ambassadors, including Muslim ambassadors, because I proved our rights to the land. I spoke from my heart and read the biblical account of Gods promise to Abraham. Whether Christian, Muslim or Jew, it is the same scripture, so you can't argue with that. This is our deed to the land. If you have something else, prove it. Aish.com: Over the past five years, Israels relationship with the U.S. has had its ups and downs. Take us behind the scenes. Danon: During the vote on Resolution 2334 that condemned our presence in Jerusalem, I felt alone with so many of our friends voting against us. On the other hand, I had the support of millions of Jews, Christians and even Muslims who believe in our rights to the land. And I knew that we will overcome this shameful resolution. Look at what has happened since then the U.S. Embassy has been moved to Jerusalem, the U.S. recognized Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights, and we are now cementing our presence in the region with the UAE peace treaty. So I think we should be optimistic and continue to speak about our rights to the land. Some people in Israel think that we can appease others by apologizing all day long. We should not apologize for our birthright, our connection to the land. We need to proudly speak out more. Danny Danon at the U.N.: "This is our deed to the land." Global Ambassador Aish.com: How does Israel as the start-up nation aid in the cause of international diplomacy? Danon: When I brought the ambassadors to Israel, I showed them not only the security challenges, but also the opportunities the innovation, technology, and start-up companies. We Israelis sometimes make the mistake of focusing too much on security. Most people around the world are lucky and don't have to constantly deal with terrorism. People care more about sustainable development water, food, health. So we have to change the narrative and show the world our capabilities on those soft issues. We can do a real tikkun olam by sending our technology and innovation to the entire world, to build bridges and help them with our know-how. Aish.com: You brought these ambassador delegations to the rooftop of Aish HaTorah, overlooking the Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, and Western Wall. How would you describe the experience? Danon: One of the highlights of the trip is coming to Jerusalem and feeling holiness in the Old City. When you stand on the Aish rooftop, one of the most beautiful spots in Israel, you feel the presence of God. You cannot ignore it. Aish Rabbi Etiel Goldwicht speaks to a delegation of U.N. on the roof of Aish HaTorah. Jewish Refugees Aish.com: Since the founding of the State of Israel, hundreds of U.N. resolutions have dealt specifically with Palestinian refugees. Your father left Egypt in 1950, among the 850,000 Jewish refugees from Arab countries following the establishment of the State yet no U.N. resolution has ever referenced the plight of these displaced Jews. What progress is being made at the U.N. to recognize these forgotten Jewish refugees? Danon: There are more Jewish refugees from Arab countries than there are Muslim refugees who left Palestine. My father left property in Alexandria, Egypt, and many people left everything they had behind. We are not seeking compensation. Rather we demand recognition that this will be written in the history books. So I drafted a resolution about this. Unfortunately, with Covid-19 everything got shut down at the U.N. But I'm certain that Israel will continue to push forward the resolution I drafted. Danny Danon with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The Gaza Strip Aish.com: Throughout your career, youve staked much political capital on Israeli policy in Gaza opposing Ariel Sharons 2005 Gaza Disengagement, and in 2014 you were fired as Deputy Minister of Defense for criticizing the handling of Operation Protective Edge. Yet the problem remains unsolved last year, your hometown of Moshav Mishmeret was hit by a rocket from Gaza, and arson-balloons are used daily in cross-border attacks. How would you solve the Gaza situation both from the security and humanitarian standpoints? Danon: I distinguish between the people of Gaza and the Hamas regime that rules Gaza. I feel bad for the people in Gaza, and I pray for the day that there will be a real Palestinian leadership we can negotiate with. Ironically, at the U.N. I occasionally found myself fighting for the rights of Gazans against the Palestinian Authority representatives. For example, there was a crisis of electricity in Gaza and some countries wanted to transfer funds to assist, so I helped coordinate this with the U.N. professionals. But the Palestinian representatives of President Abbas in Ramallah tried to block the initiative, hoping to deny the people of Gaza more electricity. Thats who we are dealing with. Threat of Nuclear Iran Aish.com: Iranian leaders have threatened to wipe the Israeli cancer off the map. The UAE deal gives Israel a better geographic launch-point for any future attack against Iranian nuclear facilities. On the other hand, the Europeans have now allowed the lifting of an arms embargo to Iran. In todays complex geopolitical environment, what should be Israels strategy for stopping Iran from moving full-force to develop nuclear weapons? Danon: We will do whatever is necessary to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and this is not only Israel. U.S. leaders speak forcefully about this, and when I visited the UAE three years ago, most of the discussions focused on the threat from Iran. So it is a regional issue, and we are very determined to stop Iran. Aish.com: There is talk about Iranian sleeper cells operating across the globe. How concerned should the United States be about the Iranian nuclear threat? Danon: Today with globalization, if you have a nuclear bomb, you can pack it in a suitcase, fly to South America, and within two days it will be in California. So yes, I think everyone should be worried. No one wants the leaders of Iran to have nuclear weapons, because we saw what they did in the past. Look at the attempted attacks on multiple Israeli embassies, and the deadly bombing that destroyed the Jewish Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina the explosives and terrorists were all from Iran. So, God forbid, if they get nuclear weapons, just imagine what they might do. Danon in an Israeli campaign video as the maverick "new sheriff in town." Political Future Aish.com: In both 2007 and 2014, you challenged Bibi Netanyahu for Likud party leadership. Now that youre back in Israel, how are you positioning yourself in politics? Danon: Ive returned to Israel with a lot of passion, knowledge, experience and connections. I am eager to continue to serve my people as a public servant. I support the prime minister, and I stand behind him. But we all know that he will not stay forever, and when the day will come, I definitely see the option of running for an even higher position that I had as a government minister. In the same way I was able to win in the U.N. halls, God willing, I will be able to win also in the political halls here in Israel. Aish.com: When you were appointed to the role of UN Ambassador in 2015, Haaretz listed "six reasons to worry saying that "Danon's appointment throws Israel off the diplomatic cliff." What do you regard as your biggest achievement to silence the critics? Danon: Because I come from the right side of the political spectrum and my ideology is clear, they doubted that I will succeed. I don't expect them to apologize, and actually I should thank them. Because of the low expectations, it was very easy to prove them wrong. I showed that you can stay loyal to your values supporting our rights to Israel and being a proud Jew and still gain the support and respect of the nations. That is the lesson we taught the many skeptics. Aish.com: What do you regard as a particular challenge you encountered at the U.N., where in retrospect you could have handled the situation differently? Danon: One issue I regret is that we didn't run for a seat on the Security Council. When a seat became available in 2018, I lobbied for that and tried to convince my colleagues in Jerusalem to give me the support to run for the position. At the end of the day, they decided that we don't have the budget and the manpower. Looking back, we should have pushed more for that. It's about time that Israel, a full member state of the U.N., deserves a seat on the Security Council. Old Airport Road Food Centre & Shopping Mall. (SCREENSHOT: Google Maps) SINGAPORE Old Airport Road Food Centre & Shopping Mall and the Bank of China branch at Westgate were among the public places recently visited by COVID-19 cases in the community, according to the Ministry of Health on Sunday (30 August). The public places were visited by these cases from 16 to 25 August. As a precautionary measure, persons who had been at these locations during the specified timings should monitor their health closely for 14 days from their date of visit. They should see a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of acute respiratory infection such a cough, sore throat and runny nose, as well as fever and loss of taste or smell, and inform the doctor of their exposure history. There is no need to avoid places where confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been. The National Environment Agency will engage the management of affected premises to provide guidance on cleaning and disinfection. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore More Singapore stories: COVID-19: 54 new cases detected in Singapore, total now at 56,771 From troubled childhood to national wrestler, Danielle Lim's journey is far from typical President Donald Trump signed autographs and joked they could sell for $10,000 each on eBay during a press conference held to discuss the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Laura. At the end of a press conference with FEMA officials in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Saturday, Trump signed autographs for city officials and first responders. 'Come here fellas, get over here, I want a little power,' he joked, asking for pens to sign autographs. Trump signed a piece of paper and handed it to an official saying, 'You can sell this tonight on eBay. Whos going to get this one? Sell it tonight on eBay. $10,000.' He then signed an autograph for a first responder saying, 'If I put your name down it loses a lot of value, so sell it tonight on eBay!' President Donald Trump signed autographs and joked they could sell them for $10,000 each on eBay during a press conference on the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Laura 'Come here fellas, get over here, I want a little power,' he Trump joked as he signed autographs Trump signed a piece of paper and handed it to an official saying, 'You can sell this tonight on eBay. Whos going to get this one? Sell it tonight on eBay. $10,000' But the presidents comments were unsettling to many people, especially as Louisiana and Texas are reeling from the blow of the Category 4 hurricane that killed 16. Laura hit Louisiana on August 27 with winds as high as 150 mph and over nine feet storm surges in some places, leaving hundreds of thousands without water. More than 400,000 homes and buildings were still without power in Louisiana as of Saturday morning. The storm is estimated to have caused anywhere from $4 billion to $12 billion in damages to Louisiana and Texas, according to NPR. Trump visited Texas and Louisiana Saturday to offer his support after Category 4 Hurricane Laura slammed the coast on August 27, leaving thousands without water and power. An aerial view of destroyed homes in Cameron, Louisiana on Saturday above A vehicle drives through the downtown area after Hurricane Laura passed through on Saturday On Friday Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Louisiana, enabling the state to access FEMA relief funding. On Saturday the president visited both Louisiana and Texas for briefings 'to be with those who have been impacted by Hurricane Laura,' a White House spokesperson said. Trump said Saturday in Texas that FEMA would deliver 400,000 liters of water and 200,000 meals to the affected. Conservative anti Trump campaign The Lincoln Project slammed Trumps autograph stint as 'Unbelievable' 'Trump uses his appearance in Hurricane pummeled LA to give out autographs and tells people to "sell them on eBay for $10,000". No empathy. No class,' one Twitter user slammed Conservative anti Trump campaign The Lincoln Project slammed Trumps autograph stunt as 'Unbelievable'. 'Instead of throwing out paper towels like he did in Puerto Rico, Donald Trump signed autographs today in Louisiana,' one Twitter user criticized. 'Trump uses his appearance in Hurricane pummeled LA to give out autographs and tells people to "sell them on eBay for $10,000". No empathy. No class,' one Twitter user slammed. This isnt the first time Trumps come under fire for bragging about the value of his autograph. On eBay Trump's autograph sells for as low as $5 Despite Trump's claim that his signature sells for $10,000 on eBay, some autographs were selling for as low as $5. This one is just $37 This Trump pen with his signature was selling for just $10.90 Even on the pricier side, Trump's autograph was selling for around $500 In January he told eBays interim CEO that even 'senators and congressmen' put his autograph up for sale. On eBay there are several items purportedly signed by the president, but few sell for anything more than $1,000 as of Sunday. Some Twitter users noted his autographed items start at just $5 - well below Trump's claim of $10,000. A Massachusetts woman who allegedly walked in on her husband while he was having sex with his mother on their couch says she always suspected an incestuous relationship was going on. Cheryl Lavoie, 63, and her son, Tony L. Lavoie, 43, confessed to having sexual relations with each other in their home on Clarendon Street in Fitchburg back on May 20, according to authorities. Tony allegedly told cops 'it just happened' and insisted it was the first time he had sex with his mom. Tonys wife, Lori Lavoie, told Fitchburg police that she always had suspicions of the two of them having an intimate relationship, according to news.com.au. On her Facebook page, Lori Lavoie indicated that she was separated from her husband - even though all three of them were living under the same roof. Lori Lavoie (seen left with her husband, Tony Lavoie, 43) of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, told police in May that she long suspected her husband was having sex with his mother, Cheryl Lavoie (right), 63 Police were called to their home in Fitchburg on May 20 after Lori (above) said she walked in on her husband and her mother-in-law having intercourse Lori told police that she had long wanted her mother-in-law to move out of the residence. Cheryl reportedly said they had grown closer in recent months and started having sex when they began kissing. The mother and son were living together in the same house at the time of the alleged encounter. Police were called to reports of a disturbance at the property on May 20 and arrived on the scene to be met by the cousin of Tony's wife, reported the Sentinel & Enterprise. The cousin told officers Tony's wife had called her after she had walked in on her husband and his mom having sex in the property, police said. Both Tony and Cheryl allegedly admitted to the officer separately that they had consensual sexual relations with each other and told them it was the first time it happened. When the officer asked the Lavoies why it had happened, Tony allegedly said: 'I don't know. It just happened.' The 43-year-old then said he wanted treatment for it, according to police. The mother and son duo were charged with incest - a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. They made their first court appearance last Thursday where they both pleaded not guilty Lori told police that she walked in on her husband Tony Lavoie having sex with his mother Cheryl Lavoie in the living room. After witnessing the alleged encounter, she told police: I walked into my room and closed the door. The mother and son duo were charged with incest - a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. They made their first court appearance last Thursday where they both pleaded not guilty. They were arraigned and released on personal recognizance, with the judge ordering the pair to stay away from each other, according to court records. The Lavoies are scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on October 27. Women need a special focus in the Morrison government's federal budget this October. This isn't an argument for political correctness but simply economic fact. Australian women have, on average, been financially hurt by the coronavirus in a multitude of measurable ways. Part-time jobs and casual work, largely the realm of women, as well as frontline workers in aged care and health are among those doing it tough in 2020. That's not to mention childcare, a predominantly female industry, where workers have been cut off from JobKeeper early. Childcare must be a core part of the federal government's budget this October. Credit:Peter Braig The damage to the financial future of women will not be solved with just a traditional stimulus package. The federal government has been clearly focused on infrastructure and development projects. Brilliant. We need it. Men have been hurt too during this downturn. But this is not the only answer to this crisis and so it should not be the only bright light the government offers up in October. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/30/2020 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoiler Warning: This report includes spoilers that reveal if Kalani and Asuelu are still together or the : Happily Ever After? couple has broken up.] ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Did Kalani break up with Asuelu or is the couple still together now? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Kalani Faagata admitted she's not sure she wants to remain married to Asuelu Pulaa on Season 5 of : Happily Ever After?, so did Kalani leave her husband or is the couple still together and married now?Kalani, a 31-year-old from Orange County, CA, and Asuelu, a 24-year-old from Samoa, met in July 2016 and first starred on Season 6 of in 2019.The pair met when Kalani was visiting a resort where Asuelu worked as the activities director, and they continued dating once Kalani returned to America.Kalani later flew back Samoa and lost her virginity to Asuelu, which resulted in a surprise pregnancy Kalani didn't seem ready for.Kalani's Mormon family was also disappointed in Kalani's choice of partner and the fact she didn't save herself for marriage. Kalani's father Low didn't even want to see her daughter marry a Samoan man like himself.Kalani, however, ignored her family's concerns and applied for a K-1 visa so Asuelu could move to the United States and become the husband and father she hoped he would be. At the time, their son Oliver had turned five months old.Once Asuelu relocated to America, he and Kalani tied the knot in September 2018, and 's sixth season concluded on TV with Kalani and Asuelu's wedding as well as Kalani learning she was pregnant with their second child.Kalani and Asuelu found out they were expecting Baby No. 2 together less than a year after she had given birth to Oliver, which was another big surprise!Kalani and Asuelu are now parents of two sons: Kennedy, who was born in May 2019, and Oliver, whom the couple welcomed in January 2018.In a September 2019 poll on her Instagram, Kalani suggested Asuelu wasn't helping her with the kids and she felt totally overwhelmed."Do all husbands expect their wives to pay bills, clean the whole house, do all the laundry, feed/watch the kids 24/7 (unless said husband is in public or wants a selfie)?" Kalani asked in the poll. "Asking for my gottdamn self. Is this normal?"Apparently 70 percent of Kalani's followers who participated in the poll answered "No."However, the couple appeared to be a very happy family at Christmas time in December 2019.On : Happily Ever After?'s fifth season, Asuelu was shown at work passing out free samples. The couple had been married for one year and three months at the time of filming.Kalani suggested her marriage was suffering and she was exhausted all the time, so her parents moved in with the couple to help them out with the boys, which apparently upset Asuelu because he no longer was the man of the house.Kalani believed Asuelu would rather play volleyball or video games after work than spend time with his family, and she felt romance had gone out the window."I just wish that Asuelu and I could get back to the point where we were in the beginning of our relationship, where we loved to be around each other. I just miss that, and if Asuelu refuses to change, I don't know if I can keep doing this anymore," Kalani said in a confessional.Kalani's dad Low also wanted Asuelu to "step up" and stop "f-cking around." Low said Asuelu would get his "ass whooped or sent back to Samoa" if things didn't change for the better.But Asuelu continued to disappoint Kalani and her family, like when he was angry at his wife for turning down an opportunity for their family to travel to Samoa.Not only would the trip cost thousands of dollars in plane fare alone, but there had also been a Measles outbreak recently -- and children in Samoa were dying from it.Asuelu and Kalani's son Kennedy wasn't vaccinated and wasn't supposed to get that MMR vaccine until 12-24 months old, according to his doctor, so Kalani put her foot down about the family vacation to ensure her seven-month-old's safety.Instead of going to Samoa, Kalani drove her family to California in order to celebrate Oliver's second birthday, but Asuelu was noticeably in a bad mood and called Kalani's job as a mother "easy.""I think Kalani can't do what mother in Samoa do," Asuelu said.Kalani argued that she was the one up all night with both of their sick kids when she was sick too and did "everything for them," and Asuelu called her out for being "annoying" as well as a "lying b-tch."Kalani's mother was driving the car and scolded Asuelu for talking to her daughter that way, which only made Asuelu more frustrated."I don't know how your husband talk to you when you guys been together. But it's my wife; I can talk whatever," Asuelu said. "Your daughter asks stupid questions."Kalani's mother called Asuelu "disrespectful," and Kalani felt Asuelu was trying to sabotage the weekend and ruin it for everyone as a way to get back at her for canceling their trip to Samoa."It just shows me that he doesn't really care about me and the boys and he's just No. 1 to himself," Kalani complained in a confessional, later adding that she'd never be "subservient" to a man.During a heated confrontation in the backyard, Kalani called Asuelu "a manipulator" because of his attempts to change the subject every time he wanted to back himself out of an uncomfortable conversation. She desired "an equal partnership."Since the pair couldn't reach a resolution and Asuelu felt Kalani didn't respect what he contributed to their family, Asuelu took off with his suitcase by boarding a bus to Utah.That night, Asuelu apparently sent Kalani three false locations to drive to in order to pick him up, and once she was ready to give up, he finally gave his actual location.Kalani's sister Kolini said Asuelu "sucked the life" out of her sister and it was hard to see, and Kalani's whole family thought Asuelu was "in the wrong" and had behaved rudely.Asuelu even refused to attend Oliver's birthday party at first and hid in a bedroom.Low later told Asuelu that swearing at Lisa and Kalani was "unacceptable" and Asuelu needed to learn how to treat his wife in America, and Asuelu confessed to "doing really bad things."Asuelu therefore apologized to Kalani, admitting he was "so wrong in saying that a woman in Samoa is better" than Kalani.Kalani said Asuelu's apology meant a lot to her but he needed to change his actions. And in order to make Asuelu happier in their marriage, she agreed to visit his mother and two half-sisters in Washington State.But Asuelu's mother was asking for $1,000, and Kalani said she and Asuelu just couldn't afford to give that.Kalani agreed to let Asuelu buy $200 worth of gifts, but she only agreed to giving his mother an additional $100 in cash. Kalani told Asuelu they needed to be realistic about their finances since Asuelu only worked part-time.Kalani figured Asuelu was "trying to buy his family's love" and it was no longer "a cultural thing." She felt bad for her husband and was angry with Asuelu's family.It had been about a year since Asuelu last saw his mother and sisters Tammy and Rosa, but it didn't take long for the women to bring up money once Asuelu reunited with them.Asuelu's mother was shocked he only had $100 for her, and Tammy advised Asuelu to step up like a man and work full-time.Lesina argued, "Where is your mind?! Kalani's parents have a lot of money. They will take care of the kids."Tammy told Asuelu that he needed to put their parents first "no matter what.""Well do you send money home?" Kalani asked.Tammy was quiet for a moment and said, "It's none of your business." But Kalani argued it was her business, suggesting she and Asuelu shouldn't be held responsible for something Tammy didn't even do herself.Asuelu told the cameras he didn't have money for his family because he had to support his children and wanted to be an American man, and Tammy accused Asuelu of letting Kalani control him and tell him what to do."I love my family. I love my wife. And I think that I can't have both," Asuelu said.Asuelu eventually cried about the situation, telling his mother that his kids could die if he gave all of his money to his parents.Lesina said she still wanted Asuelu to send money to his parents in Samoa, and Kalani was shocked and called "this b-tch crazy."Kalani later met with Lesina and Tammy in attempt to talk some sense into them, but the discussion turned out to be a disaster."I just don't know why you feel entitled to me and my family's money... At the end of the day, it is going to be what I say," Kalani told Asuelu's relatives.Asuelu's mother called Kalani "lazy" for not working and pleaded, "Just give me money. That's all I want... I don't care about the kids. I want to take back my son to Samoa to do his duty as before."Tammy accused Kalani of brainwashing and controlling Asuelu, adding, "That's why I don't like you."But Kalani said, "All I've done is love Asuelu."Kalani said she was "done" with this circus, and then Tammy went after her, looking for a fight physically. Tammy screamed at Kalani as Asuelu's mother held her back, and Kalani called Asuelu's relatives "nuts."When Kalani returned to her husband, she shared the events that had transpired and all Asuelu seemed concerned with was whether Kalani or Tammy would win in a fight. Kalani grew so frustrated that she called Asuelu "a lunatic," who in turn dubbed Kalani "f-cking crazy."Kalani no longer felt supported by her husband, and she worried he'd never change for the better.Kolini told Kalani that she was too good for Asuelu and didn't deserve to live that way. Kolini advised Kalani not to stay in a relationship just for the sake of her two children."I just feel like I'm done," Kalani cried to her sister, who was taking care of Oliver and Kennedy."I do feel like I love him still. I just feel like every day, it's getting less and less, and I feel like if it keeps continuing on like this, I won't want to be a part of this marriage anymore."Asuelu is still working at the same nutrition store in Utah -- which is near the home he shares with Kalani -- where he was shown passing out free samples on an episode of : Happily Ever After?.Also, the pair definitely appear to still be married based on their social-media activity.In late August, Asuelu called Kalani his "wife" when telling fans they can now book him for Cameo videos.And back in late July, Asuelu captioned a series of photos of his family in Pine Valley, UT. They appeared to do some hiking by a lake."Family Adventure #blessed #love #utahcheck," Asuelu captioned the slideshow.Asuelu also posted a TikTok video of himself dancing in the couple's kitchen about a week earlier, and Kalani can be seen in the background preparing food for her family.Asuelu captioned the video, "Morning routine after riding the bus."In early July, Asuelu wished Kalani a happy birthday on his Instagram account by posting a video of his wife and son. He wrote over the video "love of my life."And in the caption, Asuelu gushed, "My wife's birthday. Cheers for 32nd years my love @kalanifaagata and many more to come."Not only has Kalani also posted recent photos with Asuelu on Instagram, but the couple has additionally shared two YouTube videos on their channel in the last month after not uploading anything on their channel for almost a year.As recently as June 30, Kalani posted a sweet photo of Asuelu cuddling with their boys on Instagram Stories.One week earlier, Kalani posted a smiling selfie with Asuelu, a video of Asuelu laughing in a massage chair, and brief throwback clips of the couple's axe-throwing date.Kalani uploaded the photos and videos shortly after the June 21 episode of : Happily Ever After? aired on TLC, and she captioned the slideshow, "BTS of tonight's episode. What'd y'all think?"On May 24, Kalani posted a video clip on Instagram of Asuelu and herself talking about how they had once walked through a jungle in Samoa and explored a cave together.The couple was promoting a video they had posted on YouTube."In honor of #samoanlanguageweek, we posted a YouTube video where I butcher basic Samoan, and we talk about our dating life in Samoa (pictures included)," Kalani wrote on Instagram.A couple of weeks earlier on May 8, Kalani and Asuelu posted a YouTube video of how they celebrated Kennedy's first birthday.Kalani and Asuelu enjoyed many laughs as Kennedy was spoiled with a fun pool day, gifts, cake, bubbles and a pinata.And going back to April 27, Kalani posted a slideshow of photos with Asuelu and captioned the post, "Pretending we're in Samoa."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! CLEVELAND, Ohio A 28-year-old woman was shot and killed early Saturday in an apartment building parking lot, Cleveland police said. The shooting happened about 6:50 a.m. Saturday at the Cliffview apartments, on the 1800 block of Cliffview Road in the citys Euclid-Green neighborhood, department spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. Responding officers found the woman with multiple gunshot wounds, and paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. The woman has been identified as 28-year-old Jayla English, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office. Homicide detectives on scene learned that English was arguing with two other women in the parking lot before one of the female suspects shot English, Ciaccia said. The two women left the area after the shooting. The female suspects have not been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made. The investigation into Englishs fatal shooting continues, Ciaccia said. More Northeast Ohio crime news: Man shot dead in East Cleveland; no arrests made, police say Kent State University says famous rock vandalized with racist message toward Black community Man stabbed to death, assailant shot in Clevelands West Boulevard neighborhood Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, ended higher on Friday, led by heavy buying in banking and financial stocks. Extending gains for the sixth consecutive session, Sensex ended 353 points higher at 39,467 and Nifty ended 96 points higher at 11,655. During the week, Sensex and Nifty rose 1,032 points (2.69%) and 275 points (2.42%), respectively. Going ahead, this week is going to be power pack with a slew of macro-economic data are slated to be released, some of which may set direction for markets. Going by the buzz on Dalal Street, here are the top 10 factors that are likely to guide the market going forward. Expressing views on the outlook of week-ahead, Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services said, "The economic data coming out indicates a slow recovery in progress for the Indian economy and as such the GDP data due out next week, is expected to be a non-event, barring any surprise deviation. The market is expected to continue the momentum." Here are ten factors that will guide Dalal Street next week: SC verdict on AGR dues Telecom stocks, Vodafone Idea and Airtel, will remain in focus as Supreme Court's judgement on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) is expected this week. The apex court is likely to take a final call on payment schedule to pay the AGR dues. Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel had sought a 15-year timeline for the payment. Auto sales numbers for August Auto companies will release their monthly sales data for August this week. According to market analysts, the companies are likely to see recovery in retail sales compared to previous months. On the yearly basis, the sales numbers are likely to be below August 2019 levels. GDP data for June quarter The government is set to release gross domestic product (GDP) data for April-June quarter on August 31. The unanimous prediction by experts is that the year-on-year contraction in GDP growth could be anywhere between 16 and 25 per cent. "We expect the manufacturing GVA to contract by 40-45 per cent in Q1 FY2021," Aditi Nayar Principal Economist, ICRA Ltd says. ICRA expects a sharp contraction in the GVA of construction of around 45 per cent, and a contraction of 50-55 per cent in the GVA of trade, hotels, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting in the (Q1) quarter. India's Manufacturing and Services PMI Traders will keep an eye on India's Manufacturing PMI for August which is scheduled to be released on September 1, which will give signal whether a COVID-19 economic rebound is sustainable. Services PMI will be released on September 2. The IHS Markit India Manufacturing PMI contracted for fourth straight month in July to 46 from 47.2 in the previous month as businesses remained closed amid coronavirus lockdown extensions. Foreign fund inflows Strong foreign fund inflows may fuel rally in the share markets. As per NSDL, foreign portfolio investors (FPI) net investments into equity, was around Rs 45,000 crore in August, which makes it one of the best months for net inflows, as the excess liquidity in global markets found its way to emerging markets like India. They invested Rs 3,301 crore in July and Rs 24,053 crore in June on net basis. Rupee movement against dollar The Indian rupee soared 43 paise to close at 73.39 against the US dollar on Friday supported by sustained foreign fund outflow, positive domestic equities and a weak greenback. Forex traders will keep an eye on domestic equity market to maintain their positions. Coronavirus cases Market participants will keep a track on coronavirus pandemic as rising cases will have long-term impact on economies. India's COVID-19 tally rose to 35,42,733 with a record single-day spike of 78,761 cases, while the death toll due to the disease climbed to 63,498 with 948 people succumbing to it in a span of 24 hours, the ministry's data, updated at 8 am on Sunday, showed. Global markets Investors will focus on macro news, including PMI data, which is due across the globe, alongside the US's non-farm payrolls report on Friday. US-China trade tensions The ongoing geo-political tension between US-China will have impact of stock markets globally. The relationship between the world's leading economies has further deteriorated in recent few weeks amid build-up of forces by both sides in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Stock specific movement Shares of Kishore Biyani's Future Group and Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries will remain in focus as much awaited deal between the two companies was finally signed on Saturday. Reliance Industries (RIL), through its subsidiary Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), will be acquiring the retail & wholesale business and the logistics & warehousing business from the Future Group on a slump sale basis for Rs 24,713 crore. Shares of Bank of Baroda and Anil Ambani group companies will also see some movement after the Reserve Bank of India rejected the public sector lender's request to send Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL) and Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd (RCFL) to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for debt resolution under IBC. Also Read: Sensex, Nifty close higher for 6th straight session, end 2.5% up this week Also Read: 6 of top-10 firms add over Rs 1 lakh crore in m-cap; ICICI Bank biggest gainer TEMPE, Ariz. A Republican student group at Arizona State University is receiving backlash for donating money to the 17-year-old gunman who fatally shot two protesters in Wisconsin. College Republicans United announced this week that half of any funds they raise during the semester will go toward paying for the legal defense of Kyle Rittenhouse. He does not deserve to have his entire life destroyed because of the actions of violent anarchists during a lawless riot, the group said in a tweet. In a statement Saturday night, the ASU College Republicans denounced College Republicans United radical, far-right extremist group. ASU College Republicans called for an investigation of the group. Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, say Rittenhouse shot and killed two people and severely wounded a third with an AR-15 rifle Tuesday. The victims were part of anti-racism demonstrations occurring in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake, who is Black, by a white police officer. Blake, who was shot seven times, remains hospitalized. Rittenhouse told police he was trying to protect businesses and people and acted in self-defense. At a hearing Friday, a judge postponed a decision on whether Rittenhouse, who is in custody in Illinois, should be returned to Wisconsin to face charges, including first-degree intentional homicide. ASU officials said in a statement the school cannot prohibit a group from fundraising. But the school does not endorse the fundraiser. The group is not the only one raising money for Rittenhouse. A self-described Christian fundraising site, GiveSendGo, says it has raised more than $100,000 for his defense. It was like the train never stopped. It was overload, Williams Johnson said. But youre mentally having to pull yourself out of it because youre the person whos going to help them. That was a mental heaviness, so I really had to make a decision on where I could be of service. Gardai are investigating threatening graffiti aimed at a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings on a sign close to his home in Co Cavan last weekend. The words "Dara Reilly RIP" were daubed in red lettering on the back of a Water Ways Ireland road sign close to where he lives near Belturbet, Co Cavan. Mr O'Reilly, chief financial officer at Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH), had already received an official garda information message last year warning him of a credible threat to his life following the abduction and attack of his co-director, Kevin Lunney. The "RIP" graffiti was brought to the attention of Mr O'Reilly and other directors by An Garda Siochana last week and has since been removed. Mr O'Reilly is one of five directors at QIH to receive garda protection since the attack on Mr Lunney in September last year and was himself targeted in attacks in the past. Boiling water was thrown in his face while he ate lunch in a local restaurant close to the headquarters of the company - which operates from Derrylin and Ballyconnell on the border of counties Fermanagh and Cavan. In 2018, he was targeted in an arson attack at his home in Belturbet. His car was torched and burst into flames beneath the bedroom windows where his family slept. The re-emergence of graffiti is now being investigated by An Garda Siochana. A wide-ranging investigation is already being conducted into a history of attacks and intimidation directed at the former Quinn Group and some of its executives that began after it was placed in receivership by banks. Gardai confirmed they are "investigating an incident that occurred at Straheglin, Belturbet between August 17 and August 24, 2020, and investigations are ongoing". A spokesman for Quinn Industrial Holdings said: "QIH has engaged with the gardai and the PSNI in connection with an escalation of activities relating to QIH and its staff as signage, protests, trespass and demands have been the precursor to previous intimidation and violence that we hoped was now behind us." Gardai stepped in to remove illegal signs vilifying QIH directors following the abduction of Mr Lunney last year. They acted after Cavan County Council had refused to remove the signs, claiming that it feared for the safety of its staff. The Sunday Independent revealed how council staff had been "advised" not to remove the sign and an external contractor, hired to remove the sign, pulled out because of "risks" involved. Mr O'Reilly and four other directors received a death threat last October warning them of a "permanent solution". The five remain under garda protection and they have been told a credible threat to their lives remains. Postcard from a Wyoming town that punches above its weight Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Not far from Wyomings border with Montana is Sheridan. With a population of 17,444 this is a medium-sized city by Cowboy State standards. Yet, in almost every other state it would be considered small-town America. Sheridans downtown is neat. The streetscape features a mix of architecture from the first half of the last century. Over 40 of these buildings, including the Perpendicular Gothic-influenced St. Peters Episcopal Church, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Unlike many communities of its size Main Street is mostly occupied with mom-and-pop shops, including the must-visit Kings Saddlery. The charming vibe makes for a perfect weekend trip. The Brinton Museum in Big Horn (population 307) on the outskirts of Sheridan is hands down the biggest draw. The impressive collection of Western art and Indian artifacts once the private collection of the museums namesake, Bradford Brinton is housed in an architecturally striking building with spectacular views of the Bighorn Mountains. Back in town, Trails End State Historic Site offers a glimpse into the early 20th-century life of cattle baron John Kendrick, sometime governor of Wyoming and U.S. senator. The mansions Flemish Revival architecture and Gilded Age interior decor is on par with its contemporaries on the East Coast. On a summer weekend one of the most popular things to do is watching a polo match. In fact, the environs of Sheridan are home to two competing clubs, Flying H and Big Horn. The sport, played locally for more than century, was brought to rural Wyoming by blue-blooded or otherwise well-to-do English immigrants, the so-called remittance men who under the rules of primogeniture stood to inherit nothing back home. Where to eat and stay Brinton Bistro, the uncreatively named restaurant at the Brinton Museum, has both indoor and outdoor seating. Its the perfect setting for lunch and Sunday brunch, although the menu is somewhat limited. Sheridans best restaurant is arguably Birch. Think cheffy without pretentiousness. Also worth consideration are Smith Alley Brewing Company and Market Hall, the latter of which features several different concepts for lunch and dinner within the old 1912 train station. For a cold beer or excellent people watching the locals come into town on Fridays and Saturdays wearing, as expected, cowboy boots and hats head to the Mint Bar, an old-school establishment known for its bold neon sign. I stayed at the Sheridan Inn, which first opened in the late 1800s under Buffalo Bill Cody. Masterfully restored, it reopened to guests in 2015. Sadly, the old saloon and dining room with its ornately carved original bar closed long before coronavirus. Alternatively, Marriott has a newer Fairfield Inn located a short drive from downtown. The family-owned Mill Inn is also a good choice. How to get there Most out-of-state visitors arrive by car as the drive from Denver is just six hours. If you prefer to fly, United Airlines has limited service to Sheridan. Caspers airport about two hours away has expanded flight offerings. Spires and Crosses, a travel column exclusive to The Christian Post, is published every week. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram. EU remains committed to Iran nuclear deal as key security element: Spokesperson Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 3:12 PM A spokesman for the European Union says the bloc remains committed to implementing a landmark nuclear deal Iran signed with major world powers in 2015 in order to observe international agreements and respect EU's shared international security. The spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Peter Stano, made the remarks in an interview with New Europe on Friday, in response to a question about Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "The Iran nuclear deal, which was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council [Resolution 2231], is a key element of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and contributes to the security of the region, for Europe and beyond," Stano said. "The EU remains committed to implementing the JCPOA as a matter of respecting international agreements and of our shared international security," he added. He emphasized that based on the deal, the Joint Commission of the JCPOA is the only relevant forum for dialog to address all issues of concern. The EU spokesman's remarks came as the United States is trying to invoke the snapback mechanism in the multilateral nuclear agreement despite its withdrawal from the accord in May 2018. The United States' most prominent Western allies have refused to fall into step with the push, which follows Washington's humiliating defeat in securing an extension of the UN arms embargo against Iran at the UNSC. Only the Dominican Republic voted 'yes' to Washington's resolution calling for the extension of the embargo beyond October 18. The president of the Security Council on August 25 dismissed attempts by the US to reinstate all UN sanctions against Iran due to a lack of consensus in the 15-member body. Indonesia's UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, the Security Council's president for August, said the body was "not in the position to take further action" on the new US push to trigger a 'snapback' of all UN sanctions on Iran due to a lack of consensus among the member states to take such measures. In a statement on August 20, EU High Representative and Coordinator of the JCPOA Joint Commission Josep Borrell criticized the US for planning to snap back sanctions on Iran and vowed to "do everything possible to ensure the preservation and full implementation of the JCPOA by all." Borrell said he has repeatedly announced that the US unilaterally ceased participation in the JCPOA and has subsequently not participated in any JCPOA-related activities. "It (the US) cannot, therefore, be considered to be a JCPOA participant State for the purposes of possible sanctions snapback foreseen by the resolution," he pointed out. The EU official said the JCPOA remains a "key pillar of the global non-proliferation architecture, contributing to regional security." In a post on his Twitter account on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States has once again threatened to impose restrictions on 'anyone and any entity' dealing with the Islamic Republic despite being dismissed by the United Nations Security Council three times. "After thrice being rejected by SC, US now threatens 'sanctioning anyone & any entity that comes between US' & 'its snapback'," Zarif said. JCPOA Joint Commission meeting will convene on September 1 Elsewhere in his interview, Stano said a meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA will be held in Vienna on September 1. He added that the meeting would be chaired by European External Action Service Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid and representatives from the remaining parties to the nuclear deal -- France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, China and Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tesco has been given go ahead for an expansion at one of its Offaly stores by An Bord Pleanala. Approval has been given for the construction of a single story cafe building at the Tesco in Clonmullion Retail Park in Edenderry. The single storey building will be constructed in the car park and would cover 232 sq/m. It will will be used for the preparation and sale of food, on and off the premises, and will include external seating area, bicycle parking spaces and signage. Offaly County Council has initially refused permission for the development raising concerns over parking and traffic flow but An Bord Pleanala in its decision said that the proposed development would be acceptable in terms of impact on Edenderry town centre, would not endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard and would not result in a shortfall of car parking spaces serving the development. However the decision did state that the premises shall not be used for the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises (i.e. take-away) without a separate grant of planning permission. Next week, the Georgian parliament in the final reading will review new rules of entry of its citizens to the Schengen zone. Georgian citizens who, since March 2017, can travel to the EU without visas for 90 days in half a year, may be denied exit if they don't have a biometric passport issued within 10 years and which is valid for at least three months by the time the citizen of Georgia returns home, Sputnik Georgia reports. Entry to the EU may be prohibited to citizens without a return ticket or a reservation for it, a hotel reservation and the exact living address in the Schengen area. Lack of insurance and lack of funds can also lead to refusal. These measures became necessary after the authorities of European countries such as Germany, France, Sweden, Iceland, expressed concern about the increase in the number of asylum seekers from Georgia to the EU. European countries called on Georgia to take appropriate measures. The mans identity has not been released A man was shot and killed at a rally in Portland, Oregon on Saturday after protesters against police violence were met by a caravan of counter-protesters, according to news reports. The demonstration had been interrupted by a group in support of President Donald Trump, who has been critical of protests that broke out across the country over the death of George Floyd in late May and fueled by ongoing tense relations between law enforcement and Black communities. According to the New York Times, a protest had been taking place in the citys downtown when a procession of trucks and vehicles carrying Trump supporters arrived. While Floyd-inspired protests had been taking place every day in the city for more than three months, a planned counter-rally dubbed Trump 2020 Cruise Rally in Portland had driven through the crowd, CNN reports. A caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump drive in downtown Portland, Ore., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Saturdays rally was the third consecutive weekend that pro-Trump demonstrators converged in and around Portland, leading to clashes with counter protesters. (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP) READ MORE: Activists arrest in Portland galvanizes Black Lives Matter The participants of the Cruise Rally were shooting paintball guns at the protesters from trucks, some of which carried signs that read Trump 2020 or Thin Blue Line. This led others to retaliate by throwing objects back at the vehicle. Portland police responded to gunfire that had taken place about a quarter before 9 p.m. When they arrived on the scene, one man was dead on the street from a gunshot to the chest. While the victim is still unnamed, New York Times reports he was wearing a hat from a Portland-based far-right group Patriot Player. The shooter has not been identified, but Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell says authorities are looking for a suspect. A Black Lives Matter protester yells at a supporter of President Donald Trump during a rally and car parade Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein) This violence is completely unacceptable, and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible, said Lovell, who gave a statement on Sunday. READ MORE: GOP portrayal of urban mayhem doesnt always match reality Prior to the shooting, the police department had tweeted that citizens should avoid the downtown area after incidents of violence had occurred between the two opposing protests. Story continues A political rally is caravanning throughout downtown Portland. There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counterdemonstrators. Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) August 30, 2020 This shooting comes on the heels of two protesters being shot dead in Kenosha, Wisconsin days after police shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back last week. The suspect in that shooting, 17-year-old Kyle H. Rittenhouse, had traveled to Kenosha from Illinois with an assault rifle, allegedly joining other counter-protesters. Portland has been a sight of civil unrest since the first rally 94 days ago, in response to the deaths of Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Additional controversy occurred in July when protesters were being arrested by camouflaged federal agents in unmarked vans. The post Man shot and killed in Portland as Trump supporters confront protesters appeared first on TheGrio. Hyderabad, Aug 30 : 'Yaum-e-Ashura' was observed on Sunday with solemnity and sombreness, though on a low key in view of Covid-19 pandemic rules. However, the historic 'Bibi-ka-Alam' procession in the old city of Hyderabad was taken out with a large number of participants. 'Yaum-e-Ashura' or the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar, is observed in memory of the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussain and his followers at the battle of Karbala. Perhaps for the first time in its 400-year-old history, the 'Bibi-ka-Alam' was not taken out on a caparisoned elephant. The standard was carried on a DCM van as per the conditions laid down by the Telangana High Court. However, a large number of people joined the procession. Self-flagellating youth were seen in the procession while police kept a tight vigil along the route from Bibi-ka-Alawa in Dabeerpura to Chaderghat, passing through Yakutpura Road, Alijah Kotla, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Mir Alam Mandi and Darulshifa. Blood oozed out from the heads and chests of bare-chested Shia mourners who flagellated themselves with sharp-edged objects. Amid cries of 'Ya Hussain' and recitation of 'marsiyas' (elegies) and 'noha-khwani' (poems expressing sorrow), barefoot youths using knives, blade-encrusted chains and other sharp-edged weapons, inflicted injuries on themselves to show solidarity with the sufferings of the martyrs. Others were seen weeping and beating their chests. The 'Bibi ka alam' is believed to contain a piece of wooden plank on which Bibi Fatima Zehra, daughter of Prophet Mohammed, was given the final ablution. The 'alam' was installed over 430 years ago during the Qutub Shahi dynasty. The Covid-19 pandemic forced low-key observance of the day in Hyderabad and other towns in Telangana with only a handful of religious gatherings organised. There were only a few food and 'sherbat' camps in view of the restrictions. The Sunni Muslims observed the day by fasting and holding meetings to remember the sacrifices of Imam Hussain and his followers who were martyred in 61 Hijri or 681 CE at Karbala in present day Iraq. The fasting is observed on two days - ninth and 10th or 10th and 11th Muharram. By Express News Service MADURAI: Observing that the state government cannot cite the Covid-19 pandemic as a reason to prevent doctors from quitting and pursuing higher studies, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court told the Director of Public Health to return the original certificates of a government doctor to enable him to join a broad speciality course. The petitioner, Dr Samjaison, was working as an Assistant Surgeon in the Primary Health Centre at Erwadi in Ramanathapuram. He took part in a competitive examination and got selected for admission to a postgraduate course in DNB General Surgery (Broad Speciality). When he submitted a resignation letter, the authorities refused to return his original certificates forcing him to approach the court. When the case came up before Justice R Suresh Kumar, the government counsel submitted that the state is already struggling with a shortage of doctors due to the Covid pandemic. If existing doctors left, it would aggravate the situation, the counsel said. Although the judge agreed with the states contention, he was of the view that there is a need for more highly qualified people in the field of medicine. "Once the petitioner has decided to quit his job for the purpose of joining a P.G. medical course, the government has no right to withhold his certificates by citing Covid-19," he said and directed the authorities to return the certificates. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows revealed on Friday that they offered a second round of stimulus package worth $1.3 trillion but Pelosi declined the proposal. Pres. Trump has long bee expressing his support for the second round of stimulus package that will help millions of Americans heavily impacted by the global pandemic. Trump's administration attempted to reach a deal many times, but the Democrats keep on rejecting the offer. On Friday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows revealed that they offered an amount of $1.3 trillion stimulus package, hoping that it will be discussed on the floor as early as next week. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that it is not enough. The Democratic House Speaker wanted to have $2.2. trillion for the second round of stimulus package. Following this, Pres. Trump said that he would immediately sign the $1.3 trillion his administration offered once after deliberated on the floor. Suppose House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will continue to decline the amount offered by Pres. Trump's administration for the next round of stimulus package until the end of this month, millions of Americans will n longer receive relief aids such as unemployment benefits, house eviction protection, funding, schools, stimulus checks, and more. The Democratic House Speaker has only two options right now. It is either to help millions of Americans by accepting the amount offered by Trump's administration or not accept it and let Americans suffer the economic devastation of the global pandemic. It can be remembered that Pres. Trump has been doubling his effort following the failed negotiations between the Republicans and Democrats on the second round of stimulus package. This is despite the criticisms he received as the election nears. Pres. This month, Trump signed and issued an executive order that expanded the enhanced unemployment benefits and mandated the Federal Emergency Management Agency to use its unspent budget. Ideally, qualified individuals will receive $300 from the agency and the federal government, while the state has the option to add $100. He also issued three another memorandum, and these are house eviction protection, freezing of student, and delaying the collection of payroll taxes. He even said that he would terminate the collection of payroll taxes once he gets re-elected so that people will have more money on their pockets as the country struggles to combat the pandemic's economic impact. Aside from this, Pres. Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows never stopped also to communicate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. During a rare Saturday vote last Saturday, he attempted to have a meeting with Pelosi to propose the new stimulus package, but he was told that Pelosi was in a meeting. Recently, he personally called Pelosi to discuss the overall stimulus package that the White House wanted to pass in Congress as soon as possible. The call lasted for 25 minutes, but Pelosi continued to decline the offer of the White House. One of the reasons why Trump's administration keeps on pushing for the second round of stimulus package this September because, on the first day of October, all government functions will shut down in preparation for the Nov.3 election. The House Speaker has only two options to accept the $1.3 trillion, and have millions of Americans receive their financial aids, or continue to reject the proposal. Millions of Americans will receive nothing even a single cent from the federal government. Check these out! The two had allegedly raised a 'Khalistan' flag on the terrace of the deputy commissioner's office and desecrated an Indian flag in premises New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested two suspected members of banned terrorist outfit Khalistan Zindabad Force, officials said on Sunday. They have been identified as Inderjeet Singh Gill and Jaspal Singh, police said. The two had allegedly raised a 'Khalistan' flag on the the terrace of the deputy commissioner's office in Punjab's Moga on the eve of Independence Day and also desecrated an Indian flag in the premises, a senior police officer said. Kanye West recently shelled out $14.5 million for a secluded property in November, just months after buying a ranch 80-miles away in Cody, Wyoming. And the 42-year-old rapper reportedly has his sights set on another real estate purchase, currently eyeing the Double Doc Ranch, according to TMZ. The 76-acre ranch, which is a premier equestrian training facility in North West Wyoming, is already home to three of his family's 14 Friesian horses. While the purchase has yet to be finalized, the Kardashian-West clan's other horses will also be moving to the $3.39 million property, according to the site. Third ranch: Kanye West reportedly has his sights set on purchasing the Double Doc Ranch, which is already home to his family's 14 Friesian horses In an informative YouTube video about the ranch, the longtime owners list it as an 'exceptional boarding and training ranch, that provides first-class accommodations for equestrians, employees and guests clinicians.' 'Double Doc Ranch is any Horseman's dream with its heated multiple stall barn stalls,' the Hayden Outdoors Real Estate noted of the stunning ranch, located just outside Cody. The main residence at the Double Doc Ranch is a designed to blend 'Wyoming elegance and family warmth.' The full size windows of the 'Great Room' provide gorgeous views of the ranch in the foreground and the mountains in the back. Additionally, the windows supply natural light to appreciate the 'Brazilian Cherry hand hewn, wood pegged beams that span overhead.' Expanding: The 76-acre ranch, which is a premier equestrian training facility in North West Wyoming, is currently the place his stallions are boarded, bred and trained Western style: While the purchase has yet to be finalized, the Kardashian-West clan's other horses will also be moving to the $3.39 million property, according to TMZ (seen in June) Lots of room: In an informative YouTube video about the ranch, the longtime owners list it as an 'exceptional boarding and training ranch, that provides first-class accommodations for equestrians, employees and guests clinicians' 'Double Doc Ranch is any Horseman's dream with its heated multiple stall barn stalls,' the Hayden Outdoors Real Estate noted of the stunning ranch, located just outside Cody There are six bedrooms for plenty of privacy, in addition to a downstairs game room, air conditioned solarium and a double fireplace in the family room. The main residence is complete with an attached two and four car garage, as well as two cabins on the property, perfect for either employees or guests. There is also a commercially equipped kitchen and outdoor grilling station, and pool, which overlooks the mountains. Kanye and Kim often flock to the Cowboy State, as an escape and held their daughter North's seventh birthday at their ranch, which included Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner in June. This was also the trip Kim shared the news they owned '14 gorgeous Freesians,' which are a rare horse breed that cost anywhere between $7,000 and $600,000, according to the website U.S. Friesian Referral. Six bedrooms: The main residence at the Double Doc Ranch is a blend of Wyoming elegance and family warmth Stunning: The full size windows of the Great Room provide gorgeous views of the ranch in the foreground and the mountains in the back. The windows also provide natural light to appreciate the Brazilian Cherry hand hewn, wood pegged beams that span overhead Spacious: In addition to the main residence there is a modular home complete with attached 2 car garage and 4 car garage and 2 charming cabins on the property, perfect for either employees or guests More than seven months have now passed since Sarah Gilbert embarked upon the arduous journey of developing a vaccine that will, hopefully, help guide humanity out of this pandemic. Its a responsibility that the professor of vaccinology and her team at Oxford University have quietly shouldered, sealed away from the chaos and confusion that has knocked the world off balance, patiently and diligently attending to the task at hand. With the stakes so high, there has been no scope for respite or distraction. If its not necessary, it gets cut out, says Gilbert. When youre in the situation that you need to do things which could potentially have a large impact, you just get on with it. She speaks from experience, both as a leading vaccinologist with a 25-year-long career in developing vaccines against influenza and emerging viral pathogens, and as a mother of triplets. Indeed, as relentless and consuming and sleep-deprived as this year has been, its territory she knows well. Im trained for it Im the mother of triplets, says the 58-year-old, adding that all her children are now enrolled in university. If you get four hours a night with triplets, youre doing very well. Ive been through this. Still, the emergence of Sars-Cov-2 the virus responsible for Covid-19 has brought with it new challenges, new questions, new mysteries for Gilbert and her colleagues to unravel. Like many others in her profession at the moment, she has found herself flung to the forefront of a new frontier. There has never been a human vaccine developed against any member of the coronavirus family. Gilbert points out that there are two equivalent veterinary vaccines one bovine, the other avian but there is no denying the unprecedented nature of the challenge she faces. Yet, she says, there havent been any doubts over what it is were trying to do. Since the team at Oxford Universitys Jenner Institute first jumped into action, there have been few moments that threatened derailment. Admittedly, there have been technical hurdles, definitely. On one occasion, when attempting to produce a second batch of the vaccine at Oxfords manufacturing facility using a new purifying process, things just went wrong. Fortunately, a contract with a manufacturer in Italy, which was already making another batch, meant it wasnt the end of the road. But having moved as seamlessly as possible from preclinical trials to phase one, to phase two and now phase three which measures the vaccines effectiveness in limiting community transmission Gilberts team remains on course to deliver her vaccine, called AZD1222, by the end of the year. AstraZeneca, who has partnered with Oxford to manufacture the candidate, has meanwhile begun producing doses, with a commitment to making two billion by next summer. Things are going very well on the scale-up front, Gilbert says. Questions have naturally been asked of the speed at which Gilbert and other vaccinologists have been moving. Typically, it can take years for a vaccine to be developed, tested and approved. Yet such processes have been condensed into a matter of months, with one of Gilberts colleagues announcing this week that Oxford could place its trial data before regulators by the end of the year. Gilbert insists, though, that no corners have been cut and that should the vaccine gain approval, it will have gone through all the necessary checks and balances. Weve been able to find ways to save time when going through all the normal processes, she says. Weve worked with the regulators and ethical committee to minimise the time it takes to get to approval, but the approval is still the full approval its not missing anything. The University of Oxford is leading the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine (Getty Images) She points to accelerated procedures that have helped to cut away unnecessary waiting time. Normally we cant mention the trial and ask anyone to consider taking part until its all completely approved, she says. This time we were allowed to advertise the trials and contact people. Individuals who expressed an interest were then vetted and prepared for vaccination, which only followed once approval was secured. So we had a cohort of people ready to vaccinate. That doesnt normally happen. Gilbert also explains that, crucially, her team was well prepared for this moment, long before Covid-19 surfaced. Prior to the pandemic, her lab had developed technology to create vaccines against virulent viruses. This approach used a genetically engineered chimpanzee adenovirus which causes the common flu in apes to carry elements of a harmful virus into humans, triggering the necessary immune response. Her work covered the likes of Nipah, Lassa and Rift Valley fever, and, perhaps most significantly, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome a lethal disease caused by another coronavirus. The framework, she says, was in place for team to hit the ground running with Sars-Cov-2. When I started seeing reports of an outbreak in China at the beginning of the year, I saw that and thought, Is that going to be something we should be making a vaccine for? I was thinking in terms of our technology. Theres a lot that has been done to plan before this year to be able to make a pandemic vaccine quickly, and theres a lot of research that has been done which were now able to take advantage of. Because weve been preparing for such a long time, thats why we can go quickly. But not wanting to get too ahead of herself, Gilbert humbly insists this wasnt as fast as we could go, adding: We didnt have all the preparations in place. This wasnt optimised. But we did the best we could. One issue that could, in theory, disrupt efforts to vaccinate the human population is the emergence of new mutations in Sars-CoV-2. In the recent case of the Hong Kong man who tested positive for a second time, scientists showed that he had been infected with two different strains of the pathogen. Closer analysis found 24 differences between the first and second viral genome. There was nothing to suggest that the new iteration of the virus was more aggressive or contagious if anything, emerging data suggests that the pathogen is becoming less deadly but its impossible to tell how future versions will interact with the human body. Nonetheless, Gilbert is confident that Sars-CoV-2 wont evolve to the point of rendering her vaccine redundant. The mutations arise at quite a low rate in coronaviruses, she says. With all the mutations that have been found so far, theres no indication the neutralising antibodies dont neutralise them. A scientist working on the coronavirus vaccine at a laboratory facility at Churchill Hospital, Oxford (A (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) I dont think that within the coming year well see the virus mutate to the extent the vaccines wont work. It may be that over two or three years it mutates, so that its somewhat reduced efficacy, and then we might decide changing the sequencing in the vaccine will be a good thing. This level of optimism doesnt quite stretch to the longevity of the immune response triggered by AZD1222. Although preliminary trial results have shown that the vaccine trains the immune system to produce antibodies and white blood cells capable of fighting the virus, there is a fear that this protection could fade in time, allowing Sars-CoV-2 to recirculate among populations. Similarly, it is currently unknown if the threshold for reaching immunity will be passed, as there is no standardised measurement something that is known as an assay to draw comparisons with. We dont know what level of immune response we need to protect anybody in the first place. Nobody does, Gilbert says. Whats lagging behind is the development of the assays. Normally you would have standardised assays before you started phase three trials, so we can measure immune responses, but were not sure what were measuring. If one vaccine is shown to be effective, all of the vaccine developers will want to compare the immune response they get with their vaccine and see if its the same, greater or less than that. But we dont have the assays to be able to compare and to give us this information at this stage. Once we know the protection threshold level, we can then follow the immune response taking blood samples and see how long it takes for the antibodies to fall below that level of response. For now, Gilbert continues to keep a watchful eye over the progress of the phase three trials which are being conducted in the UK, US, Brazil and South Africa while leading ongoing research in Oxford. The next big decision she and her colleagues must make is when, as they say in the business, to unblind the trial. Recommended The government must heed the lessons from history on rushed vaccines At this stage, Oxfords statisticians will be counting up the number of participants who have tested positive for Covid-19. Once the researchers believe they have enough cases, it will be revealed which of these individuals were injected with the vaccine and which were injected with a meningitis jab. The process of finding out the efficacy of the vaccine is therefore faster when the transmission is higher in the community. The more cases that you get before you look, the more certain youll then be of how exactly how effective the vaccine is, whether its low or high, says Gilbert. You go from being able to say Yes, it seems to be doing something but were not really sure how much, to being very precise about the vaccine efficacy and say that its 70 per cent, for example. But youre not allowed to keep looking, those are the rules. The timing of the unblinding feels like, in many ways, somewhat of a gamble, especially with so much riding on this. Although time is of the essence, in shooting their shot too soon, theres a chance the regulators might not be happy with the results, says Gilbert. Its a hard decision to make. Its not one that has been made yet for our trial, she adds. Theres a pay-off between knowing early that it is or isnt working, and then having greater confidence in the actual level of efficacy. Despite her efforts to manage expectations, confidence in the vaccine whether rightly or wrongly is running high. On Thursday, the European Commission made a 336m (300m) down payment to secure at least 300 million doses of the vaccine, joining the likes of the US, Germany and India in placing advance orders. Gilbert herself is confident that her vaccine, along with many of the other key candidates in development, will ultimately prove effective. From first principles theres a very good possibility that we will have multiple vaccines against the coronavirus, she says. If Oxfords does the job, other vaccines will also work. The legacy of this pandemic is no doubt set to run deep, altering the very fabric of our society for years to come. Lessons have been learnt or not, in the case of some countries and humanity reminded of its fragility in the face of nature. But, as Gilbert says, theres always more work to be done, more progress to be made in this space. I hope its much more apparent now to people at large that its worth investing in vaccines, she says. Its been difficult to get the investment to make new vaccines against outbreak pathogens because theres always something else to spend the money on. But now weve seen the devastating effect that a virus can have, Im hoping that well be able to address the balance. ST. LOUIS Two St. Louis police officers responding to a shooting call were shot themselves Saturday by a gunman who barricaded himself in a home in the Tower Grove South neighborhood, police said. One officer was shot in the head and was very critically injured, police Chief John Hayden said. The other officer was shot in the leg and had a nonlife-threatening injury, police said. The incident took place shortly before 6 p.m. in the 3700 block of Hartford Street. The gunman ordered a family out of their residence at gunpoint and barricaded himself inside, Hayden said. Multiple streets were closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Residents on Hartford were warned to shelter inside and SWAT officers swarmed the neighborhood. Police also put SUVs and officers armed with rifles around the residence where the suspect had retreated. Hayden said the two officers were searching for a victim of a shooting cited in a call to police when the gunman fired on them. Police said no victim of an earlier shooting was found. As of 8 p.m., police said, officers were negotiating with the gunman to get him to come out of the house. Shortly after 8, some neighbors said they heard several loud popping sounds. Many more loud pops were heard beginning about 9 p.m. and continued on and off for at least a half hour. Police officers used a bullhorn to order the suspect to leave the house. Police also said they were firing tear gas into the house. At about 11 p.m., police were calling out: Come on, son, you have a wife and kid and you gotta come out. Earlier, Matt Miller, who lives nearby on Hartford, said he was just sitting down for supper about 5:45 p.m. when he saw a couple of police SUVs driving up the street. Shortly after that, he said he heard one gunshot followed by another shot. Then a lot of cops started coming up the street, Miller said. Then I heard one more shot. Miller, who lives a few houses from where the incident took place, said he could smell the gunpowder. He said he heard officers shout into the barricaded house, giving the suspect a phone number to call and asking for the suspects name. Miller said he saw 75 to 100 officers outside the house at one point. One of the injured officers was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the other to St. Louis University Hospital. Hayden said they were the seventh and eighth officers shot in the line of duty in the city since June 1. The officers were trying to do their job, thats all theyre trying to do and theyre suffering under gunfire, the chief said. Hayden said the incidents are part of a surge in violence this summer and asked residents to pray for the officers. Were trying to cope through a very trying summer and its very difficult, Hayden said. Its very difficult. Both of the injured officers are about 29 years old, Hayden said. He said the critically wounded officer has been on the force about 3 years. Hayden spoke to reporters outside SLU Hospital, where the critically injured officer had been taken. Later, the chief led a few dozen officers and others in a prayer outside the hospital. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt also was at the hospital Saturday night. He told reporters he was there to show his support for the officers and their families. Theyre doing very dangerous work protecting all of us and they deserve that kind of respect, Schmitt said. Mayor Lyda Krewson, Aldermanic President Lewis Reed and Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner all tweeted messages of support for the injured officers. Overall crime in the neighborhood has been down about 7% from the same six-month period a year ago. David Carson and Tod Robberson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Updated at 11 p.m. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Nassim Benchaabane Reporter covering breaking news and crime by night. Born in Algeria but grew up in St. Louis. Previously reported for The Associated Press in Jackson, Mississippi and at the Wichita Eagle in Wichita, Kansas. Follow Nassim Benchaabane Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Ahead of the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Nigeria police say they have identified a high likelihood of violence, attacks by opponents, and misinformation as security threats to the polls. The elections in Edo and Ondo states are scheduled to hold on September 19 and October 10 respectively. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, however, warned politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves properly by playing by the rules. He also advised them to steer clear of tendencies capable of undermining the electoral process in the two states. According to a statement issued by the police spokesperson, Frank Mba, the police boss issued the warning having reviewed the election security threat assessment reports submitted by the commissioners of police from both states at a meeting held on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. The Election Security Threat Analysis reveals amongst other indicators: arming and movement of political thugs, use of inciting statements during political campaigns, high likelihood of violence and possible cross attack by political opponents, misinformation/disinformation aimed at heating-up of the polity and deliberate efforts at delegitimizing government institutions involved in the electoral processes. The IGP has therefore ordered the Commissioners of Police in the two states Edo and Ondo to rejig their preparations for the elections to accommodate and address the threats and emerging trends as contained in the security report, Mr Mba said. He noted that the police leadership is evolving customised security architecture to protect the people and ensure hitch-free elections. He further stated that the police will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law on anyone or group, irrespective of status, that may want to sabotage the security arrangement put in place for the elections. Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had warned that the fierce political tension brewing in Edo State may lead to a declaration of a state of emergency in the state, if not carefully managed. INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye, gave the warning at a meeting with heads of media organisations in Benin, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. For families across the world, the loss of actor Chadwick Boseman cuts deep beyond the movie Black Panther. Its a loss of a man who while undergoing cancer treatment brought representation to the Black community and its children, they say. We lost our own superhero, Torontonian Suzette Francis said. I didnt even know he was sick, he never made any excuses or showed that he was suffering. Francis said the disbelief she felt hearing of Bosemans passing at 43 on Friday was similar to how she felt at Kobe Bryants sudden death back in January. It was made heavier knowing that her nephew admired TChalla the role Boseman played as king of the African nation of Wakanda in the blockbuster hit and even dressed up as the character for Halloween in 2018. He was excited that there was a Black superhero and couldnt wait to wear his costume, Francis said. He would jump to the top of the stairs and cross his arms and say Wakanda forever. (Boseman) gave to the Black community in so many ways, including on the charity scale ... he influenced people to hope and dream for more, she said. Across the city, Laila, 10, and Xavier, 12, have also been excitedly waiting for a sequel to Black Panther since they first saw the movie during opening weekend two years ago, mother Renee Bedford-Gordon said. But the news of Bosemans death proved to be a struggle when Bedford-Gordon had to tell her children. It was hard. Laila cried and said Why? She thought maybe he was shot because they see things on the news, she said. But after that difficult conversation what they will remember about the actor is how he made the Black community feel seen. Representation matters. I wanted them to see people that looked like them being role models and doing things that were positive, Bedford-Gordon said. It was refreshing and made an impact that the movie portrayed an African country as bountiful and took pride in African culture, she added. She also saw that her kids immediately identified with the characters. Xavier is also an older brother, like TChalla, and hes very into technology and IT, hes a whiz at it really. Laila relates to the character Shuri, played by actor Letitia Wright. Shuri is the intelligent and tech-savvy sister of TChalla. Laila dressed up as Shuri the Halloween following the movies release, completing the outfit with a makeup look she did all on her own. My daughter is very ambitious, she wants to be a veterinarian and shes into science and math. Its important that the kids are surrounded by positive messages, making sure they know its possible to do the things theyre interested in. Seeing representations of themselves being smart and positive is very important, Bedford-Gordon said. Bosemans influence isnt only for younger kids. For 17-year-old Emmanuel Adegboyega, who is going into Grade 12 at Chaminade College School, Black Panther created a sense of hope for the Black community. It gave me a sense of change and better things to come for the Black community. It was different seeing a superhero being my skin colour and to see leadership coming from the Black community. Its empowering and will be for younger generations, he said. Adegboyega saw the movie on a class trip and said it was the first time a superhero looked like him. This year, he will stick to his plan to dress up as Black Panther to honour the legacy of Boseman and his character. We dont see a lot of Black leadership in the Western world. We need to carry on that torch and push for change and keep advocating for change, Adegboyega said. Margaryta Ignatenko is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @MargarytaIgnat1 Updated at 7:36 p.m.: Alabama congressional candidate Barry Moore apologized for a Facebook post he posted on Saturday morning in a statement on Saturday night. I apologize for the graphic nature of a post earlier, showing scenes from the violence tearing through Kenosha, Moore said in the statement. I should have expressed my feelings about the situation in words, not just with a meme. This is a horrible, complicated situation, and Im troubled not only by the shooting of Jacob Blake but also how peaceful protests turned into rioting, burning, rampant destruction of a vibrant, growing town and acts of violence against police. Im especially troubled that a young man felt compelled to take up arms to protect lives and property in Kenosha against a violent mob that was actively threatening to burn it down. I have full confidence in the justice system to determine the rightness or wrongness of Kyle Rittenhouses actions, as well as those officers involved in Jacob Blakes shooting. I also hope that those arrested in Kenosha for their part in the rioting receive the same level of justice from the courts for their actions. I apologize for the graphic nature of a post earlier, showing scenes from the violence tearing through Kenosha. I... Posted by Barry Moore on Saturday, August 29, 2020 Original story: An Alabama Republican congressional candidate on Saturday defended the teen in Wisconsin charged in the shooting deaths of two people during protests after Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot seven times in the back by a police officer. Barry Moore, a former state legislator from Enterprise who is the Republican nominee in the 2nd Congressional District race, described the incident that ruins this 17-year-old young mans life as tragic. Its just indicative of what were seeing in the nation, Moore said Saturday in an interview with AL.com. You say defund the police, well police ourselves. And when people and communities start trying to protect their property, their life and their liberty, and when they fire back, then all of the sudden theyre villainized. The teen, Kyle Rittenhouse, faces five felony charges in connection with shooting three people. Two of the people died. If convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, he would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Rittenhouse was walking a street in Kenosha, Wisconsin with a semi-automatic rifle during the protest along with other armed civilians. Moore said Rittenhouse was running for his life and fell, putting himself in danger as protesters converged on him. At that point, prosecutors said, he shot and killed one person and shot and injured another person. Prosecutors said he had earlier shot and killed another protester. Moore posted an image on his Facebook page Saturday morning with three pictures: Two people laying in the street apparently injured with the caption didnt fight back. The third photo is of Rittenhouse walking the street with the rifle with the caption, fought back. A screenshot of a Facebook post by Alabama Congressional candidate Barry Moore on Aug. 29, 2020. Moore later removed the post. Moore later took the post down but said he intended to re-post it once he had collected statistics on shootings from several cities across the country. Because a picture speaks a thousand words, Moore said when asked about the Facebook post. When I saw it this morning, I thought, man, that tells a story, doesnt it? I think what were seeing in this 17-year-old young man by the name of Kyle, I think hes probably watched for weeks as cities have been attacked. My understanding is that he was employed at that place of business. The video that I saw, the young man was running when he was knocked down and then he began to fire. The first victim he shot had hit him with a skateboard. The second one had a 9 millimeter (handgun) in his hand and was raising it to fire. Prosecutors said Rittenhouse ran after shooting and killing one protester. Prosecutors said the victim who sustained non-fatal shooting injuries was armed. Moore is running for Congress against Democrat nominee Phyllis Harvey-Hall. Mr. Moores decision to share a post defending Kyle Rittenhouses actions was wrong, Harvey-Hall said in a statement Saturday night to AL.com. One would think a lawmaker would know better than to defend extrajudicial killing. As our nation grapples with ending systemic inequality, we need leaders committed to fairness and compassion, not ones who stoke division. This is not Christian conduct and the people of Alabama deserve better. Moores post sparked both outrage, and support, on social media Saturday. The Alabama Democratic Party, in a tweet Saturday, said that Moores Facebook post, and the heart behind it, disregard the rule of law. If you want to be a member of Congress, you cannot advocate for extrajudicial killings. The ALGOP and Moore should know better. In response to the Alabama Democratic Party tweet, Moore said, You can advocate for self-defense. I advocate for self-defense. He was running for his life when he fell. Terry Lathan, chairwoman of the Alabama Republican Party, sided with Moore. Americans are fed up with watching this mob rule mentality, the hate spewed about our law enforcement officers and elected officials in power ignoring our laws, Lathan said in a statement to AL.com. No one is given special rights on either side of the current social upheaval. Mr. Moore seems to have been articulating those thoughts. Moore said he did not support what Rittenhouse did but said he believed he had no choice. I dont support what he did, Moore said. But when I saw him running down the street and when he was knocked down, I dont think he had a choice. He would have been a statistic. Moore said people are tired of the protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. Four Minneapolis police officers have been charged in Floyds death. What we saw happen in Kenosha, Wisconsin is indicative of probably the heartbeat of the nation, Moore said. People are getting tired. They are starting to defend their property and its going to end up bad. We need to fund the police, we need to train the police, we need to enforce the laws or there is going to be more of this tragic, tragic event that ruins this 17-year-old young mans life and two people end up dead. The day after the first night of the Republican convention, mainstream media outlets reported that both parties had fewer people watching their first nights than in 2016. However, to the medias manifest delight, they announced that the Democrats had a bigger audience for their first night than the Republicans did. It appears, though, that the Democrats were looking for the audience in all the wrong places and that it was the Republicans that were doing better. When I wrote about the medias glee over the Democrat first-night ratings versus the Republican first-night ratings, I offered a hypothesis: The Democrats may have had higher ratings on traditional television outlets only because Republican audiences watching their convention turned to streaming outlets: Its likely that a lot of viewers had the same reaction that I did when I tried to watch the convention on traditional television and I went for Fox, which was presumptively not hostile to the Republicans. From the first minute, Fox irritated me when it cut away from Charlie Kirk, the first speaker, to listen to talking heads talk about what they thought speakers would say. I didnt want to watch their guesses; I wanted to watch the speakers. I therefore went to Spectrums C-SPAN channel. [snip] With a purely televised convention, viewers are realizing they no longer need the media to explain whats going on, as is often the case at the live conventions. Americans want to listen to fellow Americans, not to hostile Democrat party operatives yelling at the video like Grandpa Simpson yelling at the cloud. It turns out that my guess was right on the money. When all the data are in both from people watching traditional outlets and people watching alternative outlets Matt Margolis reports that the entire Republican convention had a significantly larger audience than tuned in for the Democrat convention: Across television and online streaming, the Republican National Convention got 147.9 million total viewers from Monday through Thursday, while Democratic National Convention got 122 million total viewers, according to figures released by both campaigns. Now, Im not a math genius, but Im pretty sure 147.9 million is bigger than 122 million. The Trump campaign also raised $76 million during its convention, compared to the $70 million the Biden campaign raised during its convention. That does not surprise me at all. The Democrats, despite having Hollywood on their side, offered production values that had a dreary, amateur-hour, college seminar quality. They then added to that angry, hate-filled, and often bizarre content. It doesnt take a genius to figure out that a lot of Americans arent going to be especially intrigued watching a nonbinary / gender transcendent mermaid Queen-King call for abolishing the police, ICE, and prisons. Meanwhile, word quickly got out that the Republican convention was a beautifully produced spectacle of normal people from all over America, from all walks of life, and representing all races, celebrating Americas virtues and the opportunities she offers to everyone. Also, as I already noted, online streaming outlets, especially C-SPAN, allowed people to skip the mindless nattering of talking heads explaining the obvious and, instead, to focus on the genuinely interesting content that the Republicans were offering. Indeed, the content was so good that C-SPAN got an overwhelming number of calls from people saying that, despite their being Democrats, they were planning to vote for Trump: C-SPAN changed their open phone line labels after an overwhelming number of Democratic viewers called on Wednesday night proclaiming their support for President Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Im a longtime Democrat, born and raised After watching tonight I have made up my mind. I am definitely gonna vote for Donald Trump, said one of the many voters who dialed in. So, yeah, Im thrilled that I was correct that Americans, whether Republican or Democrat, wanted to see what the Republicans were offering. This was especially true after the Democrats browbeat Americans, claiming that they are truly awful people who can save their souls only by turning their country over to socialists and mermaid Queen-Kings. Image: Family watching television in 1958, from the National Archives and Records Administration; public domain. The UK is facing up to 50,000 unnecessary deaths because Boris Johnsons government consciously allowed coronavirus to spread, a former chief scientific adviser has said. Sir David King described the official response to the pandemic as a complete cock-up by government, driven in part by a desire to maintain secrecy around the scientific advice it was receiving. In an interview with Red Pepper magazine, the first part of which is published today, Professor King said he founded the Independent Sage group of scientific experts to inform the public about Covid-19 because of the complete mess of the official response in the first months of the outbreak. And in the second part of the interview, due for publication on Wednesday, he claimed: The prime minister believed in the herd immunity programme The prime minister said, We have to be prepared for losing some of our loved ones, every one of us has to be prepared. So, there was that expectation. They consciously allowed the disease to spread. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 January 2022 Surfers enter the sea as the sun rises over Tynemouth on the North East coast PA UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA Mr Johnson appears to have taken the incredible decision to keep the minutes and membership of his official Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage) secret in the early weeks of the outbreak because he did not want the public to know that his senior advisor, the non-scientist Dominic Cummings, was taking part in its meetings, said Professor King. The official Sage group was dominated by civil servants, who make up 13 out of 23 members of the main group, led by current chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, he said. Asked if the make-up of the group meant it was not a body of independent scientists, he replied: Im afraid I think thats right, (although) I have enormous respect for Sir Patrick. Sir David said that during his time as adviser to then prime minister Tony Blair from 2000-07, everything was in the public domain. The notion of having an advisory group whose membership and minutes are not public is incredible to me, he said, noting that the first minutes of official Sage were published while the first meeting of the Independent Sage group was taking place in May. The government certainly didnt want the public to know that Cummings was a member of the committee, said Sir David. You shouldnt have an adviser to the prime minister, who is not a scientist, also there, because then youve got two sources of potentially conflicting advice. Also, there were sensitivities amongst scientists trying to give their advice independently, with all of these civil servants there. If youre not familiar with government, it can be quite a challenge. Former chief scientific adviser Sir David King (PA) Sir David voiced concern that ministers were using scientists as a means of validating their policies, and warned they could easily become scapegoats if the situation worsens. The government want to be able to say, We are following the science, he said. If the public doesnt know what the science advice is, the public has no means of knowing whether or not the government is being honest. But its going further than that. If it goes pear-shaped, its the scientists fault. And he warned: Trust has been lost for several reasons. One is that the prime minister does not stick to the truth. It seems to me that he says what he thinks is convenient. Sir David said: When Independent Sage was formed, we faced the complete mess that was happening from March onwards. I couldnt stand back. We formed the Independent Sage because there was no mechanism for getting an understanding of the crisis and how it could be handled into the public domain. Since then, the independent group has been one of the most scathing and authoritative critics of the governments handling of the pandemic. It has repeatedly denounced the decision to outsource test and trace operations to private companies rather than entrusting them to local public health networks. And it has called for an official zero Covid strategy to eliminate the disease altogether, in place of the governments acceptance of persisting infection at low levels over the summer as the price of reopening the economy. Bharatiya Janata Partys Karnataka unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said on Sunday that he had tested positive for Covid-19. Kateel, who is the MP from Dakshina Kannada seat tweeted that though he was asymptomatic, on the advice of doctors he has been admitted to a hospital. Expressing confidence that with the blessings and good wishes of the people he would return to serve them quickly, he requested all those who had come in contact with him in the recent past to get tested for the viral infection and take adequate precautions. His counterpart, Congress President of Karnataka DK Shivakumar is also in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and leader of opposition Siddaramiah had also tested positive for the disease and were in the hospital but have been discharged after recovering. By encouraging more people to become poll workers in their communities, National Poll Worker Recruitment Day aims to address the critical shortage of poll workers, strengthen our democracy, inspire greater civic engagement and volunteerism, and help ensure free and fair elections in November and beyond, the EAC said in a statement. In Virginia, the men and women who work to ensure our elections are conducted fairly and lawfully are known as officers of election, and are chosen and managed by the localities. The officers receive training and are paid, with amounts varying by city and county. To learn more about the duties involved and how to sign up, contact your local registrars office. Or visit: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/officer-of-elections/ Even though many Virginians are expected to take advantage of in-person early voting and casting absentee ballots by mail this fall, registrars anticipate that the polls on Nov. 3 will be busy. Theres a hotly contested presidential race, plus congressional elections. Also, voters and election workers alike will have to adhere to strict health protocols, observing social distancing, making sure equipment is sanitized and wearing face masks. Recruitment continues across Virginia. An Australian beauty expert has revealed the worst things you can do to your skin that many women are doing without even realising. The founder of Beauty Affairs Luxury Skincare and Cosmetics brand shared a video of herself on TikTok explaining the five common skincare mistakes to avoid. She said it's important to apply moisturiser before oils, avoid washing your face with hot water, use retinol and to stop over squeezing pimples. Scroll down for video An Australian beauty expert has revealed common skincare mistakes thousands are making without even realising Mistake one: Applying oil before moisturiser One common mistake people make is applying oil before moisturiser, as the beauty expert said oil and water do not mix. She said the oil blocks anything water-based from absorbing into the skin, and so it just sits on top of the oil. 'Water can't get through the oil so it just sits on top. Won't hurt you but works better the other way,' she said online. Instead first apply a serum, then a creamy moisturiser and apply any oil product last. The Beauty Affairs Luxury Skincare and Cosmetics founder (left) shared a short video of herself on TikTok explaining the five mistakes to avoid Mistake two: Avoid using retinol Retinol is a fantastic product that is known to reduce the appearance of fine lines and can also assist with acne, pigmentation and sun damage, although it's important to use it correctly. 'Retinol thickens skin [and] is amazing for skin rehab, just do it,' the beauty expert advised. Melbourne dermatologist Dr. Alice Rudd agreed and told Mecca: 'Retinol can strengthen your skin and regenerate collagen, as well as assist with breakouts.' Retinols, such as vitamin A serum, are best used after double cleansing the skin and before applying heavy creams. This particular product should also only be incorporated into a night-time routine, as the sun deactivates retinol. Retinol is a fantastic product that is known to reduce the appearance of fine lines and can also assist with acne, pigmentation and sun damage, although it's important to use it correctly Mistake three: Washing your face with hot water While many may enjoy washing their face with hot or warm water, the beauty expert said this can dry out the skin fast and so it's best to only use cool water. According to HealthSite, hot water drains the skin of its natural oils that are needed to keep it moist and looking fresh. But this mistake can be reversed by simply moisturising the skin straight after washing your face. While many may enjoy washing their face with hot or warm water, the beauty expert said this can dry out the skin fast and so it's best to avoid Mistake four: Letting a face mask dry on the skin While face masks are a popular product that thousands incorporate into their skincare routines, using them incorrectly can be detrimental to the skin. The woman said it's best to apply face masks in the shower or bath to allow the product to remain wet and moist. Alternatively a mist spray can be used to keep the masks from drying. 'The clay pulls water out of the skin, causing dehydration! I know! Shocking!' she said. 'This is why in an old school facial they'll use a facial steamer over the clay mask so it doesn't dry completely - that way we're drawing impurities out of the skin, but not all the water,' the woman said in another video. While face masks are a popular product that thousands incorporate into their skincare routines, using them incorrectly can be detrimental to the skin The woman said it's best to apply face masks in the shower or bath to allow the product to remain wet and moist WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER LET A FACE MASK DRY OUT * If face masks are left to dry for too long this can dehydrate the skin. * An Australian beauty expert said it's best to apply face masks in the shower or bath to allow it to stay wet and moist. * Alternatively a mist spray can be used to keep the masks from drying. 'This is why in an old school facial they'll use a facial steamer over the clay mask so it doesn't dry completely - that way we're drawing impurities out of the skin, but not all the water,' the woman said in another TikTok video. Certified dermatologist Dr David Lortscher agreed and told Insider that dried face masks can lead to dryer skin, tightness, itchiness and redness. Advertisement Mistake five: Over squeezing pimples In order to avoid scarring, it's important to stop over squeezing pimples and instead compress a warm cloth over the top and 'gently wriggle it'. A gentle exfoliation can also be done in the shower or bath to rid the skin of blackheads and whiteheads. The insightful TikTok video has since gone viral and has been seen more than 428,000 times, with many left in shock. 'Omg I love you! Finally an Aussie skincare guru,' one woman said. 'I do all of these!!' another said, and a third added: 'I need to change my skincare routine!' Illustrative image (Photo: Xinhua) The move was initiated by Vietnam in its capacity as ASEAN Chair. In the statement, ministers expressed their profound condolences to the Philippine Government and people, especially families of victims, and hoped that the injured will soon recover. In the current difficult time, they said ASEAN affirms solidarity with the Philippine Government and people and support the Philippine Governments efforts to deal with the case, soon arrest and bring culprits behind the terrorist attacks to the court. ASEAN also reaffirms commitment to enhancing cooperation with the international community in the fight against terrorism in any forms, they added./. Two vignettes present seemingly antithetical views of Anglo-American relations since the World War II. The first is a 1952 satirical primer by the British humourist Stephen Potter on the so-called special relationship between the United States and Britain: First lessons concentrate on the necessity of always using the same phrases, and using them again and again. We have a lot in common. After all, we come from the same stock. We have a lot to learn from each other. The second is the denouement of the 1979 BBC adaptation ... David Cameron has said he will rule nothing out meaning that he just might call for a No vote in a referendum on EU membership if his negotiations in Brussels come to nothing. But Ken Clarke doesnt believe a word of it. The pro-EU Tory, who has spent more years in government than any other living politician, is sure that Cameron is not so unprincipled as to sacrifice his lifelong support for the EU for the sake of clinging to office. He said at a lunch organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs today that Cameron had promised a referendum for the same reason that Harold Wilson did 40 years ago as a way of managing an unruly party. That has not stopped the right wing from putting him under constant pressure to go further, and make exit an inevitability. Mr Clarke added: The reason we have this anarchic situation with the public is most of the public dont believe that any of the political establishment have a principle in their body. If you wish to confirm that you dont have a principle in your body, then you only have to have some leading Conservatives campaigning for a No vote in a referendum, or forming a coalition with Ukip. Its utterly preposterous. They would be treated, quite rightly, with disillusion and derision by ordinary members of the public. You would have me going bananas if I thought David Cameron was contemplating campaigning for a No vote. It was never his intention. There are limits to how far you can go to stand on your head. Cameron will be flattered to know that Ken Clarke thinks there is a man of principle in there, somewhere. Murdochs new squeeze Congratulations to the New York-based website Gawker for their forensic investigation into whether Rupert Murdoch has been tweeting while under the influence of alcohol. I am told that the personal unhappiness that caused him to send mysterious messages such as Po to his 558,000 Twitter followers can be traced to the break-up of his marriage to Wendy Deng. That is very understandable. How many of us in our adolescence did not take refuge in drink when our girlfriends or boyfriends dumped us? But I am reliably told there is good news: new love has entered Rupert Murdochs life. And the Murdoch children do not mind because although she is almost 30 years younger than his 83 years, she is still past the age at which there would be any danger of more Murdoch children emerging from the relationship to claim their share of the inheritance. The unkindest cut of all There was a moment during the press screening of the forthcoming BBC 2 documentary Inside the Commons which produced a burst of cruel laughter from the audience of hacks. Talking about the vastness of the building, the Tory MP Nicholas Soames described coming upon a bar of whose existence he was previously unaware during 30 years as an MP. No sooner had he said the word bar than the camera cut away to a shot of Charles Kennedy, who led the Lib Dems to their greatest political success, but whose career was cut short by a drink problem. The first episode follows the progress of two newly elected women MPs, Labours Sarah Champion and the Tory, Charlotte Leslie, as they learn Parliaments arcane rules and practices. After a rowdy Prime Ministers Questions, Ms Champion exclaims: The behaviour in there is just disgusting, really embarrassing, juvenile! She added that the offenders were men in their fifties. Ms Leslie explains that she went into politics because I have always been angry. I feel like smashing brick walls down. Yesterdays headlines The Environment minister, George Eustice, when challenged on what the Government has done to alert dog owners to legislation that will oblige to fit their pets with microchips announced that Dennis the Menaces dog, Gnasher, has a new microchip. Actually, that news is two months old. It only shows that MPs do not read The Beano. Not that I am suggesting they should. WASHINGTON - Democrats accused President Donald Trump of trying to inflame racial tensions and incite violence to benefit his campaign after he praised supporters who clashed with protesters during a deadly night in Portland, Oregon. and announced he will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, amid anger over the shooting of another Black man by police. Trump unleashed a flurry of tweets and retweets the day after a man identified as a supporter of a right-wing group was shot and killed in Portland. The city has been the site of months of daily protests, and a large caravan of Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed Saturday night. Trump praised the caravan participants as GREAT PATRIOTS! and retweeted what appeared to be the dead mans name along with a message to Rest in peace. Trump also retweeted those who blamed the citys Democratic mayor for the death. The people of Portland, like all other cities & parts of our great Country, want Law & Order, Trump wrote Sunday. The Radical Left Democrat Mayors, like the dummy running Portland, or the guy right now in his basement unwilling to lead or even speak out against crime, will never be able to do it! Trump has throughout the summer cast American cities as under siege by violence and lawlessness, despite the fact that most of the demonstrations against racial injustice have been largely peaceful. With about nine weeks until Election Day, some of his advisers see an aggressive law and order message as the best way for the president to turn voters against his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, and regain the support of suburban voters, particularly women, who have abandoned him. But Democrats accuse Trump of rooting for unrest and trying to stoke further violence for political gain instead of seeking to ratchet down tensions. He may think that war in our streets is good for his reelection chances, but that is not presidential leadership or even basic human compassion, Biden said in a statement responding to the shooting, in which he unequivocally condemned violence on all side, while accusing Trump of recklessly encouraging it. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, blamed Trump for the tensions. Do you seriously wonder, Mr. President, why this is the first time in decades that America has seen this level of violence? he asked at a televised news conference. Its you who have created the hate and the division. Trump has cast the upcoming election as clash between law and order and anarchy, and he has denounced protesters as thugs while sharply defending police. That theme was front-and-centre at last weeks Republican National Convention, which used recent protest footage to paint a foreboding and violent picture of the future if Biden denies Trump a second term. Trump is expected to continue to hit that theme when he travels Tuesday to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where tensions are still raw after police shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in the back seven times, leaving him paralyzed. The shooting has ignited new demonstrations against racial injustice and police brutality months after George Floyds death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer touched off a wider reckoning on race. Trump will be meeting with law enforcement officers and surveying the damage in the city, where businesses have been vandalized and some buildings burned during demonstrations, White House spokesman Judd Deere announced. But Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, asked Trump to reconsider in a letter Sunday. I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state. I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together, Evers wrote. Earlier Sunday, Rep. Karen Bass, a California Democrat who leads the Congressional Black Caucus, said Trump is doing everything he can to fan the flames. I think his visit has one purpose, and one purpose only. And that is to agitate things and to make things worse, Bass said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. It is clear his campaign is all about law and order. It is a throwback to the past. And hes going to do everything to disrupt law and order in this time period. Deere responded to the critics saying, The only people to blame for the violence and riots in our streets are liberal politicians and their incompetent policies that have failed to get control of these destructive situations. It took days for Trump to weigh in on Blakes shooting, which was captured on cellphone video, and even then he had little to say. Well, Im looking into it very strongly. Ill be getting reports, he said in an interview in New Hampshire Friday. It was not a good sight. I didnt like the sight of it, certainly, and I think most people would agree with that. Trump offered similar words Were looking at it very, very carefully when asked Saturday about Kyle Rittenhouse, the white 17-year-old who has been charged with fatally shooting two protesters and wounding a third Tuesday after he travelled to Kenosha, apparently to defend the city from protesters. Attorneys representing Rittenhouse, who was seen walking with an assault-style rifle, have said he acted in self-defence. But Trump on Sunday appeared to lend support to the teenager when he liked a retweet of a series of messages that began, Kyle Rittenhouse is a good example of why I decided to vote for Trump. The circumstances of Saturday nights shooting in Portland remain unclear.Video from the city shows sporadic fighting between the groups, with Trump supporters firing paintball pellets at opponents and using bear spray as counterprotesters threw things at the Trump caravan. The man killed was a member of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group whose members have frequently clashed with protesters in Portland in the past, its founder, Joey Gibson, said Sunday. He identified the victim as Aaron Jay Danielson and called him a good friend, but provided no details. Danielson apparently also went by the name Jay Bishop, according to Patriot Prayers Facebook page. Trump retweeted the victims name and wrote, Rest in peace Jay! ___ Associated Press writers Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon; Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; and Laurie Kellman and Will Weissert and Washington contributed to this report. Israel demolished, sized 25 Palestinian-owned structures in West Bank in 2 weeks: UN Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 3:32 PM The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Palestine says Israel forces have either demolished or seized a total of 25 Palestinian-owned structures in the occupied West Bank in just two weeks. On Saturday morning, Israeli bulldozers, heavily guarded by the regime's soldiers, demolished the structures under the pretext of lacking the necessary Israeli-issued building licenses, which are almost impossible to obtain, the OCHA said in a report carried by Palestine's official Wafa news agency. The report added that the demolitions were carried out from 11 to 24 August, displacing at least 32 Palestinians and affecting 169 others. Most of these structures were located in different communities in the so-called Area C, which is under full Israeli military control, it further said, adding that nearly all of these structures were livelihood-related. A number of these structures were also situated in the East Jerusalem al-Quds, including an under-construction residential building in the Jabal al-Mukkabir neighborhood, the demolition of which triggered clashes resulting in one injury. The report added that five of these structures in East Jerusalem al-Quds were razed by their owners, who were forced to do so to avoid Israeli-imposed demolition costs. According to the OCHA, since January, about half of all 118 demolitions in East Jerusalem al-Quds were carried out by the owners, following the issuance of demolition orders by Israeli authorities for lack of construction licenses. The Tel Aviv regime presses ahead with its expropriation of Palestinian land for the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements. More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds. All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. The UN Security Council has condemned Israel's settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address THE residents of Rahan Road in Tullamore are preparing to do battle with a company called Strategic Power Ltd over its plans to build ''a 50,000 tonne'' Anaerobic Digester at Ballyduff, Tullamore. In its application Strategic Power Ltd says it is proposing to develop the ''renewable biogas facility on a 2.1379 hectare site.'' The application which includes a feedstock reception hall, digester tanks and units, manure reception tanks, covered silage clamps, pasteurisation unit and laboratory, is being sought under section 41 of the planning and development act 2000 (as amended) for a period of 10 years. The application requires an industrial emissions licence from the environmental protection agency and an environmental impact assessment report. Anaerobic Digestion has been described as a natural process where plant and animal materials (biomass) are broken down by micro-organisms in the absence of air. The proposed development site is currently a greenfield site comprising 2.14 hectares. It is located west of the Rahan Road around 2km north west of Tullamore. The site is bounded by the Rahan Road to the west and by agricultural grassland on all other sides. Tullamore Hardware is 50m to the south and Axis Business Park is east of the Rahan Road. The Tullamore to Clara railway line runs close to the south and west of the site. The residents living along the Rahan Road are objecting on the grounds that the facility will they say receive, ''5500 tonnes of fodder beet,5500 tonnes of maize silage,15,000 tonnes of liquid farmyard manure, 15,000 tonnes of silage and 9,000 tonnes of chicken manure.'' They say, ''this produce will be fed into an anaerobic digester which will produce biogas and fertiliser. The biogas will be fed into the gas network.'' Residents say the developer intends to lorry in this ''type of product [minimum 30 loads per day] and lorry out the digestate [a fertiliser created at the end of the process] to be spread on surrounding farms.'' Rahan Road Residents Association claim everyone in the town will be affected by this plant and are seeking the support from local council representatives. Their main objections are, odour from the plant, vermin risk, increased traffic on the Rahan road, noise and traffic as the plant will run 24/7. They also say there could be potential for ''fire and explosion'' at the plant adding that there have been numerous examples from the UK of this happening. They also fear ''gas poisoning from gas leaks, and the risk of pathogens including salmonella, parasites, viruses, fungi from the digestate.'' Councillor Declan Harvey has added his voice to the objections. He says he is supporting the residents on the grounds of health and safety. ''I was born on Healy Street and the smell from the sewerage plant is horrendous at times. It has a small anaerobic digestion system',' he adds. Cllr Harvey is also concerned about the possibility of ''toxic gasses''. People can view the plan on the Offaly County Council planning website,using the code is 20/321. Submissions on the plant must be in by today Wednesday, August 26. Offaly County Council will give its decision on September 16, 2020. The only Virginia locality with an official ICE agreement is the Culpeper County Sheriffs Office, according to the ICE website. Advocates say unofficial ones continue to exist across the state, citing the town of Farmville. In a statement, the Prince William Police Department said it was not involved in the arrest and at no time did our agency solicit the assistance of ICE or seek to arrest this individual. Ayala also said the agent told him his 2015 Ford Fusion was involved in the local crime they were investigating. The police department said it was unable to locate that vehicle model in a crime report in 2020, but cant speak for other local, state or federal agencies. ICE spokeswoman Kaitlyn Pote said Valladares-Cruz was a target based on an active arrest warrant in Georgia for failing to appear for a court date in April 2016 for marijuana possession. Ayala said thats not the story they were originally told when pulled over. More than 1,000 employees had staged a demonstration at the main entrance to the mine Operations have resumed at the world's biggest gold mine in Indonesia, the company that runs it said Saturday, after workers blocked access to the site in protest at being stopped from visiting their families over virus concerns. The miners at the Grasberg complex in the country's easternmost Papua region reached an agreement with the US-based operator Freeport, which said it would resume bus services for workers to return home. This week more than 1,000 employees demonstrated at the mine's main entrance over the decision to cancel bus services to the city of Timika in response to fears about the spread of coronavirus infections. Many workers had been unable to leave the site -- a high-altitude open pit that is also a major copper mine -- for six months. Freeport spokesman Riza Pratama told AFP Saturday that the roadblock had been removed after a long negotiation period. Several buses departed from the mine late Friday, carrying some workers who had been granted a leave of absence, said local company spokesman Kerry Yarangga. These bus services will be run with stringent health protocols including Covid-19 testing, Yarangga said. In May, Freeport said it would reduce the number of staff at the mine, which employed about 25,000 people, after infections rose in the area. str-dsa/kaf Two Lives, Two Deaths and The Movement That Changed America They were the George Floyd's of their day. "It was the killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson that provoked the march from Selma to Montgomery. It was his death and his blood that gave us the Voting Rights Act of 1965." Congressman John Lewis on Jimmie Lee Jackson The 1965 murders of two civil rights activistsJimmie Lee Jackson and James Reebignited the now historic march from Selma to Montgomery, yet their sacrifice and impact on the movement that forever changed America has been largely overlooked. They were the George Floyd's of their day. Two ordinary, unsung people who made a huge difference. Most histories of the civil rights movement gloss over the deaths of Jimmie Lee Jackson and James Reeb, noting them briefly, before moving on to the more iconic moments that led to the Selma marches and the passage of the Voting Rights Actuntil now, when, with voting rights under attack, it is more important than ever to understand the sacrifices made to ensure that millions of Americans of color were ensured the right to vote. Timely to current events, JIMMIE LEE & JAMES draws unnerving parallels between conditions that spurred the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the Black Lives Matter movement today. It is educational in telling the story of a diverse coalition coming together to insist the country have a bigger conversation about justice. These efforts were principled, coordinated, and they created dialogue, enabling people to find common ground and inspiration in their diversity. Today, we are not succeeding in creating dialogue or space for meaningful conversation. In this year marking the 55th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act, NY Times bestselling author, Steve Fiffer with co-author Adar Cohen, finally tells the world their story in "JIMMIE LEE AND JAMES: Two Lives, Two Deaths, and The Movement that Changed America" (Regan Arts). The story of two individualstheir lives, their deaths, and their impact on a movement that forever shaped US history. It is a true story of justice denied, justice delayed, and justice delivered. It is a story about painful sacrifice and the struggle to secure one of the most fundamental rights of any democracy for all Americans. "This is the book I am most proud to have written of all my books," says NY Times bestselling author Steve Fiffer. "It's also the most importantoffering a fresh view of how the Voting Rights Act was passed, and by telling the story of two very different foot soldiers of the movementone black and one white who were murdered within two weeks of each other." Together with co-author, Adar Cohen, "they bring to life a watershed moment in our nation's history," said the late Julian Bond, NAACP Chairman Emeritus. "They invite readers to take a closer look inside, and give them a deeper understanding of the events that galvanized an already-strong civil rights movement to one of its greatest successes." The late Reverend C.T. Vivian said, "Jimmie Lee & James does an excellent job of chronicling a truly American movement. Further adding, "As the book so clearly explains, this was a struggle led by African Americans, but white Americans played a major role. Jews and other denominations added institutional support from every part of America. We suffered and sometimes died together." Two relatively unknown foot soldiers of the 1965 voting rights struggle were killed within days of each other: Jackson, a 26 year old black pulpwood farmer with a high school education from outside Selma; and Reeb, a late 30s, Ivy-league educated white minister from Boston. The one-two punch of their deaths accelerated passage of the Voting Rights Act. It raises pressing questions: What constitutes justice? In the case of Jimmie Lee, it took 45 years, but the white trooper who shot him, James Bonard Fowler, was finally brought to justice by DA Michael Jackson, who was the first black DA elected in Selma (ironically only possible by the Voting Rights Act of '65) Have recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, actions taken by conservative legislatures, and initiatives of the Trump administration unraveled the progress made through the passage of the Voting Rights Act? How can a social movement overturn decades' worth of unjust laws and customs, and transform a culture? Is nonviolent activism a relevant strategy for today's civil rights issues? How can grassroots activists and national organizations work together to bring about political change, particularly in this time of systemic attempts to suppress the right to voteespecially the rights of people of color as the election approaches? Author Melissa Harris-Perry says, "We are reminded as we mark the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act that it is an act brought in blood, especially the blood of Jimmie Lee Jackson and Reverend James Reeb. The book is criticaleveryone must read it," The late Congressman John Lewis said, "Jimmie Lee Jackson, along with so many others, must be looked up on as the fathers and mothers of America. His death, with others, has liberated not just a people, but a nation. An because of what he did and so many others did, President Johnson came to the Congress, made a dramatic speech, unbelievable address, to the Congress, and presented the Voting Rights act." "At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom."President Lyndon Johnson Book are available online. About the Authors Steve Fiffer is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than a dozen books, including his memoir Three Quarters, Two Dimes, and a Nickel, as well as collaborations with civil rights lawyer Morris Dees and former Secretary of State James Baker. The winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship, his work has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Slate. He is a graduate of Yale and the University of Chicago Law School. He lives in Evanston, Illinois. Adar Cohen is a mediator and facilitator. With his help, gang leaders and police officers collaborated to prevent gun violence in Chicago. Through conversations he led, former combatants in the Northern Ireland conflict became partners in advocating for more peaceful, integrated neighborhoods. A Harry S. Truman Scholar, a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, and a George J. Mitchell Scholar, Adar holds a PhD in conflict resolution from the University of Dublin. He has lectured at Harvard University, the University of Chicago, and at the invitation of the King of Bhutan, at Sherubste University, the Himalayan Kingdoms first institution for higher education. He is a co-founder of Civic Leadership Foundation, which has achieved life-changing outcomes for over 25,000 at-risk youth. # # # BOSTON -- Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo is beginning to make a habit out of gunning runners down on the basepaths. Verdugo recorded his major-league leading seventh assist in Bostons 5-3 win over the Nationals on Saturday night, throwing out Kurt Suzuki at home plate to end the fifth inning. With the Sox up by two, Verdugo fielded a Trea Turner single in left field and beat Suzuki with his throw by a couple of steps. Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke was impressed. Thats as good of a play as you can make, Roenicke said. To go over that far and to get that ball like he did and still be under enough control to get something on it and one-hop it home, youre not going to see too many plays better than that. Turner, who was 5-for-5 with two doubles for Washington, entered the at-bat having already recorded three hits. Verdugo, anticipating contact with two outs and two runners on, ranged to his left and fielded the ball on a hop before firing home. Through the whole game, I was watching his swings and he was on everything, Verdugo said. For me, I was ready for him to put the ball in play. It just felt like whatever you throw him, hes going to hit a line drive. I had a good jump on it, a line drive over the shortstops head. Got to it quick enough to feel like I could throw across my body and it was just a good throw. Verdugo has shown his ability to be a five-tool player in his first season with the Red Sox, flashing offensive ability and speed on the basepaths as well as showcasing his talents in the outfield. His arm has been particularly effective through 31 games. Verdugo credited Red Sox infielders Jose Peraza and Xander Bogaerts for his assists. I keep my throws low and a lot of times, theyre doing the hard part, he said. Theyve got to cut it and get me a couple outfield assists. Theres a few where I have to throw it all the way there myself. The main thing for me is just trying to keep my throws low, trying to blow up the cutoff man and throwing right through his chest. Sometimes they cut it, sometimes it goes through and we get him. Verdugos throw Saturday night helped the Red Sox snap a two-game losing streak in a game in which the bullpen pitched 6 scoreless innings in relief of starter Chris Mazza. Verdugo pointed to his left bicep as he ran in after making the throw. It helped that Im a lefty, too, with that specific play, he said. It was my glove side, so I kind of backhanded it and just had to make sure I worked one shuffle kind of forward toward the plate. Cut it off, run to the gap. I had a good understanding of where I was on the field. From there, it was just stop my momentum, try to make a shuffle and get rid of it as quick as I can. Related links: Xander Bogaerts, Kevin Pillar homer; Alex Verdugo gets league-leading 7th outfield assist as Boston Red Sox beat Nationals, 5-3 Alex Verdugo catch: Boston Red Sox OF screams, celebrates after robbing Travis Shaw homer in 9th inning of win over Blue Jays (video) Boston Red Soxs Alex Verdugo a great candidate for MLBs Let the Kids Play campaign, Michael Chavis says This weeks edition of Gambit focuses heavily on the state of our schools. It features stories written by students from JRNOLA, a nonprofit that helps mentor aspiring young journalists in our community. Their stories relay the experiences teens have had with the educational system during the pandemic, as well as their concerns about the coming school year. Theres a lot to unpack in these pieces, and we urge everyone to read them, if for nothing else than to better understand how adults responses to the pandemic play out in the lives of our children. But if theres one lesson we hope our readers and leaders come away with, its that we need to figure out not only how to get our schools open, but also how best to plan for the next catastrophic event. Its clear no one was ready for COVID-19. From the moment education officials suspended in-school classes in March, teachers and students have largely drifted amid the chaos of the spreading virus. In the months since, local public, parochial and independent private school leaders have worked hard to put in place plans for the resumption of school this fall. Administrators and officials have found themselves in a no-win situation. Nobody was ever going to find the perfect solution to educating tens of thousands of children of various ages and abilities, across multiple jurisdictions and with varying technological and financial resources at hand. The results so far have been mixed. None of the school systems are following the same set of rules or guidelines, which to the public seems, to put it mildly, messy. While some private schools are finding ways to open relatively smoothly, others most notably Catholic schools have struggled and been forced to quarantine scores of students for potential exposure to COVID-19. Teachers and staff remain worried about the safety of reopening schools, even on a partial basis. All of this takes a toll on children, from worries that further disruptions will hurt their chances at scholarships to widening educational gaps between rich and poor students theyre dealing with a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. A certain amount of disruption will always accompany world-altering events, but if any community should have been prepared to shift from brick-and-mortar schools to virtual learning quickly, its surely ours. This wasnt, after all, the first time something like this has happened 15 years ago this week, Katrina closed our schools, scattered students and teachers, and made it unsafe for anyone to physically return to classrooms for months. Although the pandemic is a vastly different kind of challenge, the similarities are stark. We urge our leaders to work in a collaborative way to put in place plans to make sudden transitions and long-term disruptions less painful in the future. There are lots of lessons we can already see for the next time. For instance, the ongoing work between school boards and public health officials is a model for future events; those relationships should be formalized and maintained. From the Governors Mansion to City Hall, its clear our leaders need to commit to closing the technological gaps between the rich and poor. This includes expanding, not shrinking, access to publicly available Wi-Fi through our libraries and ensuring parity in students access to laptops and other technology. Administrators and teachers could begin building flexible lesson plans and educational tools into their curriculum, so that when sudden changes occur everyone is prepared. Above all, we need to better communicate with students. Many of their fears and anxieties stem from simply not knowing what is happening and how it will affect them. We also need to listen to what they have to say. After all, its their future were trying to save. Installation view of "Starry Beach," a multisensory installation by a'strict, a collaborative art unit by design company d'strict, at Kukje Gallery in central Seoul / Courtesy of Kukje Gallery By Kwon Mee-yoo Upon entering Kukje Gallery K3 in central Seoul, visitors will be engulfed by endless blue waves. The sea waves crash upon the wall of the black box space, making the visitors feel as if they are seeing the wave from a top view, accompanied with the roar of the sea. The people who brought this multisensory experience titled "Starry Beach" into the gallery is a'strict, a media artist unit of digital design company d'strict. The company uses digital media technology to create immersive experiences. It is best known for "WAVE," a giant digital public art piece featuring a crashing wave at COEX in southern Seoul, which gained international attention back in May. Shown on the largest high-definition outdoor advertising screen in Korea, "WAVE" was dubbed as the world's largest anamorphic illusion. Lee Sung-ho, CEO of d'strict, said, "d'strict has been active in the commercial domain, combining art and technology. A'strict will continue to make artistic experiments autonomously and voluntarily using the accumulated knowhow." Lee said "WAVE" also was a voluntary project of d'strict, which sowed the seeds of a'strict. "The large-format outdoor display is mostly used for advertisements and other commercial projects. However, we thought of the public characteristics of the giant LED display as people would see it while walking down the street. So we came up with the public media art of the waves for everyone." "Starry Beach" is the first artwork presented under the name of a'strict, presenting surreal scenery through art and technology. "We launched this artist brand as a media art sub brand of the company. As far as I know, this is the first attempt to do so in Korea," Lee said. "D'strict is a design company and has been creating what the client wanted. While doing commercial projects, some of the products were appealing in the field of contemporary art in an era when the boundary between art and design is blurred. An artwork should touch the viewer's heart if we could provide visual, intuitive impression through media technology, it could be contemporary artwork too." Members of a'strict, a collaborative art unit by design company d'strict, pose in front of "Starry Beach." / Courtesy of Kukje Gallery Ivanka Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention in Washington DC, on August 27, 2020 (L), Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a campaign event on August 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Getty Images/Reuters Speaking at a New Hampshire campaign rally on Friday night, President Trump said Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris is "not competent" enough to become the first female president. Trump instead suggested that his daughter, Ivanka, would be a much better fit for the role. "They're all saying, 'We want Ivanka!'" he said. "I don't blame them." Trump spent much of his speech attacking Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and made fun of Harris's failed 2020 presidential campaign. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. In his first speech since the Republican National Convention, President Trump said Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris is "not competent" enough to become the first female president, suggesting that his daughter, Ivanka, would be a much better fit. Speaking at a New Hampshire campaign rally on Friday night, the president poked fun at Harris' failed 2020 presidential campaign. He said she was not the kind of woman who could make history as the first female president. "I want to see the first woman president also, but I don't want to see the first woman president get into the position the way [Harris] would do it, and she's not competent, she's not competent," he said, according to The Daily Beast. "They're all saying, 'We want Ivanka!'" he continued, pointing to cheering supporters near the stage. "I don't blame them." Harris is the first Black woman and the first South Asian American woman to accept a major party's vice-presidential nomination. She has been a US senator representing California since 2017. If Joe Biden, aged 77, wins the presidential race in November, he will be the oldest ever incumbent of the White House. With the potential for him to serve only one term, Harris is in prime position to launch a run at the presidency in 2024. Story continues President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on August 28, 2020. Carlos Barria/Reuters Trump's attack on Harris came a day after he wrapped up the Republication National Convention in Washington DC. After widespread media comment on Trump's rehearsed and scripted acceptance speech on Thursday, Trump told rallygoers in New Hampshire that it was a "different kind of speech," he said, according to CNN. "Tonight, I'm in New Hampshire and we can wing it. If I did last night's speech here, right now you would have all been walking out. And if I did tonight's speech there, I would have been criticized by being slightly radical," he added. Read the original article on Business Insider A Portland police officer ties a police line around the scene of a fatal shooting near a pro-Trump rally on August 29, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Nathan Howard/Getty Images A man was fatally shot in Portland on Saturday, on a night of confrontation between pro-Trump and Black Lives Matter supporters, according to multiple reports. Portland Police, who have opened a homicide investigation, has not confirmed whether the shooting was connected to the protests. Images of a man being treated for an apparent gunshot wound in Portland show a man in a Patriot Prayer hat. Police have not confirmed the identity of the shooting victim. Patriot Prayer is a Portland-based pro-Trump group with far-right connections. A caravan of around 600 vehicles had arrived to express support for President Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press (AP). Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A man was shot and killed in Portland on Saturday evening, as protesters and counter-protesters clashed, according to multiple reports. Portland Police have opened a homicide investigation. In a statement, the police did not say whether the shooting was connected to the confrontations downtown that evening between a large caravan of Trump supporters arriving in the city and Black Lives Matter protesters. The identity of the man who was killed has not been confirmed. However, a photographer working on assignment for the Associated Press (AP) said the victim was wearing a hat with the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a Portland-based pro-Trump group with far-right connections. A Getty Images photograph from the protests also shows police treating a man, apparently white, at the scene in a Patriot Prayer hat. The block around the scene of the shooting has been cordoned off. A man is treated by medics after being shot during a confrontation on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in Portland, Ore. Paula Bronstein/AP Images "Portland Police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street," read the police statement. "They responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased." During the day, a rally of around 600 vehicles in support of President Donald Trump had arrived in the city, according to the AP. Story continues In the early hours of Sunday morning, police tweeted that there had been some clashes between the Trump supporters and the Portland protesters. The shooting took place after most of the pro-Trump caravan had left downtown, according to local newspaper The Oregonian. Organizers of the rally had encouraged the Patriot Prayer protesters to arrive armed, but not to wear weapons openly, the paper reported. This is the third consecutive weekend that has seen clashes between competing groups, according to the paper. Portland has seen continual protests from Black Lives Matter supporters since the police killing of Black man George Floyd in late May. Read the original article on Business Insider Ghislaine Maxwell appears via video link during her arraignment hearing in Manhattan Federal Court in New York - Jane Rosenberg/Reuters Ghislaine Maxwell has reportedly been allowed an in-person visit by her legal team in what is believed to be the first permitted in a New York City federal jail during the pandemic lockdown. According to the New York Daily News, Maxwell, who is facing six criminal charges, was allowed to hold a face to face meeting at Sunset Parks Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Friday morning. All involved reportedly wore masks during the meeting. Other inmates, who have been in lockdown since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, have had neither family, nor legal visits. Maxwell has been held on remand for less than two months. Im incredulous really that she was the first one when there are those of us who have been waiting for nearly six months to have an in-person visit with our clients, Susan Marcus, a lawyer representing detainees in the centre, told the paper. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - Patrick McMullan The Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to confirm or deny whether Maxwell was the first inmate to receive an in-person visit in New York City since the lockdown. While, in general, legal visits are suspended, case-by-case accommodations will be accomplished at the local level and confidential legal calls will be allowed in order to ensure inmates maintain access to counsel, said Justin Long, a spokesman for the Bureau. We are facilitating attorney client-visitation, as well as judicial proceedings, via video conference, primarily at our detention centres. In July 58-year-old Maxwell, who denies charges of luring girls for Jeffrey Epstein to abuse, was denied bail. US district judge Alison Nathan ruled that Maxwell, the daughter of the late media mogul and MP Robert Maxwell, represented a significant flight risk. Maxwell had offered to post $5 million bail, but that did not satisfy the court. Judge Nathan said an even larger bond or the most restrictive house arrest conditions would be insufficient. In February last year, the Sunset Park detention centre was the focus of angry protests from inmates family members and lawyers after those inside the facility were left without heat during a brutal cold snap because of a partial power outage. Bella Thorne is apologizing after her OnlyFans page saw her cash in millions and sex workers say that the subscription platform instated new payment caps and holds afterwards. The former Disney star created an OnlyFans profile last week and raked in $1million on her first day and has made $2million so far. But she sparked outrage when she charged $200 for a 'naked' photo where she was not actually nude and people reportedly demanded refunds, according to the Los Angeles Times. She said on her social media accounts that she does not offer nudity. She told the Times that a post circulating the internet claiming to offer the nude was falsified. Content creators say Only Fans subsequently imposed payment caps of $50 on pay-per-view posts from a previous cap of $200, and a $100 cap on tips on Thursday. Bella Thorne is apologizing after her OnlyFans page saw her cash in millions and sex workers say that the subscription platform instated new payment caps and holds afterwards. She sparked outrage when she charged $200 for a 'naked' photo where she was not actually nude and people reportedly demanded refunds Content creators say Only Fans subsequently imposed payment caps of $50 on pay-per-view from a previous cap of $200 and a $100 cap on tips on Thursday The company also enacted a hold on payments that would make some international creators wait 30 days to receive their money without any warning. OnlyFans is a platform where creators sell content to subscribers and has gained a reputation as a safe way for sex workers to earn money. Some sex workers, who earn a significant portion of their income on the platform, blame Thorne for the new policies that now limit their abilities to make money. OnlyFans said that the payment changes were not based on one user. 'Transaction limits are set to help prevent overspending and to allow our users to continue to use the site safely,' the company said in a statement. 'We value all of the feedback received since this change was implemented and we will continue to review these limits,' it added. Thorne apologized in a series of tweets on Saturday saying she intended to normalize sex work, not financially harm sex workers. Thorne issued a lengthy apology to sex workers on Twitter on Saturday saying she started her OnlyFans page to remove the stigma behind sex work She said she's in talks with OnlyFans regarding the new payment restrictions 'I wanted to bring attention to the site, the more people on the site the more likely of a chance to normalize the stigmas, And in trying to do this I hurt you. I have risked my career a few times to remove the stigma behind sex work, porn, and the natural hatred people spew,' she said. She said shes meeting with Only Fans about the new restrictions. 'Ps. Im meeting with only fans about the new restrictions to find out why!!! This is f***ed up and Im sorry comment any ideas or concerns you want brought up to OF!! and send me your links and a pic so I can promote you guys,' she said. She said she made the account to do research for an upcoming movie on the platform. Some Twitter users who have links to OnlyFans accounts voiced their outrage over the restrictions and cast blame on the actress. Thorne's OnlyFans page pictured above. She charges a $20 a month subscription Thorne said she already clarified on her social media she wouldn't offer nude photos and claims a fake page posing as her offered the naked photo 'OnlyFans is a full-time job for some of us, mostly the only income some of us have, when she has movies and other outlets to continue to make money, said Foxx. She already is rich on top of the $2 million she made. She didnt hurt anyone but the sex community and hasnt spoken out about it. Thats why we are not okay with what happened,' Jenna Foxx, who has worked with onlyFans since 2017, said to the Times. 'Bella Thorne is the Walmart of Onlyfans,' one Twitter user slammed. 'So cute how Bella Thorne made her Onlyfans on a whim without doing an once of research on how it would impact the community and she immediately f***ed it up for us,' another Twitter user said. 'I finally got caught up on Bella Thorne/ Only Fans, and a white Disney star and still *working* actress f***ing up a platform that allowed sex workers to earn safely and with autonomy is basically THE snapshot of WW coopting spaces for the marginalized in the name of empowerment,' another added. He first rose to fame as the hunky blue-eyed heartthrob on Calvin Klein billboards. But Travis Fimmel doesn't think much of the racy ads that brought him to the attention of Hollywood, leading to a successful acting career. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, the 41-year-old was very nonchalant about his modelling days. Not amused: He first rose to fame as the hunky blue-eyed heartthrob on Calvin Klein billboards. But Travis Fimmel (pictured) doesn't think much of the racy ads that brought him to the attention of Hollywood, leading to a successful acting career 'I just did one modelling job, mate. That was it. I don't think about it,' the Vikings star insisted. Travis was just 21 when he starred in the sultry advertising campaign that saw him plastered on billboards in the USA. It led to an acting career - recently including four-year stint on the TV series Vikings and a starring role in the film Warcraft. Chill: 'I just did one modelling job, mate. That was it. I don't think about it,' the Vikings star said. Pictured in the early 2000s Household name: Travis was just 21 when he starred in the sultry advertising campaign that saw him plastered on billboards in the USA Travis is next set to star in the Ridley Scott directed science fiction TV series, Raised By Wolves, which airs in HBO Max in the USA on September 3, 2020. Travis is a reluctant star in many ways, in the past admitting that he never wanted to be an actor. He has told GQ Australia: 'I did a class. I never wanted to be an actor, ever. I still don't.' Busy man: It led to an acting career - recently including four year stint on the TV series Vikings (pictured) and a starring role in the film Warcraft Coming soon: Travis is next set to star in the Ridley Scott directed science fiction TV series, Raised By Wolves (pictured), which airs in HBO Max in the USA on September 3, 2020 Quiet type: Travis is a reluctant star in many ways. The actor has told GQ Australia, 'I did a class. I never wanted to be an actor, ever. I still don't' The star admitted to dreading auditions and publicity, but confesses they're not the things that grind his gears most about the industry. 'That's the worst thing, you have to promote stuff that you don't like at all. Yeah. You're just lying the whole time, mate,' he said of inking product endorsements. Travis told the publication he enjoys his privacy and owns a ranch about an hour north of LA with horses and a motorbike. Televangelist Kenneth Copeland says any Christian who doesnt vote is guilty of murder Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Warning Christians that praying for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence isnt enough, televangelist Kenneth Copeland urged them to vote this November because if they fail to cast a ballot, they will be guilty of murder. Any Christian who stays at home and doesnt vote is guilty of murder. Every person who votes for someone knowing, knowing that they push for abortion and to kill a baby anytime they want to kill it, theyre just as guilty as the doctor that performed the abortion. Theres no way around it, said the Texas-based prosperity preacher in a podcast interview with Charisma Magazine founder and CEO Stephen Strang Monday. The leader of Kenneth Copeland Ministries urged Christians to not focus on the personalities of Trump or Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, but on their political platforms to inform their decisions. For people of faith, he argued, there can be only one choice in this election because the Democratic Party has totally and completely separated themselves from God. Forget the personality. Joe Biden is a nice guy, hes got a great smile, hes a very likable man, but what is he saying, Stephen. When Im standing on the platform preaching, Im not standing on a stage, Im standing on a platform and I preach and teach from that platform, Copeland said. Im not agreeing with Donald Trumps personality. Ive met him, Ive laid hands on him and prayed for him. Personally, I like him but Im not voting for a personality here. I am voting and putting and casting my ballot concerning that platform. And God is no longer part of the platform of the Democratic Party. They have totally and completely separated themselves from God, the televangelist declared. Copeland further explained that when he talks about the Democratic Party being separated from God, he is referring to the leadership because he knows a lot of wonderful Democrats, but their politics can certainly be judged. Strang argued that the hatred for President Trump can only be explained in spiritual terms and Copeland agreed, adding that Satan has always hated America because it was founded by people who love God and sought the freedom to worship Him. The Charisma CEO also noted that the pandemic was being used to restrict religious freedom and argued that it was an important reason for Christians to ensure the presidents reelection. Theyve used this pandemic to take away our freedoms, which I think is one of the most important reasons to vote for Donald Trump because he has been a strong defender of religious freedom and of churches and of Christians, Strang said. Hes been a great friend of Christians. Yet some Christians nitpick and say hes not a nice guy and they shouldnt vote for him, but the alternative is socialism, Strang argued. Strang said he was concerned that a lot of Christians had become apathetic when it comes to voting and some arent even registered to vote. A lot of Christians arent registered to vote. Were afraid that a lot of Christians will stay home instead of vote. Why do you think theres such apathy in the Body of Christ? asked Strang. Lack of knowledge, Copeland replied, noting that younger Christians dont understand the meaning of socialism or capitalism. They are in this never-never land, so they just listen to the ones that are doing the most talking, the 83-year-old said. Copeland said Christians need to understand that when Jesus walked the earth, He also lived in a very political time and it was politics that killed the Savior. Amid the politics, he added, is raging spiritual warfare. It doesnt do any good to pray if youre not willing to act. Pray for the president, yes, pray for the vice president, yes. Go vote. Go vote. I said go vote, Copeland said with a chuckle. Vote in every election. Vote in every local election. Vote every time they open the polls. The Bible, the first covenant and the second, are very, very political documents. A lot to say about politics. The biggest problem in the day of Jesus was political. Religious politics and Roman politics. Biggest problem He had. In fact, it got Him killed. But thank God Hes alive today. Hes on the throne and prayer changes things, he said. Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) may witness a massive 73 per cent decline in traffic in the current financial year. It is estimated the passengers' footfall at this airport will be roughly 1.8 crore, down from 6.7 crore in the financial year 2020-2021 due to coronavirus pandemic. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which manages IGI, expects that the airport will see recovery by FY24, with an estimated 7.3 crore flyers. Without coronavirus, the flyers count would have surged to 9.6 crore in FY24, according to Economic Times report. As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), between January and July, the country observed merely 3.7 crore domestic flyers, 55 per cent less than 8.2 crore flyers in the same period last year. Despite the ease in flight restrictions from May 23, the demand has still remained highly muted, DIAL said. It added that the intensity and duration of the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry is predicted to be far deeper than longer. All scheduled flights were suspended in the last week of March in India. However, the domestic flights resumed on May 25 in calibrated manner, while international flights are running either through Vande Bharat mission or air tarnsport bubble agreement. Vande Bharat Mission was started to repatriate stranded Indian passengers to their own destination. Also read: India Q1 GDP data preview: Economy to shrink 16-25% Also read: 6 of top-10 firms add over Rs 1 lakh crore in m-cap; ICICI Bank biggest gainer Pearl Maria Dsouza By Express News Service BENGALURU: Workers of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a defence public sector undertaking, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, appealing him not to proceed with further disinvestment of HAL in the interest of national sovereignty. The letter was made public on Saturday. The workers, under the All-India HAL Trade Unions Coordination Committee, said that they were surprised when the government proposed further disinvestment by selling up to 15 per cent stake in HAL through Offer For Sale (OFS). It is nothing but selling national sovereignty. The morale and motivation of our workers is directly connected with HAL being solely a government enterprise, they said. While the government proposes to sell 3.34 crore equity shares or 10 per cent paid-up share capital of the company in the base offer size, there is an option to sell additional 5 per cent or 1.67 crore quity shares in the oversubscription option, they said. Welcoming the governments proposal to increase defence manufacturing in India to achieve self-reliance through Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Union said that it awaited sufficient book orders. The workers accused the government of crippling HALs ability to expand and causing a disadvantage when competing with the private sector, with further disinvestment and lesser cash reserve. Through buyback of shares, the central government took away Rs 6,369 crore from the Reserves and Surplus account of HAL, they added. They asked HAL to be made a prime nodal agency for all defence aerospace requirements of India, just as ISRO is for space. Jail footage has captured the horrific moment a pair of inmates ambush a prisoner inside a maximum security jail and beat him to a pulp in a flurry of punches. Vision reportedly taken at Port Phillip Prison in Melbourne's west showed two men wearing white shirts squaring up to the shirtless inmate and trading blows with him on a prison walkway. The carnage is believed to be linked to the violent Prisoners of War gang. Other prisoners watched on from the dining area below as the topless man initially fought back against his attackers before being backed into a corner and left severely bloodied by a series of blows. Shocking footage has captured the moment a pair inmates ambush a prisoner inside a maximum security jail Prison staff at first moved up the stairs towards the men before choosing to retreat as the scene unfolded. Different officers eventually approached the group and the two attackers walked away - with their shirtless victim then slumping against a wall. The man had also been stabbed and slashed so badly in the attack - which happened in 2018 - he needed hundreds of stitches, sources told the Herald Sun. As staff attended to the injured prisoner, the other two inmates seem to congratulate each other on a nearby gantry. The video cuts away as a prison officer appears to gesture at the men to get down on the ground. The victim is then filmed being moved out of shot on a stretcher surrounded by prison and medical staff. Pictured is the victim being moved on a stretcher by prison and medical staff after the attack. The carnage is believed to be linked to the violent Prisoners of War gang Matthew Charles Johnson leads the Prisoner of War gang. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2011 with a 32-year minimum term for the bashing murder of Melbourne crime lord Carl Williams in Barwon Prison Matthew Charles Johnson - who was sentenced in 2011 to life in jail with a non-parole period of 32 years for the brutal killing of Melbourne crime lord Carl Williams inside Barwon Prison - is the leader of Prisoner of War. At Port Phillip prison alone in the past month, two jail staff members have been assaulted when they searched for a missing USB stick and an inmate was repeatedly stabbed in a vicious attack. G4S - which privately operates Port Phillip prison - declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Most Ohioans receiving unemployment checks during the early part of August will be getting an extra payment amounting to $300 a week, but that money likely wont arrive until the second half of September. The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday approved Ohio for money to cover at least three weeks worth of supplemental checks for the unemployed, retroactive to Aug. 1. This past week, Thats Rich!, the personal finance column on cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer, answered a variety of questions on the extra $300 payment, including what it will take to qualify and how long the program may last. Check out it out at this link - Wheres my $300 extra for unemployment? How about my missing stimulus check? - Q&A. NEW: See update: Explaining what questions will have to be answered to get the $300, how to extend your benefits beyond 26 weeks, and more answers. Unemployment topics were also covered in two earlier Thats Rich! columns: * What you need to know to get an unemployment check in Ohio - Laid off? Hours reduced? Business slow or gone away if youre self-employed? A lot of people have become eligible for unemployment checks who never before encountered the system. Heres what you need to know. * $300 Ohio unemployment benefit to be retroactive, plus status of extra 13 weeks of unemployment benefits and a second stimulus checks Here are other topics covered recently: * Organize your financial records in case you get sick - A check list for what to get organized. * Explaining Ohios maze of city income tax rates and credits, and why you should log where youve been working. You might be due a local income tax fund when you fill out your taxes next year. This story includes an income tax chart, showing the difference in tax credits for each Greater Cleveland city and village. * With mortgage rates at historic lows, should you join the rush to refinance? Heres what to consider and how much money could be saved. * Ohio has $3.2 billion in unclaimed funds; find out if some of that money is yours. The state might be holding money thats yours form an old bank account, a company refund, a lost paycheck or other source. Heres a how-to on finding the money. * Roth retirement plan or traditional IRA and 401(k) plans? Is this the time to adjust your thinking? Pre-tax contributions through traditional 401(k) and IRA plans, knowing that the bill will come due when the money is withdrawn, or paying now but being tax free later with Roth accounts? * Taking college classes online this fall because of coronavirus? Students can save a lot of money. The state maintains an online tool that shows what classes will transfer for credit between schools. This includes both two-year and four-year colleges. The difference could be a savings of thousands of dollars. * Does it make sense to pay off your mortgage early? Some things to consider are whether the money would be better used for a 401(K) or IRA, but also the peace of mind that comes with being debt free. Four financial pros from the Greater Cleveland/Akron area offer advice. * CARES Act makes this ideal time for a student-loan payment checkup - Options to make the best use of the 0%, payment-suspension period offered by the federal government under the coronavirus-relief law known as the CARES Act. * Coronavirus and taxes - An explainer on why youre likely still waiting for your refund if you submitted your tax form months ago on paper. Rich Exner, data analysis editor, writes cleveland.coms and The Plain Dealers personal finance column - Thats Rich! Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Email questions and suggestions to rexner@cleveland.com. Include your hometown. Let me know if I can publish your name. And to help me sort through the clutter of my email box, try to remember including Thats Rich! in the subject of the email. Despite attracting international flak, China recently launched two sets of military drills in the waters off countrys east coast. The drills, conducted in Bohai and Yellow seas come despite Beijing being warned about show of power in the controversial sea. However, Chinese experts have dubbed it as "regular drills" meant to boost the confidence of Chinese people in their communist government. 'Simulating wartime attack' Ni Lexiong, a shanghai based Military expert speaking to South China Morning Post said that the drills had the practical purpose of "simulating both wartime attack and defence", should be there a conflict to unify Taiwan by force. Meanwhile, Dao Dmaing, an associate professor at Renmin University's National Academy of Development and strategy told the state broadcaster that the exercises were meant to boost public confidence and intimidate US and Taiwan. "Although these drills do not target any specific country, in the face of power that is challenging our sovereignty and security, such drills can make the enemy yield without the use of arms. Read: Pentagon Says Chinese Missile Launch In South China Sea Affects 'peace And Stability' Read: US, Japan Reiterate South China Sea Commitments Amid Growing Chinese Presence This comes just a day after, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper and Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono reiterated their commitment to maintaining a 'rules-based order' in the East and South China Sea. An official statement from the US Department of Defence stated that Esper hosted Kono in Guam where both the leaders acknowledged the strength of the US-Japan alliance and held high-level talks to boost and expand bilateral defence cooperation. As per ANI, the statement said, "Secretary Esper and Minister Kono exchanged views on their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Secretary expressed serious concern regarding Beijing's decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong, as well as coercive and destabilising actions vis-a-vis Taiwan". Read: China Fires aircraft-carrier Killer Missile In South China Sea To Warn US: Reports Read: US Sanctions Chinese Individuals Involved In Construction Projects In South China Sea (with inputs from ANI) Image credits: AP New Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Nak-yon delivers a speech from his home, Aug, 29, following the DPK convention held online in light of the stronger social distancing rules for pandemic prevention. Yonhap By Do Je-hae Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon's victory Saturday in the race for chairmanship of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was undoubtedly one of the highlights in an already illustrious political resume. Now that he has succeeded in becoming the leader of the ruling party, the biggest question is whether he will be able to show the kind of leadership befitting of a prospective presidential candidate. The first prime minister of the Moon Jae-in administration, Lee had consistently taken the top place in favorability surveys of candidates for the next presidential election in 2022. But Lee's popularity has been waning as public sentiment turned negative toward President Moon and his administration over a series of policy missteps in housing and the economy in general. A favorability survey for presidential candidates published earlier this month showed that Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung was ahead of Lee. The new DPK chairman is largely expected to leave the post next March to prepare for the presidential race. So it will be crucial for him to produce actual results in improving the peoples' lives and salvaging public support for the ruling party in the coming months. Political insiders say the immediate public judgment of his leadership will come at the by-election in April 2021 for selecting mayors in Seoul and Busan. "The most important thing is to prepare for the by-elections in 2021 and the presidential election in 2022," former DPK Chairman Lee Hae-chan was quoted as saying after his phone conversation with his successor, Saturday. A former governor of South Jeolla Province, Lee served five terms in the National Assembly and was one of the longest-serving prime ministers. He has extensive administrative experience both at the central and regional government level as well as the Assembly. But Lee cannot rest on his laurels, particularly when considering the cases of past prime ministers who were considered top contenders for the presidential race but failed to achieve their ultimate political dream. As the new DPK chairman, Rep. Lee's first priority will be to help the nation overcome the socio-economic crisis arising from the COVID-19. "The mission from the people in this national crisis is clear,'' Lee said in his acceptance speech from his home after the online party convention. "We will win this war against COVID-19 and protect the people." In addition, stronger cooperation with the opposition will be one of his primary objectives. The DPK, with 176 seats out of 300, has been heavily criticized by the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) for its unilateral management of the 21st Assembly since its onset in July. "Lee must terminate the tyranny of the ruling party," UFP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said in a Facebook post. "I hope the ruling and opposition parties will put their heads together in earnest on national issues, including the war against COVID-19." But there are fears tests they used to come to that conclusion are inadequate The Ministry of Defence and the Home Office have declared the armour safe The lives of Britains elite soldiers and police officers could be at risk from inadequate new body armour, a safety test carried out for The Mail on Sunday has revealed. Safety experts said the result of our experiment on the lightweight polyethylene chest plates, increasingly being rolled out among Special Forces, Royal protection teams and anti-terrorism units was alarming. And one serving SAS soldier said: Id sooner go into battle wearing no ballistic protection than using this plate. It shouldnt have been brought into service. At risk? Police counter-terrorism officers (pictured in London in 2016) are increasingly using the lightweight polyethylene chest plates The Ministry of Defence and the Home Office have declared the armour safe, but there are fears the tests they used to come to that conclusion are inadequate. The testing process isnt fit for purpose so lives are being put at risk, said defence manufacturer Andrew Kerr, who added that he had raised his concerns officially, but they had been ignored. The risk comes from whats called behind armour blunt trauma, caused as the plate bulges into the body when it absorbs the force of a bullet, and which could cause major injury or even death. In one of the tests we commissioned at a Government-approved laboratory, a polyethylene chest plate was put in front of part of a pigs torso, traditionally used in such tests as it has similar properties to a human body, and shot. The impact caused severe damage, ripping into the heart. After examining photographs, a senior NHS trauma consultant said: These are unsurvivable injuries. The heart has been macerated by the blunt force trauma projected through the plate. This evidence gives genuine cause for concern. There is an urgent need for further study. An enormous amount of force is pushed through the plate even though the plate stops the round. While a human heart has more protection than a pigs heart, due to the positioning of the chest wall, this is still alarming. Impact: Clay damaged when protected from 7.62mm bullets, above, by the armour. The Ministry of Defence and the Home Office have declared the armour safe Yet in the same series of tests, conducted using official standards on variables such as the speed of the bullet, the armour passed MoD and Home Office safety limits. Neither body makes public which body armour plates they use, citing security reasons, so our experts chose a make commonly worn around the world. The first test replicated the process used by the Government when a plate is mounted in front of a clay mould and a 7.62mm round fired into it from a set distance. The depth of the indentation the impact made in the clay through the armour was 24mm less than the 25mm maximum required by the Home Office and the 44mm MoD limit, also used by other countries. But that same impact force was enough to cause such major damage to the pig. In comparison, tests on the heavier ceramic plates, which the plastic ones are replacing, showed there was no damage to either the clay or the pig, which had been humanely killed at an abattoir and was otherwise destined to be sold as food. Mr Kerr, a former member of the Home Office safety standards committee, said: The standards of 25mm and 44mm are entirely arbitrary, bearing no relation to injuries caused by this trauma. Considering the popularity of lightweight ballistic plates in elite military units and police detachments, more sophisticated tests need to be introduced quickly. The chest plates pictured being tested on pig meat, which is traditionally used in such tests as it has similar properties to a human body, and shot Lee Trueman, a former police firearms officer and ballistics expert, also said the current tests were inadequate: There would appear to be no direct relationship between the 25mm and 44mm standards to any human injuries. Che Donald, of the Police Federation, and Mark Williams, head of the Police Firearms Officers Association, last night issued a joint statement saying: Anything that suggests equipment may not be fit for purpose needs to be further investigated as a matter of urgency before any serious injury or loss of life. Calling for an investigation, former Shadow Defence Minister John Spellar said: The Mail on Sundays findings clearly show the need for a rapid review and update of safety standards to save lives. A Government spokesman said: We take the safety of our police officers and Armed Forces extremely seriously. The MoD and Home Office procure various types of body armour, all of which are rigorously assessed using internationally recognised test standards with the relevant roles and threat level in mind. We have not seen any evidence to indicate that the current standards do not provide adequate protection. A massive protest Saturday in Berlin against Germany's coronavirus restrictions was shut down just hours after it began because the majority of attendees were not wearing face masks or socially distancing as is required. Berlin police estimate that 18,000 people were in attendance. Berlin police tweeted that they had warned protesters several times to comply with the country's coronavirus restrictions. Berlin has mandated that people remain approximately 5 feet apart and that people wear a face mask in public areas and indoor facilities. Public events with more than 1,000 people will not be allowed until September 1. Soon after the warning, police tweeted "unfortunately, we have no other option" than to disband the demonstration. "We approached the leader of the demonstration and informed him that his meeting would be dissolved by the police," they wrote. "All previous measures have not led to compliance with the requirements." Die Teilnehmenden der Demo, die von Unter d. Linden uber Friedrichstr., Alex, Leipziger Pl. zum Brandenburger Tor laufen will, wurden mehrfach vergeblich aufgefordert, die Abstande einzuhalten. Daher wird nun von unserem Einsatzleiter das Tragen des MNS zur Auflage gemacht.#b2908 Polizei Berlin Einsatz (@PolizeiBerlin_E) August 29, 2020 Although many protesters were peaceful, police said that several arrests were made on Saturday. "A large group of people threw stones and bottles," police said. "We arrested 2 people. Force was used in the form of simple physical violence and pepper spray." "We had to carry out numerous other arrests," police later tweeted. "Among other things for throwing bottles, freeing prisoners and other criminal offenses. Among those arrested is an author of vegan cookbooks." A rally at Berlin's Republic Square was disbanded, particularly for violence, police said. Story continues BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 29: A man wearing a right-wing t-shirt and a couple wearing QAnon shirts face off against riot police on Unter den Linden avenue during protests against coronavirus-related restrictions and government policy on August 29, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. Tens of thousands of people from a wide spectrum, including coronavirus skeptics, conspiracy enthusiasts, hippies, right-wing extremists, religious conservatives and others converged on Berlin to attend the protests. City authorities had banned the protests, citing the flouting of social distancing by participants in a similar march that drew at least 17,000 people a few weeks ago, but a court overturned the ban. / Credit: / Getty Images More than 3,000 officers were deployed to help maintain the demonstration after anti-restriction and far-right supporters took to social media to call on people to arm themselves and take part in the protest. The protest was organized and promoted by far-right groups and outlets, including the Islamophobic political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Compact Magazine, which was removed from Facebook and Instagram on Friday. Compact has called the demonstration a "freedom movement" and has described the coronavirus restrictions in the country as part of a "dictatorship." Protesters waves a flag featuring US President Donald Trump during a demonstration called by far-right and COVID-19 deniers to protest against restrictions related to the new coronavirus pandemic, on August 29, 2020 in Berlin. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images) / Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL Photos of the protest, which was organized and promoted by far-right groups and outlets, show many attendees representing far-right conspiracy theory QAnon. Believers of the unfounded theory believe that President Trump is trying to expose a group of pedophile globalists and celebrities who are involved in sex trafficking have been covertly running the U.S. and influencing world issues. QAnon followers do not consider Trump, who has been heavily accused of sexual assault and rape, to be involved in this ring. They also believe that many of the world's events and issues, including John F. Kennedy's assassination and ISIS, are tied back to the "deep-state" of celebrities. A placard featuring German chancellor Angela Merkel as prisonner is seen during a demonstration called by far-right and COVID-19 deniers to protest against restrictions related to the new coronavirus pandemic, on August 29, 2020 in Berlin. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images) / Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL Kennedy's nephew, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is adamantly anti-vaccine and has unfoundedly compared the number of children injured by vaccines as "a holocaust," spoke at the protest. BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 29: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, speaks to people from a wide spectrum, including coronavirus skeptics, conspiracy enthusiasts, right-wing extremists, religious conservatives, hippies and others gathered under the Victory Column in the city center to hear speeches during a protest against coronavirus-related restrictions and government policy on August 29, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. City authorities had banned the planned protest, citing the flouting of social distancing by participants in a similar march that drew at least 17,000 people a few weeks ago, but a court overturned the ban. / Credit: / Getty Images Berlin's Assembly Authority had attempted to ban Saturday's protests based on what happened at an August 1 rally, when 20,000 people gathered without face masks or social distancing measures to protest coronavirus restrictions. The move infuriated far-right supporters. More than 242,000 people in Germany have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to Johns Hopkins, including more than 11,000 in Berlin. New allegation about Jerry Falwell Jr.'s wife emerges Chadwick Boseman, "Black Panther" star, has died at 43 Ivanka Trump says at RNC "Donald Trump has changed Washington" SYDNEY, N.S.Police in Nova Scotia say a man accused of shooting two people has been arrested in the Membertou area of Cape Breton. Cape Breton Regional Police say the suspect is accused of shooting a man and a woman in North Sydney and Florence, N.S., on Saturday. They say the male victim is being treated for serious injuries, while the woman is in stable condition. Officers say theyre still investigating the shootings, and they expect to release more information as it comes in. They did not say what charges the suspect may face. Police had initially warned that they thought the suspect was on the run and could be armed. Read more about: Agra, Aug 30 : Agra reported 56 fresh cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, even as the 55-hour weekend lockdown continues. Alarmed by the rising graph of cases, the district administration is strictly enforcing the weekend lockdown which will end Monday morning. Officials appealed to the people not to move out without work and follow the guidelines in respect of social distancing and mask-wearing. District Magistrate P.N. Singh warned that those who violated the guidelines would be heavily fined. The government offices are the worst hit. The district health department has recommended staggered working hours. Meanwhile, there were indications that the district authorities would permit reopening of the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort from September 15 as new guidelines for Unlock 4 will come into force from September 1. The total number of Covid-19 cases in Agra district is 2,772, with 107 deaths. The number of active cases now is 363. So far 1,12,713 samples have been collected. The recovery rate is 83.04 per cent. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) It is never a pleasant business, this taking down of a big beast in politics. Phil Hogan knows it more than anybody. He has stabbed a fair few in the back himself, all the while smiling to their face. The most nervous man in Ireland now is Leo Varadkar. Hogan suspects he had a hand in leaking to the media the garda commissioner's mobile phone misdemeanour juicy morsel. Two years ago, Hogan approached me at the K Club, where he keeps an apartment. I had hoped he did not realise we were there, in the same many-cornered room. He sits at a table on his own, at breakfast and dinner, in a bay window that overlooks the evening misted pastures of Kildare. A waiter offered us a table close to the European commissioner. I suggested another, out of sight, and felt sure we had avoided his knowing gaze. A short time later, his meal ended, Hogan rounded the corner - and without breaking stride, made towards precisely where we sat. "I suppose you want nothing to do with me," he said, "after what I did to you." Niceties were not required. Later, from his rooms, he sent over a round of drinks, "compliments of the commissioner". Read More To this day, I do not know specifically what he did. On reflection though, everything seemed a little clearer after that. Such political skills are to be admired, not admonished. He had it coming all the same, did Big Phil. Leo Varadkar has it coming too. His political skills are well masked behind an affected air of detached observance with the pretence of injured innocence. But they are finely honed too, almost masterful, and at such a young age too. He can only get better. He will need to - to see it coming, and to match, the powerful vengeance intended by Phil Hogan, which will fall slowly first and then all at once. Make no mistake about it. Varadkar was something of a latter-day protege of Hogan. It is commonly regarded that Big Phil was always an Enda Kenny man. He was only so after the Fine Gael meltdown election in 2002, when Kenny was the last man standing. They were drinking pals, of course, but no more than that. In Kenny, Hogan assessed the best chance in that moment for his own advancement. That's politics. And when Kenny departed, Simon Coveney fully expected the backing of Big Phil to succeed. By that stage, Hogan's status was legendary. Expand Close Simon Coveney. Photo: Frank McGrath / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simon Coveney. Photo: Frank McGrath But he switched sides, and threw his weight, and support, behind Varadkar. That was said to be partly the reason Coveney was less than effusive in his backing of the beleaguered Big Phil in a RTE radio interview last week. In reward, Varadkar reappointed the EU commissioner. They used to meet occasionally at the Pearl Brasserie restaurant across from Government Buildings, when Hogan was in Dublin, ostensibly to discuss weighty affairs of State and Union, but more often than not to feed on such delicate slices of pure politics in the knowing short-hand of two poets in the craft. So Varadkar knows more than anybody he has it coming. What to do? Here is an option, which may sit well with a creature such as Leo, who has or will eventually outgrow Ireland. Go to Europe. The commissionership is there for the taking: 250,000 a year, plus comfortable expenses, a chauffeur, power, authority, the next step towards being the international statesman Phil Hogan, no matter what he wanted, was never going to be. Think the late Peter Sutherland. Time is on Varadkar's side to achieve such status; he is still young. But this opportunity may never come again. Ask Big Phil. He resigned before, as minister of state in the Department of Finance, and it was a full 14 years before Fine Gael was back in Cabinet. What is stopping Varadkar? The prospect of being Taoiseach again in a few years, for two years or so? Been there, done that. And after that, what then? To be leader of the Opposition, maybe? No. That will not do. Varadkar's opportunity is now. But he is torn: the gilded life of European high politics, or the accusation of abandoning Fine Gael after its second-worst ever election? As he mulls over his intent this weekend, this may be a motivation: in Brussels, he will be more protected, and more prepared to see off with elan, the great vengeance from on high that Big Phil is already plotting. Mark my words. The plane lands in Enugu airport The Sun News reports that after closing for a little over a year (370 days), the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on Saturday came alive as the Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, and his entourage landed on the runway onboard a private jet ahead of the reopening ceremony on Sunday, August 30. The landing was also part of the final test run protocols prior to the formal resumption of flights. Sirika, his aides and top Ministry officials relocated to Enugu State last Thursday to monitor the finishing touches being done by the contractors handling the runway reconstruction and installation of facilities at the airport. It was also to ensure that nothing stands in the way of the planned reopening. There have been apprehensions about the possibility of the resumption of flights at the airport as planned, as a result of the recent unwarranted and ill-advised pulling down of about two kilometres stretch of the perimeter fence of the airport by an individual claiming ownership of the land on which the fence was raised, Spokesman of the Aviation Minister, Dr James Odaudu noted. He added that the Minister has assured the public that everything possible was being done to ensure that the South-East region, the major beneficiaries of the project, begins to enjoy flight operations at the airport from Sunday. Odaudu added that Sirika commended the Governors of the South-East States, particularly Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, for teaming up with the Ministry to ensure a successful return of activities at the airport. Sirika, at the earlier rehabilitation of the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, had similarly relocated to Kaduna for a number of days to ensure a seamless operation of flights at the Kaduna airport which then served as an alternate to the shut Abuja airport. The Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu was shut down on August 2019 to enable the Federal Government reconstruct the runway which had become so dilapidated that aviation experts described it as a huge threat to safety. Agartala: Seven teenage boys allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl after inviting her to play hide and seek with them in a village in Tripura, police said on Sunday. Six of the accused, who live in Tabaria in the West Tripura district, were arrested and one is absconding. Four of them were sent to a juvenile home. Two others, who were around 12 years of age, were hospitalised as they tested positive for coronavirus, police said. "According to the complaint lodged by the victim's father, the accused boys called her to play hide and seek with them and then raped her. The incident took place on Friday," Sub-divisional Police Officer of New Capital Complex, Priya Madhuri Majumder, said. The student of class 3 returned home and informed her parents of what had happened, she said. The accused boys, who were known to the girl, were arrested after the complaint was lodged on Saturday. "A total of seven persons were named in the FIR. We have arrested six of them while one is absconding," Majumder said. Democratic Front party opposition leader Zdravko Krivokapic cast his ballot in Montenegro's tense election on Sunday that pits the long-ruling pro-Western party against the opposition seeking closer ties with Serbia and Russia. The parliamentary vote is marked by the dispute over a law on religious rights that is staunchly opposed by the influential Serbian Orthodox Church. The issue has fueled divisions in the nation of 620,000 people that has defied traditional Slavic allies Belgrade and Moscow to become independent in 2006 and join NATO in 2017. Some 540,000 voters are choosing whether to keep in power the Democratic Party of Socialists which has governed Montenegro for some 30 years. The party led Montenegro to independence peacefully from much larger Serbia in 2006 and into NATO, despite strong opposition from Russia. However, the DPS and its leader, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, have faced accusations of an autocratic rule, widespread graft and criminal links. Dubai: A vicar in the UAE has said he has got "strong indications" to believe that Father Tom Uzhunnalil, the Indian priest who was abducted nearly nine months ago from war-torn Yemen, is alive, a media report said on Friday. The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia said it is making "all efforts to secure a safe release" of the priest kidnapped from Aden in March, Khaleej Times reported. A video of Uzhunnalil had surfaced this week in which he made an appeal to the Indian government, Pope Francis and Bishop Paul Hinder, to save his life. Hinder, who is based in Abu Dhabi, is the current Vicar Apostolic of the vicariate. "The features of the person speaking in the video bear a close likeness to Father Tom. However, the source of the video, the date of its creation and the circumstances under which it was recorded are unknown. Even though we have no information about Father Tom's present whereabouts, we have strong indications to believe that he is still alive," the vicariate said in a statement. The church said it has made countless appeals from the highest levels to secure Uzhunnalil's release as well as made concrete efforts by way of working in close collaboration with both international and local diplomatic channels, it reported. "Paul Hinder is in touch with the different channels, which are working and leading the dialogues to secure a safe release. More details cannot be disclosed at this stage," the statement said. The bishop has led calls for prayer throughout the churches in the vicariate for Uzhunnalil. During the Christmas mass, the bishop and thousands gathered at the cathedral parish of St Joseph's Abu Dhabi to pray for the priest's safety. "The Salesian Congregation to which Father Tom belongs and the Catholic Bishops Conference of India has been in touch with government channels," the statement added. The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia is a territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church covering the UAE, Oman and Yemen. The office of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia is based at St Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi. Father Uzhunnalil, who hails from Kerala, was abducted in March by terror group Islamic State which attacked an old-age home run by Mother Teresas Missionaries of Charity in southern Yemeni city of Aden. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Two teenagers are accused of urinating in a police station and spitting in a officer's eye after cops were called to close down an illegal party. A 13-year-old boy was among four teens arrested after police broke up a gathering of more than 100 people in Lethbridge Park, western Sydney, just after midnight on Saturday. Mount Druitt Police were called to the home on Mindanao Crescent at 12.30pm after reports of a fight. Mount Druitt police station in Sydney's west where two teenage boys allegedly urinated on the floor and spat at officers, hitting one in the eye with his spit on Saturday Mindanao Crescent in Lethbridge Park in Sydney's west, where police were called to break up a party of 100 young people allegedly in breach of coronavirus rules. Police say a mob of teens abused them before they arrested four teens all of whom were in breach of bail An angry mob of teenagers surrounded police as they tried to shut down the party, which was in breach of coronavirus restrictions. Police said the teens were 'abusive and violent' towards them. The 13-year-old boy was arrested along with two other boys aged 17 and 16, plus a girl aged 17. Police say that while they were at Mount Druitt police station being charged, the teens continued to be 'abusive and volatile'. Two of the boys allegedly urinated in the station before spitting at the officers, hitting one constable in the eye with his spit. The 13-year-old boy was charged with five offences: assault police, assault paramedic, malicious damage, resist police and breach of bail. The two boys aged 17 and 16 have received charges including resist police, assault police and breach of bail. The 17-year-old girl was charged with drug possession, resist police, obstruct police and breach of bail. All four teens were refused bail and were scheduled to appear at an undisclosed children's court on Saturday morning. Police are still investigating the party and said they expect to fine the occupier for the breach of coronavirus restrictions. Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday met Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy at his residence in Dehradun. During the meeting, the two discussed the possibilities of promoting the defence industry in the state after the recent restriction by the Centre on the import of 101 defence items. They also discussed about taking the help of DRDO in developing state-based industries and in agricultural activities in the border villages of the state. During the meeting, CM Rawat discussed the matter regarding providing training and internship to the states engineering students in DRDO establishments in Dehradun and other places. to which Dr Reddy gave his approval. The DRDO has one of its defence laboratories named Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE) in Dehradun. In July this year, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) chief S Deswal met CM Rawat and raised issues related to roads, mobile and power connectivity, land for housing ITBP personnel and the promotion of tourism in remote and border areas of the state. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:37:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People visit the Sanlihe park of Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2020. The Chinese capital Beijing, also an ancient city with thousands of years of history, is entering a new era as a fresh city plan is unveiled. The country has approved a detailed plan for the core area of Beijing for the 2018-2035 period, stressing its functions of serving central administrative organs as well as the firm and orderly relief of its non-capital roles. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 13:31:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An elderly South Korean woman, who was forced into sexual slavery for Japanese military brothels during World War II, died at the age of 97 on Saturday, reducing the number of surviving victims in the country to 16. Lee Mak-dal, who was duped into the sex enslavement at the age of 17 in 1940, returned to the country's southern port city of Busan after the Korean Peninsula's liberation from the 1910-45 Japanese colonization, the Korean Council for Justice Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, an advocacy group for the former sex slaves, said on Sunday. She had since stayed in Busan and participated in the rally to urge Japan to apologize and take legal responsibility for the wartime atrocities. With her death, the number of surviving victims in the country dipped to 16 out of the 240 officially registered with the government. Historians say as many as 400,000 women from Asian countries were forced into sex slavery for Japanese military brothels before and during the Pacific War. Enditem Tonights Australian Story tells the inside story behind the campaign to resolve one of Australias most enduring crime mysteries. We called ourselves Team Scott, and gradually we started to get some attention on my brothers case. Steve Johnson When the body of young American Scott Johnson was found at the bottom of a Sydney cliff in 1988, police quickly decided it was suicide. Convinced it was actually a gay hate murder, his brother Steve spent the next 30 years campaigning for justice. The multi-millionaire assembled his own crack team of investigators, including lawyers in Australia and the US, journalists, former police officers and a former coroner. They called themselves Team Scott. Over time, the team grew to ten or twelve people in the United States and Australia, Steve Johnson told Australian Story from his home in Boston. Fortunately the case attracted a lot of people who just wanted to help because they thought this was important. One of those helping behind the scenes was former NSW Deputy Coroner Jacqueline Milledge, who initially thought the case would never be solved. You had the complication of it being a cold case, and you had the unwillingness of the police to admit that perhaps they got it wrong, she says. After pressure from Team Scott, a second coronial inquest was held into the case in 2012, and then an unprecedented third inquest in 2017. It found that Scott Johnson had been chased, frightened or pushed off the cliff because he was gay. A fresh police team re-investigated the case, and in May of this year, a man, 49, was charged with murder. Produced by Ben Cheshire. 8pm Monday on ABC. H ate preacher Abu Hamza is suing authorities in the US over "cruel" conditions at the prison where he is jailed, it has been reported. Hamza was previously jailed in the UK for inciting violence and was extradited to New York after an eight-year legal battle. He is currently serving a life sentence in the US for terrorism offences. The former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in north London has complained of inhuman treatment at the maximum security prison where he was jailed, reports the Times. In a civil lawsuit filed against William Barr, the US attorney general, Hamza claims he is having to tear food packages open with his rotting teeth after the removals of his hooks or any other prosthesis for his arms. The 62-year-old complainant has no forearms and is blind in one eye. He also claims he has been deprived of sunlight in his isolated cell and is suffering from "stress and anxiety" after being denied family visits since 2012. Hate preacher: Abu Hamza at Finsbury Park Mosque in north London (AFP) / AFP PHOTO/ODD ANDERSEN At one point, Hamza claims he went on a hunger strike for at least 10 days in protest at his treatment, the paper reported. The court documents state: Plaintiff lost three teeth just to the opening of pouches. All front teeth are worn out and painful. Some nerves can be seen. Hamza says his complaint relates to cruel and unusual conditions in prolonged, continuous, dangerous solitary confinement since 2012. But the defendants in the case, which include the head of the US prison service and Mr Barr, said the lawsuit should be rejected by the justice system. They described Hamza's complaints as so ambiguous [the] defendants cannot reasonably prepare a response. Hamza was convicted in 2014 of facilitating satellite communications between kidnappers during a 1998 attack that killed four tourists in Yemen. Since 2012 he has been incarcerated inside ADX Florence, Rocky Mountains prison, the same jail where two members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) Beatles kidnap gang could be jailed for life. El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who are currently in US military custody in Iraq, were British citizens, but have been stripped of their UK nationality. The US Justice Department revealed this month that it will not be seeking the death penalty against the two alleged IS militants, who are suspected of beheading Western hostages. France on Sunday called on Mali's military junta to "quickly" organise a transition to civilian rule after this month's coup, warning that the political crisis would benefit terrorists. The August 18 coup has shocked ally France, which fears instability in Mali could undermine its military campaigns against Islamist militants in West Africa's Sahel region. "This transition must be done quickly... It is a matter of months," Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told French media. "If this is not done, then the risk is that it will first benefit the terrorists, because terrorists feed on the weakness of states and the Malian state is weak, very weak at the moment," she added. "Moreover, the international community, which has committed itself to the Sahel, and Mali in particular, could ask itself questions," she also warned. Swathes of Mali's territory are outside of the control of central authorities and years of fighting have failed to halt an Islamist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since emerging in 2012. France has more than 5,000 soldiers as part of Operation Barkhane, its anti-jihadist force in the Sahel. The UN has deployed 13,000 soldiers to Mali in one of its biggest peacekeeping operations, while a European special forces group dubbed Takuba and the so-called G5 Sahel, an under-resourced force of regional soldiers, are also present. Mali's military rulers on Saturday postponed the first scheduled meeting with political and civil organisations on the transfer of power. A protest coalition that had campaigned against former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the June 5 Movement, was not invited to the meeting and accused the new military rulers of trying to hijack the coup. Neighbouring West African countries, which are demanding a return to civil rule and elections within 12 months, decided Friday to maintain the closure of borders and a ban on trade and financial flows with Mali. Search Keywords: Short link: Given the hyper-partisan nature of our politics that have nearly turned Congress into a parliament with little crossing of the aisles on votes, finding an issue that upsets bloc voting is refreshing. Maintaining fair competition for meat-packers vis-a-vis farmers after decades of structural change in the industry is such an issue. Specifically, how can we maintain some semblance market prices for livestock as increasing percentages are sold under contracts, the terms of which are not disclosed? One hero here is Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who has long sponsored bills to require greater transparency in livestock pricing, though few were enacted. Now he has another bill that would require that a minimum of 50 percent of a meat-packers weekly volume of beef slaughter be purchased on the open or spot market. But this conservatives co-sponsor and co-hero is Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn. Earlier this year, Smith also co-sponsored another livestock-market farmer protection bill, this time with Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. Many other senators signed on, including Republicans Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven from North Dakota and Jodi Ernst, the other Iowa Republican. Yet not all farm-state Congress members agree. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, opposes Smith and Grassleys bill. Grassley and Roberts, usually conservative allies, have had contentious exchanges. Understand some background: Iowa agriculture remains dominated by family farms, although most are far larger than the Ma and Pa Kettle image in urbanites minds. The same is true for Minnesota. In both states, however, family-farm feeding of cattle has decreased over the past 50 years. Moreover, most poultry, both eggs and birds, are now produced and sold on contract with processors, as are many hogs. Kansas also has many family farms. But, going back decades, it has had huge cattle feedlots. This largely was driven by climate. Less rain and milder winters inherently are better for cattle in open lots. The cattle primarily came from grassland areas in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and southern Colorado. Feeder cattle for Minnesota and Iowas much smaller farm feedlots came primarily from ranches in the Dakotas and Montana. Secondly, big feedlot owners have always punched above their weight in the politics of these states. So have corporations owning newer, more modern, packing plants that supplanted smaller ones long-existing in South St. Paul, Sioux Falls, S.D., Sioux City, Iowa, Omaha, Neb., and Kansas City. Meatpacking still goes on in these, the Smithfield hog plant is Sioux Falls is among the largest in the country. A Tyson Foods beef plant, just across the Missouri River from Sioux City, pioneered modern design in the 1960s. But the center of beef packing has shifted south and west. These invariably are the largest employers where located and among the largest businesses in Kansas and Oklahoma and, to a lesser extent, Nebraska and Colorado. They are major donors to the campaigns of political candidates expected to protect their interests. When fat livestock sales came from family farms, most animals flowed through public stockyards in old-industry towns. Odors from South St. Paul came not only from slaughterhouses, but also from acres of open stockyard pens, through which thousands of manure-producing animals passed daily. Farmers sent animals to commission houses, brokers that, in theory at least, represented selling farmers. These brokerages owned the physical yards. They also handled feeder livestock, say railroad cars of lambs from Montana ranches to be fattened in the Midwest. Ditto for feeder cattle and feeder pigs. Packing houses, of which there were several near any stockyards, bought fat cattle for slaughter. Farmers who fed out animals would buy feeders there. This all sprang from an earlier era in which producers had to load livestock, feeder or slaughter, on railroad cars. Business had to be conducted by telegram. Simply shipping animals directly to the oligopoly of packers, or to some distant feeder, was a recipe for being cheated. From an economists point of view, stockyards served to set prices in an open market. Livestock auction barns in county seats would have packer or commission house reps bidding. The sale barn often was a buying station for a packer many miles away. With near-universal telephone service by the 1950s, farmers could get price quotes from packers, stockyard brokers, buying stations or could try their luck at a local sale barn. Widespread abuses were rife when meatpacking was concentrated in Chicago. These involved both cheating farmers and contaminating products. Progressive Republican Teddy Roosevelt concentrated on the first. Democrat Woodrow Wilson eventually got around to the second. The 1921 Packers and Stockyards Act, finally passed a few months after Republican Warren Harding replaced Wilson, contained provisions to level the field. However, technology for both farmers and packers changed and so did institutions. Assembling lots of 20 or 50 animals was expensive. Packers started contracting with large producers. As long as these contracts were a small fraction of total slaughter, the remaining open markets still served as a reference point. Producers did not have to sign a contract if they thought they could get better prices through traditional channels. Unfortunately, there was a fallacy of composition. Contracting could benefit a handful of producers. But contracts will all producers did not make all producers better off. Quite the contrary. Smith and Grassley are entirely correct in that packers have a more monopolistic edge than they have had in a century. And monopoly leads not only to abuse, but also inefficiency in the economy as a whole. St. Paul economist and writer Edward Lotterman can be reached at bismarck@edlotterman.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand high court has fixed the hearing in the rape case against BJP MLA Mahesh Singh Negi for September 1. The HC was hearing a petition of the woman who had requested the court to quash an FIR registered against her by the state police based on an extortion complaint filed by the MLA's wife. The woman's counsel B S Adhikari said, "We have filed the petition requesting quashing of the FIR. It is strange how the police registered the FIR against the woman but did not take any action against the MLA who has been accused of rape." The woman, who is from Almora, had also accused the MLA of fathering a child with her. His wife, on the other hand, has alleged that the woman demanded Rs five crore from the MLA and his family. Meanwhile, the accused BJP MLA from Dwarahat in Almora district has rubbished these allegations and stated last week that he is ready to face any investigation. Succumbing to the pressure mounted by the Opposition, Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the BJP MLA is ready to undergo a DNA test. The woman, who had cited threat to her life, had demanded a paternity test to prove that the accused MLA is the father of her child. Earlier this month, the MLA had written to the director general of police, over the inappropriate behaviour by the cops probing the case. On August 16, the woman filed a counter complaint against the BJP MLA, accusing him of raping her on several occasions and fathering her child. Uttarakhand State Commission for Women has already sought a report by the state police till August 29, 2020. By Joschka Fischer BERLIN The confrontation between China and the West is escalating almost daily. The conflict is about technology, trade, global market share, and supply chains, but also about fundamental values. Underpinning this economic and ideological competition is the goal of global predominance in the twenty-first century. But why is the current escalation happening now? It is not as though the West suddenly had some epiphany about the implications of China's rise. The fact that China is a Leninist one-party dictatorship is not news, and it did not stop Western countries led by the United States from steadily deepening their trade and economic ties with China since the 1970s. Likewise, China's leaders have long dismissed outside criticism of their human-rights record and oppression of minorities. Rampant industrial espionage and theft of Western technology and intellectual property are other well-known problems that the West has more or less tolerated for decades in exchange for access to China's vast market and low-cost labor. Western governments and investors remained sanguine even after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing. No sooner had the dust settled than Western businesses poured into the country like never before. Through it all, Western leaders assumed that modernization and economic development would lead China eventually to adopt democracy, embrace human rights, and the rule of law. They were wrong. The Communist Party of China has evolved a novel hybrid development model consisting of a one-party dictatorship, a highly competitive economy, and a consumer society. So far, this approach has been extremely successful. While political power has remained squarely in communist hands, almost everything else has been turned over to the forces of high-tech consumer capitalism. The Soviet Union could not have dreamed of such an innovation in political economy. The results have been impressive and, in many ways, unprecedented. Hundreds of millions of people have escaped absolute poverty and joined an ascendant middle class. Just one generation ago, China was a technological and scientific backwater. Today, it is a global leader in many of the critical sectors that will define the twenty-first century digitalization, artificial intelligence, and quantum and super computers. With China now poised to leave the U.S. behind in many of these domains, it is only a matter of time before it becomes the world's leading economy across all the metrics that matter. The reason why the Sino-American confrontation is escalating only now is relatively simple: the end is in sight for the West. Ever since the beginning of industrialization, the West has held an effective monopoly on global power. But now an Asian great power will soon bring an end to Western hegemony as we know it. This is not just about US President Donald Trump's administration. The growing challenge to Western power will remain long after Trump is gone, and regardless of whether he is gone this November. After all, while China has grown stronger, the leading Western power has become relatively weaker. The 2008 global financial crisis played a crucial role in altering both Chinese and global perceptions of the US model. Suddenly, the West's vulnerabilities were laid bare for everyone to see. And now, the COVID-19 crisis is further exposing America's weaknesses and domestic fault lines. The floundering US response to the pandemic will powerfully reinforce the global impression conveyed by the 2008 meltdown, as will its confused approach to China. U.S. policymakers have yet to reach a consensus on the role they would like to see China play internationally. Many in the US foreign-policy establishment want to prevent or delay China's rise to economic and technological leadership. Yet it is too late for that. What would a containment strategy against a world-leading economy of 1.4 billion people even look like? It could not possibly succeed without inflicting serious damage on everyone else. That said, it is equally clear that the Western strategy of adaptation, accommodation, and economic opportunism an approach that has often bordered on naivete cannot continue. So, what is to be done? For starters, the West must shed its illusions about China both those based on strategic ingenuousness and those grounded in the power politics of a bygone era. The West will have to find a way to live with China as it actually is. That means finding a path between kowtowing and confrontation, with Western values and interests serving as the guide. For example, trade with China must continue, but under new conditions. China's ascendency is forcing Western countries to pursue their own industrial policies. Crafting them will require deciding which technologies to share and which direct investments from China to accept. The fundamental difference in values between the West and China will remain indefinitely, and it is here that the West must draw the line. Any concession that entails a sacrifice of fundamental principles, for example in cultural matters, must be rejected. If this values-based approach results in economic disadvantages, so be it. By the same token, the West should abandon the conceit that it can push, force, or cajole China to become a democracy wrought in its own image. The shared values between Western countries necessarily should limit the scope of geopolitical cooperation with China, as will China's expansionist behavior in its own neighborhood, especially in the South China Sea and regarding Taiwan. But on global issues such as climate change and pandemic prevention, cooperation will remain indispensable. At the end of the day, the Sino-Western confrontation is about fundamental values that must not be negotiated away. To preserve its own interests and peaceful coexistence in the twenty-first century, the West will have to acknowledge and defend the genuine sources of its staying power. Joschka Fischer, Germany's foreign minister and vice chancellor from 1998 to 2005, was a leader of the German Green Party for almost 20 years. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). KUWAIT, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Kuwait's finance minister told parliament on Sunday that the government will discuss proposed amendments to a long-debated debt law, including reducing the debt ceiling. The government has been seeking to pass a debt law with a debt ceiling of 20 billion dinars ($65.53 billion) but has faced opposition in parliament. ($1 = 0.3052 Kuwaiti dinars) (Reporting by Ahmed Hagagy; Writing by Yousef Saba) New Delhi: A boy (11), Mayank, died on the spot in a road accident after the car he was travelling in crashed into a road divider and flipped twice at Sector 22 in Dwarka, west Delhi, on Thursday night. Four of Mayanks family members -- parents, sister (2), and grandmother -- sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dwarka, said Anto Alphonse, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (Dwarka), Delhi Police. Mayanks family lives in an apartment at Pochanpur village in Dwarka. Mayanks father, Sujeet Kumar (35), owns another property in Pochanpur village that has been put on rent. The accident occurred at Sector 22 in Dwarka at around 9pm on Thursday while the family was returning from a relatives home. Kumar was driving the car and Mayank was seated next to him. Kumars wife, mother and daughter were in the back seat, said a Delhi Police official, who is investigating the case. Preliminary probe revealed that some distraction caused the car to veer towards its right and crash into the road divider. The vehicle flipped twice before landing on its side. Also read: Delhi likely to receive light to moderate rain today - IMD Mayanks neck got severed while the car was flipping. Either, the cars front left window was half open at the time of the accident, or the windows glass got shattered while the vehicle was flipping, said the official. Local residents came to the familys rescue and admitted them to a nearby private hospital. Mayank had died on the accident spot, he added. A case of causing death due to negligence and rash driving has been registered against Kumar at Dwarkas Sector 23 police station. Guest columnist Bill Cosgrove is the founder of Union Home Mortgage of Strongsville. A recognized industry thought leader, Bill has more than 30 years of industry experience and is a former president of the Mortgage Bankers Association and Ohio Mortgage Bankers Association. You could say that I am invested in the success of Northeast Ohio. I grew up here -- born, bred and raised in Bedford. I started my career when I found a knack for real estate at 21 years old. I was pulled, unwillingly at first, into the mortgage business a few years later, and eventually built a company in Strongsville. Today, Union Home Mortgage services the loans for more than 60,000 Americans -- a total of more than $10 billion of responsible lending to families carving out their own piece of the American Dream. At UHM, were serious about investments in young talent, to help them realize and achieve career goals. Thats why were announcing the expansion of our partnership with Baldwin Wallace University to launch the Union Home Mortgage Career Studio as part of the universitys Peer Career Advisor (PCA) program. Through that partnership, we will work with university leaders and students on mentoring programs, events and career counseling. The Career Studio will provide a space for BW students to integrate experiences outside of the classroom -- internships, on-campus jobs or community service -- with their classroom education. Its the kind of experience that can make a real difference. My parents worked hard -- my father in a warehouse and my mother often as a nanny or in light industrial roles. Growing up in a lower-middle-class household, I had a lot of support, but words like college or career werent brought up over dinner. I share my story because its not dissimilar to a lot of the young, talented people throughout our region. Northeast Ohio depends on their success. One of the largest pools of talent comes from higher education institutions, which is why partnerships like the one with Baldwin Wallace are so important. This program will provide real career trajectories powered by classroom instruction and meaningful, integrated, on-site experiences. At Union Home Mortgage, we want to be part of that story. Id like to think were already writing the first chapters. We recently announced an expansion of our headquarters in Strongsville, which will give us the opportunity to hire 450 additional partners in roles that run the gamut across technology, marketing, traditional mortgage banking roles and others. This summer, we had 85 paid interns gain experience in roles throughout our company. We look forward to rolling out additional programs to support students at the high school level, as well. We are determined to create a strong talent pipeline to ensure the success of our business -- and region -- for years to come. Its also important that education doesnt stop when careers start. The expansion I mentioned earlier will give us new, state-of-the-art training facilities to work with our partners nationwide. This year alone, weve completed 125 internal promotions. We are committed to providing opportunity for personal and individual career growth. The success of our community lies with our young people. Let us work to support them through opportunity, education and access to career opportunities. By investing in them, we are investing in the long-term success of Northeast Ohio. Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting todays topics are also welcome. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:54:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People visit the Sanlihe park of Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2020. The Chinese capital Beijing, also an ancient city with thousands of years of history, is entering a new era as a fresh city plan is unveiled. The country has approved a detailed plan for the core area of Beijing for the 2018-2035 period, stressing its functions of serving central administrative organs as well as the firm and orderly relief of its non-capital roles. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Beijing on Sunday unveiled a detailed plan for its core area for the 2018-2035 period, ushering in a new era for the city with a history of thousands of years. Based on the plan that was initiated in 2017, the focus of the core area, covering about 92.5 square kilometers, will be on China's political center and other functions. The goal of the plan is to build a core area with sound administrative environment, cultural appeal and ideal living conditions. It also stresses protecting the city's cultural and historical heritage. By 2035, the permanent population in the core area would be about 1.7 million, and the floor area of above-ground buildings will be around 119 million square meters, according to the plan. The permanent population in the core area is estimated to be about 1.55 million, while the floor area of the above-ground buildings will be around 110 million square meters by 2050. The central authorities approved the plan, emphasizing its functions of serving central administrative organs as well as firm and orderly relief of its non-capital roles. "The core area is where Beijing's functions as the nation's political, cultural and international exchange center are mostly located, and it's a key area for the preservation of historical sites," the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council said in an approval statement that was made public on Thursday. Enditem (CNN) Authorities have found 39 missing children in Georgia during a two-week effort to rescue endangered minors. The US Marshals Service Missing Child Unit led the search, dubbed "Operation Not Forgotten." It collaborated with the agency's Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and state and local agencies. The operation resulted in the rescue of 26 children and safe location of 13 others, US Marshals said in a news release on Thursday. "The US Marshals Service is fully committed to assisting federal, state, and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children, in addition to their primary fugitive apprehension mission," US Marshals Service Director Donald Washington said in a statement. "The message to missing children and their families is that we will never stop looking for you." During the operation, authorities arrested nine people, cleared 26 warrants and filed additional charges for alleged crimes related to sex trafficking, parental kidnapping, registered sex offender violations, drugs and weapons possession and custodial interference, US Marshals said. Some of the rescued children were believed to have been victims of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions. Others were missing and located at the request of law enforcement to make sure they weren't in danger. The children ranged in age from 3 to 17, Washington said at a news conference. The rescues were "the most at risk and challenging recovery cases in the area," he said. Every 40 seconds a child goes missing in the United States, accounting for 765,000 missing children a year, according to the FBI. Since US Marshals partnered with NCMEC in 2005, the agency has recovered more than 1,800 missing children. This story was first published on CNN.com, "US Marshals find 39 missing children in Georgia during 'Operation Not Forgotten'." The second this is all over, my wife and daughters and I will get out of New York and go to see all of our brilliant Irish friends and family, in my hometown of Newry, Co Down. Before all this, our first stop on returning home would be for an all-day breakfast with all the family, at my uncle's restaurant The Boulevard, in the heart of Newry. Due to the pandemic, they've had to close after almost three decades. My uncles, grandad and I renovated it in the late 1980s - I was a plasterer for 20-plus years before falling into acting. All of us not sitting down together in The Boulevard that first morning might prove emotional. On Saturday, we'd go with my brother's family, and my mom and dad, and spend the day walking around beautiful Carlingford, Co Louth, in and out of the souvenir shops, treating ourselves to lunch at Ruby Ellen's Tea Rooms. This allows us be together as a family again, and affords my girls time with their cousins. Saturday night, we'dmeet with my great childhood friends and their families for dinner and catch up, most likely in the restaurant in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry. My mom makes the best fry-up in the world, so that's what I'd have on Sunday morning. Then off we go on a fun family treasure-hunt hike through the Mournes, followed by a hearty dinner at Pat's Chippy in Newry, and a 99 at Timoneys, before heading back to NYC. Ciaran Byrne is an actor. His film, Insta-influencer thriller, 'Diery', is out now on VOD, iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and Vimeo More than 40 years ago, Journal photographer Richard Pipes and I met up around 5 a.m. for breakfast at an all-night restaurant on East Central. For two guys who got off work at 11 p.m., 5 in the morning was early. We were preparing to accompany Albuquerque police, agents of the now defunct Governors Organized Crime Prevention Commission and the FBI on a predawn raid that was the culmination of Operation Fiesta One an undercover second hand store operation where police and agents bought stolen property from thieves while cameras recorded the transactions. Albuquerque then, like now, had a crime problem, and Operation Fiesta One was one of the tools law enforcement used to combat it. The joint operation started out buying stolen eight-track tape players (Google it). It added Operation Gooseneck, dealing with stolen heavy equipment. Fiesta One morphed into Fiesta Two, and by the time that concluded in 1979, undercover officers were buying stolen tractors, gold bars, high-end cars and guns. Lots of guns. For years to come, bleary-eyed newspaper, radio and television reporters would cover similar local/federal roundups of thieves, drug dealers, gangbangers and others, depending on the type of crime problem local and federal law enforcement decided to target. Those first early morning operations were carried out with few hitches the biggest problem was the line at the jail booking desk in the basement under APD headquarters, where more than 100 defendants had to be processed. Press conferences after each roundup were lengthy. It seemed like every law enforcement agency in a five-state radius that might have helped in any way was effusively thanked. And they all thanked one another. Groundbreaking operation Operation Fiesta One was unique because it marked the first time Albuquerque police and the FBI worked together in an extended undercover operation, financed by a federal agency the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. Until that operation, the FBI did its thing and so did APD. It was Sam Papich, executive director of the governors crime commission, who helped bring the partnership together. After years as the FBI liaison to the CIA trying to smooth over infighting in Washington between the FBI and CIA on intelligence matters, Papich had become a guru for interagency cooperation. When he retired from the FBI, he moved to New Mexico to run the Crime Prevention Commission, rolled out during the administration of then-Gov. Bruce King, and found fertile ground for his we need to work together mantra. Since Operation Fiesta One, there have been so many joint operations among federal, state and local agencies over the decades that I have lost count and cant remember the names of them all. The FBI; Drug Enforce- ment Administration; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Homeland Security Investigations have all run and continue to run joint operations with local law enforcement throughout the state. Some of these joint operations targeted specific drug trafficking operations Los Padillas gang in Albuquerques South Valley; a family of drug runners in Deming; heroin dealers in Albuquerque who delivered drugs like pizza delivery drivers; human trafficking out of an East Central motel; a subset of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang and the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (SNM) prison gang. Some programs were directed from the Department of Justice through the U.S. Attorneys Office like Operation HOPE and the Worst of the Worst during the administration of President Barack Obama. Others were initiated by local law enforcement agencies. Some were more successful than others, and some have lasted years. The SNM task force led by the FBI has solved nine murders, several of them cold cases, with two more homicide cases pending, and sent dozens of Syndicato gang members to long stays in federal prison. In that task force, FBI agents worked with the state Department of Corrections, New Mexico State Police and other local law enforcement agencies to arrest gang leaders and members in and outside of prison. It started in 2015 during the Obama administration and is still going during President Donald Trumps administration. The Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force led by the FBI includes APD, the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office and Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office. The Safe Trails Task Force is led out of the FBI offices in Gallup and Farmington in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Navajo Nation police department. There is task force led by the FBI on missing Indigenous persons under Operation Lady Justice. The U.S. Attorneys Office coordinates Project Guardian to prosecute felons in possession of firearms, Project Safe Childhood to protect children from internet crimes and Project Safe Neighborhoods. In a recent interview, Jim Langenberg, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque office, echoed Papichs words while discussing the now controversial Operation Legend. He talked about the importance of agencies sharing intelligence, bringing different resources to bear on specific crime problems and how each agency, including the FBI, becomes a cog in the wheel. Politics vs. reality I have been wondering what Papich would think about the latest flap over Operation Legend, a surge program in which federal agents are moved into an area for a specific purpose in this case to combat violent crime by getting armed criminals off the street. I am fairly sure Papich would have rolled his one good eye and muttered politics. The initial political rhetoric surrounding Operation Legend from President Trumps blaming Democratic mayors for crime problems to the knee-jerk reaction that federal agents were coming to suppress Black Lives Matter demonstrations doesnt match the reality. U.S. Attorney for New Mexico John Anderson said one criticism of federal law enforcement programs is that the feds come in and then the feds leave, and the neighborhoods are just the same. Our goal is to support a sustained reduction in violent crime, Anderson said. And the big initial splash from Operation Legend put some noses out of joint. An FBI agent filed an affidavit linking Luis Talamantes, a Mexican national in the U.S. illegally, to the 2019 murder of Jacque Vigil, who was shot in the driveway of her West Side home as she was leaving early in the morning to go to the gym. The affidavit was filed in support of a motion to increase Talamantes federal prison sentence from five to 20 years for felony illegal entry into the United States. He had previously been deported three times. The agent filing the affidavit is the coordinator of the FBIs Violent Crime Task Force, which directs agents brought into Albuquerque as part of Operation Legend. But the Violent Crimes Task Force has been operating for several years and consists of agents from the FBI, DEA, APD, the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, New Mexico State Police, New Mexico Corrections Department, U.S. Probation Office and the Santa Fe Adult Correctional Facility. The legal move to keep Talamantes locked up in federal custody is not much different than how the U.S. Attorneys Office helped APD and the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office after the 2015 murder of APD officer Daniel Webster on East Central. Davon Lymon, the suspect in Websters murder, initially was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office under the Worst of the Worst program for being a felon in possession of a firearm and other charges. Lymon was convicted in federal court and sentenced to 38 years in federal prison. The federal case gave APD and state prosecutors time to prepare their murder case against Lymon as they faced new court-mandated rules and timetables applicable only in Bernalillo County for turning evidence over to defense attorneys. The strategy worked. Lymon ultimately was convicted of Websters murder after a lengthy trial and sentenced to life in state prison after he serves his time in federal prison. Whether its Worst of the Worst or Operation Legend, the short-term measure of success is measured in the number of arrests, guns seized and drugs confiscated. But Langenberg said the long-term measure is more ambitious to show a reduction of violent crime in the Albuquerque area. The bottom line, he said, is to make the community safer together. UpFront is a regular Journal news and opinion column. Journal investigative reporter Mike Gallagher has covered crime in New Mexico since 1976 as a television and newspaper reporter. The United States is known for its diversity and its citizens are known for having many different levels of education and professions. However, every once in a while a company will not get any qualified applicants for a certain position. When this happens, a company may look for talent outside of the country. The first thing a company must do when they want to look outside the country for employees is to go through a labor certification process in which they will prove that there are no American citizens who are qualified for the job.The labor certification process goes through the Department of Labor. The Department uses the Program Electronic Review System which has actually streamlined the process and made it faster and simpler. A company must document all recruitment steps. A company should have a thorough and quantifiable process for selecting employees in order for the certification to go smoothly. If you are attempting to hire a foreign worker, it is helpful to know the steps that you will have to go through during the labor certification process. 1. Employer Prepares a Job Description You must describe the job and its qualifications at this stage. You should take your time with this and go into great detail. 2. The DOL Gives the Employer Wage Determination This is the only stage where the DOL will be directly involved before you turn your paperwork in. This process can take several months. You will need to use the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (Flag) to make the initial request. You should know that it is a relatively new system, and you may experience some delays. It is always in your best interest to wait for the DOL to make a wage determination before you go on to step three, but it is not required. 3. Start Looking for Someone to Fill the Position Once you start the recruiting process, you will have up to 180 days to file your paperwork. You must then go through a cooling-off period where you wait 30 days before you file your LC. You may not recruit for the position during the cooling-off period. 4. File Your Forms The fourth step is to file the LC with the Department of Labor. The DOL's processing times are listed on the agency's website. They do process the forms in order of their receipt. The review can take up to six months. 5. The DOL's Decision If the DOL approves of your Labor Certification, you can continue the Green Card application. If they deny the LC, you will have 30 days to appeal the decision. They may audit the LC. If they do this, you will have 30 days to respond to the audit. This can make the already lengthy process even longer. Finding an Immigration Attorney Immigration law is one of the most complex specialties an attorney can have and it takes many years of experience to fully understand a work visa or green card process. The immigration lawyer you select should have a proven track record and a stellar reputation with the state bar. A successful Labor Certification can not only get you the employee that you want, it can set a person on the path to becoming an American citizen. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. JEWEL SAMAD / Getty Images A 4-year-old girl was found floating on a unicorn floaty nearly a mile off the coast of Greece on Monday, according to local reports. The child's parents had lost track of her for a second when she drifted off into the sea. The crew of a passing ferry rescued the toddler, pulling her aboard. Video of the rescue captured by passenger Petros Kritsonis went viral shortly after the event was posted to Facebook. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. A 4-year-old toddler found herself floating nearly a mile off the coast of Greece on Monday, accompanied only by her unicorn floaty. The child had been pulled out to sea by a current when her parents looked away for only a second. Luckily, a crew of a passing ferry approximately 1600 feet off the Gulf of Corinth spotted the child and her inflatable companion as they drifted further and further away from the shore, reported the Greek City Times. Captain Grigoris Karnesis pulled carefully the child aboard as onlookers watched on in awe. "The little one was not cool, she was frozen from her fear, because the current was very strong," Karnesis told the Greek City Times. "I put the ship in such a position so as not to affect the small buoy, I placed it in such a way that the ship was not affected by ripples, because if the buoy sank we would have serious problems. We approached it slowly and we were able to rescue the child." The rescue was captured on video by passenger Petros Kritsonis and went viral soon after he posted it to Facebook. The toddler was reunited with her parents shortly after being rescued. Related: 6 tips that could save your life if you get lost in the wilderness Read More: A 15-month-old toddler died after she was bitten by a family dog in an 'unprovoked attack,' police say What it's like to travel the world in a tiny motor home with a toddler This one-wheeled stroller is a fun ride for kids Read the original article on Insider As Egypt works to revive its tourism sector amid the coronavirus crisis, the government is promoting Egyptian antiquities abroad with an archaeological exhibition called Kings of the Sun in Prague, Czech Republic. The exhibition, which will run from Aug. 30 until Feb. 7, 2021, will display 90 artifacts unearthed by the Czech archaeological mission working on the site of Abu Sir in Giza governorate. Chief among these treasures is the head of a statue of King Ra-Nefer-F. The Czech archaeological mission has made many discoveries in Egypt since it began work in 2012, especially in the Abu Sir area, where it uncovered an enormous tomb in 2018 and the remains of a temple of King Ramses II of the New Kingdom in October 2017. In May 2020, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri discussed with Czech Ambassador to Egypt Jan Folik the possibility of holding an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities at the National Museum in Prague. In June 2020, Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Badr Abdel Ati met with the Czech deputy foreign minister for non-European affairs to discuss strengthening cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of tourism. They agreed that the Prague exhibition will greatly benefit the relations between Egypt and the Czech Republic. Kings of the Sun was scheduled to run from June 2020 to October 2020, but the exhibition was postponed amid the suspension of flights and the inability to transfer artifacts from Egypt to the Czech Republic. The website of the Czech Republic's National Museum announced that with the help of audio-visual materials, the Kings of the Sun exhibition will display the history of the archaeological area of Abu Sir, where a royal burial ground with three pyramids was built during the Fifth Dynasty. Kings of the Sun will also include artifacts from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and the Grand Egyptian Museum, alongside those unearthed by the Czech mission in Abu Sir. According to the museum, the exhibit includes "treasures from the 3rd to the 1st millennium BC, such as the unique royal statue of King Raneferef, one of the four pharaohs buried in Abusir, [and] an extensive collection of statues from the tombs of Princess Sheretnebty and the scribe Nefer. The news of their discovery travelled the world in 2012." The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities exhibited sunken antiquities in Sunken Cities: The Enchanting World of Egypt in a number of countries abroad in 2015. The exhibition kicked off in 2015 in France. In May 2016, the exhibition moved to the British Museum in England. In February 2017, the Egypts Sunken Mysteries exhibition opened in Switzerland. In March 2018, the journey of Egypts Sunken Mysteries exhibition toured the United States before settling in the US state of Virginia in July 2020. Waziri told Al-Monitor, The Kings of the Sun exhibition to be held in the Czech Republic will bring economic returns to Egypt and will attract tourism. He said, The Czechs are keen to take advantage of the value and greatness of Egyptian antiquities to stimulate visits to museums in the Czech Republic, adding that the Ministry of Antiquities is working on a number of agreements with other countries to host similar exhibitions. Raafat el-Nabarawy, a professor of Islamic archeology and former dean of the Faculty of Archeology at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor, The coronavirus pandemic crisis has negatively affected tourism in Egypt and the rest of the world, and so the state is relying on archaeological exhibitions abroad to stimulate tourism. Nabrawi said, Cooperation with the Czechs in the field of antiquities will encourage European countries to contribute to the excavation of antiquities in Egypt and help us unearth them. Thousands of people turned out to a rally in Berlin opposing the German government's coronavirus measures the day after a ban on the protest was overturned in court. Police said they more than 3,000 officers would be on duty in the capital on Saturday as an estimated 18,000-strong group of virus sceptics gathered by the Brandenburg Gate. Some protesters wore T-shirts and waved flags and banners marked with the emblem of the QAnon conspiracy theory, while others carried the flag of the German empire before the end of the First World War. Signs depicting Angela Merkel as a prisoner and branding her "Schuldig", or guilty, were also popular with protesters. Signs of the same design were also mocked up for Olaf Scholz, the vice chancellor, Christian Drosten, a virus expert who has informed the government's pandemic response, Karl Lauterbach, a leading epidemiologist and politician, and even Bill Gates, who has been the subject of conspiracy theories partly on account of his large donations to vaccine research. Local reports said officials put an end to the protest at around midday as participants were ignoring social distancing regulations despite repeated requests to comply. Demonstrators hold signs depicting various government figures and virus experts as prisoners (Reuters) Police announced that the demonstration was to be dissolved over loudspeaker after trying "repeatedly in vain" to enforce distancing, Berliner Zeitung reported. The demonstration had initially been banned by police but was permitted after a court battle came down on the side of organisers. Berlin's mayor Michael Muller defended the ban, citing concerns that protesters did not plan to observe social distancing rules and would undoubtedly spread the virus at a time when cases have already been rising. The demonstrators go back, they take the local public transport home, they go to work, they go to their family. And everywhere in these contacts they endanger others again," said Mr Muller. Coronavirus cases have risen in Germany throughout August, reaching daily infection rates not seen since April and leading the government to halt the lifting of restrictions. Andreas Geisel, Germany's interior minister, faced calls to resign from the far-right AfD party after he expressed his support for the ban, which the party's Berlin chair said was an attempt to suppress freedom of expression. After the ban was lifted Mr Geisel said: "The decision of [the court] has not changed anything about the pandemic situation. I therefore expect the people who demonstrate in Berlin to do everything to protect against infection." Mr Geisel also expressed concern over the involvement of the far-right in the rally: "I am still very concerned about the Europe-wide mobilisation among right-wing extremists, which took place in advance, regardless of the discussion on the ban. I appeal to everyone to gather in Berlin without violence." Gorakhpur, Aug 30 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday held meetings with elected representatives from Gorakhpur to resolve their differences. The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to the MP and MLAs from his home district, heard out their grievances and assured them that he would ensure speedy development of the area. The Chief Minister asked all the elected representatives to maintain discipline and not sully the image of Gorakhpur by making unnecessary statements. It may be recalled that legislators from Gorakhpur had recently been involved in a letter war over the transfer of a government employee, causing considerable embarrassment to the state government. The state BJP had even served a show-cause notice to Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, a four-term MLA from the Gorakhpur seat, for anti-party activities on social media platforms. The notice was served by state BJP vice-president J.P.S. Rathore on the directions of state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh. Agarwal had taken to social media to raise the issue of a road, which he claimed was causing flooding in some of the residential colonies in his constituency. An audio clip in which he is conversing with a party leader and is heard taking barbs at the "Thakur sarkar" had also gone viral on social media. The MLA has been given a week's time to respond to the notice. Gorakhpur MP and actor Ravi Kishan had queered the pitch by asking Agarwal to resign if he was upset at being a legislator. Referring to a tweet by Agarwal in which he said he was angry with himself for being a legislator because he could not tolerate the control of corrupt bureaucrats on honest legislators, Ravi Kishan had said "If you are so troubled with the ideology and policies of the party, you should quit." Talking to reporters after the meeting on Sunday, Agarwal said that the meeting with the chief minister was 'positive'. "He spoke to us at length, heard our problems and assured that he will look into them," he said. BJP MP Ravi Kishan told reporters, "The Chief Minister discussed developmental projects with us and also asked us to maintain the dignity and image of Gorakhpur." The Action Democratic Party has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order an investigation into the allegation that international terrorist ... The Action Democratic Party has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order an investigation into the allegation that international terrorist organisations, ISIS and Islamic States West Africa Province, are building camps in the Southern parts of the country. The National Publicity Secretary of ADP, Prince Adelaja Adeoye, made this known in a press statement on Sunday. ADP recalled an allegation by some prominent cultural leaders that over 500 power motorbikes, were sighted in the thick forest, around the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State. It noted that this area is a connector to many international borders, which could have made it possible for the terrorists to invade the country. President must take urgent steps in deploying military and other security forces to the areas where these terrorists are, in order to secure the lives and property of Nigerians. As a party, with concern for the security of Nigerian citizens, we immediately call on the President to do the needful, and not watch, until the situation becomes ugly. Advance technology such as GPS mapping and other territorial scanning system, can be deployed to aid investigation, to know which points exactly these terror groups are building their camps. It is even less expensive to take out and push the group back at this time, especially now that they are just forming, and not wait until they begin to unleash terror on the people, just as Boko Haram is doing in the North East. Turkey marked the 98th anniversary of its War of Independence battle against Greek forces Sunday as the threat of a new conflict with Athens looms in the eastern Mediterranean. "Turkey's struggle for independence and future continues today as well," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a message to commemorate Victory Day. "We don't run away from a fight and we won't shy away from having martyrs and veterans in this struggle," he warned. In recent weeks, Turkish and Greek forces have engaged in a series of cat-and-mouse military exercises in the seas between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. The confrontation was sparked when Turkey sent a research vessel accompanied by warships to search for gas and oil reserves. EU member Greece claims the waters are part of its continental shelf and has enlisted the support of the 27-nation bloc, which has condemned Turkey's "illegal activities" and warned of potential sanctions against Ankara. Turkey says Greece and others are denying its rights to explore for energy resources in the Mediterranean. Greece and Cyprus have recently been joined by France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates in carrying out naval and aerial war games in the region. Earlier this week, Athens announced plans to extend its maritime border with Italy to 12 nautical miles. 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While Avatar Aang was an Air Nomad frequently choosing pacifism over combat and meditative ponderance over swift action, Korra is decisive and headstrong. Korra is willing to head into battle for a just cause, and she possesses a bit of a rebellious streak, making for a different type of show when compared to its predecessor. The Legend of Korra pays homage to The Last Airbender without mimicking its vibe. Actor John Michael Higgins attends The Legend of Korra signing | Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Nickelodeon If several of the voice actors in The Legend of Korra sound familiar, its because Nickelodeon managed to snag some pretty big names to voice characters in the show. While the actor behind Korra Janet Varney starred in Youre the Worst and Stan Against Evil, some of her animated co-stars boast a little more name recognition. 1. J.K. Simmons voices Tenzin in The Legend of Korra Avatar Aangs son, Tenzin is one of the last Airbenders in existence, and he makes it his mission to carry on his fathers legacy. He serves as a mentor to Korra, as well as her advocate; he guides her toward her destiny, albeit sometimes without success. RELATED: Why You May Recognize the Voice Behind Korra in The Legend of Korra Simmons voices the main character. Simmons is an Oscar-winning actor known for starring in Whiplash, Juno, the Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man franchise, Robot Chicken, The Closer, The Words, and he recently played a criminal behind bars in Defending Jacob. 2. John Michael Higgins is behind Varrick As for the big industrialist, technological wiz behind movers, John Michael Higgins stepped in to take on the funny man. Considering Higgins is a comedian known for his humorous cinematic turns, his role as Varrick in The Legend of Korra was a perfect fit. Higgins has since starred in the Pitch Perfect franchise, yet he is also known for his roles in Psych, The Suite Life on Deck, Bad Teacher, We Bought a Zoo, Big Miracle, and more. The actor remains a prominent face in Hollywood, as he is set to appear in the Saved by the Bell reboot currently in post-production. 3. Mindy Sterling voices Police Chief Lin Beifong Though Mindy Sterling has appeared in many a comedic role, she plays the serious and somber Police Chief Lin Beifong in The Legend of Korra. Her character approaches every challenge with confidence and sternness; no threat should be underestimated and no challenge should be neglected. Sterling is known for her roles in iCarly, A.N.T. Farm, and Chowder. She also had a recurring role in the Austin Powers franchise as Frau Farbissina. 4. Daniel Dae Kim is Hiroshi Sato Daniel Dae Kim voices the founder of Future Industries in The Legend of Korra. While he initially seems like a Bender advocate, his true colors reveal themselves as the show progresses. He is well known for designing the satomobile (a car). Daniel Day Kim has also starred in Hawaii Five-O, Lost, The Good Doctor, Hellboy, New Amsterdam, and more. When it came to surrounding the protagonist in The Legend of Korra with other accomplished actors, Nickelodeon picked a few stellar performers to take on the job. DENMARK Author Pauline Brown, a decade-long resident of Denmark and longtime South Carolinian, was recognized formally by the State of South Carolina in Columbia last year and is still active as a senior citizen author. State Reps. Lonnie Hosey and Jerry Govan Jr., and former Rep. Wilbur Cave, were among those recognizing her. Recently, she noted that nothing compares to the current state of the world with the pandemic: I have lived for many years, but I never thought I would see the world like this. We need to get closer together and pray and be there for each other in times like these, she said, adding that she has figured out a way to minister to others through this crisis. I am sending letters and poems out to many people upon request for encouragement during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. A nationally and internationally awarded poet, Brown was recognized by Congressman Joe Wilson on the U.S. House floor in Washington in 2018 and received a copy of where she was noted in the Congressional Record, as well as a letter from Wilson congratulating her. Brown said, I was recognized for my book, A Touch of Heaven If Only You Believe. Rep. Wilson stood before the floor and recognized me as a poet from S.C. I was the only one he recognized. He also discussed love letters I wrote to my late husband during the Vietnam War. I wrote eight-page love letters seven days a week and drew two pages of cartoons to my husband each day during the Vietnam War, she said. Brown said she has also sent letters to prisoners as a form of ministry. She said she received an award from a correctional facility for her volunteer service. She has lived during several wars, including the Vietnam and the war in Iraq. The U.S. military flew the American flag in my honor over Iraq, Brown said. They recognized me for the work I had done. I wrote many soldiers overseas and sent them poems and books. According to her Facebook page, Brown has also been recognized by former President Bill Clinton. She has been writing and publishing books of poetry and other books since she was 19 years old. She also publishes poems from time to time in a weekly newspaper. She received the Shakespeare Trophy of Excellence and 2003 Poet of the Year Medallion and has also been named a Poet of Merit by the International Society of Poets. Numerous national and international awards have been received by her as shown on her Facebook page. She has received many awards from military organizations because of her support of them as well. Brown was born in Aiken County and raised in Barnwell County. She eventually moved to Denmark, where she lived at least a decade, and recently moved to Williston. Brown has given permission to print her postal address at a box she maintains in Barnwell so that individuals may write her there and so she may send letters and copies of her poems to those who write her. Her address is: P.O. Box 206; Barnwell, S.C. 29812. For additional information, see her Facebook page at For Ladle & Leaf and other small businesses in San Franciscos nearly empty downtown, prospects of staying alive just keep getting dimmer and dimmer. First came the COVID shutdown, then the surge, and now the towns biggest private employers are saying that even when they reopen, workers may continue working from home for another year. That means downtown is likely to remain empty. All of our neighbors are shuttered. Its devastating, said Steve Sarver, who, along with business partner Jennifer Sarver, started Ladle & Leaf 21 years ago. The light at the end of the tunnel just keeps getting pushed further and further back, he said. The partners had eight Ladle & Leaf soup-and-salad restaurants in the Financial District before the March 14 shelter-in-place order emptied downtown of tech and office workers. They employed 100 workers. Today only one restaurant remains open, with two workers behind the counter. We tried opening our other locations, but we couldnt maintain sales to cover the costs, Jennifer Sarver said. Its much the same story in storefront after storefront. Look at the numbers. Credit card transactions are down 80% in the Financial District compared with this time last year, according to a recent analysis by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and Mastercard. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle Before the pandemic, on average about 98,000 BART riders got off at the Embarcadero and Montgomery stations each weekday. Today, the workday rider-exits average is about 6,000. Weve seen the estimated daily high-rise occupancy rate of people working in the downtown drop by 90% since March, said San Francisco Building Owners and Managers Association Executive Vice President Marc Intermaggio. Downtown has become a ghost town. The homeless tents that began setting up at the base of the empty Facebook office on Main Street in April now stretch for almost the entire block. And without the crowds of workers to help camouflage their presence, the mentally ill stand out more than ever as they huddle in doorways or wander up and down the sidewalks talking to themselves. Our Financial District and SoMa neighborhoods have been hollowed out, Chamber of Commerce President Rodney Fong said. Those streets and storefronts are shadows of their former selves. Initially, the hope was that big employers like Salesforce would start bringing back workers in June. Then the COVID-19 numbers surged and the city hit the brakes on offices reopening. Then we thought things would start to reopen around Aug. 1, then Labor Day, then the end of the year, now many are talking about summer 2021, and some are talking even later, Intermaggio said. Salesforce, the citys largest private employer, has extended the work-from-home option for their 9,000-plus San Francisco employees until at least August 2021. Or maybe even later. Currently, we dont have a timeline available for when well begin returning to our San Francisco offices, a Salesforce representative said in an email. Its a message being repeated across the city. Twitter, Facebook, Google, Square and Uber have told their workers they can stay at home well into next 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. Even when the major employers return to their offices, chances are the employees will work on staggered work schedules, alternating between working at home and working in the office. The fact of the matter is, the extended workplace is here to stay, Intermaggio said. We have stumbled into this grand experiment like it or not. The grand experiment may work for the big companies, but it means less foot traffic and fewer customers for Ladle & Leaf and other small businesses. Still, everyone expects the downtown workers will eventually return, if for no other reason than human nature demands contact. People want to be with each other and work with each other, Intermaggio said. But while he is optimistic about the long-term survival of downtown, hes also concerned about the accumulated damage from being empty for so long. I am deeply troubled by the current condition of the economy and by the condition of the mentally ill and homeless that have taken over the streets, Intermaggio said. If we dont get the streets cleaned up and build up trust in the public transportation system, its going to take us even longer to dig out of an even deeper hole. We need people back downtown to support the Steve Sarvers of our town, he said. When they do come back, Ladle & Leaf intends to be there. We are entrepreneurs, Sarver said. We have been doing this for 21 years, and we will figure out how to make it work. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGO-TV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier Correction: An earlier version of this article gave an incorrect description of the Facebook office on Main Street in San Francisco. India pulls out of Russia war came over China participation. (PTI Photo) New Delhi: India has withdrawn from multi-nation military exercise "Kavkaz 2020" in Russia next month as China was one of the participating countries. India did not want to participate in a military exercise with China at a time when armies from the two countries are involved in a stand-off in Eastern Ladakh from last three months. Pakistan is also participating in the Kavkaz 2020 military exercise. Some 20 countries are participating in this exercise including Iran and Turkey. The exercise Kavkaz is being held in Astrakhan region of Southern Russia from 15-27 September 2020. The military exercise is part of a four year exercise cycle of the Russian army and the name is based on the region where these exercises are held. Kavkaz was last held in 2012 and 2016. As per the earlier plan India's participation in the exercise was to be a company level strength (180 troops from an infantry battalion plus elements of other arms) along with elements of IAF and observers from the Indian Navy. Some 13,000 troops will participate in the exercise. China is likely to participate with substantial numbers of naval surface combatants. The aim of the exercise is to provide real-time training to counter international terrorism in the Northern and Caucasus region. The current exercise setting will involve both offensive and defensive operations against international terror organisations. Meanwhile, defence ministry in a statement said that Russia and India are close and privileged strategic partners. At Russia's invitation India has been participating in many international events. "However, in view of Pandemic and consequent difficulties in exercise, including arrangements of logistics, India has decided not to send contingent this year to Kavkaz-2020. The same has been informed to the Russian side," said defence ministry. The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday said that it would soon lodge a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers with photographic evidence of a trans-border tunnel. On Saturday, the BSF detected the trans-border tunnel originating in Pakistan and entering India through Jammu and Kashmirs Samba sector. The BSF will soon lodge a formal protest with Pakistan Rangers with pictorial evidence along with a written note, said BSF Jammu Frontier Inspector General, NS Jamwal. He said that the trans-border tunnel that originated in Pakistan was being dug from about 500 yards of the Rangers Afzal post. It would not have been possible for the rogue elements to dig the tunnel without their (Rangers) knowledge, approval and guidance, said Jamwal However, Pakistan Rangers remain in denial mode to any such activity whenever detected and conveyed to them, he added. The BSF IG also informed that there were no tell-tale signs, which could suggest successful infiltration. The markings on sand bags to reinforce the mouth of the tunnel had recent dates of August 18 and 20. So, it was a fresh activity, which has been detected well in time. Around 10 plastic sandbags, which had Karachi and Shakargarh written on them have been recovered from the opening of the tunnel. The bags have a manufacturing and expiry date printed on them. The tunnels opening was around 170 meters from the international border. It opened into a farmers field. In September last year, the BSF had launched a massive operation along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan to detect underground cross-border tunnels The BSF also uses ground penetrating radars to detect tunnels. In the past, infiltrators have attempted digging underground tunnels in Hiranagar, Samba, RS Pura, Pallanwala and Munawar Tawi. A soon-to-be eminent Tory is trying to scare the living daylights out of the good people of Odell, a village in North Bedfordshire. This ancient settlement used to be dominated by the Alston family, of Odell Castle, one of whom, Sir Rowland, according to a Victorian myth, sold his soul to the devil. One version of the story has Sir Rowland scuttling out of the manor house and leaping on to the devil's black stallion, hoping to get away which did him no good, because the Prince of Darkness can outrun any horse. This scary tale was posted on the net at the weekend with a warning that his ghost may yet "come back to terrify the good folk of Odell and once again bring hell to earth". The author of this warning is Rupert Matthews, an expert on the paranormal, who once ran a course at the International Metaphysical University of West Virginia, about ghosts, UFOs, aliens, the Loch Ness monster and other occurrences. He is also an active Conservative, praised by the Chief Whip, Patrick McLoughlin, as "an experienced and long-standing campaigner" and by the Tory MEP Daniel Hannan as "an energetic patriot". The voters of the East Midlands may not know it, but they have chosen this ghoul hunter as their next MEP. The incumbent, Roger Helmer, is quitting on 31 December. Mr Matthews, who was the closest Tory runner-up in the 2009 Euro election, will be automatically shoehorned into his seat. If there are phantoms in the corridors of the Brussels bureaucracy, we shall soon hear about them. * That old rocker Pete Townshend has given an interview to Mojo magazine in which he explains the grim lyrics he wrote for The Who's 1973 album, Quadrophenia. It was the fault of the Prime Minister of the day, Edward Heath. "We had the three-day week going on while we were recording it," Townshend said. "And Edward Heath out on his sailing boat, winning races, living in a beautiful house in Salisbury not getting what was going on with the working classes, no sense of connection at all. I think essentially he was a very good man, Ted Heath but I remember the frustration, going, 'Fuck, we're paying 98 per cent tax', and not being allowed to record." But you were paying 98 per cent tax because you were in a rock star's income bracket, Pete, which didn't relate much to "what was going on with the working classes" either. Yet it's good to know the old guitarist is still feisty, 46 years after penning the lyrics of "My Generation" with that famous line: "Hope I die before I get old." * When Richard Desmond bought the Daily Express 10 years ago, the managing director of Associated Newspapers, which owns the Daily Mail, negotiated a truce under which the Mail would not to call Desmond a "pornographer" in return for the Express not mentioning that the Mail's proprietor, Lord Rothermere, had an illegitimate son. That truce is looking ragged. Giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, the Mail's editor, Paul Dacre, described Desmond as "a businessman who'd made his money from porn" and implied he was not fit to own a newspaper or TV channel. Interviewed in The Guardian yesterday, Desmond described Dacre as a "miserable fat git", while the Daily Mail's diarist, Peter McKay, laid a series of charges against Desmond "the porn tycoon". This could run and run. * Mystery surrounds the person who arranged that Lynton Crosby, the Australian whiz kid who is running Boris Johnson's re-election campaign for London Mayor, should have a pass that allowed him to roam freely around City Hall. Originally, the press were told that an "admin officer" had "mistakenly" requested a pass. Then, after an FOI request from the blogger Adam Bienkow, an email emerged which said that "the Mayor would like Lynton Crosby to be issued with a security pass". But a statement from City Hall yesterday said it was Boris's former chief of staff, Sir Simon Milton, who made the request and "the Mayor himself was never involved". One thing is sure: Sir Simon won't mind having the finger pointed at him. He died young, from leukaemia, last April. Saudi Arabia does not intend to follow the decision recently taken by the United Arab Emirates. Respect for "international agreements" and the two-state solution are a "precondition" for official diplomatic relations with Israel. New pressure on Riyadh from the White House. Riyadh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Riyadh does not intend to follow the decision taken by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and establish official diplomatic relations with Israel, if this step does not provide for the signing of a peace plan with the Palestinians. This is what Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan underlined yesterday, during a visit to Berlin in which he reiterated that peace based on "international agreements" is a "pre-condition" to any agreement, despite pressure from US President Donald Trump. The head of Saudi diplomacy excluded the possibility of following Abu Dhabi, echoing the appeals of the Palestinians, who took to the streets yesterday in the West Bank to protest against the agreement between the Emirates and Israel. Responding to reporters, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that "first peace with the Palestinians must be achieved" on the basis of international treaties as a condition for any possible "normalization" of relations with Israel. "Once that is achieved all things are possible," he said. Up to now there have been no official positions taken by the most important economy in the Arab world, however various diplomatic sources and experts have pointed out that a similar step by Riyadh in the short term is "unlikely". Also yesterday, Prince Faisal reiterated criticism of Israel's "unilateral policies" on annexation and branded the continued construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank as "illegitimate" and "harmful" to the two-state solution. Riyadh maintains that the path undertaken in 2002 and aimed at normalizing relations with Israel remains valid. The establishment of real diplomatic relations, however, can only go through an all-encompassing peace plan, which protects the interests of the Palestinian people. Yesterday, US President Donald Trump also returned to the subject, stating that he also expects Saudi Arabia to follow the example of the Emirates, signing the agreement and strengthening new relations and alliances in the Arab world and the Middle East, in an anti - Iranian. The current occupant of the White House believes that the agreement between Israel and Abu Dhabi is a good agreement and "countries that you wouldnt even believe want to come into that deal". In addition to Saudi Arabia, however, he did not want to specify other possible names. The government would send to the Centre soon the report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted for preparation of modalities for granting of ST status to the six ethnic communities of the state, said Chief Minister He also said that the proposed Autonomous Council for the Moran community would start functioning shortly. The chief minister said this in a meeting with a delegation of various organisations of the Moran Community in Guwahati on Saturday. The six communities are Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran and Tea Tribes. Sonowal said the state government is making sincere efforts to solve the issues affecting the Moran community and the GoM constituted by the state government for preparation of modalities for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the six communities had initiated consultations with all stakeholders and would soon submit its report, which would then be sent to the Union government. The chief minister said that the state government is making all out efforts to ensure granting of ST status to the six communities without affecting the rights and privileges of the existing He also said that the proposed Autonomous Council for the community would start functioning shortly. Sonowal said the history of the Moran community as announced earlier by the state government would be published soon and expressed hope that the book would present a detailed picture of the rich heritage, culture and contribution of the community to the growth of Assamese society. He also said that various steps have been taken by the state government for the holistic development of the community. The representatives of the Moran community submitted a memorandum to the chief minister in the meeting highlighting their various demands. A delegation of Baghjan Milanjyoti Sangha also submitted a memorandum to the chief minister in the meeting demanding early release of compensation to the affected families of Baghjan gas oil fire incident and capping of the damaged gas well. The chief minister assured the delegation to discuss the issues with Oil India Limited (OIL) authorities for an early solution. Representatives of the All Bengali Yuva Chatra Federation and All Gorkha Students Union also met the chief minister and submitted memorandums highlighting various demands of the organisations. (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.) Thirty-nine of the city's top restaurants will be taking part in the 14th annual Restaurant Week, offering special prix-fixe menus for brunch, lunch and dinner, with proceeds from sales benefiting the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. The special menus will be available at participating restaurants Sept. 4-13. The money raised through this event will be used to match a $25,000 grant to the food bank from the George Kaiser Family Foundation. Brunch menus will feature two to three courses and are $22 per person, with $3 going to the food bank. Lunch menus are priced at $15 and include a $2 donation. Dinner menus can range from two to four courses and are priced at $20 to $45, with the donations to the food bank ranging between $3 and $7. Select restaurants will have a craft cocktail as part of their Restaurant Week menu, with the price set by the restaurant. The purchase of a cocktail will result in a $1 donation to the food bank. This year, several participating restaurants will be offering special take-home meals designed to feed a family of four for those who may not be comfortable in a restaurant setting. These meals are all priced at $50, with $8 going to the food bank. One of the biggest casualties of The Bat Kiss has been mens fashion. Research from Roy Morgan suggests that almost a third of all working Australians have been working from home since the start of the pandemic. With no need to scrub up for the office, many men have taken advantage of the situation to dress down in a big way: more baggy jeans and less snappy blazers. Indeed, with so many fashion brands going under and no vaccine in sight (just yet), were worried that the humble suit will be yet another victim of 2020. Whats going to happen to Australian suit culture if work from home continues indefinitely? DMARGE had the chance to speak exclusively with some top Australian tailors and pick their brains about where the future of suiting lies. There has been a lot of talk over the years of the suit being dead and heralding the smart casual or casual office look, Miles Wharton, Aussie style authority and founder of The Bespoke Corner told DMARGE. Nonetheless, if you consider the various menswear categories outside of activewear, the sartorial or tailored wear category is one of the only categories growing year on year. Why is that? Do the media have it wrong? The answer is YES completely and utterly wrong. Suiting is evolving and has always evolved what is the essence of going back to work? We are at work, regardless of the location. The COVID effect is not going to create a new fashion trend of wearing pyjamas to meetings. In fact, quite the opposite Men have had time to review their wardrobe and now look to bolster their assortment to break-out of active/loungewear and have a feel-good and look-good array of quality garments Call it revenge spending or simply getting back to the business of doing business. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Bespoke Corner (@thebespokecorner) on Aug 7, 2020 at 3:52pm PDT So suits will exist in one form or another, but what might that form look like? Suits will become more relaxed and more casual, Joe Farage, founder and director of Farage predicts. Soft shoulders, more contemporary fabrics and styling that can be worn either as a suit or mixed back as separates. The casualisation of suiting was happening prior to COVID-19 [but] fast-tracked significantly due to most people working from home. Whilst I believe the traditional suit will not be dead for good, it will be more of an event-driven business rather than for work. Patrick Johnson, the world-famous Australian tailor, thinks Australian couturiers will quickly adapt to the growing casualisation in mens businesswear that 2020 has accelerated. We have seen a move to more casual clothing for sure. Also [brands] beefing up their web presence so clients can safely access their wares, and more focus on other technologies they can use to keep in touch with their clients and suppliers. For example, we usually would be running trunk shows all over Asia and the US but are now using technology to communicate with these clients. The great news is there are some fantastic solutions available I see these as a good stop-gap until we can travel again. Compared to many other countries, Australia already has quite a laid-back, egalitarian work environment. Were not longer strictly confined to the business burqa: more casual looks are far more common in the 21st-century Australian workplace. We also benefit from being a season out from the Northern Hemisphere we can take note of the latest businesswear trends in Europe and try them on ourselves six months later, adapting them to our environment as need be. View this post on Instagram A post shared by P Johnson (@pjohnsontailors) on Aug 3, 2020 at 3:06pm PDT Australia has always had the luxury of letting the Northern Hemisphere test colours and styles making the mistakes and highlighting the winners, Miles Wharton explains. [Our] milder temperatures also offer a more substantial depth in ones wardrobe. [We dont] have to worry about 4 seasons and can focus on mainly two or one and a half! The flexibility of the Australian wardrobe and our unique climate means the way Australian tailors design and create clothes are very different from those in other parts of the world. Its a unique skill set and aesthetic: one that will place Australian designers ahead of the curve when it comes to bouncing back from the trials and tribulations of 2020. Australian couturiers have a fresh, adaptive and unique approach to everything we do, Joe Farage proudly relates. The world has now woken up to the importance of supporting artisans. With Australia having two significant events this year, first the bush fires, then The Pandemic, I truly believe there has been a very strong shift to supporting our own and shopping for products that are Australian owned or even better, products that are made in Australia. These times have put the focus on where your money is spent and the importance of supporting local, Wharton concurs. Its a no brainer the best way to keep suit culture alive in this country and to keep on top of trends as a consumer is to purchase suits from local tailors where possible. The consensus is that while business attire is certainly getting more casual and working from home does threaten the suit somewhat, there will always be a need for a quality suit (or two) in the Australian mans wardrobe. As much as some of us are enjoying working from home, people need the energy of other people, we are social animals and a video call is a poor substitute for a chat at the water cooler. The suit will always have a place, Patrick Johnson concludes. Read Next (Natural News) Horace Anderson, father of Lorenzo, a 19-year-old African American who was fatally shot inside the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone in Seattle, is suing the city, county and state for his sons death. He is seeking a total of $3 billion $1 billion from each. Lorenzo was shot several times by Marcel Long, a person that he had been feuding with for well over a year before the fatal incident. Lorenzo was shot at around 2:20 a.m. and he laid bleeding to death in the street because, for around 20 minutes after the incident, he was not able to get any aid. When Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers tried to enter the zone, they were confronted by an aggressive and volatile crowd. When first responders arrived to provide medical aid, they were also unable to enter the zone due to the dangers it posed. Lorenzo was pronounced dead at 2:53 a.m., around 10 minutes after he arrived at a nearby hospital. Lorenzo died in agony from his wounds, said Evan Oshan of Oshan & Associates, who is representing Lorenzos father. Horaces lawsuit alleges that the actions and inactions of the city, the county and the state have made them all complicit in Lorenzos death. They abandoned the SPDs East Precinct building in Capitol Hill, which allowed a large part of the neighborhood to be illegally occupied. Furthermore, they refused to do anything decisive that would have either prevented CHOP from forming or prevented it from lasting as long as it did. (Related: Left-wing rioters in Kenosha are now setting fire to apartment buildings with families trapped inside.) He didnt have help, said Horace. He needed help. He needed me and I wasnt there for him. People living in cities controlled by the Democratic Party, such as Seattle, Portland, Chicago and Kenosha, have to fend for themselves and rely on support from patriots from other parts of the country who are willing to come to their aid. Listen to this episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and hear the story of one heroic young man, Kyle Rittenhouse, who went all the way from his hometown in Illinois to Kenosha to help defend the properties of the citys law-abiding residents. Inability or unwillingness to dismantle CHOP responsible for Lorenzos death In an interview with the Epoch Times, Oshan said that the lawless nature of the zone and the refusal of city, county and state authorities to do anything about it, made Lorenzos death inevitable. There was no safety, there was no security, said Oshan. This whole region was completely abandoned and this special needs kid, basically, was put into a dangerous situation. It was a predictable, preventable death. Spokespeople from the City of Seattle, King County, and Washington have all declined to comment due to the cases pending status. Both Seattle and King County were able to confirm that claims filed on behalf of Horace have been received. Harold Goldes, spokesperson for Washingtons Department of Enterprise Services, said that, as of Thursday, his department has not yet received a tort claim from Horace or his legal representatives. According to the lawsuit, authorities abandoned the section of the Capitol Hill neighborhood occupied by CHOP without any kind of contingency plan to make sure that the residents of the neighborhood still have decent access to essential services, creating a power vacuum that was filled by dangerous elements. After Lorenzo was fatally shot, authorities also failed to provide medical assistance despite knowing it was urgently needed, wrote the lawsuit. I just want to see justice for my son, said Horace, in an interview with the New York Post. He highlighted the fact that his sons killer, Marcel Long, has still not been arrested. On August 5, King County prosecutors finally filed charges of first-degree murder against Long. He is accused of fatally shooting Lorenzo and of fleeing the state. Somebody has to be held responsible, said Horace. Something is not right and my son should still be alive to this day. Last month, Lorenzos mother, Donnitta Sinclair Martin, also sued the city. In her lawsuit, she alleged that local officials created a dangerous environment thanks to them allowing CHOP rioters to occupy a significant chunk of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. According to her attorneys, who refused to specify a dollar amount, said that they are planning to file a wrongful death suit in a federal court. Lorenzo was not the only person to die in the illegally occupied protest zone. During the self-proclaimed anarchist communes 24 days of existence, there were a total of four shooting incidents, another one of which led to a death. Every single one of the incidents involved individuals who had either been appointed by CHOP or had appointed themselves to act as the zones border security opening fire on other people. Unfortunately, Lorenzos death is just one of many that are occurring in Democrat-controlled cities due to their unwillingness to fight back against Antifa and Black Lives Matter. Learn more about the latest events concerning their riots at Rioting.news. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com BigLeaguePolitics.com APNews.com NYPost.com Two new cases of Covid-19 have been reported today, both in the community and both connected to the Auckland cluster. One is connected to FinanceNow, and the other is someone who picked up the virus from a person in Tokoroa. Health Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today that Auckland will move to alert level 2 from tomorrow. At today's briefing, at which it was revealed there were two new cases in the country today, Jacinda Ardern said the government would step up levels again "if we need to". But she said the system to combat Covid-19 was working well. "It is designed to keep us on track with our elimination strategy at level 2 in the scenario we now have, but it will only work if poeple follow the guidance, understand it is easy to become complacent. "For Auckland you are at a form of level 2 that I am going to call level 2.5." This meant social gatherings were limited to ten, and there was a limit of 50 people for authorised funerals and tangihanga. "Much of this cluster has steemed from social gatherings, if we want to stop this spread we have to stop socialising for a time." Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is speaking at today's daily briefing. Watch live stream: Masks will be mandatory on all public transport for anyone 12 years and over during level 2 restrictions. Ardern said this was because buses were one of the few places where people were in close proximity with people they did not know for a sustained period of time. She said the government would not rule out mandating their use in the future if people refused to use them. "Here we are relying on common sense and care to make this work when it comes to Aucklanders who are travelling." "The last thing we want is for Auckalnders to spread the virus across the country." Earlier today, Covid-19 data modelling expert Shaun Hendy said moving to alert level 2 made him nervous when cases were still being uncovered with no link to the Auckland outbreak. "Given just we've got these cases that we haven't picked by contact tracing, these are people that have been picked up via [community testing], that's certainly something the government should be considering - an extension to level 3." Prof Hendy said easing the travel restrictions means people could spread the infection to other parts of the country. He said the virus can be contained at alert level 2 but it will require vigilance. People will need to keep strict hygiene standards and maintain physical distancing, wear masks and use the government's Covid-19 tracer app. Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said the move to alert level 2 could see a growth in the case rate. "It does suggest if we reduce the controls starting tomorrow that that transmission will not go away and it may actually drift up, or track up, over the next few weeks. Prof Baker said requiring masks use in all indoor environments is one of the few ways left to keep a lid on the spread. The government said last week that Auckland would join the rest of the country at alert level 2 at 11.59pm. There has been a steady stream of new cases since then - with 13 reported yesterday, including 11 in the community - but Hipkins confirmed to RNZ this morning that the alert level will change at midnight. Police will be distributing thousands of masks as people ease into the new Alert Level Two restrictions from tomorrow. Wearing a mask will be mandatory on public transport, including buses, trains and ferries at levels two and above. Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers said officers will be at transport hubs and other areas where there is a high volume of pedestrians, to remind people of the new restrictions and mask requirement. Chambers said while Auckland will no longer be at Alert Level Three, there are still restrictions on gathering numbers and physical distancing. Police detain more than 100 protesters during rally in Minsk, RIA reported, citing Russias interior ministry. The situation in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, is tense as tens of thousands of Belarus protesters join an opposition rally against the controversial re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. Police detained 125 protesters during Sundays rally, Russian news agency RIA reported, citing Russias interior ministry. Independence Square in the centre of the city was sealed off with metal barriers and guarded by security forces as the Belarusian interior ministry warned citizens not to take part in Sundays unauthorised rally. The pro-democracy movement ignored the threats and said Lukashenko should see that people were against him as he celebrates his 66th birthday on Sunday. The movement added that after ruling for 26 years, his time in power was up. Despite the presence of a heavy security force, protesters packed the centre of Minsk with crowds waving the oppositions red and white flag and chanting Leave. Mass protests On the last two Sundays, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets of Belarus to protest against Lukashenko, who has been dubbed Europes last dictator. The protests are the largest and most sustained challenge of Lukashenkos years in office, during which he consistently repressed opposition and independent news media. On Saturday, Belarusian authorities stripped the press accreditation of many journalists covering the anti-government protests and deported some foreign journalists. According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, at least 17 journalists were stripped of their accreditation issued by the foreign ministry. Among them were a video journalist and a photographer from Reuters news agency, two from the BBC and four from Radio Liberty. In the past few days, other demonstrations were disbanded and people arrested, indicating the power apparatus might not allow a fresh mass demonstration. Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressly promised Lukashenko support from his countrys security forces in what is seen as a ploy to intimidate the protest movement. The head of state of the ex-Soviet republic was recently cheered by supporters at public appearances. Since the controversial presidential election on August 9, a division between the supporters and opponents of the president has emerged. The protests and strikes in state-owned enterprises that emerged afterwards are the largest since Belarus gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nadirah H. Rodzi (The Straits Times/Asia News Network) Kuala Lumpur Sun, August 30, 2020 12:10 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417726d 2 News Malaysia,tourism,travel,destination Free Malaysias Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Friday that the countrys movement curbs will be extended to Dec. 31, as the coronavirus pandemic isnt showing any signs of ending soon. In a national televised address, Tan Sri Muhyiddin said the recent worrying emergence of new clusters in several states and number of cases also led him to extend the recovery movement control order (MCO). Although we have handled the crisis well... in the interest of everyone, the government has decided that the recovery MCO will be extended to Dec 31, 2020, he said. The extension will allow the government to quickly handle outbreaks under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, he said, while Malaysians will continue to adhere to health protocols set by the government. Under the recovery MCO that began on June 10, most businesses have been allowed to reopen as long as they follow protocols such as recording the temperatures of visitors to their premises and imposing social distancing. Nightclubs and pubs remained shut under the recovery MCO, with the authorities saying it would be impossible to ensure health protocols such as social distancing at such outlets. The movement restrictions were originally slated to end on Monday. Malaysias borders will also generally remain shut, with those flying into Malaysia mandated to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine to prevent the spread of imported cases. Tourists are still not allowed to enter the country to avoid import cases, Mr Muhyiddin said. Malaysia first imposed the movement curbs on March 18, forcing schools and non-essential businesses to shut down. People were confined to their homes except to buy food and essential items, or to seek medical treatment. The strict stay-at-home rules bore fruit when daily cases began tapering, which led to the government starting the recovery MCO from June 10, gradually reopening many businesses and mass activities such as public worship and contact sports. Read also: Coronavirus strain that is '10 times more infectious' detected in Malaysia Malaysia on Aug 1 made it compulsory for everyone to wear face masks in crowded public places and on public transport, after the authorities observed lower compliance to social distancing when it entered the recovery phase of the curbs. Due to face masks becoming an essential item in our everyday life, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs is discussing with manufacturers to reduce the price. If its fruitful, the price will be more affordable and can ease our burden, PM Muhyiddin said in his speech. Malaysia on Friday reported 10 new Covid-19 cases, bringing total infections to 9,306. The total death toll caused by the virus remained at 125. The Health Ministry has proposed raising the fine by 10 times to RM10,000 (S$3,260), for those who break the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342). I support the recommendation by the Health Ministry to increase the fine for those who committed an offence (under the Act), at least two or three times more than the amount now. But this needs to be studied first before the Act is amended, Mr Muhyiddin said. The proposal by the ministry came just days after Cabinet minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali breached the mandatory quarantine order following his return from Turkey on July 7. Instead of being quarantined for 14 days like other returnees from abroad, he was seen on his social media postings going about attending functions with others including meeting other ministers. This raised public anger as other Malaysians had been fined and even jailed, for violating the quarantine. Topics : Malaysia tourism travel destination Topics : This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Up to 90 percent of people tested for COVID-19 in Massachusetts, New York and Nevada in July carried barely any traces of the virus and it could be because today's tests are 'too sensitive', experts say. Health experts say PCR testing - the most widely used diagnostic test for COVID-19 in the US - are too sensitive and need to be adjusted to rule out people who have insignificant amounts of the virus in their systems because they're likely not contagious. Today the PCR test, which provides a yes or no answer if a patient is infected, doesn't say how much of the virus a patient has in their body. PCR tests analyze genetic matter from the virus in cycles and today's tests typically take 37 or 40 cycles, but experts say this is too high because it detects very small amounts of the virus that don't pose a risk. Doctors say fewer cycle thresholds, meaning the number of cycles needed to detect the virus, hone in on those with greater amounts of the virus who do pose risks, according to the New York Times. The coronavirus death rate may be low compared to high infection rate because standard tests are diagnosing huge numbers of people who may be carrying 'relatively insignificant' amounts of the virus, experts say Today there are 5.9million cases of COVID-19 in the US and there are over 182,000 deaths. On Thursday the US recorded 45,604 new coronavirus cases. If the rates of contagiousness in Massachusetts and New York were to apply nationwide, that would mean only about 4,500 of those people may actually need to isolate and participate in contact tracing. As of Sunday the US had a daily positivity rate of 8.62 percent, according to Johns Hopkins. The World Health Organization has said that countries that have conducted extensive testing for COVID-19, should remain at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days before reopening. Researchers say the solution is even more widespread use of rapid tests with an adjusted threshold to hone in on the most infectious people with COVID-19. This suggestion is contrary to the White House Coronavirus Task Forces recently updated testing guidelines. Last Monday the CDC changed its guidelines, which now say that if you were exposed but don't have symptoms, 'you do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual' or a doctor advises it. Previously, the agency had recommended getting tested after any close contact with someone who was confirmed infected with COVID-19. On Thursday the Trump administration announced it would purchase 150million rapid tests, but doctors say the process of testing needs to be changed 'The decision not to test asymptomatic people is just really backward. In fact, we should be ramping up testing of all different people, but we have to do it through whole different mechanisms,' Dr Michael Mina, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said to the Times. 'Weve been using one type of data for everything, and that is just plus or minus thats all. Were using that for clinical diagnostics, for public health, for policy decision-making,' Mina said. 'Its really irresponsible, I think, to forgo the recognition that this is a quantitative issue,' Mina added. On Thursday the Trump administration announced it would purchase 150million rapid tests, but Mina says the process of testing needs to be changed. A solution to todays testing could be to adjust the cycle threshold used now to decide if a patient is infected to a lower number. Most tests set the limit at 40 or 37, which means you are positive for COVID-19 if the test requires up to 40 or 37 cycles to detect it. The tests threshold is so high it detects people with the live virus and those with few genetic fragments that are leftovers from infection and no longer pose risk, Mina says. Its like finding a hair in a room after a person left it. Today there are 5.9million cases of COVID-19 in the US and there have been over 182,000 deaths Experts say a reasonable cutoff for the virus would be 30 or 35 cycles, according to Juliet Morrison, a virologist at the University of California, Riverside. Mina said he would set the cutoff at 30. New York's state lab Wadsworth analyzed cycle thresholds values in already processed COVID-19 PCR tests and found in July that 794 positive tests were based on a threshold of 40 cycles. With a cutoff of 35, about half of those tests would no longer qualify as positive. About 70 percent would no longer be judged positive if the cycles were limited to 30. In Massachusetts, from 85 to 90 percent of people who tested positive in July with a cycle threshold of 40 would have been considered negative if the threshold were 30 cycles, Mina said. 'I would say that none of those people should be contact-traced, not one,' he said. The Food and Drug Administration said that it does not specify the cycle threshold ranges used to determine who is positive and 'commercial manufacturers and laboratories set their own.' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is examining the use of cycle threshold measures for 'policy decision'. The CDC said its own calculations suggest its extremely hard to detect a live virus in a sample above a threshold of 33 cycles. Healthcare workers check patients in to a city-run COVID-19 testing location in New York on July 21 'Its just kind of mind-blowing to me that people are not recording the C.T. values from all these tests that theyre just returning a positive or a negative,' Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York, said. 'It would be useful information to know if somebodys positive, whether they have a high viral load or a low viral load,' she added. The FDA noted that people may have a low viral load when newly infected and a test with less sensitivity would miss these infections. Mina says that those people can be tested again if thats the case. People infected with COVID-19 are most infectious a day or two before symptoms appear through about five days later. Virology experts say that now tests are needed that are fast, cheap and abundant enough to frequently test everyone who needs it even if it means the tests are less sensitive. 'It might not catch every last one of the transmitting people, but it sure will catch the most transmissible people, including the superspreaders. That alone would drive epidemics practically to zero,' Mina said. Parliament is set to debate the caps imposed on Australians wanting to marry foreigners amid concerns the federal government has set artificial - and potentially illegal - restrictions on the number of overseas grooms and brides allowed into the country. Labor MP Julian Hill's motion is due to be debated on Monday, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's record in capping the number of foreigners allowed into the country to marry their Australian fiancees, spouses and de facto partners under the spotlight. Data shows that under the Coalition, the number of overseas partners allowed into Australia to marry has dropped and flatlined despite section 87 of the Migration Act forbidding any capping of partner and child visas. Partner visas include those who are engaged, married or in a de facto relationship. The Coalition has cut the number of permanent migrants to 160,000 - down from a peak of 190,000 between 2012 and 2014. The law says if there is a determination of a maximum number of visas that may be granted in a financial year that limit does not prevent the granting of a visa to a person who applied on the grounds that they are a spouse, de facto or dependent child of an Australian citizen or a holder of a permanent visa to live and work in Australia. A ll passengers who travelled on a flight from Zante to Cardiff have been instructed to self-isolate after a number tested positive for coronavirus. Seven people from three different parties on Tuesday's 6215 Tui flight are now confirmed to have contracted Covid-19. Public Health Wales (PHW) is now contacting the remaining passengers. It comes after a group of teenagers from Devon tested positive for the virus after a holiday on the Greek island. On Sunday, PHW's director of health Dr Giri Shankar said in a statement: "Cardiff and Vale test, trace, protect and Public Health Wales have identified at least seven confirmed cases of Covid-19 from three different parties who were infectious on Tui flight 6215 from Zante to Cardiff on 25 August. "As a result, we are advising that all passengers on this flight are considered close contacts and must self-isolate. "These passengers will be contacted shortly, but meanwhile, they must self-isolate at home as they may become infectious, even without developing symptoms." Dr Shankar added that "anyone with symptoms should book a test without delay". He also revealed that an investigation into positive cases in Wales had indicted a lack of social distancing between those aged between 20 and 30 had resulted in the spread of the virus to other groups of people. The PHW director urged revellers enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend to remember the importance of social distancing. I would make a direct appeal to young people to remember that even if they feel that they would not be badly affected by Covid-19 if they were to test positive for it, if they were to pass it on to older or more vulnerable family members, friends or colleagues it could be extremely serious, even fatal, he added. It comes just days after health officials warned that up to 30 teenagers in Plymouth may be infected after holidaying in Zante. At least 11 members of the group of 18 and 19-year-olds had already tested positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, officials said, as they warned residents to take precautions. Some of the teenagers have since gone on a night out in the Devon city's bars and restaurants, sparking fears of a wider outbreak. Many of the teenagers who tested positive showed no symptoms or very minor symptoms such as a sore throat after returning from the Greek island. Zante and mainland Greece are not currently on the Government's travel quarantine list / AFP via Getty Images Public health director Ruth Harrell said her team was working alongside the national systems to contact and trace the young people thought to have been affected. We know that some of these young people had no symptoms, and so carried on as normal, including a night out in Plymouths bars and restaurants, until they became aware of the risk, she said. That means more people could be infected. While young people might have fairly mild symptoms, and sometimes none that you would notice, our big concern is that we know it can be very serious for people who have existing health problems or are older." Neither the Greek island, nor the mainland, are currently on the Government's quarantine list, meaning that under normal circumstances passengers are not required to self-isolate. (Global Times) Japan's longest serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, resigned on Friday due to health issues, but will remain in office until Liberal Democratic Party successor is chosen. Japanese media reported there are likely 10 potential successors and several have clearly indicated they intend to run for party leader, which would immediately elevate them to the position of prime minister. Among the frontrunners is Fumio Kishida, who is regarded as a legitimate successor, Shigeru Ishiba represents the 'Anti-Abe' option, and Taro Kono, who has received a lot of attention recently. At his press conference, Abe mentioned that as the Prime Minister of Japan, there are three major political issues that have not yet been resolved, including revision of the Constitution of Japan, the conclusion of a peace and friendship treaty with Russia, and the issue of abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea. Abe didn't indicate who he favored as a successor, which means the leadership race will be between the different factions of the Liberal Democratic Party. Whichever candidate receives the support of Abe's own faction, and the support of two key figures - Taro Aso and Toshihiro Nikai - is likely to win the race to assume the prime minister's office. A new Japanese prime minister will likely have a great impact on China-Japan relations. If there is little policy continuity, neither China nor Japan will benefit. Whether Abe's successor can inherit his moderate China policy will be key to China-Japan relations in the long run. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference on Friday the naming of Abe's successor "is an internal matter of Japan and we have no comment on it. China and Japan are close neighbors. China is ready to work with Japan to continue to improve and develop bilateral relations." Continuity would be a basic affirmation of Abe's administration, especially its China policy during the later part of his administration. There were two distinct stages in Abe's administration over the past eight years. The first was dominated by confrontation and containment, while the second emphasized a return to "normal." For the Abe cabinet, China-Japan relations are a positive rather than a negative. Since 2017, leaders of the two countries have exchanged visits and reached broad consensus in the fields of economics and trade, such as cooperation on third-party markets and currency swaps. Regrettably, many of the established political agendas between the two countries have not been realized due to the impact of COVID-19. Electoral politics and the international situation are likely to mean all potential candidates will be critical of China to some degree. The "Kishida faction" led by Fumio Kishida has taken over the political mantle of former prime minister Kakuei Tanaka, which held relatively moderate policies on China. Recently, Kishida has been more critical of China, and raised objections to issues concerning the national security law for Hong Kong and President Xi Jinping's official visit to Japan. Shiba Shigeru, who is a hawk, has made few critical remarks on China-related issues, which seems to be an attempt to curry favor with Toshihiro Nikai, a "pro-China" boss of the Liberal Democratic Party. However, it's widely believed that these two candidates' view of China issues mainly stem from the need to win an election. Whoever becomes Japan's next prime minister is unlikely to pursue confrontational policies toward China. Japanese politicians will inherit and further develop China-Japan relations that are in line with their national interests. Conservationists have warned that environmental destruction, such as deforestation and the exploitation of wild animals, could lead to increasing numbers of pandemics. A UN summit on biodiversity, being held in New York in September, will be told by biologists there is evidence of a strong link between loss of biodiversity and deadly new diseases, such as Covid-19. Scientists will warn world leaders that the rapid rate of deforestation and the uncontrolled expansion of farming is providing a 'perfect storm' for diseases to pass from wildlife to humans, The Guardian reported. Conservationists have warned that deforestation could lead to more pandemics, as it is providing a 'perfect storm' for diseases to pass from wildlife to humans A UN summit on biodiversity, set to take place in September, will be told by biologists there is evidence of a strong link between environmental destruction and deadly new diseases Stuart Pimm, professor of conservation at Duke University, said: 'There are now a whole raft of activities illegal logging, clearing and mining with associated international trades in bushmeat and exotic pets that have created this crisis.' He added that 'urgent action is needed' as coronavirus has killed 'almost a million people' and cost 'trillions of dollars'. Conservationists said that as a result of land use change, such as deforestation, five or six new epidemics could soon affect the world each year. They claimed that almost a third of all emerging diseases have originated through such land use change. In the process, the destruction of wild animals, which are hosts to many unknown viruses and bacteria, can lead to humans or livestock being accidentally infected. These 'spillovers' can lead a new disease in humans if the viruses thrive and spread, or lead to transmission, to other individuals. It has been estimated that an average rate of deforestation is around 10million hectares each year. This decreased from an average of 16million hectares per year in the 1990s, as it is thought new forests, both naturally and man-made, are being established. But before human civilisations, the Earth was originally covered by 60million sq km of forest. The HIV virus first spread to humans from chimpanzees and gorillas, which were killed for bushmeat in West Africa (above, West African chimp at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary) But now, following deforestation accelerated due to human activity, there is said to be less than 40million sq km remaining. It is used for farm cattle, to extract oil and provide access to mines and mineral deposits. In a paper published in Science last month, scientists and economists have proposed setting up a scheme to monitor wildlife and reduce deforestation. The researchers added the programme, which could cost more than $20billion a year, would also be able to help the fight against climate change. The scientists said: 'Postponing a global strategy to reduce pandemic risk would lead to continued soaring costs. Society must strive to avoid the impacts of future pandemics.' The HIV virus originally spread from chimpanzees and gorillas, which were slaughtered for bushmeat in West Africa, to men and woman. Other viruses which spread from wild animals to humans include the 2009 swine flu epidemic and Ebola fever, which is passed on by bats. But zoologist David Redding, of University College London, stressed that not every emerging disease is caused by a single 'spillover event'. Conservationists claimed that as a result of land use change, such as deforestation and illegal logging, five or six new epidemics could soon affect the world each year He said: 'Bats, rodents and other pests carrying strange new viruses come from surviving clumps of forests and infect farm animals who then pass on these infections to humans.' Lassa fever, which was first discovered in Nigeria in 1969, is spread by the rodent Mastomys natalensis. The rodent was widespread in Africa's forests but colonises in homes and farms, spreading the disease it carried to humans. Andy Dobson, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University, said that during land use change, workers who chop down rainforest trees do not take food with them. Instead, he said, the workers eat 'what they can kill' which can expose them to a number of infections. He added that humans are outnumbered by infections, as there are probably 'ten times more' species of viruses than mammals. This comes after physicists claimed that human civilisation stands a 90 per cent chance of an 'irreversible collapse' due to deforestation. Last month it was claimed that within the next two to four decades, Earth may no longer be able to sustain a large human population, according to a peer-reviewed paper published in Nature Scientific Reports. The destruction of wildlife, which are hosts to many unknown viruses and bacteria, can lead to humans or livestock being accidentally infected - causing new and emerging epidemics This comes after physicists claimed that human civilisation stands a 90 per cent chance of an 'irreversible collapse' due to deforestation 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'. 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. 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.' '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. With the viral rasode mein kaun tha meme bringing the show Saath Nibhaana Saathiya back into the spotlight, it was recently announced that a second season was in the making. However, it appears that Rupal Patel, who played Kokilaben in the popular series, might not return for its follow-up. In an interview with Latestly, Rupal said that she was currently committed to another show, Yeh Rishtey Hai Pyaar Ke. She added that she had not been approached for the second season of Saath Nibhaana Saathiya. Actually, I have heard about it, but Im not sure about the same. Right now, Im happy playing the role of Meenakshi Rajvansh on Yeh Rishtey Hai Pyaar Ke on Star Plus. But my love and blessings are with Rashmi maam, Rupal said, when asked about Saath Nibhaana Saathiya returning to the small screen. Saath Nibhaana Saathiya producer Rashmi Sharma recently told Mumbai Mirror in an interview that the new season would be incomplete without the Modi family, so Kokilaben and Gopi Bahu (played by Devoleena Bhattacharjee at the time the show went off air) would return. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs brother-in-law slams Rhea Chakrabortys allegations against family, defends SSRs sisters and father Responding to this comment, Rupal said, In that case, as I said Im doing YRHPK and I cant do two shows together. Also, I have not yet been approached for Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 2 by the makers. However, my good wishes are always with them. Earlier this month, musician Yashraj Mukhate turned a dialogue from Saath Nibhaana Saathiya into a rap video, which went viral. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said that he did not expect such an overwhelming response to the clip. I cannot believe that this has happened. The best gesture was a call that I received from Rupal Patel (who plays Kokila in the show). She said she loved the video; she didnt have to make that call, but she spoke with such warmth for over 10 minutes that it just made my day, he said. Follow @htshowbiz for more Itanagar: In a fast paced development, a BJP government was on Saturday installed in Arunachal Pradesh after 33, out of 43 Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) MLAs led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, joined the saffron brigade in this politically fragile state. Khandu paraded the MLAs before Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok who accepted their joining. The high-voltage political drama began since late Thursday night after PPA President Kahfa Bengia temporarily suspended Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein and five legislators from the primary membership of the party for alleged anti-party activities. The PPA, an alliance partner of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) government in the state, yesterday selected Takam Pario as the new chief minister of the state. However, the political equation changed when majority of the PPA MLAs who initially extended support to Pario, later shifted their allegiance to Khandu. The PPA today also suspended four other party MLAs including Honchun Ngandam, Bamang Felix, Punji Mara and Pani Taram. Lotus has finally bloomed in Arunachal. The people of the state will see a new dawn of development in the new year under the new government, Khandu told reporters in the Assembly premises. Elaborating on the decision to merge with the BJP, the chief minister said that circumstances compelled the MLAs to take the decision in the interest of the people and the state. After several years of Congress misrule we observed that there was no visible development in the state. We joined the PPA with the intention to take the state to progress and prosperity, but there too, we find similar condition where the party president treated the MLAs undemocratically. So with focus on development, our MLAs decided to join the BJP for overall progress of the state, the chief minister said. Terming the decision of the PPA president to suspend the MLAs as undemocratic, Khandu said that before such a move the party leadership should have issued show cause notice to the MLAs. There was no significant development in the state since last year due to political turmoil, but now with NDA government at the Centre, the state will witness a sea change in the coming years, Khandu said adding, the decision to join the BJP is a blessing in disguise for the people and the state. Until and unless there is stability in the government, no development could take place. There will be no more dissident politics and we shall now only focus on development, Khandu asserted. When asked about the court case filed by Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Padi Richo against the joining of Congress MLAs with PPA which is pending with the Gauhati High court and which would be taken up on January 7 next, Khandu said that the joining was done in accordance to the Constitution. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tourists and locals in Turkeys Mediterranean resort Antalya swarmed to beaches as feels like temperature hit 47 degrees Celsius, while humidity reached 75%, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. Earlier this week, experts said that heat wave that was taking hold in western Turkey is expected to continue throughout next week. They also warned the public, particularly senior citizens, children and people with chronic illnesses to be cautious when going out between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. in most cities, including Antalya. Famous Konyaalt beach became a hotspot for people seeking relief from the extreme heat. Locals and tourists indicated that despite the record high temperatures they were having a good time in the city. Petra Knok, a tourist from Germany, told Demiroren News Agency (DHA) that she came Antalya to swim and sunbathe to escape the cold weather in her country. People living in Antalya are very lucky, she noted. Srinagar, Aug 30 (UNI) Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants and an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Jammu and Kashmir police were killed in an encounter in the summer capital, Srinagar on Sunday. Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag Singh said the militants were given ample opportunity to surrender and even their parents were brought to the encounter site to persuade them to give up arms. A video in which parents of two of the three slain militants are urging their sons to surrender is also doing rounds on social media. Meanwhile, expressing grief over the death of the ASI, the DGP said Babu Ram was an encounter specialist and had played key role in numerous anti-militancy operations in the valley. Giving details, Mr Singh said three motorcycle borne militants attacked a joint party of police and CRPF at Panthachowk in the city outskirts late Saturday night. The militants tried to snatch weapons from the jawans after firing several shots. But alert troops foiled the attempt and chased them, he told reporters on the sidelines of wreath laying ceremony here on Sunday. Mr Singh said as the militants were being chased, they abandoned their motorcycle and tried to flee on-foot in Dobi Mohalla. He said the entire area was immediately cordoned off with the help of reinforcements and a search operation was launched. The DGP said when security forces were moving towards a particular area, militants hiding there, fired at them. The security forces retaliated ensuing in an encounter, he said, adding a militant was killed while an ASI was critically injured in the initial exchange of fire. Mr Singh said the injured officer, identified as ASI Babu Ram, was immediately taken to a hospital where he succumbed. Ram has been associated with SOG team for a long time and had played key role in numerous anti-militancy operations in the valley, he added. Mr Singh said that the parents of the remaining to militants were brought to the encounter site, where they tried to persuade their sons to surrender. This was despite the fact that we had lost a brave jawan. But we still gave them the opportunity to surrender, he said. However, he said the firing again started and in the exchange of fire both the militants were killed on Sunday morning. He said one of the slain militants was a commander and was active in the area for some time now. The slain militant is involved in many attacks, he said, adding all the three militants belonged to LeT. He said one AK-47 rifle and pistols were recovered from the encounter site. Official sources said the militants have been identified as Sakin Ahmad, Umar Tariq and Zubair Majeed. UNI ABS SY 1501 Polls have closed in Montenegros tense parliamentary election that is pitting a long-ruling, pro-Western party against an opposition alliance seeking closer ties with Serbia and Russia. The pro-Western Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) of President Milo Djukanovic is leading by a hair over the pro-Serb and pro-Russian alliance, a preliminary exit poll showed on Sunday. DPS is in line for 34.7 percent of the vote, followed by the opposition For the Future of Montenegro alliance with 33.1 percent, according to a poll by election monitor CeMI based on 70 percent of its sample. By the time polls closed at 18:00 GMT, voter turnout stood at 75.9 percent, slightly higher than the 2016 parliamentary elections which marked a voter turnout of 73.4 percent. Sundays election was largely marked by a dispute over a law on religious rights introduced in late 2019 that is staunchly opposed by the influential Serbian Orthodox Church. The church has argued the law allows the state to confiscate its property as a prelude to setting up a separate church. This has been denied by the government. The Serbian Orthodox Church remains Montenegros largest religious institution and a third of its population identify as Serb. The issue has fuelled divisions and sparked protests in the Adriatic nation of 620,000 people and a NATO member since 2017. Djukanovics party has led Montenegro for three decades and his DPS has never lost an election. But its majority in parliament is razor thin, and this year the party has faced a challenge from the emboldened right-wing For the Future of Montenegro opposition alliance, which has backed the church-led protests against the religion law. Ljubomir Filipovic, a policy analyst and former mayor of Budva, said the protests held in the country all have to do with the church, with inter-ethnic tensions, with the divisive media campaign coming from Serbia, Russia and [Bosnias Serb-run entity] Republika Srpska in the last couple of months. Filipovic said a victory for the coalition of pro-Serb and anti-European Union parties backed by the church means Montenegro would have a strong change in foreign policy, directed from Belgrade or even Moscow. We would have a problem with the recognition of Kosovo, with our NATO membership and of course the very existence of the independent state of Montenegro is in question, Filipovic said. Not only once, the main parties in the opposition have questioned the rationale for Montenegrin independence. Serbian Orthodox bishop Amfilohije prepares to vote in parliamentary elections at a polling station in Cetinje, Montenegro [Risto Bozovic/AP] Political infantry of Greater Serbia nationalism Before the election, demonstrations have taken the form of car rallies, with protesters waving Serbian flags. Djukanovic, who projects himself as a custodian of stability, has used such reactions to raise fears about a threat to Montenegros sovereignty. The opposition parties are the political infantry of Greater Serbia nationalism, he said recently, referring to a Serb ultra-nationalist dream to unite all parts of the Balkans to form a Greater Serbia. An opposition supporter participates in a church-led protest in Podgorica, Montenegro on August 27 [Risto Bozovic/AP] Zdravko Krivokapic, leader of the For the Future of Montenegro alliance, said on Sunday that he expected a new day for Montenegro which will take a different path. Krivokapic said his grouping wants to unite a divided nation and distribute this wealth we have equally for all. Indicating high interest in the election, more than half of eligible voters had cast their ballots by midday. Lines formed outside some polling stations on a very hot summer day. Opinion polls ahead of the election predicted that the DPS will finish ahead of other groups, but might not garner enough votes to form government on its own. A French magazine named Valeurs Actuelles has apologized after portraying a Black lawmaker as a slave, as the French government and officials across the political spectrum denounced publication. Gabonese French Politician Danielle Obono from far-left party Defiant France said the publication flies in the face of those who complain that free speech is threatened by the fight against racism and sexism. Read US Election 2020: French President Macron Says 'World Needs A Globally Active US Leader' You can still write racistsin a rag illustrated with a Black French parliament member repainted as a slave, she tweeted. The extreme right odious, stupid and cruel. The far-right ideology leaned magazine apologized and its Deputy editor Tagdual Denis, while speaking to a French news channel on August 29 said that the image was not designed to wound Obono, and denied that it was an attention-getting ploy. But he added: What I regret is that we are always accused of racism ... we are politically incorrect, its in our DNA. On the other hand, anti-racism activists said the publication reflected a creeping acceptance of extremist views, fuelled by social media. Read: French Govt Expects COVID-19 Vaccines To Be Available By End Of 2020 French Prime Minister Jean Castex from the conservative Republican party tweeted: This revolting publication calls for unambiguous condemnation, the fight against racism will always transcend our differences. The junior minister for equality and the only Black member of the French government, Elisabeth Moreno, tweeted that, I dont share Danielle Obonos ideas, but today I offer her all my support. Read: French PM Makes Face Mask Compulsory In Paris To Curb New Wave Of Coronavirus French PM extends support to Black MP A similar refrain came from politicians from multiple parties, including the treasurer of Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally party France saw multiple protests in June and July against racial injustice and police brutality inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyds death at the knee of police in the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist who raised eyebrows when he gave an interview to Valeurs Actuelles last year, has pledged to root out racism. But he also insisted that France will not take down statues of figures linked to the colonial era or the slave trade, as has happened in other countries in recent months. (With inputs from AP) Read: 'Nothing Can Erase The Memory': French Govt Condemns Vandalism At Site Of Nazi Massacre Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang and Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Depok/Bogor Mon, August 31 2020 A proverb says that it takes a village to raise a child but oftentimes, it takes only a person to ruin a childs life and in Depok, West Java, a whole community of powerful adults seems to have abandoned children who were allegedly molested in a locally run Catholic orphanage. Far away from their parents, with no one to look after them except for the head of the orphanage, known as Brother Angelo Ngalngola, the alleged molester himself, the children cried out for help. A collaborative team between The Jakarta Post and Tirto.id has uncovered facts that confirm that both the state and the Catholic Church heard the boys cries but washed their hands of them, allowing the suspect to walk free from police detention to celebrate Christmas, and a few months later set up a new orphanage and live among vulnerable boys again. In September last year, Brother Angelo, the head of the Kencana Bejana Rohani orphanage, was arrested by Depok Police for the alleged sexual abuse of several boys. The police released him in December after they failed to complete the dossiers for the prosecutors office to bring the case to court. As of August, Angelo was still the head of a new orphanage, albeit having changed his name to Brother Geovanny Ngalngola and was living among more than 20 children under his care. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login LOCALS, and not foreigners, are the only ones who can help to grow the economy and achieve a relatively prosperous society in the next decade as envisioned by President Mnangagwas Vision 2030, LEAD president Mrs Linda Masarira-Kaingidze has said. She said it was time Zimbabweans join forces to recover the countrys breadbasket status. Government plans to grow agriculture into a US$8,2 billion sector by 2025. We all need each other in our diversity. It is time to fix Zimbabwe and make our country an economic giant (again). We cannot do that if we are always running to the West or East asking them to intervene on issues we can resolve amicably as brothers and sisters, said Mrs Masarira-Kaingidze. Unity of purpose, she added, was key in resuscitating the countrys economy. The politician said she had advised some of the organisers of the July 31 demonstrations to seek dialogue rather than be confrontational. I had advised Jacob Ngarivhume to make the protests apolitical. There is no one who is not being affected by corruption; corruption is now engrained in almost every Zimbabwean and we need to have a more robust campaign that is inclusive and sincere. Zimbabweans that are trashing their country on social media have an identity crisis and lack of patriotism, she said. Trashing Zimbabwe on social media by Zimbabweans shows an aspect of identity crisis, lack of patriotism and also exhibits how some of our people are damaged. Zimbabwe is not the only country in the world that has socio-economic and political challenges. The principal of an Uttarakhand degree college in Kotabagh area under Kaladhungi police station of Nainital district has been booked for allegedly sending obscene messages to girl students, an official said. We have booked the principal of the degree college on the complaint of a girl. She had handed over a complaint about the principals inappropriate behavior and our probe found the complaint to be genuine, said Dinesh Nath Mahant, station officer, Kaladhungi police station in Nainital. Some girl students of government degree college Kotabag had alleged that principal Prem Prakash Tamta has not only been sending obscene messages to them but also using inappropriate language while talking to them on their mobile phones for the last one year. They had kept mum due to fear, said police. Mahant said, After receiving the complaint, we recorded the statement of the girls and then registered an FIR against the principal. Tamta has been booked under IPC section 254 (assault or use of criminal force against woman) and 504 (intentionally insult), police said. When contacted, Tamta said he used to send good morning and good night messages to his students. Some wrong messages might have gone inadvertently. He would apologize to the students concerned for the same and is ready to bear any punishment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The switch to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in July 2017 was a historic moment in Indias fiscal trajectory. It scrapped a plethora of central and state taxes and paved the way for a uniform tax regime and a common market across the country. Ideally, there should have been fewer GST slabs, but the idea was always to move to this once the regime stabilised. Like all big-ticket reforms, GST had to wait for a long time to see the light of day. Reforms such as GST are difficult to implement not because they do not have enough traction as ideas, but because the transition from the status quo to a new framework is challenging. In GSTs case, the shift required both the Centre and states to give up their sovereignty in levying indirect taxes to the GST Council, a body which includes representation from the Centre and the states. Still, the loss of fiscal sovereignty was much greater for states. The biggest question which needed to be addressed before shifting to GST was what if revenue collections fell short of expectations? This was a matter of deep concern for the states, which feared a loss of revenue. The final deal was struck, under the stewardship of the late Arun Jaitley, who brought in his remarkable consensus-building skills as finance minister, with the Centre offering a guarantee to the states. They would be assured of 14% growth in revenues for the first five years of GST. This money was to be realised from cess on luxury and sin goods. Three years after the implementation of GST, many state governments (run by non-Bharatiya Janata Party forces) are alleging that the Centre has reneged on this promise. Their objections seem valid. The Union has not paid the constitutionally mandated 1.5 lakh crore of GST compensation to states for the months of April-July in the current fiscal year. The reason is that cess collections have not been enough to make payments. It also expects that the total shortfall in GST compensation to the states will be 2.35 lakh crore in the current fiscal year. Of this, the Centre claims, 97,000 crore is on account of GST implementation and the rest is due to the external shock of the pandemic. The states have been told that they can exercise two kinds of borrowing options to meet this shortfall either borrow the entire 2.35 lakh crore, or borrow 97,000 crore. The Centre has said it will work with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to facilitate this process. The repayments will be made by extending the period of cess on luxury and sin goods. As some states are claiming, there is basically one option on the table. The states have to borrow to raise the money, which, the Centre owes them. The GST Council will meet again next week to resolve the matter. Irrespective of the nature of the final resolution, state governments are bound to feel let down. The GST experience will also make them chary about agreeing to change the status quo for market-friendly reforms in the future. A growing distrust between the Centre and the states does not bode well for our democracy. To be sure, the current economic situation, which caused this crisis, is indeed extraordinary. The Indian economy will witness a contraction, of at least 5% this year. Revenue collections will miss projections made in February, before the pandemic spread. However, GSTs problems go back to the pre-Covid-19 period. While most people agree that a unified tax was desirable (this continues to be the case), its revenue-generating abilities were grossly overestimated initially, especially because slabs have gone through constant revision. Just one example should make this clear. The budget estimate for Centres GST collections was 7.43 lakh crore in 2018-19, the first full budget after GSTs implementation. This number is just 6.9 lakh crore in 2020-21 so, a tax head is expected to shrink even when GDP has grown. Even the reduced targets have not been realised. The Centres GST collections in 2018-19 and 2019-20 were only 78% and 90% of budgeted targets. Even finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while speaking at the HT Leadership Summit in December 2019 acknowledged this point. I am not saying that people did it (reduced rates) thoughtlessly, but in the enthusiasm to reduce taxes, that framework which was originally agreed at stage one of GST was distorted, Sitharaman said, explaining that lowering the tax rate impacted the input tax credit and transferred more taxes to the buyer. A Reserve Bank of India report on state finances corroborates Sitharamans point. Against the revenue-neutral rate of 15.3% which was recommended by the Arvind Subramanian Committee, the weighted average GST rate has been falling continuously and was just 11.6% in July and September 2019. A similar set of processes is underway again. Even as Sitharaman suggested, on August 25, the extension of cess on luxury and sin goods beyond the initial period of five years, she hinted towards reducing GST rates for two-wheelers. While tax breaks to boost the economy by spurring demand are always welcome, they cannot be decided without consideration of their fiscal implications. GST has faced other issues too. Its teething troubles many believe that it was implemented without adequate preparation generated large headwinds for economic activity. The pre-Covid-19 deceleration in the Indian economy GDP growth fell from 8.3% in 2016-17 to 7% in 2017-18, 6.1% in 2018-19 and 4.2% in 2019-20 followed the back-to-back economic disruption from demonetisation and GST. Indias GST experience raises a bigger point, and perhaps highlights a future lesson, about policy reforms. All reforms, no matter how desirable they are in principle, need to be thought through carefully before being rolled out. It is always tempting for regimes to fast track them, without weighing all pros and cons. This process becomes easier when a regime has tremendous political capital like the BJP has had from 2014 onwards. However, when the crunch comes, like it has come for GST compensation today, or when there is more-than-expected collateral damage from reforms, both the government and citizens are left to face the consequences. The forthcoming GST Council meeting should do all it can to preserve the sanctity of Indias fiscal federalism in letter and spirit. This process cannot be complete without an honest introspection of the GSTs formulation and evolution. letters@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON There was supposedly a time when the average white American thought of Indians as exotic snake-charmers who lay down on beds of nails in their free time. That changed dramatically with the advent of globalisation. Indians then came to be known for math and microchips and American movies and cartoons often featured an Indian nerd in their cast. But rarely, if ever, have Indians been a hot topic in a presidential election. We are now. It all started with Donald Trump making common cause with Hindu Americans in New Jersey when he ran for president in 2016. During that engagement, Trump shot a campaign ad with the borrowed slogan, Ab ki baar, Trump sarkar, for which he reportedly had to do as many as 12 takes to get it right. Now, his Democratic rival Joe Biden has punched back by roping in Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential candidate. For most part of her political career, Harris who was born to a Jamaican father and an Indian mother has been known more as an African-American. But so far on the campaign, Harris has promptly played up her Indian-ness as well, with the Democrats cheering. The result has been a mix of cultural stereotyping and comic relief. On his Fox News show earlier this month, the conservative firebrand Tucker Carlson who is often compared to a certain news anchor here in India got into a tiff with a guest over whether Harris name should be pronounced Kuh-maa-luh or Cam-uh-laa. Carlson eventually settled on whatever. Then, a Twitter account affiliated to the Biden campaign asked the Indian-American Nikki Haley why she felt compelled to change her name from Namrata to Nikki. Haley responded by saying that her father wore a turban and her mother wore a sari. But the best moment in the entire election campaign so far came from Tomi Lahren, the Fox News host and conservative commentator. In a video that thanked Indians for their support for Trump, Lahren who is as white as white America gets, being of German and Norwegian descent said that Trump is wise like an ullu. (Elsewhere, someone asked her to try a Kannada translation the next time.) But the fun and games are going to soon end as policy takes centre-stage. Indias diaspora is caught up in this election and it is more politically polarised in its attitude towards the Indian government than ever before. In the aftermath of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), members of the diaspora had protested in front of Indian diplomatic missions. That cue was picked up by the Democrats who, led by Bernie Sanders, joined in global criticism of the CAA, Indias actions in Kashmir and the riots in Delhi. During his visit to Washington last year, Foreign Minister Jaishankar had refused to meet with one of the Modi governments critics Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. And he was criticised for it by Kamala Harris herself. On her part, Harris has been notably vocal about Indias democratic ideals and principles, which have shaped her own progressive activism. She has often recalled her seaside walks in Chennai with her grandfather, who had sworn by those ideals and instilled them in her young granddaughter. With all this in the background, a change in government in Washington will bring a few thorny issues to the fore. The Modi government has not been entirely non-partisan in its approach so far, with the prime minister himself having echoed Trumps campaign slogans in Houston last year. For Indian foreign policy, this election will mean a lot more than just idlis and saris. Camping will soon return to Lake Manawa State Park. Preliminary work has started on a roughly $3.3 million, 41 full-service site campground west of the beach at the park in Council Bluffs, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. When we get the campground done, well have increased and maximized the opportunity for park goers in that area, said DNR Parks Bureau Chief Todd Coffelt. According to project information and specifications from the department, the campground will consist entirely of sites with water, electric and sewer hookups available for recreational vehicles, with the sites also offering concrete slabs. The grounds will have a concrete parking lot, along with a bathroom with shower area. In our busy campgrounds, well have a six-to-eight stall shower complex. In this one well have two, itll be a minimal feature because were focusing on the experienced camper. Were looking for 100% reservations, Coffelt said. While the amenities are there for visitors with campers, the site will be able to accommodate tents as well. The campground will also feature electronic gates at the entrance for security, Coffelt said. The DNR information noted a number of factors were considered in determining the location, including wetland mitigation, bald eagle nest and disturbance limitations, appropriate size spacing and consideration for the overall use of the park. Evaluation of customer demographics, such as where they were from, how long they stayed, amenities and access were considered for the final design. The campgrounds will be located west of the beach. Construction work will include the removal of existing roadways, parking lots, two shelters and a restroom, according to the DNR. Coffelt said preliminary work, including the removal of some trees and surveys, have been completed. The state has hired Carley Construction LLC of Council Bluffs to undertake the project after its low bid of $3,356,572.75. The cost will be covered by DNR parks infrastructure funds, Iowa Department of Transportation parks, institutional funds and federal funds. Last week Rep. Cindy Axne, D-3rd, announced a $1,279,000 grant from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. This LWCF matching grant will provide our district with another great way to take advantage of Iowas natural wonders and enjoy the trails, swimming, boating and other activities offered at Lake Manawa State Park, Axne said through her office. Coffelt said a groundbreaking will be held in late summer or fall. The DNR plans said construction completion is set for October of 2021. Coffelt said the department hopes to open the grounds to campers around July if construction is on schedule. The old campground at the 1,529-acre state park was closed in November of 2015 and was reconstructed as a picnic area with a pavilion in 2017, according to the DNR. The 73-site grounds were closed because of the age of the amenities, the layout of the campground, closeness of sites, lack of appropriately sized campsites, cramped roadways which restricted modern vehicle and camper configurations, and age of infrastructure. It was a very aged campground. It was built for campers 50-60 years ago. We were running into the problem, what experience are people getting at a crowded campsite? Coffelt said. People dont travel in little campers anymore, they travel in big campers. We looked at the status of the camping industry. Coffelt said the pavilion has been well received. We were operationally looking at how the park could be better used. Thats a type of park that has high day use, he said, noting about the pavilion area, the public has liked and utilized it very much. Coffelt said along with that high day use, interest remained in a camping option. Local Manawa-area residents, stakeholders and the community gave the department input at a trio of meetings, Coffelt and the DNR information noted. Coffelt said the campground will be unique in the area thanks to its amenities, and an addition that will make the experience at Lake Manawa that much better for both area residents and outside visitors. Lake Manawa is a big resource, its a very good location at the intersections of I-29 and the western side of the state. With that youre at a great crossroads for a variety of folks to be able to access it, he said. Its always been a big draw. Theres a long history at that park, and what its provided the community. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The judges of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), stand in the courtroom in Hamburg on Nov. 22, 2013. (Patrick Lux/AFP via Getty Images) UN Maritime Body Elects Chinese Official Amid Growing CCP Aggression in South China Sea Amid international criticism over the Chinese regimes aggression in the South China Sea, Beijings candidate has won a seat on a United Nations-backed judicial body that hears maritime disputes. Duan Jielong, Chinas current ambassador to Hungary, won in an election held from Aug. 24 to 26, becoming one of 21 judges at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). He will begin his nine-year term in October after a swearing-in ceremony. According to ITLOS, the election was uncontested since no one ran against Duan, who picked up 149 votes. Seventeen member states abstained. ITLOS was established by a mandate of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, a treaty that stipulates rights and responsibilities for how countries use oceans and their marine national resources. The European Union and 167 countries have ratified the treaty. The United States signed it in 1994 but has not ratified it. The tribunal is made up of 21 judges representing different geographical areas. Currently, five judges represent Africa, five represent Asia, three represent Eastern Europe, four represent Latin America and the Caribbean, and four represent Western Europe and other states. Duan was among five people newly elected to become judges, according to an Aug. 26 press release from ITLOS. China currently has a judge on the tribunal, Gao Zhiguo, who was selected in 2008. His term will terminate at the end of September. Influence The Chinese regime has been seeking to increase its influence at the U.N. and its related agencies. Chinese nationals currently head up four U.N. bodies: the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Political commentator Lan Shu, in an interview with Epoch Times affiliate NTD, explained how the communist regime pressures international organizations into adopting its interests. [Beijing] buys off certain countries, especially developing countries, by offering them money or providing them financial assistance such as canceling their debts, Lan said. In exchange, these countries voice support [for China] on the international stage, such as voting for it at the United Nations on issues such as Chinas human rights records. A prominent example is Hungary, which has received billions of dollars in Chinese investment for infrastructure projects. In 2017, Hungary reportedly pressured the European Union bloc to not add its name to a joint letter by international embassies to denounce the reported torture of detained lawyers in China. US Opposition The elections at ITLOS come at a time when tensions between China and the United States are running high. On Aug. 27, the Pentagon warned China over its test launch of ballistic missiles during its military exercises in the South China Sea. In recent years, Beijing has sought to bolster its claims in the strategic waterway by building military outposts on artificial islands and reefs in the region. Islands, reefs, and rocks in the strategic waterway are claimed by a number of countries, including Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. A U.N. tribunal at The Hague ruled in 2016 that Beijings claim of over 90 percent of the South China Sea was not valid. The United States also recently formally rejected nearly all of Beijings major territorial claims in the region, calling them completely unlawful. U.S. opposition to a Chinese judge on the ITLOS was voiced strongly by David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, when he spoke at a virtual meeting held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in July. Electing a PRC official to this body is like hiring an arsonist to help run the fire department, Stilwell said. In May, Jonathan G. Odom, a judge advocate in the U.S. Navy and a military professor of international law at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Germany, highlighted Chinas questionable actions in the South China Sea. One example is when, in December 2019, Beijing sent its coast guard vessel to escort Chinese fishing ships that were operating in Indonesias territorial waters. Odam said not voting for the Chinese candidate would send a message to Chinas government that objectionable behavior can damage its standing in the international community of nations, according to his article published on Lawfare, a blog dedicated to national security issues. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) responded to the news of Chinas seat at the ITLOS on her Twitter account, saying it was extremely concerning. [ITLOS] is responsible for adjudicating disputes related to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, while China is a habitual offender in the South China Sea, Blackburn said. Chinas growing influence in International Organizations is worrisome as each new seat it gains is another avenue for the #CCP to sway outcomes and shift global opinions. On Aug. 28, the U.S. Navy stated on Twitter that the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin, which had been patrolling the South China Sea, was refueled at sea so it could continue its operation of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. Also on Aug. 28, national security adviser Robert OBrien, during an online event held by the Atlantic Council, called Chinas claims in the South China Sea ridiculous. Chinas engaged in military exercises in these waters that they consider domestic, which are by no stretch of the imagination domestic, OBrien said. The United States is not going to back down from its long-held principles that the worlds oceanways and international waters should be free for navigation. China warns of 'accidental' military confrontation with US Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 9:46 AM China's military has warned of an unintentional military confrontation with the US if it does not halt its naval operations in the South China Sea, insisting that recent US activities in the region are instigating such hostilities. The warning came after the spokesman for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) announced that a US warship had intruded into China's territorial waters without authorization. "We urge the US to stop such provocative behavior and restrict its maritime actions to avoid possible military accidents," said Senior Colonel Li Huamin. Li's remarks came a day after PLA forces warned off a trespassing American guided missile destroyer USS Mustin in territorial waters of China's Xisha Islands, close to an area where the Chinese military was holding military drills that reportedly included live fire anti-ship ballistic missile launches. The PLA spokesman said the American forces has ignored international law by repeatedly stirring up troubles in the South China Sea and claimed navigational hegemony in the name of "freedom of navigation," seriously undermined Beijing's sovereignty and security interests in the region. Li reiterated China's "undisputable sovereignty" over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters in the region, insisting that Chinese troops are always on high alert to resolutely protect national sovereignty and safeguard peace and stability in the area. The US Navy claimed that the USS Martin had conducted a "routine" operation in the region, again invoking its self-proclaimed "freedom of navigation" principle to justify the move. The development came after China's Defense Ministry declared on Thursday that Beijing would not "dance to the tune" of the US or allow it to "cause trouble," as Washington continues its operations in the South China Sea. Washington and Beijing are currently at loggerheads over a host of issues, including trade, technology, Hong Kong, Taiwan, navigation in the East and South China Seas, and most recently, the coronavirus pandemic. The South China Sea has recently become a flashpoint. The United States has been trying to push back against what it views as China's rising influence in the resource-rich South China Sea. Washington has sided with China's rivals in maritime disputes in the sea and been routinely sending warships and warplanes to the region. China said on Tuesday that the US had flown a spy aircraft into a Chinese no-fly zone during live-fire military drills, slamming the move as "naked provocation." The Chinese military launched two ballistic missiles into the South China Sea on Wednesday, in a clear warning to the United States. The move came right after the US blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and individuals over their alleged involvement in construction efforts in disputed islands in the South China Sea. On Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry censured Washington's sanctions against the Chinese companies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PODGORICA, Montenegro - Montenegros pro-Serb and Russian opposition groups claimed victory against the ruling pro-Western party in a tense parliamentary election that could see a change in the course of the small Balkan state. The unofficial tally showed that the two camps were running-neck-and-neck, although they also indicate that the opposition has a bigger chance to form a coalition that will rule the tiny Adriatic country and unseat the Democratic Party of Socialists that has been in power for 30 years. The election was marked by by a dispute over a law on religious rights that is staunchly opposed by the influential Serbian Orthodox Church. The issue has fueled divisions in the nation of 620,000 people that has defied its traditional Slavic allies Serbia and Russia to become independent in 2006 and join NATO in 2017. Showing high interest in the election, some 75% of eligible 540,000 voters had cast their ballots by the closure of the polling stations, the state electoral commission said. Lines formed outside some polling stations on a very hot summer day. The regime has fallen, said Zdravko Krivokapic, the leader of the opposition For the Future of Montenegro coalition after a vote count by the Center for Monitoring and Research, an independent group. Claiming victory, Krivokapic said: People of Montenegro, freedom has happened! An independent monitoring body said that with nearly all of the vote counted, the ruling party had about 35% per cent while the main opposition group had about 33%, but with a greater potential to form a ruling coalition with allied opposition groups. Complete official results were expected Monday. Montenegrin president and DPS leader Milo Djukanovic said his partys vote count suggests that DPS will have 30 members in the 81-seat parliament and together with its traditional political partners will garner 40 mandates. Djukanovic said the party will wait for the final count and unconditionally respect the outcome. The struggle for the majority of parliamentary seats in the Montenegrin parliament is still going on, said Djukanovic. We will wait for the final count and the official results to see which of the two political sides will have the decisive 41st mandate. Djukanovic praised his partys historic achievements for Montenegro and expressed hope that whoever forms the next government, Montenegro will remain on the European path and pursuing European values. The ruling party led Montenegro to independence peacefully from much larger neighbouring Serbia and into NATO and on the threshold of the European Union despite strong opposition from Russia. Months of church-led protests against the property bill have raised tensions and fears of potential incidents during and after the election on Sunday. Authorities are also thinking back to the previous election, in October 2016, when they said they thwarted a planned election-day coup orchestrated by two Russia military intelligence officers. The Montenegrin president, known as the longest-serving European leader, has been a key Western ally in the efforts to push the volatile Balkan region toward Euro Atlantic integration. The main opposition groups have backed the church-led protests against the religion law, seeking closer ties with Belgrade and Moscow. The pro-Russian Serbian Orthodox Church has argued that the law allows the Montenegrin state to confiscate its property as a prelude to setting up a separate Montenegrin church. This has been denied by the government. About one third of Montenegros people declare themselves as Serbs, which makes relations with Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church a highly sensitive issue. The coronavirus has ravaged Montenegros tourism, which normally feeds the countrys weak economy. The mountainous Adriatic Sea nation is blessed by stunning nature and golden beaches. Sushant Singh Rajputs father KK Singh on Saturday thanked Kangana Ranaut and others for speaking up for Sushant who is not alive to defend himself. Through his Twitter handle United for Justice, KK Singh expressed gratitude for those defending Sushant who was slandered by Rhea Chakraborty in a smattering of interviews with friendly media channels who made less than a cursory effort to cross-question her on her own copious chats where she is seen to be arranging for copious amounts of recreational drugs and also discusses spiking Sushant's beverages, allegedly without his knowledge though she has refuted that claim. Attacking Rhea for defaming the departed actor, Sushants father said, Criminals will not only loot you but also declare you a drug addict and insane. READ | Sushant Case: After Being Grilled For 7-hrs, CBI Summons Rhea Chakraborty For The 3rd Time Kangana speaks to Arnab on Sushant-Rhea controversy Kangana Ranaut spoke to Arnab Goswami on Wednesday after prime accused in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case by three investigative agencies, Rhea Chakraborty, was given a platform by a news channel where she accused of vilifying Sushant and his family on numerous fronts. Kangana asserted that she watched the Rhea Chakraborty interview to friendly media and she has some questions over her claims on Sushants mental health. "Even if we believe that he had depression in 2019, then what led him to commit suicide? Did someone murder him or did someone conspire against him that he takes his own life? Rhea should tell everyone the truth," the Queen star said. WATCH | Kangana Ranaut Speaks To Arnab: Says 'I Have A Few Questions For Rhea Chakraborty' The nation had united with movements like Justice for SSR and CBI for SSR, after which the Supreme Court had ordered the CBI probe in Sushant's case. However, as Rhea gave her first interview, terms like Justice for Rhea also trended online following Rhea's PR overdrive, which came right after the massive drug angle was uncovered, forcing the NCB's hand and causing it to file a case and begin an investigation of its own. Reacting to the same Kangana said, Rhea is just a pawn who may have been used him for money, to get films or might have given him drugs, but who is the mastermind behind Rhea? We need to know that." Meanwhile, Rhea Chakraborty was questioned for the second consecutive day by the CBI on financial dealings, deletion of data and more. Her brother Showik and Sushants associates Siddharth Pithani, After being grilled for over 7 hours, Rhea has been summoned for the third time by the investigation agency. Rhea Chakraborty is accused of abetting the suicide of her boyfriend and film star Sushant Singh Rajput. Republic has found numerous inconsistencies in the case, the statements of the accused, and the erstwhile investigation by the Mumbai police. WATCH | Full Interview: Kangana Speaks To Arnab, Makes Claims On Bollywood's Drug Syndicate WATCH | Sushant's Former PA Counters Rhea's Claims: 'He Never Indulged In Drugs When I Knew Him' In less than 10 weeks from now, the United States will vote to elect a new government for the next four years or re-elect the Trump administration for a second term. Former vice president and Democratic Partys presidential candidate Joe Biden and current US president and Republican opponent Donald Trump have raised the stakes as the nation goes to polls on November 3. While the presidents party concluded the scaled-down Republican National Convention on Thursday, the Democratic Party wrapped up its event last week by officially nominating Biden for the post of president and Kamala Harris for vice president. Also read: With the conventions now over, whats next in campaign 2020? Heres what the two candidates battling to become the president of the worlds largest economy have done or have offered to do on winning 2020 polls and how itll impact the world Employment President Donald Trump has vowed to prohibit American companies from replacing local workers with lower-cost foreign workers, a key fallout of outsourcing, and continue his hardline position on immigration. We have to win. This is the most important election in the history of our country, he said. His Fighting for You agenda also promises to end reliance on China by encouraging American firms to bring back operations and continue the America First foreign policy. Joe Biden, on the other hand, has promised to reform the temporary visa system to bring high-skilled employees and establish a wage-based allocation process and establish enforcement mechanisms to ensure they are aligned with the labour market and not used to undermine wages. In his nomination acceptance speech, Biden said, Just judge this president on the facts. More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year. More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year. Nearly one in 6 small businesses has closed this year. Since hes done it before, Biden says he will rebuild the economy like he did when it was on the verge of collapse in 2009. In an outreach video, the Democratic Party said, back then Biden led the largest stimulus in a generation and saved millions of jobs. I know how to lead this nation through a crisis because I've done it before. I won't waste any time getting this virus under control and building our country back better. pic.twitter.com/HgBdR6VxUO Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 26, 2020 Covid-19 response While Biden says he would shut down the country in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, if experts and scientists suggested so, Trump has ordered reopening in phases to bring the economy back on track. Rebuilding our economy starts with fighting the virus, increasing testing, getting more protective gear for health care workers and calling for mask mandates nationwide, the Democratic Party said in a campaign video shared through the former vice presidents Twitter handle. The video comes at the time when there are 5,961,581 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country and the toll stands at 182,779, according to the Johns Hopkins Universitys tally. As the cases continued to grow at a rapid pace, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), facing pressure from the Trump administration, last week gave emergency approval for use of plasma therapy to treat seriously affected patients. The announcement came on the eve of the Republican National Convention, where Trump was nominated to lead his party for four more years, raising suspicions that the move was politically motivated to offset critics of the presidents handling of the pandemic. The FDA chief Stephen Hahn, however, later apologised for overstating the life-saving benefits of treating Covid-19 patients with convalescent plasma. Also, while many countries have made it compulsory for citizens to use face masks as a precautionary measure against the virus, the president has neither mandated nor is he himself seen using one on most occasions. Ties with WHO Alleging the World Health Organizations (WHO) mismanagement of the Covid-19 crisis and its role in a conspiracy to cover up for China, US president Donald Trump has halted the nations contributions to the UN health body. Though the administration had earlier said it was considering numerous proposals, there is no final word yet on restoring full or partial funding to the WHO. Biden has so far not announced his action plan on the future ties with the WHO. However, he has been pushing for the guidelines provided by the UN body like wearing face masks to prevent coronavirus from spreading. US-India relations There are nearly 1.2 million Indian-American voters in the US. Recently, the Trump campaign released a video titled Four More Years featuring clips showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Howdy Modi event in Texas last year and the US President Namaste Trump event in Ahmedabad this February. America enjoys a great relationship with India and our campaign enjoys great support from Indian Americans!, the tweet alongside the video read. America enjoys a great relationship with India and our campaign enjoys great support from Indian Americans! pic.twitter.com/bkjh6HODev Kimberly Guilfoyle (@kimguilfoyle) August 22, 2020 During a bilateral meeting with friend PM Modi earlier this year, President Trump also assured of a trade deal very soon. Biden too has pledged closer ties with India and a better deal for Indian-Americans saying he will stand with New Delhi in confronting new threats its faces in its own region and along its own border. He has also promised to end the temporary suspension of H-1B visas to ensure American have the first crack at jobs. The visa programme, of which Indians are the largest beneficiaries, has been in the crosshairs of the Trump administrations immigration hawks. Also, Democrat Kamala Harris is the first Indian American and Black woman actually, the first woman of colour to be fielded for the second highest political office in the US by a major political party. US-China tensions Since Trump took office, relations between the US and China have spiraled down. Despite reaching an agreement on Phase 1 of a trade deal, the difference between the two countries has only widened. The presidents criticism for China has only increased after the first case of coronavirus was reported from Wuhan in December last year and has now taken over the world. Since then, Trump has time and again categorically blamed the Chinese virus and omissions by Chinas regime for its spread. Also, after India banned 59 Chinese apps over security concerns, Chinas TikTok also came on Trumps radar following which he has ordered the video apps parent company to sell its US operations to an American company within 90 days if the application isnt banned. Though Biden has not made his stand clear on how he will lead ties with China if elected president, several Democrats have backed Trumps move to ban Chinese apps. Biden has also promised to work with India in the Indo-Pacific to ensure no country, including China, is able to threaten its neighbours with impunity and will have no tolerance for cross-border terrorism in South Asia. A unilever executive was forced to resign after a whistleblower revealed he was having an affair with a female colleague. Gary McGaghey, finance chief for a project with Pepsi, was accused of 'twisted' behaviour because of the secret relationship. The affair was exposed after Andrea Pirie, another Unilever director, took the consumer goods giant to an employment tribunal claiming she had been passed over for promotion. Mrs Pirie alleged the affair with the woman known only as Mrs X meant she received preferential treatment. Unilever executive Gary McGaghey (pictured) was forced to resign after a whistleblower revealed he was having a secret affair with a female colleague, known only as Mrs X Global finance director Mrs Pirie claimed the relationship caused Mr McGaghey to become 'twisted' and created a 'hostile' work environment for women. An internal investigation found the pair had an undisclosed relationship and exchanged 3,000 emails ten of which breached the rules of Anglo-Dutch firm Unilever, owner of brands Dove, Lynx and Magnum. Mr McGaghey, originally from South Africa, who worked for Unilever for 15 years, was forced to resign and Mrs X was disciplined. Mrs Pirie, who was based in Kingston, south-west London, has been awarded more than 170,000 after she successfully sued Unilever. She worked for the company for 19 years in senior roles across the world and had an overall pay package of 321,000 a year, but has now relocated to her native Costa Rica. In 2015 she told her line manager that Mr McMcGaghey was having an affair after he did not give her a promotion she believed she was in line for. Unilever director Andrea Pirie (above) exposed the affair after she took the consumer goods giant to an employment tribunal, claiming she had been passed over for promotion A London South Employment Tribunal report said: 'It was Mrs Pirie's evidence that she had noticed a relationship between Mr McGaghey and Mrs X by the end of 2014 and began to notice, on her account, favourable treatment of Mrs X by Mr McGaghey compared to another work colleague.' Mrs Pirie said: 'Mr McGaghey's relationship with Mrs X made him so twisted, he was creating a hostile work environment, especially for women. This environment meant [the other colleague] left and now he was treating me in a similar way.' The tribunal said a Unilever investigation found that there had been a breach of the firm's code because 'a close personal relationship... had not been disclosed to the business'. It accepted Mrs Pirie's claim of unfair dismissal and a whistle-blowing detriment for the treatment she later received relating to redundancy. Mr McGaghey was not involved in the tribunal. By Magi Helena Tribune Content Agency BIRTHDAY STAR: Actress, author and former model Cameron Diaz was born on this day in 1972 in San Diego, Calif. Supporting roles in popular '90s films such as "The Mask" and "My Best Friend's Wedding" and the title role in the hit comedy "There's Something About Mary" brought her recognition. Her other film credits include "Charlie's Angels," "Vanilla Sky" and the voice of Fiona in the "Shrek" cartoon franchise. Her last film appearances were in the 2014 version of "Annie" and "The Other Woman." This four-time Golden Globe nominee married musician Benji Madden in 2015, and the couple had their first child together in December 2019. ARIES (March 21-April 19): As this week unfolds, your popularity may grow and give you an opportunity to hook up with exciting people. You may be motivated to get ahead on the job and might successfully vie for a better position. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You might experience crossed wires when you try to communicate with loved ones or co-workers. In the upcoming week, you should be able to make a change if faced with a situation that doesn't live up to your expectations. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put your credit card back in your pocket during the first half of the week. It's likely that an investment or something you want to buy won't be as worthwhile as you think. Focus on meeting your goals. CANCER (June 21-July 22): With Venus in your sign, you might prefer peace at any cost, and you may be overly sensitive to perceived slights in the week to come. To avoid misunderstandings, keep your cool and don't take anything personally. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Someone could say the magic word that unlocks your confidence. Once you are relatively assured that you're doing the right thing, you can easily handle a financial issue. Try to rely on a consensus of peers in the week ahead. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the week to come, you may have opportunities to connect with people who can enrich your life. People who always honor promises will show their true colors even if there is a slight communication error. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Partners or loved ones could get all the attention. You might be bothered or bewildered when someone misinterprets your well-intentioned kindnesses. Put your concerns and doubts aside in the upcoming week. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Relationships could be fraught with intense emotional content, so it's in your best interests to be logical and calm. Use objectivity and impartiality to deal with touchy or temperamental people in the week ahead. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You might be challenged by adverse financial situations or a drain on your resources. You can overcome any problem by being open to new ways of handling things. Focus on being innovative as the week unfolds. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): It's usually only in fairy tales that fantasies come true. Keep your dreams and expectations grounded in the realm of the possible. Focus on being more realistic in the week ahead, especially when dealing with partners and loved ones. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): As this week goes by, you may notice a transition within your family unit. Perhaps a schedule change will make it easier to have family dinners together, or you can make a positive breakthrough with communications. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The ideas you toss back and forth with a companion might be impractical. Later in the week, a partner may present you with ways to accomplish what you envision. Concentrate on being honorable with financial obligations. IF AUGUST 30 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Your leadership abilities and talents are in full flower during the next three to four weeks. You may appear more attractive and trustworthy to others, so you might appeal to new admirers or even receive a job offer. Late November and early December is a good time to make smooth transitions and successful changes while you can put your whole heart into starting anew. Weigh the risks and obtain sound advice from trustworthy friends before you jump headfirst into a new relationship or job in January, when you may only see what you want to see. Learn more at https://magihelena.com/ Questions? Reach out to Helena at questionsmagihelena.com. 2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. The British street artist Banksy has accused European officials of ignoring maritime distress calls from non-Europeans after he helped fund a rescue vessel to assist migrants stranded in the central Mediterranean for days. Hundreds of migrants were transferred to several rescue ships on Saturday as international aid groups urged European officials to let them come ashore. One of the vessels, the Louise Michel, was funded by Banksy. According to a series of posts on the Louise Michels Twitter account, the ship set out on Thursday to help 89 people on a rubber dinghy. During its mission, it came across another ship with about 130 people, who were also rescued. At that point, with more than 200 people aboard, the Louise Michels crew of 10 could no longer steer the ship because of overcrowding on its deck and issued a distress call. The ship was near Lampedusa, an Italian island off the African coast that has become a gateway to Europe for many migrants. The Italian Coast Guard, responding to the distress call, said it had taken in 49 passengers it considered the most vulnerable, as well as the body of a migrant who had died before being transferred to the Louise Michel. In the past months, Nigeria and Ghana have engaged in diplomatic rows owing to the demolition and seizure of buildings belonging to the Nigeria embassy in the country. The crisis was ,however, heightened with reports of closure of shops owned by Nigerians in Ghana and multiple cases of harassment. On Friday, Nigerias information minister, Lai Mohammed, accused the Ghanaian authorities of extortion, incessant arrests and activities contravening the Vienna convention. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) is an international agreement regulating treaties between States, signed by 45 countries including Nigeria and Ghana. Reacting to Mr Mohammeds allegations, the Ghanaian minister of information, Kolo Nkrumah, issued a statement to correct what he called factual errors and misunderstandings in Mr Mohammed s allegations Read full statement below : The Government of Ghana notes, with concern, a statement, dated Friday, August 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture and signed by the Federal Minister, Hon. Lai Mohammed, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concerning current relations between Ghana and Nigeria. Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries. Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by my Nigerian counterpart is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified. We are obliged, therefore, as a first step, to provide our counterparts, as well as the Ghanaian and Nigerian publics, with a more reflective account of events, even as we pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters. (1) Accusation: The seizure of the Nigerian Missions property located at No. 10. Barnes Rosul Accra which has been used as diplomatic premises by the Nigerian Government for almost 50 years, and which action, is a serious breach of the Vienna Convention Response: This statement is inaccurate. The transaction was a commercial arrangement between Thomas D. Hardy, a private citizen and the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana on 23rd October, 1959. The terms of the Commercial Lease expired 46 years ago, without any evidence of renewal by the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana. The Government of Ghana was not involved in the transaction and has not seized the property in question. (II) Accusation: Also, even though the main reason given for the seizure of Federal Government property at No. 10 Barnes Road in Accra is the non-renewal of Lease after expiration, the Ghanaian authority did not give Nigeria the right of first refusal or the notice to renew the Lease. By contrast, the lease on some of the properties occupied by the Ghanaian Mission in Nigeria has long expired, yet such properties have not been seized. Response: The Government of Ghana does not, did not and never owned the land, and has not been involved in the seizure of any property of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana: The land in question is owned by the Osu Stool and managed by the Lands Commission. In response to the claim that the lease on some of the properties owned by the Ghana Mission in Nigeria has long expired, it must be noted that the Government acquired a freehold land at Pope John Paul II Street in Abuja in 1989 through a commercial arrangement, and built the current structures on it. The staff of the Ghana High Commission in Abuja have been living there since the construction of the current structures. (III) Accusation: Demolition of the Nigerian Missions property located at No. 19/21 Julius Nyerere Street. Eat Ride. Ccm, which constitutes another serious breach of the Vienna Convention. Response: This statement is not factual. A search at the Lands Commission indicated that the Nigerian High Commission failed to complete the documentation process after paying for the land in the year 2000 A.D. The High Commission failed to acquire the Lease and Land Title Certificate, which constitute documentation for the said property, as well as a building permit for construction. In Ghana, land is owned not only by the Government, but also by Stools and Families. The demolition of the property was not carried out by agents of the Ghanaian Government, but by agents of the Osu Stool. Nonetheless, the Government Ghana, valuing the relations between our two countries, has decided to restore the property, at its own cost, to its original state for the Nigerian High Commission, and has duly communicated the same to the Nigerian Authorities. The Government of Ghana has also agreed to facilitate the proper acquisition of title by the Nigerian High Commission, as announced by Ghanas Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time of the incident. (IV) Accusation: Advertisements Aggressive and incessant deportation of Nigerians from Ghana. Between January 2018 and February 2019, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Five (825) Nigerians were deported from Ghana. Response: This statement is not factual. In 2019, seven hundred (700) Nigerians, who were found to have been involved in criminal activities such as fraud, prostitution, armed robbery etc., were deported. (V) Accusation: Residency permit requirement, for which Ghana Immigration Service has placed huge fees far higher than the fees charged by the Nigerian Immigration Service. These include the compulsory non- citizen ID card (US$120, US$ 60 for yearly renewal); medical examinations, including for COVID-19 which is newly introduced (about US$ 120), and payment for residency permit (US$ 400 compared to the N700,000 being paid by Ghanaians for residency card in Nigeria). Response: It must be noted that all foreigners, who apply for resident permit in Ghana, pay the same fees as stated above. These fees are not specific to Nigerians. (VI) Accusation: Media war against Nigerians in Ghana. The negative reportage of issues concerning Nigerians resident in Ghana by the Ghanaian media is fuelling an emerging xenophobic attitude against Nigerian traders and Nigerians in general. The immediate fallout is the incessant harassment and arrest of Nigerian traders and closure of their shops. Response: The statement is not factual. There is no media war against Nigerians in Ghana. There is also no negative reportage on Nigerian residents in Ghana by Ghanaian media, which could potentially lead to xenophobic attitude towards Nigerians, particularly Nigerian traders in Ghana. No Nigerian trader has been arrested. The closure of shops was as a result of infractions on Ghanaian laws. Even then, those affected who are not only Nigerians, have been given ample time to regularise their documents. Furthermore, no Nigerian-owned shops are currently closed. Among other corrective measures, the Committee on Foreigners in Retail Trade, comprising representatives of various regulatory agencies and institutions in Ghana, was tasked with the responsibility of conducting inspections of retail shops in designated commercial districts in both Accra and Kumasi to ensure compliance with retail trade laws and regulations. The compliance exercises conducted in the selected markets revealed gross violations of retail trade laws and regulations by Ghanaians and foreigners, including Nigerians. These violations included tax evasion, immigration offenses, trading in sub-standard products, violation of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) law, improper registration of firms, under-payment of business operating permits, falsification of documents, among others. In all cases, non-compliant shop owners are given adequate notice to regularize their documents, before action is taken to close any shop/business. It is an incontestable fact that there is widespread abuse and disregard for local laws and regulations governing retail trade by some foreigners, including Nigerians, which need to be addressed without discrimination. It is important to note that the compliance exercise under reference is not restricted to citehr ECOWAS nationals or Nigerians for that matter, but extend to all individuals engaged in retail trade, including Ghanaians. (IX) Accusation: Harsh and openly biased judicial trial and pronouncements of indiscriminately long jail terms for convicted Nigerians. Response: Ghanas courts, at all material times, function independently, and with strict respect for the Laws of Ghana, regardless of the nationalities of accused persons. Judges neither convict nor sentence with a bias for or against nationalities. Nigerians and Ghanaians convicted for the same offenses are not treated differently. (X) Accusation: Outrageous stipulations and amendments of the GIPC Act. Response: It is untrue that the law has been amended twice, and, accordingly, there is no 2018 GIPC Act. Further, the statement that a review of the Act has increased the minimum capital base for foreign owned businesses to US$1.00m is false. Perhaps the reference is to sections 27 (2 & 3) of the GIPC Act and relate solely to persons who are not citizens but want to engage in retail trade or trading activities, which are otherwise restricted exclusively to Ghanaians. Accordingly, a person who is not a citizen may engage in a trading Enterprise if that person invests in the Enterprise, not less than One Million United States Dollars in cash or goods and services relevant to the investments. Trading includes purchasing and selling of imported goods and services. The amount does not relate to the broad universe of investors. We are also somewhat astonished to have the laws of a sovereign nation described as outrageous, especially since they have not attracted the rebuff or criticism of any regional organization, especially ECOWAS. The Federal Republic, on the other hand, is on record to have taken a number of steps in recent months, in pursuit of her national interests, which have gravely affected other countries in the Region. These include the closure of Nigerias Seme Krake Border from August 2019 to date and the issuance of executive orders by Nigerias Presidency, preventing foreigners from getting jobs which Nigerians can do, to mention a few. Ghana and other West African countries continue to believe redress to even actions like these can be sought, diplomatically, without resorting to media statements and related activities that have the potential to aggravate the situation further. The aforementioned notwithstanding, the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who values very much his excellent relations with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, will engage President Buhari with a view to develop immediately a framework for validating claims of ill treatment of citizens of either country, and ensure citizens enjoy the full exercise of their rights, while respecting the sovereignty and laws of both countries. Ghana and Nigeria, as they have been doing, must continue to work together for a successful West Africa. Rhea Chakrabortys lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, has responded to reports quoting Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources as saying that she admitted to having drugs-related chats during questioning. He said that they would accept only official statements from the agencies investigating her possible role in Sushant Singh Rajputs death. Talking about the reports, the lawyer told IANS, No time for all this. We go by what CBI, ED, police or NCB officially says in writing. Earlier, he had issued a statement denying that his client had any links with banned substances. Rhea has never consumed drugs in her life ever. She is ready for a blood test, he had said. Last week, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) joined the probe into Sushants death after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) found evidence of a drugs angle while investigating financial irregularities. The media has also leaked Rheas alleged chats with a number of people, which contain mentions of banned drugs including marijuana and MDMA. Rhea was called in for questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case after a Supreme Court order earlier this month. It was reported that during questioning, she confessed that the WhatsApp chats about drugs retrieved from her phone were authentic. However, her lawyer has dismissed these anonymous reports. Also read: Kangana Ranaut says top actor tried to silence her because she knows secrets about his drug overdose In a recent interview with India Today, Rhea claimed that Sushant was a recreational marijuana user and she tried to wean him off the drug habit. Yes, Sushant used to smoke marijuana, he used to take it even before he met me. He started this during Kedarnath. I used to control him in this department only. He was a man of his own choices and nobody could stop him, Rhea alleged, adding that she has never taken any drugs in her life and was willing to undergo a blood test to prove it. Sushant was found dead at his apartment in Mumbai on June 14. His family members have accused Rhea of giving him drugs surreptitiously. They claimed that she did so in order to control him and his finances. In a self-made video, his father KK Singh said in Hindi, Rhea Chakraborty was giving poison to my son, Sushant, for a long time. She is his murderer. The investigating agency must arrest her and her associates. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918 Follow @htshowbiz for more Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. The teachers union in one North Jersey district said it no longer has confidence in the superintendent and called the reopening plan unwise, unsafe, and uncreative according to a scathing letter sent less than a week before classes resume. The Parsippany-Troy Hills Education Association issued the vote of no confidence against superintendent Barbara Sargent on Friday, four days before students are sent to return to the classroom for the first time since Gov. Phil Murphy ordered schools closed amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Ghana's Maritime Security has intensified a wild hunt to clamp down on some alleged kidnappers of two sailors believed to be South Korean nationals. Authorities believe that the two abducted sailors were attacked by some unidentified gunmen on the waters off Ghana. The victims were reportedly onboard a Ghanaian-flagged fishing vessel, AP 703 when it was attacked 200 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Tema Friday night. According to Dryad Global, a London-based maritime security consultancy, and Seoul officials, 50 crewmen, including two South Koreans, were on board the vessel when the pirates whisked only the Koreans away. It would be recalled that two months ago, some five Korean sailors were abducted in waters off Benin in West Africa. They were onboard the Ghanaian vessel, Panofi Frontier when it was attacked by an armed group on June 24. Fortunately, they were released in southern Nigeria a month later. ---Daily Guide When Shakira Wilson-Burroughs learned that a West Philadelphia mural of her brother, slain Philadelphia Police Sgt. Robert Wilson III, was vandalized Sunday, she said she was shocked and angered by the senseless act. It just reflects everything thats going on, Wilson-Burroughs said. It doesnt help, and it doesnt change anything. It just adds more of a divide. The mural, on Baltimore Avenue near 60th Street, was spray-painted early Sunday morning with the anarchist symbol and the anti-police acronyms ACAB (all cops are bastards) and FTP (f the police). The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 is offering a $10,000 reward for information about the vandalism that leads to an arrest. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to denounce the murals defacement, writing: To the coward who did this: You didnt earn any extra woke-points. Youre not brave. Youre not a revolutionary. Youre certainly no hero. And despite all of your failings, heroes like Rob will still answer your calls for help. In an additional statement, Outlaw said: This is abhorrent. While some people out there might find this type of anti-police sentiment cute or trendy, heroes like Sgt. Wilson are the ones who put their lives on the line for complete strangers. Dont forget we are the first ones to quell seemingly all social ills in the world. Thank God for those brave enough to answer the call heroes like Rob who stand to protect even the individuals who partake in cowardly acts like this. Wilson, a 30-year-old father of two and an eight-year veteran of the force, was shot and killed when he interrupted a robbery at a North Philly GameStop on March 5, 2015. Wilson, who was credited with drawing the robbers attention away from staff and customers at the store, was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Valor by President Barack Obama the following year. Wilson-Burroughs, 37, doesnt believe that it was anybody who lives near the mural, or anybody who knows her brothers story, who defaced it. We wouldnt think its anybody in the neighborhood where it is, but at the same time just Google his name and find out who he was, she said. The type of person he was is magnified even more so by the sacrifice he made. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 said city crews would be on site to clean up the mural at 7 a.m. Monday, but during a live broadcast from the mural at 5 p.m. Sunday, 6ABC reporter Annie McCormick said the artist who painted the mural, David McShane, was already on site cleaning up the damage. Mural Arts Philadelphia said on Twitter that it condemned the defacement of public art and Sgt. Wilsons legacy, which deserves the utmost respect. In a statement, FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby said: Im saddened and angered that vandals would deface the mural of one of our beloved heroes, Sgt. Robert Wilson III. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Wilson family on this sad day. Wilson served our great city with passion and compassion and is sorely missed by his friends and colleagues in the Philadelphia police department. This is not the first time a mural of Wilson has been vandalized. Last June, a different mural of Wilson this one on Ridge Avenue near 29th Street in Strawberry Mansion was spray-painted with red graffiti. A $32,500 reward from FOP Lodge 5, city residents, and other labor unions was offered for information leading to an arrest in that case. A police spokesman said the 2019 vandalism case remains open. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal There is no time like the present for three young entrepreneurs who are looking to turn their passion into a business. Brothers Will and Michael McCumber, and friend Colin Hehlen, all of whom graduated from Los Alamos High School and now attend Arizona State University in Tempe, are partners in a fledgling watch-making company. My brother and I have been collecting watches for a while as a hobby, said company frontman and co-founder Will McCumber. And then, about two years ago, my brother, who is a really good artist, drew up a random design on a whim. And we thought wouldnt it be cool if we were able to make it into a watch. The original idea was just to create a couple of them as a summer project while we had nothing else to do, McCumber said. In the process of researching that, we realized it was actually possible and probably easier to turn it into a real product. The details and the specs we were looking for were pretty unique and were pretty complex to manufacture. It was about this time that McCumber ran into Hehlen on the sprawling ASU campus. It turns out Hehlen is a finance major in the universitys business school and had some good ideas about funding. Thus, a partnership was born. He had the know-how to make our venture make sense, McCumber said. He figured out how we can afford it, and the fundraising and all that good stuff. So we started finalizing the design and preparing things to go to manufacture. Basically getting everything ready to go. The company, Hyalus Watches (hyaluswatches.com), is raising an initial $75,000 through a Kickstarter campaign that has about two weeks remaining. The team is about one-third of its way to the goal. The way it works is essentially through pre-sales of the watches via Kickstarter. If the goal is not reached, no one is out any money and the trio will look at new ways to raise the money. Were just college kids, so we dont have $75,000 lying around, McCumber explained. Were sort of limited in our ability to take off because we dont have $75,000 of capital to put on the table right away. Were trying to start something from essentially zero. In designing the dive-quality watch that is water resistant to 200 feet, the McCumbers pulled from their own knowledge of collecting timepieces. The idea was to have a watch that retailed for less than $400 they are significantly less than that on Kickstarter with several specific features. When we started designing this, we noticed a couple of things in the dive category that we wanted to take care of, McCumber said. A lot of dive watches are inspired by and copying Rolex designs, or are way out there, using novelties for novelties sake. But the look and performance was key, he said. The first and most important thing was the overall design, McCumber said. The aesthetics of it. And the price to performance. As watch enthusiasts, we know what features we wanted in the watch and we also knew a good target price. The watches, which still feature Michael McCumbers original raindrop design, need sapphire crystals, stainless steel construction and luminescence, Will McCumber said, while still below the benchmark $400 price. The idea was, since we have a really small company and, by prioritizing those highlights, we would be able to hit that price and we would still have a nice combination of features, he said. McCumber said hes hopeful the fundraising campaign will pick up steam and that the company takes off in a way to provide a living. But even if it doesnt, he said its been a fantastic experience for the three college students. The bigger picture here is that learning all of these skills through self-teaching and putting it into a practical application has really been incredible for all three of us, regardless whether this turns into a full-time job, which I would love for it to, he said. The key takeaway here is we figured out how to throw time and energy and research, and trial and error at a problem, and how to get results from that, McCumber added. Regardless of what happens here, were set up for future success for whatever ventures we have. And at the same time, the stuff that Ive learned through this process also is invaluable. NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of McDonalds Corporation (McDonalds or the Company) (NYSE: MCD). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether McDonalds and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On November 3, 2019, McDonalds announced the termination of Steve Easterbrook from his role as McDonalds Chief Executive Officer, finding that Easterbrook had demonstrated poor judgment in engaging in a consensual relationship with a McDonalds employee, in violation of Company policy. On this news, McDonalds stock price fell $5.28 per share, or 2.72%, to close at $188.66 per share on November 4, 2019. Then, on August 10, 2020, McDonalds sued Easterbrook in Delaware Chancery Court seeking to recoup a severance package worth more than $40 million, alleging, among other things, that Easterbrook had concealed details of three physical sexual relationships with employees and had awarded stock valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars to one of the employees. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. Story continues CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 The acting chief medical officer has praised the efforts of frontline workers as Ireland marked six months since the first confirmed case of Covid-19. Confirming a further 142 cases yesterday, Dr Ronan Glynn said that "few have been left untouched" by the pandemic, which has seen 1,777 people diagnosed with the virus pass away. Today marks six months since our first case of Covid-19," said Dr Glynn. "It has been a very difficult time for many and few have been left untouched in some way by the negative effects of this pandemic. However, it has also been a time of incredible solidarity, a time when a sense of community has come to the fore. "We have seen innovation, cooperation, volunteerism and charity, and kindness on an enormous scale. Our frontline workers have stepped up again and again. "But underpinning it all has been each person playing their part by making the right choices, many times, each day. Together, we have broken the chains of transmission and flattened the curve. "As cases rise again, it is these same behaviours that will once again make the difference, protecting ourselves, our families and our communities. Dublin accounts for 59 of the most recently announced cases while Kildare has 20, Donegal and Limerick have both reported 14, Wexford accounts for eight and Tipperary for six of the cases. The remaining 21 newly reported cases are located in Carlow, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth, Mayo, Meath and Wicklow. Nicole Kidman has paid tribute to Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman following his tragic death from cancer. On Sunday, the 53-year-old posted a photograph to Instagram of the pair chatting together backstage at the Oscars in 2018. Nicole and Chadwick appeared to be in the throes of a lively conversation as they kicked back at the prestigious award ceremony. 'Remembering this beautiful moment': Nicole Kidman (left) has paid tribute to Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman (right) following his tragic death from cancer by uploading this candid photo of the pair chatting backstage at the 2018 Oscars 'Remembering this beautiful moment with Chadwick backstage at the Oscars,' Nicole wrote in her caption. 'Sending prayers and love to @ChadwickBoseman's family, friends and fans,' she added. Nicole joins a chorus of stars commemorating Chadwick Boseman, who died on August 28th at age 43 after a private four-year battle with colon cancer. Backstage memories: Nicole (far right) was photographed spending time with Chadwick (centre) and fellow Australian actress Margot Robbie (far left) at the 2018 Oscars Condolences: Chris Hemsworth, 37, (pictured with Chadwick) said of the actor in an Instagram post: 'Gonna miss you mate. Absolutely heartbreaking. One of the kindest most genuine people I've met. Sending love and support to all the family xo RIP' Chris Hemsworth and Teresa shared photos with Chadwick to their respective Instagram accounts on Saturday, alongside a heartfelt caption. Chadwick's family announced his death in a statement on Friday. They did not specify when he died. Chris, 37, who starred alongside Chadwick in 2018's Marvel film Avengers: Infinity War, shared a photo of the pair at what looked to be a red carpet event. Heartfelt: Teresa Palmer, 34, posted a photo to Instagram with Chadwick and wrote: 'Rest in peace beautiful @chadwickboseman. A true gentle spirit. The biggest of hearts and a fierce talent. All my love to all those who loved you, such sad news to wake up to this morning' 'Gonna miss you mate. Absolutely heartbreaking. One of the kindest most genuine people I've met. Sending love and support to all the family xo RIP,' he wrote. Teresa, 34, posted a photo to Instagram of her embracing Chadwick. 'Rest in peace beautiful @chadwickboseman. A true gentle spirit. The biggest of hearts and a fierce talent,' the Berlin Syndrome star wrote. 'So so sad: In the comments section of Teresa's post, her famous friends including Studio 10's Peter Helliar and comedian and TV host Rove McManus gave their condolences 'All my love to all those who loved you, such sad news to wake up to this morning.' In the comments section of Teresa's post, her famous friends gave their condolences. In a statement on Friday, Chadwick's family said: 'It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman. 'Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last four years as it progressed to stage IV. 'A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much.' The family revealed several of his recent films, including Marshall, Da 5 Bloods, and August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, were filmed 'during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy'. 'It was the honor of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther,' the statement said. 'It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman': Chadwick's family announced his death in a statement on Friday. They did not specify when he died 'The family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.' Chadwick is survived by his wife Taylor Simone Ledward and a parent and had no children, his publicist said. He had kept his diagnosis and much of his personal life under wraps. 'I am very proud of all the effort exerted to organise this exceptional exhibition during the exceptional time the world is going through,' El-Enany told reporters A few hours before the official opening of the Kings of the Sun exhibition in Prague, Egypts Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany embarked on an inspection tour at the exhibition followed by a press conference at the National Museum. During the tour, El-Enany praised the design of the exhibition and the use of modern technology to explain details about each piece, which gives visitors comprehensive information about each object on display. I am very proud of all the effort exerted to organise this exceptional exhibition during the exceptional time the world is going through, El-Enany told reporters at the press conference, adding that this exhibition proves that we are stronger than COVID-19 because we were able to make this exhibition to come true." He highlighted that the preparations for the exhibition began about five years ago and that this is the first Egyptian archaeological exhibition sent to the Czech Republic. El-Enany pointed out that the pieces on display had never left Egypt before, and that they will be sent to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza after the exhibition concludes in February 2021. El-Wnany said that he believes the exhibition will attract a large number of visitors, not only from the Czech Republic, but from neighbouring countries as well, which will encourage them to visit Egypt to see its ancient civilisation as well as enjoy its beautiful beaches, bright sun and warm weather. According to organisers, he said, the exhibition is expected to receive more than 300,000 visitors. Merslav Barta, rector of Charles University, said that the exhibition is a look back in time to the era of the pyramid builders, and that the artefacts on display were discovered by a Czech archaeological mission in Egypts Abusir. He asserted that the exhibition is significant because it is the first Egyptian archaeological exhibition held in Prague, and that it is taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic. Barta described the exhibition as a dream come true. The opening of the exhibition coincides with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the start of Czech archaeological work in Egypt. The exhibition is displaying 90 artefacts unearthed in excavations conducted by the Czech mission in Abusir. Among the most valuable items on display is a basalt statue of King Raneferef, carved around the year 2460 BC, alongside other objects and statues from the Old Kingdom. Search Keywords: Short link: Portugal needs a 'miracle drop' in coronavirus cases to avoid going back on the UK's quarantine list, it was claimed last night. The warning came just a week after tourists were given the green light to visit the country. On Friday, Portugal reported its highest new daily virus figure for seven weeks, with 401 cases detected. On Friday, Portugal reported its highest new daily virus figure for seven weeks, with 401 cases detected (tourists wearing masks in a busy tourist street, pictured) Paul Charles, boss of travel consultancy PC Agency, said the figures for Portugal suggest it could be taken off the Foreign Office travel corridor list in days. He added: 'Portugal is likely to go back on the UK's quarantine list this week and the country itself is now preparing a 'state of contingency' from September 15. 'It has been unable to manage its caseload over the last two weeks as more tourists have entered Portugal, especially Lisbon and Porto.' PC Agency, which publishes a daily tally of country infection rates, listed Portugal as an 'amber' nation, meaning it is approaching the UK threshold for quarantine with 19.4 virus cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day cumulative count compared with 12.2 in Britain. Portugal is listed as an 'amber' nation, meaning it is approaching the UK threshold for quarantine with 19.4 virus cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day cumulative count The Government's threshold for imposing quarantine is said to be 20 cases per 100,000. Mr Charles stressed: 'It will need to see a miracle drop in case numbers by Thursday to avoid being added again to the Government's on-off quarantine list as it is quickly veering into the red zone.' He warned that numbers were also rising in Italy. He insisted: 'Only a clear airport testing strategy from the UK government will remove this anxious wait facing many British tourists each week, enabling them to book with confidence and test on their return, save jobs in the travel sector and help it recover faster.' Around 75,000 UK nationals are thought to be on holiday in Portugal or due to fly there imminently. Many could face having to fly home early to beat a deadline before any quarantine restriction is imposed. A clamp on travellers from Portugal would represent a further embarrassment for a Government which has been lambasted for its 'shambolic' marshalling of the travel sector during the pandemic. In late June, ministers began encouraging Britons to holiday abroad to boost the travel industry as restrictions were eased, only to warn within weeks that 'no travel is risk-free.' In late June, ministers began encouraging Britons to holiday abroad to boost the travel industry as restrictions were eased only to warn within weeks that 'no travel is risk-free' That followed a decision to introduce quarantine measures on arrivals from Spain with just five hours' notice. Mr Charles suggested yesterday that Portugal had been a 'victim of its own success in attracting so many tourists rapidly'. When Portugal was added to the travel corridor list on August 22 meaning no need for holidaymakers to quarantine for 14 days upon their return to the UK flight comparison site Skyscanner reported a 2,000 per cent increase in bookings. ENTIRE FLIGHT IS TOLD TO ISOLATE All 193 passengers and crew on board a flight from the Greek party island of Zante have been told to self-isolate after travellers tested positive for coronavirus. Public Health Wales announced yesterday that at least seven people from three different groups had tested positive since landing in Cardiff last Tuesday, and that everyone else on board was now considered to be a close contact. It comes days after 11 teenagers from Plymouth also contracted Covid-19 after a break on Zante, which is not subject to UK quarantine rules. Advertisement Travel website Trivago reported that bookings to Portugal last week were 125 per cent up on the same point last year, while airlines such as Jet2 and Ryanair put on extra flights. When quarantine restrictions for travel from Portugal were lifted, its rate of virus cases over seven days was 14.6 per 100,000 people, while the UK figure stood at 11.2. But the PC Agency table showed that by Friday Portugal's rate had climbed to 16.4, and rose again to 18.1 on Saturday and 19.4 yesterday. The Association of British Travel Agents said the Government's 'stop-start' quarantine measures were causing havoc and placing jobs at risk. A spokesman added: 'The re-start of travel has not gone as hoped for the industry and sadly businesses continue to be adversely affected and jobs are being lost at an alarming rate. 'As long as quarantine remains the principal strategy in the Government's containment of Covid-19, the travel industry will continue to suffer. 'Given the rapid change in infection rates in different areas, it is vital the Government moves as quickly as possible to assess risk on a regionalised, not whole-country basis.' Some 17 countries previously deemed 'safe' for holidays have had quarantine restrictions newly-imposed in the past month. Travellers risk a criminal record and 1,000 fine if they fail to abide by quarantine rules. Ministers say a total of 4,200 cases have been referred to police so far. Washington: Joe Biden said on Saturday that as president, he would never use the military 'as a prop or private militia' and accused President Donald Trump of employing US Forces to settle ''personal vendettas" and violate citizens' rights. The Democratic presidential nominee, in a virtual address to the National Guard Association of the United States' general conference, said Trump recommended "that you should be deployed to quote, 'dominate,' your fellow citizens for exercising their right to peacefully protest. ''We're so much better than this," Biden said. "You deserve so much better.''His comments came a day after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress that the armed forces will have no role in carrying out the election process or resolving a disputed vote. It was a sign of rising tensions on both sides as the president has declared without evidence that the expected surge in mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic will make the vote ''inaccurate and fraudulent." Trump has also suggested he might not accept the election results if he loses. Biden has said he's ''absolutely convinced" the military would escort Trump from the White House if the incumbent lost but refused to leave. Biden didn't repeat the assertion while addressing the conference, but promised to restore the separation between civilian and military powers which he called the bedrock principal of our republic. It's been tested lately, but I promise you, as president, I'll never put you in the middle of politics or personal vendettas, the former vice president. "I'll never use the military as a prop or as a private militia to violate rights of fellow citizens. That's not law and order.'' That was a reference to Trump's recent efforts to expand federal intervention into some cities as he makes 'law and order' a centerpiece of his reelection bid, against the backdrop of protests against institutional racism and police brutality that have swept the country. In July, the president deployed federal forces to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, after earlier sending Homeland Security agents to Portland, Oregon. Trump also announced this week that federal troops were being sent to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where unrest erupted after last weekend's police shooting in the back of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man. Biden has said he's considered traveling to Wisconsin to try and calm the situation, but only if it could be done 'safely' and without inflaming circumstances on the ground. An Australian student who launched a charity after learning his doctor sister was struggling to eat nutritiously has now donated 60,000 meals for frontline health workers. Alex Dekker, 20, from Melbourne's Monash University, kickstarted 'Alex Makes Meals' on March 21 to provide free homemade meals for exhausted medical workers. Mr Dekker got the idea after offering to cook his sister - who works as a doctor - a lasagne two times a week after she told him she only had time to munch on a muesli bar during her long shifts. The university student posted on Facebook offering to extend the offer of a free meal to healthcare workers, and was met with huge demand. Alex Dekker, 20, launched 'Alex Makes Meals' in March to provide homemade food for exhausted health workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic 'There were about 400 people wanting help,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Word spread way faster and far wider than anyone thought it would.' Within a few days he had managed to organise a warehouse and commercial cooking space in Moorabbin, south-east Melbourne, to ramp up production. His one-man team quickly swelled as more than 100 kind-hearted volunteers offered their time and began whipping up 1500 to 3000 meals a week in Victoria. 'It is very humbling all of these people are jumping behind the cause,' Mr Dekker said. 'It shows me the type of things that can be done when people have a collective dream and vision.' In April, Alex Makes Meals entered a partnership with Toyota Australia while Bondi-based charity Our Big Kitchen started production in NSW. Homemade meals, such as curries, pastas and soups, are made in the morning then delivered to hospitals and clinics. More than 100 volunteers have chipped in to provide thousands of free meals to medical workers across Melbourne and Sydney Six months later, they have collectively delivered more than 60,000 meals to hungry frontline workers. Toyota Australia national catering operations manager Joanne Bartholomeusz said the company's catering division is producing 300 meals a day, delivering a total of more than 20,000 meals in the past four months. 'Toyota Australia saw an opportunity to help this great service and use its commercial kitchen and qualified catering staff that normally service employees at its headquarters in Port Melbourne,' she said. 'With 90 per cent of employees working from home, it was very under-utilised, so we saw a chance to put it and us to work to really make a valuable contribution to support the frontline workers.' Soraya Knapp, a nurse based in a Victorian clinic, was pulled from her role as a palliative care worker and put on the frontline as the pandemic began in March. 'Our work schedule is hectic. We see a lot of people, we deal with a lot of anxiety. We dont snack and are on our feet all day,' she said. The charity has been a godsend for overworked medical staff since launching in March. Pictured are meals being delivered to a hospital 'Generally by lunch we are starving, and we have to we have to take all of our PPE gear off properly to avoid getting infected, which only leaves us only with time on our break to eat. 'When Alex Makes Meal made contact and brought meals it was like heaven. We could take out a meal, whack it in the microwave and have a really good meal at lunchtime. Beforehand we were just eating quick food, two-minute noodles, tuna, whatever was available.' The donation-run service has recently expanded to include other groups in need, such as homeless shelters and women's shelters. Homemade meals, such as pasta, soup and curries, are made in the kitchens each morning then delivered to sites While the organisation was only meant to run for two weeks, Mr Dekker said it will continue permanently after he was shocked by the demand for the service. 'We realised there is a huge problem with hunger in Australia that wasnt being addressed,' he told Daily Mail Australia. The people who are receiving our meals are feeling the brunt of COVID-19 and many were feeling it before. Seeing these people fight each day to survive and make ends meet, being able to help them and being able to be part of their fight is really humbling and heartbreaking. 'Any cent that the public donates is a meal for a health care worker, a homeless person, international students, or a woman in a women's shelter.' 'It is really rewarding to see the little difference that delivering a meal makes.' At least three migrants, two men and a woman, died when a fire broke out on a boat carrying around 20 of them close to the southern coast of Italy on Sunday, police and health officials said. Another five migrants were injured and taken to hospitals, health authorities in the Italian port city of Crotone said, adding that two of them were in a serious condition. Two finance police officers were hurt as they tried to steer the migrant ship to safety, commander Emilio Fiora was reported as saying by AdnKronos news agency. He said the ships engine caught fire and there was an explosion. Mr Fiora added that searches were going on to make sure that everyone had been rescued. Italy used to be a major route into Europe for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants, but numbers fell sharply after a crackdown in Libya on smugglers. ALSO READ: However, there has been a pick-up in 2020 although Rome has closed its ports to migrant boats, saying it is impossible to help migrants due to the coronavirus crisis. Some 18,000 migrants have reached Italys shores so far in 2020, Interior Ministry official data showed, compared to around 4,900 in the same period in 2019. (Reuters/NAN) The police in Yobe State have arrested three vigilante members after one person was, on Saturday, found dead in the vigilante groups custody in Potiskum Local Government Area of the state. Residents said the victim in Potiskum, Musa Baba, was found dead inside a vigilante groups cell. The police spokesperson in Yobe, Dungus Abdulkarim, told PREMIUM TIMES that the arrest was made following a spate of extra-judicial killings and unlawful detention of suspects for days by the vigilante group in Potiskum town. The police said this victim, Mr Baba, was taken to the vigilantes custody by his brother for alleged substance abuse, where he was detained for five days before his death on Saturday. The information received from the vigilante (group) is that the suspect committed suicide while in detention using a knife to slice his own neck. The police have arrested three vigilante members and have commenced investigation into the matter to ascertain the truth of the matter. The investigation will focus on who kept the knife inside the vigilantes custody that the suspect used in killing himself, the police spokesperson said. Killing of suspected kidnappers The police also said the vigilante group killed three suspected kidnappers in Murfa Kalam village, about 16 kilometres from Damaturu, the states capital. Residents said the suspected kidnappers were killed following an attempt to kidnap one Alhaji Fulani after obtaining N4 million from him in his residence. The vigilante members mobilised and ambushed the kidnappers who were attempting to whisk away their victim. In the process, three of the kidnappers were killed and four others arrested, a resident said, asking not to be named for security reasons. The four arrested suspects were handed over to soldiers, the source added. PREMIUM TIMES could not reach the vigilante group to hear their side of the story because the commander, Mallam Idris, was among those arrested by the security agents. German police halted a march that gathered around 18,000 coronavirus sceptics in Berlin, as some 300 people protested in Paris against the compulsory wearing of masks in the city. In Berlin, mass protests against pandemic restrictions had been allowed to go ahead after a bitter legal battle. The protests had barely begun at 9 am at the city's iconic Brandenburg Gate when it was stopped by the police, who claimed that the participants were not respecting minimum social distancing measures. After the announcement, the demonstrators shouted 'Resistance' and 'We are the people,' a slogan often used by the far-right, and sang the German national anthem. Last-minute permission from city court Berlin city authorities had previously decided not to allow the Saturday demonstration to go ahead, fearing that the estimated 22,000 protesters would not adhere to 1.5m social distancing rules. The ban sparked outrage from organisers and their supporters who flooded social media with angry messages vowing to protest anyway, with some even calling for violence. But on the eve of the demo, Berlin's administrative court sided with the demonstrators, saying there was no indication that organisers would "deliberately ignore" social distancing rules and endanger public health. Merkel and the leaders of Germany's 16 federal states on Thursday introduced tougher coronavirus restrictions to curb the pandemic, including a minimum 50 euro fine for people caught not wearing face masks where one is compulsory. Yellow Vests join in Paris anti-face mask rally Meanwhile, some 300 people gathered in a peaceful anti-mask demonstration on Saturday in Paris' Place de la Nation. A few Yellow Vest protesters were reported to be amongst them. The demonstrators accused the government of 'manipulating' people through fear, claiming that making face masks compulsory in big cities was not 'scientifically justified'. The protesters were surrounded by police who fined several people 135 euros for not wearing face masks. This story has been updated to reflect that the Sept. 1 event will be available online only. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A Grand Rapids man who was drafted 10 days after his high school graduation joined many other young adults in serving during World War II. Bengaluru, Aug 30 : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa flagged off the roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) train service from Nelamangala in Bengaluru's northwest outskirts to Solapur, Maharashtra ferrying trucks loaded with goods, an official said on Sunday. "The RO-RO train with 42 loaded goods trucks on its flat wagons will take 17 hours to reach Solapur, covering 682km distance between the two cities," an official of the South Western Railway (SWR) zone told IANS here. Drivers and their assistants like cleaners of each truck will sit in their vehicles during the journey. "Some trucks will roll out of the wagons enroute from where they drive to the delivery station to offload the goods. The train will have technical halts at specific stations for water and food," said the official. The train will travel through Dharmavaram and Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh, Raichur and Wadi in Karnataka to reach Bale near Solapur. "The RO-RO service reduces travel time of trucks, minimise road mishaps and ensure faster transport of essential goods, perishables, food items and parcels," said the official. The service also enables large-scale movement of goods, reduces air pollution, save fuel (diesel) and transport cost as riding on a train is lesser than on road. Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi, who is the ruling BJP's Lok Sabha member from Belagavi in the state's northwest region, state Revenue Minister R. Ashoka, state Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkhiholi and senior officials of the zonal railway were present on the occasion. TORONTO - Flexible short-term workspaces from companies like WeWork, Spaces or Regus were once hailed as the future of the office as more people branched off into startups, freelance and gig work that allowed them to work from anywhere, with only intermittent need for offices. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The interior of The Workaround, a flexible working space with on-site childcare in Torontos east end, is pictured in an undated handout photo. Shared workspaces have had to adapt to upheaval in the workforce and office culture due to COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Amanda Munday, *MANDATORY CREDIT* TORONTO - Flexible short-term workspaces from companies like WeWork, Spaces or Regus were once hailed as the future of the office as more people branched off into startups, freelance and gig work that allowed them to work from anywhere, with only intermittent need for offices. As the concept matured, larger businesses moved to fill some of the spaces, looking to offload empty buildings and expensive lease agreements from their balance sheets. At WeWork, the enterprise division accounted for more than 50 per cent of its core revenue for the first time in the second quarter of this year. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Many businesses rushed to set up staff for remote working, and others have vastly different office setups thanks to physical distancing protocols. WeWork drastically cut capacity in shared spaces to promote distancing, filling every other desk in shared spaces once touted as networking melting pots. Large lounges have been cut to 18 seats from 25, while smaller lounges have had occupancy cut to six from 10, or to four from six. Meeting room capacity has also been halved, according to the company's guidebook. WeWork Canada vice-president Stephen Tapp said that despite capacity cuts, the company has not seen a dent in sales because the enterprise business involves other companies who manage their own capacity and in many cases need additional space to spread out their employees. Colin Scarlett, executive vice-president of Colliers Canada, said he has had several clients move to smaller head offices, but supplement with client-facing flex space from a co-working company. "To pick up and move into either a smaller space or potentially a bigger space, there's a capital cost component to that: You need to build walls, put carpet down, buy furniture. Where if you move to a co-working company, the co-working company spends all that money for you," said Scarlett. Canadian co-working company Workhaus previously catered to companies with four to 12 workers, with no one firm dominating the culture in Workhaus' shared spaces. Unfortunately, some of those upstarts simply can't afford to keep an office space anymore, even a small, shared one. "Like most other co-working spaces, a key difficulty is that we take on all the exposure in the long-term lease. And in return, we offer completely flexible rental terms," said Workhaus partner and chief operating officer Ryan Speers. "Young startups and small businesses have been impacted severely ... we saw a significant, substantial drop in revenue immediately, as soon as the lockout came into effect." Speers said it makes sense that larger companies may cancel their long-term leases downtown, and instead rotate staffers in and out of smaller, flexible workspaces like Workhaus, which now offers services for the COVID-19 era such as scheduling desk availability and collecting information for contact tracing. But even before COVID-19, co-working spaces were not easy to operate. WeWork was losing money and cut 20 per cent of its workforce in 2019. The pandemic has also tarnished many of the previously alluring aspects of co-working spaces: locations in crowded downtown cores, open-concept shared floorplans and social and educational events. CBRE research estimated that between the end of 2017 to 2019, there was a 79 per cent increase in the number of square feet dedicated to co-working in Canada but two players, WeWork and IWG, own nearly 60 per cent of the Canadian market. That mass scale has only become more important as people return to work in a pandemic, said Wayne Berger, Toronto-based CEO of IWG Americas, which operates Spaces and Regus. 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. "We are seeing companies turning to their employees and giving them options," said Berger. "Employees are still concerned about utilizing mass transit, are trying to determine what the back-to-school word looks like. Workers aren't fully able to determine what their schedule looks like, and also there's different levels of comfort in coming back to a downtown urban core ... we are seeing a very high demand in suburban locations and also places like Regina, (Ontario cities) Barrie, Oakville, Mississauga, Markham, Hamilton, (and B.C.'s ) Burnaby, Richmond. It gives people some options to work closer to where they are." As co-working spaces become increasingly corporate, small independents such as Toronto's The Workaround are positioning themselves as local businesses that offer more safety and mental health benefits to people who don't want to be exposed to large or busy shared spaces where contagions could spread. "The success of co-working will be in niche (co-working spaces)," said Amanda Munday, founder and CEO of The Workaround. "It's like a gym. I'm a little worried to go back to a big corporate gym where you don't know who's coming in the door. But I'm willing to return to my local studio, because it's the same 10 people I see all the time from the neighbourhood." A big pre-COVID selling point for the company was drop-in desks, used by upward of 700 people since the company opened in 2018. The desks were ideal for individuals working on a big deadline who needed a few weeks of focus here or there, said Amanda Munday, whose client base centred on entrepreneurs who needed on-site childcare. Despite the droves of beleaguered working parents cooped up at home and craving a desk and colleagues to chat with during the pandemic that "hot-desking" model is no longer viable. The Workaround has had to pivot to monthly memberships for desks that can only be used by members of the same household. "We all know it's impossible to work at home, it's really difficult with two working parents a disaster by anyone's definition," said Munday. Apex body has expressed concerns over freezing of of some by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) without giving any warning, hearing or reasons, and has sought Commerce Ministry's intervention in the matter. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Sharad Kumar Saraf said freezing of without any investigation is against the principles of natural justice and is causing irreparable damage to "I regret to bring to your attention that of late the Enforcement Directorate is freezing the bank account of exporters without giving them any warning, hearing or reasons for freezing the account," Saraf said in the letter. Citing two recent cases, he said it appears that the government of Brazil had sent a message to Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that they are carrying out some investigation against a former Governor and they suspect that about 67 parties in India could be involved in supporting that Governor in money laundering. Accordingly, he said, the MEA had directed ED to freeze of 67 parties and most of them are "established exporters". He added that the MEA neither asked any clarification or details of the case nor did they seek any clarification from the concerned parties. "Sudden freezing of bank accounts has seriously affected the business of most of these parties," Saraf said, adding that "our government is taking action against a simple message of foreign government without taking the details or giving the party an opportunity of presenting their case". In another case, Saraf said, a message was received from the government of Saudi Arabia regarding some investigation being done by them and they informed that one of India's reputed export houses has received money as payment of exports which could be proceeds of crime. The ED freezed the bank account of that export house also without any warning or investigation, he said. "By freezing the bank accounts we are only harming our own citizens and interest without any benefit to us. On the other hand, we have examples of foreign governments not supporting us in case of our investigations and extradition," Saraf said. When asked about the matter, he told PTI that the federation has sought intervention of the as such incidents impact exporters at a time when they are battling the COVID-19 pandemic. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former Comancheros bikie has been killed in a brazen drive-by shooting outside of his home in Sydney's south-west while his wife and young child were inside. Fares Abounader, 39, died in a hail of bullets outside his home at Wall Avenue in Panania shortly before midnight on Saturday night. Despite the best efforts of his family, a neighbour and emergency services he was unable to be saved and died at the scene. 'The shooting was very calculated and very deliberate and quite brazen,' Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow said on Sunday. Police sources told The Daily Telegraph Mr Abounader was the victim of a targeted shooting as tensions continue to simmer between the Comancheros and Bandidos. The Bandidos and Comancheros are believed to be behind a fatal shooting after a man was gunned down in a white Mercedes ute (pictured, emergency services at the scene in Panania on Saturday night) Neighbours awoke to the sounds of gunfire on Wall Avenue at Panania, in south-west Sydney, on Saturday night Mr Abounader had crossed paths with the law several times while a member of the Comancheros. He was allegedly involved in the 2009 brawl at Sydney Airport, when Comancheros bikies clashed with their Hells Angels rivals. Hells Angel member Anthony Zervas was killed and then-Comanchero boss Mick Hawi, who died in 2018, was charged with manslaughter. Mr Abounader fled the scene after allegedly throwing a knife down a drain. The man, who is known to police, was a member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang but this might have recently changed. They did not say if this could have been a factor in the shooting. 'Despite the fact that the victim is known to police it doesn't change the fact he was a family man. His wife and young child were home at the time,' Det Sup Critchlow said. 'No-one deserves to be treated like this and murdered in such a callous fashion in front of his home.' Paramedics performed CPR on a 39-year-old man before he was pronounced dead at the scene Terrified neighbours said they heard the sound of gunshots and screams before emergency services arrived on scene. 'I heard gunshots but thought it was far away, and then I heard people yelling,' one neighbour said. 'They were trying to resuscitate him.' Paramedics performed CPR on the 39-year-old man before he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Comancheros were founded on the New South Wales Central Coast on April 15, 1966. A number of Comancheros members broke off from the chapter to create the Bandidos MC Australia in 1984. Both camps were involved in the bloody shootout known as the 1984 Milperra Massacre, which left six men and a 14-year-old girl dead. Indias gross domestic product (GDP) is set to report a record contraction in the fiscal first quarter, more severe than most G20 nations, as the strict lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19 weighed heavily on the economy. The GDP data for the three months ended June 30, which is scheduled to be released on Monday, is expected to be the worst since India started reporting quarterly data in 1996. Seven economists surveyed by Mint forecast GDP to shrink in the range of 25.5% to 15.2%, with a median of 21%. So far, the UK has reported the biggest slump in GDP among the worlds top 20 economies with a 21.7% plunge in the June quarter, its deepest contraction on record. Widespread restrictions imposed during Indias nationwide lockdown, which began on 25 March and continued till end May, are being gradually lifted. While April and May are considered wipeouts for most businesses, pent-up demand somewhat boosted consumption in June, though well below the pre-Covid-19 levels. Abheek Barua, chief economist at HDFC Bank Ltd, expects GDP growth to contract by 21% in the June quarter. Manufacturing is likely to see the sharpest slowdown, followed by services, based on high-frequency indicators. On the other hand, the only support to growth is likely to come from the agricultural sector that was relatively insulated from the impact of the virus. We estimate the contraction in GDP will be close to 25% if we exclude farm activity in Q1 FY2021, he said. However, State Bank of India, in a report released last week, said June quarter GDP could positively surprise the market on better-than-expected corporate performance. In principle, the revenue decline of listed firms has been far outstripped by cost rationalization, thereby not impacting margins. According to our estimates, Q1 FY21 real GDP degrowth would be now around 16.5%, it added. High-frequency indicators such as the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), manufacturing PMI and auto sales contracted sharply. The only silver lining could be the performance of the farm sector, which may see a growth of 3-4%. Favourable monsoon, increased availability of water in reservoirs for irrigation may provide support to farm sector growth. However, data unavailability could mar the credibility of GDP numbers. NSO didnt officially publish factory output figures for April and May citing data issues as a majority of industrial establishments did not operate. Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC, advised caution in interpreting GDP data as the absence of informal sector data could result in overestimation. The pandemic is likely to have hurt the informal sector more acutely as it comprises small firms with limited economic buffers to withstand shocks. And if formal sector data is taken to proxy informal activity at such a time, GDP can potentially be overestimated. More than a quarter of a million workers at stalwart British firms have been laid off since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Mail can reveal. Gatwick Airport, sandwich chain Pret a Manger and BMW Mini became the latest to swing the jobs axe last week, meaning around 255,000 roles have been cut or marked for the chop since March, according to a Mail audit. This number includes overseas workers laid off by British firms. But now more than 153,000 positions have been slashed in the UK alone. Sobering sign: The jobs crisis will deepen in the coming weeks as the furlough scheme draws to a close The crisis will deepen in the coming weeks as the furlough scheme draws to a close. The Bank of England has forecast unemployment to hit 7.5 per cent, affecting around 2.5m people, by the end of the year. In a sobering sign of the potential cuts to come, one in eight workers around 4 million were still making use of the furlough scheme at the start of this month. As the support begins to taper off, struggling companies are expected to make heavy cuts. Conservative MP Jesse Norman, financial secretary to the Treasury, acknowledged the risk this month. He said: 'It's sobering to reflect that many more people will almost certainly face redundancy or unemployment in the next few months.' Pret a Manger announced it was cutting 2,800 jobs last week as it closed 30 stores, due to fewer office staff going into work. Gatwick Airport is slashing 600 jobs amid a nightmare for the travel sector. BMW has said 400 agency personnel working at its Mini car factory in Oxford are losing their jobs. The Mail has highlighted the importance of getting staff back to work safely to support the economy. Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Most jobs are created at smaller and medium-sized companies. Smaller businesses cannot be up and running unless big companies get staff back to the office. 'It's very selfish of big companies to say, as some have, their staff won't be going back until January. It will lead to massive job losses.' Tej Parikh, chief economist at lobby group the Institute of Directors, said: 'The Government must boost the wider jobs market by reducing the burden of employment taxes, helping businesses to retain and hire staff.' Grape pickers wearing face masks work during the 2020 champagne harvest in the vineyard of Marc Augustin in Avenay-Val-d'Or - FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI/AFP via Getty Images The coronavirus has robbed Frances champagne industry of its sparkle as demand has slumped, and health authorities are now struggling to prevent a new outbreak of Covid-19 among migrant grape pickers. The arrival of some 100,000 seasonal workers, half of them from eastern Europe, has raised fears of a new outbreak in the Champagne region, in north-eastern France. The area has so far been largely spared from Frances spike in infections, with Paris and the south of the country worst hit. Champagne growers say social distancing is impossible and the authorities are trying to forestall a surge in cases by offering pickers free tests at temporary centres set up in villages across the region. Sandrine Dehec of the Reims teaching hospital said: As theres inevitably going to be close mixing, the aim is to avoid a flare-up of infections in seasonal workers often cramped living quarters. Several outbreaks have begun on farms in the south of France employing migrant fruit pickers, and the testing campaign in Champagne is targeted mainly at detecting infections among foreign seasonal workers. Champagne grape harvest begins in France's champagne region - REUTERS/Charles Platiau The problem is, the migrant workers arent coming to get tested because they know theyll lose their jobs if they test positive, Ms Dehec said. We cant force them to come. For a few weeks work in France, pickers from eastern Europe earn the equivalent of several months pay in their home countries. Bernard, a grower who declined to give his full name, said: Seasonal workers arent a metre apart in the vehicles that bring them to the vines, and you cant provide separate vehicles for each worker. Its difficult to keep them apart while theyre eating, and we got limited space to accommodate them. Some growers have required workers to get tested before hiring them. Bernard said he had not done so. Whos to verify that the tests are genuine or accurate? And would the workers agree? All we can do is cross our fingers and hope they havent got the virus. Weve got to get the grapes picked. Its a years worth of work for us. Story continues Coping with the pandemic is proving a bitter pill for champagne makers and growers. Despite the promise of an excellent vintage this year, the grape harvest will be the smallest in 35 years. Growers and champagne makers have agreed to cut production by 22 per cent because global demand has withered, with weddings and celebrations cancelled or limited in numbers. Champagne production and sales are regulated by a cartel of more than 16,000 growers and 360 champagne makers. Each year, growers agree to sell only a fixed amount of grapes per acre to maintain prices and quality, and control supply of the luxury wine. Grape prices have plummeted this year, expected to be the worst in living memory for growers and producers. Worldwide sales of the sparkling wine, one of Frances biggest exports, are expected to fall by a third this year. Yves Couvreur, president of the union of independent winegrowers of Champagne, said it was tragic to be forced to leave many grapes to rot in the vineyards. Fine weather has produced grapes with just the right levels of sugar and acidity to make an exceptional vintage. I think many champagne houses were overly pessimistic about the market, but we had no choice but to accept the cut. Schools will reopen in Nigeria's commercial hub of Lagos next month as part of plans to revive the economy as COVID-19 cases decline, the state governor said on Saturday. Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria, plans to reopen colleges on Sept. 14, and primary and secondary school schools on Sept. 21, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said. "The gradual easing doesn't mean the pandemic is over," he said in a tweet. "It is not an invitation to carelessness or nonchalance." The Lagos governor said restaurants, social clubs and recreational centers would also be allowed to reopen as long as they followed safety rules. Nigeria has reported 53,727 infections in total - including 18,104 in Lagos - and 1,011 deaths. The West African nation has been opening up gradually. It aims to resume international flights in September after domestic flights restarted last month and a ban on interstate travel was lifted. Secondary schools reopened across Nigeria this month for pupils due to take graduation exams. Search Keywords: Short link: Portland police disperse a crowd after rioters set fire to the Portland Police Association building early in the morning in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 29, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) DHS Secretary: Sending Federal Law Enforcement to Portland on the Table Following a fatal shooting in the midst of violence, civil unrest, and demonstrations in Portland, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said Sunday that sending federal agents is an option. When we talk about Portland, again they continue to refuse any type of federal assistance to bring that violent activity going on for a little over 90 days to a close, he said, referring to Mayor Ted Wheeler and Gov. Kate Brown, both Democrats. Earlier this summer, when federal agents were deployed in the city to deal with agitators outside a federal courthouse, Wheeler and Brown alleged that President Donald Trump was acting in an unconstitutional manner. The citizens of Portland want this. We need to bring some normalcy back to Portland, Wolf told ABC News. And, again, if the state and local officials wont do it, they need to ask for assistance from the federal government. He added that all options continue to be on the table in regards to Portland, which has been beset by months of violence and unrest in the wake of George Floyds death in late May. Wolf said that state and local officials are not allowing police and other law enforcement officers to do their job and really to bring this violent activity night after night after night to a close. A man is treated by medics after being shot during a confrontation in Portland, Ore,, on Aug. 29, 2020. (Paula Bronstein/AP Photo) Across the ideological spectrum, left or right, the violence needs to end, he said. His remark came after what appeared to be supporters of Trump held a demonstration in Portland. Reports indicated that a man wearing a Patriot Prayer insignia, a pro-Trump group, may have been fatally shot in Portland amid unrest. Meanwhile, Trump said Sunday that Wheeler is a fool for not using the National Guard. The big backlash going on in Portland cannot be unexpected after 95 days of watching and incompetent Mayor admit that he has no idea what he is doing, Trump wrote. The people of Portland wont put up with no safety any longer.The Mayor is a FOOL. Bring in the National Guard! He added, Wheeler is incompetent, much like Sleepy Joe Biden. This is not what our great Country wants. They want Safety & Security, and do NOT want to Defund our Police! The big backlash going on in Portland cannot be unexpected after 95 days of watching and incompetent Mayor admit that he has no idea what he is doing. The people of Portland wont put up with no safety any longer.The Mayor is a FOOL. Bring in the National Guard! https://t.co/bM6ypak94t Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020 Portland police said the pro-Trump caravan left the area at around 8:30 p.m., and officers heard gunshots at around 8:45 p.m., according to a statement. The man who was shot didnt survive. It is important for detectives get a full and accurate picture of what happened before, during, and after the shooting, a police statement said. If anyone was a witness, has video, or has information about the homicide, theyre asked to contact the primary detectives. Portlands Black Lives Matter demonstrations usually target police buildings and federal buildings. Some protesters have called for the abolishment of the police force, budget reductions, and reparations. Wheeler and some black activists have decried the nightly far-left violence in Portland, saying it is creating a wave of antipathy against Black Lives Matter. Police were eventually forced to declare a riot overnight on Saturday after a fire was set near a police union building. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Locals are outraged after video footage emerged this morning of completely unacceptable scenes of people dancing in the street in Killarney. Video footage which emerged on Sunday showed a large group of people gathered on the Main Street in the southwest Kerry town, with some seen standing on telephone boxes and bins. Revellers can be seen singing and dancing, with little social distancing or masks visible. Read More Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Brendan Cronin, has condemned late-night party scenes on the streets of Killarney last night. The videos of the behaviour, which have gone viral, have caused anger and upset across the county. Cllr Cronin described the scenes as absolutely shocking and appalling and called for a full investigation into what happened and now the incident occurred. This is a slap in the face to all the great work in Killarney that has been done to make our town safe. I have contacted Superintendent Flor Murphy, Killarney Chamber of Commerce, and Kerry County Council Management to arrange a meeting to discuss the situation. There needs to be a full investigation. Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism have also issued a statement expressing their disappointment. Expand Close Cllr Brendan Cronin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cllr Brendan Cronin Kerry Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae said that there is local anger over the footage. The peoples behaviour last night was completely unacceptable. There is outrage from the local people in Killarney and in Kerry over what went on in Killarney last night. We have students who are going back to school tomorrow, we have teachers who are going back to school tomorrow, we have parents who are worried about schools reopening tomorrow, and then we have this sort of behaviour. So, its not good, he said. The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) has called for the full force of the law to be applied for bars breaching guidelines, although it remains unclear how the gathering began. The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) has reiterated its call for the full force of the law to be applied to any pub found to be in breach of guidelines following a number of incidents in Killarney on Saturday night, which involved large groups of people gathering on the streets in contravention of all current protocols, said a statement from the group. While the exact nature of what occurred prior to the incidents that appeared on social media remains unclear, the guidelines for restaurants and pubs serving food state that alcohol can only be served along with a 9 meal and guests can only remain on the premises for 105 minutes. The group added that it supports new gardai powers to close down non-compliant businesses. The VFI supports the introduction of new legislation that will give Gardai the powers to close down businesses found to be in breach of the guidelines. In response for comment from Independent.ie, An Garda Siochana said that it doesn't comment on footage circulating on social media. However, it said that it had patrolling resources in the Killarney area. "An Garda Siochana had resources on patrol in the Killarney District with local Gardai reporting a large numbers of persons socialising in Killarney over the evening." The enactment of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law in 2020 signals the Governments intention to attract more private sector investments in the infrastructure sector. Photo luatvietnam.vn Hanoi - More foreign participation is forecast in Vietnams construction market over the coming years, buoyed by the gradual opening up of the Vietnamese economy to foreign investors and the Governments emphasis on infrastructure development. The information was included in a recent report by Fitch Solutions on the outlook for Vietnams construction and infrastructure sector. According to analysts from the UK-based financial data and research group, more than half of construction roles are awarded to foreign contractors, reflecting the openness of Vietnams construction market. Foreign participation is mainly represented by South Korea, Japanese and Chinese engineering companies. Of which, Japanese financiers are particularly active in supporting projects in Vietnam, highlighting their dominance as an important exporter of infrastructure. When analysing the mix of nationalities of companies operating in Vietnams burgeoning construction and infrastructure market, we note that the country has one of the most diverse competitive landscapes within the Southeast Asia region, the analysts noted. According to Fitch, opportunities for foreign companies to participate in Vietnams construction market exist mainly in areas where private or foreign companies have competitive advantages. These areas include designing, consulting, building and managing projects (especially projects that are more technically challenging) and supplying high-value industrial goods such as rolling stock and wind turbines. Based on data from Fitchs proprietary Infrastructure Key Projects Database (KPD), local Vietnamese companies unsurprisingly dominate the construction scene, holding 43 per cent of construction roles awarded. The proportion of local dominance is lower compared to its regional peers in Indonesia, local companies hold 65 per cent of market share, Thai companies hold 56 per cent in Thailand, and Malaysian companies hold 62 per cent in Malaysia. Only the Philippines has a lower share of domestic dominance than Vietnam at 34 per cent. Major domestic players include joint-stock company Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Truong Son Construction Corp, LILAMA Vietnam Machine Installation Corporation and Vinaconex. The majority of roles are awarded to foreign companies, reflecting the openness of Vietnams construction market. 57 per cent of all contractor roles are awarded to foreign companies, with three nationalities dominating. These foreign players are essential to the development of Vietnams infrastructure sector, as they bring with them technology, expertise in project management and construction methods. The enactment of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law in 2020 signals the Governments intention to attract more private sector investment in the infrastructure sector, and we believe foreign players will play an increasingly important role over the next decade, Fitch said. Leading the foreign nationalities in construction roles are South Korean companies with 17 per cent of market share, represented by established brands such as GS E&C, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and POSCO E&C. Japanese companies hold 14 per cent of market share and are mainly involved in infrastructure projects in the transportation and water sectors while Chinese companies currently hold approximately 10 per cent of the market share. According to Fitch, the extent of Japans involvement in the Vietnamese infrastructure market is further illustrated by the amount of financial support provided by Japanese-linked organisations. Data from Fitchs KPD reveals Japans dominance of the Vietnamese infrastructure financing landscape, with Japanese financiers accounting for slightly more than 20 per cent of all roles. Its rare that a simple tweet triggers in me the desire to write a column. Usually, I just tweet back, and then mute the conversation when it gets too over the top. In fact, I once wrote a column criticizing Brian Stelter of CNN because hed tweeted something rather ridiculous, and he blocked me on Twitter, so I thought Id learned my lesson (not that being blocked by Brian Stelter sent me running to the psychologist, but it was irksome). And then, on night three of the Republican National Convention I had the great pleasure of watching Madison Cawthorne, a young paraplegic who is running for a house seat in North Carolina. At the very end of his short but moving address, this man who is otherwise confined to a wheelchair was helped out of that chair by two friends and stood. He was standing for the flag, for what it represents, for his fellow citizens, for the president he supports, for his family, and as a symbolic gesture of how we are all able to transcend the most exceptional and challenging circumstances. Being paralyzed at the age of 20 clearly qualifies. Watching him struggle to stand up, and only imagining the effort it took to mobilize petrified muscle and sinew, I thought of the following lines from my fathers favorite poem, Invictus: In the fell clutch of circumstance/I have not winced nor cried aloud/Under the bludgeoning of chance/My head is bloody, but unbowed. I assumed that most people watching had the same reaction, even if their minds didnt wander to a 145-year-old poem. I was wrong. Shortly after Cawthorne spoke, NPR correspondent Yamiche Alcindor tweeted the following: Madison Cawthorn made it a point to stand, suggesting that all Americans should stand during the Pledge of Allegiance & National Anthem. It was a direct rebuke of actions by ppl including Black athletes who are currently sitting out games protesting police brutality. And thats when I abandoned my post Brian Stelter decision not to base any future essays on 140-word screeds that might annoy me, because when I saw what Alcindor wrote, I realized that some things are not better left unsaid. Its not so much the statement that angers me, since people have the right to write whatever pops into their heads at any given moment as long as they are neither obscene, slanderous or inciting to riot. The thing that angered me about Alcindors tweet was the fact that she presumed to delve into the mind of this courageous young man and find some negative, possibly sinister motive to his profoundly moving act of standing up. Instead of simply admiring the effort it took for Madison Cawthorne to raise himself up and expose his disability to millions of viewers nationwide, this journalist decided to set him up as a foil to the men she obviously admired much more. Alcindor, without anything other than her own bias, decided that Cawthorne was attacking the Colin Kaepernick brigade, all of those Black athletes who are currently sitting out games protesting police brutality. And that, I would suggest, is beneath contempt. It is beneath contempt for several reasons, the most important of which is that those Black athletes who are currently sitting are able to stand up at leisure and walk to the nearest bank to cash their six- and seven-figure salaries, while Madison Cawthorne will never be able to walk anywhere, ever again. It is also beneath contempt because this journalist of color is, in a not so veiled way, accusing a young disabled white man of showing disrespect to able-bodied Black men. How dare she use someone elses misfortune to advance a political agenda, and do so in a way that is dishonestly veiled. After all, Alcindor can easily say that she wasnt criticizing Cawthorne, she was just suggesting that this is what his action suggested. Its a nice trick, one Ive used myself. But I would never be so callous as to use it to shame a paraplegic to advance a political message. You might disagree that this is what Alcindor was doing. You might think that it was legitimate, and that Cawthorne opened himself to such attacks because he let himself be used by the GOP at the convention, allowed himself to be trotted out as some symbol of Trump love for country. I actually heard that said. Far be it from me to try and disabuse you of the notion that every time someone shows a moment of courage and allows us a glimpse into their soul, its inauthentic and programmed (particularly if they support President Trump). If you are that type of person, you were already clicking like on Alcindors tweet before Madison Cawthorne had a chance to sit back down in his wheelchair. Christine Flowers is an attorney and a Delaware County resident. Her column usually appears Sunday. Email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com. MINNEAPOLIS - Derek Chauvin's attorney previewed the defense the former Minneapolis police officer will use against charges that he murdered George Floyd, laying out his version of events for the first time in a court filing. Chauvin's lawyer, Eric Nelson, argued that his client was using reasonable and authorized force when he knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest May 25 and that the former officer was simply doing his job in trying to restrain a suspect who was "endangering himself and officers" by resisting arrest. Both claims are hotly contested by Floyd's family and Minneapolis police officials. In his filing, Nelson asked a Hennepin County District Court judge to immediately dismiss the charges against his client, a motion that is likely to be denied. Chauvin, who had 19 years' service with the Minneapolis police, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's killing, which was filmed by bystanders and sparked worldwide protests over racism and police brutality. Three other officers at the scene - Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - have been charged with aiding and abetting. All four were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department and are to be back in court Sept. 11, with Chauvin expected to appear in person for the first time. Though Minneapolis police officials have repeatedly said Chauvin was using a restraint technique in violation of department rules, the filing cites training materials to justify the former officer's conduct, including what his defense said was a 2018 photo from a department training manual showing a demonstration of a knee-on-neck hold similar to the one Chauvin used on Floyd during the Memorial Day encounter. "Mr. Chauvin did exactly as he was trained to do," Nelson wrote in the filing. "Any risk created by Mr. Chauvin's conduct lies largely with those who train MPD officers and those who approve such training." Chauvin's attorney also pushed back on claims from two officers at the scene who said they tried to intervene as Chauvin pressed a knee into Floyd's neck but were rebuffed. Chauvin's attorney presented a different picture, describing his client as arriving at a chaotic scene where he saw Kueng and Lane struggling to get Floyd into a squad car and ran to assist. The motion suggests that the struggle led Chauvin to later discount Floyd's claims that he couldn't breathe. "What Mr. Chauvin saw was a strong man struggling mightily with police officers, which seemed contradictory to Mr. Floyd's claims about not being able to breathe," the filing stated. As the three officers placed Floyd on the ground, police body camera video shows Chauvin suggested putting a leg restraint - or a hobble - on Floyd, which would have allowed the officers to take their weight off his body. But Chauvin's attorney points out that Lane and Kueng opted not to because an ambulance was en route. The filing implies that Chauvin thought Lane and Kueng, the first officers to respond to a 911 call about a counterfeit $20 bill, were in charge of the scene and that he was there to assist. That is the opposite of what Lane and Kueng have argued through their attorneys, who have said their clients, rookie officers who had been on the force for less than a week, were deferring to Chauvin, who had been Kueng's field training officer. In his motion to dismiss charges, Chauvin's attorney repeatedly argued that there is no evidence that his client intended to harm Floyd. He also pointed to newly disclosed notes of a June meeting between prosecutors and Andrew Baker, the Hennepin County medical examiner. In June, Baker formally declared Floyd's death a homicide, listing "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression" as the cause of death. The report listed heart disease, fentanyl intoxication, recent methamphetamine use and Floyd's bout with covid-19 as other "significant conditions." But in the notes of the meeting between Baker and prosecutors that were filed as evidence in the case this week, the doctor offered additional information about his findings. Baker told prosecutors he found "no bruising" on Floyd's neck or damage to muscles or the structure around the neck - a detail seized upon by Chauvin's attorney to argue that it was proof that his client had not intended to "inflict harm" on Floyd. "Mr. Chauvin was cautious about the amount of pressure he used to restrain Mr. Floyd - cautious enough to prevent bruising," Nelson wrote in his motion to dismiss the charges. Chauvin's filing does not address police body camera video that showed that he did not lift his knee off Floyd's neck even as Kueng told him the man no longer had a pulse. Chauvin's attorney also pointed to Baker's statement to prosecutors about the high level of fentanyl in Floyd's system. According to notes taken by prosecutors, Baker told the group that if Floyd had been "found dead at home alone and no other apparent causes," it would have been "acceptable" to call his death an overdose. But Chauvin's filing omits that Baker told prosecutors something additional about the drugs in Floyd's system: "I am not saying this killed him." Still, Nelson argued Friday that the fentanyl in Floyd's system "was tantamount to lighting a fuse on a bomb" and that his client did not know of Floyd's "underlying health issues" as he restrained him with his knee on the street. "Mr. Floyd could not breathe because he had ingested a lethal dose of fentanyl," Nelson wrote. Ben Crump, the lawyer representing the Floyd family, did not respond to a request for comment. But the Floyd family has disputed the findings of the county medical examiner, issuing their own findings by an independent examiner that declared Floyd's death a homicide "caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain." Prosecutors in the case recently disclosed a third autopsy - this one requested by the Department of Justice, which is conducting its own investigation into Floyd's death. In a memo filed into evidence this week, the Office of the Armed Services Medical Examiner described Floyd's death as a homicide "caused by the police subdual and restraint in the setting of severe hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and methamphetamine and fentanyl intoxication." In a litany of exhibits filed Friday in support of his motion to dismiss charges, Chauvin's attorney disclosed an interview between Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and state and federal investigators in which Arradondo refused to say Chauvin's name and spoke of the lack of "humanity" he saw from the "officer with the knee on his neck, with his hands in his pocket" as Floyd cried out for help. He was expecting us to help him. He was calling out for us, Arradondo told investigators. The Louise Michel issued a distress call after rescuing more than 200 people over two days in the Mediterranean. The Italian coastguard has picked up 49 vulnerable people from a charity rescue boat in the Mediterranean Sea after the humanitarian vessel sent out a distress call. The Louise Michel, which is funded by the British street artist Banksy, had issued the call late on Friday, saying its seaworthiness was compromised after rescuing 219 people across two days. There is already one dead person on the boat. We need immediate assistance, the Louise Michel crew had written on Twitter, saying other migrants had fuel burns and had been at sea for days. It also said European rescue agencies had so far ignored its distress calls. On Saturday, an Italian coastguard patrol boat was launched from Lampedusa island and took on board the people most in need of aid, many of them women and children. In view of the danger the situation posed, the coastguards sent a patrol boat from Lampedusa which took on board the 49 people in the most fragile condition 32 women, 13 children and four men, the coastguard said in a statement. Earlier in the day, the United Nations refugee agency and the International Organization of Migration urged European nations to let in hundreds of people rescued in the Mediterranean Sea by humanitarian boats, including Louise Michel. Banksys decision to fund the high-speed boat follows a body of work by the artist that has levelled scathing judgements on Europes halting response to the migrant crisis [MV Louise Michel/Reuters] The Sea-Watch 4 vessel, which has rescued 201 people and is itself in search of a host port, also decided to help the Louise Michel in the face of the lack of reaction from the authorities, a spokesman for the German NGO Sea-Watch, which charters the boat with Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF), told the AFP news agency. The Italian left-wing collective Mediterranea, meanwhile, announced it would send the ship Mare Ionio from the port of Augusta in Sicily to assist. Banksys decision to fund the high-speed Louise Michel boat follows a body of work by the artist that has levelled scathing judgements on Europes halting response to the migrant crisis. Early this month, humanitarian organisations said they would resume migrant rescues in the Mediterranean Sea, where none has operated since the Ocean Viking docked in Italy in early July. Before the Ocean Vikings last mission, rescue operations in the Mediterranean had been suspended for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of people have died in recent years making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to flee conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. The families of missing activists and human rights workers in Pakistan urge the government to take action. Pakistan has one of the worst records in the world for enforced disappearances. Rights groups say thousands of political activists and human rights workers have been taken against their will and held in secret. Al Jazeera has spoken to a woman whose father was seized by armed men last year. Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford reports. /* custom css */ .tdi_75_8aa.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_8aa .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_8aa.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_8aa.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_8aa.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement When on the 19th August 2020, Omoyele Sowore, AAC Presidential candidate in the 2019 election, via his platform, saharareporters.com came out with a sensational report, captioned: President Buharis Powerful Nephew Mamman Daura Flown To UK For Urgent Medical Treatment; many mainstream media and online newspapers thereafter virtually quoted Sowores saharareporters in reporting on Mamman Daura. The opening chapter in the report exposed the intention of Sowore, it read: Daura, 80, was said to have been flown in a private jet to the UK on Wednesday (today) after exhibiting respiratory difficulties with symptoms similar to Coronavirus since last Friday. Before now, I have been wondering why other media outfits in Abuja failed to report the UK trip of Daura in their own way. After all, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport play host to many reports, representing many media houses. Does it mean no Nigerian media saw Daura been Flown To UK? The probable reason they, media, didnt report Dauras journey was that there was no urgency in it to warrant reporting. To this writer, that only saharareporters reported the purported Urgent Medical Treatment of Mamman Daura in Nigeria littered with many responsible news outlets, shows that indeed, Sowores saharareporters is a fake and hate news purveyor. In juxtaposing the reaction of a close aide and friend of Mamman Daura, Aminu Balele Kurfis statement on August 20, 2020, while reacting to Sowores report in saharareporters, one can see clearly why media outfits in Nigeria did not report Mamman Dauras London trip. Speaking to Premiumtimes on Wednesday evening, Mr Kurfi said the whole world saw Mallam Mamman Daura without any sign of illness on Tuesday when he attended the funeral prayer for late journalist, Wada Maida. He also said Mr Daura often travels for medical checks with his long-term doctors based in the United Kingdom. I was one of those who saw him off at the Airport and he called me when they landed in London this evening (yesterday), He described reports of serious illness as inaccurate. At 80 years it is natural that he will from time to time undertake medical checks, Mr Kurfi said. He added that as a free citizen, Mr Daura is free to seek medical services or opinion anywhere. If he were sick and the sickness is COVID-19, do you think UK authorities will allow him to travel there at this time? he asked. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_dc2.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_dc2 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_dc2.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_dc2.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_dc2.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } The origin of Sowores base attack on President Muhammadu Buhari and close family members stem from the disappointment he got from his sponsor(s) in the 2019 Presidential election. They promised to make him a minister representing Ondo State. When it became apparent to him that he had been used and dumped, he started his blackmail. In order to calm him down, his paymasters crafted another project for him, #REVOLUTIONNOW. The story they told him was that President Buhari was against his ministerial appointment, so, to get back at the President, the new project will be used to make the country ungovernable. The rest of what happened to Swore and his new project is now history. It could be recalled that Omoyele Sowore was the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC). He stood for election in 2019 presidential election and expectedly lost woefully. Barely five months into President Buharis second term in office, Sowore came up with #REVOLUTIONNOW. The reason he gave for his destabilization project was that Buhari has failed Nigerians. But the same Sowore took part in the election that saw the incumbent President winning for a second term. Rational Nigerians had expected that he would have approached the tribunal to upturn Buharis election, just as the Presidents main challenger in the election, Atiku Abubakar, had attempted. Among the reasons Sowore gave for the formation of his movement was rigged election. If he believed the election was not credible, isnt the court the appropriate place to go? If Sowore had not formed a political party with a view to winning the 2019 presidential election, and had gone ahead with his revolution movement project before the general election; perhaps the movement would have gained currency in Nigeria. So, it is safe to say that he was sponsored by some faceless elements to destabilize the country. On the issue of zoning the presidential seat to the south west, Balele Kurfi also said Daura is being targeted by a section of the media for freely expressing his opinion regarding the 2023 election, according to premiumtimes. It could be recalled that Daura had on July 28, 2020 BBC interview urged Nigerians to deemphasize the rotation of the nations presidential office between the north and south/West of the country. He said the country should rather place competence over power rotation. Could Sowore be expressing anger towards Daura for democratically expressing his view? Could it also be that Sowore particularly annoyed with Daura because he wants to take advantage of APCs zoning to contest for presidency through the platform of AAC? To this writer, Sowores latest hate and fake news targeting Mamman Daura, was a commissioned hatchet job. Now, relating Balele Kurfis view that Daura was being targeted because of his position on zoning in APC, presumably, with Sowores base attack, a politically minded Nigerians may see hand of Essue and voice of Jacob. Hear Balele according to premiumtimes: What is wrong in advising that Nigerians should go for competence and not necessarily where one comes from in electing leaders? There are competent leaders in all the regions of the country and democracy has now developed to a situation whereby anyone being elected must be on the basis of what they have to offer and not where they come from, Mr Kurfi said. He said some of the people trying to bring down the government by advocating for a revolution were on the ballot during the last election but could not win their state, local government, ward or even polling unit, so they are now resorting to call for violence. Can they be allowed to do that in any other country? There is no doubt that these hate and fake news from Sowore, was heavily paid for by those who attempted to undemocratically use Adams Oshiomolhe-led APC leadership to position for 2013 presidency. I dont think Sowore would have been commissioned to write this base report on Mamman Daura if Oshiomolhe was allowed to turn APC to one man business. Those criticizing Dauras presume call for jettisoning of zoning in APC, for competence; should ask themselves, would Daura have made the call if Oshiomolhe and Co, had destroyed internal democracy in APC by imposing their will on the party? Emeka Oraetoka Information Management Consultant & Researcher Wrote in from Abuja e-mail: giltsdaimension@gmail.com GSM: 08056031187 09039094636. Mann Ki Baat, 68th Edition: On Sunday, at 11 am Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation through his radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat'. He addressed various topics like the ongoing festivals, Indian toy industry, digital apps that support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme, etc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address through his radio programme Mann Ki Baat at 11 am on Sunday. He started by talking about the pandemic going on during the time of festivals. He said that this was a time for festivals but at the same time, there was also a sense of discipline among people due to the COVID-19 situation. Addressing the ongoing festival, Onam, PM Modi called it an international festival. He said that the zest of Onam today has reached distant shores of foreign lands, be it America, Europe or Gulf countries, the verve of Onam could be felt everywhere. This is a time for festivals but at the same time, there is also a sense of discipline among people due to the COVID-19 situation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 'Mann ki Baat' pic.twitter.com/IIybGDviPr ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 The zest of Onam today has reached distant shores of foreign lands. Be it America, Europe or Gulf countries, the verve of Onam can be felt everywhere. Onam is increasingly turning out to be an international festival: PM Modi ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 Prime Minister Modi asked the youth of India to make toys in India in order to take the Indian toy market global. He said that some parts of India are developing toy clusters, that is, as centres of toys. He said that be it toys or virtual games, India has to be self-reliant. Also read: After Facebook row, Congress alleges BJPs control over WhatsApp Some parts of India developing also as toy clusters, that is, as centres of toys. Like, Channapatna in Ramnagaram (Karnataka), Kondaplli in Krishna (Andhra Pradesh), Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, Dhubri in Assam, Varanasi in UP there are many such places, we can count many names: PM pic.twitter.com/5T3csFENnC ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 In this era of computers and smartphones, there is a big trend of computer games. These games are played by children & grownups as well. But even in these games, their themes are mostly extraneous: PM Modi on #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/Vo1Rore6hE ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 During the 68th edition of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi spoke about KutukiKids, an app that lets students learn math and science through songs and stories. https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1299949874390106113/photo/1 I have been told that Indian breed dogs are very good & competent. The cost of their upkeep is also quite less and they are also accustomed to the Indian conditions. Now our security forces have also inducted and trained Indian breed dogs in their dog squads: PM Modi https://t.co/TxPrYUX3IP pic.twitter.com/JVczl8lX27 ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 PM Modi mentioned another digital app called Step Set Go. This app keeps a track of how much one walked, how many calories one burnt. He said that it keeps track of the data and also motivates one to stay fit. There is another app called, Step Set Go. This is a fitness app and it keeps a track of how much you walked, how many calories you burnt; it keeps track of the data and also motivates you to stay fit: PM Modi on #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/OMpdWCvXnK ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 Prime Minister Modi spoke about many business apps and gaming apps such as Is Equal To, Books & Expense, Zoho Workplace and FTC Talent. He further spoke about the teachers day which is on September 5. He said that whenever one thinks of his success during a lifetime, one surely recalls one more teacher. My dear countrymen, in a few days from now on Sept 5th, we will celebrate Teachers Day. Whenever we think of successes we have had during the course of our lifetime, we are almost always reminded of one teacher or the other. I'm happy that our teachers: PM Modi on #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/HMxkn3dfjy ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 Prime Minister emphasized on the significance of social distancing and urged people to wear masks in public places. He said that he prays for everyones health. Safeguarding our health by observing 'Do Gaj KiDoori, Mask Zaroori', following social distancing norms & ensuring to wear masks will help us defeat corona. I urge you to follow these guidelines. I pray for your good health: PM Modi on #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/WuJ3e0n0yB ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 Earlier on August 18, Prime Minister Modi had asked people to share their inputs and ideas for the 68th edition of his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat. Speaking at the 67th edition of Mann Ki Baat, which coincided with the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Prime Minister Modi had criticised Pakistan and said it undertook the misadventure with sinister plans to capture Indias land and to divert its ongoing internal conflicts. He also said that Pakistan tried to backstab in response to Indias friendly endeavours. The Prime Minister had urged the youth to share stories of valour of soldiers during the Kargil war. Also read: India controlled spread of locust swarms using modern technologies: Prime Minister Narendra Modi He also asked people to visit the website www.gallantryawards.gov.in saying they will get to know a lot about the braves and their valour. He had said that when one shares these with friends, they would also get inspired. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput death case LIVE news updates: CA Sandip joins Rhea and others for CBI interrogation Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has wreaked havoc worldwide, frontline workers like public health workers, researchers, doctors, nurses, emergency service workers, and farmers etc. have been working tirelessly in these testing times. Reportedly, in a bid to expand the COVID-19 testing regime, Singapore will offer free coronavirus tests to community groups such as taxi drivers, food delivery workers and hawkers. The Ministry of Health (MOH) made the announcement on August 29. As per reports, the MOH, while making the announcement clarified that there has been no local evidence that suggests that these groups are a higher risk of contracting the virus. However, MOH added that they will be offered free tests due to the nature of their working environment, such as the high frequency of interactions with the public. The MOH further stated that the costs of the novel coronavirus tests will be fully taken care of by the government, adding that concerned authorities will reach out to the community groups progressively. The MOH also stated that makeshift face coverings such as stoles, scarves, bandanas and neck gaiters should not be used, as per the recommendations of the multi-ministry task force battling the Covid-19 pandemic. The MOH noted that there have been recent enquiries on the effectiveness of makeshift coverings in preventing coronavirus transmission. The MOH reiterated that these coverings might not be able to perform as effectively as purpose-built masks as they may not have a good fit around ones nose and mouth. The ministry also stated that makeshift coverings are made from materials and cloths that are not specific for disease prevention. The ministry reportedly said that a mask should be worn such that it closely and properly covers the wearers nose and mouth without leaving a gap between the mask and the face. Read: Singapore To Allow Visitors From New Zealand, Brunei As It Eases Border Restrictions Read: Singapore Announces SGD 8 Billion Measures To Support Workers And Businesses Singapore eases border restrictions Singapore on August 21 had eased border restrictions by announcing that it would allow visitors coming from New Zealand and Brunei from next month. According to the reports, it is the nations first step resuming leisure travel since it closed its borders to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Reportedly, the country which currently only allows official and business travel to selected nations added that it would allow students to travel for study overseas if distance learning program is not available. The new measure would be effective from September 1 along with several restrictions, the health ministry reportedly said. As per several reports, Singapore on August 30 registered 54 fresh coronavirus cases. The new COVID-19 cases included eight cases from the community, seven imported, and the rest were migrant workers. As of now, Singapore has a total of 56,771 confirmed coronavirus cases. With 110 more patients recently discharged from hospitals, the total number of recovered cases now stand at 55,447. (Image credit: AP) Read: Singapore Researchers Find Coronavirus Variant With Milder Infections Read: New COVID-19 Cluster At Singapore's Biggest Dormitory Syrian Talks on New Constitution End on Amicable Note By Lisa Schlein August 29, 2020 Weeklong negotiations in Geneva aimed at drafting a new constitution for Syria have ended with an agreement to meet for further talks at an as yet unspecified date. There was no breakthrough in the complex process of drafting a constitution, a key prelude to forming a post-conflict government in Syria. However, there also was no rancorous breakup. U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen describes the talks in Geneva as challenging. But he says that did not deter the 45-member Constitutional Committee from engaging in substantive negotiations. As the U.N. mediator and go-between among the members of the committee, he says he found it fascinating to listen to their discussions. "Obviously, there are still very strong disagreements, and my Syrian friends are, of course, never afraid of expressing those disagreements," Pedersen said. "But I was also extremely pleased to hear the two co-chairs saying very clearly that they thought also there were quite a few areas of commonalities." The weeklong meeting got off to a rocky start. One day after it began, it was temporarily suspended because four members of the committee had tested positive for COVID-19. The talks resumed after a two-day break when new tests apparently indicated the earlier tests were false positives, although those four members attended the talks virtually after that. Though the week was shorter than anticipated, Pedersen says the delegates were able to build a bit of confidence and trust in each other. "I believe the tone was respectful," he said. "I also got a clear message both from the co-chairs and from the members that they are keen to meet again, and we will build obviously on what we have discussed so far, and this in my opinion is encouraging." The U.N. mediator says he will be meeting with the two chairs to decide on the agenda for the next round of talks. He says a date for the next meeting will be set once an agreement on the agenda has been reached. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The sudden feeling of panicking or tension when one is not in contact with their smartphone could be connected to general feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, a new study of young people in Portugal suggests. The study, published in the most recent issue of the journal Computers in Human Behavior Reports, found that gender has no bearing on whether people will feel apprehensive or anxious without their phones. But people who feel that way tend to be more anxious and obsessive-compulsive in their day-to-day lives than other people, the study suggests. It is that fear, that panicky feeling, of oh, no, I left my phone at home, said Ana-Paula Correia, one of the authors of the study, associate professor in the department of educational studies at The Ohio State University and director of Ohio States Center on Education and Training for Employment. This study was based on Correias previous work, which created a questionnaire to evaluate individuals reliance on their smartphones and explored the term nomophobia -- the fear of being away from ones smartphone. (Nomophobia is not recognized as a diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association.) For this study, researchers gave that questionnaire and another that evaluated psychopathological symptoms such as anxiety, obsession-compulsion, and feelings of inadequacy to 495 adults aged 18 to 24 in Portugal. Those adults reported using their phones for between four and seven hours a day, primarily for social networking applications. The researchers found that the more participants used their smartphone each day, the more stress they reported feeling without their phone. A little more than half of the study participants were female; the study didnt find a link between gender and feelings of nomophobia. The researchers also found that the higher participants scored on obsession-compulsion, the more they feared being without their phone. Obsession-compulsion was measured by asking participants to rate how much they felt they had to check and double-check what you do and similar questions. There is a difference between normal smartphone use that benefits a persons life -- say, video chatting with friends when you cant be together in person or using it for work -- and smartphone use that interferes with a persons life. That kind of behaviour, Correia said, is more likely to cause anxiety when we are away from our phones. And, the studys results suggest that people experiencing tension might see their phones as a stress-management tool. This concept is about more than just the phone. People use it for other tasks, including social media, connecting, knowing whats going on with their social media influencers. So being away from the phone or the phone has a low battery can sort of sever that connection and leave some people with feelings of agitation, Correia said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Belarusian demonstrators cheered as police blocking a major intersection in downtown Minsk withdrew and let them march past on August 30. Still, dozens were detained during the day. The tens of thousands of protesters called for the resignation of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. It was the 22nd consecutive day of protests following the August 9 presidential election marred by irregularities, in which Lukashenka claimed victory. Last week, on Aug. 18, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave American women the constitutional right to vote. On Wednesday, we are marking the day when the amendment officially entered the Constitution. We pay little attention to what happened during that curious, chaotic week in between. Why the delay? It took that extra week for women to gain the right to vote because suffrage opponents launched a brute-force campaign to nullify the ratification and cast doubt upon its legality. The tale of this strange interlude involves racism, legal obstruction and political dirty tricks; it also offers an alarmingly relevant glimpse into what can happen when a bitter and well funded faction refuses to accept the outcome of a political decision involving race, sex and voting rights. The cheers in the Tennessee House chamber following the very narrow victory for ratification the deciding vote delivered by its youngest member, the 24-year-old freshman delegate Harry T. Burn were still echoing when the backlash began. The stakes had been high: Tennessee was the last state needed to propel the 19th Amendment into the Constitution. Burns aye had extended the vote to women citizens in every state. The young delegate was booed and hissed. The commotion in the chamber grew so heated that the governor ordered the sergeant-at-arms to protect Burn. Burn managed to escape the chamber unscathed, but he wasnt safe yet: Powerful interests were after him. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has charged the NDA government with not showing enough concern to address the job losses and other adverse effects brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic in the country He said 1.8 crore people all over the country were now not receiving salaries and eight crore daily wage labourers were out of work. Also, 10 crore school children who used to get mid-day meals have reportedly been deprive of it because of the lockdown, he said, addressing an online public meeting here on Saturday night. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited all this on the country by imposing an unplanned, unconstitutional lockdown, he alleged. He also alleged that there has been a 64 per cent dip in child immunisation and that 10 lakh children had not received their BCG vaccination during the lockdown. Besides, six lakh children had missed getting their oral polio vaccine since the Covid-19 outbreak, he said. The Prime Minister, he alleged, also was not worried about Chinese intrusions along the nations borders. Owaisi urged his supporters to help people during the Covid-19 pandemic, regardless of ones religion. He said his party would contest the coming assembly polls in Bihar. AIMIM had gained a foothold in Bihar in 2019, winning minority Muslim dominated Kishanganj assembly seat in a bypoll. Dozens of people have been arrested in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, as tens of thousands joined the August 30 Peace and Independence March amid ongoing demonstrations against the country's longtime authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Video released by the Belarusian Interior Ministry showed police clashing with protesters after plainclothes officers were seen tackling a man and dragging him into a van. A large number of riot police were deployed to the streets of the capital along with several military vehicles. During the Democratic National Convention, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich told Republicans to put partisan politics aside and support Joe Biden for their childrens future. The New York Times Bret Stephens penned a deflating column asking conservatives to do the same for the sake of [their] principles at the expense of [their] politics. In calling Republicans to support Biden, former United States Senator Jeff Flake recently cited his own conservatism as justification. To clarify any confusion, supporting Biden is not conservative at all. Some lifelong conservatives do have deeply held reasons not to vote for Trump. His lack of personal character is a routine sticking point. Others bemoan his populist dismantling of conservative ideals. Some cite his expansive use of executive branch authority. Nobody should vote against his or her conscience. But voting for Biden to champion the future of conservatism is a bridge too far. In fact, Biden has literally described his candidacy as a bridge to tomorrows Democratic leaders. That future doesnt include a move towards the center of the political spectrum. Its no accident that most Americans know the names of far-left U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar while few could identify their more centrist congressional peers Elissa Slotkin, Mikie Sherrill and Chrissy Houlahan. In a bit of irony, todays woke Democratic Party picked a moderate, twice-failed presidential candidate over a self-described socialist. Undeterred, Democratic Party elites took a hollowed-out Biden, inserted a Bernie Sanders policy agenda filled with federal goodies, and paired him with a California progressive clearly identified as the heir apparent. Its an impressive tactical approach to moving moderate voters toward candidates and ideas they would reject today. In what world is supporting this plan wise for conservatives? Will the remaining Republican voters use Trumps defeat as an opportunity to repent from populism and begin studying William F. Buckley or Barry Goldwater? The Republican Party isnt an Etch A Sketch that so-called Biden conservatives can shake at the top and erase everything they dont like. Years of establishment Republicans treating voters like mindless lemmings created the opportunity for Trumps ascendance in the first place. Dismissing 95% of the party as too stupid to know voting for Biden isnt conservative is such arrogance that it might even make Trump blush. Voters will forgive disagreement; they wont forget abandonment. Democrats are planning for a future beyond Trump. Republicans would be wise to do the same as the difference is only a matter of time. Instead of getting behind a progressive agenda, work towards a conservative one. Promote ideas to help parents effectively educate their children when traditional options arent available. Dont simply focus on stock market gains; make it easier for average people to start a business. Instead of flirting with ridiculous conspiracy theories, do something to prevent children from instant access to hardcore pornography. Rather than bailing out corporate monoliths, let growing families keep more of their money to invest in our nations future. If we want to impact the future, conservatives must develop ideas rooted in empathy, put principle over personality, and explain how more government power is rarely the best policy solution. We shouldnt sacrifice the chance to build tomorrow for a rickety bridge to an America where everything is free except the people. Smith is CEO of the Triptych Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The Triptych Foundation promotes a virtuous society through investments in socially impactful media and business. He was recently executive director of the Republican Policy Committee in the United States House of Representatives. You can reach him at cameron@smithstrategies.org. 1K Shares Share Its winter in Oxford, and Im biking to the John Radcliffe Hospital, the flagship medical center of Englands National Health Service. Its raining, and the chain on my bike keeps slipping off the gear. Figures I shouldnt have bought a bike from an antique shop. Back in December, my school had offered to send me across the pond to immerse myself in the British health care system. Seeing as I was nearing the end of medical school, I jumped on the opportunity to travel abroad. Id known bits and pieces about the NHS before my tripmainly that it had long waitlists and low salaries. As such, little did I expect that my time in England, as part of the NHS, would fundamentally alter my perspective of health care back in the States. The seeds of Englands health care system were planted during World War II. During the War, England developed a centralized health care workforce, the Emergency Hospital Service (EHS), to provide for injured soldiers returning from the frontlines. Once the war was over, soldiers still required access to health care as a consequence of their injuries. Yet, given the devastated infrastructure and economic downturn after the wars end, these soldiers werent able to afford proper medical care. This laid the foundation for the passage of the National Health Service Act of 1946, which contained three core principles for the NHS: that it meets the needs of everyone, that it be free at the point of delivery, and that it be based on clinical need, not ability to pay. In short, universal health care. Finally, I made it to the hospital. I walked the rest of the way after dropping my bike off at a repair shop. I was on stroke service this week and still in the process of learning the etiquette of working in an English hospital no white coats allowed, sleeves rolled up past the elbows, supervising doctors were called consultants instead of attendings, and tea was promptly served, for patients and staff, in the afternoon. I was following a lady whod suffered a stroke while knitting a scarf. Shed been waiting for an echocardiogram to evaluate whether a shunt in her heart led to the stroke. It was a routine imaging study that took a couple of hours to complete back in the states. Here I was seeing patients wait a day or more to receive the same study. This was true for many lab tests and imaging studies unacceptable wait times relative to the U.S. And yet, patients didnt seem to mind. In truth, they actually seemed to welcome it. After I told my stroke patient about the delay in her echocardiogram, she replied, in a slurred Yorkshire accent, Thats OK, other people need it more than I do. The more time I spent in the hospital, the more I came to recognize that this sense of altruism seemed to infuse itself into every aspect of its day-to-day life. Patients were willing to brush off inconveniences due to their recognition that resources were limited, and allocation must be prioritized based on need. This sentiment wasnt isolated to patients but pervaded students, physicians, and general staff. My didactic sessions with students were spent discussing drug pricing along with physiology. My attending physician challenged us to minimize patient workups so as to optimize resource utilization. Even restrooms had signs over the sinks, stating: Please limit paper towel use to reduce costs on the NHS. There was a strong sense that my actions affected a larger whole, and as a consequence, I held responsibility towards the well-being of the hospital. Indeed, the more time I spent within the NHS, the more I recognized that its principles didnt just improve hospitals, they seemed to contribute to a larger sense of community within the nation. The concept of universal health care has been a constant topic of discussion in the United States for a long time now. What will happen to wait-times? How will the government pay for it? In general, most policymakers believe wider access to health care will be an economic positive for the country as a large initial influx of government spending will result in a more sustainable health care system in the long-run. Modeling on this is extensive and robust, and yet, the data doesnt seem to cut it when appealing to our unique political tradition. Instead, my appeal for universal health care comes from a conviction that it can contribute to the overall civic well-being of our nation. More than its economic or public health benefits, universal health care has the potential to bring our country together. The vital ingredient in the health of any nation is the recognition that its citizens are, in some deep way, intimately connected. Abstract concepts of altruism, social conscience, and duty become pressing realities when individuals understand that their personal sacrifices have a larger meaning. This is why, in survey after survey, Britons consider the NHS to be their countrys proudest achievement. My stroke patient was being discharged after receiving her echocardiogram. I provided her with a refill of medications (at no cost) and a referral to a neurologist for follow-up. My shift was over, and I was on my way out of the hospital when I saw my attending leaving. I caught up and told her that our stroke patient had just left. Great, she was a lovely lady, she smiled, So its your last day here? I replied, Yes, it is. Thank you again for orienting me to the neurology service. No problem, health care in the U.S. is much different than it is in England. I grinned, Yeah, it definitely is. We exited the building. Im sure youve learned quite a bit here, We were walking towards the bike racks. But I hope youve understood that the NHS, more than any other institution, unites us. The oppressive winter clouds had finally cleared as we waved goodbye. I mounted my bike, now fully repaired, and rode home through a warm spring mist. Naveen Kumar Reddy is an internal medicine resident. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Sarah Wilson has always been candid with her fanbase, and this was particularly evident on Sunday night's episode of The Project. The author and journalist, 46, was asked by co-host Lisa Wilkinson how she managed to live off just two pairs of underpants for eight years. Sarah explained how she travelled the world and 'lived out of one bag' on her back. Keeping it brief: Sarah Wilson (pictured), 46, was quizzed by co-host Lisa Wilkinson on Sunday's episode of The Project, on how she managed to live off just TWO pairs of underpants for eight years 'That is indeed a true story. Actually I think I got up to three pairs at one stage,' the former magazine editor told Lisa. 'I find you only need two,' she continued. 'I lived out of one bag, a carry-on bag for almost eight years, and travelled the world this way. And it's just how I lived.' Sarah, who detailed her travels with limited underwear in one of her books, playfully told co-host Tommy Little that you can survive with 'drip-drying' one in the shower overnight. On-air discussion: 'That is indeed a true story. Actually I think I got up to three pairs at one stage,' the author and journalist told Lisa (pictured) Back in February 2018, Sarah made headlines when she announced she was selling her I Quit Sugar empire. The health guru, who became popular for her cookbooks filled with sugar-free recipes, gave the funds from her tidy profit to charity. After closing the business, Sarah travelled the world, embarking on a journey of self-reflection with a hiking trip. She revealed her discoveries in her latest book, This One Wild And Precious Life. Sarah explained: 'I find you only need two,' Sarah explained. 'I lived out of one bag, a carry-on bag for almost eight years, and travelled the world this way. And it's just how I lived' Abroad: Back in February 2018, Sarah made headlines when she announced she was selling her I Quit Sugar empire. Sarah travelled the world, embarking on a journey of self-reflection with a hiking trip Sarah told Body+Soul this month of her travels: 'I explored everywhere, from Slovenia to Greece to Jordan to the Australian desert. I'd go on wild adventures to work out the theories, practices and life hacks to help us change the world now.' The avid traveller, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, went on to reveal the mental health benefits of being out in nature. 'I will get really discombobulated,' she said of staying in the urban environment. 'I'll also feel quite stuck in myself. We're a culture that doesn't go to our edge and I find it suffocating. 'When you go out into nature, you take risks. You have to jump over logs and navigate around rocks, so all of your senses are heightened and that brings me to life.' Up to 10,000 coronavirus-deniers have gathered in Londons Trafalgar Square to protest against lockdowns and vaccination programmes. The Unite for Freedom rally started at noon and called for an end to Government lies and the restoration of all freedoms. Pictures from the demonstration showed a sizeable crowd gathered in the square, holding signs warning that coronavirus is a scam and a hoax. One man held a homemade placard on which he had scrawled no to mandatory vaccines. Another called the World Health Organisation the World Hoax Organisation and someone else proudly held a sign calling for an end to medical tyranny. More than 40,000 people have now died with the virus in UK, but one mans sign said it was fake science and comparable to a bad flu. One protestor unfurled a flag showing the symbol of the British Union of Fascists while another woman was seen promoting the QAnon conspiracy theory that believes a cabal of Satan-worshipping Democrats, Hollywood celebrities and billionaires run the world while engaging in paedophilia. Protestors, none of whom appeared to be wearing face masks, filled the area beneath the National Gallery. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates In a series of success for security forces in the Kashmir Valley, 10 terrorists were killed in three separate encounters in South and Central Kashmir in the last 48 hours. Four terrorists were killed in Shopian in an overnight operation on August 28 and 29, three terrorists were killed in Pulwama encounter on August 29 and three in Srinagars Pantha Chowk encounter. In an operation launched by joint security forces on Saturday evening after terrorists targeted joint Naka in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar, three terrorists were gunned down while an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police attained martyrdom. (i) Terrorists fired upon joint naka of Police & CRPF at Panthachowk, joint parties cordoned off the area. During a search in the area, terrorists again fired upon search parties, leading to an encounter. Further details shall follow. (ii) SrinagarEncounterUpdate: 01 #terrorist killed. 01 police personnel ASI Babu Ram martyred. Operation going on. Further details shall follow. (iii) SrinagarEncounterUpdate: 02 more #terrorists killed (total 03). Operation going on. Further details shall follow, Kashmir Zone Police said in a series of tweets. READ | Encounter Breaks Out Between Security Forces, Militants On Outskirts Of Srinagar Two-day operation kills 10 terrorists On August 29, based on specific input regarding presence of terrorists in village Zadoora area of Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 50RR and 182/183BN CRPF in which three terrorists were killed and one Army jawan attained martyrdom. Slain terrorists were identified as Adil Hafiz, Arshid Ahmad Dar and Rouf Ahmad Mir, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. They were part of groups involved in planning and executing several terror attacks in the area including attacks on Police and security establishments. READ | Army Pays Tribute To Jawan Martyred In Gunfight With Terrorists In J-K's Pulwama On August 28, four terrorists were killed village Kiloora area of Shopian in a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 44RR and 178BN CRPF. The killed terrorists were identified as Shakoor Parray, Al Badr District commander, Suhail Bhat, Zubair Nengroo and Shakir-ul-Jabbar. During the encounter Police and security forces while exhibiting extreme professionalism also arrested one active terrorist identified as Shoiab Ahmad Bhat resident of Awantipora. Al Badr Chief Shakoor Parray was working as Constable in Police Department from where he took away four rifles from the other officials and joined. READ | BSF Foils Pakistan Bid To Facilitate Terror Infiltration In J&K's Samba READ | Three Terrorists, One Soldier Killed In Encounter In J-K's Pulwama (Image credits: PTI) Anti-incumbency worked and in 1977 the Left Front ousted the Congress government and ruled Bengal for 34 years thereafter. Amid slogans of Amar naam, tomar naam, Vietnam (my name, your name, Vietnam)", labour disputes, the Naxal movement, industrialisation in Bengal was badly hit (even during the United Front government in the late 1960s). Once the crown and pride of Bengal, companies like Braithwaite, Burn & Company, Indian Standard Wagon, Guest Keen Williams, Jessop & Company suffered major losses with frequent lockouts due to labour issues. Similarly, in the 1990s, companies like Ispat Industries, Bata, Brooke Bond, Shaw Wallace, Philips India had left Kolkata to invest in other cities for better prospects. It gave an adverse message to industrialists across the globe, forcing business giants to move out of Bengal. In 1942, Lakshmipat Singhania set up Aluminium Corporation of India (ACI) near Asansol. It faced union issues and the ACI was nationalised in 1974. Singhanias family members moved out of Bengal. Even the Birlas left Kolkata to expand their business. Many present-day industrialists have strong connections with Kolkata but despite that Bengal lacks large-scale industrialisation. While the state was struggling to cope with unemployment, refugee problems, and resentment against class enemies", senior CPI (M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee took charge as chief minister in 2000 after Jyoti Basu. Knowing his priority was to break the image of Bengal as an unfavourable place to invest, Bhattacharjee adopted several measures to woo investors. The most prestigious one was the Tata Nano car factory at Singur in Hooghly district. It took him six years after becoming the CM to brand Bengal as an investment destination with the announcement that the Tatas are coming to Singur". Bengal suddenly drew the attention of business tycoons as the project seemed set to alter the image of the state. On May 23, 2006, Bhattacharjee announced that the Tatas were investing in Singur for the Nano car factory. Four months later, on September 25, 2006, the government started distributing cheques to land owners at Beraberi village in Singur and the same day Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee agitated in front of the BDO office in Singur, demanding cancellation of the project. On December 4, 2007, Mamata went on a hunger strike in protest against the forcible acquisition of farmland" for the proposed car-manufacturing project. On December 28, she was admitted to a nursing home after breaking her 25-day fast. On October 3, 2008, Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata announced that they were pulling out of Singur. The decision by the Tatas once again shook the faith of the business community in Bengal. Twelve years later, the same class enemies" continue to haunt Bengal as people are asking where the state stands, in reality and not on paper, as far as investment and industries are concerned. In 2011, Mamata became the chief minister and started focusing on the Bengal Global Business Summit since 2015. She travelled around the world to convince industrialists to invest in Bengal. Till last year, the West Bengal government claimed to receive investment intentions worth Rs 2.84 trillion. Total 86 MoUs (memorandums of understanding) have been signed; 1,200 business-to-business meetings and 45 businesses-to-consumer meetings have been held, Mamata had said. As per state government statistics, from 2015 to 2019, the total investment intentions in Bengal were valued at Rs 9.47 trillion, but opposition leaders say such proposals are gathering dust as nothing concrete has happened so far. Even governor Jagdeep Dhankhar questioned Bengals stand on industrialisation and tweeted, Government @MamataOfficial must come out with a white paper on impact of five editions of Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). Details of projected investment of over Rupees 12.3 lakh crores be made known. Also the names of organizations/people who were engaged for organizing. Author and political expert Kapil Thakur said, TMC has taken many image-makeover initiatives considering the upcoming state polls. Even the state CM has changed her tone while responding to opposition leaders and central ministers. Now she is focusing on industries as elections are coming and she is desperate to come out of the tag that she is against industrialisation (post TMC agitations in Singur and Nandigram during Left rule). I think she has realised that people of Bengal have not taken her stand on Singur on a positive note and therefore she is concentrating more on investments. Trinamool insiders say that since 2015, Mamata is desperate to bring Bengal back on the global industrial map. In the past one year, she has instructed her officials to expedite the process of ease of doing business in the state and recently she announced three big projects which were finalised in the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure-2020. We are going to build a deep-sea port at Tajpur. We had requested the Centre for a joint project but we havent got any response, so we have decided to do it ourselves with another partner that would be decided through a tender, Mamata said on August 26, 2020 at the state secretariat Nabanna. She further said, Also, Reliance Jio has agreed to set up a cable-landing station at Digha. Reliance Jio had bid to build the station and we have allotted them land." Mamata believes the cable-landing station will transform West Bengal into a major IT and ITES hub and it will draw huge investments and generate employment. In India unemployment increased by 42 per cent but in Bengal its decreased by 40 per cent, Mamata said while addressing a virtual meet to celebrate the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad on August 28, 2020. Knowing that she came to power riding waves of the anti-land acquisition movements in Singur against the Tata Nano plant, and in Nandigram against the Salem groups chemical hub project, Mamata has so far handled land acquisition in Bengal carefully. The administration faced some protests from tribal people who objected to the Deocha Pachami coal block in Birbhum district, but the government says the grievances were taken care of. Since the TMC coming to power in 2011, the Deocha-Pachami-Harinsingha-Dewanganj coal block is the biggest economic project taken up by Mamata. The project is likely to draw huge investment (Rs 12,000 crore approx) and it is likely to generate lakhs of jobs. On July 29, 2020, Mamata tweeted, Chief Secretary Shri Rajiva Sinha ji, other senior state & district officials have held detailed consultation with the people of Md. Bazar Block at Deocha. The entire coal mining project was explained at length & all queries by the relevant stakeholders were addressed. We will create a model for India to execute large projects like Deocha Pachami Coal Block. This shall be done in phases & with full public support by adopting best mining practices in a time bound manner. Wheels of development in Bengal wont stop even in times of crises. She is also working on inviting people to set up cycle-manufacturing factories in Bengal. Speaking to News18.com, veteran CPI (M) leader Amiya Patra, said, Her recent pitch for industrialisation and investment is nothing but political drama ahead of the 2021 assembly polls. Do you think investors will come to Bengal knowing the fact that Tatas moved out because of Mamata Banerjee? She has realised that the upcoming state polls will be fought on the unemployment and industrialisation issues and therefore she is now forced to announce these projects in a press conference. He added, She fought for Singur farmers and now you go to the villages you will find that villagers are angry about her. Now they are demanding factories there. Singur was a major setback and for this Mamata Banerjee should be blamed entirely. With Mamatas anti industrialisation pitch (when she was in Opposition), our economy declined and the problem of unemployment increased. Mamata has realised that these issues are going to add fuel to the fire. When contacted, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said, Her recent pitch for industrialising is to appease the unemployed youths. Bengal is not going to rise under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Less than a year left for assembly polls and the TMC is certainly going to vanish from Bengals politics. TMC leaders said Mamata knows she is racing against time but she is left with no other options except set a few examples to portray herself as investor-friendly Didi against the BJPs speed-breaker Didi jibe. Singapore has long been the city of choice for Western expats wanting an easy entree into Asia. Clean, efficient, with low tax rates, it's often seen as rivaling Hong Kong, especially with that city hit by street protests and unrest over China's new national security law. Yet just when Singapore should be a magnet for global talent, some recruiters say the barriers to entry are mounting. The city is facing the worst recession in its history, forcing a rethink for some firms on expansion and hiring plans. Alongside soaring unemployment has come a spike in rhetoric against foreigners, seen by some Singaporeans as taking jobs from locals. An experienced nurse from New Zealand is finding out how tough it can be. She seemed, on paper at least, the ideal expat -- arriving right before Covid-19. But 11 months and over 200 failed applications later, she says she's on the verge of going home, unable to land a work pass. She was told by companies that they have a quota and the quota is met, she said, asking not to be identified for fear of jeopardizing her partner's work permit. When attempts to volunteer at hospitals were similarly rejected, she said she felt like she didn't belong. The uncertain job prospects, online commentary and stricter conditions risk making Singapore a less welcoming destination just as the city-state needs foreign investment the most. And as workplaces clamp down on hiring it could further limit the options for expats who have long seen a stint in Asia as an important and lucrative experience. The Singapore government has added to their angst by taking steps to promote local hiring, raising concern that it will come at the expense of expats. Earlier this month, it put 47 companies on a watch-list for suspected discriminatory hiring practices. The list includes banks, fund managers and consulting firms that may have pre-selected foreigners for jobs or not given Singaporeans a fair chance. This adds to the 240 companies already under scrutiny. The names of the firms weren't disclosed. And in May, it tightened the framework that governs employment passes for foreigners, increasing the minimum monthly salary to SG$3,900 ($2,840) and further expanding rules requiring employers to advertise job openings to locals first. The government on Thursday raised that salary threshold again to SG$4,500 starting next month, and will boost it to SG$5,000 in December for the financial services sector. For more experienced workers, those "in their 40s," the threshold will be about double those new levels for the youngest applicants, according to a statement. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was a contraction in the number of visas issued because the demand for foreigners is going to be less" in the near term, said Hays Regional Director for Singapore Grant Torrens, citing the sharp contraction as the main driver. The role of foreign workers became a key election issue this year, with several opposition candidates campaigning on claims that overseas talent is taking local jobs. The Workers' Party, which clinched more seats than ever, published a manifesto that included tightening employment pass approvals. "The only reason we have foreigners here is to give an extra wind in our sails when the opportunity is there," Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in a televised election debate in July. "Now we are in a storm, and we need to shed ballast." Balakrishnan's office said in response to Bloomberg queries on the comment that there will be a disproportionate impact on the foreign workforce in a downturn. Foreign workers on employment passes -- the sort issued to highly skilled workers as opposed to work permits for blue-collar jobs -- typically comprise around 5% of the total workforce. Yet among top managers and professionals in some key sectors, the ratio of foreigners can be much higher. Non-Singaporeans made up 57% of senior management roles across the financial services sector, the government said in August. Andrew Zee, team lead for financial services at Selby Jennings, said some of his job candidates were recently denied permits -- a first for him in more than four years -- though they were later approved on appeal. Sirva, which owns Allied Pickfords, said inquiries from people wanting to move to Singapore in the first seven months of the year were down 23% from the same period in 2019, according to Amanda Jones, senior vice president of sales and account management. Jones doesn't expect to see expat executives coming to Singapore at pre-Covid numbers until 2022 at best, especially given travel curbs and the recession. The shift is starting to be felt in the real estate market. Ella Sherman, an associate executive sales director at Knight Frank in Singapore who specializes in expat housing, says she normally signs about four rental agreements a month this time of year. Now she's lucky to secure one, and knows of several clients heading home. Beyond the economic woes and the pandemic lies an unease over foreigners in the country of just 5.7 million people. This has surfaced in public calls, often on social media, for more hiring of locals. When a Facebook post targeting foreign executives at $215 billion investment giant Temasek Holdings went viral this month, CEO Ho Ching responded with a post of her own describing it as "a cowardly act of hate." Companies are taking pains to describe their efforts to retain Singaporean jobs. When Millennium Hotels and Resorts laid off 159 employees this month, it noted that the move lifted its "core" Singaporean workforce to 69%. After casino operator Resorts World Sentosa reportedly cut 2,000 jobs last month, the Ministry of Manpower issued a statement saying the majority of affected workers were foreigners. "After the retrenchment exercise, RWS has a stronger Singaporean Core," the ministry said. Even expats abroad are feeling the pinch. One worker was overseas and between jobs when the pandemic struck. Though he quickly found a new position, he said his employment pass submission has been rejected several times with no explanation. He's now stuck in Europe paying rent for his empty home in Singapore, unable to return until his visa gets approved. He declined to be identified for fear of jeopardizing his application. He said the rising anti-foreigner rhetoric was equally worrisome. For some, the social tensions were brought to the fore when a few expats were caught breaching government-imposed lockdowns by drinking and mingling outdoors without masks in May. The incident sparked an ugly debate on social media and prompted a minister to caution against the "visceral reaction" by locals. The offenders were fined and banned from working in Singapore, as were 134 others over May and June. To be sure, some politicians are urging calm. Singaporeans want assurances that the government will continue to create opportunities and provide fair treatment, but a vast majority "understand that staying open and connected is very important to Singapore," Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said Wednesday. Singapore isn't alone in fighting for local jobs. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order this month barring federal agencies from replacing citizens or green card holders with foreign workers. And the city state's status as a finance hub ensures it will always be a magnet for foreign talent. Citadel, the hedge fund run by billionaire Ken Griffin, announced this week it's opening a Singapore office. So is Sun Life Financial, Canada's second-biggest insurer. Becton Dickinson is also expanding. "Singapore remains an attractive destination," said Rahul Sen, the global head of private wealth management at Boyden, an executive search firm. "New businesses that were thinking of setting up in Hong Kong to attract greater China wealth are thinking of setting up shop in Singapore." Even so, the avenues for many are narrowing. The nurse from New Zealand has started reaching out to health-care providers back home. They're eager to hire so she may head back. "Singapore is an amazing city, and we hoped that if we stayed long enough, things would change," she said. "But the longer it takes, the further away it seems." In the Philippines (Photo: Internet) A local official said the victims, all male, were aboard a convoy of motorcycles traveling along a road in Kabacan town when the shooting happened. A police investigation is underway to look into the motive of the attack and to identify the victims. Police have yet to issue an official statement on the incident./. The site of a collapsed two-story restaurant in Xiangfen County of Linfen City, northern China's Shanxi Province on Aug. 29, 2020. (Yang Chenguang/Xinhua via AP) Restaurant in Northern China Collapses During Birthday Party, Killing 29 BEIJINGA two-story restaurant in a northern Chinese village collapsed during a local residents 80th birthday celebration, leaving 29 people dead, authorities said Sunday. The Ministry of Emergency Management said another 28 people were injured, seven of them seriously, when the building suddenly crumbled on Saturday. There was no immediate word on what caused the collapse or on the fate of the birthday guest and other celebrants. Rescuers search for victims in the aftermath of the collapse of a two-story restaurant in Xiangfen county in northern Chinas Shanxi province on Aug. 29, 2020. (Chinatopix Via AP) The building collapsed at 9:40 a.m. on Saturday in Xiangfen county in the southwest of Shanxi province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement. The region lies in the heart of Chinas coal country, where thousands of miners have died in explosions, collapses, and floods over the years. The site of a collapsed two-story restaurant in Xiangfen County of Linfen City, northern Chinas Shanxi Province on Aug. 29, 2020. (Yang Chenguang/Xinhua via AP) TikTok's e-commerce business is small today but it says it has 100 million users in the US incredibly, nearly a third of the country. Many are young, the type of shopper increasingly difficult to reach via traditional media and advertising. Walmart may be the world's largest retailer but it has mostly failed in its efforts to break Amazon's online dominance. Could TikTok, a fast-growing 3-year-old app filled with goofy videos, be the answer? TikTok's US business appears up for grabs, with the Trump administration trying to force a sale, claiming national-security risks due to its Chinese owner, ByteDance. TikTok denies it is a risk and is suing to stop the administration from a threatened ban. Others have reportedly emerged, but the only confirmed suitors are Walmart, teaming with tech giant Microsoft. The big-box retailer has given only a vague rationale for why it would want TikTok, but it appears to boil down to its vast audience of young people. The future customer of Walmart or Amazon thats what TikTok offers, said Amit Shah, chief strategy officer of VTEX, which creates online marketplaces for brands. Walmart declined to comment further Friday. TikTok did not respond to questions about its US e-commerce business or online-shopping strategies baked into Douyin, a sister service to TikTok available in China. Walmarts online sales have been growing tremendously, nearly doubling in the last quarter, with much of that growth coming during the coronavirus outbreak from people buying groceries online and then picking them up at the store. But the Bentonville, Arkansas, behemoth is still a distant second to Amazon, estimated to take in just 6% of all online sales in the U.S. this year, compared to Amazon's 38%, according to market research firm eMarketer. To try and catch up, it has bought several small online clothing brands, only to sell them again a couple of years later. And it recently shut down Jet.com, just four years after buying it for $3 billion. But analysts are optimistic about TikTok's potential for helping Walmart crack the online shopping nut. They see Walmart using its logistics and fulfillment dominance, with Microsoft's help on the tech end, to make use of an app that stars random people and keeps people glued to their phone screens. Walmart could make TikTok into an extension of its sales machine, helping advertisers, creators and others sell products. TikTok users swiping through and buying as part of their experience on the app might not even know of a Walmart connection. Thats pretty powerful, said RBC analyst Alex Zukin. It would also help generate data on what shoppers want and do, valuable information for retailers and advertisers. Instagram, owned by Facebook, has also increasingly become a digital mall. It lets users shop and pay on the app without needing to go to a retailer's website. Facebook sees TikTok as a major competitor. In TikToks U.S. app today, some influencers and brands have links posted in their profiles that users can click on and buy things. Some advertisers post links in short videos that crop up in between creators' videos. Disney Plus, for example, had a TikTok video ad that let users sign up for the streaming service. ALSO READ: TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer quits after President Trump threatens to ban the app in the US Maybe Walmart could get a cut of revenue from sales made through TikTok, said Lindsay Finneran-Gingras of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, who works with brands on their digital strategies. Instagram charges retailers a fee if a shopper uses Instagrams checkout tools. The fee is waived for the rest of 2020, however. Walmart could also use TikTok to promote key sellers from its online marketplace, which its trying to develop to rival Amazon, said KeyBanc analysts. The lines are blurring between traditional shopping, digital shopping and social media," said UBS analyst Michael Lasser, in a research note. Walmart needs more exposure to this trend. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. As New York City students and teachers prepare to return to school amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, back to school just wont look the same -- as some students will choose to learn remotely full-time, while others will learn under a blended learning model, going to school two to three days per week -- working remotely the other days. Under the blended learning model, New York City public schools will operate at significantly reduced capacity for in-person instruction, with, on average, between half and one-third of the student population going to school at one time. Australia's sex discrimination commissioner has nominated a redesigned childcare system as her top priority, saying the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted its importance and the massive barrier to work posed by a lack of accessibility. Kate Jenkins wants to see a system that offers better support for women and men to start work or do more, has a strong focus on early childhood education, and provides better support to its predominantly female workforce. Sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins says making childcare better support parents, especially mothers, to work will be vital to the coronavirus recovery. Credit:Jesse Marlow "I know it's not an easy change but if that could be done during this disruptive time or out of this, it would be a great step forward for women and work," she said. Ms Jenkins also called on the nation's bosses to retain flexible working arrangements once the pandemic was over to keep more women in workplaces. 'The head of its Irish operation, Jan Feenstra, told the Sunday Independent last month that it typically hits annual sales of around 66.1m but anticipates exceeding 80m this year.' The Irish operation of Norwegian seafood company Mowi produced a "fantastic result" in the last quarter, with sales of 15m. Chief executive of the pan-European fish farming expert, Ivan Vindheim told market analysts on a call that the Irish operation had produced 4,000 tonnes of fish and that "50pc or more" of the amount was profit. "That is an all-time high in absolute terms, and not margins-wise but in absolute terms. 4,000 tonnes for this entity is a high number, but very impressive," he said. He described the last quarter as "eventful" with prices driven down by the pandemic and "biological issues" at Scottish fish farms. Turnover at the company had fallen to 910m despite a 6pc increase in volumes, with operational profit falling to 99m compared to over 200m in the same period last year. "I thought this would be another great year for Mowi and the salmon industry. But this pandemic has absolutely ruined the party. We also think the fall [autumn] will be challenging, but we are more optimistic to next year and for the long run," he said. The company was achieving higher than its average pricing in Scotland, Ireland and Canada, he said. "All-time high earnings in Mowi Ireland for our organic salmon very, very impressive. We also saw record results and the record volumes for the second quarter in consumer products on the back of the shift we have seen in demand from the food service segment to the retailer segment," he said. The Irish subsidiary, formerly known as Marine Harvest, which has 13 operations across five coastal counties and employs around 300 people here, recently added 46 new staff to its operations. The head of its Irish operation, Jan Feenstra, told the Sunday Independent last month that it typically hits annual sales of around 66.1m but anticipates exceeding 80m this year. He said at the time that Mowi could invest 22m in the Irish market to create up to four new fish farms. The investment could follow if it was able to obtain more fishing licences, something that had proven difficult in the past due to Government regulations. "If we get the licences we are looking for, and we have new ones in, we could double our employment in a matter of four to five years," he said. A Sydney man who as a teenager deliberately lit a fire that destroyed his former western suburbs high school says he made a "juvenile mistake" but he was not ashamed of his actions nearly 40 years on. In 1982 David Bowey, then a student of Greystanes High School, was found guilty of starting the fire that burnt down Parramatta High School, which was built in 1913 and was the oldest co-educational selective school in NSW. A large fire destroyed Parramatta High School on June 26, 1982. Credit:Paul Wright Ten classrooms, including the schools state-of-the-art language laboratory, went up in flames. The blaze caused more than $200,000 damage to buildings, destroyed more than $100,000 worth of text books and injured three firemen from the 10 brigades who fought it on the night of June 26, 1982. Bowey, a former Parramatta High student who had left in 1981, said that he broke into the school when he was 16 with a friend called Robert James and started the fire alone in the English teachers staff room. I won the genetic lottery. I was born to a middle-class white family in the middle of the 20th Century in the middle of the United States (Woodstock, Illinois). And I turned out to be taller than middling (nearly 6 feet 4 inches). A woman waves an old Belarusian national flag standing on the roof as Belarusian opposition supporters march to Independence Square in Minsk on Aug. 3, 2020. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo) Belarus Cracks Down on Journalists Covering Protests MOSCOWBelarus, shaken by three weeks of massive protests against its authoritarian president, on Saturday cracked down hard on the news media, deporting some foreign journalists reporting in the country and revoking the accreditation of many Belarusian journalists. Two Moscow-based Associated Press journalists who were covering the recent protests in Belarus were deported to Russia on Saturday. In addition, the APs Belarusian journalists were told by the government that their press credentials had been revoked. A girl covers with an old Belarusian National flag as people stand near the place where Alexander Taraikovsky died amid the clashes protesting the election results, in Minsk, on Aug. 24, 2020. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo) The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms this blatant attack on press freedom in Belarus. AP calls on the Belarusian government to reinstate the credentials of independent journalists and allow them to continue reporting the facts of what is happening in Belarus to the world, said Lauren Easton, the APs director of media relations. The Belarusian Association of Journalists said accreditation rights were also taken away from 17 Belarusians working for several other media. Germanys ARD television said two of its Moscow-based journalists also were deported to Russia, a Belarusian producer faces trial on Monday and their accreditation to work in Belarus was revoked. The BBC said two of its journalists working for the BBC Russian service in Minsk also had their accreditation revoked and U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said five of its journalists lost their accreditation. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko armed with a Kalashnikov-type rifle as he greets riot police officers near the Palace of Independence in Minsk on Aug. 23, 2020. (State TV and Radio Company of Belarus via AP Photo) Criticism over the crackdown came from both media outlets and governments. The program director for ARDs biggest regional affiliate, WDR, which oversees the coverage of Belarus, called the treatment of its camera team absolutely unacceptable. This shows once again that independent reporting in Belarus continues to be hindered and is made almost impossible, Joerg Schoeneborn said. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas summoned the Belarusian ambassador following the detention and expulsion of the foreign journalists in Minsk and said this attack on press freedom is another dangerous step toward more repression instead of dialogue with the population. Belarusian opposition supporters light phones lights and wave an old Belarusian national flags during a protest rally in front of the government building at Independent Square in Minsk on Aug. 19, 2020. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo) U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has consistently called for journalists to be able to do their work free from harassment, anywhere in the world, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The International Press Institute said authorities in Belarus must immediately drop all charges against journalists detained during recent police crackdowns, stop cancelling accreditation for foreign journalists and immediately halt interference with state-owned publishing houses. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus urged the government in Belarus to show restraint, to release those unjustly detained and to account for protesters reported missing. We are concerned by the continued targeting of journalists, the blocking of independent media and opposition websites, intermittent internet blackouts and random detentions of peaceful citizens exercising their rights of freedom of assembly and speech, she said. Protests in Belarus began after the Aug. 9 presidential election that officials said gave President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office with 80 percent support. Protesters say the results were rigged and are calling for Lukashenko, who has run the country since 1994, to resign. The protests, some of which drew enormous crowds estimated at 200,000 or more, are the largest and most sustained challenge yet to Lukashenkos 26 years in office, during which he consistently repressed opposition and independent news media. On Saturday, hundreds of women dressed mostly in red and whitethe colors of the former Belarusian flag that the opposition uses as an emblemmarched through the capital of Minsk in a protest. The hard-line leader has cast about for a strategy to end the wave of protests, with little success. In the first days of demonstrations, around 7,000 people were arrested. Some protesters were killed and many detainees were beaten by police. The violence didnt deter the protests and may have even galvanized the opposition. Strikes have broken out in several state-owned factories, which are the backbone of Belarus ailing economy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would be willing to send in police to quell the protests in neighboring Belarus if Lukashenko asked him to, a prospect that clearly worries the United States. We stand by our long-term commitment to support Belarus sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the aspirations of the Belarusian people to choose their leaders and to choose their own path, free from external intervention, Ortagus, the U.S. spokeswoman, said in the statement. The U.S. Embassy in Belarus on Saturday issued a statement saying we are concerned by the continued targeting of journalists, the blocking of independent media and opposition websites, intermittent internet blackouts and random detentions of peaceful citizens exercising their rights of freedom of assembly and speech. By Jim Heintz New Delhi: 285 private schools, functioning on DDA and government land in the national capital have been directed by the AAP government to withhold nursery admission process for the next academic session till new guidelines are notified by the city administration. Last week, the education department had sent a file to the L-G office for approval of new guidelines for nursery admission but it is yet to get nod. The department had issued a circular on December 19 directing the 285 schools not to start admission process for nursery class. The governments directive to withhold the process came after the department came to know that some schools have issued notices to start admissions from January 2 which is in violation of its order. According to the order issued on Friday, the government has warned of strict action against those schools violating the December 19 circular. The circular has restrained schools from commencing admission process till separate guidelines are issued in this regard. It also said schools will not refuse admission of children from neighbourhood and at least 75 percent of the newly admitted students should be from the locality, a senior government official said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A medical professional collects swab sample from a taxi driver for Covid-19 test at a makeshift testing station in a parking ramp on July 24, 2020 in Hong Kong, China. A Hong Kong pro-democracy union of health-care workers and several activists, including Joshua Wong, called on Sunday for a boycott of the government's universal coronavirus testing plan, in which medical staff from mainland China are set to assist. From Tuesday, a 60-strong mainland team is due to conduct tests in the first direct help from China's health officials for the semi-autonomous city as it battles the pandemic. But the effort comes at a sensitive time for the former British colony, as anxiety runs high over what many of its 7.5 million residents see as Beijing's efforts to rein in their freedoms, in particular a national security law imposed in June. The government has also postponed September's legislative elections by a year, citing risks to public health and dealing a blow to the pro-democracy opposition camp, which had hoped for a historic majority win after overwhelming success in lower-level elections last year. The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, formed during last year's pro-democracy protests with 20,000 members, said universal testing was not an efficient use of resources and urged focused tests instead. "It is clear to see that the government has one and only one goal ... to use the pandemic to achieve their own political aims," its leader Winnie Yu told a joint news conference with activists. "They shall do whatever they can to please the central government of China, even if it means placing politics above all things else." Wong said a full closure of the border would be a better measure than the government plan, adding, "It's like having a pregnancy test without having birth control." The city's Beijing-backed chief executive, Carrie Lam, has hit back at critics of the initiative, dismissing their attempt to "smear the central government". Chinese state media have denounced the critics as ungrateful, while China's Hong Kong Liaison Office in the financial hub has said in a statement it was "shocking" that people could question the plan. It comes at a time when new daily infections have fallen substantially, to figures in the single digits or low double digits, from three digits during a surge a few weeks ago. The tally rose to 4,801 with 15 more cases reported on Sunday. Police also dispersed a protest by dozens of pro-democracy activists in a shopping mall roughly a year since some of the most violent clashes in a metro station in train carriages, citing a virus precaution limiting gatherings to two. WASHINGTON>> President Donald Trump is leveling unfounded attacks on his Food and Drug Administration and distorting the science on effective treatments for COVID-19. Heading this week into the Republican National Convention, he asserted that the agency is slow-walking vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus in a bid to undermine his November reelection effort. Theres no evidence of that, and one of his former FDA commissioners on Sunday rejected the accusation as groundless. Trump also suggested anew that hydroxychloroquine is a proven and effective treatment for the coronavirus. It isnt. And Sunday evening, he announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma, a step he hailed as a historic breakthrough even though the treatments value has not been established. His weekend torrent of false and misleading claims follows a Democratic National Convention in which Joe Biden and his allies spun an assortment of facts to their benefit, omitting inconvenient truths such as Barack Obamas record of aggressive deportations and swift action by a Republican president to save the auto industry more than a decade ago. A look at the past weeks rhetoric, also covering the Pledge of Allegiance, the U.S. Postal Service and more: CORONAVIRUS TRUMP: The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives! tweet Saturday. THE FACTS: No one has produced evidence that anyone at the FDA is delaying any treatment or vaccine for the coronavirus. During the pandemic, Trump has frequently contradicted or undercut the guidance of his government health experts, including at the FDA, and has asserted that a vaccine for COVID-19 could become available before the November election. But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments top infectious diseases expert, has said he is cautiously optimistic that a vaccine will be ready by early next year and that even then, it would not be widely available right away. Under White House orders, federal health agencies and the Defense Department are carrying out a plan to deliver 300 million vaccine doses on a compressed timeline. That will happen only after the FDA determines that one or more vaccines are safe and effective. Several candidates are being tested. The push for a speedy vaccine has drawn concern from some scientists that the White House will put pressure on U.S. regulators to approve a vaccine before its ready. A top FDA official who is overseeing COVID vaccine trials had vowed to resign if the Trump administration approves a vaccine before it is shown to be safe and effective. Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, made his promise during a conference call earlier in the month with pharmaceutical executives, government officials and others, Reuters reported Friday. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn has said his agency will not be influenced by any political pressure and will make decisions based solely on good science and data. One of Trumps former FDA commissioners, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, said the presidents charges are unfounded. I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients, Gottlieb said Sunday on CBS Face the Nation. ___ TRUMP, announcing the emergency authorization for plasma treatment: Very historic breakthrough that will save countless lives. statement Sunday. THE FACTS: That remains to be seen. The treatments effectiveness has not been proved. It will take more research to know if it works well enough to merit FDA approval. There have been promising signs but no conclusions. FDA chief scientist Denise Hinton made that clear, saying COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months. The announcement on the eve of Trumps Republican National Convention raised suspicions among some scientists, who recalled Trumps overeager endorsement of other measures against COVID-19. Conspicuous timing, said Benjamin Corb of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public. ___ TRUMP, on the FDA revoking emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19: Many doctors and studies disagree with this! tweet Saturday. THE FACTS: Trumps continued promotion of the anti-malaria drug for COVID-19, with or without the antibiotic azithromycin. has been repeatedly dismissed by his own health experts. Numerous rigorous tests of hydroxychloroquine, including a large one from Britain and one led by the National Institutes of Health, concluded that the anti-malaria drug was ineffective for treating hospitalized coronavirus patients. Trumps health agencies as well as Fauci, who leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH, have cautioned that taking hydroxychloroquine to stave off the virus could be dangerous due to side effects. If the president is to be believed, he took the drug himself. Adm. Brett Giroir, the administrations lead official on testing, made clear this month he does not recommend the treatment and said people need to move on and talk about what is effective. ___ TRUMP on New Zealand and the coronavirus: They had a massive breakout yesterday. remarks Thursday in Old Forge, Pennsylvania. TRUMP: False. New Zealand has had nothing resembling a massive outbreak or, as he also put it during the week, even a big surge or a big outbreak. New Zealand reported five to 13 new cases each day in the past week, as of Friday. The U.S. reported an average of some 46,000 per day during the week. Trump is unhappy that New Zealands success in controlling the virus, through its tight and early rules on distancing and closures, has been used for unfavorable comparisons with his pandemic response. New Zealand went for several months without any new, confirmed cases of locally spread COVID-19 before infection started showing up again in small numbers. The infection, as of Friday, had killed 22 people in New Zealand and 174,000 in the U.S. Thats a rate of 4.5 deaths per million in New Zealand and 532 per million in the U.S. ___ ON DEMOCRATS TRUMP: The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention. At first I thought they made a mistake, but it wasnt. It was done on purpose. Remember Evangelical Christians, and ALL, this is where they are coming from-its done. Vote Nov 3! tweet Saturday. THE FACTS: Thats a misleading accusation. The central programming of the convention featured the entire pledge, complete with under God. The first night of the Democratic National Convention, Bidens grandchildren said the pledge, followed by the conventions chorus of The Star Spangled Banner. On the second night, its stated by a diverse group of Americans; same with the third night. On the fourth night, its recited by Cedric Richmond Jr., the son of Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana. Under God was in each rendering. The convention also devoted a segment to showcasing Bidens religious faith. During two caucuses before the evening conventions started, the Muslim Delegates and Allies Assembly and the LGBTQ Caucus meeting, both Tuesday, left out under God, from the pledge. The partys series of caucus meetings was livestreamed but not part of the prime-time convention broadcast. The pledge was written in 1892 and altered in the 1920s. Under God was added in 1954, when President Dwight Eisenhower encouraged Congress to do so. Those two words have prompted a debate at times over whether people who do not practice religion should be expected to pledge allegiance to a country under God. ___ IMMIGRATION BARACK OBAMA: We are born of immigrants. That is who we are. Immigration is our origin story. convention video Wednesday celebrating immigration, showing historical scenes and one that appeared to be of Trumps border wall. BARACK OBAMA: I understand why a new immigrant might look around this country and wonder whether theres still a place for him here. convention speech Wednesday. THE FACTS: The facts here are not in dispute. But an omission stands out: Obama aggressively enforced border controls and deported nearly 3 million people. He changed his approach, acting without Congress in 2012 to let people who came to the U.S. illegally as children stay and work legally in the country. Still, that year was Obamas high mark for deportations, more than 400,000, far outpacing Trumps deportations in each of his first three years. This whole immigration video was like putting salt on the wound, tweeted Erika Andiola, an advocate from RAICES, an immigration legal services group in Texas. Narrated by Obama? Come on. She said: I am angry because it was his administration who almost deported my mother and then Trump came to try to deport her again. Immigration activist Julissa Natzely Arce Raya, author of My (Underground) American Dream, saw hypocrisy at work, after the video of Estela Juarez, the 11-year-old girl whose mother was deported to Mexico. Obama did a lot of things right, but not immigration, he didnt get that right, she tweeted. I promise you, tonight there is a Estela whose mom was deported by Obama. ___ MICHELLE OBAMA, on Americans: They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages. Democratic convention on Aug. 17. THE FACTS: The reference to cages is misleading and a matter that Democrats have persistently distorted. Trump used facilities that were built during the Obama-Biden administration to house children at the border. They are chain-link enclosures inside border facilities where migrants were temporarily housed, separated by sex and age. At the height of the controversy over Trumps zero-tolerance policy at the border, photos that circulated online of children in the enclosures generated great anger. But those photos, by The Associated Press, were taken in 2014 and depicted some of the thousands of unaccompanied children held by Obama. When that fact came to light, some Democrats and activists who had tweeted the photos deleted their tweets. But prominent Democrats have continued to cite cages for children as a distinctive cruelty of Trump. The former first lady was correct, however, in addressing the removal of children from parents at the border. The Obama administration separated migrant children from families under certain limited circumstances, like when the childs safety appeared at risk or when the parent had a serious criminal history. Family separations as a matter of routine came about because of Trumps zero tolerance enforcement policy, which he eventually suspended because of the uproar. Obama had no such policy. ___ TRUMP: Joe Biden has pledged to abolish immigration enforcement. rally Tuesday in Yuma, Arizona. THE FACTS: No he hasnt. Biden has been notably outspoken in arguing that crossing the U.S. border illegally is a crime and should remain punished as such in federal court. He did not endorse immigration plans supported by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and other former presidential candidates that sought to decriminalize illegal border crossings and make doing so only a civil offense. In addition to misrepresenting Bidens agenda, Trump ignored the fact that the Obama-Biden administration vigorously deported people, drawing fierce criticism from some advocates for immigrants. ___ TRUMP: They want to take the wall down, they dont want to have borders. Arizona rally. THE FACTS: No, Biden is not pushing to take down the wall or erase borders. Bidens immigration plan does not include money for new border fencing, and he isnt calling for any new walls. But he hasnt proposed taking down whats there. ___ ECONOMY BIDEN: Nearly one in six small businesses have closed this year. acceptance speech Thursday. THE FACTS: That appears to be in the ballpark but is misleading. What he didnt say is that most of those businesses planned to reopen or already have. In a MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey at the end of July, 86% of small businesses reported that they were fully or partially open. Among those that remained shut, most planned to reopen when they could. Overall, small businesses expressed guarded optimism while worrying what would happen if another wave of the coronavirus comes. ___ GRETCHEN WHITMER, Michigan governor: In 2009, the Obama-Biden administration inherited the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The auto industry on the brink of collapse. A million jobs at stake. But President Obama and Vice President Biden didnt waste time blaming anybody. They brought together union members, companies and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and they saved the auto industry. Democratic National Convention on Aug. 17. THE FACTS: Shes assigning too much credit to the Obama administration for saving the auto industry. What Obama did was an expansion of the initial, pivotal steps taken by Obamas predecessor, George W. Bush. In December 2008, General Motors and Chrysler were on the brink of financial collapse. The U.S. was in a deep recession and U.S. auto sales were falling sharply, in part because the 2008-2009 financial crisis made it harder for would-be auto buyers to get a car loan. GM, Chrysler and Ford requested government aid, but Congress voted it down. With barely a month left in office, Bush authorized $25 billion in loans to GM and Chrysler from the $700 billion bailout fund that was initially intended to save the largest U.S. banks. Ford decided against taking any money. After Obama was inaugurated, he appointed a task force to oversee GM and Chrysler, both of which eventually declared bankruptcy, took an additional roughly $55 billion in loans, and were forced to close many factories and overhaul their operations. All three companies recovered and eventually started adding jobs again. ___ IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL TRUMP: This deal funneled tens of billions of dollars to Iran $150 billion, to be exact plus $1.8 billion in cash. He (Obama) gave $1.8 billion in cash. news briefing Wednesday. THE FACTS: This is a familiar and hyper-distorted tale. There was no $150 billion payout from the U.S. treasury or other countries. When Iran signed the multinational deal to restrain its nuclear development in return for being freed from sanctions, it regained access to its own assets, which had been frozen abroad. Iran was allowed to get its own money back. The deal was signed in 2015; Trump has taken the U.S. out of it. The $1.8 billion is a separate matter. A payout of roughly that amount did come from the U.S. treasury. It was to cover an old IOU. In the 1970s, Iran paid the U.S. $400 million for military equipment that was never delivered because the government was overthrown and diplomatic relations ruptured. After the nuclear deal, the U.S. and Iran announced they had settled the matter, with the U.S. agreeing to pay the $400 million principal along with about $1.3 billion in interest. ___ TRUMP: And we got nothing, except a short-term, little deal. A short-term, expiring. news briefing Wednesday. THE FACTS: Trumps wrong to suggest the deal had no impact before he withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018. Iran was thought to be only months away from a bomb when the deal came into effect. But during the 15-year life of most provisions of the accord, Irans capabilities are limited to a level where it cannot produce a bomb. The deal also includes a pledge by Iran never to seek a nuclear weapon. The International Atomic Energy Agency and his administration itself had confirmed Iran was complying with the terms before Trump pulled out of the deal. The pact does gradually lift some restrictions, including limits on centrifuges that were due to expire in 2025. After the 15 years are up, Iran could have an array of advanced centrifuges ready to work, the limits on its stockpile would be gone and, in theory, it could then throw itself fully into producing highly enriched uranium. But nothing in the deal prevented the West from trying to rein Iran in again with sanctions. ___ JOHN KERRY, former secretary of state: We eliminated the threat of an Iran with a nuclear weapon. Democratic convention on Tuesday. THE FACTS: Thats taking it too far. The threat was deferred, not eliminated. That reality was baked into the deal negotiated when Kerry was Obamas secretary of state. The accord limited Irans capabilities to a level where it could not produce a bomb, but most provisions were to expire after 15 years. ___ POSTAL SERVICE TRUMP: One of the things the Post Office loses so much money on is the delivering packages for Amazon and these others. Every time they deliver a package, they probably lose three or four dollars. Thats not good. remarks on Aug. 17 to reporters. THE FACTS: Thats not true. While the U.S. Postal Service has lost money for 13 years, package delivery is not the reason. Boosted by e-commerce, the Postal Service has enjoyed double-digit increases in revenue from delivering packages, but that hasnt been enough to offset pension and health care costs as well as declines in first-class letters and marketing mail. Together, letters and marketing mail in recent years have comprised up to two-thirds of postal revenue. In arguing that the Postal Service is losing money on delivering packages for Amazon, Trump appears to be citing some Wall Street analyses that argue the Postal Services formula for calculating its costs is outdated. A 2017 analysis by Citigroup did conclude that the service was charging below market rates as a whole on parcels. Still, federal regulators have reviewed the Amazon contract with the Postal Service each year and found it profitable. To become financially stable, the Postal Service has urged Congress for years to give it relief from the mandate to prefund retiree health benefits. Legislation in 2006 required the Postal Service to fund 75 years worth of retiree health benefits, at an estimated cost of $5 billion per year, something that the government and private companies dont have to do. In the most recent quarter, for instance, package delivery rose 53% at the Postal Service as people homebound during the pandemic shifted online for their shopping. But the gain in deliveries was offset by the continued declines in first-class mail as well as costs for personal protective equipment and to replace workers who got sick during the pandemic. The biggest factor was the prepayment of retiree health benefits, which Congress imposed and only Congress can take away. As a quasi-government agency, the Postal Service also is required under law to provide mail delivery to millions of U.S. residences at affordable and uniform rates. It does not use taxpayer money for its operations and supports operations with the sales of stamps and other mail products. ___ TRUMP: We want to make sure that the Post Office runs properly and it hasnt run properly for many years, for probably 50 years. Its run very badly. So we want to make sure that the Post Office runs properly and doesnt lose billions of dollars.- remarks on Aug. 17 to reporters. THE FACTS: Trump offered no evidence of broad mismanagement at the Postal Service that dates back 50 years. The Postal Service started losing billions, as Trump put it, after the 2006 law mandating health prefunding took effect. Those billion-dollar payments, which coincided with the 2007-2008 Great Recession and a wider shift toward online bill payments, pushed the Postal Service into the red. Excluding those health payments, it has finished each year with revenue surpluses for most of the past decade. Fact check: Is US great again or dystopian? GOP says both Fact check: Trump muddies facts on mail ballots, Harris Fact check: Harris meets constitutional requirements Fact check: Trumps flawed justification for postal cuts Chieftain, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Sunny Onuesoke has chided the attack by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowas support for the re-election of Governor, Godwin Obaseki. Governor Okowa who enjoined Obaseki and other members of PDP in supplicating with electorates for their votes, was issued a warning by APC, Delta state chapter to desist from extravagant spending of states revenues. Chief Onuesoke made reference to a released statement by APC that urged voters in Edo to disregard Okowa and his needless exploits. He replied that the party are ignorant of the kind of affiliation and relationship bond between Delta and Edo State, adding that the bond will be fortified should PDP become victorious in September gubernatorial election. He optimized that it was high time that PDP took back power in Edo. He further affirmed that the Delta state governor has every right to vote his preferred candidature for September 19 gubernatorial election. NEW YORKWalmart may be the worlds largest retailer but it has mostly failed in its efforts to break Amazons online dominance. Could TikTok, a fast-growing three-year-old app filled with goofy videos, be the answer? TikToks U.S. business appears up for grabs, with the Trump administration trying to force a sale, claiming national-security risks due to its Chinese owner, ByteDance. TikTok denies it is a risk and is suing to stop the administration from a threatened ban. Others have reportedly emerged, but the only confirmed suitors are Walmart, teaming with tech giant Microsoft. The big-box retailer has given only a vague rationale for why it would want TikTok, but it appears to boil down to its vast audience of young people. TikToks e-commerce business is small today but it says it has 100 million users in the U.S. incredibly, nearly a third of the country. Many are young, the type of shopper increasingly difficult to reach via traditional media and advertising. The future customer of Walmart or Amazon thats what TikTok offers, said Amit Shah, chief strategy officer of VTEX, which creates online marketplaces for brands. Walmart declined to comment further Friday. TikTok did not respond to questions about its U.S. e-commerce business or online-shopping strategies baked into Douyin, a sister service to TikTok available in China. Walmarts online sales have been growing tremendously, nearly doubling in the last quarter, with much of that growth coming during the coronavirus outbreak from people buying groceries online and then picking them up at the store. But the Bentonville, Ark., behemoth is still a distant second to Amazon, estimated to take in just six per cent of all online sales in the U.S. this year, compared to Amazons 38 per cent, according to market research firm eMarketer. To try and catch up, it has bought several small online clothing brands, only to sell them again a couple of years later. And it recently shut down Jet.com, just four years after buying it for $3 billion (U.S.). But analysts are optimistic about TikToks potential for helping Walmart crack the online shopping nut. They see Walmart using its logistics and fulfilment dominance, with Microsofts help on the tech end, to make use of an app that stars random people and keeps people glued to their phone screens. Walmart could make TikTok into an extension of its sales machine, helping advertisers, creators and others sell products. TikTok users swiping through and buying as part of their experience on the app might not even know of a Walmart connection. Thats pretty powerful, said RBC analyst Alex Zukin. It would also help generate data on what shoppers want and do, valuable information for retailers and advertisers. Instagram, owned by Facebook, has also increasingly become a digital mall. It lets users shop and pay on the app without needing to go to a retailers website. Facebook sees TikTok as a major competitor. In TikToks U.S. app today, some influencers and brands have links posted in their profiles that users can click on and buy things. Some advertisers post links in short videos that crop up in between creators videos. Disney Plus, for example, had a TikTok video ad that let users sign up for the streaming service. Maybe Walmart could get a cut of revenue from sales made through TikTok, said Lindsay Finneran-Gingras of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, who works with brands on their digital strategies. Instagram charges retailers a fee if a shopper uses Instagrams checkout tools. The fee is waived for the rest of 2020, however. Walmart could also use TikTok to promote key sellers from its online marketplace, which its trying to develop to rival Amazon, said KeyBanc analysts. The lines are blurring between traditional shopping, digital shopping and social media, said UBS analyst Michael Lasser, in a research note. Walmart needs more exposure to this trend. Read more about: Pregnant Anna Heinrich recently spoke about the stress of being separated from husband Tim Robards for six weeks, amid Melbourne's strict lockdown measures. But the Bachelor couple appear to be making up for lost time, pictured looking loved-up while out on a casual stroll in Byron Bay, New South Wales on Friday. The expectant mother, 33, showed off her baby bump in a chic red frock, as she walked hand-in-hand with Tim, 37. Bumping along nicely! Pregnant Anna Heinrich (right), 33, showed off her growing belly while out on a casual stroll with husband Tim Robards (left), 37, in Byron Bay on Friday Anna teamed her flowing dress with white sneakers and slung a black crossbody bag over one shoulder. She concealed her gaze behind trendy gold-rimmed sunglasses, and drew attention to her prized bling, including her wedding rings and a pendant necklace. Anna swept her signature blonde locks into an effortless high ponytail, and looked to have gone makeup-free, showing off a radiant and blemish-free visage. Popular spot: The criminal lawyer walked hand-in-hand with former Bachelor Tim, in the coastal town made famous by Chris Hemsworth and his brood Maternity style: Anna teamed her flowing dress with white sneakers and slung a black crossbody bag over one shoulder The criminal lawyer enjoyed the company of husband Tim, who drew attention to his buff frame in a snug white T-shirt and striped shorts. He coordinated his attire with pristine white sneakers, and looked every inch the TV star with his aviator sunglasses. Anna, who is due to welcome a girl in the coming months, spoke about the stress of being separated from Tim in The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine last week. Buff: Meanwhile, Tim drew attention to his buff frame in a snug white T-shirt and striped shorts. He coordinated his attire with pristine white sneakers and aviator sunglasses Reunited at last: The couple only just returned from their Byron Bay getaway, following Tim's move from Melbourne back to Sydney Tim made the 'gut-wrenching decision' to leave Melbourne and quit his job on Neighbours, in order to be with Anna in Sydney, amid COVID-19 travel restrictions. 'It's been so stressful for him. For both of us. We're both really struggling with the decision. I know how hard he's worked,' she said in between tears. 'The past six weeks have been really stressful, it's been one curveball after another, and when hotel quarantine came in, we realised it meant that if there was an emergency, Tim would not be able to get back to me,' Anna said. Glowing: Anna swept her signature blonde locks into an effortless high ponytail, and her skin was simply radiant and blemish-free Reality TV power couple: Anna won over Tim's heart in the 2013 season of The Bachelor (pictured). They wed at a fairytale Italian ceremony in June 2018 The blonde beauty, who won over Tim's heart in the 2013 season of The Bachelor, went on to say that while it's been a 'roller-coaster of emotions', she feels so lucky to have Tim as her husband and the father of her unborn child. Tim, who plays wealthy businessman Pierce Greyson on Neighbours, was originally scheduled to film his final scenes in September. In an official statement released earlier this month, Tim said his 'responsibilities as a husband and father have to take precedence'. Tim and Anna wed at a fairytale Italian ceremony in June 2018. They announced their baby news in May. BOSTON Just two years ago, Joe Kennedys star was so bright that he was asked to deliver the Democratic Partys response to Donald Trumps State of the Union speech. Now, if he cant turn things around before Tuesdays Massachusetts Senate primary, hell be out of politics. A handful of recent polls show the 39-year-old congressman trailing incumbent Sen. Ed Markey the septuagenarian incumbent whose campaign is improbably powered by younger progressive voters. Among voters under the age of 35, one of those polls reports, Markey is leading Kennedy by an almost 2-to-1 margin. "The AOC, Sunrise Movement, Justice Democrats embrace of Ed Markey to me is twofold. That is what has allowed this remarkable makeover of Ed Markey to combat the fact he's 74 years old and been in Congress 44 years. The way they did that was to make him the darling of the climate change warriors, and instrumental to that is [New York Rep.] Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," said Mary Anne Marsh, a Boston-based Democratic consultant who is neutral in the race but whose firm works for the Kennedy campaign. "Without her, I think it would've been a much harder effort to make him into the Ed Markey people see in this race, which is very different from the Ed Markey people in Massachusetts have seen in 44 years." This airbrushed portrayal of Markey is a source of frustration for Kennedy and his supporters. The congressman points to Markey's vote for the Iraq War, his support of the 1994 crime bill, his evolving position on health care and his decision to vote present on a resolution authorizing military force in Syria. That present vote came at a time when Secretary of State John Kerry, whose Senate seat Markey had just won, sorely needed support for the Obama administration's action in Syria. But younger voters are captivated by Markey's work on the Green New Deal and his partnership with Ocasio-Cortez. The Markey campaign has spent almost a half-million dollars airing an ad that doesn't even feature the candidate. In the 30-second ad, Ocasio-Cortez talks directly to the camera, and it has appeared on Bay State television 1,200 times. Story continues Markey's supporters also champion his work on the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which President Bill Clinton signed before many of them were born. Kennedy, however, has sought to make that telecommunications law a blemish on Markey's record by cutting a campaign ad featuring a union official walking around Markey's hometown of Malden listing the ways the law hurt union workers. Amplifying that message, another pro-Kennedy union often drives a truck past Markey's daily outdoor events with a sign that reads, "ED MARKEY WHY DID YOU SELL OUT WORKING FAMILIES?" The truck plays an ice cream truck jingle, a jab at Markey's old summer job. Behind the scenes, in conversations with reporters, Kennedy's advisers have sought to cast doubt on the accuracy of the recent polling some of which puts Markeys lead in double digits. Publicly, Kennedys campaign manager said the race is "neck-and-neck" in a memo to supporters about the raft of new survey data. "Our internal modeling shows a very tight race and most critically one that is trending in Joe's direction in the final stretch," spokesperson Emily Kaufman wrote on Twitter. But a few days later, Kennedy told a television reporter he didn't trust even his own pollster. "With all due respect to any pollster at the moment, I wouldn't trust any of them. I don't trust my own," Kennedy told television station WPRI. "The closer you are to this race and the closer you talk to some of those pollsters that I think are following what's happening, they'll also say 'We don't know, best guess.'" Kennedy has a point Massachusetts rolled out a new coronavirus-inspired vote-by-mail system for the primary, which has added a considerable amount of uncertainty to the campaign. While the consensus is that Kennedy remains within striking distance, critics are already celebrating the end of an era. The Kennedy dynasty may be well and truly over, the New York Post headlined. END OF AN ERROR splashed the Boston Herald, accompanied by a picture of Kennedy. One point of concern for Kennedy is Markeys cash advantage: The incumbent has around $2 million more than Kennedy in the final days of the race, despite the fact that the young congressman began the race by outraising him in quarter after quarter. But Kennedy spent $2.4 million of that campaign cash on television ads in the spring. Ceding his cash advantage in January, Kennedy had $5.5 stashed million in the bank, compared with $1.4 million now is a move many of his supporters now view as a mistake. Recognizing his deficit, Kennedy is scrambling. He criss-crossed the state on a 27-hour campaign day last week and has sharpened his criticism of his rival. In addition to whacking Markey for the behavior of his "toxic" online supporters, Kennedy has accused the senator of misrepresenting his legislative record for political gain, criticized his work on racial justice and pointed out times he failed to get results for his constituents. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., addresses The Road to the Green New Deal Tour final event at Howard University in Washington, Monday, May 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Kennedys campaign believes Markey has an advantage among voters who have already cast ballots by mail namely white, well-educated voters in the suburbs but that high turnout on primary day would lend itself to Kennedy. Dont count him out. Were feeling good, Kaufman said. We see a lot of gas in our tank still. [Markeys] votes are mostly in. We have the opportunity, and now responsibility, to get our people out. The congressmans focus in the final days of the race will be to turn out a diverse coalition of voters who will vote in person in cities like Lowell, Springfield and Worcester, among others. Kennedy has also called in the cavalry House colleagues are pulling out all the stops for him. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made an unexpected endorsement of Kennedy, and days later drew almost 600 of his supporters for a get-out-the-vote rally on Zoom. Reps. Al Green of Texas and Adriano Espaillat of New York traveled to Massachusetts to hit the campaign trail with Kennedy this week, hoping to spark turnout among voters of color. Pelosi also provided a financial bump for the congressman. Kennedy raised $100,000 within a day of Pelosi's endorsement, according to his campaign. But Markey, whos assembled a potent small-dollar fundraising operation, says he raised four times that amount $400,000 in the 24 hours after Pelosi weighed in, much of it from progressives frustrated with Pelosis decision to intervene. While Kennedy shied away from discussing his famous political family for most of the campaign, the family is now out in force. Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, is campaigning for her great-nephew over the weekend. Kennedy's grandmother, Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, recently cut a video in support of her grandson. "I hope with all my heart you'll vote for Joe. I'm so proud of him," Ethel Kennedy says in the video. "He reminds me of Bobby and Jack and Teddy. He's so very special." A pro-Kennedy super PAC is also leaning into the Kennedy nostalgia, sending campaign mail and airing television ads that feature famed members of the Kennedy family. "For Joe Kennedy, this fight is in his blood," reads a piece of campaign mail that features side-by-side photos of the candidate and Robert Kennedy. The New Leadership PAC, organized in part by Kennedy's twin brother and other family members, has spent over $4 million in support of the congressman and is airing ads attacking Markey. United for Massachusetts, a pro-Markey super PAC, is not far behind, dumping $3.3 million into the race on Markey's behalf. Part of the reason Kennedy now finds himself the underdog, some supporters concede, is that he never articulated a reason for challenging the incumbent or told his personal story. Polls show Kennedy who was once considered the favorite has not lost support over the course of his campaign so much as Markey has gradually gained it. Kennedy has now pivoted to a closing message that focuses on inequality, citing people he met on the campaign trail who are facing challenges, such as an undocumented mother and a struggling restaurant owner. "Here is my message to those who have tried to make this Senate race about ideology. This race is not about that, it's about them," he said in a speech in East Boston on Friday. "Not one person in those cities, not one, has asked me why I'm running for Senate," Kennedy said. "The only thing they ask is what can you do to make this better? And when I need you, will you be there?" By Michael Bergmann I am thinking these days of a brave woman who was born 110 years ago, on Sept. 3, 1910. I was too young to understand the scars in her soul when my grandmother was alive. The ironic triumph of her life, the repeated reflections of which left me with some mysterious childhood memories, had come in spring 1945 with the arrival of American soldiers in her village. Because those soldiers probably came just in time to save her six-year-old son, my beloved Uncle Willi, whose disability could no longer be hidden from Nazi teachers and doctors, she immediately understood what would be printed in the history textbooks years later: Nazi Germany's defeat was the liberation of a formerly civilized nation. My grandmother celebrated the Nazis' surrender by demonstratively hanging white bed sheets and tablecloths out of the windows of her house. Her neighbors whispered that she should "be ashamed of herself, having no patriotism left." It struck me now when The Korea Times (Aug. 7-9 edition) printed a German professor's attack on almost the whole political class in Germany for their alleged lack of patriotism. The notion that Angela Merkel, the moderately conservative chancellor, "finds it difficult to stand upright at the national anthem" is simply ridiculous. But should the German political leadership really be blamed for their "openness to the world in all directions" and for "representing their country, its people and its history only with mixed feelings"? I can personally not imagine how a compatriot can think of German history without mixed feelings. Will there be a better future without a critical awareness of history? Korean readers might agree that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's call not to "burden growing generations with the past" is misguided and dishonest. German school students also learn about Gutenberg, Luther, Leibniz, Beethoven, Marx and Einstein and hardly any teacher tells them not to be proud. But considering the horrendous scale of the crimes committed between 1933 and 1945, there can be no "healthy" national identity as a German without an element of shame for at least, I would say, a thousand years. In the case of Japan, I would humbly estimate a hundred, counting from the day of the first credible national apology. The German government can be criticized for everything, but please not for being aware of a special responsibility that follows from history. That Germany is one of the most reliable anchors of value-based international cooperation in the current unfavorable climate might show that we have learned a few lessons. Most Germans see a re-nationalized world of broken alliances as a scary prospect. The majority still understands that a revival of nationalism would totally go against the national interests of our and every country. The author (bergmann2473@yahoo.de) is a teacher in Seoul. A leaked Louisville Metro Police Department memo shows investigators had more evidence than previously made public showing a connection between Breonna Taylor and the main target of the narcotics probe that led officers to barge into her home the night she was shot dead by police. But the memo was written several weeks after Taylors death and includes details that weren't provided to the judge in the search warrant application as well as evidence that came to light after her death prompting critics to slam it as an effort to smear Taylor and justify the deadly police raid. The leaked memo, obtained by NBC News, addresses why the officers sought a warrant to enter Taylors apartment but says nothing about the use of force or other possible violations of Louisville police department policy, such as the blind firing of bullets into neighboring apartments. Breonna Taylors death was a tragedy. Period, said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who called the leak an effort to sway opinion and impact the investigation. "It is deeply reckless for this information, which presents only a small fraction of the entire investigation, to be shared with the media while the criminal process remains ongoing, Fischer added. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was killed after midnight on March 13 when officers broke down her door while executing a search warrant. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot at the front door, striking one officer. He said he believed it was a home invasion. Police opened fire, hitting Taylor five times. Both the FBI and the Kentucky attorney general are investigating the shooting. Taylor, who had no criminal record, knew the target of the narcotics probe, Jamarcus Glover, as far back as 2016 when she was in her early 20s, according to the leaked police memo written by a detective. The 39-page memo contains new information including that Taylor posted Glovers bond after he was arrested in 2017. When he was arrested again in January 2020, the memo shows, he called Taylor at least three times from jail. In one call, Taylor told Glover that its stressful for her when hes around because of his interactions with the police. Story continues When Glover's car was towed in mid-February, he filed a complaint against a police officer and used Taylor's phone number as his point of contact, according to the memo. Taylor was killed one month later. The undated memo, first reported by the Louisville Courier-Journal, includes information from a May news memo, indicating the police document wasnt finalized until at least two months after the fatal shooting. At a time when the public was being assured that the department was doing a thorough and impartial investigation into Breonnas killing, [the department] was actually preparing a lengthy, one-sided report regarding things that their officers were unaware of at the time they killed Breonna, said Taylors family lawyer Sam Aguiar. At a press conference last week, Louisville Metro Police Department Interim Chief Robert Schroeder called the leak simply not helpful to the investigation and irrelevant to our goal of obtaining justice, peace and healing for our community. The police department did not respond to a question about why the memo was written. Questions have been raised as to whether or not the warrant used to go to Taylors apartment was valid. The memo indicates police had more information tying Taylor and Glover together than police presented to the court. Breonna Taylor. (Family photo) But legal experts said that the leaked document does not answer key questions that have swirled around the case: whether police announced who they were when they entered the apartment, whether the use of force was appropriate and whether there were other violations of police department policy. Christopher Slobogin, director of the criminal justice program at Vanderbilt Law School, said those questions are crucial to the investigation. You need probable cause to get a warrant to get into a house that doesnt mean youre set, Slobogin said. You still need to execute a warrant properly, he added. You still have to knock and announce, or announce and avoid using excessive force. Alan Rozenshtein, associate professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said the police practice of knocking on doors and announcing themselves has a long history dating back to English common law. Homes are sacred spaces. We want to give people a measure of dignity. Also it is to give everyone a moment to calm down, said Rozenshtein, a constitutional law expert. Rozenshtein said the police may want to maintain an element of surprise in certain cases, if they are looking for evidence that might be destroyed or believe delay could pose risks to safety. But Rozenshtein said they should still announce themselves for their own safety and that of others. "Knocking without announcing is not helpful," he said. New information in the leaked memo includes transcripts of jailhouse phone calls between Glover and the mother of his child that took place after Taylor was killed. In one call, Glover indicates Taylor may have held money for him. "Bre got down like $15 (grand), she had the $8 (grand) I gave her the other day and she picked up another $6 grand, Glover told the mother of his child, according to the transcript in the memo. The police found no drugs or money inside Taylors apartment, according to the search warrant inventory document obtained by NBC News. In an interview with the Courier-Journal last week, Glover denied that Taylor ever held money for him. Glovers attorney Scott Barton told NBC News that his client has long maintained that Breonna Taylor had nothing to do with any drug transactions. The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has once again warned FCT residents to avoid flooded areas to avert the dangers of falling victims of flood. The Director-General of FEMA, Idriss Abbas, made the call in a statement on Sunday. He said most of the deaths recorded in the past from flood in the FCT were as a result of non-compliance to instructions and early warnings. Mr Abbas, therefore, emphasised the need for residents to adhere to instructions and early warnings from relevant authorities. He added that attitudinal change was the key to reducing disasters to the barest minimum in the FCT. He disclosed that the Search and Rescue team of the agency recently discovered the body of one Garba Joseph, 43-year-old from Akoka-Edo of Edo State, after two days search from a flooded river around TradeMoore Estate, Lugbe, in Abuja Narrating the incident, an eye witness account (one of FEMAs volunteer/vanguard Kenneth Chima) who captured the incident on video explained that they were four men that tried walking through the water. And I kept warning them to go back, three of them went back but only this man insisted on crossing, unfortunately the water overpowered him and washed him away, he said. He decried the increasing rate of flood in the FCT due to residents apathy towards the governments directives and early warnings. This is also despite FEMAs consistent sensitisations based on The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) predictions of torrential rainfall and dangers of flooding. He said NIHSAs most recent predictions warned of torrential rainfall and flooding from August, adding that FEMA had carried out aggressive sensitisation to educate residents on ways to prevent the impending flood. He said FEMA was conducting sensitisation programmes in five different indigenous languages in the FCT using different media channels. We recently organized a meeting with our Volunteers, Vangards and Divers from all the area Councils within the FCT to educate them on how they can sensitise their people on how to prevent disasters to minimize loss of lives and properties. We also embarked on community to community flood sensitisation campaigns in the FCT and mounted billboards at all the flood prone points warning off and cautioning residents from these danger areas. The DG, who reiterated the agencys commitment to reducing disasters to a barest minimum in the FCT, called on residents to complement the efforts of the FCT Administration by doing the needful. He also advised residents not to underestimate the strength of water when it was flooded. What we are experiencing now is flash flood, the water builds up speedily and comes unnoticed hence very dangerous, he said. He called on community and religious leaders to take responsibility of sensitising their subjects, especially those who are living close to flood prone areas to move to higher grounds to avoid being washed away by flood. He said that relevant authorities have been on their toes evacuating refuse around the FCT, distilling drainages and expanding narrow water channels to enable free flow of water for a safer FCT. (NAN) Badge of shame: How TSBs famous slogan seems now TSB once boasted that it was 'the bank that likes to say yes' but it is now blowing a rude raspberry 'no' in the face of customers wanting to be served at its branch counters. The bank has started pulling down the shutters at 14 of its high street branch counters at two o'clock in the afternoon. Customers coming in after this time will be asked to undergo what's bafflingly titled a 'digitally up-skill' lesson rather than getting the counter service that they came in for. In other words, they will be encouraged to bank online. The move has been described by the banking expert Derek French as 'cynical'. Last week, the former bank manager and founder of the Campaign for Community Banking Services, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Limiting counter opening hours is a backdoor way of whittling away the importance of a branch.' By withdrawing counter services at selected branches, French believes TSB is setting out to reduce branch footfall, thereby giving it an excuse at some stage in the near future to go on and shut them. He said: 'The knock-on effect will be fewer customers and stronger justification for branch closures.' Last month, the Financial Conduct Authority told the banks that they would have to justify future branch closures on economic grounds. However, French warned: 'For all the regulator's posturing, I fear a major surge in bank closures over the coming months.' The Mail on Sunday has long campaigned for every town in the country to have access to free cash and the Government has promised to legislate to ensure this happens. The withdrawal of afternoon personal banking services at TSB's 14 branches follows in the wake of its decision to cull 82 branches this year, a step that will leave it with just 454. It is part of a worrying trend. Over the past six years a third of all bank branches have closed, with free cash machines being removed at the rate of 500 a month. Now some banks are citing the Covid-19 crisis as they accelerate closure programmes and cut back their opening hours. Last week Co-op Bank announced that it would be closing 18 of its 68 branches this year due to the 'economic uncertainty' caused by the coronavirus. NatWest is cutting 550 branch jobs, while Barclays and HSBC are axing 59 and 28 respectively. Lloyds has put plans to cut 56 branches on hold due to the pandemic. Banks that have reduced branch opening hours include Santander, which has cut its hours to between 10am and 3pm with some of its 565 branches closing at 2pm. Just a third of HSBC's 621 branches are open from 10am to 4pm while others close at 2pm. Most of NatWest's 960 branches are open only between 10am and 3pm while Lloyds Banking Group including Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland has restricted branch opening hours to typically between 9.30am and 3.30pm. Test of time: The Old Corn Exchange in which the Bishop's Stortford branch is housed was built in 1828 18 years after the foundation of the Trustee Savings Bank Despite numerous requests from The Mail on Sunday, the TSB has refused to share details of the location of the 14 branches targeted for reduced counter services only saying they are 'dispersed across the country'. But if the move proved a success it could be extended across the network. Among those likely to be affected is the TSB branch in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. The Old Corn Exchange in which the branch is housed was built in 1828 18 years after the foundation of the Trustee Savings Bank (TSB) whose objective was to support the poorest parishioners. A far cry, some would say, from the ruthless money-making outfit it has now become raking in pre-tax profits of 46million last year for its Spanish owner Sabadell. Step inside the branch and you wonder what it has to offer customers. There is a grand foyer with three seating areas, but not a cash machine in sight apparently as a listed building it cannot have one. At the far end is a single open counter that looks more like a reception desk for a fancy hotel when I approach the clear plastic screen. It is 11am, so I am well within business hours, but when I tell Michelle, the branch manager, that I am a journalist, she is perfectly polite but clearly wants me out. The only up-skill training I get is on how to leave the branch quietly. I am escorted out the building. Customers are far happier to share their thoughts about TSB's depersonalisation of its branches. In a nutshell, they are aghast. Joan Deex, a retired health visitor, says: 'I joined TSB a couple of years ago after staff at my previous bank, Barclays, told me it was time to bank online. It was not what I wanted so I moved to TSB. 'What has happened to that once caring TSB that liked to say yes?' she asks, adding: 'Well, it will get a big no from customers like me if it starts pushing this ridiculous-sounding 'digital up-skill' idea.' Friendly face: Student Karina Mann values being able to visit a high street bank so she can talk to staff about overdrafts Joan, visiting the branch with her husband Len, 80, a retired science teacher, believes the bank is in no position to lecture customers about how to use the internet. Two years ago, shortly after Joan joined, it was landed with a 330million bill after a computer meltdown left 1.9million customers locked out of their accounts for several weeks. Luis Pinto, popping into the branch to cancel a direct debit in person he did not trust it would be done online is unimpressed by TSB's digital move. The 50-year-old former coffee shop owner says: 'If I wanted to use the internet then I would and I certainly do not need someone telling me how to do it. No one is fooled by the banks driving people online. It is all about saving money, not what customers want.' Karina Mann and Gracie Leader, both 20, admit they do almost all of their banking online. But as university students they are well aware of the moments when a high street branch can prove vital for them. Karina says: 'There are times when I need to go into a branch and talk face-to-face to a staff member for example when I need to extend my overdraft. Once a bank closes it will never reopen and we the community all lose out.' On Friday, TSB told The Mail on Sunday that its digital up-skilling initiative was designed to help customers 'make the most of online banking services'. It said if a customer really wanted to use a counter service after 2pm it would 'try to find ways' to ensure they could be served. It remained tight-lipped about how this might be done. Sudan's main rebel alliance has agreed a peace deal with the government aimed at ending 17 years of conflict, official news agency SUNA said Sunday. The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), an alliance of rebel groups from the western region of Darfur and the southern states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, inked a peace agreement with the government late on Saturday. A formal signing ceremony is planned for Monday in Juba, the capital of neighbouring South Sudan, which has hosted and helped mediate the long-running talks since late 2019. Senior government officials and rebel leaders "signed their initials on protocols on security arrangements" and other issues late Saturday, SUNA reported. However, two key holdout rebel forces have refused to take part in the deal. The final agreement covers key issues around security, land ownership, transitional justice, power sharing, and the return of people who fled their homes due to war. It also provides for the dismantling of rebel forces and the integration of their fighters into the national army. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and several ministers flew to Juba on Sunday, the news agency said, where he met with South Sudan President Salva Kiir. - 'Start of peace-building' - Hamdok said that finding a deal had taken longer than first hoped after a initial agreement in September 2019. "At the Juba declaration in September, everyone expected peace to be signed within two or three months, but ...we realised that the questions were of one great complexity," Hamdok said. "However, we were able to accomplish this great work, and this is the start of peace-building." The rebel forces took up arms against what they said was the economic and political marginalisation by the government in Khartoum. They are largely drawn from non-Arab minority groups that long railed against Arab domination of successive governments in Khartoum, including that of toppled autocrat Omar al-Bashir. About 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur since rebels took up arms there in 2003, according to the United Nations. Conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile erupted in 2011, following unresolved issues from bitter fighting there in Sudan's 1983-2005 civil war. Forging peace with rebels has been a cornerstone of Sudan's transitional government, which came to power in the months after Bashir's overthrow in April 2019 on the back of mass protests against his rule. Two movements rejected part of the deal -- a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdelwahid Nour, and a wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), headed by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. Previous peace accords in Sudan, including one signed in Nigeria in 2006 and another signed in Qatar in 2010, have fallen through over the years. Search Keywords: Short link: Dont expect another COVID-19 stimulus deal anytime soon. Democrats and Republicans remain about $1 trillion apart on a package thats bounced back and forth between the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House. Were not going to negotiate here, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told NBCs Chuck Todd on Meet the Press on Sunday. Meadows, who reignited talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week, said the California Democrat presented a $2.2 trillion offer but when asked for details on it, she responded, Im not going to tell you. Let me fill in the blanks. Thats not a proper negotiation. Pelosi, in a statement, said neither the GOP nor President Donald Trump were taking negotiations seriously. Democrats approved a $3 trillion package in May and Republicans countered with a $1 trillion plan two months later. Talks have collapsed multiple times already. The president signed executive orders earlier this month in an attempt to extend enhanced unemployment benefits of $400 weekly and to stave off evictions at a federal level, but many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said the orders would be unconstitutional or not effective. The Republicans recently offered a skinny package, a nearly $500 billion proposal with a checklist of items that have gained bipartisan support, but this time, direct payments to Americans have been left out. I can tell the American people what is in the offer the president has made and that hes willing to sign: enhanced unemployment at levels (Pelosi) would agree with, enhanced help for small businesses at levels she would agree with, literally help for day care and hospitals at levels she would agree with, and help for schools at levels she would agree with, Meadows said Sunday. Heres what the problem is. She puts forth a number and suggests that she came down, yet shes willing to turn down $1.3 trillion of help that goes to the American people. Meadows suggested Pelosi would rather Americans received nothing than give up any of her fantasy proposals. The Democratic-controlled House passed the $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act in mid-May, which would have provided nearly $1 trillion to state and local governments, an extension of $600 weekly enhanced unemployment insurance, billions to hospitals and schools and a second round of checks to Americans. The package was a non-starter in the Republican-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered the $1 trillion Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act. The package, which at least 20 GOP members thought was too costly or unnecessary, would have provided stimulus checks to Americans, boosted small business loans and provided funding for hospitals and schools but not as much as Democrats wanted. Meadows assured Todd on Sunday that the skinny deal can pass the Senate but requires Pelosi to work with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. After speaking with Meadows for about a half hour Thursday, Pelosi said the conversation made clear that the White House continues to disregard the needs of the American people as the coronavirus crisis devastates lives and livelihoods. She noted that Democrats had reduced their initial offer by nearly $1 trillion while the Republicans hadnt budged, and said the hangup was not about dollars, this is about values. These investments will not only help crush the virus, they will also help bolster the economy. Meanwhile, she said, since the HEROES Act passed, more than 90,000 Americans have died. The top point of contention mentioned by Pelosi remains Republicans rejection of robust support for state, local, tribal and territorial governments, and saying that they should just go bankrupt. Pelosi also said the $14 billion proposed by Republicans is inadequate compared to the $75 billion by Democrats. Pelosi drew a hard line on the $2.2 trillion figure, saying Democrats would only resume talks if Republicans and the Trump administration agree to meet that level of investment. Related Content: "Be afraid. Be very afraid." These ominous words have become the Democrat party's war room strategy. They were famously uttered by a reporter (played by Geena Davis) in The Fly after learning that a scientist (played by Jeff Goldblum)'s uncontrolled lab experiment (!) had gone terribly wrong . This talking point was most strikingly revealed Tuesday morning after the first night of the Republican National Convention. Despite the fact that the speeches were so clearly upbeat and optimistic, the pundits, from the most extreme far left to the local just-left-of-center news anchors, uniformly described it as "dark." The New York Times Page One headline said it was "OMINOUS"; cable news guests declared it "apocalyptic." They clearly were not watching what I was watching...or maybe their progressive lenses distorted the picture. Maybe, for the left, messages of hope, individual opportunity, freedom of expression, and self-reliance are scary. But for whatever reason, they clearly, and in unison, aimed to tell the American public that Republicans have let the bogeyman out of the closet. And they don't just mean Donald Trump. Despair is found in every election issue: The media's complicit and alarmist coronavirus reporting. Despite clear national trends of weaker cases, lower hospitalizations, fewer deaths, and increasing therapeutic successes, the headlines about various spikes are designed to make us think it is getting worse, not better. Blue-state governors are using this panic to support rolling back openings. For example, Illinois is experiencing an overall decrease in positivity and death rates. Yet, just this week, Governor Pritzker added the extra requirement of wearing masks while interacting with wait staff at restaurants and order-takers at drive-thrus despite no proof that any spikes are related to restaurant patronage. It does not matter; the goal is to keep people scared from one inflated crisis to the next. Despite clear national trends of weaker cases, lower hospitalizations, fewer deaths, and increasing therapeutic successes, the headlines about various spikes are designed to make us think it is getting worse, not better. Blue-state governors are using this panic to support rolling back openings. For example, Illinois is experiencing an overall decrease in positivity and death rates. Yet, just this week, Governor Pritzker added the extra requirement of wearing masks while interacting with wait staff at restaurants and order-takers at drive-thrus despite no proof that any spikes are related to restaurant patronage. It does not matter; the goal is to keep people scared from one inflated crisis to the next. Returning to school scare tactics. One need only read the signs at teachers' union rallies. How sad that union activists hold up signs saying "Don't Kill Me" or "Teachers are not sacrificial" and threaten "safety" strikes. Kids don't want to see their teachers pleading for their lives or worry that going to school could hurt someone. One need only read the signs at teachers' union rallies. How sad that union activists hold up signs saying "Don't Kill Me" or "Teachers are not sacrificial" and threaten "safety" strikes. Kids don't want to see their teachers pleading for their lives or worry that going to school could hurt someone. Black Lives Matter activists' fear-mongering and threats. They have made city officials and police departments cower to demands, afraid to appear racist and ending up defenseless. Store-owners in riot and looting zones paste BLM signs on their fronts, hoping their "support" will save them from destruction. Even average Democrats who support peaceful protests feel it. My liberal neighbor actually admitted that the reason she put up a BLM sign was because everyone else has them and she didn't want people to think she is racist. But signs are not enough. They will scare you into raising your fist as you eat dinner, whether you agree or not. Having seen the violence and destruction, most people are afraid not to. It was the Democrats at their convention who painted the bleak picture of America. They declared that the current COVID-19 and economic crisis was caused by and is now the way of life under Trump. They neglected to mention the thriving pre-pandemic economy and historical employment rates, except to attribute them to the Obama administration. Almost every single speech commenced with a pointed attack on Trump personally. The "everyday folk" they featured were victims of some crisis caused by Trump but saved by Biden. They made it look as if Americans have lost their health care in the last four years and that industries have evaporated, leaving the vulnerable behind. Electing Trump means no more accessible health care and only mediocre, outdated manufacturing jobs. By creating an atmosphere of doom and gloom, they claim that only they can provide a solution and the only man who can save you is Joe Biden. More importantly, they look at America's past as flawed and systemically racist, probably unaware that this translates to irredeemable. They failed to realize or acknowledge that it is the system, capitalism, not Trump, that makes economic success and recovery possible in the first place. What a contrast to Trump's message regarding today's challenges. The Republican message was clear: you don't need a savior; you need the tools and freedom entrenched in the idea of America to reach your own goals and dreams and a government that won't stand in your way. We know that fear, crisis, and terror work. The media adage "if it bleeds, it leads" is not for nothing; just look at the success of The Weather Channel. The hyperbole is what keeps you interested, which is probably why every cable news network has frequent Breaking News and News Alerts, even for the most mundane announcements. No doubt, after the convention, Republicans will sketch out detailed pictures of the misery the country will suffer under Biden or a Democrat-led Senate. But it is not their primary modus operandi. Republicans have gone out of their way this week to show that the election is about seeing America as good and exceptional, no matter what befalls it. They have so far avoided directly countering the Democrat message "Trump is bad" by promoting instead "America is good." Pope John Paul II's first words as pope were "do not be afraid." A man who suffered under the ravages of Nazi Germany and brutal Soviet communism spoke often of hope despite the assaults on Western civilization and faith itself. His refusal to succumb to the bleak prognosis propelled him into helping bring down the Iron Curtain, resulting in freedom and opportunity for millions of people. Perhaps in 2020, the electorate will reject the scare tactics and misinformation of the left and realize that solutions are found in hope, not fear. The malls and shops in market places of urban areas of Haryana will now remain open on Monday and Tuesday, home minister Anil Vij said on Sunday. Referring to the Unlock 4 guidelines the Union ministry of home affairs issued on Saturday, Vij said as the states cannot impose lockdowns, the Haryana government has withdrawn its August 28 decision to close the markets on Monday and Tuesday. Therefore, now there will be no lockdown, Vij announced on Twitter. The Union ministry of home affairs guidelines say the states can no longer impose lockdowns outside containment zones without the Centres permission. To contain the spread of Covid-19, the Haryana government had on Friday ordered that malls and shops in the market places of urban areas will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday instead of the weekend. This order, however, did not apply to shops dealing with essential goods and services. The revised instructions were issued a week after the government had ordered offices and shops to remain closed on the weekend in the state. Meanwhile, Haryana Pradesh Vayapar Mandal welcomed the decision, saying the decision to shut business establishments on Monday and Tuesday was totally uncalled for and against the business communities which are already reeling under the losses. Summer's almost gone, winter's coming on as Bob Dylan and others sang all those years ago and we too have gotta travel on. The late August Bank Holiday is always a moment for reflection: What will the autumn and winter hold for the economy, for markets, and indeed for our working lives? But this year it is not just the switch from holidays, such as they have been, back to work that preoccupies us. It is the transition from an emergency economy sustained by massive support from the Government to one that will increasingly have to stand on its own feet. Empty streets: If office occupancy goes down to, say, half of its pre-Covid level, our city centres will be devastated The turning point is in the past and there has been a strong rebound, but we are all rightly concerned about the durability of the expansion and the path the economy will take over the next couple of years. The warnings by Doug McWilliams on the previous page are well made. Some things are clear. The structural shift in retailing from bricks and mortar shops towards online is set to continue. Some shops will survive of course but we will never go back to the pre-Covid model with only 20 per cent of retail sales being online. Figuring out how we should preserve our high streets in the light of this shift is one of the great challenges our society faces. More encouragingly, we have learnt something else. People like going out to restaurants and pubs. The Eat Out to Help Out project has been such a success that many restaurants have said they intend to keep it going even after the Government's support ends. We will see how long they can do that for, but at least we now know for sure that we are social animals and like to have fun. That is a bit of a relief in these troubled times. But there is one thing we really know very little about and it is probably the most important single determinant of the shape and strength of the recovery over the next decade. It is whether we go back to the office. Of course some of us will at least for part of the time. But if office occupancy goes down to, say, half of its pre-Covid level, our city centres will be devastated. The knock-on impact will not just be on urban transport systems and the myriad personal service businesses that office workers use, grave though that will be. If the big cities die, the entire recovery will be at risk. The Government is very aware of this, hence the urge to get us back to work that is, office work. But if companies plan to keep most of their staff working from home until some time next year and most of their people prefer that anyway, then no amount of urging by Ministers will move the dial. So what will determine our working patterns in the longer run? We know a bit. Long before the virus struck there had been a steady shift towards people working from home. There were several drivers of this. One was the shift to self-employment, which has doubled in the UK as a proportion of the workforce over the past 30 years. Another has of course been the technology. A third was cost, for office space became much more expensive. We also know that in fast-expanding industries, particularly in California, not having to bring people into an office means you can gear up faster. Not only do you not need more space. You can also hire people who live beyond regular commuting distance, widening the pool in which you can fish for talent. However, what works in the short run may not in the long. How do new recruits get to know their colleagues? We all learn our craft by watching others do it, so how do you train people? How do you manage people you do not see? Companies that have been happy to have staff working from home are reconsidering, with hard-driving operations in particular wanting people back. Goldman Sachs is the latest giant to encourage its people into its London offices. My guess is that when things settle down we will find that we need to get people together in offices for most of the time. Companies that are more relaxed about home-working will lose ground to those that are more driven. And for start-ups? You need people together. Not everything will go back as it was, and we will be more efficient as a result of what we have learnt. But I think we will be surprised how much we need offices and for the sake of our cities, let's hope I am right. Otherwise the winter that comes on will be a chilly one indeed. Health Officials Call On US Government to Reverse COVID-19 Test Guidelines By VOA News August 29, 2020 Public health departments throughout the United States are calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reverse changes the federal agency recently made to its public coronavirus testing guidelines. The Big Cities Health Coalition and the National Association of County and City Health Officials, which represent thousands of local departments, sent a letter Friday to the heads of the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requesting that the agencies reverse a decision to stop testing people who have been exposed to the virus but are asymptomatic. The CDC had previously recommended testing for all people who had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms. The organizations called on the government agencies to reinstate recommendations that people who have been exposed to the virus be tested even if they are asymptomatic. In the letter, the groups say the CDC's decision this week "costs lives and livelihoods" and that "the CDC's own data suggest that perhaps as many as 40% of COVID-19 cases are attributable to asymptomatic transmission." CDC Director Robert Redfield responded to criticism over the revised guidelines by saying "testing may be considered for all close contacts of confirmed or probable COVID-19 patients." At least 33 states are not following the new CDC guidelines and continue to recommend testing for all people who have been exposed to COVID-19 regardless of symptoms, according to an analysis by Reuters news agency. COVID-19 vaccine Separately, President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. will have a vaccination for the coronavirus "before the end of the year or maybe even sooner." The announcement was part of Trump's speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination, delivered from the South Lawn of the White House as part of the party's national convention. Experts say vaccines can sometimes take decades to develop, test, and be proved safe before they are administered to patients. However, hope has been high that a concerted international effort will produce an effective vaccine sometime next year. "In recent months our nation and the entire planet has been struck by a new and powerful invisible enemy," Trump told the South Lawn audience whose mostly maskless members were not sitting 2 meters apart, a measure generally practiced to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The president has rarely been seen in public wearing a mask, another practice to help stop the spread of the virus. Cases globally The United States has nearly 6 million COVID-19 cases, the most of any country, and roughly one-fifth of the world's more than 24.7 million infections, according to Johns Hopkins University. Brazil follows the U.S. with more than 3.8 million cases, and India comes in third with more than 3.4 million. India said early Friday that it had recorded 77,266 new COVID-19 cases in the previous 24-hour period, the highest daily total ever recorded in the South Asian nation. Indonesia reported more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases Friday, the biggest rise in new cases for a second consecutive day. Europe tightened restrictive measures on Friday after a surge in coronavirus cases. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned the coronavirus crisis will be "more difficult" in the fall and winter. In France, wearing masks in public became mandatory Friday for everyone in Paris. The country reported more than 7,300 new confirmed cases Friday, the most since France came out of lockdown. The daily total was close to the record of more than 7,500 cases set March 31 at the height of the initial wave of infections in France. Spain says all children 6 years of age and up must wear masks while in school. The announcement comes just days before the beginning of Spain's school year. Hungary announced Friday it would close its borders to foreigners beginning September 1 in an effort to stop a rise in new coronavirus infections. Officials said Hungarians returning from abroad after that date would have to be quarantined for 14 days unless they tested negative twice for COVID-19. Canada also extended the closure of its border to nonessential travel through September. The closure has been in effect since mid-March. In South America, Mexico reported 5,824 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday and 552 more deaths from the disease, for a total of 585,738 and 63,146 respectively. Mexico is the third county in the world for the number of deaths. Meanwhile, a group of South American leaders, has agreed to share information and coordinate access to any vaccine one of them might develop or acquire. "A joint effort would bring benefits, particularly in terms of access, quantities and guaranteed prices," Chile's foreign minister, Andres Allamand, said after Thursday's virtual meeting of presidents and foreign ministers. "We in Chile are following the evolution of at least five projects, and we have been in contact with some of those laboratories and countries specifically to be able to get access to those vaccines at reasonable prices and as quickly as possible," he said. The total number of reported cases worldwide has now topped 24.7 million, with more than 832,000 deaths since the virus was first reported in China about nine months ago. In Brief: - Global cases top 24.7 million, with more than 832,000 deaths - U.S. has nearly 6 million cases, Brazil more than 3.8 million and India over 3.4 million - Mexico reported 5,824 new cases Friday and 552 more deaths; it is third in total deaths - Indonesia reported over 3,000 new cases Friday, biggest increase for the second day - German Chancellor Angela Merkel says crisis will be "more difficult" in fall, winter - Hungary to close borders to foreigners September 1 - Canada extends closure of border to nonessential travel through September NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Delhi Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra, who is set to demit office on September 2, has turned down the invitation of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to attend a farewell function being organised for him. In a written communication to SCBA president Dushyant Dave, Justice Mishra said on Sunday that his conscience does not permit him to participate in a farewell function in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Taking into consideration the severe situation and sufferings the world over on account of Covid-19 pandemic, my conscience does not permit me to participate in any farewell function. I may, therefore, be excused, the letter said. The judge, who was elevated to the Supreme Court on July 7, 2014, also declined to participate in the farewell function organsied by another lawyers body, the Confederation of Indian Bar, for the same reason. I assure you as and when the situation normalizes, I will visit the Bar and pay my respect, he wrote in his letter. In Februray this year, SCBA had criticised Justice Mishra for heaping praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an international judicial conference organised by the Supreme Court. The Prime Minister is a versatile genius who thinks globally and acts locally. India is a responsible and most friendly member of the international community under the stewardship of the internationally acclaimed visionary Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he said back then. SCBA had passed a resolution on February 26, condemning Justice Mishras remarks while saying that such statements by sitting judges reflect poorly on the independence of judiciary. The SCBA believes that any such statement reflects poorly on the independence of the judiciary and so calls upon Honble judges not to make statements in future nor show any proximity or closeness to the Executive including high functionaries, that resolution by SCBA said. A bench headed by Justice Mishra is scheduled to deliver its verdict on the sentence to be awarded to lawyer Prashant Bhushan for criminal contempt of court, on Monday. We all have our routines that were upended by the coronavirus pandemic. One of mine was riding a crowded bus into San Franciscos Chinatown, swimming laps in the YMCAs saltwater pool, then grabbing a cha siu bao at Eastern Bakery and eating it on a bench at Portsmouth Square. Though Ive never lived in Chinatown, its a place where I feel at home, where I blend in, where my mother tongue Cantonese surrounds me and I can speak it in my own clumsy way. My family has roots here. More than 100 years ago, an ancestor from my mothers village journeyed to Chinatown. And so, my heart aches to see Chinatown bereft in the wake of the pandemic, its streets empty of locals and tourists alike, its storefronts shuttered. Chinatown suffered early on from the pandemic, the victim of a double set of catastrophes, says Malcolm Yeung, executive director of the nonprofit Chinatown Community Development Center. There is COVID-19 itself, but also the racism tangled up with it. With the xenophobic reaction to the coronavirus being labeled as the Chinese virus early on, we started seeing significant reductions in visitorship well before shelter-in-place even started, Yeung says. Business fell sharply in January and February, usually a busy time leading up to and during the Chinese New Year. Merchants make 30% of their annual revenue then, according to Yeung. Particularly hard hit are the neighborhoods restaurants, which operate on slim margins. They are important not just for the neighborhoods character but as a source of starter jobs for new immigrants. A few weeks ago, the development center surveyed 32 restaurants. The results were grim. Seventy percent reported that they were unsure theyd survive to the end of the year. Community groups have stepped up to help. The Rose Pak Democratic Club created an online directory of Chinatown restaurants that remain open, especially since many of the owners, facing language and digital divides, dont maintain websites or social media accounts. The development center, in partnership with other organizations, launched a program funding 34 restaurants to feed the neighborhoods most vulnerable residents living in public housing and single room occupancy (SRO) hotels. The development center also teamed up with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to help restaurants transition to outdoor dining. But with most of Chinatowns restaurants located on hilly streets like Clay, Jackson and Washington, that option is difficult. Yeung especially worries about the neighborhoods remaining banquet halls. There are just two now, Far East Cafe and New Asia, down from five a few years ago. Far East Cafe, one of the few restaurants located on flat Grant Avenue, opened for outdoor dining while New Asia temporarily transformed into a grocery store. Banquets are really the backbone of culture in Chinatown. Its where we all gather and see each other, reconnect, connect and celebrate, Yeung says, noting that hundreds of banquets are hosted each year. If those go, theyll never be replaced. And that could really break the cultural fabric of Chinatown in a way that I think is hard for us to understand right now. And yet, Chinatown has a history of surviving adversities, with several indications the neighborhood will weather this one, too. Founded in the late 1840s, San Francisco Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America and one of the oldest ethnic enclaves in the United States. From the beginning, it has been a home to new immigrants. Today, 15,000 people, 81% of them Asian, live in the neighborhood, packed into a 20-square-block area, according to a 2018 report. Chinatown is the most densely populated urban area west of Manhattan, says the San Francisco Planning Department. Most people think of Chinatown as a tourist destination and just a curious, Oriental, exotic place to go visit, Yeung says. But to us and to this community, Chinatown is a living, breathing community. And I think most importantly, Chinatown remains an active immigrant gateway for low-income newcomers to this country. Roughly 50% of the housing stock in Chinatown about 6,000 units is in SROs. Entire families often live in a single room and share communal bathrooms and kitchens. For a neighborhood so dense, Chinatown has had relatively few COVID-19 cases 29.2 cases per 10,000 residents, as of Aug. 21, according to city data. Chinese Hospital sounded the alarm early in January, working with neighborhood institutions and Chinese-language press to educate residents about the virus. It conducts free COVID-19 testing at SROs. Still, community leaders and residents worry about an outbreak, which could spread rapidly through close quarters. Most of these cases are tied to essential workers, which is a similar pattern as what weve been seeing in the Latino community, Yeung says. Essential workers tend to live with families. And that deeply concerns me because too many families live in SROs already. And these families are living next door to seniors. While some residents work low-wage essential jobs, many others have lost their income. Chinese for Affirmative Action, a civil rights nonprofit, runs a workforce development program. (Full disclosure: I do some work for the organization.) Many of its clients work in the hospitality industry. But with the exception of custodial positions, most of those jobs vanished. On top of concerns over catching the virus and loss of income, Chinatown residents also fear attacks, as harassment toward Asian Americans has surged in the wake of the pandemic. Over a 13-week period beginning in March, 832 incidents of coronavirus-related discrimination and harassment took place in California, according to the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center. As the pandemic continues, so does the misinformed idea that China caused this suffering. There is a sense of history repeating itself. The xenophobic trope that Chinese people are dirty and diseased has persisted since the beginnings of Chinatown. In the late 1800s, when smallpox and the bubonic plague spread in San Francisco, authorities scapegoated its Chinese residents. During the smallpox epidemic of 1875-76, the city health officer ordered the fumigation of every house in Chinatown. Yet the epidemic raged on. Unable to account for the epidemics severity, he doubled down on his belief that treacherous Chinamen had caused it. Authorities repeatedly proposed moving Chinatown away from the heart of the city. After the 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed Chinatown, city officials wanted to rebuild it farther south near Bayview-Hunters Point. Instead, the Chinese community hired architects to redesign the neighborhood with pagodas and eaves curling skyward a calculated move to attract visitors and to protect the neighborhood. The neighborhoods Chinese New Year Parade is another Chinatown reinvention. It began in the 1860s as a way to introduce other people to Chinese culture, but its current form took shape in 1953, along with the introduction of the Miss Chinatown Pageant. Due to discrimination, residents couldnt find jobs outside of Chinatown, so these festivities were a way to bring business to the neighborhood. Today, San Franciscos Chinatown, like Chinatowns across the country, is at risk of gentrification. Well have to fight a battle against gentrification by speculators who are attempting to transform Chinatown by making us an annex of downtown, says Mabel Teng, the former San Francisco supervisor, former assessor recorder and a longtime Chinatown advocate. Gentrification has been at the forefront of community leaders minds for some time, but coronavirus could speed it up. Id hate to see COVID be the catalyst for the real gentrification of Chinatown, Yeung says. I think were in a particularly precarious moment. Even if the neighborhoods mom-and-pop shops and eateries recover, it wont be enough to rebuild its economy, Teng says. I think Chinatown needs to create something new, something extraordinary, to become a major destination and anchor that will attract regional visitors as well as international tourists to come and stay. That something could be a new cultural center. The Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative an unprecedented partnership of the Chinatown development center, Chinese for Affirmative Action, the Chinese Historical Society of America, Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, the Center for Asian American Media and the Chinese Culture Center sees a cultural facility as an economic development strategy to help Chinatowns recovery post-pandemic and to slow displacement and gentrification. Teng, who is the project lead on this three-year effort, describes the center as a mini-MoMA PS1, the contemporary arts center in Queens, N.Y. The new cultural center will feature contemporary exhibitions that spark discourse about pertinent issues of the day, like global warming, domestic violence and racial justice. The group is raising money to purchase its own building and hopes to open it in 2024. As Teng describes the arts center, I feel excited for Chinatowns future, despite my anxiety over what the neighborhood is up against. This spirit of community collaboration, of fighting for our rights and our space has given Chinatown the strength to endure. When I think about Chinatown these days, I think about the baked goods I miss and the seniors playing card games over cardboard boxes turned into makeshift tables at the park. But I also think about the connections that weave through our community. I think about the family associations that help new immigrants settle into this country, including one that bears my mothers familys name, and how when my grandfather first came to this country, he stopped in San Francisco Chinatown on his way to Texas. What the pandemic has wrought in Chinatown saddens me, but Chinatowns history, how it has relied upon itself, how the community organizes and advocates and fights, gives me hope. We have and will survive. Melissa Hung is a Bay Area writer. Email: culture@sfchronicle.com Big vacation plans are out. Events and large gatherings are canceled. Seeing friends and family can be fraught with danger, and many still feel leery about interacting with strangers at restaurants, hotels and attractions that have just started reopening to the public. And between full campgrounds, overflowing trailheads and some towns, like Bend, asking tourists to stay away, even our most cherished local getaways have been more difficult to access this summer. How in the world are you supposed to vacation during a pandemic? I struggled with this while trying to plan my own one-week vacation, a much-needed breather from a job that has been especially stressful this summer. Stuck between the desire to get away and the need to relax, anxious about travel but champing at the bit to leave the house, I opted for a day trips vacation instead. READ MORE: 10 things to consider before going back outside during the pandemic We in the Pacific Northwest are blessed with an embarrassment of natural riches. From the Portland area, the mountains are just as close as the ocean. We have old growth forests and spectacular rivers. The high desert is just across the Cascade Mountains, with grassy meadows strewn throughout the Willamette Valley. Many of us have seen most if not all of these ecosystems at one point or another, but treated as occasional destinations they can get lost in the shuffle of road trip memories: that time we hiked Mount Hood, that weekend out in Bend, that backpacking trip in the Columbia River Gorge. My plan was to spend a week of vacation touring these different ecosystems back-to-back, hoping that the quick contrast might shock my system into believing I was doing something much bigger, much grander than a series of short day trips. I also hoped it would renew a sense of appreciation for where I live, for the corner of the world where all too often these days Ive felt stuck. I settled on four day trips to four landscapes mountain, ocean, desert and forest heading off in all four directions and staying within a three-hour radius of Portland. There was no overarching itinerary here; each day trip would be planned on a whim, guided by my instincts and desires. In a world that has felt so stifling, this was one small way to break free. The Truman Trail leads toward the blast crater on the north side of Mount St. Helens. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian MOUNTAIN: MOUNT ST. HELENS I showed up on the Monday of my vacation week, a bright and warm day in early August, after driving two hours north from Portland to Washingtons Johnston Ridge Observatory, which overlooks the 1980 blast zone on Mount St. Helens. Gray clouds hung over the peak of the volcano, as I hiked along a ridge high above the destruction. A trail soon branched off and led down the steep ridge, leading on toward the gaping crater in the side of the mountain. Hiking into the maw of St. Helens felt like exploring an alien landscape. Much of the land there is bare, though not quite barren. The soil is a mixture of ash and dried mud, remnants of the eruption and subsequent mudflows that destroyed what was once a lush alpine forest. Dense brush crowds the small creeks, while few tiny conifers seem to pop up at random. In some areas, the soil was covered with small rocks and a thick, dry moss, from which colorful wildflowers bloomed brilliantly: purple, red, yellow and white bright bursts of color against a backdrop of gray. Overall, the landscape was haunting, evidence of natures great and terrifying power. It can be easy to forget that our mountains do this, though the evidence is all around us. Just look at the missing peak over Crater Lake or the jagged profile of Three Fingered Jack. What makes Mount St. Helens so special is that its violent eruption occurred in our relatively short human timeframe. We have before and after pictures. We were able to witness the destruction. The volcano is a humbling reminder of the power of the land. Cascade stonecrop grow from volcanic rocks alongside the Truman Trail on the north side of Mount St. Helens. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian A calm ocean laps against the beach at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area on the Oregon coast, with Cape Kiwanda and Pacific City's Haystack Rock in the distance.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian OCEAN: SITKA SEDGE Picking a beach to visit on the Oregon coast is like a dog picking between chew toys: Theres really no way to go wrong. But on a warm summer day, as crowds continue to swell during the pandemic, I had a few preferences in mind: few people, plenty of available parking and a long, sandy beach. I opted for Sitka Sedge, Oregons newest state park, which opened in 2018 on the north side of Cape Kiwanda near Pacific City. Because accessing the beach requires a short hike past wetlands and through a dense coastal forest, its not popular as a beach access point, though that hike makes it more attractive for those who want a little more out of their beach trip. On Wednesday, I showed up around 9 a.m. and had the trail practically to myself. The hike in was beautiful, the morning sky reflecting in the shallow wetlands, as herons and crows perched in the mud. The calm ocean emerged as I crossed over the dunes to the beach, blue sky on blue water, a gentle breeze cooling the warm summer air. Relaxation came on gently like a shrug; a sigh of relief fell from my lips. The whole ocean seemed to buzz with good energy while I stood there and soaked it all in. Strolling past the lapping waves, I watched as gulls sat on a sandbar pulling meat from shattered crab shells. Tiny sandpipers trotted in the surf, pecking here and there before fluttering off. Every wave brought in some fresh detritus from the sea: tiny shells, broken sand dollars, great clumps of kelp. Other people were on the beach, too, spread out far and few between. As I walked, I watched two dads skip and splash in the surf, their bellies bouncing in the sun, spinning back to their kids with huge grins that seemed to erase years of stress from their faces. I couldnt help but smile, too, as I ambled aimlessly across the warm morning sand. Wildflowers bloom at the edge of wetland at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area near Pacific City on the Oregon coast.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian Lake Billy Chinook on a bright summer day at The Cove Palisades State Park in central Oregon's high desert.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian DESERT: THE COVE PALISADES Friday arrived and it was time to head east, over the Cascades into Oregons high desert. No clouds shielded me from the white, glaring sun as I arrived at the dry and dusty trail, small clouds of dirt trailing my heels. The heat of the day hadnt set in, but I could feel it coming closer, the sun burning brighter, the ground warming beneath my feet. The Cove Palisades is one of the busier state parks in central Oregon during the summer, a popular destination for motor boats that fill up each arm of Lake Billy Chinook, a reservoir created at the confluence of three major rivers: Crooked, Deschutes and Metolius. Most people dont think of The Cove Palisades as a day hiking destination. Theres only one major trail in the park, the Tam-a-Lau Trail, while the primary geological feature there, The Island, is off-limits. But those who take the time to trek up the Tam-a-Lau are treated to one of the very best views in Oregon. Stepping around boulders and over small, jagged rocks, I made the quick one-mile climb up switchbacks to the top of The Peninsula, where views look north into the park over the wide Deschutes River arm of the lake. The water that day was a bright shade of turquoise (the result of a regular blue-green algae bloom), sparkling in the morning light. After reaching the top of the bluff, the Tam-a-Lau Trail loops around The Peninsula, offering views of the Crooked River arm and the central Cascade Mountains to the west. Leaving the sound of boaters behind, I immersed myself in the silence of the desert. The narrow trail wound between scrubby sagebrush plants and juniper trees bursting with berries. The silent landscape left my mind to wander, thoughts folding in on themselves before disappearing, leaving me in quiet reverence with the environment. A screeching hawk broke the silence. I stopped and stared up just as it circled above, its red tail feathers glowing in the sun. Was it searching for a meal? Calling a mate? Warning away competitors? In that empty expanse, it felt like the hawk and I were all that existed, but as I continued on down the path I knew better there was quiet, unseen life all around. Giant boulders and juniper trees fill the quiet landscape alongside the Tam-a-Lau Trail at The Cove Palisades State Park in central Oregon's high desert.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian A lush forest hangs in stillness, dried out from the summer head in Oxbow Regional Park near Troutdale. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian FOREST: OXBOW PARK By Sunday morning I was road-weary but still looking forward to finishing out my four-part journey. Theres no shortage of trees around the Portland area, including several stands of old growth in the Coast Range and Mount Hood National Forest. But for my final day trip I decided to stay close to home with a trip to one of my favorite local haunts: Oxbow Regional Park. Oxbow is popular on warm summer weekends, with families and fishers lining the banks of a sleepy stretch of the Sandy River near Troutdale. The water beckoned, but trees were my main attraction. While most visitors are drawn to the riverside trail that leads down to the beaches, a quieter trail runs along the other side of the park through a lush forest full of towering cedars and firs. Dried out by the summer heat, the whole forest seemed to be frozen in time. Dry moss hung still from the trees. Footprints stuck in hardened mud. Summer feels like an in-between season for a forest: spring growth is finished while the slow decay of fall has yet to come. Everything seems to be in a state of completion, the whole ecosystem sighing with contentment. As I wandered through the forest, thoughts of returning to work and to the world came flooding in. I didnt shuttle the thoughts away, inviting them instead into this new state of mind. I opened my lungs and sighed with the trees. I let their contentment become my own, mixing it with the energy of the other ecosystems I still carried with me: the quiet of the desert, the joy of the ocean, the power of the mountains. We in the Pacific Northwest are very lucky indeed. We not only have a wealth of natural beauty, but a treasure trove of valuable tools we can turn to when the world overwhelms us. Nature isnt just here for our eyes, but for our hearts and souls as well. And we dont have to go far to find it this natural medicine flourishes all around us. A sunny summer day over the Sandy River, as it winds through Oxbow Regional Park near Troutdale. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian --Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Hills burn in California My turn to ignore ya Don't say I didn't warn ya Billie Eilish, All the Good Girls Go to Hell Last years emails arrived last week. They were from our son in Santa Rosa, California, a medium-sized city about an hour north of San Francisco. He told us how the wildfires raging in his region had forced the evacuation of the nearby town of Windsor and the large grocery store he manages there. He described how he and a skeleton crew had to preserve what they could of the stores frozen food by transferring it to rented refrigerator trucks, and explained that the shutdown will cost them at least $300,000 in lost revenue. He complained that it was painful breathing the areas smoke-filled air, and that his fear of emergency evacuation orders kept him awake at night. Oh, wait! Those werent last years emails. They were this years! I conflated them because his 2019 reports of the fires were essentially the same as 2020s. (With the exception that now theres the pandemic and ongoing extreme heat waves to make everyone more miserable.) Year after year, following a pattern that former Governor Jerry Brown called Californias new normal, massive wildfires grip the state in the summer and fall. They burn hundreds of thousands of acres of wildlands, kill people, destroy thousands of homes and even whole towns, disrupt lives and bring much of Californias economy to an abrupt halt. The main difference between the 2020 fire outbreaks and of those of recent years is that todays are far more widespread, and are likely to result in far more destruction. In 2019, 7,860 California wildfires many small and readily contained burned a total of 289,283 acres. By this time last year, 56,000 of those acres were lost. So far in 2020, 7,000 fires 625 of them active as I write this have burned more than 1.4 million acres. That puts the current conflagrations on a pace to easily surpass the 1.67 million acres burned in the all-time wildfire record year 0f 2018. Another dissimilarity between the past and present fire seasons is the proximal cause of the fires. Whereas most of the recent years fires were started by human activity sparks thrown from a recreational vehicles burning wheel, arcs from failing transmission lines and so on most of this years fires have natural causes namely hundreds of dry lightning strikes. I put natural causes in quotes because dry lightning has been rather rare in California until the recent onset of global heating. Excited Northern California residents were out with their cameras recording the dry lightning storms a couple of weeks ago. A few days later, small lightning-sparked fires melded into huge lightning complex fires across the region. But whether the proximal cause of the fires is human or natural, the underlying cause is the same: Climate change has made California hotter and dryer. Much hotter, in fact. The unusual dry-lightning storms were preceded by massive heat waves with temperatures frequently soaring above 100F. Now the fire season, which once ranged from late August to mid-October, is pretty much year-round. Which means that even if the extreme heat waves with their dry lightning abate, the state will likely remain wildfire-prone at least until Thanksgiving. Theres plenty of time for humans to reclaim the dubious honor of being the principal fire starters. My wife and I used to travel from our home in Oregon to visit California in the fall when the sun was bright, the air warm, clean and temperate and the colors spectacular No more. After a harrowing October 2017 experience when a massive wildfire closed in on our motel in downtown Santa Rosa, were heeding the warning at our ecological house. Philip S. Wenz writes about environmental issues and related topics. Contact him through his blog at Firebird Journal (firebirdjournal.com). Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Things are going to be even creepier than normal over at ID for the next few days. Thats because its Serial Killer Week at the true-crime focused channel. The hair-raising five-night event kicks off on August 30 and includes all-new specials on some infamous killers as well as lesser-known (but no less terrifying) monsters. Inside the crimes of the BTK Killer and Alaskas Butcher Baker Dennis Rader aka the BTK Killer | Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office via Getty Images RELATED: Did Michelle McNamaras Book Ill Be Gone in the Dark Help Catch The Golden State Killer? Serial Killer Week will include a new documentaries about both Robert Hansen, a murderer from Alaska dubbed the Butcher Baker, and the notorious BTK Killer. The 3-hour special BTK: Chasing a Serial Killer dives into the mystery of Dennis Rader, an outwardly normal Kansas man who killed 10 people between 1974 and 1991. Interviews with his daughter, Kerri Rawson, shed light on this killer who hid in plain sight. Additional interviews with those close to the case reveal more details about Raders shocking crimes. It airs Friday, Sept. 4 at 9/8c. On Wednesday, Sept. 2, ID premieres The Butcher Baker: Mind of a Monster. This 2-hour special looks at Hansen, a family man who ran a bakery in Anchorage, Alaska. But Hansen was hiding a dark secret. From the early 1970s through the early 1980s, he murdered more than a dozen women, flying them into the wilderness and then hunting them down for sport. Though tapes of Hansens confession have been lost for 35 years, now, along with testimony of his friends, victims, and the officers who investigated the crime, this special reveals the truth about the Butcher Baker. Other specials focus on Samuel Little and Phillip Jablonski RELATED: Hollywood Serial-Killer Movies That Are Actually Based on True Crimes IDs three other Serial Killer Week specials will focus on the crimes of Shawn Grate, Samuel Little, and Phillip Jablonski. A 90-minute episode of Evil Lives Here features an exclusive interview with Grates girlfriend Christina Hildreth. Grate is an Ohio man arrested in 2016 who eventually confessed to multiple murders. Also on the schedule is a 4-hour, two-part special about Samuel Little, one of the most prolific serial killers in history. Little was convicted of four murders in 2012 but is believed to have killed as many as 93 women over a span of 40 years. In 1991, someone murdered three women in California in the span of several days. Authorities soon connected the crimes to Phillip Jablonski, whod recently been released from prison for killing another woman. The Serial Killer Among Us: Phillip Jablonski looks at Jablonskis crimes and the search for a suspected serial killer. The complete Serial Killer Week schedule Heres when you can watch all of the new Serial Killer Week specials on ID. Sunday, Aug. 30: Evil Lives Here at 9/8c. Monday, Aug. 31: The 93 Victims of Samuel Little Part I at 9/8c. Tuesday, Sept. 1: The 93 Victims of Samuel Little Part I at 9/8c. Wednesday, Sept. 2: The Butcher Baker: Mind of a Monster at 9/8c Thursday, Sept. 3: The Serial Killer Among Us: Phillip Jablonski at 9/8ct Friday, Sept. 4: BTK: Chasing a Serial Killer at 9/8c By Associated Press WASHINGTON: Facebook made a mistake in not removing a militia group's page earlier this week that called for armed civilians to enter Kenosha, Wisconsin, amid violent protests after police shot Jacob Blake, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says. The page for the Kenosha Guard violated Facebook's policies and had been flagged by a bunch of people, Zuckerberg said in a video posted Friday on Facebook. The social media giant has in recent weeks adopted new guidelines removing or restricting posts from groups that pose a threat to public safety. Facebook took down the page Wednesday, after an armed civilian allegedly killed two people and wounded a third Tuesday night amid protests in Kenosha that followed the shooting of Blake, who is Black. It was largely an operational mistake, Zuckerberg said. The contractors, the reviewers, who the initial complaints were funneled to, didnt, basically didnt pick this up. Zuckerberg did not apologize for the error and said that so far, Facebook hasn't found any evidence that Rittenhouse was aware of the Kenosha Guard page or the invitation it posted for armed militia members to go to Kenosha. ALSO READ: US President Donald Trump to visit Kenosha in wake of racial unrest Facebook is now taking down posts that praise the shooting or shooter, Zuckerberg said. Yet a report Thursday by The Guardian newspaper found examples of support and even fundraising messages still being shared on Facebook and its photo-sharing service, Instagram. Zuckerberg also contrasted the treatment of Blake, who was shot in the back by Kenosha police, and the white 17-year-old now charged in Tuesday's slayings, Kyle Rittenhouse, who carried an AR-15-style rifle near police without being challenged. Zuckerberg also acknowledged the civil rights demonstration Friday in Washington, D.C. Theres just a sense that things really arent improving at the pace that they should be, and I think thats really painful, really discouraging," Zuckerberg said. Zuckerberg also said the company is working on improving its execution, though he did not provide details. He acknowledged that the approaching presidential election would present greater challenges around polarizing content. There is a real risk and a continued increased risk through the election during this very sensitive and polarized and highly charged time," he said. They bucked horses in Missoula on the day World War II ended. The rodeo at the Missoula County Fairgrounds was preceded by a parade through downtown. Neither had to do with the war, though there must have been an extra shot of exuberance that day. It was Sunday, Sept. 2, 1945. Technically speaking, Japanese officials had signed surrender papers aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay the evening before, United States time, just after 6 p.m. in Montana. But it was Sunday morning in Japan and President Harry Truman declared over the radio waves that Sept. 2 was V-J Day. The faraway ceremony in the Pacific coincided with Labor Day weekend in the U.S. In Missoula, in stark contrast to 75 years later, everyone headed into town. Motels were full and some restaurants had to lock their doors at intervals before accommodating the next wave of hungry diners. Missoulas second annual American Legion rodeo and parade reportedly drew more than 10,000 people who lined Higgins Avenue for the giant parade or were just passing through. Another contribution to the crowd was the parade of west coast defense workers who have been going eastward for many days, and they kept a heavy line of travel on the eastbound highways, the Missoulian reported. It was a hot time in the old town 95 degrees on Saturday, 88 on Sunday and fire season jumped back to life in western Montana. Trains on the Northern Pacific cut-off between Paradise and St. Regis caused several burns on Sunday, and at least one of them is a bad blaze, the Missoulian report said. Missoula-based smokejumpers were dispatched to fires in the Flathead forest north of Missoula, the Clearwater forest in Idaho and the Wallowa forest in Oregon. KGVO Radio was bringing Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore to the Missoula airwaves with their Friday night Rexall Radio Show, sponsored by Coffee's Missoula Drug (Phone 3171). Les Brown and his orchestra with Doris Day had dominated the pop charts since spring, first with My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time, then Sentimental Journey. Lately Johnny Mercer and gang were gaining traction with On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe. For those who didn't drive out to the evening rodeo at the fairgrounds, Montana's own Gary Cooper was appearing on the silver screen at the Rialto in "Northwest Mounted Police," a "thrill-soaked saga of history-making men!" The Roxy featured Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in "Without Love," and the Wilma showed "Junior Miss" starring Peggy Ann Garner. The formal Japanese surrender had been anticipated for weeks, and the Saturday night news found a grateful but somber reception at Sunday church services in the Bitterroot. "Service men home from the wars added their thanks to the gratitude of their families, that war was formally ended at long last. There are still many of the valley's soldiers, sailors, marines, WACS and WAVES, to say nothing of nurses, in the far-off fields of service. When the dust settled at the fairgrounds after Monday afternoons rodeo performance, 24-year-old Tex Smith of Dillon was the all-around champion with wins in bulldogging and calf roping. Smith rodeoed for the next 48 years and in 2013 was inducted posthumously into the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. The biggest headlines in Missoula, of course, were reserved for what happened 4,000 miles away. "Japan surrendered formally and unconditionally to the Allies today, restoring peace to a war-ravaged world, began a Sunday Associated Press story datelined the U.S.S. Missouri, Tokyo Bay. The solemn ceremony, marking the first defeat in Japan's 2,600-year-old semi-legendary history, took place aboard this mighty battleship with 12 signatures which required only a few minutes to affix the articles of surrender." The brief 20-minute ceremony was overseen by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. A Japanese colonel who watched as Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu of the Japanese imperial general staff hastily scrawled his name was seen to wipe tears from his eyes. "All the Japanese looked tense and weary," the AP reported. Richard Kilroy OMalley was there. You might recognize the name. He became the author in 1971 of Mile High Mile Deep, a celebrated memoir of his growing-up days in Butte. OMalley attended the University of Montana and began his journalism career at the Missoulian in the mid-1930s. Now he was a war correspondent, one of 13 AP reporters and photographers on deck of the U.S.S. Missouri for the most heavily covered event of the war. The Sept. 3 Missoulian was among many newspapers that ran his description, including these closing lines: Strung out on the high decks, giving the ceremony just the right American touch, were sailors in white who looked down on the landlubbers with that expression which is a combination of nonchalance and superiority typical of enlisted men toward events. "The Missouri's band outdid itself providing music, playing 'Anchors Aweigh' and various marches. It even played this correspondent's favorite song, 'Jones Junior High,' which in its proper mantle of dignity is 'the Stars and Stripes Forever.' You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A couple of scary incidents at the pedestrian/cyclist tunnel under St. Francis Drive have provided new fodder for discussion of whether city government should go ahead with a second major underpass. The St. Francis tunnel cost about $6 million, almost all of it from a federal program intended to reduce traffic and air pollution by encouraging bicycle commutes. The tunnel connects the Acequia Trail with the Railyard, eliminating the need for bikers or pedestrians to wait for a walk signal to cross St. Francis at the heavy-traffic intersection with Cerrillos Road. Planning is underway for a similar underpass on St. Michaels Drive where the Rail Trail and the Rail Runner train tracks cross the busy six-lane thoroughfare, a spot where cars not hindered by a traffic signal travel at high speed. We argued during the St. Francis tunnel project that the millions spent to create a single safe crossing for cyclists could be better used on expanding Santa Fes overall trail system. But apparently the feds are partial to big, high-impact projects such as tunnels when it comes to doling out money for car-commute alternatives. There also were many who warned the tunnel could be a dangerous, isolated spot for walkers, and encourage incidents such as the two reported recently, where a woman was attacked and a man made an obscene sexual approach toward a teenaged boy. The police officer who responded to the female victim, who was pushed to the ground by a man who got off a bicycle and pursued her, told her that problems at the tunnel are common and she shouldnt be walking there, according to a report in The New Mexican. This victim figured out the assault wasnt her fault and even collaborated with an acquaintance to spray paint warning signs on the pavement. She also might have asked the officer why she shouldnt walk through a handsome, well-landscaped tunnel that the city spent $6 million on to attract her and others to use. Now, the city is considering installing surveillance cameras in the St. Francis tunnel and the prospective underpass beneath St. Mikes. Theres also talk of more police bicycle patrols at the existing tunnel, but officers cant stake it out all the time. The city should reconsider how to proceed on St. Mikes. While it would be a boon for cyclists now facing a hazardous crossing, a tunnel at the railroad tracks there would be substantially more isolated than the existing one on St. Francis. Back when creating a walker/biker crossing for St. Francis was under discussion, the option of a bridge was considered. Many submitted attractive and quirky plans for a trail overpass that, if properly realized, could have created something of a landmark entryway into the heart of Santa Fe. With City Hall now in the midst of developing the city-owned Midtown Campus off St. Mikes and trying to encourage more attractive development along the road, blending in a well-designed pedestrian/bicycle overpass deserves a look. Along with providing a safe crossing, a bridge with a knock-out look could brand the neighborhood in a positive way. Are there studies that compare safety on a bridge versus in a tunnel? City Councilor Signe Lindell says tunnels are dangerous, regardless of the federal dollars that make them essentially free to the city, and create places for predators. At least with a bridge, those who use it would remain in public view, including from the thousands of vehicles on St. Mikes every day. The surge in coronavirus infections in India can be attributed to increased testing on one hand and opening of the economy on the other accompanied by complacency among people towards following COVID-appropriate behaviour, experts have said, as the country witnessed over five lakh cases in a week. IMAGE: A crowded vegetables market showing no respect for social distancing guidelines in Patiala. Photograph: PTI Photo A record single-day spike of 78,761 cases took India's COVID-19 tally to 35,42,733, on Sunday, according to Union health ministry data updated at 8 am. The country has been registering over 70,000 cases for the last four days. Dr Samiran Panda, the head of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research, said this increase in cases was expected but pointed out that it is not a homogenous phenomenon across the states. "It is happening in some pockets and among groups where there is an intermixing of the susceptible population and asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases which is leading to a transmission of the disease. So, efforts have to be made to interrupt this transmission in these pockets," Dr Panda said. Also, testing has been ramped up exponentially which is leading to more number of cases getting detected, he said. "Further, with the opening up of the economy and people's movement increasing, some complacency is being seen among people towards following COVID-appropriate behaviour which is also contributing to the rise in cases," Panda said as he stressed on the need for a sustained COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. Leading virologist Shahid Jameel said that people are not following advisories on wearing masks, hand hygiene and social distancing. "This is driven by a complacency that results from the official narrative which only talks of the increasing number of recoveries and low death rate. The fact is that we are getting the largest daily numbers (of cases). We are now third in total infections and going to be on the third spot in total deaths as well," he said. Experts underlined that the way forward is for the people to follow COVID-appropriate which include wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette in a sustained manner, while the government should focus on preventing deaths. Dr K K Aggarwal, the president of the Confederation of Medical Association of Asia and Oceania and former IMA chief said, "There is no way the number of cases can be checked by government efforts at this stage." He stressed that prevention will have to be at an individual level now. "If this current trend continues, nobody can stop India from crossing Brazil and America (in the number of cases). That would happen in probably six weeks. There is no way we can check the number of cases by government efforts. Now, prevention will have to be an individual effort. "Opening up (of the economy) will lead to a surge in cases. The locking period was to prepare and sensitise people about how to prevent themselves from getting infected. What is more important now is to put a check on mortality. So government efforts should focus on mortality reduction," Aggarwal said. India has till Sunday recorded 63,498 fatalities linked to COVID-19 with 948 people succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry data. According to sources in the government, increasing testing is one of the major factors behind the rising number of infections being reported. A record 10.5 lakh tests were conducted for detection of COVID-19 on Saturday, which took India's cumulative tests to 4,14,61,636. India's COVID-19 positivity rate as on date is 7.50 per cent, while the cumulative positivity rate is 8.57 per cent. The country's weekly positivity rate is 8 per cent, official sources said. The number of recoveries has surged to 27,13,933 pushing the recovery rate to 76.61 per cent while the fatality rate has declined to 1.79 per cent. The health ministry had on Saturday said, "The global comparison depicted that India has one of the lowest cases per million (2,424) and deaths per million (44) compared to the global average of 3,161 and 107.2 respectively." At least eight people were killed and more than 9,000 have been moved to relief camps as hundreds of villages across 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh were affected by floods following incessant rains since Thursday. The state government had to seek the Indian Armys help in the rescue operation. Rains came to a halt on Sunday morning bringing respite to people and rescue teams in affected areas. However, as per the forecast, western MP which covers the Malwa region of the state may witness heavy rain on Sunday, the state government said. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning and had earlier spoken with defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday evening to convey them the flood situation in the state. Chouhan sought their help in rescue operations being carried on by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Home Guards, police and personnel of other departments. Flood-hit districts of the state include Hoshangabad, Raisen, Sehore, Bhopal, Vidisha, Chhindwara, Balaghat, Seoni, Katni, Sagar, Shivpuri and Ujjain, as per official information. Huge damage has been caused due to floods. (HT photo) Several villages in these districts were marooned due to flood water. A large number of people were airlifted with the help of Air Force helicopters, including 62 people from Somalwada village alone in Sehore district. Army personnel too have joined the rescue operations. In Sehore district, people were accommodated in boats which converted into relief camps in several villages, the officials said. Talking to journalists on the rescue and relief operations on Sunday morning, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, the rescue operations have been continuing since Friday evening. There are 454 villages in 12 districts affected by the flood. As many as 9,300 people have been moved to 170 relief camps. About 1,200 people trapped in flood in 40 villages are yet to be rescued. Air Force personnel lifted several people from Hoshangabad, Chhindwara, Balaghat, Sehore and Raisen districts. The CM said, I monitored the flood situation in the control room set up at my residence whole night along with all concerned authorities. The NDRF, SDRF, Home Guards and Polices joint teams are carrying out excellent rescue operations. Two companies of the Army are reaching Sehore and Raisen districts. There is a sense of relief that there is no casualty among those who were trapped in flood. The eight who were killed were because of the collapse of mud walls or people crossing culverts submerged by floodwater while ignoring the warning. Several villages across twelve districts in Madhya Pradesh were marooned due to flood water. (HT photo) He said, Gates of several dams, including Gandhisagar, Indira Sagar, Bargi, Tawa etc., were opened as the dams were overflowing. This also added to the increasing water level in various rivers but this was inevitable given the dams overflowing. Last year, a delay in the opening of gates of Gandhisangar dam had caused havoc in western Madhya Pradesh. Narmada, Pench and several other rivers were flowing much above danger mark causing floods in towns and villages. In Hoshangabad, Narmada river was flowing at 982 feet, 16 feet above the danger mark causing flood in a part of the city. Chouhan said, Huge damage has been caused to standing crops too. A survey to assess the damage will be conducted after the situation becomes normal. The affected farmers will be provided relief under the crop insurance scheme and RBC (Revenue book circular) provisions. I will conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas today. The health department has been instructed to be prepared to help people post-flood situation as after flood there is apprehension of diseases affecting people, the chief minister added. Four children, including a girl, belonging to three families were killed when a mud wall of a kutcha house collapsed on them at Banihara village of Dheemarkheda tehsil of Katni district on Saturday. The children were playing near the house when the incident took place, said sub-divisional magistrate Sapna Tripathi. In Sehore district, a kutcha wall collapsed on Saturday night and four members were trapped under debris. Three of them were rescued while the remaining one couldnt be saved, administrative officials said. (With input from Mahendra Thakur in Sehore) The University of Alabama has had more than 1,200 students and 166 employees and staffers test positive for coronavirus as of Saturday, while professors have revealed they were instructed not to tell students about outbreaks among their classmates. Since launching a coronavirus tracking dashboard - which is similar in style to those used by state health departments - on August 24, UA students' positive virus test results have more than doubled. In just three days, between August 25 and August 27, UA has reported 481 new coronavirus cases among students and school staff and employees. The University of Alabama has had more than 1,200 positive coronavirus cases among students and faculty and employees. A student is seen moving onto campus on August 15 As part of measures to slow down the spread of coronavirus on campus and in the city, Tuscaloosa's mayor shut down bars for two weeks beginning August 24. Patrons without masks are seen gathering at a bar near campus on August 15 Between August 25 to 27, 481 new coronavirus cases on UA's campus were reported, according to the school system's new coronavirus tracking database But emails reviewed by the Daily Beast showed that at least some of the school's professors received instructions telling them that they were not allowed to tell students in their classes if one of their fellow co-eds tested positive for coronavirus. According to those emails, the professors were told that revealing students had coronavirus could be a HIPAA violation, even if discussing it in general terms, and that students who tested positive weren't being considered an exposure risk if masks were worn and social distancing was followed. The coronavirus tracking dashboard includes positive testing results from the three schools under the University of Alabama System: UA, located in Tuscaloosa; the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The Daily Beast reported that the dashboard was the result of students and faculty lobbying for more transparency about specific numbers of positive coronavirus infections on campus, but the school told the news outlet that the dashboard had always been in the works. According to a Friday press release issued by the UA System, 'At this point, no COVID-positive students at UA, UAB or UAH are hospitalized and there is a high overall vacancy rate (70+%) in UA System isolation spaces.' People are seen with and without masks on The Strip, the University of Alabama's bar scene on August 15. More than 20,000 students have returned to the school's campus People line up outside to wait for limited access indoors to order food on August 15 Students are seen in the shade on campus on August 15. Students began moving back onto campus in early August, with classes starting August 19 Despite this, UA president Stuart Bell has said during a press conference this week, according to ABC News, that 'The rise we've seen in recent days is unacceptable, and if unchecked, threatens our ability to complete the rest of the semester on campus.' He added 'Now is the time for action.' Students were allowed to begin moving onto the UA campus in early August, after signing up for time and day slots to encourage social distancing, with classes starting up again on August 19. Students were required to take coronavirus tests prior to the semester starting. Of the 29,938 students tested, only 310 people came back with positive results. Those with positive test results were not allowed onto campus. However, it appears that since returning to campus, coronavirus has started spreading among students, as students began living in dorms or attending pre-semester events held by Greek houses. 'We encountered many students who have been exposed since returning to campus, particularly in the Greek system,' Dean of the College of Community Health Sciences at UA, Dr. Ricky Friend, said on August 24, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. He noted that 'The trend continued throughout the week and now has reached levels that require a significant intervention.' Social media photos taken by students at the Tuscaloosa campus have shown crowds and lines at bars in the city, prompting its mayor, Walt Maddox, to shut down the bars for 14 days to help slow the spread of the virus. Gov. Maddox's executive order began on August 24 and is scheduled to end September 8. 'Based on my discussions with the University over the past 48 hours, the ever-increasing number of coronavirus cases on campus will create two major disruptions for Tuscaloosa if left unabated,' Maddox said during a press conference on August 24. On Friday, UA System Chancellor Finis St. John thanked Tuscaloosa officials for shutting down the bars. 'We remain concerned that off-campus transmission is our greatest risk, which is why we asked Mayor Maddox to consider that action. We thank him for making that difficult decision to protect our campus community and Tuscaloosa,' St. John said in the UA System's Friday press release. The UA System noted that 'Because it takes several days after exposure for an individual to test positive, benefits of the barclosing measure and other compliance strategies will not be reflected in testing data for several more days.' UA's Dr. Ricky Friend said in the release that 'Our exposure notification efforts have revealed no evidence of virus transmission due to in-person class instruction.' He said that the school is confident that its coronavirus precautions - which include wearing masks, social distancing and using in-person and remote instruction - 'are appropriate and effective.' Students told the Daily Beast that there is little policing of self-isolation or the quarantine dorms that infected students are moved into once they test positive. The students claimed that they had seen quarantine dorm residents leaving to get food or going out for the weekend or gathering outside the dorm. 'Theres nobody supervising these buildings, its a complete free-for-all,' a housing staff member said. The students are 'running wild.' The university told the Daily Beast that quarantined students are regularly monitored and that campus police patrols the areas during the evening and night, while resident advisers conduct 'regular rounds.' Students claimed that when they called to report violations of the quarantine, they were told that self-isolation is an 'honor system,' with students having to ensure they are following quarantine measures themselves. UB is among the lists of colleges which encouraged students to move back to campus for the start of the new school year, but have been reporting a spike in positive coronavirus infections among students and staff. Other schools included the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Central Florida. Alabama's health department has said the state has had at least 113,700 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 2,000 deaths since the pandemic began. Ever got into a car and found a little way into the journey that the driver isnt sure of the destination? Scott Morrison predictably won plaudits for his latest assault on China via new legislation that will empower him to cancel or veto agreements between state entities and foreign government organisations. China might be our biggest trading partner, but it is thoroughly on the nose in much of Canberra. The media, most MPs, the bureaucracy, think tanks theyre all down on China. They see it thumbing its nose at the world and crushing Hong Kongs last vestiges of democracy, at its aggression in the South China Sea, at its practice of holding foreign citizens hostage during disputes with other countries, at its attempts to wield influence here through the Chinese diaspora. They deplore the reported cyber attacks by a foreign actor, aka China. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit: Even the Labor Party, now fully inhabiting a realm of magical thinking where agreeing with its opponents as much as possible will miraculously lead it back to power, immediately locked in behind the governments proposal. So thats that: soon enough, the federal government and its minions will be able to trawl through every agreement and memorandum of understanding that the states, territories, universities and local councils have in place with foreign government entities and places of learning. First to be obliterated will be the Victorian governments connection with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which is regarded as an act of treason by many in the Liberal Party, especially its rank and file members. At last, Australia will, supposedly, speak with one voice internationally. The legislation covers arrangements with all foreign powers but its obviously about China, with whom we have the greatest exposure. Dhaka, Aug 30 : A court in India's Assam state has ordered release of 25 Bangladeshi nationals who have been languishing in jail since May for breaching terms and conditions of their visas, an activist said. S.M. Abraham Lingkon, convener of the Bangladesh-India Border Victim Rescue Committee, said the development came following a request from Bangladesh. A Dhubri court on Saturday dropped the charges against the 25 Bangladeshi nationals and ordered them to be released, Lingkon said quoting Bangladesh's Assistant High Commissioner in Guwahati, Tanvir Mansur. Hailing from Kurigram's Chilmari upazila, they went to India on tourist visas but had been working as fishermen and farm workers. On May 3, Indian police had arrested 26 Bangladeshi nationals from Dhubri when they were on their way home. They intended to enter Bangladesh through the Changrabandha check post. Police filed a case against them alleging that they flouted visa conditions, by working though their visas do not allow them to do so. Since then, they have been in jail, and one of them also died there on July 1. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh authorities took the initiative to bring them home and requested India to release them. Responding to the request, the Indian authorities decided to withdraw the case against the 25 Bangladeshis. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. In response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and strict safety guidelines required by the state, many school districts in New Jersey have drafted plans to reopen in September with all-remote learning instead of in-person classroom instruction. As of this week, 180 school districts across the state have indicated they want to begin the 2020-2021 school year with all-remote learning, while 59 districts plan to fully reopen and the remaining districts want to start the new school year with a hybrid mix of in-person and remote learning, according to state officials. All school reopening plans need to be reviewed and approved by the state Department of Education before they can be implemented. After weeks of waiting for guidance from the state, school districts learned on Saturday that they may now officially ask the education department to approve their all-remote reopening plans. Districts have to submit their requests within seven days of the first day of school, or as soon as practicable, according to the state guidelines. The late announcement of those guidelines has some school superintendents expressing frustration, because they have been unable to get approval for their all-remote plans as the first days of school are quickly approaching. Keep up with the latest in N.J. schools coverage. Sign up with your email here: For many school districts, the push to reopen with all-virtual instruction was prompted by lingering concerns over the coronavirus and questions over whether schools can guarantee a safe environment for students and teachers. NJ Advance Media has been able to confirm the following 179 districts are seeking state approval to start with all-remote classes for the 2020-2021 school year. NJ Advance Media will add to the list as more districts announce their plans. (For the very latest reopening plans, and additional details about specific schools, please contact your school district.) ATLANTIC COUNTY Atlantic City (remote at start of school year) Brigantine (remote start, with re-entry on or before Nov. 11, the end of the first marking period) Egg Harbor Township (virtual starting Sept. 8; plan to start hybrid schedule Oct. 26) Hamilton Township (remote at start of school year) Pleasantville (remote at start of school year) Somers Point (Jordan Road School to go all-remote at start of the year; New York Avenue and Dawes Avenue schools reopening on hybrid schedule to start) BERGEN COUNTY Bergen County Technical Schools and Special Services (remote through Oct. 19) Bergenfield (remote start, until Oct. 16) Edgewater (remote for the month of September; district expects to re-evaluate in the middle of September) Elmwood Park (through Oct. 19) Fair Lawn (remote through Oct. 19) Fort Lee (remote through Oct. 16) Garfield (plan submitted to state Department of Education to start all-remote and transition to hybrid) Hasbrouck Heights (remote until Oct. 5) Hackensack (remote start, schools plan to reopen Nov. 2) Lodi (remote start, through at least Oct. 19) Lyndhurst (remote learning until Oct. 16; in-person instruction scheduled to begin Oct. 19) North Arlington (remote through Oct. 16) Palisades Park (remote through at least Oct. 13) Ridgefield (remote through first marking period) Rochelle Park (remote through Oct. 5) Teaneck (remote through first marking period) Tenafly (remote instruction for all students, district-wide) Wallington (remote through Oct. 13) Wyckoff (remote through Sept. 24) BURLINGTON COUNTY Bordentown (remote Sept. 3 through at least Oct. 9) Burlington City (remote through at least Oct. 13) Burlington Township (remote through first marking period) Chesterfield (schools plan to reopen Oct. 19 with remote learning) Eastampton (remote through first marking period) Florence (remote through Sept 18, hybrid plan to start Sept. 21) Lumberton (remote learning Sept. 8 to Sept. 18, hybrid learning starting Sept. 21) Northern Burlington County Regional (students to begin 2 weeks of all-remote instruction on Sept 14, then report for in-person instruction Sept. 28 with a hybrid model) Palmyra (remote) Pemberton Township (remote through at least Oct. 13) Rancocas Valley (remote Sept. 8 through Sept. 25) Westampton (remote) Willingboro (remote through Nov. 18) CAMDEN COUNTY Audubon (remote through Nov. 4) Barrington (remote through at least Nov. 9) Brooklawn (remote to start the school year) Camden (remote through Jan. 31) Clementon Collingswood/Oaklyn (remote through mid-October) Eastern Regional (remote start, return to school Oct. 5) Gloucester City (through Oct. 16) Haddon Heights (through Oct. 30) Lindenwold Winslow Township (through Jan. 1) CAPE MAY COUNTY No public school districts confirmed for planning all-virtual instruction. CUMBERLAND COUNTY Bridgeton (remote through Oct. 13) Commercial Township (remote through Oct. 13) Cumberland County Technical Education Center (remote start, plans to move to hybrid model Oct. 13) Cumberland Regional (remote start) Deerfield Township (remote through Oct. 13) Downe Township (remote through Oct. 13) Fairfield (remote through Nov. 2) Greenwich/Stow Creek (through Oct. 13) Hopewell Township (through Oct. 12) Lawrence Township (through Oct. 12) Maurice River School District (through Oct. 12) Millville (through Oct. 13) Upper Deerfield (fully remote through at least Oct. 12) Vineland (remote through Oct. 13) ESSEX COUNTY Bloomfield (remote through September) Caldwell-West Caldwell (remote to Oct. 7 except for a group of self-contained special education classes) Cedar Grove (remote to start; district to reevaluate by end of September and look to go hybrid by Oct. 19) East Orange (remote through September) Glen Ridge (high school remote-only through Oct. 5) Irvington (remote start) Livingston (school year to start all remote) Millburn-Short Hills (remote through first quarter of school year) Montclair (remote start) Newark (remote through first marking period) Nutley (remote through first marking period) Orange (remote learning through Nov. 25; hybrid begins Nov. 29) South Orange-Maplewood (remote through first marking period) Verona (most students will start with remote learning except for pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, ESL and certain other students) West Essex Regional School District (remote to Oct. 2) West Orange (remote start) GLOUCESTER COUNTY Delsea Regional (remote start) Deptford (remote through Sept. 30) Gateway Regional (remote through at least Oct. 13) Glassboro Public Schools (starting fully remote, through Nov. 12) Logan Twp. (remote for first marking period) Monroe Township (remote through at least Nov. 16) National Park Schools (remote through at least Oct. 13) Pitman (remote through Oct. 5) Washington Township (through Sept. 21) West Deptford (all-virtual from Sept. 8 to Nov. 9) Woodbury City (remote start, hybrid starting Nov. 9) HUDSON COUNTY Bayonne (remote start) Guttenberg (remote start) Harrison (remote through Nov. 13) Hoboken (all virtual Sept. 14 to Sept. 19, optional in-person after that) Hudson County Schools of Technology (remote through Sept. 28) Jersey City (remote start) Kearny (remote start) North Bergen (remote through the end of September) Union City (remote for at least the month of September) Weehawken School District (remote to start with students moving to a hybrid schedule between Sept. 28-Oct. 14) West New York (remote start) HUNTERDON COUNTY Flemington-Raritan (remote through Oct. 30) Lebanon Township (remote start) Readington (remote to at least Oct. 19) MERCER COUNTY East Windsor: (remote instruction from Sep. 9 to Nov. 9) Ewing (remote start, return to in-person learning for those who have signed up for it: Grades K-2/SE - Sept. 9; Grades 3-5: Sept. 29; Fisher Middle School: Oct. 12; Ewing High School: Oct. 26) Hamilton (remote through first marking period) Lawrence Township (all students will start remote) Mercer County Special Services (remote start) Mercer County Technical Schools (remote through Nov. 9) Princeton Charter School (remote start) Princeton Township public schools (remote start) Robbinsville (students in grades 6-12 fully remote until Oct. 12. Pk-5 will remain in the hybrid or 100% remote model) Trenton (remote start) MIDDLESEX COUNTY Carteret (remote until Oct. 9; plans to begin hybrid learning on Oct. 13) Cranbury (remote through Oct. 16) Dunellen (remote through the Thanksgiving holiday) Edison (remote at least until Oct. 16) Highland Park (remote until Oct. 5 for some students) Jamesburg (remote until Nov. 1) Metuchen (at least until Oct. 1) Middlesex Borough (remote start) Middlesex Regional Education Services Commission of New Jersey (remote start) Milltown (remote in September; district to reassess for October) Monroe Township (remote learning until Nov. 13 and reassess for hybrid learning to start on Nov. 16) New Brunswick (remote during first two marking periods) North Brunswick (remote during first marking period) Old Bridge (remote until Oct. 12) Perth Amboy (remote until at least Nov. 18, the end of first marking period) Piscataway (remote until at least Nov. 13) Sayreville (remote until at least Nov. 12) South Amboy South Brunswick (remote start) South Plainfield (remote start) South River (plans for in-person instruction on Oct. 1) Spotswood (remote until at least Sept. 18) Woodbridge (remote until at least Oct. 12) MONMOUTH COUNTY Asbury Park (remote for first 30 instructional days; return to school Oct. 21) Freehold Borough (remote start, will re-evaluate by Nov. 13) Freehold Township (students in self-contained classes attend school in person beginning Sept. 8; first 2 weeks of school remain virtual for all other students, who return to school Sept. 21) Freehold Regional High School District (through Oct. 19) Long Branch (remote start) Manalapan-Englishtown (remote at least the first two weeks of school for some schools) Monmouth County Vocational School District (starting all-remote) Neptune Township (remote start, will re-evaluate by the end of October) Ocean Township (remote until Sept. 11) MORRIS COUNTY Boonton (remote at the start of the school year) Butler (remote for most students; in person instruction for specific students Dover (remote through first marking period) Jefferson (remote through Sep. 30) Montville (middle and high school students to start remote) Mount Olive (district will start in-person on alternating weekly schedule or remote for grades K-3 while grades 4-12 will be synchronous full-day remote) OCEAN COUNTY Lacey Township (remote to start, on Sept. 8, and then a hybrid model from Sept. 21) Toms River (remote through first marking period) PASSAIC COUNTY Bloomingdale (remote start, with a review on Oct. 15 and a target date of Nov. 16 or sooner to reopen schools in a hybrid instructional program) Clifton (remote to start year; district to reevaluate conditions on Oct. 1, with possible reopening for in-person instruction on Oct. 12. Manchester Regional High School District (school year to begin remote) Passaic (remote through September) Paterson (remote through at least Nov. 1) Prospect Park (remote through Nov. 11) Ringwood (starting all-remote) West Milford (remote until Oct. 1) SALEM COUNTY Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District (remote to start; may go hybrid on Oct. 19) SOMERSET COUNTY Bedminster (all virtual starting Sept. 10, phase-in hybrid learning model set to begin Sept. 29 through mid-October, depending on the cohort or small group the child is in. All cohorting students will be phased in no later than Oct. 15.) Bernards Township (remote through Oct. 1) Bridgewater-Raritan (remote through Oct. 12) Franklin Township (remote start) Hillsborough (virtual until Sept. 28, with plans to start hybrid option later) Montgomery (virtual for September, then re-evaluating plans for in-person on Oct. 12) North Plainfield (virtual at least through the first marking period) SUSSEX COUNTY Newton (remote until Oct. 2) Sparta (remote through Oct. 30; in person instruction for students with IEPs in specialized programs) UNION COUNTY Berkeley Heights (Governor Livingston High School will begin remote only after a single day of hybrid instruction; remote only plan will be revisited monthly) Cranford (virtual the first four days, starting Sept. 8, then hybrid starting Sept. 14) Elizabeth (remote start) Hillside (remote start, will reassess three weeks before the end of the first marking period) Linden (remote start, will reassess the end of each month) Plainfield (remote through at least Nov. 1) Rahway (remote start) Roselle (remote through first marking period) Roselle Park (remote start) Scotch Plains-Fanwood (remote start) Springfield (remote through Nov. 2) Union Township (remote start, will reassess on Oct. 15 for targeted return date of Nov. 1) WARREN COUNTY Phillipsburg (all remote through Oct. 5) Warren County Technical School (all remote through first marking period) Do you know of a school district thats planning to start remotely? Tell us about it here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. NJ Advance Media staff writers Jeff Goldman, Len Melisurgo and Casey Roland contributed to this report. Evan Slavit may be reached at eslavit@njadvancemedia.com. Nestor Sebastian may be reached at nsebastian@njadvancemedia.com. Have a news tip or a story idea about New Jersey schools? Send it here. U.S. Election issues have never been poles apart as presidential candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden present contrasting visions of the nation's reality as they go into the final sprint of their respective campaigns. Even in their nomination acceptance, President Trump, who is vying to get re-elected, stood before a big crowd. In contrast, Biden, the former vice president, stood on a stark stage with a few reporters as spectators. The scenario stood for both candidates' stand with the coronavirus pandemic. With Trump's campaign contending that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a threat, the president faced the crowd before him with no mask. Only a few of those in the crowd was also wearing a mask. And, with Biden's campaign insisting that the U.S. is still very much in danger with the virus, he shunned the crowd and opted to stand on a stark stage. If there is one thing that both candidates agree on, electing the other guy to lead would be disastrous for the U.S., said a report on USA Today. Trump himself pointed out the polarity between the two parties in his acceptance speech. He said that never before have the voters been given a clear choice of whom to vote between the two parties, with each having their vision, philosophies, and agendas. Each also has his version of U.S. election issues that starkly contrast with each other. Biden, for his part, chose to continue hitting at Trump even in his acceptance speech. He accused the Republican candidate of squandering the American dream with his policies and actions. Biden has continued his assault against Trump by promising the National Guard not to use them as props and put them in the middle of politics. The Democrat candidate said that the troops would never have to wonder on whose side he is on. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, however, wrote a letter to the members of the Congress that the military will be apolitical, thus, will not play a role in the election, according to a report on Fox News. With the national convention for both parties, Trump and Biden's campaigns are now on the final sprint. Polls such as the Reuters/Ipsos has Biden leading Trump by 47 percent to 40 percent among registered voters, according to a report on CNN. The poll was taken partially during both the Democratic and Republican national conventions. Other polls also have Biden at the lead. However, it can be remembered that Hillary Clinton had a considerable lead on Trump back in the 2016 presidential elections. Thus, it is wrong to assume that Trump will not win his re-election bid. And, basing on the 2016 result of the election, the public is skeptical about the polling that shows Biden is ahead. They think that Trump will be handed his second term. Both Trump and Biden have their work cut out for them in standing by the U.S. election issues that they are passionate about pushing to get elected as the next U.S. president. Check these out: Trump Announces $750 Million Deal With Abbott Labs for Rapid COVID-19 Tests New COVID-19 Cases Are Down Nationwide, but Experts Warn Not to Relax Mitigation Measures RNC Vs. DNC: Who Won During the Convention? Everything you need to know about skiing the Northeast this winter Whether you want to stay close to home or head north, here's everything you need to know about skiing or snowboarding in the Northeast and New York this season. STOCKTON, Mo., Aug. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The opportunity to own all or part of one of the biggest and longest operating ranches in Missouri is available now via auction. The satellite location of Circle A Angus Ranch will be sold in its entirety or 18 separate tracts ranging in size from 55 to 1,000 acres on Wednesday, September 16, at 10 a.m. Tracts offer potential for cattle ranching, hunting, recreational, country estates and more. Circle A Ranch is a 7,700 acre diverse ranch located in Cedar County and as a cattle ranch features 6,621 acres of established ranchland with 2,400 cow/calf capacity and 1,100 acres of row crop fields. The property for sale is a satellite location for the 24,000 acre main ranch located in Iberia, Mo., which is one of the most widely known brands in the country. It is an industry leader in the development of superior Angus genetics. Tracts are available that are suited for residential development for country homes with acreage, hunting tracts, vacation properties and lake properties as some of the tracts are within a few miles of Stockton Lake. Some tracts could be developed with income potential and further development. This multi-parcel auction will offer 18 separate tracts, combinations of tracts, and then offer the entire ranch as a whole giving buyers the option to buy a single, multiple or the entire ranch depending on final offers. Some of the property features include: Five ranch homes Cattle tight fencing Eleven water wells Two large outbuildings. Miles of buried water line A nine acre lake with numerous other ponds and springs Miles of creeks running though some tracts Excellent deer hunting and wildlife Productive farm land potential This rare opportunity and property will be sold by auctioneer Randie Landwehr of United Country Real Estate | Heartland Realty and Auction in Stockton, Mo. Learn more about the ranch, individual tracts for sale and the auction terms by visiting the ranch website at www.MissouriRanchforSale.com. About United Country United Country Real Estate is the largest ranch real estate company nationwide and leading, fully integrated network of conventional and auction real estate professionals. The company has been an innovator in lifestyle, ranch, farmland and country real estate marketing since 1925. United Country supports a combined network of nearly 500 offices and 6,000 real estate professionals across the nation, with a unique, comprehensive marketing program that includes the highest ranked and largest portfolios of specialty property marketing websites, the largest real estate marketing services company, an extensive buyer database of over one million opt-in buyers and exclusive global advertising of properties. Attachment In his "Mann ki baat" address on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for India to become a big hub of toy production and said it is the time to get vocal for local toys. Hailing the efforts of a domestic wooden toys-maker C.V. Raju from Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh and the Etikoppaka toys from his village which were once very popular, PM Modi pointed out that while the Global Toy Industry is of more than seven lakh crore rupees, Indias share is very little in this. He also called on tech-savvy youngsters to make computer games in India and make games based on India too. The themes were in tune with the Governments push for Make in India and a self-reliant India to boost the domestic economy and locally-made goods as well as exports to the world. I, together with the Children University of Gandhinagar, a unique experiment in the world, Indian governments Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises, pondered and deliberated over, what we can do for our children. We discussed how to make new toys available to the children of India, how India could become a big hub of toy production, PM Modi told the country, in his address. ... the Global Toy Industry is of more than 7 lakh crore rupees. Such a big business of 7 lakh crore rupees but, Indias share is very little in this. Now, just spare a thought for a nation which has so much of heritage, tradition, variety, young population, will it feel good to have such little share in the toy market? Not at all, you too wont feel good after hearing this. Friends, the toy Industry is very vast. Be it cottage industries, small industries, MSMEs and along with this big industries and private entrepreneurs too come in the ambit of this. The country will have to persevere together to promote this, he added. Some parts of India are developing also as Toy clusters, that is, as centres of toys. Like, Channapatna in Ramnagaram in Karnataka, Kondaplli in Krishna in Andhra Pradesh, Thanjavur in Tamilnadu, Dhubari in Assam, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh there are many such places, we can count many names, PM Modi pointed out. The Prime Minister asserted, Further like, there is Mr. C V Raju in Vishakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh. Once the Eti- Koppakaa toys of his village were very popular. The speciality of these toys - these were made of wood, and secondly, you would not find any angles or corners in these toys anywhere. These toys were round from all sides hence there was no scope for injury to children. C V Raju has now started a sort of a new movement for eti-koppakaa toys along with the artisans of his village. By making excellent quality eti-koppakaa toys C V Raju has brought back the lost glory of these local toys. We can do two things through toys bring back the glorious past in our lives and also spruce up our golden future. To my start-up friends, to our new entrepreneurs I say- Team up for toys let us make toys together. For everybody it is the time to get vocal for local toys. PM Modi further said, ... In this era of computers and smartphones, there is a big trend of computer games. These games are played by children and grownups as well. But even in these games, their themes are mostly extraneous. Our country has so many ideas, so many concepts; our history has been very rich. Can we make games based on that? I call upon the young talent of the country - make games in India and make games based on India too. Praising farmers, he said, Even during these trying times of Corona, our farmers have proven their mettle. This time around in our country, sowing of kharif crops has increased by 7 percent compared to last year. The sowing of paddy has increased by approximately 10 percent, pulses close to 5 percent, coarse cereals almost 3 percent, oilseeds around 13 percent and cotton nearly 3 percent. For this I extend felicitations to the farmers of our countryI salute their perseverance. He added, ... It is imperative that each citizen remains hale and hearty and is part of our collective efforts to overcome Corona. Safeguarding our health by observing, Do Gaj Ki Doori, Mask Zaroori (social distancing and wearing of mask) following social distancing norms and ensuring to wear masks will help us defeat corona. I urge you to follow these guidelines ... . Haiti - Insecurity : Rain of reactions around the assassination of Me Monferrier Dorval The gunshot assassination on the evening of Friday August 28 in the parking lot of his residence https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-31661-icihaiti-pelerin-5-assassination-of-the-president-of-the-bar-of-port-au-prince.html of Me Monferrier Dorva, President of the Bar of Port-au-Prince, by unidentified individuals and for reasons not yet unknown, provoked a rain of reactions until the highest levels of the Government. President Jovenel Moise : On Saturday at the National Palace, President Jovenel Moise gathered the press for a brief statement "The assassination of Me Dorval saddens the whole Republic. A man of great culture. A great loss for the country. I extend my deepest condolences to the members of the P-au-P Bar Association and their families [...]". He promised to fight so that justice and the police find the means necessary to do their work "The cult of the single thought is over, we are in a democracy [...] Democracy is tolerance and it is not done with weapons [...] It is preferably done with dialogue. The time has come for universities, intellectuals and elites to reject obscurantism, intolerance, dark forces and petty interests." he Head of State announced 3 days of national mourning on Monday August 31, Tuesday September 1 and Wednesday September 2, the flags will be at half mast and radio stations will broadcast music for the occasion. Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe : "Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe learned with fear and great emotion the news of the assassination of the eminent jurist, lawyer, president of the Bar of Port-au-Prince and professor of universities [...] The public authorities will be mobilized to determine the origin and the motives of these revolting acts, in order to prosecute and bring the culprits as well as the intellectual authors to justice." Me Rockfeller Vincent, Minister of Justice: In a note, the Minister of Justice Me Rockefeller VINCENT said he was "deeply moved" by the assassination of Me Monferrier Doval "This terrorist act planned by the enemies of the Nation and of the Republic occurs at a time when the country needs more than ever his worthy sons like the eminent lawyer and professor Dorval. Posterity will remember that the President of the Bar was a sure intellectual reference who always advocated a strong State built on democratic values and the ideals of justice. His untimely and appalling departure represents an inestimable loss for Haiti and sows the whole of society in bitterness. " Minister Vincent "offers his deepest condolences to the family of the President of the Bar, to the Bar Council, to the Federation of Bars of Haiti, to the various lawyers of the eighteen jurisdictions of the country and to all those affected by this mourning too much. " In addition, the Minister informs that he has instructed the Haitian National Police and the Government Commissioner to the Court of First Instance of Port-au-Prince, to do everything possible to shed light on this serious act which brings to light test the peace of the city and the political stability necessary for economic and social development. Pradel Henriquez, Minister of Communication: Pradel Henriquez, the Minister of Communication says he is "deeply shocked following the villainous assassination of President of the Bar Montferrier Dorval". The Ministry Henriquez "expresses its sympathies to the relatives and friends of the victim, Maitre Montferrier Dorval, as well as to all legal professionals in Haiti, and abroad, whom this barbaric crime afflicts." LANAMAH, APM, RENAMAH, AJUPHA: The National Association of Haitian Magistrates (ANAMAH), the Professional Association of Magistrates (APM), the National Network of Haitian Magistrates (RENAMAH) and the Association of Haitian Judges of the Peace (AJUPHA) say they are outraged and dumbfounded by this heinous crime and urge the competent authorities to launch a serious investigation in order to find and bring to justice those who committed this heinous and revolting crime. In the meantime, the ANAMAH, the APM, the RENAMAH and the AJUPHA present their sympathies to the grieving family, to the parents, friends and allies of Me Monferrier DORVAL, to the lawyers of the Federation of Bars of Haiti (FBH) in General and the Bar of Port-au-Prince in particular. May the Most High deign to receive Me Dorval in his house! " ULCC, Me Hans Ludwig Joseph : "[...] Me. Hans Ludwig Joseph, Director General of the Anti-Corruption Unit, learned with amazement the news of the assassination of the President of the Bar of Port-au-Prince. Me Joseph registered with the bar of Port-au-Prince, condemns with the utmost rigor this odious act, barbaric and villainous. In this painful circumstance, Me Hans Ludwig Joseph joins the voice of all legal professionals, to express his condolences." The Citizen's Protection Office: The Office for the Protection of the Citizen (OPC) learned with strong emotion and deep indignation, the villainous assassination of the President of the Bar of Port-au-Prince, the distinguished professor and eminent jurist, Me Monferrier Dorval . [...] The OPC condemns this appalling assassination and calls on the authorities concerned to carry out an investigation in order to identify the perpetrators of this crime with a view to prosecuting them in accordance with the law [...] " Senator Patrice Dumont: "The assassination of Master Monferrier Dorval is an aggression against the Haitian Nation [...] The enemies of the Fatherland are doing everything possible so that they continue their bombings with the certainty that the more the people is miserable, the more they will enjoy their crimes permanently; the more they kill, the less courage there will be in front of them; the more they kill of Monferrier Dorval, the less the people will be able to defend themselves. Justice must remember its greatness to recall its littleness to impunity. Commissioners, judges, police officers, the Constitution and the laws make you great. Go after the culprits, arrest them, punish them. My condolences to the family of Me Dorval and to the corporation of jurists and lawyers [...] to the families of the very late, to his parents, his close collaborators, his friends and to the members of the basoche saddened by this tragedy." United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) : "We strongly condemn the assassination of Me Dorval, President of the Port-au-Prince Bar Association, and call for justice to be done. We join in the mourning of his loved ones and Haitians, and pay tribute to his dedication to serving a better future for Haiti." European Union : "The Delegation of the European Union in Haiti is dismayed by the brutal assassination of Me Dorval, which extends the list of victims of an insecurity which mourns Haitians every day. The Delegation of the European Union in Haiti strongly condemns this assassination and calls on the authorities to ensure that light and justice be done." See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-31661-icihaiti-pelerin-5-assassination-of-the-president-of-the-bar-of-port-au-prince.html HL/ HaitiLibre Jacob Blake's sister Letetra Widman and uncle Justin Blake, left, march Saturday at a rally for Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. (Morry Gash / Associated Press) Jacob Blakes relatives led an emotional rally Saturday in Kenosha, Wis., as over 1,000 people called for justice for Jacob and chanted, Seven bullets, seven days, a reference to the number of times a police officer shot Blake in the back several days before. The demonstration outside the county courthouse was the largest since last Sundays shooting of Blake, who is Black, led to three days of overnight unrest, with parked cars and brick buildings burned downtown, the National Guard being called in to patrol, and the arrest of a white teenager who was charged with fatally shooting two white protesters Tuesday. Blakes shooting, captured on cellphone video, led to complaints of police brutality and marches as observers pointed to it as another example of violence against a person of color despite the reckoning over racism sparked by the May 25 Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, also Black. Jacob Blake Sr. has said his 29-old-son is now paralyzed. My son, the other day in the hospital, he grabbed my hand, and he said, Daddy, I love you. Why did they shoot me so many times? Blake Sr. said at the rally Saturday. Blake Sr., who the day before spoke in Washington, D.C., for the anniversary of the March on Washington, referred to Floyd, who died after an officer kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes. We all have a knee on the back of our necks, every day, he said. Crowds march at Saturday's "Justice for Jacob Blake" rally. (Morry Gash / Associated Press) Blakes sister Letetra Widman asked supporters to stand up not just for Jacob, but for all the people who have not gotten justice. A white officer responding to a call about a domestic dispute last Sunday shot Blake in the back as Blake was entering his SUV. Images of the shooting spread globally this week after neighbors caught the scene on videos. Three officers are on leave as state officials and the U.S. Justice Department investigate. Police said Blake had a knife in his car, but they did not indicate whether they knew about the knife when they shot him. Story continues An attorney for Blake, Benjamin Crump, said the family planned to file a civil suit to cover Blakes medical bills. I dont want you homeless; I dont want you storeless, said Blake Sr., who called on protesters to keep the peace in the city, now under curfew from 7 p.m. to 7a.m. Some at the rally said the difference in justice faced by Black people versus white people was evident when the white teenager charged with killing two people, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of Antioch, Ill., managed to leave the scene Tuesday while carrying an assault-style rifle. He was arrested the next day without incident. Police describe Rittenhouse as a self-styled vigilante who came to town to protect businesses. Rittenhouses attorneys said over the weekend he acted in self-defense, pointing to videos that show him being chased down by a small crowd that included those he ended up shooting. Kyle did nothing wrong. He exercised his God-given, Constitutional, common law and statutory law right to self-defense, attorney John Pierce said in a statement. Jacob Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr., at Saturday's rally. (Morry Gash / Associated Press) The Kenosha shootings have become a focal point in a presidential campaign in which former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, has put his support behind the Black Lives Matter movement while President Trump has vowed to impose law and order in cities troubled by clashes between police and protesters. Biden, who says he may visit, has spoken with Blakes family and condemned needless violence in Kenosha. The White House said Trump would visit Tuesday to assess damage and meet with law enforcement. Officials did not say whether he would meet the Blake family. In an interview released Saturday, Trump made his most direct statement on the shooting. It was not a good sight. I didnt like the sight of it, certainly, and I think most people would agree with me, the president, who held a rally the day before in Londonderry, N.H., told WMUR-TV. The Kenosha police and county Sheriffs Department are facing criticism from Black leaders, including those in the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, which said officers and deputies did not do enough to protect protesters, and accused law enforcement officials of enabling armed militia groups. The NAACP, American Civil Liberties Union, Wisconsin Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform and 32 other state organizations sent a letter to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian on Saturday demanding the resignations of Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis and Kenosha County Sheriff Daniel Beth. Their behavior and failed response to the attempted murder of Jacob Blake and the murder of two protesters shot by a 17-year old white male is outrageous, it said. Antaramian, who has been mayor off and on since 1992, said he would not support their resignations. Backed by Lockheed Martin, Taiwan Unveils Asia's First Repair Hub for F-16 Fighter Jets By Joyce Huang August 29, 2020 A maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center for Taiwan's fleet of F-16 fighter jets has officially opened on the island amid growing tensions between Taiwan and China. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday inaugurated the facility, which is the first of its kind in the Indo-Pacific region. It is part of a strategic alliance between Taiwan aircraft manufacturer Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, AIDC, and U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Taiwan will boast the largest fleet of advanced F-16 fighter jets in Asia after its procurement of 66 F-16V additional jets from Lockheed Martin, slated for delivery by 2026 a deal that will take the island's fleet to more than 200 aircraft. There was no immediate comment from the company. No groveling to China Inaugurating the F-16 MRO center, President Tsai said its establishment will help boost the island's air force combat capabilities and beef up its defense autonomy while marking a milestone for developing indigenous defense industries to go global. "It takes strengthened defense capabilities, not groveling [to China], to defend Taiwan's sovereignty and maintain regional peace and stability," she said at the ceremony. "With the center in place, the time needed for jet maintenance will be greatly curtailed and mission-capable rates will be boosted significantly to ensure [Taiwan's] air superiority at the front line," she added. According to Tsai, AIDC will join with local vendors, to be certified by Lockheed Martin, to sustain the facility's operation. That is estimated to create more than 600 jobs each year and herald an output value of $271 million over the next three decades, according to Tsai. Deepening military collaboration Two analysts, who spoke with VOA said the facility, unveiled amid escalating cross-strait tensions, takes the U.S.-Taiwan military collaboration and mutual trust to another level even as China last month said it would sanction Lockheed Martin for involvement in arms sales to Taiwan. It is also expected to bring in economic benefits to the local aerospace industry, which has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic since early this year, they added. "On the political and diplomatic front, the facility, authorized by Lockheed Martin of the U.S., showcases the level of mutual trust between Washington and Taipei," Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told VOA. Su said that in the next few years, the center will focus on servicing the island's fleet of more than 200 F-16 jets, which he said is already a lucrative deal. Saving maintenance costs According to Su, an F-16 fighter jet averages a life cycle of 40 years and, during its years in service, an additional 30% cost will be incurred for maintenance and repair work. With a repair site at home, two-fifths of that cost can be saved in addition to time spent, he estimated. Looking ahead, Su said that domestic vendors, which are certified to work with the center, should aim higher to tap into the defense contractor's global supply chain to help support its 3,400 F-16s in service worldwide. Or, he said, the center should next grow into a regional hub for Lockheed Martin to service all F-16 fleets in the Indo-Pacific region, which currently total 470 jets in service. He said the chance for pro-Beijing countries such as Pakistan or Thailand to fly their F-16 fleets to Taiwan for repair work will be slim. All those niches, however, will present a number of commercial opportunities for the domestic industry, Su added. Industrial upgrade Tung Wan, professor of aerospace engineer at TamKang University, said he believes that with the help of Lockheed Martin, the island's aerospace sector will be given an opportunity to upgrade itself. "If [the sector] can transcend itself from being engaged in [the center's] maintenance work to [next] becoming a supplier of components [for the jets], its overall output value, competitiveness and integration with global practices will be greatly enhanced," the professor told VOA. "This will be the kind of opportunity we welcome the most even if [a small percentage of the jet's] components can be made [and supplied] by Taiwan," he said, adding that a fighter jet has more than 100,000 types of components. The professor said that the domestic aerospace industry, which is already qualified to support the operation of commercial airplanes, had had some experience repairing military aircraft or developing an indigenous fighter jet of its own. The professor, who formerly chaired the city of Tainan-based Air Asia Co., noted that, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. often flew its fighter jets to Air Asia, the island's first aircraft maintenance company, for MRO work. Hence, it will also be in the U.S. interest to outsource its maintenance work or parts of its jet supply chain to Taiwan, where labor and cost are lower, he said. Military officials and some politicians in Taiwan say they expect the latest development to further strengthen U.S. involvement in the island's buildup of air defense in fending off any Chinese attack. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that belongs under its control. China has conducted numerous sea and air exercises near Taiwan in recent years and has been angered over U.S. naval exercises near the island and the Trump administration's strong support for Taipei. Du Wenlong, a military commentator on China Central Television, or CCTV, told the Chinese state-run broadcaster on Friday that Taiwan is buying up the United States for its protection. He urged Taiwan not to "throw good money after bad," calling Taiwan a "fool" in procuring weapons sales from the U.S. Li Li, an associate professor from China's PLA National Defense University, also told CCTV that "the U.S. has taken an even more dangerous step toward bolstering the military development and buildup in Taiwan." She was referring to both the creation of the F-16 MRO hub and the U.S. approval of the 66 advanced F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CNNs Don Lemon calling Jesus not perfect is blasphemy, Mike Huckabee says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment CNN host Don Lemon has garnered criticism for claiming that Jesus Christ was not perfect while He was living on earth. On an episode of CNN Tonight that aired earlier this week, Lemon talked about how Americans have learned about their history with fellow CNN host Chris Cuomo. At issue was the debates over statues and monuments for Confederate soldiers, former U.S. presidents, and Americans who were not slave owners but whose statues have been torn down by rioters in recent weeks, such as abolitionist Col. Hans Christian Heg. During their discussion, Lemon said, a lot of what youve been taught in school classrooms about American history has been propaganda, adding that some things you need to unlearn. Jesus Christ if you believe in, if thats who you believe in, Jesus Christ admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this earth. So why are we deifying the founders of this country, many of whom owned slaves? said Lemon. Former Arkansas Gov. and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to denounce Lemons comments as blasphemous. Just when I didn't think Don Lemon could say something any dumber than stuff he's already said, he dons his ecclesiastical hat and declares Jesus wasn't perfect. In the faith world, we call that kind of arrogant comment blasphemy, tweeted Huckabee. Pastor Robert Jeffress, head of the megachurch First Baptist Dallas, told Fox News that he considered the words of Lemon to be heretical in nature. Don Lemon's comments are, first of all, heretical, explained Jeffress, and it contradicts the most basic tenet of the Christian faith and demonstrates how tone-deaf the left is to faith issues. Our founding fathers, like all of us, were imperfect human beings, but Jesus Christ was different than any other man that lived, and as the founder of our faith, He had to be perfect. Becket Adams of the Washington Examiner wrote in an opinion piece that the idea of Jesus not leading a perfect human life has not been a serious question for believers in more than 1,500 years. In the Bible, simply look to 1 Peter 2:22, He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; Hebrews 5:9, and having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, noted Adams. And just because Lemon says Christ was admittedly not perfect, I should point out that there is no tradition that I am aware of and no scriptural citation that has Him declaring, Hey, I am only human! In April, the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released a report from their American Worldview Inventory 2020 which found that 44% of Americans believed that Jesus did not lead a sinless life while on Earth. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nezar Patria (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, August 31 2020 The 75th anniversary of independence is a good reminder of Indonesias vision to become a developed country with a per capita income of Rp 320 million (US$21,813) by 2045, when the country will turn 100. Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko spoke recently with The Jakarta Posts editor-in-chief Nezar Patria during a Jakpost Up Close webinar about the human capital development plans President Joko Jokowi Widodos government has laid out to achieve this vision. Question: What are some of the things that we need to address in the next 25 years? Answer: The basic thing that we need to focus on in the future, in my opinion, is that Indonesia must become a new force, a new sphere in Asia. We believe that Indonesia, with a projected population of roughly 318 million by 2045, is a tremendous force. We have our own large domestic market. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Pope Francis on Sunday appealed for "constructive dialogue" and "respect for international law" to calm rising tensions in the eastern Mediterranean region. "I'm following with concern the tensions in the area of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, that is threatened by various clusters of instability," he said. In recent weeks, Turkish and Greek forces have engaged in a series of cat-and-mouse military exercises in the seas between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. The confrontation was sparked when Turkey sent a research vessel accompanied by warships to search for gas and oil reserves. EU member Greece claims the waters are part of its continental shelf and has enlisted the support of the 27-nation bloc, which has condemned Turkey's "illegal activities" and warned of potential sanctions against Ankara. Turkey says Greece and others are denying its rights to explore for energy resources in the Mediterranean. Greece and Cyprus have recently been joined by France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates in carrying out naval and aerial war games in the region. The Pope also noted upcoming initiatives marking the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. He mentioned a concert that is being held in the Mauritian capital Port Louis in the aftermath of a massive oil spill a few weeks ago. In a phone conversation with the Iranian Health Minister Saeid Namaki, President Hassan Rouhani called for taking the required measures for purchasing and testing foreign anti-coronavirus vaccines in the country, Trend reports citing Mehr. Referring to the reports about the availability of the vaccine in some countries, the Iranian President ordered that the necessary measures should be taken to purchase the vaccines and to carry out the usual experimental and diagnostic steps in order to start using it in Iran as soon as possible. As of Sunday, the total number of coronavirus cases in Iran has passed 373,570, of whom 21,462 have lost their lives to the deadly virus. Irans Health Ministry Spokesperson Sima Lari said on Sunday that over the past 24 hours, 1,754 new cases of coronavirus were reported, increasing the total number of infections in Iran to 373,570. The event naturally veered into a free-wheeling discussion of where this type of research could go. Some Neuralink employees joined Musk on stage and talked about their desires to get rid of pain, to give people supervision, and to explore the nature of consciousness. "I think in the future you will be able to save and replay memories," Musk said at the event. But he acknowledged the inherent strangeness of such scenarios: "This is obviously starting to sound like a Black Mirror episode," he said. "Obviously they're pretty good at predicting." The first major reveal of Neuralink's plans and technology came in July 2019 during a similar event in San Francisco. At that time, Musk showed early versions of Neuralink implants and disclosed that the company had already been performing tests on mice and primates in which it was able to record and analyse the animals' neuronal activity via tiny electrodes placed in their brain. This work was similar to what academic researchers and a small number of companies have been doing for decades. The goal of many of those projects is to use brain implants for miraculous feats like restoring vision for the blind, helping people who have been paralysed or suffered strokes communicate and curing mental health disorders. And, indeed, people around the world have received implants that help with these very things. The main argument made by Musk and other Neuralink employees is that the existing technology is too dangerous, cumbersome and limited for widespread use. The most powerful implants today require people to go through risky surgeries, and patients can often only experience the benefits of the technology while under the supervision of doctors and specialists. Beyond that, the lifespan of an implant can be short as the brain sees the device as an intruder, forming scar tissue around it that disrupts electrical signals. Neuralink, then, has tried to create a type of implant closer to a consumer electronics device-something that is much smaller and cheaper than existing products, less impactful to brain tissue and can process much more brain data. Over the past couple of months, Neuralink has been implanting pigs with a device that's 22.5 millimetres across and 8 millimetres thick. The hardware has a computing chip on top with 64 minuscule threads-or wires-that dangle off it with sensors at the ends. During the procedure, the animals are taken to an operating room at the Fremont facility and anesthetised before a surgeon performs a craniotomy on them. Once part of the skull has been removed, a robot begins placing the threads into specific parts of the brain so that the sensors are close to neurons and can read clear brain activity signals. This sewing part of the procedure takes about 30 minutes, as the robot uses computer vision software, high-end cameras and other technology to aim the threads with exacting precision. "Elon is unhappy with how long the whole procedure takes," Max Hodak, the president of Neuralink, said in an interview. "Elon is unhappy with how long the whole procedure takes" In my encounter with one charming pig named Gertrude, it was very difficult to see any evidence of the implant or the surgery. The animal's wound had healed completely, and it pranced around a makeshift metal pen at Neuralink's office just like some of the other pigs that did not have implants. But, as I fed Gertrude a carrot and rubbed her snout, a massive computer screen behind her lit up with activity, showing her neurons firing and responding to my touch. Next, Gertrude farted, which I took as an approval of our interaction. But the controversial nature of animal testing and the celebrity of its founder has made Neuralink a magnet for criticism from animal-rights activists. The company said the test subjects are cared for by animal husbandry experts and that it's limiting testing on primates. In a bid to prove the safety of its technology, Neuralink has removed the implants from some animals and found that they go back to their regular lives with no apparent ill effects, the company said. In some cases, Neuralink has managed to place two implants in a single animal, getting signals from both hemispheres of the brain at the same time. The company has also managed not just to read out brain activity but also to send in signals to the electrodes and stimulate the brain. All of this research has been taking place at Neuralink's 4645 square-metre campus, which includes facilities for robot assembly, chip and thread fabrication and animal husbandry. At one point, Neuralink had intended to use an implant as well as another device placed behind the ear to handle things like wireless communication. Now, however, it has bundled everything into one small device. "It's just simpler this way," said Hodak. The implant battery lasts about 24 hours, at which point it can be recharged wirelessly much like a smartphone. Over time, Neuralink hopes to shrink the device, while also improving its computing power. Musk had previously said that Neuralink would like to conduct human trials as early as this year. This, of course, would require regulatory approvals and assurances that the technology is safe. "The ambition of human trials this year is something we would love to do," Hodak said. "It's obviously something that can't be rushed, and we can do it when we're ready. While we can't sell this to you yet, it's starting to feel more like a product, more concrete. Now, we have a Fitbit for the brain." "Elon is unhappy with how long the whole procedure takes" Hodak denied the claims from a recent article by health publication Stat News in which former Neuralink employees said the company might go to Russia or China, where regulators can be more lenient, for its human trials. "We have never once discussed going to Russia or China," Hodak said. Neuralink has been granted "breakthrough device status" by the US Food and Drug Administration, which means the agency will respond more quickly to the company's filings than it would have previously but doesn't constitute an approval for testing in humans. "We're very much working hand-in-hand with the FDA," Hodak said. He was a titan of British art, producing a collection of unforgettable and sometimes unsettling portraits with notable sitters ranging from Kate Moss to the Queen. But when Lucian Freud was asked if he could capture Tony Blairs likeness on canvas, he gave the former Prime Minister the brush-off. Freud considered such a commission to be downmarket, a new biography suggests. The former Labour leader is said to have made an approach to the celebrated artist through a Cabinet ally. Lucian Freud with Kate Moss, who posed naked in a 2002 painting William Feaver writes in his book, The Lives Of Lucian Freud: When Labour came into power after the May 1997 Election, the newly appointed Lord Chancellor, Derry Irvine, who saw himself as a connoisseur, made overtures regarding a portrait of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Lucian fended off that idea as being no better than the overtures concerning Princess Diana and those from Andrew Lloyd Webber and the newspaper tycoon Conrad Black proposing wife portraits. Outspoken Freud, who died in 2011 aged 88, was perhaps best known for his nudes. He famously painted a naked, pregnant Kate Moss in 2002 and is also said to have tattooed the models lower back with two swallows. A controversial portrait of the Queen, which was finally completed in December 2001, received criticism for portraying the Monarch in an unflattering way. The former Labour leader is said to have made an approach to the celebrated artist through a Cabinet ally Works by the artist, whose grandfather Sigmund was the founder of psychoanalysis, sell for huge sums. Benefits Supervisor Sleeping, a 1995 nude of a civil servant, fetched 42 million in 2015. Mr Blair, meanwhile, would have to wait a decade for his portrait. A work by artist Phil Hale was commissioned in the final months of his premiership and was unveiled in 2008. Another was painted by Alastair Adams in 2011 four years after Mr Blair left Downing Street and hangs in Londons National Portrait Gallery. New Delhi: While addressing his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday (August 30), PM Modi lauded the bravery of various dogs serving the security forces. The Prime Minister pointed out that dogs play an important role in disaster management and rescue missions. PM Modi remembered 'Rocky' a military dog who died recently and had helped solve more than 300 cases for the police. The PM also remembered other such bracve dogs like Dog 'Balram' which detected a large amount of explosives en route the Amarnath Yatra and a dog named Bhawana which detected an IED. While diffusing the IED, terrorists trigged blast and both were martyred. Also Read: PM Narendra Modi gives another push to vocal for local, urges start-ups to 'team up for toys' PM Modi said, "When we were celebrating Independence Day, very interesting news drew my attention about two daredevil characters of our security forces--One is Sophie and Second is Vida --both pride canines under the Indian Army. They have been conferred with the Chief of Army Staff commendation card. They were honoured for discharging their duties while defending the nation. There are many such brave dogs with our armed forces who for the country and made supreme sacrifice for our nation." On April 7, 2017, troops of E/170 Bn along with CRPF Canine soldier Cracker (Belgian Shepherd Malaniois, DOB 04.10.2014) was on Area Domination duty in Modakpal forest area, Bijapur, Chattisgarh. It was leading the troops and alerted the troops for suspicious IED planted on a kutcha track. Unfortunately, the IED got blasted and Cracker made supreme sacrifice saving the troops. Constable (Dog handler) YS Avinash received minor injuries. "In India, NDRF has trained dozen such dogs. These dogs are experts in detecting alive persons under the debris in an earthquake or building collapse. I have been told that Indian breed dogs are very good and competent. The cost of their upkeep is also quite less and they are also accustomed to the Indian conditions. Now our security forces have also inducted and trained Indian breed dogs in their dog squads," he said. The Prime Minister said that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research is also conducting research on Indian breed dogs. Urging countrymen to bring one of the Indian breed dog's home, if they are planning to keep a pet, PM said, "Next time when you think of keeping a dog, then you must bring one of the Indian breed dog homes. When self-reliant India is becoming the mantra of masses, then no area should be left behind." Advertisement An NHS worker who admitted she did 'f*** all' during the pandemic and claimed coronavirus was a 'load of b******s' is now being investigated. Care UK employee Louise Hampton, who yesterday rallied in London with 10,000 other anti-lockdown protesters, said that 'our service was dead' in a Facebook video post. 'This is my certificate of b*****ks.' Ms Hampton said as she brandished a card given to her and other NHS workers. 'I didn't clap for the NHS, I didn't clap for myself. Because why would I clap for myself when I did f*** all?' It is not clear exactly what Ms Hampton does at Care UK, but the company said in a statement - refuting her allegations - that their call centres have been exceptionally busy, suggesting she answers calls. Ms Hampton's broadside comes amid rising fears over a backlog of millions of cancer screenings and other operations which have been delayed by the pandemic. There was just one coronavirus death in the United Kingdom on Sunday and another 1,715 new cases were recorded. The death toll from the disease now stands at 41,499 and there have been 334,467 cases. Meanwhile, Cancer Research UK estimates 2.4 million people were waiting for a cancer screening, further tests or cancer treatment at the end of May, with a backlog of around 2.1 million people left waiting for breast, bowel or cervical screening. Care UK employee Louise Hampton recorded a video criticising a certificate she had been given thanking her for 'making a difference to patients' amid the virus outbreak Ms Hampton has since posted a selfie while on the way to London to join more than 10,000 anti-lockdown protesters who believe coronavirus is a hoax at the 'Unite for Freedom' rally on Saturday (pictured: Protesters march towards Westminster from Trafalgar Square during a demonstration organised by a group called 'Stand Up X', in London on Saturday) Another 1,715 people have tested positive for coronavirus today in the biggest daily rise in 12 weeks But, in a positive sign, the country's death toll is remaining low as just one person died after testing positive for the disease bringing the UK's total fatalities during the pandemic to 41,499 The Royal College of Surgeons revealed last week that 2 million operations have been delayed because only the most urgent surgeries are going ahead. In the clip posted to Ms Hampton's Facebook page, she said: 'I'm an actual NHS worker and apparently I worked really hard during Covid. Did I b*****ks. That's why it's a certificate of b*****ks. Hancock claims backlog of 2.4 MILLION patients awaiting cancer treatment or scans should clear 'within months' Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday he believed that a backlog of cancer patients awaiting treatment would clear 'within a matter of months.' Speaking to ITV, Mr Hancock admitted that the number of cancer patients waiting longer than 62 days - the standard the Government wants to see - increased 'substantially' amid lockdown. Mr Hancock said: 'We've had to take action right across the NHS to make sure that we deal with Covid, and it was very important when there were a lot of new cases of Covid that people weren't made more at risk because of treatments, especially for cancer. 'But now it's incredibly important for people to come forward.' He refused to a put a 'precise date' on the number the backlog would be cleared by, because he said that 'depends on how much Covid there is'. But Cancer Research UK estimates 2.4 million people were waiting for a cancer screening, further tests or cancer treatment at the end of May, with a backlog of around 2.1 million people left waiting for breast, bowel or cervical screening. Cancer Research UK says that 3,800 cancers would normally be diagnosed through screening in this time period. Advertisement 'Our service was dead. We weren't getting the calls, it was dead. Covid is a load of b*****ks, so this is my certificate of b*****ks. 'I didn't clap for the NHS, I didn't clap for myself. Because why would I clap for myself when I did f*** all?' Ms Hampton posted a selfie yesterday as she headed to London to join more than 10,000 anti-lockdown protesters at the 'Unite for Freedom' rally. She wrote: 'En route to Trafalgar Square! So excited! We are the 99% #London #Plandemic #Covid1984' At the event, demonstrators called for an 'end to Government lies' and the restoration of all freedoms as they marched past Downing Street towards the Houses of Parliament. The day after posting her video, Ms Hampton posted saying she had received 'so many messages of support' from people, including NHS workers. But she added: 'A few people close to me have labelled me ''mental'' and even said I need sectioning for my video! 'Also I don't deserve my children! However, if people want to believe the narrative that's up to them. I will keep speaking my truth!!!' Ms Hampton has made a series of posts online about the virus using the hashtags #Covid1984, #NWO, #SaveOurChildren, #Plandemic and #WeWillNotBeMuzzled. The hashtags have been widely used by those who believe that the coronavirus is part of a conspiracy to establish a new world order (NWO) and impose authoritarian measures similar to lockdown on a permanent basis. Ms Hampton also posted a meme which read: 'If you've ever wondered whether you would have complied during 1930s Germany, now you know.' A Care UK spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are aware of this video, which we consider to be materially inaccurate in a number of ways, and can confirm that a member of staff is subject to investigation. 'We expect all our colleagues and services to support the work of the NHS in giving the public the right information and support during the pandemic. 'Our call centres were, in fact, exceptionally busy, handling a peak of 400% more calls than usual. 'Our teams showed huge commitment and dedication in delivering the service, and we have rightly thanked them for the efforts they have made.' She also posted a meme which read: 'If you've ever wondered whether you would have complied during 1930s Germany, now you know' It comes after the Health Secretary has warned that nationwide restrictions cannot be ruled out should England see a spike in coronavirus cases this winter. Matt Hancock also hinted that restrictions may not be eased over Christmas to avoid an 'uptick' in the number of Covid-19 cases. Speaking to The Times, Mr Hancock said countries in others parts of the world were already experiencing a second wave, adding it was 'a very serious threat'. But he said the UK was managing to keep the number of new cases 'flat' through the test and trace system and local lockdowns. Describing the worst-case scenario, he said the UK could be battling bad flu and a growth in coronavirus as people spend more time indoors. He continued: 'Cases go up again, and we have to use very extensive local lockdowns or take further national action. 'We don't rule that out, but we don't want to see it.' BBC's Newsnight reported that a 'reasonable worst-case planning assumption' presented to the Government warned there could be up to 81,000 excess deaths directly attributed to Covid-19 between July and next March. The broadcaster said the scenario was laid out in a document signed off by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) for the Cabinet Office at the end of July. His comments come as local Covid-19 restrictions were eased in northern England, which will allow social gatherings between two homes from Wednesday in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley, Hyndburn and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees. Mr Hancock told The Times that a second wave could be 'avoidable but it's not easy', with schools reopening next week presenting new challenges in stopping the spread of the virus. In an interview with ITV News, Mr Hancock said: 'We're doing a huge amount of planning to make sure that the NHS is prepared and can cope to make sure that people can have as much freedom to enjoy Christmas, to enjoy winter, as possible.' But when asked whether there will be special rules to allow more people to visit one another over Christmas, Mr Hancock suggested it could lead to a rise in the number of people catching the virus. 'The danger of a rule like that is that it increases the spread of the disease,' he said. 'I mean, there are an awful lot of things I'd love to be able to do, but the risk of them is that we see an uptick in the disease. 'Hence, we've had to take decisions that you wouldn't ever want to.' The British boss of a prestigious French theatre has lost her job after being accused of failing to say Bonjour to staff. Three years ago, Ruth Mackenzie, the artistic director at Frances Theatre du Chatelet, became the first woman to head the Paris institution but her contract was abruptly terminated on Friday. Describing her unbelievably brutal exit, the 63-year-old said: A letter was sent to my lawyer terminating my contract and telling me I was to vacate my office, my email was being cut off and my salary stopped. There was a complaint about my management style oppressing a couple of junior members of the marketing team, but they got the union involved so an independent inquiry was carried out. Three years ago, Ruth Mackenzie, the artistic director at Frances Theatre du Chatelet, became the first woman to head the Paris institution but her contract was abruptly terminated on Friday 'The inquiry produced a 56-page report which explicitly stated that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. Ms Mackenzie, who was in charge of the official cultural programme for the 2012 London Olympics, for which she was appointed a CBE, added: There were a few points raised, for example that I didnt say Bonjour to people every day, that my French is not good enough and that I didnt attend a staff ceremony to turn on the Christmas lights, but nothing constituting a sackable offence. Ruth Mackenzie was the artistic director at France s Theatre du Chatelet and became the first woman to head the Paris institution It recommended mediation and workshops, which, of course, I accepted. The theatre declined to comment on her departure but a source told French media that there had been a managerial and financial problem related to Ms Mackenzies first season at the theatre and opera house. The Theatre du Chatelet, which dates back to 1862, was closed for two years from 2017 for a 28.6 million restoration and reopened last September but it has been forced to close since then by the Covid-19 pandemic. Lahore, Aug 30 : As many as 200 Pakistani nationals stranded in India due to the Covid-19 outbreak, will return home on September 3. In the wake of the coronavirus spread, Pakistan had sealed its borders with India to contain the infection, leaving many Indian families stuck in Pakistan and hundreds of Pakistani nationals stranded in India. During May, Pakistan allowed around 783 Indian nationals stranded in Pakistan to return back to their home from the Attari-Wagah border, 32 km from Amritsar. The Indian nationals were sent back in three phases after Covid screening. In a letter, issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on request of the High Commission of Pakistan, it has been directed to facilitate the return of Pakistani nationals from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to Attari for their return via Wagah border at 10 a.m. on September 3. "It is requested that all movement of the vehicles may be facilitated, for enabling the stranded Pakistani nationals to reach Attari on September 3 morning. Drivers, along with vehicles, may be allowed to return to the standing point of place of residence as the case may be after dropping them at Attari," the MEA notification read. "It is requested that all returning Pakistani nationals be screened as per international norms and following the health protocol in place", the notification added. As per protocols, the border will be opened for one day and the authorities at the Wagah border will receive the returning Pakistanis. All of the returned Pakistani nationals will be screened and tested to check of anyone is carrying the virus before being sent ahead to their respective hometowns. If anyone is found with symptoms of the novel coronavirus, he/she will be sent ahead to quarantine centres or the relevant medical facilities handling the pandemic. The Pakistani nationals returning from India have expressed happiness and relief after hearing the news as they had been stuck in India for months. TV Tonight understands Im A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here is heading north for its 7th season, to film at the site near Murwillumbah, NSW, normally used by the UK series. The 10 production is naturally unable to film in South Africa due to ongoing restrictions around COVID-19 but the good news is it has hatched a plan to return safely for 2021. The UK production has also relocated to Welsh castle Gwrych Castle for this year, although the German series also usually films in Australia. The site is off Dungay Creek Road, north of Murwillumbah, and less than an hour from the Gold Coast. Despite those huge international costs, 10 traditionally wanted the series in Africa because it felt the celebrities would be more fearful of African animals than Aussie, a strategy that has certainly worked for the show. South African labour costs are also likely to be cheaper than Aussie rates. The site also includes a treetop host set (see video). The move means Julia Morris & Dr. Chris Brown will need to swap the jungle script for a (sub-tropical) rainforest, and Tucker Trials for Bushtucker Trials. But 2020 has been a helluva curveball and getting the show safely in the can will be a major achievement, wherever it is staged. 10 would not confirm the speculation (on a show that is all about speculation) only confirming the show would indeed return in early 2021. The mother of a woman berated by a screaming mob for not raising her fist in support of the Black Lives Matter movement says her daughter refused to be 'intimidated' by the incident. Shocking footage of Lauren Victor surrounded by yelling protesters as she sat outside a cafe near her home in Washington DC went around the world last week, with many hailing her as a hero for not bowing to the baying crowd. Her mother Merna Victor, 77, told The Mail on Sunday that her daughter would never cave into pressure from a mob even though she supports Black Lives Matter. 'She is a supporter and has marched in support of Black Lives Matter on several occasions but she wasn't going to be intimidated by them,' she said. Lauren Victor was shouted at by white protesters outside a restaurant in DC on Monday last week. Her mother Merna Victor, 77, told The Mail on Sunday that her daughter would never cave into pressure from a mob even though she supports Black Lives Matter The protesters threatened and filmed white diners at DC restaurants last week. A video went viral after Lauren refused to raise her fist Urban planner Lauren, 49, refused to raise her fist despite her dining companion and those sat nearby doing so 'She was sitting with a friend outside a cafe just around the corner from her home, drinking her tea, when this large crowd appeared with their fists in the air. 'They had been going from cafe to cafe trying to get people to join them and calling for everyone to raise a clenched fist.' Urban planner Lauren, 49, refused to raise her fist despite her dining companion and those sat nearby doing so. 'At first it wasn't clear what they were protesting and they weren't chanting any Black Lives Matter slogans, so she didn't know what the protest was about,' her mother explained. 'They crowded around Lauren's table at the cafe urging her to raise her first. They were a very emotional group. 'When she heard it was Black Lives Matter she explained that she totally supported them and had marched in several protests. Even young children were made to raise their fists by protesters at several outdoor restaurants 'Lauren's friend raised her fist but Lauren didn't want to be intimidated into raising her hand. She said, 'I'm on your side but I won't be pressured.' ' One protester screamed: 'Are you a Christian?' But Mrs Victor last night said: 'What did that have to do with anything? Lauren says she wasn't afraid at any point that they would harm her. It was only a couple in the crowd who were aggressively confronting her. 'The easy thing for her to do would be to raise her fist and it would be over. But she was a little taken aback by their anger and vehemence and would not be intimidated. It's one of those things that shouldn't have happened. She wishes the whole group had just passed her by.' Lauren declined to comment at her home in Washington DC, but moments after the incident she told a local reporter she felt 'under attack', adding: 'It just felt overwhelming to have all of those people come at you. Protesters walked through Washington DC on Monday to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake 'To have a crowd with all that energy demand that you do this thing. On one level my best guess was no one was going to hurt me but those things turn on a dime.' The crowd were protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake, a black father who was shot seven times in the back in front of his three children in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Last night, it emerged a 17-year-old vigilante who allegedly shot dead two men in the city during the subsequent riots may have been 'goaded' by one of his victims. Kyle Rittenhouse faces murder charges for shooting dead Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, but footage showed Mr Rosenbaum confronting a group of armed militia and shouting: 'Shoot me, n*****'. It is not known if Rittenhouse was among the men. Duggar daughter Jessa reveals she was the problem child, admits experiencing spiritual depression Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Jessa Duggar Seewald shared her testimony in a video posted on her YouTube channel where she talked about her struggles and how she truly surrendered to God. In the Counting On stars video on Sunday, she revealed that she did not really take her faith seriously until she was a young adult. If anybody was ever the problem child in the family, I probably could claim that title. I always joke that I probably gave my parents more gray hairs than any of the rest of them combined, Seewald said. She explained how growing up as one of 19 children was tough and admitted that her siblings' relationship with God made her doubt her own faith. The reality star confessed to being self-seeking, selfish and living in a pattern of sin. From the ages of 12 to 16, she was not bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The mother of three admitted that in her early teens she felt a bit dry in my relationship with the Lord. I didnt have a drive to be in Gods Word I wasnt praying like I should. I could see this goal of where I wanted to be in my relationship with the Lord, and I wasnt there. She felt unsettled, restless and frustrated as she underwent the same doubts about her salvation as she did when she was younger. I think if Christians were more open about the hard times, I think if Christians were more raw, you might find that more people go through this, she stated. She went on to say she had to overcome "spiritual depression." At the time, she didn't feel depressed but now she realizes she was. "If somebody asked if I was depressed, I probably would have said no," she said. "But I guess you probably could call it a spiritual depression." She had to let go of unrealistic expectations that she put on herself as a Christian, which included daily Bible reading and praying. "We have to account for the fact that there are trials of faith... there are difficulties that we walk through," she said, adding that she leaned on the words of pastor and teacher John Piper, who stated that "there's no chapter or verse in the Bible that says we have to read our Bible every day." "I feel like I had a burdened down conscience with an unspiritual expectation," Seewald continued. "Yes, we should prioritize time in the Word, but I had taken it a step too far, and I was hinging whether or not I was a good Christian on if I had good quiet time [with God]." A book called Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure by Martyn Lloyd-Jones is what helped her. The reading explores why people may get "discouraged in their Christian walk," according to Seewald. "I didn't have Gospel rest. I wasn't resting in my justification. I wasn't resting in what Christ did for me," she noted. "For a Christian to rest in their justification, the fact that they are saved, Christ lived the perfect life that I could never live." "I think in my mind, I had the mentality of 'Thank you Christ for saving me, ... I'll take it from here,' which is not at all how the Christian life works," Seewald expressed. "Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, so that is our justification and we can rest in that," she stated, adding that accepting this truth has helped her "release" her soul of "so many burdens I had placed myself under and helped me to look to Christ." "We're in this journey until we die and then in an instant we are changed into the likeness of Christ. In this life though, we experience hardships, and yet we keep running after Christ and Christ holds us fast. I hope this is an encouragement to you, and I pray you will rest in Christ and His work of righteousness on your behalf." Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat on Sunday highlighted the innovation potential of the countrys youth by drawing attention to the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technologys (Meity) Atmanirbhar application (app) challenge that aims to showcase that India could become a self-reliant nation. Dear countrymen, everyone acknowledges the capability of Indians to offer innovation and solutions. When there is dedication and sensitivity, this power becomes limitless. At the beginning of this month (August) an app innovation challenge was put before the countrys youth, said PM Modi. Under #AtmaNirbharBharat App innovation challenge, there is the KutukiKids learning app. This is an interactive app for children that teaches several aspects such as mathematics and science through songs and stories, he added. Also read: Come, lets play - PM Modi talks about toys in Indias Aatma Nirbhar push The challenge was launched by Meity to find an alternative to the Chinese apps that were banned by the Modi government after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) troops on June 15. The applications securing the first, second and third positions will get a cash reward of Rs20 lakh, Rs15 lakh and Rs10 lakh, respectively. Meity has been launching successive challenges in a bid to promote the Modi governments flagship scheme, Make in India. The most recent challenge to be launched is Chunauti, which aims to identify 300 start-ups and funnel over Rs 95 crore to boost software products in the country. Chunauti focuses on Tier-II towns. Each selected start-up will be provided Rs25 lakh as seed funding along with other facilities. I urge the young, talented innovators of India to come forward and avail the benefits of the Chunauti challenge and create new software products, said minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who heads the ministry. . Reports say the daughter of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Samia Nkrumah, has declared her intention to go independent in December 7th political contest with her eyes set on the Jomoro Constituency seat. She has indicated that her comeback is not selfish but to get Jomoro the right representation in Parliament. The former MP for the area also said her decision to contest in the upcoming polls is also to help uphold Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's legacy. I'm not a stranger to the Jomoro constituency and my past achievements speak for themselves. What I think is important to remember is why some of us are in politics? It's not about selfish ambition at all but our ambition is closely linked with the people's needs and aspirations. If I felt that Jomoro had leadership or an MP who performed better, I would not have been contesting. That is the number one reason. And number two is that I'm doing this political work because I represent a legacy. A legacy whose mission is to create a fair, united, and a just-society in Ghana and the legacy for Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah. I believe we have so much to learn and Ghana would benefit a great deal if we go back to study his policies, writings, and speeches because that is how modern Ghana came into being. So me coming back is partly for the people of Jomoro who I know I can deliver to them, make things better for them and I have the capability, sincerity, love and passion to make better things happen for them. Lastly, it is to uphold the legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah which I think is very much needed in our politics of today. When asked why she is contesting as an independent candidate and her chances, Samia said it is not about the party. I think people are aware and have experienced different MPs, different political parties and I don't think it is a question of party. I think it is the calibre of the candidate, the strength of the candidate and the sincerity of the candidate that matters. I think people know what must be done for the good of everyone. I don't see my opponents as a threat and I don't see this as a struggle with who is running around with more cars or screaming more or giving more money but this is about people's lives. It is about who is more capable of improving the quality of people's lives in the Jomoro constituency. It's about who has an independent mind, not loyal to any one party but loyal to the people. Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of a training programme by the Advocates and Trainers for Children and Womens Advancements and Rights, ACTWAR-OSIWA project, Samia said no effective change can happen without the active involvement of women. The ACTWAR-OSIWA project is aimed at increasing womens participation and representation in governance. There must be more women in government at the decision-making level across the board. No genuine change happens without the active participation of women. We can see that in our history and our independence struggle became successful because of womens participation with their minds and finances. Women were one of the biggest contributors or sponsors of the independence movement. Things like the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill and things like making sure that there is education for women will help us to achieve that. A just-society cannot leave any constituency behind. Modern-day Ghana emerged with that philosophy of fairness, justice and that way of thinking meant that women had to be right there beside men as being preached by ACTWAR. Samia Yaba Nkrumah, the daughter of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah made her first entry onto the Ghanaian political scene with her win of the Jomoro Parliamentary seat in 2008. Just after one term in Office, Samia lost the seat in 2012 to NDC's Francis Ananam. Her second attempt to recapture the Jomoro seat in 2016 saw her losing once more to NPP's Paul Essien. After her controversial CPP Chairmanship stint, Samia is contesting the Jomoro seat again but this time not on the ticket of the CPP but as an independent candidate. She would be facing off with NPP's Paul Essian and NDC's Dorcas Afo Toffey, the mother of popular Musician, Fatanna. ---CitinewsRoom The Berejiklian government will face mounting pressure to make face masks on public transport mandatory after it emerged two positive COVID-19 cases travelled on a peak hour bus. NSW Health is "strongly advising" commuters to wear masks at all times after two cases linked to the growing CBD coronavirus cluster travelled on a bus from the CBD to the eastern suburbs. All passengers on the bus are considered close contacts and must self-isolate for 14 days and undergo testing. NSW Health is using Opal data to contact commuters. The warning relates to the X39 bus from Pitt Street opposite Australia Square at 6.08pm on August 20 which arrived at Clovelly and Carrington roads at Randwick at 6.40pm. A Maryland employee was fired Saturday after posting "divisive images and statements" on Facebook about the shooting of protesters in Kenosha, Wis. Arthur "Mac" Love was deputy director of the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives, which coordinates community and volunteer service activities and oversees the state's ethnic and cultural commissions. In recent days, Love posted statements and shared memes on his public Facebook page in support of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged with homicide after allegedly opening fire on protesters in Kenosha, killing two and injuring one. After people identified Love as a state employee, his posts received backlash, with some lawmakers calling for him to be removed from his role. On Saturday afternoon, Steve McAdams, executive director of the Governor's Office on Community Initiatives, said Love had been "relieved of his duties." "These divisive images and statements are inconsistent with the mission and core values of the Office of Community Initiatives," McAdams said. Shareese Churchill, a spokeswoman for Gov. Larry Hogan, released a separate statement saying, "These posts are obviously totally inappropriate. We fully support the immediate actions taken by Director McAdams to address this matter." In a conversation with The Washington Post on Sunday, Love said he had learned about his firing through cable news on Saturday and received official notice of his termination Sunday morning. He declined to answer more questions until Monday but said he was talking to attorneys about his situation. "There's a lot more to say and that I'd love to say," he said, laughing. "But I don't know if I'm allowed to." Representatives for Hogan, a Republican, did not respond to inquiries asking when Love was informed of his firing or whether there is a state policy on what employees are allowed to share on social media. Love's firing was first reported by Maryland Matters. According to his LinkedIn profile, Love had been deputy director of the Office of Community Initiatives since 2015. He previously worked at the U.S. Labor Department, the Maryland lieutenant governor's office, and as a field operative on Republican campaigns. The images and memes Love shared on his Facebook account sympathized with Rittenhouse, including one that said, "I'm grateful that conservatives are rallying behind this kid. He genuinely seems like a good person." Another post on his account showed a uniformed officer sticking two thumbs up with the caption: "Don't be a thug if you can't take a slug." In an earlier post, dated July 24, Love weighed in on the clashes between armed officers and protesters in Portland, Ore., writing, "So at what point in time does the local militia gather to defend the local police from these radical anarchists and terrorists . . ." As of Sunday, his Facebook account appeared to have been made private or removed. In recent days, self-declared militia members and counterprotesters have flooded into Kenosha, confronting groups protesting against the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake. On Saturday night, one person was shot dead in Portland after supporters of President Donald Trump drove in a caravan through the city, clashing with counterprotesters. Democratic lawmakers said Love's posts reflected badly on the state government. Del. Vaughn Stewart, D-Montgomery, tweeted that in his role at the Office of Community Initiatives, Love had overseen the state Commission on African American History and Culture. "It goes without saying he is not fit to be a public servant in any capacity," he added. Del. Darryl Barnes, D-Prince George's, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, said to Maryland Matters that there was "no sense" for Love's posts. "There's no reason someone like this should be part of our state government," he added. Love was dismissed effective immediately Saturday, McAdams said. His responsibilities will be assumed by Kevin Craft, administrative director of the Commission on African Affairs. Anand Neelakantan By Political pundits could ascribe a hundred reasons for the rise of the BJP, including polarisation of votes. But what we often miss is its greatest strength. The BJP has a robust internal democracy. Any ordinary worker can dream of reaching the top, and Narendra Modis rise serves as an inspiration. Every position, right from the booth level to the national president, is an elected position and elections happen every three years. Contrast this to a common man joining the Indian National Congress. What is the highest he could aspire for when every position is filled through nomination from the top? In the pre-Independence era, Congress had the most vibrant inner-party democracy among all political parties in the world. Who can forget the historic win of Subhas Chandra Bose against Mahatma Gandhis nominee in 1939 in the Congress party president elections? Slowly, the first family of the party tightened its gripfrom the Indira Gandhi era onwards. The last internal elections in the Congress party was done in 1992 by Narasimha Rao when he was running a minority government at the Centre. Before him, the last internal elections had happened in 1973. In the intervening period, Indira Gandhi and her sons, Sanjay and Rajiv, held the Congress leadership. This election brought leaders such as Mamata Banerjee to the forefront. Though the grip of the family caucus continued, influential leaders such as Rajesh Pilot and Sharad Pawar continued to contest in internal elections. Pilot lost to the family nominee, Sitaram Kesri, for the party presidents post, but it was refreshing to see someone willing to contest for the position. The rot in the Grand Old Party had started immediately after Raos tenure ended. However, it was only with Sonia Gandhi becoming the Supreme Leader that any semblance of internal democracy died in the party. She held multiple positions like the Congress Parliamentary Party leader, the chairperson of the UPA, the head of the election committee and the working committee, and the convener of the national advisory council during the UPA regime. She served as the Congress president for nearly two decades, the longest-held by anyone in a party since 1885. Even Jawaharlal Nehru was party president for only four years after Independence. In 1997, Mamata left the Congress, and in 1999, there was an exodus of influential leaders such as Pawar and PA Sangma, from the Congress, thanks to the Gandhi family asserting its grip over the party once again. Many state-level leaders left the party in the subsequent years as the Congress sunk once again to nomination method of electing its leaders at all levels. From top to bottom, they filled all the posts through nomination. As Congress General Secretary, Rahul Gandhi made some half-hearted attempts in reviving inner-party democracy in 2008. He started organisational polls in the Youth Congress, but that too ended up as a damp squib. Most contestants were elected unopposed. A democracy needs a vibrant Opposition that can keep the government on its toes and not a party that is run like a private fiefdom. Lack of a credible Opposition will only breed complacency in the ruling circle. If one can winwhether or not one governs wellwhy bother to govern at all? We had seen it during the Indira Gandhi era when India became a basket case in the world, where there was no credible Opposition to the highly popular Prime Minister. Likewise, India has no opposition party at the moment. It became clear during the lockdown when millions of hapless migrant workers were walking home for hundreds of miles. Imagine this happening a decade ago when the UPA was ruling. How would have the then Opposition reacted? Any opposition leader worth his salt would have walked along with the people. He need not start any agitation but just walking with them in solidarity, following all the social distancing norms would have made a difference. An opposition party with cadres would have made it into a mass movement, like what Jayaprakash Narayan had done during the Emergency. Instead, what we got was stale discussions in an air-conditioned studio on how to turn around economy with a former RBI Governor. With an Opposition like this, we are looking at a single-party rule for many coming decades. One can only marvel at the way at which a party that ruled the country for almost 55 years is self-destructing itself at the altar of servility to one family. There are two choices before the Grand Old Party. If they want to survive, they should kick-start inner-party democracy from the booth level. Or they can continue like this and speed up the hara-kiri so that some other party will take its place. One way or another, India needs a strong Opposition to emerge before it is too late. Anand Neelakantan Author of Asura, Ajaya series, Vanara and Bahubali trilogy mail@asura.co.in Addressing the nation on the 68th edition of his monthly radio programme on August 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again stressed on making all things indigenous and homegrown a part of our lives, including dogs of local breed. Urging Indians to adopt Indian dogs, he advised those looking to keep pets to consider dogs of local breeds. He said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research is currently conducting research on indie dogs. The purpose of the research is to make Indian breeds better and more useful. Next time you think of keeping a dog then you must bring one of the Indian-breed dogs home, said PM Modi. The PM reminded the importance of keeping dogs as pets for security reasons and how dogs have been an important part of several security operations. He reminded Indians of the Army dogs - Vida and Sophie - who were awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards during the 74th Independence Day celebrations on August 15. Mann Ki Baat Highlights | India is a land of innovators, has ability to become toy hub: PM Modi Modi said there are many such brave dogs of local breeds that are part of the Indian armed forces, have taken part in multiple security operations, and have also given up their lives for the nation. He added: Such dogs have been instrumental in preventing many bomb blasts and foiling terror plots. To elaborate, he cited the example of a dog named Balram, which had helped discover explosives planted on the Amarnath Yatra route in 2006. That is not all. In the year 2002, another canine called Bhawna had helped detect IED. Going back to his point, Modi said: I have heard that Indian breed dogs are very good and competent. The Mudhol hound and the Himachali hound are some of the best Indian dogs, while the Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai, and Combai are very good too. The Indian Army and the National Security Guard have trained and inducted Mudhol hounds into their dog squads, while the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has inducted dogs of the Combai breed. To encourage prospective pet owners, he reminded that "these dogs require minimum upkeep and are comfortable with Indian climatic conditions. - Peter Kenneth is set to launch his 2022 presidential bid in the coming weeks using the Democratic Congress party - The Political outfit has already started revamping their 24 offices across the country in preparation for PK's campaigns - Kenneth has already set up the PK hub in Nairobi which he will use for online campaigns Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth has formed a high-power team that will steer his 2022 campaigns in the contest for the house on top of the hill. Kenneth who vied for the presidency in 2013 is said to be sprucing for the Democratic Congress (DC) party which he is planning to use to launch his 2022 presidential ambitions. READ ALSO: Kevin Omwenga: Controversial businessman was to travel to Dubai for KSh 100M payment Peter Kenneth addressing members of the public during a past event in Gatanga. Photo: The Star Source: UGC READ ALSO: Japanese flying car takes off with one person aboard In a report by the Daily Nation, the party which is currently chaired by late politician Tom Mboya's son, Tom Mboya Jr, has started revamping its 24 offices across the country. The Nairobi office is expected to be the nerve centre of the Kenneth campaign. In addition, the former MP has opened up a PK Hub, which is set to be launched later in the week and would be used to rally Kenyans behind him online. Kenneth who recently striked a work-together formula with the ruling Jubilee Party said his closeness to President Uhuru Kenyatta would be a significant asset in the 2022 succession politics. READ ALSO: Francis Atwoli, wife Mary Kilobi enjoy much needed time away in Masai Mara "We need not read too much in the two of us striking a cooperation formula. The President has never been my political enemy and we have remained close. I hear others say I contested against him in 2013, yet the two of us are democrats, he said. The former legislator has been seen on several occasions in the company of Jubilee Vice Chairperson David Murathe, COTU boss Francis Atwoli and Opposition leader Raila Odinga. The Mt. Kenya politician has often been seen as being placed to fit into Uhuru's shoes once his term expires in 2022. However, there are those of a different view who think the former lawmaker was and opportunist biting more than he can chew. Peter Kenneth and Raila Odinga during a past meeting at the Opposition leader's office in Nairobi. Photo: ODM Party Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kenyans hail MP Sylvanus Osoro for building decent houses for poor constituents Kenneth is a man who represents everything that Mt Kenya would wish to forget. In 2013 when Uhuru Kenyatta needed all the community members around him owing to the International Criminal Court case, he struck a defiant chord and went ahead to contest against him, said MP Rigathi Gachagua. On his side, MP Ndindi Nyoro said Kenneth had a remote chance of becoming the Mt Kenya political kingpin until he started forming alliances with Raila Odinga. Nyoro said Raila was a political problem in Mt Kenya and associating with him is a risk that comes with a price. 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 PARIS (Reuters) - A senior French military officer had been placed under investigation over a suspected breach of security, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Sunday. According to Europe 1 radio, a French lieutenant colonel, based in Italy and stationed with NATO, is suspected of having passed sensitive documents to the Russian secret services. Asked to comment on the report, Parly said the ministry had informed prosecutors about the case. She did not elaborate on what the officer was suspected of having done. "We have taken all the necessary safeguard measures," she added. According to Europe 1, the officer was detained by the French security agency when he was about to return to Italy and was remanded in custody at La Sante prison in Paris. A judicial source said the Paris prosecutor's office had launched an investigation following a report from the Armed Forces Ministry on July 22. As a result, on Aug. 21 an officer with a posting abroad was indicted for passing information to a foreign power and compromising national security, according to the source, who said the officer was remanded in custody the same day. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva and Gwenaelle Barzic; Editing by William Maclean and Pravin Char) Jacob Blake's attorney Benjamin Crump told CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that President Trump has not contacted the Blake family ahead of his planned visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, more than a week after police shot Blake seven times in the back. Why it matters: Protests have erupted in Kenosha and across the country in response to Blake's shooting. Trump, who has made condemning violent protests a key plank of his "law and order" campaign message, plans to visit the city on Tuesday to "survey damage from recent riots," according to a White House spokesperson. The other side: Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris spoke with the Blake family for over an hour last week. It's unclear whether Biden plans to visit Kenosha, but he intends to speak from an undisclosed location this week to denounce the violence. What Crump is saying: "The Blake family has not been contacted at this time. The Blake family is very respectful of all our elected officials. And as his mother says, she prays for all of our elected officials." "Obviously, [Blake] suffered catastrophic injuries. A bullet pierced his spinal cord, a bullet shattered his vertebrae, a bullet went into his intestines, where he lost most of his intestines. ... A bullet went into his kidney. ... He has two holes in his stomach. He has a hole in his arm. ... For the rest of his life, he is going to be a shell of himself." "And his three little boys were in that car. Ages 8 years old, 5 years old and 3 years old, and they witnessed all of this. So you can only imagine the psychological issues these little babies are going to have. And his 8-year-old son was celebrating his birthday, so imagine what the rest of his birthdays are going to be each year." What to watch: Trump's trip to Kenosha is "certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence," according to AP. Police arrive to treat a man who was shot near a pro-Trump rally on Saturday night in Portland, Oregon. Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images A man was shot and killed on Saturday night in Portland, Oregon, amid violent clashes between a caravan of Trump supporters and anti-racist protesters in the city. It is not entirely clear how the shooting may have been related to the protests, but the victim was reportedly a member of a far-right group in the Portland area. Below is what we know so far about this developing story, updated as new information becomes available. The shooting and police investigation The shooting happened amid periodically violent clashes between anti-racist protesters and Trump supporters, some armed, in a caravan of hundreds of vehicles taking part in a rolling rally outside the city, many of which later drove through downtown. Per a Saturday night statement from Portland Police: On Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 8:46p.m., Portland Police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street. They responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased. OPB reported Sunday that the man was apparently a member of a far-right group that was present at the rally: Images from the scene show a man wearing a hat featuring the logo of Patriot Prayer, a group that has regularly attended, hosted and engaged in violence at Portland protests through the years. The man was also wearing a Thin Blue Line patch on his shorts, indicating support for the police. Portland Police did not release information about any potential suspects, but said that they were investigating the shooting as a homicide. This violence is completely unacceptable, and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible, Portland police chief Chuck Lovell said Sunday. According to the New York Times, A video that purports to be of the shooting, taken from the far side of the street, showed a small group of people in the road outside what appears to be a parking garage. Gunfire erupts, and a man collapses in the street. This was the fatal shooting that just took place in Portland, Oregon. It does not appear to be related to the ongoing Antifa protest. pic.twitter.com/79OrmNuXAx Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 30, 2020 Another video recorded audio but not video of the shooting, though it captured the immediate aftermath when protester medics tried to administer aid to the victim before police quickly arrived and took over the scene. Someone walking by saw a confrontation and then two shots fired from very close range. One of the guys hit the pavement. The shooter took off Cops have cordoned off the whole block. An ambulance left, but the body is still in the street Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile) (@1misanthrophile) August 30, 2020 The Daily Beast also spoke to some witnesses of the shooting: Kevin Escobar, a counter-protester who witnessed the shooting, told the Daily Beast there was a commotion in front of a car before two shots rang out. I saw a body on the ground, just the legs. It looked like they werent moving, he said. Another man who didnt want to be named said he was driving south when, I heard two shots and saw a person fall. Their body fell right there I heard two shots, and boom. The shooter has reportedly been killed On September 3, five days after the shooting, a 48-year-old man suspected in the homicide was reportedly shot and killed by police in Lacey, Washington, outside of Seattle, when officers tried to arrest him. According to law enforcement officials who spoke with the New York Times, a federal fugitive task force killed Michael Forest Reinoehl when they attempted to detain him. Earlier in the day, Vice News published an interview in which Reinoehl, who said he was a support of antifa in June, claimed the killing in Portland was an act of self-defense, as he believed that he and a friend were about to get stabbed. I could have sat there and watched them kill a friend of mine of color, but I wasnt going to do that. The victim The victim has not yet been officially named, but according to the Oregonian, he has been identified by fellow members of the Patriot Prayer group as Jay Bishop, though that is apparently an alias he went by. A purportedly official GoFundMe benefitting his family, shared by the Patriot Prayer leader Joey Bishop on social media, says his real name was Aaron Jay Danielson. Little else was known about Danielson as of Sunday night, other than his membership in Patriot Prayer, a far-right Portland area group that has been involved in numerous violent clashes over the years. On Sunday, President Trump retweeted a tweet revealing the victims name as Jay Bishop and alleging he was murdered in Portland by ANTIFA which has not be confirmed by any stretch by any authorities. Rest In Peace Jay! Trump wrote. The Trump rally and protests Two events converged on Saturday night in Portland: the 94th consecutive day of protests in the city against racism and police brutality in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, and a rolling Trump rally/counter-protest comprised of a caravan of hundreds of vehicles filled with thousands of Trump supporters, some of whom were armed, which began outside the city but eventually moved downtown leading to numerous chaotic, sometimes dangerous confrontations between the groups. The Trump rally participants reportedly energized by the presidents acceptance speech at the RNC on Thursday, in which he condemned the unrest in Democrat-run Portland gathered in nearby Clackamas in the late afternoon. According to OPB, A post pinned to the Facebook event page, which drew some 2,500 attendees, discouraged people from openly carrying firearms and instead encouraged concealed carry, though some of the Trump supporters did apparently open-carry at the event. A source who wishes to remain anonymous sent me this photo from Clackamas Town Center where Trump supporters are meeting for a drive around the city car rally (still unsure where theyre driving to). Their Facebook event encouraged attendees to show up armed. pic.twitter.com/VnDa2bs0Eh Alissa Azar (@R3volutionDaddy) August 29, 2020 OPB reports that the Trump 2020 Cruise Rally assembled at the Clackamas Town Center mall, where hordes of trucks flying Trump, Gadsden, American and Thin Blue Line flags had lined the town center parking lot by 4 p.m.: Clackamas County Sheriffs Office vehicles blocked intersections around the mall to allow the parade of vehicles to pass through, but officials told OPB they were not providing an escort for the group. Multiple Oregon state troopers were positioned along Highway 224, the pro-Trump caravans primary route to Portland. A map of the intended route shared and spread across social media kept the caravan on highways and out of downtown. In a highly predictable turn of events, many cars rerouted into downtown just before 7 p.m. Confrontations grew more heated from there. The Daily Beast adds that sporadic fights broke out between Trump supporters and anti-racist demonstrators outside the [mall], where at least 600 vehicles had gathered in the parking lot, and that members of the far-right Three Percenters were reportedly spotted in the crowd holding paintball guns as organizers delivered speeches to honor Trump, whom they described as our great president. Another unconfirmed report indicated that some members of the far-right Proud Boys were also in attendance. A lot of aggression on this bridge pic.twitter.com/cZF4ilypoh Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020 Truck almost runs over protestors pic.twitter.com/7HWrYqXiK7 Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020 When trucks from the caravan attempted to drive through downtown Portland, there were efforts by protesters to halt the procession, including demonstrators standing in the middle of the street, and some stopping their own cars to block passage. (As has typically been the case with the Portland protests, the anti-racist demonstrators comprised multiple groups, including Black Lives Matter, anti-fascist, and other protesters.) Caravan is hundreds of cars deep pic.twitter.com/XVUAgoIIFq Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020 There is tension that escala pic.twitter.com/Kea2sEb0Rj Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) August 30, 2020 Another far-right extremist group participating in the Trump rally was pacific northwest-based Patriot Prayer, including the groups leader, Joey Gibson. There were also multiple reports, and videos, showing caravan members firing paintballs and bear (pepper) spray cans at anti-racist protesters standing on sidewalks or in the streets, some of whom threw eggs and other projectiles at the vehicles. Clashes. Trump people unload paintballs and pepper spray. They shot me too. pic.twitter.com/PwU5pZMLnV Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020 Driving through crowds and macing out of vehicles at SW 4th and Washington. pic.twitter.com/dCNJxYlkYn Cory Elia (@TheRealCoryElia) August 30, 2020 There were multiple sporadic clashes between caravan members and protesters, including fights between Trump supporters who got out of their vehicles to confront people on the street, and protesters confronting people standing in the backs of pickup trucks. Portland Police later said they had made ten arrests, but law enforcement reportedly made only limited attempts to try to keep the groups apart. As the New York Times Mike Baker notes, Saturdays violence marked the third consecutive weekend involving guns at protests in the city. In addition to the fatal shooting on Saturday night, gunfire was also reported on Friday night, and on August 15 both incidents involved people firing guns from cars, though apparently only in the air, and no injuries were reported. The response from Trump, Biden, and Oregon authorities It did not take long for President Trump to comment on the shooting. Early Sunday morning, Trump sent off a number of inflammatory tweets and retweets related to the previous nights events mostly reiterating his previous comments on the unrest in Portland, and notably failing to condemn the violence. In one tweet sharing a video of one of the violent clashes on Saturday night in Portland, he suggested the Trump rally was part of a big backlash against the violence in the city, again criticized Portland mayor Ted Wheeler, and called for bringing in the National Guard. The big backlash going on in Portland cannot be unexpected after 95 days of watching an incompetent Mayor admit that he has no idea what he is doing, Trumps tweet said. The people of Portland wont put up with no safety any longer. The Mayor is a FOOL. Bring in the National Guard! He also referred to the rally caravan as a group of GREAT PATRIOTS! and had a lot more to say, too, as Voxs Cameron Peters notes: In a number of his tweets and retweets Sunday, Trump dismissed arguments that he is responsible for ending violence at protests, claiming instead that deadly incidents are the fault of Democratic mayors and governors. For example, the president amplified a tweet accusing Democrats of being slow and hesitant to condemn violence and disorder, and also one that accused Wheeler and the Portland police of having blood on their hands. Disgraceful Anarchists, he wrote in reply to a video of Portland protesters. We are watching them closely, but stupidly protected by the Radical Left Dems! Trump said nothing to discourage the violence. In a tweet on Sunday night, the president retweeted a tribute to the victim which alleged, without evidence, that the victim was murdered in Portland by ANTIFA, adding the message, Rest In Peace Jay! At a Sunday afternoon press conference addressing the shooting, Portland mayor Ted Wheeler called the incident a tragedy that cannot be repeated. Wheeler also implicated the president. Do you seriously wonder, Mr. President, why this is the first time in decades that America has seen this level of violence? Wheeler said. Its you who have created the hate and the division. The embattled mayor, who publicly turned down Trumps offer of federal law enforcement assistance on Friday, also asked the president to work with him to deescalate the violence. But as OPB notes, Neither Wheeler nor Chief Chuck Lovell offered a specific plan for preventing Saturdays shooting from setting off more violence, though they both acknowledged that possibility. Trump responded by mocking Wheeler while the press conference was still underway: An remarkable moment here... In a news conference, Wheeler calls out the president for his divisive rhetoric and asks Trump to work with him to help de-escalate things. In real time, the president responds by calling Wheeler "wacky" and a "dummy" and...https://t.co/G6RrEoblNK Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) August 30, 2020 Meanwhile, Oregon governor Kate Brown also blamed the president on Sunday, alleging in a statement that Trump has encouraged division and stoked violence, particularly in recent months. She also said that our hearts go out to the family of the shooting victim in Portland, and that while we do not yet know the full circumstances of this persons death we will find those who are responsible, and they will be held accountable. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, who has echoed the presidents law-and-order comments throughout the unrest this summer, blamed local officials for encouraging an environment of lawlessness and chaos. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden issued a statement on Sunday condemning the violence in Portland on all sides: I condemn this violence unequivocally. I condemn violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same. It does not matter if you find the political views of your opponents abhorrent, any loss of life is a tragedy. Today there is another family grieving in America, and Jill and I offer our deepest condolences. Biden added that, as a country, we must condemn the incitement of hate and resentment that led to this deadly clash. It is not a peaceful protest when you go out spoiling for a fight. He then went on to attack Trump for fanning the flames of hate and division: INBOX from @JoeBiden: "The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. Shooting in the streets of a great American city is unacceptable. I condemn this violence unequivocally. I condemn violence of every kind by anyone..." pic.twitter.com/7OUOXUAEkQ Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) August 30, 2020 This post will be continuously updated throughout as more information becomes available. Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden accepts the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination during a speech delivered for the largely virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, August 20, 2020. Democratic nominee Joe Biden deplored violent clashes in Portland, Oregon, a day after a man was fatally shot during confrontations between Black Lives Matter demonstrators and President Donald Trump's supporters. He accused Trump of "fanning the flames" to get reelected. "The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. Shooting in the streets of a great American city is unacceptable. I condemn this violence unequivocally," Biden said in a lengthy statement. "I condemn violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same." Portland police are investigating the shooting of a man who was affiliated with a far-right group. It's not clear if the shooting was connected to the fights between counter-demonstrators and Trump supporters. Clashes occurred as a large group of Trump supporters drove through downtown Portland in a caravan of hundreds of vehicles Saturday. Videos from the confrontation show protesters hurling things like water bottles at the Trump caravan and Trump supporters shooting protesters with paint balls and what appears to be pepper spray. There have been nightly protests in Portland for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump has repeatedly condemned demonstrators and called for a return to "law and order" in Portland. "We must not become a country at war with ourselves. A country that accepts the killing of fellow Americans who do not agree with you. A country that vows vengeance toward one another," Biden said. "But that is the America that President Trump wants us to be, the America he believes we are." In a barrage of tweets responding to the Portland violence, Trump denounced Black Lives Matter protesters as "agitators and thugs" and shared a video of the caravan driving into Portland and called them "GREAT PATRIOTS!" The president also attacked Democratic state and local officials over the continued protests and called for federal response to demonstrations. Biden accused Trump of "fanning the flames of hate and division," encouraging violence and instilling fear to garner support. "He may believe tweeting about law and order makes him strong but his failure to call on his supporters to stop seeking conflict shows just how weak he is," Biden said. "He may think that war in our streets is good for his reelection chances, but that is not presidential leadership or even basic human compassion." The violence in Portland comes days after a 17-year-old Trump supporter was accused of fatally shooting two people and seriously wounding a third person during clashes in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kenosha, a former auto industry hub between Milwaukee and Chicago, has been gripped by unrest in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. Read Biden's full statement below: On August 29, the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that denuclearisation of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site largely reduced the threat of nuclear proliferation in the international community, ANI report confirmed. Nuclear weaponry testing was conducted in the territory of the Kazakh SSR since 1949 as part of the USSR with an estimated 500 nuclear explosions that may have been launched to test the weaponry, according to local reports. However, in a historic anti-nuclear initiative by President Nursultan Nazarbayev on August 29, 1991, he signed the decree 409 of the President of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic to permanently close down the site for betterment of the health of the people in the sites vicinity. The fourth-largest nuclear facility in the world, Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site caused radioactive substance emissions and hazardous radiations that impacted over 500,000 people in an area extending to 300,000 square kilometers, as per several reports. On the occasion of International Day against Nuclear Tests, as declared by UN General Assembly in 2009, Tokayev spoke about the comprehensive environmental recovery plans that aim to restore the 18,500 square kilometers area subjected to damage. Further, he was reported saying that the Semipalatinsk sites closure prioritized the social rehabilitation and long-term safety of the people living in northeastern Kazakhstan's Semey city. The United Nations General Assembly, in 2015, adopted the Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free-World as advised by Kazakhstan. Read: IAEA Chief Meets Iran's Top Nuclear Official Read: Kazakhstan Govt Advocates For A World Free From Nuclear Weapons "Secret nuclear facilities" post WWII The nations radical decision to shut down the nuclear test site earned great recognition and respect worldwide taking into account that Kazakhstan had predominantly remained one of the leading nations in the nuclear arsenals race. However, introducing moratoriums on nuclear weapons tests by the first President for the welfare of the people was largely viewed as progressive by the worlds community. Post-WWII, many secret nuclear facility towns emerged in the north-east of Kazakhstan as per UNs official report, known by the names such as Moscow-400, Semipalatinsk-21, End of the Line, and the Kurchatov City. The towns were heavily guarded and under inspection by the military forces with several checkpoints. On August 29, 1949, as many as 456 nuclear devices were exploded in the territory across 18,500 square meters area for over 40 years as residents often witnessed mushroom cloud from the hazardous nuclear testing. While the side effects of nuclear radiations were identified in the region, children and newborns continue to suffer genetic mutations despite the sites closure years later according to the UN report. Read: Iran Agrees To Allow IAEA To Inspect Two Suspected Nuclear Sites 'to Resolve The Issues' Read: Bill Gates' Nuclear Venture Reveals Plans Of Reactor To Help Fight Climate Change (Image Credit: Twitter/ @TokayevKZ) 2020 gave us yet another blow yesterday and yet another shocking news for all film-lovers. Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman passed away due to cancer. The actor was battling the illness for the last four years and took his last breath on Friday night in LA with his family by his side. The family and his team reported his journey to heavenly abode on his official Twitter account and last evening Twitter announced that the post has become the most liked tweet in their history. Twitters official account quoted Chadwicks tweet and mentioned saying, Most liked tweet ever. A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever. Now thats truly a tribute for the King and the real hero who put up a strong fight against the illness without letting his fans know. The news completely shocked everyone and celebrities and netizens worldwide expressed their grief on social media. Most liked Tweet ever. A tribute fit for a King. #WakandaForever https://t.co/lpyzmnIVoP Twitter (@Twitter) August 29, 2020 The actors famous catchphrase Wakanda Forever from Black Panther has become everyones tweet and tribute for the talented artist. Chadwick Bosemans last stint as the famous superhero in Avengers: Endgame created history at the box-office in India as well in the International box-office. The actors legacy will remain forever with us. After a five month hiatus because of COVID-19, Windsor International Airport will resume commercial flights to Toronto next month. Air Canada will offer two flights a day to Toronto International Pearson Airport starting September 8, with 12pm and 4pm departure times. "We're excited to have them back obviously, and have air service again to the Windsor area," said Mark Galvin, the airport's CEO. All commercial flights in and out of Windsor were put on hold at the beginning of April when all airlines suspended their flights because of the pandemic. Passengers can expect a number of differences at the YQG terminal, Galvin explained, like mandatory masks, social distancing marks on the floor and touch-less technology. Changes at the terminal The airport will also have two relaxation zones throughout the terminal where travellers will be able to physically distance and remove their masks if they need to. CBC "We find that's a good best practice to have," Galvin explained. Further to that, the airport is encouraging a "kiss-and-ride" concept for drop-offs, recommending that only ticketed passengers enter the building to limit the number of people inside. "That's really our job is to make the terminal as safe an environment as we possibly can and layer those mitigation efforts on top of one another," Galvin said. Airlines taking it 'one day' at a time Earlier this summer, it was announced that Porter Airlines was also scheduled to resume commercial flights out of Windsor in July, but plans were changed. "They're making a decision based on what they see in terms of demand," Galvin said, adding that he's in regular communication with all airline partners about when they might return to Windsor. "I think they're sort of taking it one day, one week at a time." The re-opening of the terminal is allowing the airport to call some staff members back to work, following lay-offs earlier this year. The airport hopes to bring more staff back in the near future once flights ramp up. Story continues Major losses The last five months have taken a significant financial toll on the airport, with losses in the hundreds of thousands, according to Galvin. "We know that this recovery is going to take some time, but certainly this is the first step in that, welcoming back Air Canada with open arms and providing that traveler experience," he said. "Hopefully as we move forward, more and more partners come back and more flights come back and we'll kind of ramp up as we do." Even though it's been a difficult five months, Galvin said he's feeling optimistic and hopeful for the future. "Traveling is living, and traveling safely is living safely, and that's kind of ... what we're looking at." Getty Images Bank By Lee Min-hyung Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol BP is planning to sell its HQ, according to reports. Photo: Getty The coronavirus pandemic has led many businesses to rethink how they use their office space, with BP (BP) the latest to draw up plans to sell its headquarters. The oil giant, which employs 6,500 staff in its London and Surrey-based offices, plans to lease the building back from the new owner for up to two years until moving out permanently, according to reports in the Sunday Times. The report noted that BP chief Bernard Looney has previously said the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) company will move to a more hybrid work style, balancing home and office working. This comes alongside news that banks could also be moving away from working in big office blocks in the near future by converting underused parts of their high street branches into space to work. Virgin Money (VMUK.L) and Metro Bank (MTRO.L) have already made plans to convert parts of branches into flexible working space, according to the FT. The report also said Lloyds Banking Group (LYG) would begin testing similar measures from October. A combination of swathes of businesses saying employees will work from home until the new year, and downsizing at many firms has left business leaders questioning their commercial office arrangements. This has brought uncertainty in the property market. READ MORE: Pace of decline in private sector activity continues to ease BPs HQ, on St Jamess Square, could fetch more than 300m ($400.5m), if theres appetite for it. Savills (SVS.L), an estate agent, forecast that 7.2% of office space in the City of London will be empty next year, the highest vacancy levels since the financial crisis. BPs proposed sale also comes as Britain's government has urged people to return to work amid concern about the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on the economy and struggling high street businesses. A Morgan Stanley study published in early August indicated just one-third (34%) of British office workers had returned to their desks, compared to 68% in Europe. Use of public transport, including national rail services, and buses and underground trains in the capital has remained well under capacity, government statistics showed. Story continues A study by University College London also indicated almost a third of people aged 30-59 and 30% of those aged 18-29 planned to work from home after the end of the pandemic. BP didnt immediately respond to Yahoo Finance UK requests for comment. READ MORE: Coronavirus: Sunak mulls sweeping tax hikes to pay for recovery As dissenters in the Congress face attacks, senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday said such verbal assaults targeting the group of 23 (G-23) letter writers went against the party's position on the issue laid down by Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Chowdury, the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, also dismissed suggestions that the letter to the Congress President raising issues about the drift in the party was not a challenge to the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Not a challenge to Rahul Gandhi. Those people, how can they challenge Rahul Gandhi. But, I do not know why they are saying this, Chowdhury, a five-term Lok Sabha member, told DH. The G-23 has been facing attacks from within the party since their letter to the Congress President seeking sweeping changes in the party and calling for organisational elections became public. After a stormy meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Monday last, a section of leaders called for the ouster of the G-23 from the party for questioning the leadership of the party. So far as my knowledge goes it is not the party line. Even madam (Sonia Gandhi) herself has said we have to work together and fight (the BJP) together, Chowdhury said disapproving of the attacks on the leaders. While a section of the G-23 has made peace with the party by expressing faith in the Congress Presidents remarks at the CWC asking leaders to move ahead and let bygones be bygones. However, the defiant note struck by senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal does not appear to have gone down well with the party which described them as headline hunters. Congress President has clearly said we now should look to the future. Once the Congress President has said so, I think that letter and spirit must be observed in every which way. I dont think it is appropriate after that for me or anyone else to comment, be it to be at the centre of the press or centre of headlines, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here. Soon, any boarding pass printed or downloaded more than once will have duplicate mentioned on it a step aviation security authorities said was essential to avoid misuse of such passes. Bar code scanners used at the airports to check boarding passes will also be upgraded to be able to catch any modifications made in the travel document to prevent forgery, officials aware of the development, said. The measures have been taken by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in the wake of airlines and airport operators promoting self check-ins and use of e-boarding passes for passengers, after the Covid-19 lockdown, in order to ensure contactless travel. In one of its recent circulars, BCAS has warned airlines, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport operators about the possibilities of boarding pass forgery. The bureau has directed agencies concerned to come up with solutions and establish a fail-proof passenger movement system. In its circular, accessed by Hindustan Times, BCAS has said, Passengers with ill intentions may falsify their bar coded boarding passes by changing the flight number or class of service. They may also print two copies of the bar coded boarding pass and pass one to a friend or even create a counterfeit bar coded boarding pass. It further said that technical solutions shall be incorporated in the process by concerned aircraft operators. A senior CISF officer from the Delhi airport said barcode scanners currently used are basic ones. Because of e-boarding passes the risk of forgery is higher now. BCAS has suggested upgrade of scanners to the ones that will also catch any modifications and will be able to identify if the print out or the e-copy of boarding pass has been doctored. It has also asked airlines to write duplicate on any boarding pass that is printed more than once . This will help us identify people travelling on duplicate boarding passes and we can re-verify their credentials to make sure the traveller is genuine, the officer said, wishing not to be named. While Air India said it will comply with all the protocols and norms specified by BCAS, IndiGo said all their boarding passes are in synchronization with the airlines Reservation and Passenger Servicing System. These boarding passes have International Air Transport Association recommended barcode. All such boarding passes are reconciled electronically against Passenger Servicing System. This process takes care of potential risk that it may cause due to forged barcode, forged boarding pass or due to multiple copies of boarding passes, an airline spokesperson said. IndiGo, however, said it is in process of upgrading their system to print duplicate on the boarding passes. BCAS, in its circular, has also said that the airport operator shall work in coordination with aircraft operators and CISF/police so that a synchronized system is established for movement of passengers right from the entry gate to kiosks generating boarding passes to security checkpoints and to the boarding gate or ladder point. Delhi International Airport Ltd (Dial), that operates Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport, did not respond to requests for a comment on the issue. Former CISF director general, Arvind Ranjan said as banks continuously keep improving their software for enhanced security, a similar system can be introduced. So every time a passenger prints the boarding pass, the information is shared with agencies concerned. The airlines and airport operators will need to upgrade their system and engage experts to build devices that are fail proof, Ranjan said. Mali's military junta on Saturday postponed the first meeting on the transfer of power after rising tensions with the group that sparked the August 18 coup. The junta had invited civic groups, political organisations and former rebels to consultations on Saturday, but said in a statement that the meeting was postponed at the last minute to a later date due to "organisational reasons". A protest coalition that had campaigned against former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the June 5 Movement, was not invited to the meeting and accused the new military rulers of trying to hijack the coup. The group has demanded that the military junta give it a role in the transition to civilian rule, in keeping with its role in spearheading Keita's ouster. The military has promised to do so, though without a timetable. "We state with bitterness that this junta which had sparked hope in the hearts of all Malians... is in the process of drifting away from the people," said Tahirou Bah, from the Espoir Malikoura association, one of the pillars of the June 5 movement. The June 5 movement said they had been summoned later Saturday to the Kati military barracks near the capital to meet with the junta leaders. 'No carte blanche' After an escalating series of mass protests, young army officers mutinied on August 18, seizing Keita and other leaders and declaring they now governed the country. The coup shocked Mali's West African neighbours and ally France, heightening worries over instability in a country already struggling with an Islamist insurgency, ethnic violence and economic malaise. Mali's influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, a key player in the mass opposition protests that led to Keita's ouster, said Friday that the new military rulers did not have "carte blanche". "We will not give a blank cheque to anyone to run this country, that's over," he said. "We led the fight," he said. "People have died and the soldiers who have completed (this fight) must keep their word." Dicko's spokesman Issa Kaou Djim later expanded on this, saying the imam "said the people have started to doubt" the junta. "A revolution cannot be confiscated by a group of soldiers," he said. His comments came as a new document published on the Malian government's Official Journal said the junta's head had been effectively invested with the powers of head of state. West African leaders on Friday demanded an immediate civilian transition and elections within 12 months, as they considered sanctions. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS closed its borders with Mali after the coup, banning trade and financial flows as it demanded the release of Keita and other detained officials. Keita, 75, was elected in 2013 as a unifying figure in a fractured country and was returned in 2018 for a second five-year term. But his popularity crashed as he failed to counter the raging jihadist insurgency and brake Mali's downward economic spiral. The stimulus money that the federal benefit recipients are entitled to must act until September 30. The IRS sent more than 160 million payments for American families after the COVID-19 Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was authorized to give American families economic stimulus payments. According to USA Today, lawmakers are struggling to deal with how the government will provide more COVID-19 money. At the same time, the Republicans and Democrats have redundantly failed to do so. More people believe they are entitled to receive more cash. While the chances of Americans getting more stimulus, money continue declining. This is because as time passes, there is still no compromised legislation. However, the IRS has now made easier access for those people who are having a hard time accessing the money they are owed. The access will only last until September 30. Who is entitled to more stimulus money? Per qualifying adult, there is CARES Act payment worth up to $1,200 and $500 for eligible dependent under the age of 17, as per The Motley Fool. But in some cases, some recipients didn't get the money they are entitled to for their dependents. The interruption is because the IRS needed to obtain data about the list of people it will send payments to based on either 2018 or 2019 tax returns. If not from the tax returns, it could be from different federal agencies such as those that sent Social Security checks or VA benefits. The IRS found enough information to send checks, including those who didn't submit tax returns in 2018 of 2019. But the VA and SSA couldn't provide information to the federal agency regarding which beneficiaries have qualified dependents. Several people haven't done anything while the IRS urged those who received stimulus money, but did not file taxes, to use an online form to include their dependents. Because of an incomplete action, those people missed out the $500 they should've received for each dependent. This time, the IRS gives a second chance for those who are owed to receive their dependent money. The agency reopened its online non-filer tool and requested beneficiaries to complete the form as soon as possible to get the extra funds. The non-filer tool's access will be open only until September 30, so those who will provide details about their dependents will receive the extra $500 of each eligible dependent by mid-October. It would help if you acted before the deadline to get your money. What if you miss the deadline? Eventually, you will still have the chance to get your money for your dependents if you miss the September 30 deadline. But you will have to file a 2020 tax return before you receive your stimulus money. Filing your return for the 2020 tax year will make it possible for you to claim the money since the COVID-19 payments were advanced on the tax credit. Besides, until at least January 2021, the IRs won't accept returns for 2020, so you need to wait a lot longer than October 2020 to get your money if you let the September deadline pass without doing anything. Completing the IRS non-filer form is easier than filing a tax return for 2020, wherein you need to do a lot more paperwork. To make your life simpler, and get your stimulus money sooner, follow the IRS suggestion, and fill-up the form to their website. Check these out: Latin American Hospitals Allowing Visitors of Dying COVID-19 Patients Increases Second Round of Stimulus Checks Seem to be in Danger Stimulus Payments: 800,000 Taxpayers Might not Become Recipients, IRS Says Has success made you feel lonely and isolated? Family activist Mia Birdsongs book celebrates the power of community and the individuals place within it Mia Birdsong is best known as a family activist, whose work is centred around building and sustaining communities, especially in the American context, where individual ambition has pushed ideas of collective good to the background. In her new book How We Show Up (Hachette, $16.99, around 1,250), she explores ways of Reclaiming Family, Friendship, And Community, as the subtitle puts it. Central to her findings is the counter-intuitive fact that the American Dream of success can often leave individuals lonely and isolated. The remedy, as she argues, is to invest in wider human bonds. advertisement advertisement A weekly guide to a better you at work, home and life. The Pentagon has released new video of a Russian Su-27 fighter jet veering directly into the path of an American B-52 bomber in what US officials decried as an 'unsafe and unprofessional' intercept. The B-52 was conducting 'routine operations' over the Black Sea on Friday morning when two Russian Su-27s crossed within 100ft of its nose multiple times in international airspace, the Air Force said in a statement Saturday. In one particularly alarming clip, one of Su-27s is seen pulling up next to the B-52's left wing before swerving directly in front of its nose. The Russian pilots conducted the dangerous maneuver - which is often referred to as 'thumping' or a 'head-butt' and can be extremely dangerous - by shifting into afterburner mode. In modern aviation, when pilots activate afterburners, it injects fuel directly into the exhaust stream of a turbine engine, increasing the thrust so that the aircraft can accelerate. The Pentagon said the repeated maneuvers caused turbulence for the B-52, making it difficult for the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft. Scroll down for video Video captured the moment a Russian Su-27 fighter jet veered directly into the path of an American B-52 bomber over the Black Sea on Friday morning in what US officials decried as an 'unsafe and unprofessional' intercept The B-52 was conducting 'routine operations' over the Black Sea on Friday morning when two Russian Su-27s crossed within 100ft of its nose multiple times in international airspace, the Air Force said in a statement Saturday. One of Su-27s is seen pulling up next to the B-52's left wing The Su-27 is seen flying directly in front of the B-52 in a dangerous maneuver referred to as 'thumping' or a 'head-butt' The Russian government claims that the B-52 was flying toward the Russian border, while the Americans say the bomber was in international airspace 'Actions like these increase the potential for midair collisions, are unnecessary, and inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight rules,' said General Jeff Harrigian of US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander. 'While the Russian aircraft were operating in international airspace, they jeopardized the safety of flight of the aircraft involved. 'We expect them to operate within international standards set to ensure safety and prevent accidents.' The Russian government did not share the American assessment of the incident. The Defense Ministry in Moscow said in a statement that the American B-52 was 'approaching the state border of the Russian Federation.' 'To identify the air target and prevent violation of the state border of Russia, two Su-27 fighters were raised into the air,' according to the Russian Defense Ministry. 'After the foreign military plane turned away from the state border, the Russian fighter safely returned to the home airfield. Video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense shows an American B-52 bomber being intercepted by Russian Su-27 jets over the Black Sea on Friday morning The above stock image shows a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet. Russian aircraft routinely fly close to American planes that patrol sensitive regions The above image is a file photo of a B-52G Stratofortress bomber. The United States on Friday flew six B-52 bombers over all 30 NATO alliance members in what military observers say is a show of force 'The entire flight of Russian Su-27 fighters took place strictly in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace. 'The American aircraft was not allowed to violate the state border of the Russian Federation.' Russian and American planes frequently intercept each other over in international airspace that borders sensitive areas with geopolitical significance. The incident is the latest indicator of increased military tensions between the two Cold War-era foes. The Russian military on Thursday blamed US troops for a collision of Russian and US military vehicles in Syria's northeast. US officials said Wednesday that a Russian vehicle sideswiped a light-armored US military vehicle, injuring four Americans, while two Russian helicopters flew overhead, one as close as 70 feet from the US vehicle. On Friday, the US military flew B-52 bombers over all 30 NATO member countries in what is perceived by observers as a show of force meant to dispel doubts about Washington's commitment to the alliance. High-speed confrontation: This is the moment before the Russian vehicle from which the video footage came hits the US armored vehicle as the two patrols move fast across a field in the east of Syria with a Russian military helicopter flying low overhead Rammed: The Russian video captures the moment the Kremlin's armored vehicle hits its U.S. equivalent. Four American troops were injured, with minor concussions Russian presence: One still from the video shows how the Russian armored vehicle which rammed the American troop-carrier was not alone - at the right is another armored Russian vehicle 'Six US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers will fly over all 30 NATO nations in Europe and North America on August 28,' US European Command said in a statement Friday. Meanwhile, the Russian navy conducted major war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft, the military said on Friday, the biggest such drills in the area since Soviet times. Russia's navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, said that more than 50 warships and about 40 aircraft were taking part in the exercise in the Bering Sea, which involved multiple practice missile launches. 'We are holding such massive drills there for the first time ever,' Yevmenov said in a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry. As part of the exercises, the Russian nuclear submarine Omsk surfaced near Alaska on Thursday, U.S. military officials said. Russia's Varyag missile cruiser fires a cruise missile as part of the Russian navy maneuvers in the Bering Sea in this undated video grab provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service Russian warships take part in maneuvers in the Bering Sea in this undated video grab provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command are closely monitoring the submarine, Northern Command spokesman Bill Lewis said. 'We have not received any requests for assistance from the Russian Navy or other mariners in the area,' Lewis said from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. 'We always stand ready to assist those in distress.' Lewis declined to provide further details about the submarine, including its proximity to Alaska. He only said it was operating in international waters near Alaska. 'We closely track vessels of interest, including foreign military naval vessels, in our area of responsibility,' Lewis said. The Russian military exercise is taking place in international waters, well outside the US territorial sea, he said. The presence of Russian military assets in the war games caused a stir for U.S. commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea on Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. 'We were notified by multiple fishing vessels that were operating out the Bering Sea that they had come across these vessels and were concerned. So they contacted us,' Coast Guard spokesman Kip Wadlow said earlier Thursday. The Russian nuclear submarine Omsk is seen in a file photo. The submarine surfaced in international waters near Alaska on Thursday, US military officials confirmed A Russian submariner looks in periscope during a naval exercise in the Bering Sea, in this undated video grab provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service A Russian submarine surfaces during naval maneuvers in the Bering Sea. The Russian navy has conducted massive war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft The Coast Guard contacted the Alaskan Command at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which confirmed the ships were there as part of a pre-planned Russian military exercise that was known to some U.S. military officials, Wadlow said. Wadlow did not have information about the scope of the exercise or how many Russian vessels were involved, referring those questions to the Alaskan Command. Officials at the Anchorage base referred questions to Air Force officials at the U.S. Northern Command. It wasn't immediately clear when the exercises began or if they had finished. Yevmenov emphasized that the war games are part of Russias efforts to boost its presence in the Arctic region and protect its resources. 'We are building up our forces to ensure the economic development of the region,' he said. 'We are getting used to the Arctic spaces.' The Russian military has rebuilt and expanded numerous facilities across the polar region in recent years, revamping runways and deploying additional air defense assets. Russian warships take part in maneuvers in the Bering Sea in an image from Russian military Russia has prioritized boosting its military presence in the Arctic region, which is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earths undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion. Russia's Pacific Fleet, whose assets were taking part in the maneuvers, said the Omsk nuclear submarine and the Varyag missile cruiser launched cruise missiles at a practice target in the Bering Sea as part of the exercise. The maneuvers also saw Onyx cruise missiles being fired at a practice target in the Gulf of Anadyr from the coast of the Chukchi Peninsula, it added. Russian state RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russia's Pacific Fleet sources as saying that the surfacing of the Omsk nuclear submarine was routine. Also late Thursday, NORAD sent F-22 fighter jets to intercept three groups of two Tu-142 Russian maritime patrol aircraft that came close to Alaska. The Russian aircraft remained in the area for about five hours and came within 50 nautical miles of Alaska. Officials said the Russian jets remained in international air space, and at no time entered United States or Canadian sovereign air space. 'Our northern approaches have had an increase in foreign military activity as our competitors continue to expand their military presence and probe our defenses,' Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of NORAD, said in a statement. ' A cruise missile is launched from a submarine during Russian navy drills in the Bering Sea This year, weve conducted more than a dozen intercepts, the most in recent years. The importance of our continued efforts to project air defense operations in and through the north has never been more apparent.' It cited former Russian navy's chief of staff, retired Adm. Viktor Kravchenko, as saying that by having the submarine surface in the area the navy may have wanted to send a deliberate signal. 'It's a signal that we aren't asleep and we are wherever we want,' RIA Novosti quoted Kravchenko as saying. The presence of Russian military assets in the area caused a stir for U.S. commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea on Wednesday. 'We were notified by multiple fishing vessels that were operating out the Bering Sea that they had come across these vessels and were concerned,' U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Kip Wadlow said Thursday. The Coast Guard contacted the Alaskan Command at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which confirmed the ships were there as part of a pre-planned Russian military exercise that was known to some U.S. military officials, he said. The Russian military has expanded the number and the scope of its war games in recent years as Russia-West relations have sunk to their lowest level since the Cold War after Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and other crises. A Lifetime Of Caring We have had the honor to witness the efforts, of Lani Stark that produced the incredible positive impact generated for our community, we cant possibly thank her enough, she will be long remembered in the hearts of all S. Alvaro. Lani Stark Receives The Prestigious Maui Rose Award: During the Covid Pandemic she has also gifted those in need with free stress and anxiety release meditation Techniques. She also organized getting food to those in need in her community. The county of Maui remains indebted of Lani Stark for having organized one of their most successful life enriching events to date which brought together over 7000 people for an evening of positive change that continued to do so for years after. For that Lani Stark was presented with the prestigious Rose Award, along with letters from the governor of Hawaii and mayor of Maui commending her tireless & selfless charitable efforts. "We have had the honor to witness the efforts of Lani Stark that produced the incredible positive impact generated from her humanitarian efforts that greatly enriched our community, culture, and people; we cant possibly thank her enough, she will be long remembered in the hearts of all." S. Alvaro. Besides many philanthropists, the contributing benefactors of the event included The Maui Arts & Cultural Center, The Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaiian & Aloha Airlines, A&B, the Maui Hotel Association, as well as all local media outlets. In total the evening helped raise over a quarter of a million dollars for First Night Maui a drug and alcohol free New Years Celebration that brought families together and saved lives, along with an additional $150,000 in the form of pro bono services. The event spearheaded by Lani Stark was a true testament to the immeasurable positive impact that can be achieved when a community unites together. Lani Stark is also a recipient of Women's World Network (WIN) Humanitarian Award for having volunteered years of service for the rescue, betterment, and education of women, children, and families around the globe. Her selfless efforts for transforming society by helping the underprivileged in the spirit of humanity has created a lasting impact on thousands of individuals, families, communities, and organizations. Her genuine benevolence and philanthropy, combined with people-centric efforts and social consciousness is what the world can always use more of. Imperial Valley News Center President Trump Granting a Full Pardon to Alice Johnson Washington, DC - Remarks by President Trump Granting a Full Pardon to Alice Johnson: THE PRESIDENT: So, thank you very much everybody. Alice Johnson has been just incredible. Shes gotten out; shes recommended people to us. She knows many, many people that have put been put in prison, and whether they should have been or not. She knows that they were put in for too long. Alice was given a life sentence. MS. JOHNSON: Yes. THE PRESIDENT: And you spent about 22 years? MS. JOHNSON: Yes. THE PRESIDENT: And for something that, today, a lot of people wouldnt even be going to jail for. And it was it was horrible. And we found out about it. And we gave a commutation; that means we were able to get Alice out. And she has been just so outstanding, and Im so proud of you. And were giving Alice a full pardon. I just told her. We didnt even discuss it. We just you were out there; I saw you in the audience last night. And I asked the folks if you could bring Alice over, and were going to give a full pardon. Were going to do it right now. That means you have been fully pardoned. Thats the ultimate thing that can happen. That means you can do you whatever you want in life. And just keep doing the great job youre doing. Alice had done an incredible job since shes been out, and recommending other people. We said, How many people are they like you? Theres only one Alice, as far as Im concerned. But how many people are like you or your circumstance, where they were given this massive sentence? And theyre good people, great people. And she said, So many. Theyre in jail. So many. And shes looking for those people, and shes recommending those people, and weve already done some that you know that you know are good people. And theyve done really well since theyve been out. So were taking Alice from a commutation to a full pardon, and Im going to sign it right now. And were very proud of Alice and the job youve done MS. JOHNSON: Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: what you represent. And Pastor Robert Jeffress unrelated, but he was here. And we thought maybe Ill sign this, and then maybe youll like to say a prayer. PASTOR JEFFRESS: Yes, sir. Id love to. THE PRESIDENT: And maybe you could include the media because they need it probably more than we do. They definitely need it more than Alice. (Laughter.) That I can tell you. Okay, thank you. (The pardon is signed.) So, Alice, its a full pardon. Its been signed. You might want to keep that one. And here it is. (Applause.) Pastor, please. PASTOR JEFFRESS: Lets pray together. Father, we thank you for the remarkable story of Alice Johnson, a strong believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose life was filled with heartache and injustice. And yet, instead of becoming bitter, she chose to trust in you. She cried out to you for years, asking relief from the hurt that she was feeling. And we thank you that she chose to answer her prayers to you through a great President named Donald Trump a great leader, who, yes, believes in law and order, he believes in justice, but he also believes in mercy. And thank you for moving in his heart to do this great act today. And, Father, I pray that todays full pardon will result in a brand-new life for Alice. Continue to bless her and her family as they go throughout this nation and world, sharing the good news that you, God, offered eternal pardon from sin to all who trust in your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, we thank you for the President. Thank you for the example he set for all of us of what it means to be a forgiving person. And we pray this in the name of the one who came and died and rose again that we might eternal life, Jesus Christ our Savior. Its in His name that we pray. Amen. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Robert. That was really PASTOR JEFFRESS: Thank you, Mr. President, for this example. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Alice, thank you very much, and congratulations. Its a real honor. MS. JOHNSON: Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Its a real honor. PASTOR JEFFRESS: Congratulations. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Thank you very much. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted a heartfelt message for Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following the news of his stepping down over health concerns. Pompeo not only said on August 30 that America deeply values the contributions that Abe made during her stewardship but also called him good friend. US Secretary of State admitted that he will miss Abes advice and also wished for his speedy recovery. The United States deeply values the contributions of Prime Minister @AbeShinzo to the U.S.-Japan Alliance and his work on advancing the Indo-Pacific Strategy. As a good friend, I will miss his sage advice and hope he gets well soon. Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) August 29, 2020 Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said that he wants to pay his highest respect to Shinzo Abe, a great friend of his. Trump, while talking to international media reporters on August 28 said that that they both had a great relationship and he just feels very badly about him resigning, because it must be very severe for him to leave. He reportedly added Abe loves his country so much and for him to leave, it is unimaginable. Further, Trump called his Japanese counterpart a great gentleman and repeated that he is just paying his highest respect. Read - Dalai Lama Prays For Shinzo Abe's Recovery Read - Shinzo Abe's Sudden Resignation Informally Kicks-off Race For New Japanese PM Shinzo Abe resigns over health issues Trump's comments come after Shinzo Abe announced his resignation from his post over health issues on Friday. Abe was Japans longest-serving PM, however, while citing chronic health problems that resurfaced, he said that it was gut-wrenching to have left a number of his goals unfinished. Abe reportedly had ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and said that the condition was in control with the appropriate treatment. It is gut-wrenching to have to leave my job before accomplishing my goals, Abe said Friday, while also mentioning being unsuccessful in resolving the issue of the Japan national abducted by North Korea years ago and also a territorial dispute in place with Russia. Shinzo Abe had become the youngest Prime Minister of Japan in 2006 at the age of 52 but his tenure abruptly ended a year later because of his health. In December 2012, he again returned to power and prioritized economic measures over his previous nationalist agenda. Since then he won six national elections and held a tight grip over his power. Until his term ends in September 2021, Abe is expected to stay while anew party leader is elected and formally approved by the parliament. Read - Trump Pays 'highest Respect' To Shinzo Abe, Says 'we've Had A Great Relationship' Read - Japanese React To Resignation Of Shinzo Abe (With AP inputs) Cafe owner David Enaty says he doesnt usually get too stressed, but as the stage four lockdown has progressed, his anxiety has risen. He is fearful of a possible extension to stage four, with turnover at his usually thriving business, Scintilla Cafe in Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, already down 60 per cent on pre-COVID-19 levels. Heidelberg cafe owner David Enaty says his turnover has dropped by 60 per cent. Credit:Darrian Traynor During the pandemic, his landlord is yet to demand rent, but that discussion is looming. "Im lucky I had a bit of money in the business account and I was never running behind in bills, or in arrears with my suppliers thats the only thing thats really saved me," Mr Enaty said. BAGHDAD: A Katyusha rocket landed in Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, causing damage to an empty building and no casualties, Iraqi police sources said on Saturday. Sirens blasted from the U.S. embassy inside the zone, which houses government buildings and foreign missions, and helicopters were hovering above, the sources said. It was the second such attack this week after three rockets landed in the Green Zone on Thursday, also causing no casualties. Washington blames such attacks on Iranian-backed militia groups. Iran has not directly commented on the incidents but little-known groups believed to be connected to Iran-aligned militias have claimed some attacks. Iraq, often the scene of spillover violence from U.S.-Iran tensions, seeks to avoid being drawn into any regional conflagration. The Middle East came close to a full conflict in January after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad airport. Iran-aligned militias have sworn to avenge their deaths. 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 He has analysed the minds of Australia's worst criminals, including mass murderer Julian Knight and Melbourne crime boss Alphonse Gangitano. Now, top Australian forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro has lifted the lid on the murky world of crime and why some people are destined for a life of lawlessness. Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, to promote hayu's true crime docu-series catalogue, Watson-Munro explained that while there are many factors that could lead someone to become a criminal, some people are simply born 'evil'. 'In my view, there are some individuals who are born evil': Top Australian forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro (pictured) has lifted the lid on the murky world of crime and why some people are destined for a life of lawlessness 'In my view, there are some individuals who are born evil,' Watson-Munro said. 'They are psychopathic from the start and demonstrate anti-social traits even during their pre-adolescent years. This can involve cruelty to animals, lighting fires and pathological lying,' he continued. These behaviour patterns become hardwired with time, and can also be exacerbated by the use of drugs and alcohol, Watson-Munro explained. Monsters: Watson-Munro has analysed the minds of Australia's worst criminals, including mass murderer Julian Knight (pictured) The impact of 'social learning' must also be considered, including the home environment in which a person is raised, their role models and families. The idea of genetics playing a role in criminality is explored in hayu series Killer Siblings, which tells the story of identical twin murderers the Stovall brothers. Watson-Munro, who has worked with almost 20,000 criminals, also shared the body language cues which can suggest a suspect is guilty during interrogation. 'They are psychopathic from the start': Watson-Munro (pictured) explained that children who display psychopathic behaviour such as cruelty to animals, lighting fires and pathological lying may be early indicators they will one day become a criminal Genetic links: The idea of genetics playing a role in criminality is explored in hayu series The Killer Siblings, which tells the story of identical twin murderers the Stovall brothers (pictured) 'Defensive body language such as closed arms, fidgeting when questioned on pertinent aspects of the case and an absence of eye contact, may reflect a consciousness of guilt,' he said. 'More seasoned psychopaths however who are well adapted to the interview process tend to approach the situation with an air of bravado, with well-rehearsed responses to anticipated questions.' The absence of emotion in someone's voice has, in the past, been used as a way to identify guilt. Not a failsafe method of detecting guilt: Some innocent people have received criticism for not showing enough emotion - such as Lindy Chamberlain (pictured left, with ex-husband Michael) who was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her child On the other hand, however, Watson-Munro pointed out that some innocent people have received criticism for not showing enough emotion - such as Lindy Chamberlain who was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her child. Therefore, while body language is a useful diagnostic tool in criminal investigation, it should not be considered as infallible. Rather, it should be used as 'an adjunct to more reliable and valid means of investigations such as DNA evidence and eye witness accounts,' he explained. Not the hayu you know Stream more than 40 true crime docuseries including Snapped and In Ice Cold Blood on hayu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was vocal for local in his monthly outreach talk on radio, Mann Ki Baat, stressing on the need for and the importance of India-made apps and toys, and mentioning the USPs of indie dog breeds such as Kombai. At a time when Atmanirbhar Bharat is becoming a mantra of the people, how can any domain be left untouched by its influence?, he said, asking people to consider bringing home one of these Indian breeds. Atmanirbhar Bharat (self reliant India) has been the Prime Minister and the governments theme for some time. The Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus and relief package announced by the government to help individuals and businesses cope with the Covid-19 pandemic was built around this theme. In his 31-minute talk in Hindi, Modi said he brainstormed with various ministries on how students and children should spend their time during lockdown. It was in this context that he mentioned toys and games. India should become a hub for toy production, he said. The global toy industry is over Rs 7 lakh crore but Indias share is very small and we will have to work to increase it, Modi added. Some areas are being developed as toy clusters, he said. The best toys are those which encourage the creativity of children, he added, suggesting that start-ups to team up for toys. Come, lets play, he added. The PM also highlighted the potential of the countrys young people by drawing attention to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technologys Atmanirbhar app challenge that threw up alternatives to popular applications such as Twitter and TikTok. The Atmanirbhar app challenge was launched Modi on July 4. Among the indigenous applications to win the challenge were Koo, an alternative to Twitter; MapMyIndia, an alternative to Google maps; and Chingari, an alternative to TikTok. Dear countrymen, everyone acknowledges capability of Indians to offer innovation, solutions, when there is dedication and sensitivity, this power becomes limitless... Be it virtual games, be it the sector of toys in the self-reliant India campaign, all have to play very important role..., Modi said. He mentioned an app called KutukiKids This is an interactive app for children using which they can easily learn many aspects of maths, science through songs and stories. Kutukikids won the second prize in the e-learning category. A pair of army dogs, honoured with the army chiefs commendation card on Independence Day for their heroics, found a special mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday, with the PM hailing them as bravehearts who performed their duties diligently to protect the country. While Vida, a black Labrador, sniffed out landmines and grenades during a demining operation in Jammu and Kashmir and prevented army casualties, Sophie, a Cocker Spaniel from a bomb disposal unit, helped avert a tragedy by detecting explosives in Delhi, two army officials said. Their names and unique service numbers will be put up on roll-of-honour boards at their respective units. Army dogs and their handlers perform dangerous tasks but they receive little attention. Many of them have been killed in the combat zone. The PM has thrust them into the limelight by highlighting their contribution in his address, said a senior army officer, asking not to be named. In his address, the PM also talked about the gallant actions of Balaram, who detected explosives on the Amarnath Yatra route, and Bhavana, who sniffed out an improvised explosive device (IED) many years ago, but was killed as terrorists managed to trigger the explosive.. The PM said indigenous dog breeds such Mudhol Hound, Himachali Hound, Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Kombai were fabulous, cheaper to raise and better adapted to the Indian environment. He said the security forces were increasingly inducting these local breeds. In his talk, Modi also focused on nutrition . The month of September will celebrated as nutrition month and schools should have not just report cards but also nutrition cards and nutrition monitors along with class monitors, he said. Schools are being involved. There should be a nutrition monitor just like there is a class monitor. There should be a nutrition card along with the report card. Modi said normally this time of the year is festive but this time the situation is different because of Covid-19. He said there has been unprecedented restraint, simplicity in our festivals this time, he said. He said many Indian festivals celebrate nature. Modi made a special mention of a festival celebrated by Bihars Tharu tribe in this regard along with Onam. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to bite real hard and impacting negatively on businesses a pilot survey has exposed a high level of job losses in Ghana. Currently, over 11,000 workers have lost their jobs in Ghana and this was revealed by Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations According to him, the survey, which covered 878 establishments detected 11,657 job losses across all sectors of the economy, The survey, which was commissioned by the Ministry, was to enable it (the Ministry) to understand the impact of COVID-19 on employment, revealed some dire consequences for jobs. We observed that whiles the pay cuts were rampant in large and medium scale establishments, workers in micro and small scale enterprises suffer most of the job loses, Mr. Baffour Awuah stated at the 12th National Development Forum in Accra. The forum, which was organized by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) was on the theme The Future of Work in Post-COVID-19 Ghana. The Minister said in terms of pay cuts, the survey revealed that large and medium scale establishments had to adopt pay cut strategies to keep some workers on their payrolls. The survey indicated that generally, the 878 non-household establishments surveyed recorded 31.5 per cent job losses. In terms of pay cuts, 40 per cent of the 17,685 workers interview suffered between less than 10 per cent and more than 50 per cent pay cuts to keep their jobs. It is important to note that the picture would have been more devastating if the survey was extended to cover the majority of workers in the informal sectors where over 80 per cent of the workforce is engaged, the Minister said. The complete lack of effective social protection services for workers in the informal sectors was a major factor for the Government to reconsider the partial lockdown measures. Mr. Baffour Awuah noted that despite the difficulties that had been imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant restrictions, COVID-19 had brought to the fore the fact that work (the production of goods and services) could not always be done by traditional means. This, he said had become glaring as enterprises and workers had to contend with the mega trends, including pandemics such as COVID-19. He said the public sector and other formal establishments had to adopt staff rotation schemes, work-from-home arrangements, and other digital platforms to maintain service delivery to their clientele and avoid productivity shortfalls. He noted that some establishments in the services sector also adopted delivery platforms that enabled them to stay in business whiles observing the protocols. Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General, NDPC, said contributions and recommendations from the National Development Forums were very vital to the work of the Commission. ---GNA The Webb County Sheriffs Office deputy accused of selling unauthorized E-Tags would sometimes be wearing his uniform when conducting his alleged business, according to an arrest affidavit. On Wednesday, Abraham Benavides, 39, was served with warrants charging him with tampering with a government record and temporary tag for distribution to an unauthorized person. The case unfolded Jan. 2, 2019, when a man arrived at a towing service in the 2600 block of Guadalupe Street wanting to recover his black 2007 Volkswagen Passat. He stated that his vehicle had been impounded for not having liability insurance. He did not have a title for his vehicle because he had purchased it in San Antonio and was making payments, states the affidavit. The car had an E-Tag with an expiration date of Jan. 6, 2019, and added that the license plate belonged to a local car lot, Yireh Auto Sales. He further stated that he had purchased three other E-Tag license plates from that car lot for his car. He added that the seller told him it was legal. Further investigation showed the complainant had purchased his Volkswagen at La Meta Auto Sales in San Antonio. He added he and his wife were working in San Antonio at the time. He stated that because of money issues involving car payments, rent and daycare for his children, he fell behind in paying his accounts. He returned to Laredo to stay with his father-in-law. He did not want to drive around with expired license plates, so he sent a post on Facebook asking who would sell temporary license plates. He received an answer from a person identified on Facebook as Abraham Benavides. Benavides allegedly told him it would cost him $50 for a month and $35 for 15 days. Benavides told him he could pick it up in the 5700 block of Tarpon Lane. The complainant stated he bought several temporary license plates from Benavides via Facebook between Aug. 26, 2018, and Dec. 22, 2018. He allegedly picked up the license plates at Tarpon Lane and at Yireh Auto Sales on 1018 S. Zapata Highway. (The complainant) added he did not know the E-Tag license plates were illegal because at times he met with Abraham Benavides to buy the E-Tags he was in a sheriffs deputy uniform, states the affidavit. An investigation revealed that Yireh Auto Sales did not buy or sell the Volkswagen, according to police. Further investigation showed there were five E-Tags assigned to the Volkswagen, records state. Through the course of the investigation, Benavides was identified as the suspect in the case after having sold the temporary E-Tag license plates for vehicles not purchased from the car lot owned by Benavides, LPD said in a statement. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Also read: These Countries Have the Highest Number of Individuals without Internet Access Smartphone app revenue experienced unprecedented growth during the first half of this year since people are spending more time on their smartphones during the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, App Annie revealed that users spent more than $50 billion globally on Apple App Store and Google Play Store during the first six months of this year. Now, research by Sensor Tower identified that this trend is evident on several levels including per capita app spending.In Sensor Towers analysis of the app 10 highest revenue-generating markets in the world for the first half of this year, Canada emerged as the growth leader for per capita smartphone apps and game spending. It is important to note that China was excluded from Sensor Towers analysis to make a direct comparison since Google services are not available in China. According to the Store Intelligence data of Sensor Tower , average in-app spending per person in Canada increased 39% during the first six months of 2020 as compared to the first six months of 2019. In comparison, average in-app spending in Canada saw a 13% increase between the first six months of 2018 and 2019.The top 10 largest revenue-generating markets combined by Google Play Store and Apple App Store for the first half of this year include the US, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France, Australia, Russia, Canada, and Brazil. Collectively, per capita spending during the first six months of 2020 increased by 26% in these ten countries as compared to the first half of 2019. Canadas Play Store and App Store generated nearly $939 million in user spending during this period, and on average, Canadians spent nearly $25 per individual in smartphone applications and games.Great Britain was the second country which saw the highest increase in per capita spending, according to Sensor Towers analysis. Residents of Great Britain spent close to $20 per individual in smartphone applications and games.Japan emerged as the growth leader for absolute per capita spending among the top 10 countries as Japans populace spent an average of approximately $78 in mobile applications and games during this period, 18% higher as compared to the first half of 2019. While the coronavirus pandemic will have short-term as well as long-term effects on the trajectory of the smartphone ecosystem, Sensor Towers research suggests that smartphone app revenue will continue to rise. As economies across the world work to recover from the pandemic, app developers will consider which markets to prioritize based on several factors.Read next: How Big Tech Companies Are Earning Billions To Beat The Economy of Whole Countries Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 19:56 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417dd25 1 National #NamaBaikGereja,#catholicsexabuse,sex-abuse,#sexualabuse,sexual-abuse-Catholic-church-Indonesia,sexual-abuse-in-Catholic-Church,Catholic-church Free It was an hour past midnight on Sept. 9, 2019, when Joni, a teenage boy living in an orphanage, was awakened by what he described as a painful feeling on his genitals. When he opened his eyes, he beheld a nightmare. He was there. He was shocked, Joni said. I put on my pants and chased him down the stairs." What did you do to me, Brother? Why did you pull [my pants] down?" Recalling the horror of that night, Joni, who has chosen to use a pseudonym to protect his identity, explained how he confronted Lukas Lucky Ngalngola, the director of Jonis orphanage, whom the boys referred to as the night bat. He said Lukas begged for forgiveness for "making a mistake" and got to his knees and kissed Jonis feet. Joni, who was 19 years old at the time, did not know what to do next with Lukas, or Brother Angelo as he styled himself. Joni wanted to hit Angelo, his sole guardian and the head of the Kencana Bejana Rohani orphanage in Depok, West Java, where Joni and dozens of other children lived under Angelos care. But Joni could not think straight. I rushed to the chapel. I asked God to forgive my sin and his." Joni later went upstairs to wake up the cook, Yosina, also known as Mama Ejon, and poured his heart out in tears. I couldnt bear it any longer. I told her everything and asked her what to do. Mama told me to report him to the police." Read also: Abused and frightened, orphanage boys cry for help but the state, church fail them Yosina confirmed Jonis story, adding that she encouraged him to talk about the matter first with a caretaker named Aloysius Tolok, also known as Alo. Jonis courage to speak up eventually inspired other boys living under Angelo to open up to the adults they knew. Angelo, a member of the Blessed Sacrament Missionaries of Charity (BSMC) congregation, based in the Philippines, was arrested by the Depok Police on Sept. 14, 2019. However, he was released after three months in detention because the police failed to complete the dossiers required for the prosecution to bring the case to court. Joni was one of eight boys who shared their stories with Tirto.id in two separate interviews on Aug. 12 and 22, as part of a collaboration with The Jakarta Post. Some of the boys said they were molested, others that they had endured physical abuse. All of them called their alleged abuser, Angelo, the kelelawar malam (night bat) as they said he would carry out his terror in the middle of the night, usually at around 1 a.m., dressed in black. Unlike Joni, who confronted his molester, the other boys were too confused or disoriented to take immediate action. Some thought they had been drugged, noting that they had discovered their pants either unzipped or taken off. Lorenzo, who has also chosen a pseudonym for this article, recalled finding his pants unzipped one day when he woke up. I did not know what he [Angelo] did to me. I was unconscious." Lorenzo said he was convinced that Angelo had molested him. He recalled the nights when he and some other boys caught Angelo in the act but were unable to accuse their sole provider. We could not say anything because our lives were in Angelos hands. We could not fight back, even though we were hurt, because we were certain that no one would support us, Lorenzo said. We have nobody here. We live far away from our parents. We did not know where to go to report [our experience]. Also, we did not know what would happen to us if we reported [Angelo], he said. Who would pay for our school fees? Our parents are poor. We also couldnt go home because we didnt have money for transportation. Read also: Justice delayed, denied for victims of sexual abuse in Catholic Church In an attempt to prevent Angelo from preying on other boys, Lorenzo and other older boys would take turns on night watch, blocking the doors to their rooms with beds to prevent Angelo from sneaking in. But additional boys believed they were molested during this period. Paul, for example, said he witnessed Angelo engage in oral sex with orphanage residents at least three times. Paul believed he was probably molested as well but could not remember because he believed he had been drugged. Like his friends, Paul, who was 16 at the time and has chosen a pseudonym for this article, could not bring himself to publicly accuse his alleged molester. Our anger would instantly fade away when we looked him in the eyes, as if he was magic. Paul, who is related to Angelo by blood, said Angelo would take the boys to the cinema as a treat so they would forget the predation. And he would promise not to repeat it, which he never kept. As the night bat continued his abuse, the boys brought the matter to Alo, who suggested they make peace with the situation, an idea the boys helplessly submitted to until Joni spoke up. But everything changed after Joni reached out to other adults. Other boys from Kencana Bejana Rohani followed suit and discussed their stories with caregivers and some Catholic brothers at their local church. Some of the children told the principal of a school they attended. The principal later contacted the National Child Protection Agency (KPAI). Eventually, three of the boys Lorenzo, Joni and Simone worked up the courage to give their testimonies to the Depok Police in a case filed by activist Farid Ari Fandi against Angelo who had been detained. Two of the boys were about to undergo a physical examination at the police office when all three were picked up by someone who the police failed to identify. Investigators only managed to examine one boy. The police said they could not continue the legal process because they had not completed the dossiers required for the prosecution to bring the case to court. The claimed this was because they could not find the boys. Angelo walked free on Dec. 8, 2019. Poverty lured children into Angelos net According to a document the Post obtained from the Law and Human Rights Ministry, which certifies nonprofit foundations operating in the country, Angelo registered Kencana Bejana Rohani as a charity foundation on Dec. 14, 2015. The document lists him as founder and chairman. But, according to Darius Rebong, Angelos acquaintance, Angelo had been operating the orphanage under the same name since 2007. Read also: Time for Catholic Church to decide which side of history it is on In addition to Kencana Bejana Rohani, Angelo had also established another charity foundation, Fajar Cahaya Harapan. A document from the ministry shows that it was registered on April 14 of this year. The children who lived at Angelos orphanage came from different parts of the country. Some, like Lorenzo and Joni, were from villages in North Sumatra, while others were from Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara. Yet all of them shared similar backgrounds, ones of poverty and limited access to education. Many of the children who lived under Angelos care still had parents. The parents entrusted Angelo with their children because of promises of a brighter future, according to the boys. Angelo was able to reach out to more boys with the help of those who had first joined his institution. Some of the boys who came from North Sumatra said they learned of Angelo and his education charity program from a person named Pilipus, one of the first boys that Angelo took in and a person they considered a friend. Simone, not his real name, from North Sumatra, for example, said he did not know Angelo until he joined the orphanage. I knew him from Pilipus. At first my parents did not allow me to go because they were afraid that I might fall into human trafficking. They changed their mind after Pilipus convinced them. Pilipus had joined [the orphanage], said Simone. Like Simone, Lorenzo decided to leave his parents in a North Sumatra village for Depok after being convinced by Pilipus. Lorenzo described Pilipus as Angelos right hand man whose job was to win the hearts of parents. The children from Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara said they learned of Angelo either from family members or acquaintances of family members. Only a few parents found out about Angelos alleged abuse, according to the boys. Some of those who knew confronted Angelo but decided to keep the matter to themselves after Angelo agreed to continue to pay for their childrens education until graduation. So all that suffering, all that wrongdoing the children put it out of their minds, so to speak. They were aware, but they were putting it out of their minds for the sake of their future, Farid told the Post. Darius took over Angelos role as the guardian of the orphanage after his arrest because of what Darius referred to as an agreement between the two. He has been taking care of the children since and has been reaching out to donors to help support the children under his care. For the International Labour Organisation and the Asian Development Bank, employment prospects for 663 million young people of working age are dim with some 10-15 million jobs at risk. China reported the largest increase in unemployment so far. By the end of the year, the unemployment rate in several countries will be double at least. Young workers are found in the sectors most affected by the pandemic. Targeted policies by governments are needed. Bangkok (AsiaNews) Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of unemployed young people in the Asia-Pacific region is up and rising. A report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warns that about 10-15 million people aged 15 and 24 are at risk of losing their jobs this year. The study shows that, as Asian economies sharply contract, job prospects for 663 million young people of working age are dim. Of the countries surveyed, China (with Hong Kong) recorded the highest rise in the unemployment rate, from 7.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 to 10.1 per cent in 2020. According to Chinas National Bureau of Statistics, youth unemployment in the country hit 13.8 per cent in April with a slight drop in July. In the same period, the number of unemployed also increased in Indonesia (+0.9), Malaysia (+0.7), Australia (+0.6), Vietnam (+0.5) and Japan (+0.3). Unemployment remained stable in Thailand; and despite the recessionary effects of COVID-19, South Korea saw unemployment decline by 0.3 per cent; 0.1 per cent in New Zealand. The forecast for the end of the year are negative though. Both the ILO and ADB expect the unemployment rate in Cambodia, the Philippines, Fiji, Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand to at least double over 2019. The regions young people are more at risk than older age groups because half of them (about 110 million) work in sectors most affected by the pandemic crisis, namely wholesale and retail, services, hotels and restaurants, manufacturing. With education and training put on hold, the picture gets worse. For this reason, the LO and ADB urge the regions governments to adopt economic policies that target young people. Government should provide unemployment benefits or subsidies to complement wage cuts, as well as implement public employment programmes and measures to mitigate the impact of school closures on students. Julia Jackson, the mother of Wisconsin man Jacob Blake, who was shot several times by police on Sunday, says she has the utmost respect for president Donald Trump as she apologised for missing his call. And then also, for president Trump, Im sorry I missed your call!, Ms Jackson told CNN in a press conference on Tuesday. Because, had I not missed your call maybe the comments you had made would have been different. Im not mad at you at all. I have the utmost respect for you as the leader of our country. It is unclear what comments Ms Jackson was referring to. The president has yet to comment on the shooting of Mr Blake, which took place in front of his three young children. However, the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr on Monday drew attention to Mr Blakes prior criminal convictions when he retweeted a post by a right-wing commentator. During Tuesdays press conference the first Ms Jackson and her husband Jacob Blake Sr have given since white officers shot their black son several times repeated their calls for calm after another night of unrest in Kenosha. The pair said they had been praying for police officers and denounced the violent scenes that had been taking place across the city since Sundays shooting. Please, dont burn up property and cause havoc, and tear your homes down, in my sons name, Ms Jackson told reporters. An emotional Blake Sr said his son was shot like he didnt matter. They shot my son seven times, seven times like he didnt matter, he said. But my son matters. Hes a human being and he matters. The couple also said on Tuesday that their son had been paralysed from the waist down as a result of the shooting, hours before protesters and authorities clashed for a third night of civil unrest in the lakefront town. Police in riot gear fired rubber bullets, tear gas and flash-bang rounds as they skirmished after dark with 300 to 400 demonstrators defying a dawn-to-dusk curfew outside a courthouse and adjacent park in downtown Kenosha. The Kenosha County Sheriffs Department also deployed at least four armoured patrol vehicles fitted with roof turrets from which deputies fired tear gas canisters into the crowd, many of whom hurled water bottles, bricks, firecrackers and other objects back at police. Recommended Father of man killed by Kenosha police in 2004 speaks out But there was no immediate sign of buildings or cars being set ablaze, as happened on Monday night. About three hours after declaring the protest an unlawful assembly, authorities had managed to push Tuesday nights crowd out of the downtown park, with demonstrators scattering down streets. The disturbances came hours after Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency and vowed to deploy additional National Guard troops in a bid to restore order in the town. Mr Blake, 29, a father of six, was struck from behind at point-blank range in a hail of bullets fired on Sunday by police who were following him with guns drawn as he walked away from officers to his car and opened a door to the vehicle. Three of his young sons inside the automobile aged 3, 5 and 8 witnessed their father being gunned down, according to civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Blake family and appeared at Tuesdays press conference. A bystander captured the encounter in video footage that immediately went viral, unleashing outrage over the latest in a long series of instances in which police have been accused of using indiscriminate lethal force against African Americans. Blake, who had been attempting to break up a quarrel between two women, was struck by four of seven gunshots fired at him, all by one officer, and there was no indication he was armed, Mr Crump said in an ABC News interview on Tuesday. The police have not yet explained why Mr Blake was shot. Additional reporting by Press Association The Kogi State Government has described the death of Attah Igala, Michael Ameh Oboni, as shocking and a colossal loss to the state and Nigeria. This is contained in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo, in Lokoja on Sunday. Mr Fanwo stated that the late monarch ruled with great courage and with fear of God during his seven-year stay on the throne. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oboni was, until his death in an Abuja hospital on August 27, the Chairman of the states Council of Chiefs. Mr Fanwo stated that the late Attah of Igala was fiercely loyal to his people throughout his lifetime and used his throne to foster friendships and partnerships for his domain and for Kogi State. The late Attah of Igala was a great man indeed and often ahead of his time and institution in thinking and action. He believed that widespread penetration of electricity was key to achieving this objective. Fortunately, he found a willing partner in Gov. Yahaya Bello and lived to see Project Light Up Kogi East (PLUKE), a project designed to expand electricity infrastructure into all the local government areas of his kingdom, the statement said. The commissioner hinted that the state government would soon immortalise the late Attah Igala in a befitting manner. Government will continue to honour the memory of this pragmatic leader by sustaining rapid development as the bedrock of governance in Kogi State. His Royal Majesty, Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni II will be sorely missed. We console his family, the great Igala people and all of Kogi State on this great and irreparable loss, he stated. NAN reports that Michael Ameh Oboni II, the Attah Igala, was born in 1948. He died in a hospital on Thursday morning in Abuja. (NAN) Mark Meadows said Sunday that Nancy Pelosi would 'rather have nothing' in terms of a new coronavirus relief package than bring the price tag down and negotiate with Republicans. 'Here's the problem is she puts forth a number, suggests that she came down, and yet she's willing to turn down $1.3 trillion of help that goes to the American people because she would rather them have nothing than to give way on what her fantasy objection might be,' the White House chief of staff told NBC News' 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. Democrats' original bill proposed last month was reaching numbers upwards of $3 trillion while Republicans' proposal was a bit over $1 trillion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats would be willing to meet in the middle at $2.2 trillion. But Republicans claim $1 trillion is plenty after Congress has already passed a handful of other relief bills amassing trillions of dollars in coronavirus relief and economic stimulus. Pelosi and Meadows are expected to speak again Sunday as weeks of negotiations failed earlier this month between Democrats, Republicans and the White House. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would 'rather have nothing' for a new coronavirus relief package than bring the price tag down and negotiate with Republicans House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to bring the price tag of the next relief legislation down past $2.2 trillion 'Well, we've brought up a number. I had a conversation with Speaker Pelosi. And even on her $2.2 trillion counter offer, she can't tell the American people, nor me, what is in that,' Meadows accused of the California Democrat. 'I can tell you what is in the offer that the president has made and he's willing to sign,' he continued. 'Enhanced unemployment at levels she would agree with. Enhanced help for small businesses at levels she would agree with. Literally, help for daycare and hospitals at levels she would agree with. And help for schools at levels she would agree with,' he said. I can tell you all of those things that I just mentioned are available for the American people and the speaker, Pelosi, is saying no,' Meadows said. He also claimed that the White House will no longer negotiate with Democrats over desired numbers. 'Are you going to bring your number up? Or is that your is $1.3 trillion your final offer?' NBC News' Chuck Todd asked of the president's chief of staff. 'Well, listen, we're not going to negotiate here because the speaker's been very clear. When she said $2.2 trillion, she said, 'Don't do anything at all,' Meadows responded, claiming she said she wouldn't tell him what was in her bill. 'That's not a proper negotiation,' he insisted. 'In fact, many of her rank and file members don't even accept it.' Republicans put forth a coronavirus relief bill late last month that included extending the unemployment benefit boost, but lowering it. Democrats demanded that the relief not be reduced as millions of Americans remain unemployed, laid off or furloughed in the midst of the pandemic. The bill also included money for schools to reopen in the fall and another round of $1,200 checks for Americans. Democrats are demanding more, claiming that the bill does not nearly adequately address the issues Americans are facing. Following the breakdown in negotiations, President Trump signed a series of executive orders to address some of these issues head on including a payroll tax holiday and issuing a moratorium on evictions. Hundreds of supporters of opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have massed up at the Nima Police Station in Accra, where the President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association is being held. They are demanding the release of the President of the Association, Michael Peprah, who was picked up on Saturday, August 29, 2020, by police over a Facebook post. He was picked up in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region capital and subsequently transferred to Accra, according to reports. Police say he was causing fear and panic with his Facebook post. Unconfirmed reports say Mr Peprah was arrested on the orders of the Minister of Environment Science and Technology, Professor Frimpong Boateng. Earlier, the NDC condemned the arrest, calling it shameful. This morning we got information that the president of Concerned Small Scale Miners Association of Ghana has been arrested by officers belonging to the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service in the Ashanti Region. "We understand that he was detained at the Ashanti Regional Office and this morning transported to the Nima Police Station. Weve spoken to him and he tells us that he was arrested yesterday at 3 pm in Kumasi and was not told the reason for his arrest. His phones were seized and taken to his house and a search was conducted, the opposition party said in a statement. Shortly after the statement was released, GhanaWeb received the following message from a known NDC source: Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi [NDC Communications Officer] is currently at the Nima Police Station to seek bail for the president of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Kojo Peprah. He was arrested in Kumasi and hurriedly transferred to Accra for causing fear and panic by a statement he posted on his facebook wall. The evil NPP govt. According the NDC, Mr Peprah was arrested because he has information that will expose the Nana Akufo-Addo government's alleged nefarious activities in the mining sector. Source: Ghanaweb Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Captain John Oakeshott, a country doctor before World War II, managed as a prisoner of war to survive the long series of atrocities culminating in the horror known as the Sandakan Death March. But 75 years ago this week, a ghastly fate awaited him and 14 fellow survivors, 12 days after the war was supposed to have finished. Captain John Oakeshott in 1940. On August 27, 1945, Captain Oakeshott and his comrades, believing they were being released, were executed by Japanese soldiers on the island of Borneo. Captain Oakeshotts grandson, the former Independent MP, Rob Oakeshott, said this week his family considered the execution to be murder, because it came after the war. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone conversation on Saturday with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, the latter confirming that the transit of the Hungarian territory will continue to be allowed under the same conditions. "During the discussion, Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed that the transit of Romanian citizens through Hungary, respectively the access of Romanian citizens - cross-border workers will not be affected. He pointed out that the rules expected to be changed refer to entry into Hungary as the final destination of the trip. He also suggested that the two states maintained close contact in the next period for possible technical clarifications," a Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) release mentions. The conversation followed the steps taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain clarifications from the Hungarian authorities regarding the information that appeared in the public space regarding the adoption in the next period of new restrictive measures for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Bogdan Aurescu asked the interlocutor for information on the exact content of the targeted measures, insisting on taking into account their impact on Romanian citizens transiting Hungary, as well as on Romanian citizens who are cross-border workers. According to the MAE, periodically updated travel conditions for Hungary are available at the following link: http://www.mae.ro/node/51934. The Ministry recalls that, at present, the following transit conditions are applicable for passengers: - the duration of the transit must not exceed 24 hours; - persons must not be showing symptoms specific to the COVID-19 infection; - persons must present a document unequivocally showing the purpose of the trip and the country of destination, and have ensured the entry on the territory of the neighboring state of Hungary, located on the transit route to the country of destination. Transit will take place only on the routes designated and published on the website of the Hungarian police, explicitly indicating the places of stop / rest (http://www.police.hu/hu/hirek-es-informaciok/hatarinfo?field_hat_rszakasz_value=rom%C3%A1n+hat%C3%A1rszakasz). Aug. 31, 2019, began like many Saturdays in Odessa, with the excitement of children ready to enjoy a few days out of school, and parents excited to spend time with their families. Unfortunately, that cherished time was cut short by the sound of gunfire. In a little over an hour, the Permian Basin was left with 32 injured, including three first responders: one DPS trooper, one Midland police officer and one Odessa police officer. Odessa was left with more than 20 crime scenes from the shooting spree that spanned more than 20 miles through our city. Tragically, we lost seven of our cherished citizens whose ages ranged from 15 to 57. At a time when we saw the very worst of humanity, we also saw many examples of the very best. We were offered support from the White House, the U.S. Congress, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature. We also received support from mayors across the country, especially mayors from Texas, including El Paso, Dallas, San Antonio and many others. I heard someone say Odessa and Midland are like two brothers; sometimes, they are the best of friends, and sometimes they quarrel as brothers will, but when push comes to shove, they will stand shoulder to shoulder and defend each other to the end. West Texas truly became one on that fateful day. I would like to say a special thanks to a few individuals. I have truly been blessed to have a friend like Former Mayor Jerry Morales from Midland. Your support and friendship during this tragedy has been truly appreciated. I would also like to say a special thank you to the following: Sheriff Mike Griffith, Midland Police Department, Midland Fire Department, Midland County Sheriffs Office, UTPB Police Department, ECISD Police Department, OC and Medical Center police departments, And all the state and federal law enforcement. I heard a quote that said, Fear is a strange thing, some of the time it brings out the worst in people, but fear also brings out our very best, we certainly saw it on that day, their love, loyalty, care, and kindness their support generosity and appreciation and for a certain few among us fear brings out something different, their choice to be heroic, to stand steady to hold on to each other to find a way to hold on to hope and to lean on each other like family. We witnessed brave first responders running toward the danger, our citizens running to help someone they didnt even know, and our doctors and nurses going to the hospital just to help. We saw citizens protecting other citizens by bringing food to the first responders, donating blood, and most importantly, citizens praying for each other. We could not have made it through that time without the churches coming together to pray and serve the community The job the first responders did was extraordinary. The selfless sacrifices made by our local heroes helped to save innocent lives. This event was something that our first responders had trained for and performed to the highest level of professionalism. As your mayor and the amazing city council, we could not be prouder of the Odessa Police Department, Odessa Fire and Rescue Department and our dispatchers who handled all of the 911 calls. There were a few individuals who were vital in keeping Odessa moving through this event that need to be recognized: City Manager Michael Marrero, OFR Chief Alvarez, OPD Chief Gerke and PIO Devin Sanchez. I want to share some things I shared during the community prayer vigil that still ring true one year later. West Texans are strong and independent and known for our friendliness, a whatever it takes spirit. The next few days and weeks will be difficult, but with that strength and Whatever it takes spirit, we show this community, this state and the nation what it means to be West Texans. We will make it through this tragedy. Many questions asked about this tragedy, for which we may never have answers to. Our duty now as citizens are to honor those we lost and help each other as we approach the anniversary of Aug. 31. For all of the victims of that day; All that is left for us, the living, to do is honor them, take care of them, and rededicate ourselves to cherish the freedoms that our citizens were enjoying when they gave the last full measure of devotion. For those we lost: Rodolfo Julio Arco Kameron Brown Raul Garcia Mary Granados Joe Griffith Leilah Hernandez Edwin Peregrino May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind always be at your back. May the sunshine warm your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand. (Irish Blessing) To the citizens of Odessa, we will get through this tragedy. By moving forward one day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time and one year at a time and most importantly one prayer at a time. We will show our beloved state and nation what it means to be Permian Basin Strong. May God bless Odessa, May God bless Midland, May God bless Texas, May God bless America. Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Ahead of PM Modis visit, strategic Atal Rohtang Tunnel ready for inauguration Work on the long-delayed strategic all-weather Atal Rohtang Tunnel that will connect Manali to Lahaul and Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh throughout the year has been completed and will be ready for inauguration in two weeks, officials aware of the development said. Read more. Covid-19 case fatality dips to 1.79%, active cases cross 765,000 in India: Health ministry India reported around 78,000 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, as the number of active viral infection cases climbed to 7,65,302 until Saturday night, according to the data shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW). Read more. Lucknow double murder: Scribbled notes, scary pictures puzzle police probing case Police in Lucknow, probing the killing of an Indian Railway officers wife and teenage son on Saturday allegedly by his 14-year-old daughter, are puzzled by scribbled notes in her notebook, plastic skulls, scary pictures and a sad emoji drawn on her bedroom wall, officials privy to the investigation said on Sunday. Read more. Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till September 30 amid coronavirus outbreak State-wide lockdown in Tamil Nadu has been extended till September 30, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced on Sunday. In the fresh guidelines for the lockdown, all places of worship, hotels and resorts are allowed to re-open. As of Sunday, Tamil Nadu has 52,726 active cases taking the cumulative tally to 3,55,727. Read more. How Modi govt destroyed Indian economy: Rahul Gandhis new video series trailer Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced a new series of videos to talk about the Centres handling of the Indian economy after attacking the government over the border standoff with China in July. Read more. Watch: PM Modi hails Army dogs who sniff out bombs, says adopt Indian breeds Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the contribution of canine units in national security and disaster response. He began with invoking the work of Vida and Sophie, two dogs who were recently felicitated with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards. Vida, a labrador deployed with the canine unit at Armys Northern Command, has helped find 5 mines and 1 grenade buried underground. Read more. Disha Patani takes Kokilabens place in recreated Rasode Mein Kaun Tha video as she grills her two dogs, watch Disha Patani has shared her own version of the Rasode Mein Kaun Tha viral video. While the actor plays Kokilaben, her two dogs play Gopi and Rashi in the hilarious video. Read more. Back to Hogwarts: Potterheads get robes and wands ready as classes resume in wizarding world September 1 is a momentous day in the Wizarding World, as it marks the day that Hogwarts students return to school for the new term and this year, you can be among the students boarding the Hogwarts Express. Read more. (L-R) Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) stands next to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) as he speaks to reporters following a closed-door hearing with the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Nov. 4, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Schiff: House Could Subpoena Officials to Testify on Election Interference House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Sunday it is possible the House could issue subpoenas to federal intelligence officials to testify on alleged election interference, coming after Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe told members of Congress that he wont deliver in-person briefings on election interference because of rampant leaks to the press. Schiff said on Sunday that I cant speak for what decision ultimately well make. Thats a decision that will have to go to the speaker, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Schiff served as the lead House impeachment manager and has frequently accused President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia to secure the 2016 election. This intelligence paid for by taxpayers doesnt belong to Donald Trump, it doesnt belong to the intelligence agencies, it belongs to the American people. The agencies are merely the custodians of that information, the California Democrat told CNN. And the American people ought to know what Russia is doing, they ought to know their president is unwilling to stand up to Vladimir Putin, Schiff said. And that information belongs to the American people, it doesnt belong to Donald Trump. Ratcliffe told Fox News that he has to end the in-person briefings because of frequent leaks to the media. Within minutes of one of those briefings ending, a number of members of Congress went to a number of different outlets and leaked classified information for political purposes, he said. Nominee John L. Ratcliffe sits during a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 5, 2020. (Gabriella Demczuk-Pool/Getty Images) Ratcliffe said that Russia also isnt a greater national security threat than China. I dont mean to minimize Russia. They are a serious national security threat, but day in, day out, the threats that we face from China are significantly greater, Ratcliffe said. Anyone who says otherwise is just politicizing intelligence for their own narrative. Last month, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a report that found China is actively attempting to undermine the November elections along with Russia and Iran. However, the report, which was released by the head of U.S. counterintelligence, William Evanina, found that China is currently the No. 1 threat. Beijing recognizes its efforts might affect the presidential race, Evanina said last month. But tactically, the U.S. approach would be more predictable, and Biden is much smoother to deal with than Trumpa viewpoint that is shared by many countries, it said. Pelosi and Schiff on Saturday also said Ratcliffes move is a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed. Schiff and Pelosi called the administrations move a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Ratcliffe has made clear hes in the job only to protect Trump from democracy, not democracy from Trump. But when asked about a claim Democrats have leaked information to the press, Ratcliffe said, Were going to protect information from being leaked for political purposes. Its happened too much and I wont stand for it. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told CNN that Ratcliffes move is being blown so way out of proportion. Charanjit Attra, a partner in Financial Accounting Advisory Services (FAAS) at EY India and a former ICICI Securities senior executive, is likely to join the countrys largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) as its new chief financial officer (CFO), multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told Moneycontrol. Former deputy managing director and CFO Prashant Kumar had moved earlier to YES Bank as part of the Reserve Bank of Indias rescue plan led by SBI. Kumar was replaced in interim capacity by C. Venkat Nageshwar. Attra is likely to join SBI on October 1, 2020, said one of the individuals cited above. His past experience as the CFO of two corporates and his stint with the Big 4 worked in his favour. An official announcement can be expected shortly, added a second individual. Both the individuals spoke to Moneycontrol on the condition of anonymity. Attra was unavailable for an immediate comment. EY did not respond to an email query sent by Moneycontrol. SBI was unavailable for an immediate comment. The public sector lender has also created a position of deputy managing director (finance) which is held by J. Swaminathan. The incoming CFO will report to Swaminathan, sources added. Winds of change at SBI Attra, a chartered accountant who specialises in Indian GAAP, US GAAP, IFRS and SEC regulations, was previously an ED & global CFO at IT company 3i Infotech and CFO and head Structured Finance Group at ICICI Securities. He has worked with the ICICI Bank group for more than 12 years in the areas of investment banking , finance (raising of both equity and debt), commercial and retail banking, financial accounting and operations, according to his Linkedin profile. He has been nominated on various committees of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and the RBI, and he also was a special invitee on the National Advisory Committee on Accounting Standards set up in the Ministry of Company Affairs, his profile says. On March 17, 2020, Prashant Kumar was appointed as the MD & CEO of YES Bank. Recently, Kumar spoke exclusively to Moneycontrol on a range of issues including the challenges faced in the last four months and his vision for YES Bank going ahead. According to a notification from the Banks Board Bureau (BBB), the name of Dinesh Kumar Khara, who is one of the MDs of the bank, has been recommended as the next chairman of SBI. Moneycontrol had reported on August 18 that current SBI chief Rajnish Kumar will not get an extension. His term is coming to an end on October 7. Its increasingly clear that one-party polities are corrupt, badly managed and serve the interests only of those at the top and their courtiers. I think that if Biden and Harris win, the entire country will devolve to a kingdom of state and regional duchies composed of often semi-hereditary rulers in the pay of the rich, donor class, the clerisy (media scribblers, complaisant judicial appointees and academic rent seekers who promote favored policies and shut out the dissenters), an impoverished, smaller, and powerless middle class and a vast layer of muzzled, docile poor serfs. They will rule by fiat (often inconsistently and illogically) as they have been in dealing with COVID-19. Because they can, the Constitution to the contrary notwithstanding. In a lengthy essay, Michael Anton details why he thinks the leftist dream (which, in essence is a feudal form of tyranny) is within reach if Trump loses. I urge you all to read in its entirety this thoughtful article at your leisure. At best, I can only highlight some of the many salient points he makes. 1. Since the 1960s policies and practices have enriched the ruling class and erode our natural and constitutionally guaranteed rights and liberties as they degraded our culture and dishonored our heritage. 2. At present the office of the presidency is seriously weaker than the unitary executive described in the Constitution intended as an entrenched bureaucracy undermines, flouts and disobeys the president at every turn if he dares to advance policies unpopular with the deep state. 3. The benign phrase public-private partnership is no less than the use of state power to serve private interests and the relationship is one in which the senior partner is always big business. 4. Congress, he argues is a joke. Our government is run by The cogs and lickspittles in the bureaucracy, led by a small elite in corporations, above all in Big Tech and finance, will determine all important policies, foreign and domestic. 5. The COVID lockdowns and mandates engineered by governors and mayors without laws to permit them based on expert lies continue even as we know the virus is definitely not the plague we were told it would be. He argues that should Trump lose we can expect increasingly anti-democratic governance committed to social engineering and grievance politics and a continued undermining of virtue and promotion of vice. Anton talks about the undermining of the right to self-defense and the outrageous prosecution of Kyle Rittenhouse, who in Kenosha did just that against three attackers whose marauding had been encouraged by the Wisconsin governors and local mayors refusal to enforce the laws to maintain order. Attorney Lin Wood, who successfully sued on behalf of Richard Jewell and Nick Sandmann and who this week volunteered to represent Kyle Rittenhouse (the hero of Kenosha) for defamation says we are facing a revolution and need to prepare ourselves for the fight. Lin Wood @LLinWood (1) Republicans are talking policy differences while focusing on upcoming election. They are not taking the current situation serious or they are just plain stupid. They need to face truth that our country is under attack. (2) The former President, Barack Obama, is calling for sustained protests. The leader of the resistance movement, Hillary Clinton, is saying that we should not accept the results of the next election. (3) The Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is describing our President, @realDonaldTrump, as an enemy of the state. Many radical members of Congress are openly calling for the overthrow of our government. (4) 1 + 1 + 1 = Revolution. #FightBack 5:55 AM Aug 29, 2020 The Duchy of Newsom as the Template of the New Order No better example of what Anton describes as our future can I find than the sad state of California under the governorship of Gavin Newsom. Ive written elsewhere of the Green New Deal disaster he helped birth and which now plunges much of his state into darkness and misery. Victor David Hanson has written extensively on what has brought his home state so rich in natural resources to its knees. Heres but one of his latest reports. It begins (and then extensively documents): Power outages, fires, water shortages, rising taxes, crumbling and congested highways, dismal schools, lawlessness At the Wall Street Journal, Holman Jenkins, Jr. notes that California politicians obsess about things like climate change they are powerless to do anything about while ignoring serious problems they could do something about if only they had the skills and will to govern. In that one-party state there is simply no accountability for failure of vision and execution: Unfortunately, the people running the state, including Joe Bidens prospective veep, have been mostly meme-chasing, pose-striking calculators. Their only career plan: nurse their standing with Hollywood green activists, trial lawyers and public-sector unions. In a one-party state, there is no serious clash of policy prescriptions. Thats how Kamala Harris could reach middle age with a giant vacancy in her resume where one would normally find some connection to policy ideas. If the state is to dig out of its deepening hole, it will need something else. It will need, you know, ideas. In fact, only a revolution of ideas can save it from the path its on. And the first idea is easy to see. The state will have to wake up from the sheer ludicrousness of devoting so much of its politics to a problem its politics cant fix at the expense to those it can. So why do the citizens of blue hells not rebel? That is the question -- Anton and Hanson and Jenkins, like so many of us, know they must. My online friend The Infamous Ignatz sees it in psychological terms: I don't think the people living in urban blue hells want to live in hell, but irrationality on a mass scale is made up of millions of little individual irrationalities collectivized. An irrational person has a very, very difficult time choosing the rational option because it involves so many self-negating decisions, not least of which is stopping the magical thinking and the blaming of others for the problem. That's why I equate irrational society with personality disorders. It's not that people in urban hellscapes aren't miserable, they just don't see any way out. For those outside looking in, American cities' electoral habits fit Einstein's apocryphal definition of insanity better than anything I can think of. What makes it even more incurable and persistent is the very people the voters think they are hiring as their therapists not only come themselves from the ranks of the disordered but they have very powerful incentives making sure the patient never gets well. Maybe thats part of it. I do think that the movement in the direction of feudal, tyrannical governance is being aided by the influx of millions of illegal immigrants from places where this kind of government is the norm. It gained force when civics education was dropped in schools in favor of less significant subjects, and the hollowing out of our higher education institutions, including law schools, which since the 1960s have increasingly become there-oughta-be-a-law schools which encourage future judges and law clerks to imagine themselves as legislators and executives. Nor can we forget the role being played by the tech giants, who are using IT as a weapon for social control and the destruction of privacy. In any event, November will have us in the fight of our lives. Be prepared. The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and lower oil prices will place both the residential and office space rental sectors in Oman's capital Muscat under further pressure over the coming months, according to leading global real estate advisors Savills. As a result of this twin effect, Savills expects to see increasingly challenging economic conditions and an acceleration of the exodus of the expatriate population. Market conditions in both the residential and office space rental sectors in Muscat were already in slowdown/recession prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, it cautioned in its latest market report for Oman. The report highlights the historic correlation between Omans GDP trends and movement in oil prices, and an assessment of the impact of macroeconomic conditions on the real estate sector. It also offers an in-depth analysis of the office and residential rental markets, and the impacts of Covid-19. According to Savills, the total population of Oman grew from 3.6 million in 2012 to 4.6 million in 2016 and has levelled off since then. This growth was driven primarily by the expatriate population which grew from 1.5 million in 2012 to 2.1 million in 2016, it stated. Current evidence suggest that a net exodus of highly qualified expatriates began in 2016 due to economic conditions and increasing restrictions on expatriate employment. The number of highly qualified expatriates dropped by 17.6% between 2016 to Q1 2020 while the total number of expatriate employees dropped by 6.8% during the same period. Savills expects that the reduction in the expatriate population will be accelerated by recent events. Ihsan Kharouf, the Head of Savills Oman, said: "Expatriates play a significant role in influencing demand for real estate. Market conditions in both the residential and office space rental sectors in Muscat were already in slowdown/recession prior to the Covid-19 pandemic as a result of slow economic growth and negligible net population growth." "The ongoing pandemic has further deteriorated the economic landscape. While the longer-term impacts of the pandemic on the sector are currently unclear, it is evident that there will be increasing challenges over the coming months, he explained. According to Ihsan, recent years have seen a gradual decline in achievable rental values in Muscat as a result of increasing supply relative to moderate demand. Savills estimates that there is currently around 350,000 sq m of better-quality office space for the rental market in Muscat with a further 100,000 sqm of office space under construction between Qurum and Muscat Hills which is due to be completed in the coming 12 to 18 months. In Savills experience, the majority of recent demand has been focused on smaller, fully finished office units with around 90% of demand coming from companies with an existing presence in Oman: demand from new market entrants has been limited. The longer-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and lower oil prices on the office rental market in Muscat will only become clear over the coming months but the sector is highly likely to experience downward pressure in terms of both demand and achievable rental values in the short term. With rental values at historically low levels, however, Savills considers that landlords are increasingly likely to agree to incentives such as extended initial rent-free periods and/or assistance with office fit-outs for shell & core space rather than notable further drops in rental values. Good car parking and property management will remain key features in attracting and retaining tenants. On the Muscat residential rental market, Savills said it has also seen a notable increase in supply over recent years, although the supply of mid to higher grade apartments with facilities and compound townhouses/villas remains relatively limited. "The residential rental market in Muscat is driven by expatriates and the drop-in expatriate numbers since 2017 has resulted in a shrinking market size for residential rental properties," remarked Kharouf. "As a result, realistically achievable rental values for better quality apartments were generally around 30% to 40% lower at the end of 2019 in comparison to 2014. In comparison, rental values for villas and townhouses in the prime locations of Shatti Al Qurum, Muscat Hills and Al Mouj saw greater resilience," he said. "While better quality residential units are likely to show a more stable performance, the expected drop in the number of expatriates in Muscat over the coming months will place the residential market under increased downward pressure in terms of both reduced demand and achievable rental values, he explained. "Savills does, however, foresee potential interest from existing tenants to look to upgrade from their existing rental property at more affordable values," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Bella Thorne on the red carpet during the opening gala of the Oldenburg International Film Festival. 11 September 2019, Photo by Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/picture alliance via Getty Images) Actress Bella Thorne has taken to social media to apologise after facing a backlash following her OnlyFans success. The former Disney star signed up to the site earlier this month, selling images of herself in lingerie to fans. It is reported she made $1 million (750,000) within 24 hours of launching the page. Read more: Bella Thorne says she earned 1.5m in one week on OnlyFans The site subsequently changed the structure of the financial element to the site, which resulted in other other OnlyFans stars being out of pocket - something many blamed on Thornes success. The 22-year-old has now addressed the backlash in a series of tweets. She wrote on Twitter: PT1 Remove the stigma behind sex, sex work, and the negativity that surrounds the word SEX itself by bringing a mainstream face to it thats what I was trying to do, to help bring more faces to the site to create more revenue for content creators on the site. PT1 Remove the stigma behind sex, sex work, and the negativity that surrounds the word SEX itself by bringing a mainstream face to it thats what I was trying to do, to help bring more faces to the site to create more revenue for content creators on the site. BITCHIMBELLATHORNE (@bellathorne) August 29, 2020 I wanted to bring attention to the site, the more people on the site the more likely of a chance to normalize the stigmas, And in trying to do this I hurt you. I have risked my career a few times to remove the stigma behind sex work, porn, and the natural hatred people spew behind anything sex related. Actress Bella Thorne speaks at the 4th annual Women's March LA: Women Rising at Pershing Square on January 18, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images) I wrote and directed a porn against the high brows of my peers and managers because I WANTED to help with the stigma behind sex. She continued: I am a mainstream face and when you have a voice, a platform, you try to use you in helping others and advocate for something bigger than yourself. Read more: Bella Thorne directs X-rated adult film Story continues Again in this process I hurt you and for that Im truly sorry. She ended the thread, saying: Ps. Im meeting with only fans about the new restrictions to find out why!!! This is f***ed up and Im sorry comment any ideas or concerns you want brought up to OF!! and send me your links and a pic so I can promote you guys. Though OnlyFans users theorised the rule changes were down to Thornes success, OnlyFans bosses insist this isnt the case, saying transaction limits are set to help prevent overspending and to allow our users to continue to use the site safely. A Mexican drug cartel has begun using consumer drones weaponized with small explosives as they continue to wage war against rivals. Mexicos drug cartels have boasted a notorious reputation for being well armed, with some groups owning armored gun trucks donned with heavy-grade machine guns and a stockpiles of weapons. Now, at least one vicious cartel has obtained quadcopter-style drones strapped with bombs that have been recovered by local authorities as recently as July 25. The Drive reports that a civilian self-defense militia in the city of Tepalcatepec, which sits in Michoacan state, found two dozen quadcopters with explosives in a vehicle that cartel hitman, or sicarios, had reportedly abandoned after a botched hit. Mexican authorities discovered a dozen of quadcopter-style drones installed small explosives (pictured) in an abandoned car in Michoacan on July 25 The bombs were made of Tupperware-like containers full of c4 charges, a common plastic explosive, and ball bearings for shrapnel. The discovery was linked to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), or Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which has continued to exert a tight grip on its home turf of the Jalisco state and surrounding areas. In fact, CJNGs control extends to Mexicos southwest Pacific coastline, along the Gulf of Mexico on the other side of the country and several states in the U.S. In November 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration reported that CJNG had extended their drug operations into 35 states and Puerto Rico. Pictured: A map of Mexican cartels provided by The Drive that identifies CJNG in yellow The DEA announced last year that CJNG is believed to be in at least 35 states and Puerto Rico (pictured) And in July, authorities estimated that CJNG oversaw around one-third of all drugs being transported from Mexico into the U.S. Operations have also reached out to other parts of the globe, including Europe and Asia. CJNG entered the cartel ring in 2009 as an offshoot of the Milenio Cartel and has conducted an aggressive, brutal campaign against enemies, local Mexican law enforcement and civilian self-defense groups. The massive paycheck being brought in has helped finance a swath of new vehicles, weapons and equipment for sicarios and foot soldiers, The Drive reports. CJNG in July sought to prove their tactical power with a video they shared that was picked up by local media outlets. Quadcopters with explosives (pictured) that were linked to CJNG were found in the city of Puebla in April Footage showed a fleet of camouflaged SUVs, trucks and pickup vehicles that were surrounded by a dozen of cartel members waving machine guns. Some of the armored vehicles were outfitted with guns and weaponry that resembled a militia. Men in the video, wearing bullet proof vests with CJNG stamped on top, yelled El Mencho, the nickname of the top boss Nemesio El Mencho Oseguera Cervantes. El Mencho succeeded the notorious Joaquin Guzman , or El Chapo, as top dog among Mexican cartels after Guzman received a life sentence in prison on July 17, 2019. Nemesio El Mencho Oseguera Cervantes (pictured) is the top boss of CJNG The men in the video belong to the special forces sector within CJNGs overall power structure. The video came after a failed attempt by CJNG to assassinate Mexicos police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch in June. Harfuch was wounded in the shootout, but survived. Two of his bodyguards succumbed to their injuries. Although it is the latest offensive tactic by CJNG, the cartel had previously used aerial strategies against members of the Tepalcatepec self-defense militia in April. CJNG reportedly dropped explosive devices from small, manned aircrafts, but this method was abandoned when Mexican authorities boosted aerial surveillance. Quadcopters with explosives that were linked to CJNG were found in the city of Puebla in April, The Drive reports. Mexican authorities believed those devices had been meant for an attack on the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel some 200 miles north in Guanajuato. Subsequently, a series of raids unearthed more quadcopters, a plethora of electronics and bomb-making supplies. CJNGs reliance on quadcopters echoed that of other Mexican cartels and criminal organizations that have used drones to deliver drugs over borders and barriers. CJNG's drug reach is believed to be global, with related-activities reported in the U.S., Europe and Asia Bomb-equipped drones used by Mexican cartels date as far back as 2017 and, since the process to create them is fairly accessible, have become more common. ISIS terrorists weaponized drones during battles in Iraq and in 2018, a group opposed to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro attempted to assassinate him at a public rally with a commercial drone. In 2015, Japanese officials warned that Yakuza families had used drones for their criminal schemes. Similar devices have also been found in Syria and Russias outpost in the country has been a consistent target to such attacks since 2018. The Drive reports that authorities in Baghdad, Iraq, discovered a quadcopter drone with a bomb installed near the Green Zone, which houses various Embassies and government buildings, in July. Meanwhile, some governments have hoped to leverage the autonomy of drones for military battle. Turkey has worked on complex weaponized systems for drones and the U.S. has investigated varieties of counter-drone technologies to tackle low tier threats, The Drive reports. Those include jammers, lasers, high-power microwave beams and directed-energy weapons. CJNG has been characterized as violent and aggressive in their campaign to dominate other groups in the area I argue all the time with my Air Force friends that the future of flight is vertical and it's unmanned, said U.S. Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, at an event in June. I'm not talking about large unmanned platforms, which are the size of a conventional fighter jet that we can see and deal with, as we would any other platform. I'm talking about the one you can go out and buy at Costco right now in the United States for a thousand dollars, four quad, rotorcraft, or something like that that can be launched and flown. And with very simple modifications, it can make made into something that can drop a weapon like a hand grenade or something else. The recent use of drone-bombs by CJNG proved that countermeasures to protect certain aspects, like infrastructure and deadly attacks, is increasingly needed. Just last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicated the need for a counter-drone tactic as an emerging requirement. If left unchecked, the tactic could very well spread to other Mexican cartels and unleash explosive warfare that could be detrimental to many. Moscow, Aug 30 : Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country recognises Alexander Lukashenko the legitimate President of Belarus. "We recognize the legitimacy of the presidential elections in Belarus. And as you know, I have congratulated Alexander Lukashenko on his victory," Putin said in a televised interview on Saturday. He recalled that Belarus had invited the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor the elections, though they did not come, reports Xinhua news agency. "This immediately makes us think that, in fact, a position on the results of the elections had already been formulated," he said. Putin said that he "has every reason" to doubt the honesty of those who object to the results of the Belarusian elections. Belarus has been witnessing mass protests after incumbent president Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994, won a sixth term in the August 9 elections, with the opposition refusing to recognize the results. The European Union does not recognize the results either and has threatened to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for violence, repression and election fraud. The Opelika Chamber of Commerce has selected Angels Antiques & Flea Mall as the Small Business of the Quarter. Chamber board chair Bill Loosier presented the award at last weeks Business over Breakfast Chamber event. This award is given to a small business quarterly that has gone above and beyond to help their clients, offer great customer service and show generosity. In 2002, Angels Antiques owners Bill and Connie Brewer chose Opelika for their small business because it was listed as the 19th fastest growing metropolitan area in the country. With the antique mall being just a block from Interstate 85, the mall hosts thousands of customers from all across the globe. Today, Angels Antiques is still located in the same 68,000 square feet building at 900 Columbus Parkway, exit 62, and now has over 450 vendors. For years, their customers have voted them as the areas best antique mall in Alabama and Georgia and Lucky Magazine rated them for being the Top 3 Best Antique Malls in the South. Angels Antiques is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (334) 745.5574 or visit www.angelsmall.info. Jessica Mulroney has deleted a throwback snap of one of her twin sons at Meghan Markle's wedding, after initially posting it on Thursday amid reports of a fallout with the Duchess of Sussex. The stylist, 40, from Canada, first shared the sweet image on Instagram, writing: 'When I feel dark and grey, I see this and it all goes away.' She later amended the caption, changing it to: 'I see this and pure joy.' But Jessica, who was emblazoned in a race row earlier this year leading to the Duchess of Sussex, 39, to reportedly cut ties with her, has since deleted the image from her Instagram page. Jessica Mulroney, 40, from Toronto, shared a snap of one of her twin sons, Brian, at Meghan Markle's, 39, wedding on Thursday, but has since deleted the snap The Duchess of Sussex was reported to have cut ties with Jessica (pictured together in 2016 with Jessica's husband Ben) in the wake of the racism storm that engulfed her Mother-of-three Jessica returned to the social media platform on August 11 following a two-month break after black influencer Sasha Exeter accused her of 'threatening her livelihood' after 'taking offence' at a Black Lives Matter video posted by the online star. The Duchess was reported to have cut ties with Jessica in the wake of the controversy, with a source telling the DailyMail.com at the time she was left 'mortified' by the scandal and informed her close friends she felt she could 'no longer be associated' with her. 'Meghan is absolutely mortified that she's been dragged into this complete mess. She said Jessica is in no way a racist, but the way she handled the situation [with Sasha] was tone-deaf and heartbreaking,' a close friend of Meghan's said at the time. 'Meghan said friends reflect friends and because of what's at stake she can no longer be associated with Jessica, at least not in public. After sharing the snap, the 40-year-old stylist added a wistful caption to the sweet image, writing: 'When I feel dark and grey, I see this and it all goes away' Jessica later amended the caption of her Instagram post, changing it to: 'I see this and pure joy' 'She has to do what she has to do in order to preserve her dignity and her own reputation,' the source added, admitting that they 'wouldn't be surprised' if the controversy was the 'beginning of the end of their friendship'. But earlier this month Jessica shut down the rumours, branding a commenter's suggestion on one of her posts that she had been 'dumped' by Meghan 'fake news'. This week's post was thought to be to be a further attempt from Jessica to show she remains good friends with the former actress - who now lives with Prince Harry, 35, in Santa Barbara. But the mysterious disappearance of the photo from her Instagram page has added fuel to the fire of rumours of a rift between the pair. Jessica, who was emblazoned in a race row earlier this year leading to the Duchess of Sussex to reportedly cut ties with her, has since deleted the image from her Instagram page, with the latest shot a picture of two of her children watching their father on TV Jessica's twins John and Brian, now 10, served as page boys at the Royal Wedding in May 2018, and the sweet image showed a toothless Brian grinning wildly as he stood behind 'Aunt Meghan' as she entered St George's Chapel in Windsor. The stylist and influencer recently credited her sons for 'giving her the will to live when everything fell apart' in a post shared to mark their tenth birthday. Jessica took a break from social media after influencer Sasha Exeter claimed she 'threatened her livelihood' after they became embroiled in an argument over race. Finding Freedom, the explosive biography about the Sussexes written by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, recently shed light on the history of Jessica's friendship with the Duchess. It comes after Jessica credited her sons with 'giving her the will to live when everything fell apart' in a post shared to mark their tenth birthday It told how Meghan and Harry spent time with the Mulroneys, part of the Canadian political dynasty, before their relationship was made public in 2016, and 'hid out' at the family home when the news first broke. It was there, the authors claim, that Meghan 'fell hard' for her now-husband after getting a 'first-hand glimpse of how Harry might be as a father'. Jessica's friendship with Meghan was not the only aspect of her life that suffered as a result of the recent controversy. The bond between Harry, Meghan and Mulroneys was clear to see when Brian (far left), John (far right) and Ivy (next to her brother) were all given important roles in the Sussexes' wedding. Pictured, the Mulroney children with the other page boys and flower girls, including Prince George (next to Meghan) and Princess Charlotte (left, by Meghan's train) Having quickly shot to fame thanks to her close friendship with the Duchess, Jessica's fall from grace was even swifter. DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that ABC had quickly severed ties with her, confirming that Jessica would not be returning to her occasional role as a fashion contributor on Good Morning America. Canadian TV network CTV also distanced themselves from the stylist, revealing that it was pulling all episodes of her wedding-focused reality show I Do Redo from its platforms ahead of its expected US premiere on Netflix. The Duke of Sussex 'never turned up empty-handed' when they visited Jessica and Ben Mulroney and their twins Brian and John and daughter Ivy, pictured together, according to new book Finding Freedom. Seeing Prince Harry with the children helped Meghan see what he'd be like as a father Jessica then stepped down from the board of directors of The Shoebox Project, a charity that she founded with her sisters-in-law, Caroline, Vanessa, and Katy Mulroney. In a statement shared on Instagram, the charity said: 'Jessica Mulroney is a founding member of The Shoebox Project and she has dedicated herself to its growth and success over the years, for which we are very grateful. 'In light of recent events, the charity supports Jessicas decision to step away from the Board of Directors.' Jessica's friendship with Meghan was not the only aspect of her life that suffered as a result of her becoming embroiled in a social media row with black influencer Sasha Exeter in June. She was dropped by multiple brands and employers Jessica's husband Ben - the son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney - went on to stepp down from his role as the host of CTV's celebrity news show 'etalk', a position that he had held for 18 years. Jessica appears to be taking steps towards making amends; earlier this month she revealed on Instagram that she has used some of her time away from the platform to work on a project to help 'marginalized communities across Canada'. Although the mother-of-three did not elaborate or offer any other details about the project, she did offer a potential hint in a follow-up Instagram Story post, in which she said: 'If anyone has old computers they no longer use, please DM me.' NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps has been assigned to NASAs Boeing Starliner-1 mission that is set to take off next year for the International Space Station. Once aboard the ISS for her six-month expedition, Epps will become the first black woman to join the ISS crew. The significant spaceflight will also be the first for Jeanette Epps, who has been a member of NASAs 2009 astronaut class. With the recent assignment, Epps will join NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Josh Cassada for the mission. Williams and Cassada were assigned to the Starliner-1 mission back in August 2018. NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps and Astronaut Koichi Wakata (Image: NASA) For those unaware, Starliner-1 mission will be the first operational crewed flight of Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, the mission of which is to transport the crew to the International Space Station from Earth. The spaceflight is yet to gain NASA certification after a successful uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 and Crew Flight Test with astronauts, as per a release by NASA. NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps New ISS Member Now set to take her first spaceflight, Epps has been working with NASA since long. Prior to being in NASAs class, Epps was working with the US space agency while earning her doctorate. At the time, Epps was a NASA Graduate Student Researchers Project fellow, wherein she authored several journal and conference articles on her research. Epps has had other impressive achievements throughout her professional career. Post her graduate school, she co-authored several patents while working in a research laboratory. After spending more than two years at the lab, she was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Epps worked seven years as a CIA technical intelligence officer before becoming a member of the 2009 astronaut class. The Starliner Mission Boeing CST-100 Starliner Crew Capsule The Starliner mission due next year is meant to transport NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. It will use Boeings Crew Space Transportation or CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. As per its maker, the spacecraft can accommodate seven passengers, or a mix of crew and cargo, for missions to low-Earth orbit. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is being developed in collaboration with NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The program has been running since 2010 and in its tenure, has seen the US space agency collaborate with several American aerospace industry companies. The main goal is to have safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station. Under the Senate bill, oil refineries like this one in Torrance will have until 2028 to replace firefighting foam containing toxic chemicals with a less harmful alternative. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) California lawmakers voted Sunday to phase out the sale and use of firefighting foam containing toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer and have contaminated drinking water throughout the state. The measure, put forward by state Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), requires municipal fire departments, chemical plants and oil refineries to gradually stop using the foam, replacing it with alternatives that don't contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of chemicals commonly known as PFAS. Scientists have called PFAS "forever chemicals" because they persist indefinitely and accumulate in the human body. Exposure to them has been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, as well as high levels of cholesterol, thyroid disease and other serious health problems. These chemicals have been used for decades in household products including nonstick pans, stain-resistant furniture and food packaging. But a significant amount of drinking-water contamination comes from their use in firefighting foam, which has been widely employed on military bases, at airports and at industrial sites. Some fire departments keep it on hand to quickly extinguish car or airplane fires. When the foam is sprayed on a fire, the chemicals can soak into the soil, eventually ending up in groundwater. PFAS contamination is widespread in California and in much of the United States. Tests conducted by state regulators last year found 300 drinking-water wells and other water sources that had traces of the chemicals. The military's decades-long reliance on PFAS-containing firefighting foam has left its mark as well at least 21 military bases in the state have been contaminated, including six where the chemicals threaten the water supply in nearby communities. Under the new legislation, which awaits approval by Gov. Gavin Newsom, municipal fire departments will be banned from using PFAS-containing foam by Jan. 1, 2022. Chemical plants and airport hangars have until 2024. Story continues Oil refineries, which fought to be exempt from the prohibition, will be required to stop using the foam by 2028, unless they qualify for a waiver. If there's a fire and they spray the foam, they will be required to report the use to the state and contain the spread, so that the chemicals do not leach into groundwater. "Obviously we're anxious to get PFAS out of the stream, but we wanted this to be workable," Allen said, adding that changing how industries respond to fires would probably require expensive investments in new infrastructure. "We wanted to give more time to those facilities that have the potential for more dangerous fires," he said. The legislation also sets new rules for how foam that contains PFAS can be disposed of. Within California, the foam must be transported safely and stored a recognition that scientists have yet to agree on the best way to get rid of products with chemicals that don't break down. Avinash Kar, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy organization that supported the phaseout, said California's legislation is among the toughest in the country. States including Colorado and Washington have set bans on the sale of the foam, but California's bill prohibits continued use, preventing businesses from stockpiling a product tainted with toxic chemicals. "With the refineries and terminals, we do think they can probably transition sooner" than the deadlines set in the legislation, Kar said. A photo circulating of two young California girls relying on Taco Bell's free Wi-Fi to complete their homework assignments has concerned local residents and reignited worry about the 'digital divide' during the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, many schools across the country kicked off the year with virtual lessons that involved children having their first day of classes though a computer screen. Many administrators scrambled to create feasible curriculum that could be taught uniformly during in-person classes, online lessons or both. But the photo shared to social media last week highlighted the plight of students who don't have immediate access to internet, broadband or technology - raising fears that some children may get left behind academically. The picture, originally shared to Instagram by user Ms_Mamie89, explained that the two girls arrived to the Taco Bell on Alisal Street in search of internet connection. A photo shared to Instagram showed two young children in Salinas, California, sitting outside a Taco Bell so they can use the free Wi-Fi for homework (pictured) 'These 2 young girls were looking for a place with WiFi to do their school work so they sat near Taco Bell to connect to the free WiFi,' the user wrote. The two girls are seated near a dumpster, with their laptops out and notebooks on the concrete ground, completing their homework as two employees stand nearby. 'A lot of us dont have to worry about having a proper WiFi connection or a quiet place to work from home. Every student from preschool through college should have free access to reliable WiFi especially now,' the user added. The state of California has been labeled a COVID-19 hot spot. In Monterey County, where the city of Salinas is nestled, officials have recorded 7,591 confirmed cases and 55 deaths as of Friday. Those numbers contributed to the 693,839 infections and 12,834 deaths amassed in the overall state of California, which was the first state to implement lockdown orders under Gov. Gavin Newsom and re-opened on May 18. Newsom was forced to re-implement some quarantine restrictions as recently as last month. He ordered indoor operations for several businesses, including fitness centers and places of worship, to close in 36 of the Golden State's most overwhelmed counties. The pandemic has exacerbated some students' ability to obtain adequate education resources. Technology inequality has continued to be a problem nationwide for a plethora of school districts, but the pandemic showcased a significant hurdle in distance learning. The Salinas City Elementary School District, one of the largest in Monterey County, identified the children as their students. The switch to virtual learning has left some children without adequate resources as their families may not have internet or broadband connection One student attends Sherwood Elementary School, and the other is a student at Los Padres Elementary School, The Californian reports. The Salinas City Elementary School District said in a statement that they were aware of the photo and had provided resources to those children. 'Our district became aware of a post that is circulating on social media early this morning,' wrote Richard Gebin, public relations officer for the Salinas City Elementary School District. 'We immediately identified the students belonging to SCESD, and since then, have provided the family with a hotspot so that our students can safely access classroom instruction from home. 'We are aware of connectivity concerns and we have placed additional orders for hotspots to address the digital divide.' Board President Amy Ish also acknowledged the digital inequality experienced by students in Salinas and neighboring areas. 'The digital divide is very clear and delays in receiving needed technology are a statewide concern, we are grateful the state is making technology a priority and look forward to receiving these hotspots in our district,' said Ish. The school district is asking families to contact their school sites if they face similar problems with digital resources and distance learning. Families who need internet access can contact their child's school Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. Pictured: Children wait to enter the school building on the first day of in-person classes in Orange County at Baldwin Park Elementary School in Orlando, Florida But according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as other reports, closing the gap will take more than providing hot spots. 'Low-income households have lower rates of in-home Internet connectivity compared with higher-income groups,' the agency wrote. 'Connectivity rates are particularly low among HUD-assisted renter households, who are also more likely to depend exclusively on smartphones and other handheld devices to access the Internet in the home.' Money was listed as some of the main reasons families lacked internet connection. 'Eighty percent of respondents to the 20152016 ConnectHome baseline survey who lacked Internet access at home cited Internet costs as one reason they lacked in-home Internet access, and 37 percent cited device costs,' the agency wrote. The Public Policy Institute of California reported that in 2017 that 'gaps persist for low-income, less educated, rural, African American, and Latino households.' 'Between 54% and 67% of these households had broadband subscriptions in 2017, compared to 74% for all households.' The agency added around 16 per cent, or 945,000, of students in California had no internet connection at their home in 2017 and 27 per cent, or 1.7 million, did not have broadband. Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo expressed his concerns over Twitter last week and called for officials to 'do better' Former California Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Len also commented to add that 40 per cent of Latinos in California reportedly do not have internet access Ed Source, a non-profit journalism website reporting education in California, found in May that around 1.2million students did not have computer or broadband access for distance learning. While school districts have attempted to provide enough resources for families, local officials have called for more action. '2 of our children trying to get WiFi for their classes outside a Taco Bell in East Salinas!' wrote Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo on Twitter. 'We must do better & solve this digital divide once &for all for all California students.' Former California Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Len shared the sentiment on social media by pointing out that Silicon Valley, a multi-million dollar hub for tech giants, sits just an hour away. 'This is California, home to Silicon Valley...but where the digital divide is as deep as ever. Where 40% of all Latinos don't have internet access. This generation deserves better,' he said. Users on social media expressed their fears and concerns that children in California did not have adequate digital resurces for class Pia Glenn: 'My mind goes to those with fewer resources first and it genuinely breaks my heart. Mainstream schooling ain't never been "fair," but I fear this hurdle may seriously hinder some ferociously bright minds' Residents also expressed their outrage on social media, with many of them pointing out the disparities some low income and rural students face daily. 'This country has to do so much f****** better. How in the world can Bezos have as much $ as he does when we have this?? It makes no sense,' wrote Reagan Gomez, director of award-nominated short film 'Surviving.' Broadway actress Pia Glenn said: 'This is exactly what I think of when I imagine mandatory online schooling.' 'My mind goes to those with fewer resources first and it genuinely breaks my heart. Mainstream schooling ain't never been "fair," but I fear this hurdle may seriously hinder some ferociously bright minds.' Mercury Capital's magazine business Bauer Media is on the hunt for new office space as the lease on its famous 54 Park Street headquarters comes to an end. The publisher of The Australian Women's Weekly and Woman's Day, which was formally bought by Mercury in July, has occupied the headquarters in Sydney's central business district since the days it was run by the Packer family. Bauer Media, formerly known as Australian Consolidated Press, has occupied 54 Park St since the 1930s. Credit:Rhett Wyman Bauer has put a brief out in the market looking for space to lease and sources suggest it could end up in office space once used by Pacific Magazines, Seven West Media's former magazine division. Seven's empty office has been looking for a tenant since the magazine business was acquired in May this year for $40 million. But Bauer, soon be renamed by its new owners as it nears completion of a management restructure, may stay in its existing headquarters if it can secure a large rent reduction. Bauer's existing lease expires at the end of this financial year. The UN Support Mission in (UNSMIL) has stressed the need for an inclusive return to the political process in the country. " is witnessing a dramatic turn of events that underlines the urgent need to return to a full and inclusive political process that will meet the aspirations of the Libyan people for representative government, dignity, and peace," Xinhua news agency quoted the UN body as saying in a statement on Saturday. It urged calm, the application of the rule of law and the preservation of the rights of all citizens to peacefully express their views. "Across Libya, UNSMIL is registering an increase in reports of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detention, restrictions placed on freedom of movement and expression, as well as on the right of peaceful assembly and protest," the mission said. The UNSMIL expressed concern about the excessive use of force in the capital Tripoli against demonstrators, as well as the arbitrary arrest of a number of civilians. The mission also voiced concern about reports of ongoing human rights violations and abuses in the city of Sirte, some 450 km east of Tripoli, which include killing of a civilian, the arbitrary arrest of several others, and the illegal forced entry into private properties. "The prolific use of hate speech and incitement to violence appears designed to further divide Libyans, increase polarization and tear at the country's social fabric at the expense of a Libyan-Libyan solution," the mission warned. The UNSMIL statement came hours after the UN-backed government of appointed a new Defence Minister and a new Chief of Staff. Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj had said last week that he would reshuffle the cabinet or appoint a crisis government, following protests in several cities in western Libya against the political, economic and security instability as well as lack of basic services. Serraj also pledged to work on providing the basic services for the people, mainly electricity and water. The UN-backed government had been engaged in a deadly armed conflict against the eastern-based army for more than a year over control of the capital Tripoli, before the former recently took over all of western Libya. Despite signing the UN-sponsored political agreement and appointment of the UN-backed government of national accord in 2015, Libya remains politically divided amid insecurity and escalating violence. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: The much-talked-about National Register of Citizens or NRC in Assam has virtually gone into oblivion. Groups and organisations, which had fought for an error-free NRC, are livid that a process, which was supposed to have begun after the publication of the final list, has been put into the cold storage. The final list of the NRC, published on August 31 last year, had seen over 19 lakh out of the over 3.3 crore applicants being left out. The rule is that the persons excluded can challenge their exclusion in the foreigners tribunals (FTs), each of which is headed by a single judge called member. Assam had 100 FTs but some 20 of them were without members. Given the impending mammoth exercise involving the NRC-reject, the state government had decided to set up 200 additional FTs. So, in September last year, it had appointed 221 retired judges and bureaucrats with experience of discharging judicial duties and lawyers with at least seven years of experience as members of the FTs. Persons willing to challenge their exclusion were given a window of 120 days to move an FT. A person not getting relief at an FT can move the Gauhati High Court and then the Supreme Court. However, he or she may be arrested and sent to a detention camp right after the FT declares him or her a foreigner. The process was to have been preceded by the issuance of speaking orders or rejection slips to the excluded by NRC authorities citing the reasons behind exclusion. Initially, it did not take off due to reasons not known and then, came the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, the newly-appointed FT members had very little to do in the past year. NRC state coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma said: The officers are busy with Covid-19. He is understood to have issued a notification recently directing all District Magistrates to ensure the availability of laptops and Internet for officials who are to begin the quality check of rejection slips. An irate All Assam Students Union (AASU) said the Centre had no intention to complete the process. The Centre has done nothing in the past year. Its insincerity is out in the open for everyone to see. That it is not serious about the NRC or the future of Assams indigenous people is proven, AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi told this newspaper. Stating that the BJPs politics revolves around votes, he said it was very unlikely that the government would do anything before Assam polls due early next year. The Assam Public Works (APW), an NGO which had first moved the Supreme Court seeking the updation of the NRC of 1951, has stuck to its guns. It insisted on 100% re-verification of the NRC final list. We cannot accept this NRC that has the names of illegal Bangladeshis and even Jihadis. One year has elapsed but nothing has happened on the ground, lamented APW chief Abhijeet Sharma. NRC in a nutshell India reported 78,761 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours on Sunday, the highest single-day rise in the world since the pandemic began, while the county is continuing to open its economy. It was the fourth consecutive day that India has registered more than 75,000 infections. With a population of 1.4 billion people, India is the third most infected nation in the world, behind the United States and Brazil, with 3.5 million cases and more than 63,000 deaths, according to official statistics provided by the countrys health ministry. In several European cities Saturday demonstrators rallied against restrictions that have been imposed since the COVID-19 outbreak began. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Berlin to march against mask-wearing and social distancing rules. Police say they arrested about 300 protesters. In London, demonstrators in Trafalgar Square rallied against what they said is the medical tyranny that has been placed on them by masks and distancing. A few hundred protesters in Paris demonstrated against the capitals mandatory mask-wearing mandate. In Zurich, about 1,000 demonstrators skeptical of COVID-19 rules called for a return to freedom. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement Saturday night that he is extending the federal cost-sharing for the deployment of the National Guard in Louisiana to help with the states response to COVID-19 and to help facilitate the Southern states economic recovery. Public health departments throughout the United States are calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reverse changes the federal agency recently made to its public coronavirus testing guidelines. The Big Cities Health Coalition and the National Association of County and City Health Officials, which represent thousands of local departments, sent a letter Friday to the heads of the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requesting that the agencies reverse a decision to stop testing people who have been exposed to the virus but are asymptomatic. The organizations called on the government agencies to reinstate recommendations that people who have been exposed to the virus be tested even if they are asymptomatic. At least 33 states are not following the new CDC guidelines and continue to recommend testing for all people who have been exposed to COVID-19 regardless of symptoms, according to an analysis by Reuters news agency. Johns Hopkins University reports there are more than 25 million COVID-19 cases worldwide. The United States has almost 6 million infections, followed by Brazil with 3.8 million and India with 3.5 million. Source: voanew.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 Reacting sharply to Pakistan hailing the recent Gupkar Declaration in which six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir vowed to restore Article 370, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday asserted that "we are not anyone's puppets". "Pakistan has always abused mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir but now suddenly they like us. Let me make it clear that we are not anyone's puppets, neither New Delhi's nor of anyone across the border. We are answerable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will work for them," Farooq Abdullah told PTI from Srinagar. In response to a question on cross-border terrorism, the former CM of erstwhile state of J&K said, "I would urge Pakistan to stop sending armed men into Kashmir. We want an end to the bloodshed in our state." At the same time, the NC leader urged both India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue "for everyone's greater good". "Our people are being killed on both sides of the Line of Control every time there are ceasefire violations. For God's sake bring a halt to that", he added. READ | 'Aim of the meeting was to check if NC leaders are free as govt claims': Farooq Abdullah Statement by J&K leaders who had signed Gupkar declaration After a meeting at Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullahs residence on August 22, all these five political parties of Jammu & Kashmir, who were the signatories of Gupkar Declaration of August 4, 2019, unanimously issued a statement for restoration of Article 370. We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the state and any division of the state is unacceptable to us. We unanimously reiterate that there can be "nothing about us without us," NC president Farooq Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, JKPCC chief GA Mir, CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami, JKPCC leader Sajad Gani Lone and ANC leader Muzaffar Shah said in a joint statement. READ | 'Committed to strive for restoration of Art 370, 35A': J&K parties a year after Gupkar The joint statement said the signatories of the Gupkar Declaration have barely managed to establish a basic level of communication with each other due to a series of prohibitive and punitive curbs imposed by the government, aimed at impeding all social and political interactions. The limited confabulations held within the constraints imposed have resulted in this unanimous resolution." Moreover, in their first meeting after a year of hiatus from the political picture of J&K, National Conference said that it is on a sacred mission to restore whatever was snatched from J&K on August 5, 2019. This was in line with the Gupkar Declaration passed on the eve of abrogation of Article 370 (August 4, 2019) at NC patron Farooq Abdullah's residence at Gupkar road. The then statement said: "All the parties would be united in their resolve to protect and defend identity, autonomy and the special status of the J&K against all attacks and onslaughts whatsoever." READ | Pakistan jumps at Farooq & NC's resolution to restore Article 370; adds Congress to mix (PTI inputs) Mumbai, Aug 30 : GMR Group will work towards expanding its footprint in the airport business in the long term, said G.M. Rao, Chairman of the group. His message to the shareholders in the annual report of GMR Infrastructure said that the company will also continue to invest in technology. "From a longterm perspective, the Group will continue to invest in technology and work towards further expanding our footprint in the Airport business. We will ensure that the Group is ready for a strong economic comeback post the pandemic," Rao said. He noted that the aviation industry across the globe is facing an unprecedented situation with a very significant adverse impact due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Not only has air travel been restricted due to government initiated lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19, the general passenger sentiment has also been adversely impacted, Rao said, adding that larger countries such as India, however, are expected to recover faster because of a strong domestic market. "In line with our strategy, we believe that in spite of the ongoing turbulence, the airport business has huge underlying strength and will continue to be the growth engine for the group," he said. Noting that the fundamental long-term growth drivers for the Indian economy and aviation sector remain intact and strong, he said: "We are actively pursuing suitable airport opportunities in India as well as globally. " As Americans face economic uncertainly due to the global pandemic, we look to government leadership for guidance. But as our political parties cant seem to come together on much of anything, it is critical that the citizenry get out and make their voices heard. In these unprecedented times, we need strong, experienced government leadership that understand the pulse and needs of their communities. We need rational, measured thinkers with the ability to compromise and understand that governing and leadership is not merely throwing out ideological approaches only heard by a certain group. Issues such as high unemployment, a struggling health care system, police reform, affordable housing, climate change, food insecurity and immigration policy need to be smartly debated and legislators must have the ability to rise above the rhetoric and develop policy that can benefit all Americans. And it needs to happen now. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, we look back and appreciate the struggles to achieve the right to participate in the election process. And for the first time, more than 1 million Massachusetts residents plan to vote by mail in an election. This is a critical time in our history, and we encourage all that are able, to cast their ballot and vote. While we appreciate that the decision rests with you, the voter, these are our recommendations for candidates in races in the Sept. 1 primary elections: In the race for U.S. Senate featuring incumbent Edward J. Markey and challenger U.S. Rep Joseph P. Kennedy III we give the nod to Kennedy. Though it has become something of a commonplace to suggest that theres little policy difference between Markey and Kennedy, it is likely that this is largely a function of campaigning, 2020-style. Though both check all the progressive boxes, Markey has increasingly embraced pie-in-the-sky notions that will never become law. Kennedy, one suspects, could be a more grounded senator. The sitting senator seems to have forgotten that those in the upper chamber are elected to serve both the nation and their home state. Markey has increasingly focused on the former, but not always on the latter, and even less so when it comes to Western Massachusetts. In the race for Massachusetts First Congressional district we give the nod to incumbent Richard E. Neal. For the past three decades, Neal has provided a strong and able voice in Congress on matters that concern Main Street and the world. He is willing to reach across the aisle and negotiate important legislation that impacts the lives of the citizenry. And Neal has a proven track record of bringing congressional attention and funding to the region. His opponent, Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse favors progressive ideas that we feel are unrealistic. And Neals moderate, methodical approach to governing is better suited to handle the challenges ahead. In the race for state Senator in the Hampden district we give nod to the incumbent James Welch over Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez. Welch has gained valuable experience as chairman of the joint committee on health care financing, worked diligently to bring attention and funding to address deteriorating conditions at the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse in Springfield, and has vowed to champion mental illness issues in the region. Gomez is a strong advocate for the needs in the community and should stay involved in government, but today, Welchs experience counts. In the Democratic primary for the state representative in the 5th Hampden District we recommend Patricia Duffy , a long-time aide to Rep. Arron Vega. We feel the district needs leadership that can step into the role and move swiftly to have an impact. We believe Duffy is best suited to make that happen. Through working with Vega, Duffy has developed contacts and an understanding of Beacon Hill that is critical to make even-handed decisions based on community needs during the pandemic and in the long term. Pioneer Valley Planning Commission staffer Patrick Beaudry demonstrates a good understanding of the regions needs from his work at the regional planning agency. We hope this will not be the last time we see him as a candidate. And Holyoke City Councilor David Bartley may lack the temperament to be suited for a role on Beacon Hill. The race for state representative in the 9th Hampden District features three capable, enthusiastic candidates; Springfield School Committee member Denise Hurst, Springfields Ward 2 Democratic Committee chair Sean Mullan and Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos. We give the nod to Ramos as his dedication to public service is evident in his resume and from his service over the past six years on the City Council. And we feel Ramos work ethic, discipline, experience, and commitment to public service will serve the 9th Hampden District well. We recognize continuing good work being done by Hurst as a member of the Springfield School Committee and in her professional life as vice president of advancement and external affairs at Springfield Technical Community College. Like Ramos, her commitment to public service is to be commended. While this is Mullans first run for public office, we hope he does not make it his last. Related: Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a "new modern socialist" Tibet, constructing an "impregnable wall" against separatism in the sensitive Himalayan region and "sinicisation" of the Tibetan Buddhism, the official media reported on Saturday. Xi, also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), in his address to the seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, said that efforts must be made to build Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, Xinhua news agency reported. Underlining the need to fully implement the CPC's policies on governing Tibet for a new era, Xi, in a comprehensive address on the Himalayan region, called for efforts to build a "new modern socialist" Tibet. He told officials attending the two-day symposium that they should make efforts to "ensure national security and enduring peace and stability, steadily improve people's lives, maintain a good environment, solidify border defence and ensure frontier security," the report said. Tibet, officially referred to as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), remained deeply devoted to Buddhism where the Dalai Lama is revered as the spiritual head despite his self-exile to India since 1959 after China took control of the region in 1950. It also shares borders with India, Bhutan and Nepal. President Xi said that the work in Tibet must insist on maintaining the unity of the motherland and strengthening national unity as the focus. "It is necessary to strengthen the education and guidance of the masses, extensively mobilise the masses to participate in the struggle against separatism, and form an impregnable wall for maintaining stability," he said. While Beijing views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and "splittist" who seeks to split Tibet from China, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate says he only seeks greater rights for Tibetans, including religious freedom and autonomy. The 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a crackdown on an uprising by the local population in Tibet. India granted him political asylum and the Tibetan government-in-exile is based on Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh since then. Xi also spoke of "sinicisation" of the Tibetan Buddhism. "It is necessary to dig out, sort out and publicise the historical facts of the exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups in Tibet since ancient times, guide the people of all ethnic groups to see the direction and future of the nation, deeply realise that the Chinese nation is a community of destiny, and promote exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups," Xi said. 'Sinicisation' broadly refers to bringing non-Chinese communities under the Chinese culture and political system being pursued by the CPC under the broad definition of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since 1959, Tibet has been witnessing periodic incidents of violence, unrest and protest against Beijing. China asserts that Tibet has been its part since the 13th century and will remain so forever. "It is necessary to actively guide the Tibetan Buddhism to adapt to the socialist society and promote the sinicisation of the Tibetan Buddhism," Xi said. He said that since the sixth symposium in 2015, Tibet has made comprehensive progress and historic achievements in its various undertakings. He noted that Tibet has achieved sustained stability and rapid development, constituting a major contribution to the overall work of the CPC and the state. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, when he took over power, policies on governing Tibet for a new era have taken shape, Xi said, stressing that the CPC leadership, the system of socialism with the Chinese characteristics and the system of regional ethnic autonomy must be upheld to carry out work related to Tibet. Besides Xi, Premier Li Keqiang and other senior leaders of the CPC, official in-charge of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the party and government of various cities and provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces took part in the meeting which concluded here on Saturday. Image First Interview Dear Diary: I was getting out of the Army and going to my first job interview. It was at 140 West Street in Lower Manhattan, the headquarters of what was the New York Telephone Company at the time. After a short interview and a review of my credentials I didnt have much: a bachelor of business administration degree and seven years in the military the personnel manager put me in a cubicle. He handed me a test and said he would be back in an hour to collect it. Sixty minutes later, he returned, collected my test, graded it and interviewed me again. It was a short conversation. He said I had done very well on the test and that the telephone company wanted to hire me. Then he told me the salary. It was not huge, but one interview; one job offer I was shocked, and pleased. After recovering somewhat, I told him that it was my very first interview and that I would like to see what else might be out there for me. Take your time he said. Look around. Just remember: When you are ready, we have a job for you! I did look around, but in the end, the words we have a job for you carried the day. The councils of three key Canadian cities Burnaby, New Westminster and Brampton have proclaimed September 6 as Jaswant Singh Khalra Day to mark the 25th death anniversary of the slain Amritsar-based human rights activist. The proclamations signed by the respective mayors pay tribute to the rights campaigner who originally belonged to Tarn Taran districts Khalra village. Jaswant Singh Khalra was a strong advocate of democratic and civil rights and a highly respected leader of the Sikh community. He died fighting for human rights and dignity of the Sikhs and others. September 6 is a historically important day recognised by the Sikhs and South Asians all across Canada each year in commemoration of his death in 1995, reads the proclamation. It further reads, The city honours the Sikh history and culture, Jaswant Singh Khalras place in South Asian history, and our valued relationship with the Sikh community and its strong commitment to social justice, it further reads. Hailing the move of the Canadian cities, his wife Parmjit Kaur Khalra, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib segment unsuccessfully, said, It is matter of great pride for me that other countries are recognising the contribution of my husband to human rights. More Canadian cities are likely to make such proclamations. But in our country, we had to wait for several years to get justice for him. And the work done by him has not been recognised so far in India, she added. The Punjab-origin representatives in these municipalities and other councillors reportedly pushed these proclamations, it is learnt. These cities have a considerable population of Punjabis who play a key role in the electoral politics there. In 2017, the city council of Fresno in California, US, named one of its important parks after Khalra. This park was earlier known as Victoria Park. Khalra was investigating the extrajudicial killings in Punjab during the militancy period and raised his voice against the same at international level. Some police personnel kidnapped him on September 6, 1995. Earlier that year, he had visited Canada to educate the Punjabi diaspora and Canadian politicians about the human rights situation in Punjab. As per the verdict of a Patiala court, he was abducted and murdered by the police in cold blood. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered Sunday in the capital of Belarus, beginning the fourth week of daily protests demanding the resignation of the country's authoritarian president after an election they call rigged gave him a sixth term in office. The protest at the ``hero city'' monument honoring Minsk's suffering and resilience in World War II attracted at least 100,000 people, according to the Nexta messaging app channel that is a main medium for the opposition. Wide protests began after the Aug. 9 presidential election that officials say gave President Alexander Lukashenko a landslide 80% win over his main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a former teacher and the wife of a popular jailed blogger. Lukashenko, in office since 1994, has been defiant but beleaguered, unable to put down largest, most sustained wave of protests yet in this Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people. He has refused to rerun the election, which both the European Union and the United States have said was not free or fair, and refused offers to help mediate the situation from Baltic nations. Lukashenko says he has reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will send in security help if asked. But Russia has appeared hesitant to get involved deeply in the Belarus unrest. Putin and Lukashenko talked by phone on Sunday, but a Kremlin statement gave few details of the conversation, other than noting that Putin congratulated the Belarusian leader on his 66th birthday. Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the election because of concerns about her security, gave a withering acknowledgement of the birthday. ``I wish him to overcome his fears, look truth in the eye, listen to the voice of the people and go away,'' she told The Associated Press by telephone from the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. Lukashenko has consistently blamed Western countries for encouraging the protests and contends that NATO is repositioning forces along Belarus' western border with the aim of intervening in the unrest, a claim the alliance strongly denies. On Sunday, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said it was conducting military exercises in the Grodno region, near the borders of Poland and Lithuania, simulating defending against an invasion. Belarus on Saturday cracked down hard on foreign news media that have been covering the protests, deporting at least four Russian journalists, including two from The Associated Press. The government also revoked the accreditations of many Belarusian journalists working for foreign new agencies, including journalists working for AP. Search Keywords: Short link: External affairs minister S Jaishankar has dissed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans effort to run down the growing partnership between India and the United States and call India a frontline state of western countries such as the United States. Those who say all this they are perhaps reflecting their own history and their own self-worth. This is certainly not India, Jaishankar told Hindustan Times in an interview on Saturday, delivering his sharpest comeback to the Imran Khan government that aligns with China and accuses India of playing for the United States. ALSO WATCH | Pak terror tunnel unearthed in J&K; Karachi sacks used in construction For peace along border, one must adhere to agreements: S Jaishankar | Interview In an interview to Dunya News, Imran Khan had linked Pakistans future with China, asserting that China was the only country to have always stood by it. In the same interview, Khan also said that it was unfortunate that western powers were using India to contain China. This, he added, was one more reason why China needs Pakistan on its side; its geo-strategic location was the other. Jaishankars acerbic counter to Imran Khans description of India-US ties is seen to allude to Islamabads policy over the past few decades to operate like a proxy for a powerful country, first for the Americans and over the last decade or so, for China. Think about it, Jaishankar said. India is a civilisational state of very unique nature. Look at our history. Because we went through two very difficult centuries, we particularly prize our independence. Some people feel that because they did something, we will also do the same. India has a certain self-perception of itself, he said. Jaishankar said India has a personality of its own. India has interests of its own. India has a character of its own. It cannot be defined negatively as being against somebody, the minister said, echoing Indias stand on QUAD, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with the US, Japan and Australia that is also viewed as an anti-China front in Beijing. China and the United States have been at loggerheads after trade and human rights issues, coupled with Chinas attempts to arm twist its neighbours in the disputed South China Sea and beyond. India and the US have found themselves on the same side vis-a-vis China, mostly after Peoples Liberation Army soldiers were parked at Indias doorsteps along the Line of Actual Control in Indias East Ladakh sector. The deployment of soldiers set off a stand-off between the two armies that will complete four months next week. China has, despite agreements to disengage, not withdrawn its soldiers from many forward locations. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The head of Libya's unity government on Saturday appointed a new defence minister and army chief, after days of protests against poor public services and living conditions. The decrees followed the announcement hours earlier by Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) that it had suspended its interior minister after militia gunmen fired on peaceful demonstrators last week. GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj promoted deputy and acting defence minister Salah Eddine al-Namrush to the ministry's top job and appointed General Mohammad Ali al-Haddad as head of the army. Haddad hails from Misrata, 200 kilometres (125 miles) east of Tripoli, the home of powerful armed groups that have fought on the side of the GNA in the battle against eastern-based military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who tried to seize the capital last year. The appointments come days after Sarraj announced a government reshuffle in response to growing popular discontent in Tripoli and other western Libyan cities under its control. Hundreds of demonstrators staged rallies from Sunday in Tripoli against corruption and extended shortages of power, water and fuel in the oil-rich North African country. Gunmen fired on crowds on several occasions. In response, the GNA said Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha "has been temporarily suspended" pending an inquiry "on his statements about the protests and incidents in Tripoli and other cities". Bashagha, who was visiting the GNA's main backer Turkey, said in a statement posted on the interior ministry's Facebook page early on Saturday that he was ready to submit to an investigation. But he demanded any hearing be broadcast live for the sake of transparency. Upon his return to Tripoli on Saturday evening, Bashagha told a crowd of supporters at the Mitiga airport: "I am ready to be questioned. I have nothing to hide." "Everyday life in Libya is painful," he said, blaming hardships in the country on "corruption in all sectors". A police marching band, security forces commanders and supporters of the suspended interior minister had thronged the airport for his return home. Libya has endured almost a decade of violent chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with the GNA and a Haftar-backed eastern administration now vying for power against a backdrop of dozens of local conflicts. HEALDSBURG (BCN) A 37-year-old Healdsburg man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of starting a grass fire by U.S. Highway 101 in Healdsburg, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said. A deputy driving on Highway 101 spotted the fire near Lytton Springs Road and detained a man walking nearby. Wesley James Bergman admitted setting the fire "because he was having a bad day," according to the Sheriff's Office. He was arrested for arson and causing a fire to forestland and is being held at the Sonoma County Jail with bail set at $40,000. 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 West Bengal government said on Sunday that it rejects the two borrowing options proposed by the Centre to meet the goods and services tax (GST) shortfall and will engage with other states to take collective steps. There will be conversations between states, probably on Monday itself. We will see what the views are, so that we can collectively move forward and take the Centre into confidence once there is clarity, and convey to the (Union) Finance Minister that the options suggested are just not acceptable, said West Bengal Finance Minister, Amit Mitra, addressing a ... Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has denied allegations that she tried to influence a Post Office and Postbank contract in favour of her husband. Rapport reported that whistle-blowers have accused Ndabeni-Abrahams of putting pressure on the Post Office and Postbank to award a COVID-19 relief grant contract to her husband. This followed a report in the Cape Times about Ndabeni-Abrahams husband, Thato Abrahams, allegedly playing a key role in the saga. According to the report, he played a vital behind-the-scenes role between Blue Label Telecoms, the SA Postbank and a former SA Post Office executive to benefit financially from the distribution of the R350 COVID-19 relief grant. The whistle-blower referred to a letter using the SA Post Office letterhead to National Treasury requesting emergency procurement funds for a proposed partnership with Blue Label Telecoms to disburse the special COVID-19 social distress grant. The whistle-blower told Independent Media the letter was an attempt to hoodwink the National Treasury to loot the COVID-19 relief funds. Abrahams and her husband have strongly denied any wrongdoing or having played a role with Blue Label Telecoms and Postbank. Legal battle with Post Office chairperson The accusations of corruption against Ndabeni-Abrahams come amidst a legal battle with SA Post Office chairperson Tshikani Colleen Makhubele. Makhubele approached the court after Ndabeni-Abrahams allegedly instructed her to step down during a recent meeting. Makhubele was reportedly demoted from her position without warning in a move she believes to unconstitutional and against standard procedure. The disagreement between Ndabeni-Abrahams and Makhubele allegedly stems from the deal between Postbank and Blue Label Telecoms for the creation of a system to distribute COVID-19 relief packages. SAPO acting CEO Refilwe Kekana has launched an investigation into the conclusion of the agreement between Postbank and Blue Label. Specifically, the investigation surrounds the letter that was sent to the National Treasury using the name and letterhead of the Post Office, despite it not being party to the agreement. Our clients belief is that there is a definite connection between that issue and the demotion, the letter stated. It is also clear that the demotion is a punishment for our clients refusal to re-engage the erstwhile acting group CEO who stepped aside under a cloud of irregular behaviour. Two other Post Office board members, Albert Ramoadi and Sontaga Mantlhakga, were also instructed to resign with immediate effect. This, the City Press reported, was after their employer, Telkom, withdrew its permission for them to serve on the board. As the government and the Department of Communications are a controlling shareholder in Telkom, Ndabeni-Abrahams has significant influence at Telkom. Ndabeni-Abrahams has meanwhile appointed nine additional members to the boards of the SA Post Office and Postbank. War with the Post Office The City Press reported that Ndabeni-Abrahams was in conflict with the SA Post Office over the payment of the R350 COVID-19 relief grants and the appointment of a new CEO at the organisation. Former acting SAPO CEO Ivumile Nongogo reportedly went against the boards decision and signed a deal which linked the SA Post Office to the payment of the grants. This was allegedly done without the ministers backing, but landed Nongogo in serous trouble and resulted in him stepping down from his position. SA Post Office spokesperson Bongani Diako dismissed the alleged rift between Ndabeni-Abrahams and the SAPO board as non-existent. MyBroadband asked the SA Post Office for comment on the legal action threatened by Makhubele against Ndabeni-Abrahams, but the company said it was unable to comment on matters related to the minister. Blue Label Telecoms investor and media relations manager Nicola White told MyBroadband that its agreement with Postbank related to the development of a national solution for relief package distribution. Postbank approached Blue Label to develop a solution to assist in the distribution of COVID-19 relief packages as a result of our extensive distribution capabilities throughout South Africa, White said. Blue Label developed a comprehensive, national solution for Postbanks consideration. Blue Label has not been appointed by any government agency to distribute COVID-19 relief funds, White said. A string of top firms last night revealed their staff were pouring back into the office, with others saying they are considering plans to lure workers from their homes - but a survey has shown more than half of senior managers continue to work from home. In a significant boost to the campaign to entice more office workers into city centres, many companies said they had recorded an uptick in employees getting back to their desks. The news comes in a new Daily Mail audit of 30 FTSE 100 and top firms, representing more than 150,000 employees. High street chain Boots was among those recording a steady rise in attendance, with around a third of its office staff now back at their desks at least a few days a week. No cases of Covid-19 have been recorded among this cohort. But a survey by the AA has found 54 per cent of senior or middle managers who normally drove to the office have continued to work from home either all or part of the time, according to The Times. The news comes in a new Daily Mail audit of 30 FTSE 100 and top firms, representing more than 150,000 employees Safety chief: 'No evidence' returning to work is safe The head of Britain's leading health and safety charity today insisted there is 'no evidence' returning to the office is safe as he criticised the government for 'bullying' people to return. Lawrence Waterman, chair of the British Safety Council, was asked on the BBC's Today programme if there was evidence that returning to work was risk free. He said: 'I think that's one of the concerns that many of us have got about how the government are putting out the advice about returning to work being safe. We simply don't know. 'We believe from the evidence that large gatherings of people... leads to exactly the kind of indoor environments that seem to be prone to the transmission of coronavirus, and there isn't evidence that when you return large numbers of people you don't get outbreaks. 'I think many of us don't understand why there's such firm advice that workplaces are safe when there's no evidence for that. Indeed, there is an argument that workplaces are so rarely inspected that it's probably more likely that you'll win the lottery than be visited by an inspector, so we're bemused about where the evidence is.' Mr Waterman pointed out that the government's own Health and Safety Executive still advises on its website that 'everyone who can work from home should do so'. He added: 'We don't want ghost towns but it should be a matter for workers and employers to negotiate. Many do want to return to the office and many miss the camaraderie of working with colleagues. But it should be a choice that grown up workers and their employees should make. 'We're not in favour of the government bullying people. Schools are reopening this week in England, so many we should see how that settles down before forcing people back into offices.' Advertisement The AA's head of roads policy, Jack Cousens, told the paper there was 'a big irony' in politicians telling car commuters to get back to work while increasing pedestrian access by closing off roads - as has been seen in London. The motoring association called for better transport options for commuters, while also criticising the decision to hike the central London congestion charge from 11.50 to 15. The boss of recruitment giant Hays vowed there would be no turning our back on the office. Alistair Cox last night said full-time remote working was unlikely to become a permanent thing. But he also predicted offices will be closed as companies assess whether to switch permanently to a hybrid model, where home and office working are balanced. Yesterday it emerged Capita, one of the UKs biggest employers, will become the first major British firm to pull out of city and town centres by closing nearly 100 offices. The Government contractor which collects the BBC licence fee and runs the London congestion charge is set to close more than a third of its 250 offices across Britain; its 45,000 UK staff will continue to work from home. The news will be a major blow to Boris Johnsons back to work campaign, which is to be launched this week. Yesterday it also emerged that BP is planning to sell its central London headquarters as part of a permanent shift in working patterns. The developments will heighten fears for city centre businesses, from sandwich shops and pubs to dry cleaners and hairdressers, which rely on footfall from offices. Last week CBI boss Dame Carolyn Fairbairn said working from home had turned some commercial centres into ghost towns. But in a glimmer of hope, several firms surveyed by the Mail said either workers were starting to trickle back or that plans were being drawn-up for bigger increases. Many said numbers returning will rest on the Governments success at getting children back to school this week. Auditing giant PricewaterhouseCoopers said around a third of its 24,700 office workers were now spending at least some time at their desks and that this was increasing. And insurance giant Aviva expects numbers at desks to double in the coming weeks. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: The Government has to lead the way and tell civil servants and companies get back to work. Derek Ray-Hill, from Cities Restart a venture being launched next month to get people back to work, said: Business leaders need to put on a mask, wash their hands and get back to work. They cant keep waiting for someone else to take the lead. It comes after figures last week revealed only 17 per cent of staff have returned to work in the 63 biggest cities. People hanging around Cabot Square in Canary Wharf with One Canada Square building in the background. The city's financial district is still quiet Today the head of Britain's leading health and safety charity today insisted there is 'no evidence' returning to the office is safe as he criticised the government for 'bullying' people to return. Lawrence Waterman, chair of the British Safety Council, was asked on the BBC's Today programme if there was evidence that returning to work was risk free. He said: 'I think that's one of the concerns that many of us have got about how the government are putting out the advice about returning to work being safe. We simply don't know. 'We believe from the evidence that large gatherings of people... leads to exactly the kind of indoor environments that seem to be prone to the transmission of coronavirus, and there isn't evidence that when you return large numbers of people you don't get outbreaks. 'I think many of us don't understand why there's such firm advice that workplaces are safe when there's no evidence for that. Indeed, there is an argument that workplaces are so rarely inspected that it's probably more likely that you'll win the lottery than be visited by an inspector, so we're bemused about where the evidence is.' Mr Waterman pointed out that the government's own Health and Safety Executive still advises on its website that 'everyone who can work from home should do so'. Capita and BP did not respond to requests for comment. By Mark White This spring, I received a letter from my boss ordering me to take down my blog or lose my job. Workers all over the country have found themselves in this kind of situation. But I may yet become the first Catholic priest removed for blogging. Until recently, I was the pastor of two parishes in southwest Virginia, one in Martinsville and the other in Rocky Mount. I love my work and my community of some 800 families. I began blogging in 2008 as an additional way of reaching the faithful. For the first decade, my digital homilies and musings attracted little attention outside my parishes. In 2018, though, like many Catholics, I was shaken when news emerged of sexual abuse by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the archbishop of Washington. I had been a seminarian when the Catholic Church was rocked by revelations of abuse 16 years earlier, in 2002. One of the many distressing facets of that crisis was that bishops had covered up the crimes of abusive priests, often transferring them to new positions instead of calling the police. McCarrick led much of the U.S. Catholic Churchs response to that scandal, speaking often to the press and championing a supposed zero-tolerance approach. McCarrick ordained me in 2003. Back then, I believed I was entering the church at the outset of a new era of openness. But as the world later learned, McCarrick himself molested seminarians under his authority and young boys. In the early 2000s, he arranged settlement payments to his victims, even as he stage-managed the churchs response to the crisis. In 2018, as accusers came forward, the church stripped McCarrick of his status. It quickly emerged, though, that senior clergy had been aware of allegations against McCarrick for years. Pope Francis promised a thorough study of what the Vatican knew when. But today, two years later, the church has still not produced a public report. When I learned of McCarricks misbehavior and the surrounding cover-up, I was deeply upset. I had received Holy Orders from a criminal -- and felt a responsibility to explore how my church had failed. On my blog, I began to question and criticize Catholic leadership. I understand why my superiors are not keen on a priest speaking out against the church. But Christianity directs the faithful to speak the truth freely. The church was literally founded on that principle, with Christ speaking the truth in the face of oppression. The Second Vatican Council recognized the centrality of this freedom when it asserted that the search for truth must be carried out in a manner that is appropriate to the dignity of the human person. That is, by free inquiry, with the help of teaching and instruction, communication, and dialogue. Unfortunately, Bishop Barry Knestout, the leader of the Diocese of Richmond, does not appear to agree. In November 2019, he ordered me to remove my blog from the internet. I initially complied. But when the pandemic hit, I felt it was important to connect with my parishioners online. I resumed posting this past March. In April, the bishop transferred me away from the two towns I know and love to serve as a prison chaplain several hours distant. While this is important work, Knestouts intention was to punish and silence me, as he indicated when he wrote that the restoration of your priestly faculties . . . will be dependent on your taking down your blog. I appealed to the Vatican and was awaiting an answer when Knestout prohibited me from practicing ministry in any form. He even changed the locks on the two churches I served, which include my living quarters. I have no other home in the area, and my mother resides in an assisted living facility nearby. At this point, I have to rely on the kindness of parishioners. My problems are nothing compared to the larger issues facing the Catholic Church. Its leaders have not been forthcoming about McCarrick. Who enabled him to obtain one powerful position after another, in New York, New Jersey and Washington D.C., rising through church ranks over decades, even as accusations against him reached the Vatican? We still dont know. The faithful deserve a forthright conversation that would allow the church to reckon with its past and to prevent abuse in the future. To respond to that call with dictates for silence is to repeat the mistakes of the last two decades. Right now, I cant be sure of my future as a priest. But I do know that we need people speaking the truth freely in the Catholic Church more than ever. Father Mark White is a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. As Labour Day approaches, close your eyes and picture the typical union member in Canada. If you conjured an image of a man wearing a hard hat or working in a factory, you missed the mark. The typical union member in Canada is actually a woman who works in the public sector. She may be a teacher, a nurse, an office clerk at city hall or a mail carrier. All of these jobs are more likely to be unionized than those in the majority-male manufacturing, warehousing or construction sectors. In fact, Statistics Canadas Labour Force Survey data reveals that, as of 2019, women made up 53.1 per cent of union members. Thats up from 45.8 per cent in 1998 and 29 per cent in 1978. Theres no question that women benefit from unionization. Being unionized boosts womens wages more than it does mens, when both are compared to their non-union counterparts. Unionized women also experience a much smaller gender pay gap when compared to unionized men. In other words, unions help women overcome the effects of gender discrimination in the workplace. This union advantage is even greater for women who are affected by other forms of systemic discrimination. Despite becoming numerically dominant within unions, women are still under-represented in positions of union leadership. The number of women leading national unions in Canada today can be counted on one hand. And women currently lead only three of the countrys provincial and territorial federations of labour. Glass ceiling persists The under-representation of women in positions of leadership is not unique to the labour movement. We see similar imbalances in corporate and political spheres. Although unions are doing better than Canadas corporate sector, organized labour still has a long way to go when it comes to fully shattering the glass ceiling for women. The glass ceiling is an often-used metaphor that refers to an invisible barrier that prevents women and other equity-seeking groups, regardless of their skills or qualifications, from advancing into leadership positions within organizations. While in theory, nothing prevents a woman from being elected to a top leadership position, the glass ceiling represents the subtle ways that organizations devalue and doubt womens leadership skills based on gender stereotypes. Despite these barriers, women have periodically risen to top leadership positions within individual public sector unions or labour federations over the years. But securing positions of leadership within unions has been a long, hard-fought struggle for women workers. And even while being severely under-represented in positions of leadership, union women have undeniably had an impact. Their activism paved the way for the labour movement to campaign for and secure pay equity, employer-paid daycare, paid maternity leave and rules banning gender-based discrimination in the workplace. Unions could do much more to fight gender discrimination by having more women in senior leadership positions. Public sector unions are trail-blazers Not surprisingly, public sector unions, where women have always been most concentrated, were the first to see women elected to significant leadership roles. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) elected Grace Hartman as its national president in 1975. She was the first woman to lead a national union in North America. In 1986, CUPEs Shirley Carr was the first woman elected to the presidency of the Canadian Labour Congress, Canadas largest labour umbrella organization. Public sector unions continue to be trail-blazers. In November 2014, Irene Lazinger of the B.C. Teachers Federation was the first woman elected to the presidency of the B.C. Federation of Labour. In May 2019, Jan Simpson became the first Black woman to lead a national union in Canada when she was elected president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. And in November 2019, Patty Coates of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation became the first woman to lead the Ontario Federation of Labour. Private sector unions lag In contrast, a woman has yet to be elected to the presidency of any major private sector union in Canada. However, there are signs that a long overdue breakthrough may be in the works. Some private sector unions have redesigned their leadership structures to help women break the glass ceiling within their own ranks. In 2013, Unifor, Canadas largest private sector union, adopted an executive structure that guarantees the number of women on the unions executive board be at least equal the proportion of women in the union overall. In 2017, the Canadian section of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union achieved equal representation of women and men on its national executive board for the first time after delegates to the unions convention adopted a resolution mandating the expansion of womens representation. Two women vying for top union job Later this year, two women Bea Bruske of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and Linda Silas of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions are expected to compete for the presidency of the Canadian Labour Congress. It will be the first election in the history of the congress where both major contenders are women. Why does gender representation matter now, more than ever? So many of the issues we now face because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting disruptions in work, home and school are borne by women. Racialized and poor women are even more at risk of COVID-19 exposure because of the service and care work they do and the lack of choices they have to engage in social distancing. More than ever, we need a gendered and equity lens in leadership to understand how the pandemic is being experienced differently, and how union responses can protect those who are most vulnerable. Unions must continue to enhance efforts to recruit and sustain a critical mass of women, particularly visible minority and LBGTQ women, into leadership roles in the years to come. These efforts cannot be mere tokenism. Rather, they must reflect a commitment to ensuring that the changing face of Canadas unionized workers is reflected in the leadership of the union movement. The Conversation, a network of not-for-profit media outlets that publish news stories written by academics and researchers. Stephanie Ross is associate professor and director of the school of labour studies at McMaster University. Larry Savage is a professor of labour studies at Brock University. This article first appeared ina network of not-for-profit media outlets that publish news stories written by academics and researchers.is associate professor and director of the school of labour studies at McMaster University.is a professor of labour studies at Brock University. Typical R.A. responsibilities including breaking up parties and cleaning up vomit in their aftermath now potentially put the R.A.s themselves at risk of exposure. A lot of the ways that we would be enforcing physical distancing are ways that many of us have enforced before for example, breaking up a party on a floor, said Athena Scott, 20, a senior and R.A. at Cornell. Its just now that theres a pandemic that is complicated, so we just want to feel protected during those interactions. Like, I knew when I signed up for this job that I might have to break up parties, but breaking up parties during a pandemic is a little different. At Louisiana State University, three R.A.s of the 250 who are responsible for safeguarding the schools 7,000 incoming students recently quit because the school hadnt satisfactorily addressed their safety concerns, they said. It seems like, so much, theyre wandering through it as we go along and hoping everything will be OK, said McKay Stevens, a senior, in an interview with The Advocate. At her R.A. orientation, Ms. Stevens asked administrators what to do with students who test positive. They said, dont manifest that into this atmosphere, she said. Enforcing social distancing also requires a level of surveillance that makes some students feel uncomfortable, even though they understand the necessity. At Cornell, students use an app to note violations. Typically, R.A.s report students for behavior violations using an app with a drop-down menu that includes offenses like alcohol, drugs or sexual misconduct; now, the school has added a tab for Covid-related misconduct. The Union government is working on at least five distinct ways, ranging from free vaccines to guaranteed supply, in which it can help its immediate neighbours as well as countries in West Asia, Africa and even Latin America, officials familiar with the plan said on condition of anonymity. The idea is to leverage the countrys standing as the worlds vaccine factory to consolidate diplomatic ties. Indian companies are working on two vaccines which are currently in clinical trials. Though the arrangement will be largely for these vaccines, it might also include vaccines manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the worlds largest vaccine maker, which has partnerships with three companies, including AstraZeneca. How race for vaccines is shaping up To be sure, key details of the plan, which is still work in progress, are yet to be finalised, the officials added. For instance, any platform India sets up for the supply of vaccines has to respect licensing agreements that will decide where the vaccine can be sold and where they cannot. Government officials are working out the details of the plan in consultation with the experts group on vaccines headed by Dr VK Paul of Niti Aayog. Once ready and approved, New Delhi will finalise agreements with the possible beneficiaries, the officials added. Covid-19: The daredevils who defy scientific advice The countries will be carefully chosen to include key neighbours, nations where large number of Indians are working or studying, and those who have been very helpful and supportive of India in international forums such as the United Nations (UN), the officials said, explaining the five models being considered. The first of the five models involve free distribution and might be restricted to a few immediate neighbours such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and other Saarc countries. The officials added that Pakistan isnt part of the thinking yet, and that they believe Islamabad might be relying on the Chinese vaccines under development. The second model entails heavily subsidised vaccines being distributed to poor countries as a part of Indias international obligations. Many African nations could benefit from this, the officials said. Why todays GDP numbers matter On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is prepared to mass produce Covid-19 vaccines for domestic consumption when scientists approve the trails. Not one, not two, as many as three coronavirus vaccines are being tested in India, he said from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day speech. Last week, when foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited Dhaka, he mentioned in a press briefing that when India is ready with a vaccine, our closest neighbours, friends, and partners and other countries will be part of it. The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine co-produced by Serum Institute of India is in the third or final phase of trials and widely considered as one of the front runners in the global vaccine race to tackle the pandemic that has already affected 25 million and killed around 840,000 people worldwide. The two Indian vaccine candidatesfrom Zydus-Cadila and Bharat biotechhave entered the phase 2 of human trials. Controversy around Oxfords Covid-19 vaccine in Australia, some clerics raise concerns The third model involves recipient countries purchasing vaccines at the market price but being assured of supply. As and when the vaccines are ready, they will not be available in the open market but will be distributed through a strict, government-controlled channel. So, even if a country is sitting on trillions of dollars, it will not be able to buy it off the shelf, said one of the officials, a member of the expert panel on vaccine. Last week, a report in Nature said countries around the world have signed agreements or committed to buying around 4.5 billion doses of nine promising vaccine candidates being tested. Of this, developed countries have ordered at least 2 billion. Under the fourth model, some countries will be approached to participate in Phase 3 trials of the two Indian candidates. In the fifth model, India may offer some countries opportunities to co-produce the two domestic vaccines a move that could hasten production of these vaccines. The entire exercise will take place under the close supervision of the expert panel headed by Dr Paul and co-chaired by Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan. On August 7, the panel was formed by the Cabinet secretariat and its mandate is to identify the right vaccine or a bunch of vaccines for use in the country, managing finances for large-scale procurement, and also deciding prioritisation of the population group that will receive the first doses. While it isnt clear when the first vaccines will be available in India, Indian authorities told a Parliament panel earlier this month that they are keeping the option of an emergency authorisation of vaccines undergoing clinical trials for use. Director general of ICMR Dr Balaram Bhargava told the panel that normally phase 3 trials require at least six to nine months, but considering the immediacy involved, the government could opt for emergency authorisation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kylie Jenner's followers were sold on the idea that she found a new flame in Fai Khadra in Paris. The lip-kit mogul is allegedly dating Palestinian model Khadra as indicated in her recent series of photographs suggesting the pair are cozying with each other in Paris. Prime Example of What to Alleviate Doing Amid the Pandemic Thus, she continues to be the primary example of what not to do amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Jenner fled the United States again despite the safer-at-home policy at Los Angeles, California's skyrocketing COVID-19 confirmed cases, and the wildfires ravaging the state, reported Elle. Many fans anticipated that Jenner and Travis Scott had gotten back together at Stormi's second birthday party. However, it was rumored that she started dating Khada in the summer of 2020. After the pair set off on a getaway to France this August, it appeared as though the claims were clarified, reported Distractify. Not everyone is a fan of Jenner's travel getaways. The makeup mogul was seared with judgment with her recent series of sexy Instagram photographs wherein she appeared blissed-out. Jenner flaunted her toned stomach donning a sheer crop top with the capital of France's architecture as a backdrop. Mask Mandate in Paris The city inssued a new mask mandate due to COVID-19 numbers rising again in the French city. In Kylie Jenner's photographs, which has her and her supposed new boyfriend on a rooftop, there were no worn masks and there are not any masks in any of her Instagram Stories and her gallery's photographs, reported Yahoo News. Also Read: Kylie Jenner Going to Jail? Model in Hot Waters for Billion Dollar Fraud Getting Cozy The 23-year-old draped herself across Khadra for the photograph in the City of Love. Two photographs from the series included her male companion, while in others, she posed for solo shots. Jenner went to the Louvre and Hermes. She did not post a photograph of herself in either location. Thus, it is unclear whether she wore a face mask within the facilities. Distractify noted that seemingly, things are going well between the pair. Her dating life is still quite ambiguous. Rumors regarding her dating life surfaced when a photograph by user @lamborghiniboys of her and a mystery man was trending. The caption indicated that she was with a man named Bongumusa Mahlaba. The man in question was not named Bongumusa Mahlaba and was Fai Khadra. In the first place, it was not made clear how he coined the name "Bongumusa Mahlaba." Mixed Responses A couple of famous friends approved Jenner's happy-go-lucky approach while some followers thought her decision to go abroad during the coronavirus pandemic was improper. In one of her Instagram Stories, there was a Takashi Murakami-print mask which she was not wearing and was merely lying on the table. Not the First Time She Contravened Travel Ban The trip was not the first time she disregarded the travel ban imposed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Kylie Jenner and her alleged new boyfriend headed to Utah in July and she appeared in Turks and Caicos along with sister Kendall earlier this August. Related Article: Kylie Jenner Faked Her Net Worth? Forbes Denounces Kardashian-Jenner's Billionaire Status @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Coronavirus welfare payments that have put extra cash in the hands of some young people are partly to blame for people behaving badly in Northbridge recently, WA Police Minister Michelle Roberts says. On Sunday, Ms Roberts said continued bad behaviour in Northbridge was very disappointing, with 33 people arrested there overnight despite a phenomenally strong police presence over the weekend. Police Minister Michelle Roberts. The recent arrests come after about 200 people were involved in a violent brawl last weekend in which police officers were punched and spat on, and eight weeks after Perth nightclub manager Giuseppe Raco was killed in an alleged one-punch attack near the Paramount nightclub. Weve still got people tanked up and behaving badly, Ms Roberts said. Roland Richer remembered it as a beautiful late summers morning. The sun shone brightly, and the water was like glass. If you looked across Tokyo Bay, it was like looking in a mirror, he recalled in an interview 25 years ago. All the ships were at anchor. It was peaceful. Only days before, Richer, then a 23-year-old gunners mate third class aboard the battleship, USS Missouri, had been helping bombard the Japanese coast as the Allies prepared to invade the home islands in the waning days of World War II. But, on that day now 75 years ago, Sept. 2, 1945, the guns of war were silent. Richer, who died in 2016 at the age of 94, was among thousands of sailors and soldiers in Tokyo Bay to witness peace in the making as 1,364 days, five hours, and 14 minutes after it all started with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor World War II was officially ended with the signing of an unconditional surrender by Japan. Servicemen, reporters, and photographers perch on the USS Missouri on Sept. 2, 1945, for the ceremony in which Japan surrendered in Tokyo Bay, ending World War II. (ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO)AP Richer watched from atop a 5-inch gun mount on the Missouris port side as Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur, Allied ground commander in the Pacific, welcomed Japans foreign minister, Mamoru Shigemitsu, and his delegation aboard. By that day, the war had claimed 15 million in battle and 45 million civilians, and another 25 million people were wounded in battle, according to the National World War II Museum. The US had 416,800 lost in combat and just under 2,000 civilian dead. It is my earnest hope, indeed the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice, MacArthur told the gathering. I was able to see just about everything. General MacArthur had a loudspeaker set up so everyone aboard ship could listen to the ceremony. It was hooked into the (battleship) Iowa and the other ships in the bay, Richer recalled. It was a magnificent sight. If you can envision it overhead, there were B-29s flying. I cant give you a count, but there must have been more than 100. The Missouri was probably the biggest stage which could have been found for the surrender ceremonies. At the time of its commissioning in 1944, the 45,000-ton, 887.2-foot Mighty Mo was the largest battleship afloat. It was among the ships built to replace the battle wagons sunk at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and in the early battles of the Pacific. In this week ahead, amid a worldwide pandemic, public remembrances of the last official moments of World War II will be dramatically different than last years worldwide celebration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, shaped not only by the health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19 but also because the pandemic has accelerated the loss of Americas World War II veterans. In Hawaii, where the Missouri is now part of the national memorial at Pearl Harbor, the official 75th commemoration of the wars end, has now dwindled to an invitation-only event with fewer than 50 people expected to gather on the fantail of the battleship on Wednesday morning. Likewise, events across the continental U.S. are expected to be scant in number and limited in attendance as war veterans are dwindling in increasing numbers. The National World War II Museum in New Orleans is scheduled to have a digital ceremony on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to noon. (nationalww2museum.org) As of this year in calculations made before the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimated there were about 300,000 U.S. World War II veterans still living, with most now in their 90s and some considerably older. Thats down from about 939,000 five years ago, and the VAs projections, before COVID-19, were that 245 WWII veterans were expected to be lost each day. It was projected the last living American veteran from the war will die in 2044. Were it not for the coronavirus pandemic, says John S. Baick, professor of American history at Western New England University, the U.S. would surely be observing this anniversary in a very different way. The end of World War II, he notes, was really the beginning of our world leadership. We now have two presidential candidates who are not quite part of the living memory (of the war), but I do think you would have found the situation different if we did not have this pandemic, Baick says. The brutal truth is many of our veterans have died in nursing homes, and, in the moment when we could have had a final bit of recognition for them and their service, they are gone. They should be kept safe. This should be a moment of national celebration. Speaking both in terms of veterans and our elderly, it is one of the truly national disgraces, the professor adds. How many elderly have died because of the virus. How many have died in soldiers homes as in Holyoke. This is just not something which should have happened, and a lot of the rest of the world doesnt understand how could the richest nation in the world have allowed this to happen. Since March 1 at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke, where the COVID-19 response remains under scrutiny by state and federal authorities, there were 76 deaths of veterans who tested positive for the virus, a good number of them from WWII. The way we have allowed the coronavirus to hit nursing homes is a national shame, but it is part of a pattern, says Baick. We do not think about the elderly. We pay them lip service, but we do not focus on (them.) I wonder how many grandchildren and great-grandchildren are learning about their grandparents service (in World War II) from the obituaries. Seventy-nine-year-old Joseph Vecchiarelli, of Springfield, is the son of a Navy veteran, Gaetano Guy Vecchiarelli, who served aboard a landing ship tank (LST) that delivered Marines to the shores of Iwo Jima and Okinawa for battle in the spring of 1945, later evacuating the wounded from the final two major Pacific engagements. One of his uncles who was his godfather, Domenic, a paratrooper with the Armys 82nd Airborne, parachuted behind enemy lines into France in the hours before the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. Within days, his patrol unit was ambushed by Nazis and his uncle was killed by a snipers bullet near Freville, France. Joseph Vecchiarelli keeps this memorial to the wartime service of his uncle and godfather, Domenic, and his father, Gaetano, in his Springfield home. Domenic Vecchiarelli, a paratrooper with the Armys 82nd Airborne, was killed in France soon after parachuting behind Nazi lines on D-Day, June 6, 1944. His father served with the Navy aboard an LST in the Pacific. (Hoang Leon Nguyen / The Republican) Vecchiarelli has been documenting his own childhood memories of the 1940s for his daughter and grandchildren, and all are learning together with other family members of the wartime service of their extended Vecchiarelli and Anzalotti family members. They are called the Greatest Generation, and theres good reason for it, says Vecchiarelli, a mechanical engineer retired from Smith & Wesson. They sacrificed. The families at home did, too. My poor mother and grandmothers, it was tough for them. You have to imagine what they all went through. If they werent victorious, wed be speaking German. Like other children of WWII veterans, Vecchiarelli shares that his father talked little about his wartime service, save for a close call with a Japanese kamikaze plane at Okinawa. My father rarely spoke about the war. He only mentioned the kamikaze, and that was it, he says, adding that he believes the lessons of the world war and the unity exhibited on the homefront by his parents generation need to be remembered and honored. This was not a generation that wanted to talk about itself and not a group that is very public, says Baick, calling that fact an added challenge to ensure recollections of World War II can carry forward for the next generations. I wonder if it is really understood what that service and what these wars mean. It means an entire national effort, not just an individual or what they saw and did, the professor explains. Its also the children they left behind. Its the wives and other family members who worked in the factories, open 24/7. World War II was a moment of national unity in a way we cannot recognize now. What we accomplished during World War II was nothing short of astonishing. The Missouri carried a crew of 2,500 through close to seven months of combat with few casualties, seeing action at Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the invasions in between. Robert W. Flynn, a retired Postal Service employee from Springfield, remembered the surrender scene being so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Like Richer, he, too, had a birds eye view from atop one of the Missouris 16-inch guns. It wasnt like jubilation. Even the Americans were humble, recalled Flynn on the occasion of the 50th anniversary. The ceremony was quiet. Flynn recalled an emaciated Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright, taken prisoner at Corregidor early in 1942, who had just been liberated after three years: He was so thin. Wainwright stood behind MacArthur with British Lt. Gen. A.E. Percival, captured at Singapore in 1941 and also recently liberated. Tom Williams, of Chicopee, remembered hearing stories about the surrender signing from his father, the late Malcolm Williams, of Springfield, another sailor who witnessed the ceremony. The elder Williams was a seaman first class aboard the Missouri and kept a scrapbook of newspaper clippings and other memorabilia. Few people know the story about the table which was used for the signing, according to Tom Williams. My father always liked to tell the story of how they were supposed to have a mahogany desk for the ceremony. But, there wasnt one, so they wound up using a table from the mess hall, he said. Once the dignitaries left the ship, there was time for celebration. It was all kinds of hollering and screaming. It was a joyous moment for everyone, said Richer. We were just thrilled with the thought wed be heading home. I was a reasonably newly married man, so it was even more important to me. He and his wife, Marie, had been married on Oct. 9, 1944, less than a week before he and the Missouri headed for the Pacific theater. The Missouri stayed in the Pacific for several months before returning stateside. The battleship saw duty in the Korean War before being decommissioned in 1955. It was put back into service in 1986 after a $350 million modernization, and took part in the bombardment of Iraqi forces during the Persian Gulf action. It was mothballed again in 1992 and in 1999 opened to the public on Battleship Row at Ford Island, the very place where the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, propelled the U.S. into the war. Related Content: The shooting in Odessa a year ago, in which a gunman killed seven people and wounded 25, created an unexpected challenge for law enforcement. Whereas officers usually are dispatched to one location, they were chasing a shooter whod moved on to the next crime scene by the time theyd arrived. Now, agencies are improving how they communicate with one another to prevent that from happening again. There was one radio channel connecting the Odessa and Midland police departments at the time of the shooting, according to OPD Chief Mike Gerke. Theyve since added a second channel and are in the process of adding two more. The Midland County Sheriffs Office is replacing its entire system to allow more seamless communication between agencies, according to Justin Stephenson, who works in the county IT department and is spearheading the project. MCSOs current system is older than the one used by the police departments, Stephenson said. And while they had a few channels that allowed communication with other agencies, they didnt have a dedicated line to connect immediately with the OPD or Ector County Sheriffs Office. Getting everybody on the same channel and knowing what channel to use is kind of hectic in a fast-paced situation, he said. Thats some of the stuff were trying to mitigate by using this one channel, so everybody knows where to go. Since the shooting, MCSO has been patching its channels through MPDs system to connect with OPD and ECSO, which use the same system. When MCSOs system is upgraded, it will take the patchwork out of the equation and improve coverage for officers on their portable radios, Stephenson said. Theres one radio tower broadcasting a signal for all of Midland County. When the project is finished, there will be four more towers, significantly improving coverage in the south and west parts of the county where the signal often drops off, Stephenson said. But other elements may have contributed to the difficulty law enforcement had in locating and neutralizing the shooter. Gerke said false reports from the public and human errors were also factors on Aug. 31, 2019. If there was a lack of communication that day, it wasnt necessarily because the radio channels and things like that didnt exist, he said. It may have been just because we didnt practice the policies and procedures efficiently. When things started happening in Odessa, we worried about the things happening in Odessa. Possibly, we could have been more regionally oriented. MPD Chief Seth Herman said dispatch personnel being overwhelmed by false reports created a delay in locating the shooter more so than any radio communication issues. It's imperative that everybody knows the communication between agencies was not the issue, he said. The issue was the number of false reports that we were receiving, and the dynamic of the event itself. It was so protracted and so moving, it was so fluid. If it would have been contained to one location, then yes, obviously, interoperability on a radio would have been paramount. But in this event, it really wasn't germane. Following the shooting, the MPD conducted a hot wash in which they dissected the shooting and discussed what they could have done better, Herman said. He said theyve since updated their protocols to be more prepared if a mobile shooting were to ever occur again. This is one of those events where you go, Is it possible? Of course, its possible. Is it probable? No, its not, he said. Well, now it is probable, because its already occurred. In the months following the shooting, Gerke testified at the Texas Senate and House hearings on mass violence prevention about the false reports law enforcement received that day, and his proposal to help mitigate erroneous reports. He believes a centrally located dispatch center to service all agencies in Midland and Ector counties would eliminate any lag, allowing officers from different entities to be dispatched immediately to the same location, if needed, or, prevent officers from being sent to a potential crime scene that other officers are already responding to. If you have your dispatchers sitting together, they can say, Look, we just had that call. You dont need to send officers there because we just had that call, he said. Discussions have taken place about funding for a call center, but with the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Gerke said its unlikely to be built anytime soon. Midland County is currently securing the final land site for its radio towers, and construction on those towers will begin in the next few months, according to Stephenson. The now-defunct website that has links to ISIS sympathizers. Department of Justice The US Justice Department shut down an ISIS-affiliated scam that attempted to sell fake personal protective equipment (PPE) through a website and Facebook accounts. When a US-based customer contacted the website to purchase masks for first-responders, a Syrian national living in Turkey responded by saying he could easily provide up to 100,000 N95 masks. Based on the website, the masks were manufactured in Turkey and none were certified by US agencies. Researchers say the scam is another way terror groups are taking advantage of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The US Justice Department shut down an ISIS-affiliated scam that attempted sell fake personal protective equipment (PPE) through a website and Facebook accounts, which researchers say is another novel way terrorists are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic. FaceMaskCenter.com, a now-defunct website that claimed to sell FDA-approved N95 respirator masks and other sought-after PPE, contained all the hallmarks of a legitimate online store including accepting credit cards. The website claimed it was "the original online personal protective equipment supplier and was the first of its kind" since its inception in 1996, when in fact the site was created February 26, 2020. The website was seized by the Justice Department and visitors are now greeted with an official disclaimer and a phone number to call if they were victims of the scam. It was not immediately clear if anyone purchased PPE from the website; however, when a US-based customer contacted the website to purchase masks for first-responders, a Syrian national living in Turkey responded by saying he could "easily provide up to 100,000 N95 masks, which he claimed to have in his possession," according to the Justice Department's complaint. N95 respiration masks at a laboratory of 3M. Reuters/Nicholas Pfosi A review of the face masks that were purportedly for sale indicates that the PPE was manufactured in Turkey, and were not certified by US agencies like the Food and Drug Administration. Story continues The complaint specifically names Murat Cakar, a Turkey-based man classified as an "ISIS facilitator." Cakar, which researchers say could be another alias, is accused of managing the scheme and accepting $100,000 from Zoobia Shahnaz, an American who pleaded guilty in 2018 to financially supporting ISIS and attempting to travel to Syria to join the terrorist organization. Cakar, according to a "confidential reliable source" of the Justice Department, was also instrumental in ISIS hacking operations. Researchers who have studied the terrorist organizations say that while online scams are not a novel concept for ISIS affiliates, their approach in taking advantage of the PPE demand is unique. Chelsea Daymon, an associate fellow with the Global Network on Extremism & Technology and a researcher at American University, first noticed ISIS sympathizers mentioning the coronavirus in their social media channels in mid-January. "This was sort of a new turn because historically, since the pandemic started, we saw ISIS use COVID-19 for more propaganda purposes spreading things that have to do with their ideology or demonizing individuals that are perceived as their enemy," Daymon told Insider. "So we've seen more narrative and propaganda use of the virus, and as the virus continued on, we've seen ISIS use the virus to it's advantage on the ground in Syria and Iraq ... where in the last number of months there has been an increase in the number of attacks while governments are having their attention elsewhere," Daymon added. Islamic State militants hold up their flag as they patrol in a commandeered Iraqi military vehicle in Fallujah, Iraq, March 30, 2014. Associated Press ISIS affiliates have used the COVID-19 pandemic as a messaging tool and incorporated it into their propaganda communications on social media apps like Telegram, Rocket.chat, and Twitter. Several of these themes included graphs and charts of the number of deaths related to the coronavirus, seemingly in celebration of the death tolls. ISIS sympathizers also claimed the coronavirus was intentionally created in a lab and spread by non-believers. Some of their narratives also echoed the baseless conspiracy theories spread by US-based far-right groups that any future coronavirus vaccine would cause autism, was a government ploy, or a corporate campaign for profit. According to Daymon's research, some of the sympathizers also claimed that a potential vaccination would be a Western plot to kill Muslims. Hundreds of coronavirus-related messages compiled from these messaging platforms revealed that roughly a quarter of them were related to death toll updates; 16% were related to divine punishment of non-believers; and 11% were related to humor and conspiracy theories. A picture posted on a private Rocket.Chat group reads, "the small coronavirus destroys the economy of the crusaders." Chelsea Daymon, Meili Criezis/Combating Terrorism Center It is unclear if there are other ISIS-linked websites that are taking advantage of the pandemic. But Daymon notes that the group, like other terrorist organizations, will take advantage of world events for their nefarious purposes. "It's not a surprise because I think any extremist group will use to their benefit any opportunity," Daymon said. "And the pandemic has been actually pretty good for that for many groups across many spectrums, because it really falls into different narratives and ideologies: this idea that, 'society is collapsing, therefore you want to be on the right side of history.'" Read the original article on Business Insider michael barbaro From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. For weeks, tens of thousands of people have been taking to the streets of Belarus to demand the resignation of their president, Aleksandr Lukashenko. Today: My colleague Ivan Nechepurenko, on how Europes last dictator came to power and his fight to hold onto it. Its Wednesday, September 2. Ivan, I know youre based in Russia, in Moscow. So where are you now? ivan nechepurenko Im currently in Belarus. Its a country of about 9.5 million sandwiched between Russia and the European Union. Im here to cover the contested re-election of the incumbent president, Aleksandr Lukashenko. archived recording 1 In Belarus, President Aleksandr Lukashenko has won the presidential vote with 79.9 percent, according to the latest exit poll. archived recording [CROWD CHANTING] ivan nechepurenko His re-election has inspired people to protest against him. Because they felt that the result that was announced, 80 percent in his favor, is totally incongruent with reality. archived recording (protestor) (IN RUSSIAN) We dont live in a Stone Age, Belarus lives in the 21st century and wherever our leader, our former leader, takes us, we will not use arms against the government. archived recording 1 International observers have never seen any of the elections in Belarus as free and fair. And today, there were also widespread reports of violations at the ballot box. archived recording 2 So saying that he has won with more than 80 percent, nobody is going to believe that. ivan nechepurenko We see days of protests that are being violently cracked down by Lukashenkos very robust security service, with rubber bullets and stun grenades and everything. archived recording [COMMOTION IN CROWDS] ivan nechepurenko And during that time, Lukashenko himself is basically going quiet. And we dont really know what is his interpretation of whats been going on. Because were thinking that maybe hes just going to resign. And suddenly, on Saturday night, almost one week after the election day, we learn that he will actually give a rally gathering his supporters in central Minsk. michael barbaro And what happens at that rally? archived recording [COMMOTION IN CROWDS] ivan nechepurenko So as I come to the rally, to the main independence square, I walk through the side streets that lead to it. And I see that there are all these coach buses parked on the sides with groups of people standing. So it becomes clear that people were bussed in. And that many people, if not most of them, didnt come there at their own will. archived recording Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko! [CHEERING] ivan nechepurenko And shortly into the rally, Lukashenko himself takes the stage. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) (IN RUSSIAN) Dear friends! ivan nechepurenko And I was very curious to see what he was about to say. Because after what I saw on the streets, the police used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades, injuring many. And it would be interesting to see how he would justify it. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) (IN RUSSIAN) Even if they calm down now, after a while they will crawl out of their holes like rats. ivan nechepurenko And what he did was actually the opposite. What he did, he said that I own this country. michael barbaro Huh. ivan nechepurenko And these people in the opposition, they are rats, and they are trash, and they are foreign paid conspirators who just want to subvert the stability that we have earned with sweat. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) [SPEAKING RUSSIAN] ivan nechepurenko He says: And remember, if you destroy Lukashenko, if you destroy your first president, this will be the beginning of your end. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) (IN RUSSIAN) You asked me to put the country back into order. I did that! ivan nechepurenko He was basically saying that I created your country, and you should be so grateful. And you should allow me to rule over you for the rest of my life. michael barbaro Wow. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) (IN RUSSIAN) I never betrayed you. Never. And I will never do that! michael barbaro Ivan, when Lukashenko says that he created Belarus, what does he mean? And is that accurate? ivan nechepurenko Well, it is accurate in a sense. Because of course, hes the first president of this country. archived recording 1 [CHORUS SINGING] archived recording 2 In Moscow, the hammer and sickle is lowered for the last time. And an era comes to an end. archived recording 3 The red flag of Soviet communism still flew last weekend. But it flew over a country that no longer exists. ivan nechepurenko So Belarus becomes independent in 1991, when the Soviet Union collapses. And people are euphoric about acquiring independence, acquiring their own flag, their own identity archived recording [PEOPLE CHANTING AND CLAPPING] ivan nechepurenko the ability to develop their own language. But shortly after, they realize, that democracy, for instance, that theyve acquired also brings chaos. archived recording A significant portion of the elderly and youth in the country are not only living in poverty, but are barely surviving. ivan nechepurenko And the economy is not working well because, as the rest of the Soviet Union, the Belarusian economy was a planned economy with no market, with prices set up from a single center from Moscow, essentially. And now you need to transform this huge economy into a market economy. And in the process, a lot of people in Belarus feel a lot of pain. michael barbaro Right. archived recording And the social welfare programs cannot even begin to keep up with the rate of inflation. ivan nechepurenko Because factories begin to close. Their salaries, actually, they go down. And by 1994, they seem willing to exchange the freedoms theyve earned for a sense of stability that would bring peace to their families. So a presidential election is called, the first one in the countrys history. And this is the time where a young Aleksandr Lukashenko comes to the stage. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) [SPEAKING RUSSIAN] michael barbaro And Ivan, who is Lukashenko in this moment as people in Belarus, struggling to figure out what a post-Soviet Belarus even looks like, are realizing that they crave stability? ivan nechepurenko He is someone who comes from a very modest background archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) [SPEAKING RUSSIAN] ivan nechepurenko from a small town in eastern Belarus, who raises quickly through the ranks to become a collective farm manager and then engages into politics. archived recording (aleksandr lukashenko) [SPEAKING RUSSIAN] ivan nechepurenko And he seems to be very driven and very charismatic. And people listen to him. People like him, especially people in the villages who have suffered the most. And he attempts to talk to them directly by telling them that I can improve your lives right now. I can take your lives back to where they were when you enjoyed them so much, when the Soviet Union was kind of at the height of its power. michael barbaro And so how do the people of Belarus respond to this campaign message, this kind of backward-looking, nostalgic Soviet message? ivan nechepurenko They like it. archived recording Radical anti-corruption crusader Aleksandr Lukashenko is poised for a clear win. With his countrys economy in rapid decline, Lukashenko has vowed to purge the top echelons of power and undo market reforms. ivan nechepurenko He wins the election. And he quickly begins to deliver on his promises. michael barbaro Mhm. ivan nechepurenko He increases peoples salaries. He will introduce a state control over prices. And he cancels many of the market economy reforms that were introduced before him. He stops privatization of government enterprises. He keeps them in the hands of the states. And people are very happy. Because they feel the change immediately and their standards of living improve. But what people fail to notice is that the main reason why he is able to deliver them was because Russia has been subsidizing, essentially, the Belarusian economy through a scheme that is called oil for kisses scheme. michael barbaro Oil for kisses, thats very evocative. What does it mean? ivan nechepurenko Well, it basically means that Russia, being an energy superpower, was essentially giving Belarus large amounts of oil that Belarus could refine and sell it to European markets and keep the difference. So by doing that, Russia was essentially trying to tie Belarus to Moscow. michael barbaro So Russia is using essentially free oil as a tether to this former republic. And in return, Russia gets the goodwill, the brotherhood, the kind of loyalty of Belarus. ivan nechepurenko Well, also because the Belarusian leader realizes perfectly well that the well-being of his country and the goodwill of his citizens depends on that whole scheme. So he realizes that his own political existence depends on Russia. michael barbaro And my sense, Ivan, is that during this period, the West the United States in particular is watching all of these former Soviet republics very warily and trying to make sure that they dont slide back into old Soviet ways, and that they dont get too close to Russia. Because they want to make sure that they stay on a path toward democracy. So how does that play out when it comes to Lukashenko and Belarus? ivan nechepurenko So what happens is that he realizes pretty quickly that this kind of wariness that youve described is an asset for him that he can trade in between Russia and the West. That he can dance between the two, praising and criticizing both, and kind of alternating. Because Russia doesnt want him to go to the West. And the West doesnt want him to go to Russia. And he can benefit on that. And he does that throughout his career masterfully. For instance, in 1996 archived recording The referendums over in the former Soviet Republic of Belarus. The controversy it whipped up still blows strong. ivan nechepurenko he conducts a very controversial referendum archived recording They give him far greater powers over Parliament, plus a fresh, five-year term of office. ivan nechepurenko that increases his powers dramatically. archived recording The president said dictatorship allegations were groundless. ivan nechepurenko And basically, it becomes his first step toward acquiring dictatorial powers. And Western powers ostracize him, essentially. And the following year archived recording [MUSIC] ivan nechepurenko he signs this union state agreement with Russia in a grand ceremony held inside the Kremlins Grand Palace. archived recording Boris Yeltsin stressed that the integration treaty between Russia and neighboring Belarus allows both countries to retain their sovereignty. ivan nechepurenko During that ceremony, the two presidents of Russia and Belarus, Lukashenko and president Yeltsin at the time, they kiss each other, which becomes this kind of very symbolic moment for the two countries. archived recording 1 [MUSIC] archived recording 2 Belarus President Lukashenko sorely needs economic help. His countrys centrally planned Soviet-style economy is in even worse shape than Russias. ivan nechepurenko Russia sees it as though it basically rebuilds its old empire again. archived recording They say its a good deal for both their countries. The West is not so sure. ivan nechepurenko And the West, of course, is watching closely what is happening and becomes increasingly willing to accept Lukashenko with his new semi-dictatorial powers. Because they dont want him to be completely swallowed by Russia. They want Belarus to stay an independent state. michael barbaro So the West becomes more willing to accept him as he challenges their conventions and their desires, because he is seen as so powerful. ivan nechepurenko Of course. Over time, he increases his powers. He removes term limits. He stifles all remnants of free press. He disperses rallies. He kills his opponents, actually. michael barbaro He killed his opponents? ivan nechepurenko Well, it is widely accepted in Belarus, and internationally, that Mr. Lukashenko at least he was complicit in the deaths of several of his political rivals in the end of 1990s. Several of his former allies disappear. And what happens next is that there are all these allegations that he did it. And some evidence has emerged that corroborated these claims. And this evidence is pretty strong. michael barbaro Mhm. So he is becoming more and more emboldened in this dance. Hes making the West fear that hes going to be in partnership with Russia. And that means the West feels like it needs to accept him and give him what he wants. And what he ends up wanting is more power. And hes getting it. ivan nechepurenko Yeah, thats right. But Vladimir Putin comes in 1999. And Vladimir Putin is a different type of president than his predecessor Boris Yeltsin. He is much bolder. He is much more pragmatic. And he wants tangible things from Lukashenko instead of just kisses, instead of just telling him that he is loyal. michael barbaro Hm. ivan nechepurenko And for Lukashenko, this is a very precarious position. Because he actually cannot give Putin anything. He fears that if he actually gives Putin, for instance, the right to deploy an airbase in the country, that would essentially cancel out his value in the eyes of the West. michael barbaro Because it would mean hes just giving everything over to Russia. ivan nechepurenko Yeah. And he would basically get trapped in Mr. Putins hands and become his loyal servant in truth, rather than in just words, as it used to be before. michael barbaro Hm. ivan nechepurenko So Lukashenko is afraid of that. But of course, hes more afraid of Putins apparent desire to control Belarus directly, which would diminish his role not only in the eyes of the West, but in the eyes of his own people. Theres no need for Lukashenko if Putin is in control, right? So of course, he doesnt want that to happen. And hes basically being cornered from all sides. michael barbaro Mhm. ivan nechepurenko And then archived recording We begin with a growing crisis in Ukraine following Russias invasion of Crimea. Ukraine ivan nechepurenko In 2014, Russia annexes the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. archived recording 1 Ukraines interim president says Russias invasion isnt just a threat, but rather a declaration of war. archived recording 2 Most of the countries around the world believe Russia is guilty of a major breach of international law, the annexation of Crimea. archived recording 3 The political crisis took an ominous turn late last week Russia deployed troops to Crimea, effectively taking control of that part of southeastern Ukraine. archived recording (barack obama) And well continue to look at the range of ways we can help our Ukrainian friends achieve their universal rights and the security, prosperity and dignity that they deserve. ivan nechepurenko And of course, Vladimir Putin is looking for his old ally, the closest ally, actually: Belarus and Lukashenko michael barbaro Right. ivan nechepurenko to support him in this dire situation. After all these years of billions of dollars sent to Belarus to prop up Lukashenkos regime. michael barbaro He seems like the most natural person to call and say, please speak out on behalf of Russia, even though we have just colonized part of Ukraine. ivan nechepurenko Yeah. And this is especially important. Because Lukashenko represents a former Soviet state. So he would be someone, like Ukraine, approving what Russia did to Ukraine, which would make a huge symbolic difference, not just for Putin, but for the whole post-Soviet space. So Putin waits for it. And Lukashenko refuses to recognize Crimea as Russian. And he refuses to approve Russias actions. michael barbaro So in this moment, Lukashenko is clearly choosing not to stand with Russia. And if I am Putin, Im expecting him to. Because this is why I have been investing in Belarus for so long, for just a moment like this. ivan nechepurenko Of course. And you need to understand what kind of man Putin is. If someone betrays him like this, he will never forget. michael barbaro So what is the fallout for Lukashenko from that decision? ivan nechepurenko Well, the relationship between Russia and Belarus becomes increasingly sour. Russia decides to reconsider the oil for kisses scheme. In 2015, Russia initiates a package of reforms that would basically cancel out that scheme. michael barbaro So thats his punishment. ivan nechepurenko I would say so. Yes. michael barbaro And so Putin pulls a plug that has been essential to this Belarusian economy and essential to Lukashenkos success. ivan nechepurenko Of course. Because all these state enterprises that Lukashenko didnt privatize, they are still grossly inefficient. michael barbaro Mhm. ivan nechepurenko So Belarus enters into a period of sustained economic stagnation. michael barbaro Mhm. ivan nechepurenko It doesnt fall off the cliff, the economy. But people realize that essentially the economy will never grow with this model. And theres no way to prop it up. Its only going to get worse. michael barbaro And what about the people of Belarus? How have they responded to Lukashenko since the economy entered this period of stagnation? ivan nechepurenko People become increasingly fatigued with their country being frozen in its past. They are looking to the future. They travel abroad. They want to see bustling life here. They want to see some development. They want to see some prospects that they can fit in. They dont want to feel inferior to all these people that they have to deal with in the countries around Belarus. And Lukashenko is not able to respond to that. Because he himself is stuck in the Soviet past. So with the presidential election coming up this year, peoples patience begins to run out. Their frustration begins to spill over from their internal thoughts into the public life. And people begin to realize that its time for change. [music] michael barbaro Well be right back. Ivan, I wonder if you can describe the lead up to this election and your sense of when it becomes clear that the people of Belarus want change. ivan nechepurenko Well, what happens is that Lukashenko himself is clearly unaware of the change of mood inside his own country. But some people are. Some people actually inside his own inner circle, for instance, his former ambassador to the United States and his former foreign minister, he decides to turn on him and run against him. michael barbaro Huh. ivan nechepurenko As does the head of a Russia-owned bank. But this is just the beginning. The main thing is that their campaigns become very popular. And people turn in to support them in huge numbers. And apart from those two, you have another person, a popular video blogger. archived recording (sergei tikhanovsky) (NON-ENGLISH SPEECH) I am Sergei Tikhanovsky, a a Belarusian businessman and blogger. ivan nechepurenko His name is Sergei Tikhanovsky. archived recording (sergei tikhanovsky) (NON-ENGLISH SPEECH) I am going to run for president. ivan nechepurenko And he travels with his camera around the country. And he interviews people who were supposed to be the power base of Lukashenkos regime. archived recording (NON ENGLISH SPEECH) One single person cannot improve our lives, we all must rise. Everybody. Because everyone knows perfectly well that our government is not legitimate. ivan nechepurenko People in small towns, people at factories, and all these people, they just complain endlessly about Lukashenko. archived recording (NON-ENGLISH SPEECH) You can defeat someone. Its like in the fairytale where there was a cockroach. ivan nechepurenko They call him a cockroach that you need to kill. archived recording (NON-ENGLISH SPEECH) They live, all the officials, they live like kings, they prosper, and you live in poverty. ivan nechepurenko They call him someone who just sucks their blood, someone whom they hate. And they say it openly. This guy uploads all this stuff on YouTube and this stuff gets to be very popular. And he realizes that maybe he would want to run himself. And he decides to run. And as his campaign progresses he becomes increasingly popular, too. So you have at least three candidates that are very popular. And this is the time when Lukashenko realizes that something is going on and this campaign is actually going to be different from all the others. michael barbaro Hm. ivan nechepurenko And as these three candidates emerge, he sees that actually theres been some error in his vision of his own country. And instead of accepting it, he decides just to get rid of it all. So what he does is he either jails his rivals, including the blogger that has been cruising the country talking to farmers, or he forces them to flee the country. michael barbaro So at this point, hes essentially running unopposed. ivan nechepurenko Thats what he thinks. But reality proves to be more complicated. archived recording With elections approaching, hopes rest on this one womans shoulders. ivan nechepurenko The wife of the blogger, Svetlana Tikhanovsky archived recording Svetlana Tikhanovsky hopes that shell be president of Belarus. ivan nechepurenko she decides that she will run against Mr. Lukashenko instead of her husband. archived recording (svetlana tikhanovsky) [SPEAKING BELARUSIAN] archived recording (translator) I run instead of him. Not because I need power or because Im a politician and want to become president and rule the country. No. I run to support my husband. michael barbaro So how does Lukashenko treat her? ivan nechepurenko He basically dismisses her as somebody who is not even worth talking about. He says that she is not his most powerful rival, that others are actually more threatening. A member of Lukashenkos presidential administration says that, in his office, there is no toilet for women. michael barbaro Hm. ivan nechepurenko You know, that its just not equipped. That this is not I mean, they are basically trying to be very insulting and demeaning. And he basically wants to portray her as a nobody. michael barbaro And is he fundamentally right that she doesnt pose a threat to him? ivan nechepurenko Well, of course not. Because as we saw before the election day archived recording It was the largest rally seen in Belarus since independence from the Soviet Union. ivan nechepurenko she was able to gather thousands of people at her rallies across the country. archived recording (svetlana tikhanovsky) (IN BELARUSIAN) I am running for victory. [CHEERING] ivan nechepurenko And people genuinely came to see her, even though Belarus is a police state. If for instance if you work for a state-run company, and as you know, most of the common economy is state owned, then you risk losing your job if you appear at a opposition rally. And the fact that people still showed up despite all these risks means that they genuinely supported her. michael barbaro Mhm. ivan nechepurenko And all these other candidates that he jailed and threw out of the country, they also supported her. They said that she is going to be our united opposition candidate. So they threw their support behind her back. And apart from that, the particular thing about Belarus is that polls are banned here. You cannot have a poll. So there are no polls that would say what is actually Lukashenkos real approval rating. But in the age of the internet, you can view polls online. And multiple polls have been conducted. And some of them have shown the support for Mr. Lukashenko to be as low as 3 percent. michael barbaro Wow. So it very much seems like she might be able to pull this off. She might be able to beat Lukashenko. ivan nechepurenko Yeah. But what happened in reality was that when the results get announced, Lukashenko gets 80 percent of the vote. And of course, people realize that the whole election was just rigged. archived recording [PROTESTORS CHANTING] ivan nechepurenko So what they do is they come out to protest en masse. But it seems that Mr. Lukashenko, he expected this result, that this is what is going to happen, that people will come out. Because as soon as people arrive to the scene of the rally archived recording [SIRENS BLARING] ivan nechepurenko almost immediately, huge armored police vans come in. And the people, they are not even doing much. archived recording [PROTESTORS CHANTING AND CLAPPING] ivan nechepurenko Theyre standing on sidewalks clapping. And the thing you have to realize about Mr. Lukashenkos Belarus is that even if you clap in a group of five from the sidewalk, you will be detained and probably even beaten by police. michael barbaro Wow. ivan nechepurenko And you have these riot policemen in full gear appear on the scene with rubber batons. And they are running around the protesters. But then with time, what I see is that the number of protesters gets larger and larger. archived recording [PROTESTORS CHANTING] ivan nechepurenko And at one point, they even block a street. archived recording [CARS HONKING] ivan nechepurenko And what the police does is they bring reinforcements. They bring army officers with shields, machines that are equipped with water cannons. They begin using stun grenades. archived recording [GRENADES EXPLODING] ivan nechepurenko Theres this scene of complete chaos. And this night was the first night when hundreds of protesters were ruthlessly beaten. They were beaten inside police vans. They were beaten in the pretrial detention center. They were packed like sardines, 36 people in a cell equipped for four people. They were not given water or food. It was basically a huge torture camp. michael barbaro Wow. ivan nechepurenko And the scene of the crackdown reminded me of Gulag, essentially. michael barbaro So the goal was to break the spirit of these protesters and Im sure, even more so than that, was to spread the word of these tactics and break the back of these protests altogether. ivan nechepurenko To scare people off so people wouldnt even dare to come out. michael barbaro Im curious how the rest of the world has responded to this pretty brutal crackdown on these protesters. ivan nechepurenko Well, the international community was just shocked by all the images. There were calls to sanction Lukashenko in Belarus. There were calls not to recognize the results of that election. And in fact, the results were not recognized by the European Union and many other individual states. So at one point, it felt like Lukashenko has been cornered. And what he did is that he turned back to Vladimir Putin, basically and publicly asking him for support in this situation. michael barbaro And how does Putin respond? ivan nechepurenko For Putin, it is much more beneficial to have Lukashenko so weak that he would only have Putin to rely on. And thus, Putin can easily control him and make him do whatever Putin wants. So he didnt throw a lifeline. He didnt say anything that would directly support him. But he also didnt condemn him. And theres no way back. Because after what the world has seen, it will take them a long time to forget. So Lukashenko is trapped. He is trapped in Putins hands. michael barbaro Ivan, Im reminded of what Lukashenko said to the crowd at that rally that you went to a couple of Sundays ago. That if you get rid of me, it will be the end of Belarus. But is what youre saying that Lukashenko himself is now so tied up with, so dependent on Russia, that if he stays, it would mean the end of Belarus, at least as an independent country? ivan nechepurenko Well, what he says is that if you get rid of Lukashenko, there will be no Belarus. But what he means is that there will be no Lukashenko Belarus. And then he seems to be willing to sacrifice at least chunks of the Belarusian independence in order to keep his own Belarus afloat. michael barbaro Right. And so a Belarus in which he stays in power is going to be a Belarus thats unmistakably aligned with, reliant upon Russia? ivan nechepurenko Seems like that. Yes. And Lukashenko has shown no signs, or no willingness to give up power voluntarily, no matter how many people come out to protest against him. archived recording [CROWD CHANTING] ivan nechepurenko The same day there was this pro-Lukashenko rally, there was another rally. And that rally looked completely different from what Mr. Lukashenkos rally looked like. archived recording I think that he must go away. We just need peace. And we want a just, honest election. ivan nechepurenko First of all, it was much bigger. It appeared to be the biggest rally in the Belarusian history, with more than 200,000 people showing up. archived recording 1 [CROWD CHANTING] archived recording 2 We are protesters here against the violence which is happening against the Belarusian nation. Under no condition can people be beaten up in the police station. ivan nechepurenko And of course, I have never seen anything like that in Belarus. Actually, no one has ever seen anything like that in Belarus. Because most people, for 26 years, they could never do anything like that. So I understand that for your average listener, it might sound like, you know, these people came out and this is something but still, I mean, that was extraordinary. This was a historic moment for these people. archived recording 1 [CROWD CHANTING] ivan nechepurenko And people are chanting, long live Belarus, long live Belarus! Basically telling him that you, Lukashenko, are wrong. You are not Belarus. We are Belarus. [music] michael barbaro Ivan, thank you very much. We appreciate it. ivan nechepurenko Thank you, Michael. michael barbaro Since we spoke with Ivan, large-scale protests in Belarus have continued, drawing a response from Russias president, Vladimir Putin, who warned the countrys citizens against trying to topple Lukashenko, declaring that Russia has formed a special team of security officers to, quote, restore order in Belarus if need be. Meanwhile, Western countries and several former Soviet republics are seeking to impose sanctions against the leaders of Belarus in response to what they called a fraudulent election and Lukashenkos crackdown on peaceful protesters. Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. archived recording (donald trump) Were here to show our support for Kenosha and Wisconsin. The state of Wisconsins been very good to me. I love the people. Weve done a lot for the state. michael barbaro On Tuesday, President Trump defied the wishes of state and local officials by traveling to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he met with local law enforcement agents and toured a block of businesses destroyed last week during the unrest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. archived recording (donald trump) Kenosha has been ravaged by anti-police and anti-American riots. They have been hit so hard. And michael barbaro Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 18:55:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Muslims on Sunday peacefully observed Ashura ritual to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of Mohammad, the holy prophet of Muslims, under a tight security plan. The mourners observed Ashura, which falls on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic lunar calendar, by rallying in big cities, by moving towards mosques and shrines. They also prepare special food and distribute it to people, relatives and neighbors. The day of Ashura in some Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan is national holiday, allowing religious communities to observe the day. Enditem Bayut, the region's leading property portal, hosted a high-profile webinar as part of its popular online series, The State of Real Estate, focusing on the role and contributions made by women in the real estate sector ahead of the Emirati Womens Day celebrations. Moderated by Fibha Ahmed, the Sales Director for Bayut and dubizzle Property, the webinar brought together noteworthy female leaders from the UAEs property market, to engage in a meaningful discussion on how women in the countrys real estate sector had to instantly pivot in the face of unprecedented market upheavals and changes brought on by the global Covid-19 pandemic, said a statement from Bayut. The three guests; Safura Abasniya, General Manager & Partner at Aston Pearl Real Estate; Zeina Khoury, CEO at High Mark Real Estate; and Katie Savage, Director at The Urban Nest, spoke about the challenges they had to face and overcome in the past few months. The session also highlighted the important contributions made by women towards UAEs growth across key business sectors and emphasised the importance of gender diversity in the real estate market, emulating the UAE governments equal opportunity goals through its workforce and initiatives, said the statement. All three of the leaders, who are also working mothers, narrated the challenges of maintaining work-life balance in the face of work from home routines and accommodating their childrens needs during lockdown. Crediting their success during this challenging time to the support from their families along with self-discipline and time management, the trio also shared their experiences of using this period to re-educate themselves and upskill according to the needs of the market, it stated. They also highlighted the supportive environment the UAE government offers for women of all nationalities to thrive and flourish as entrepreneurs and leaders in the UAE. Their observations tied in with the Emirati Womens Day theme for this year - Preparing for the next 50 years: Women are the support of the nation, it added. The panelists were also happy to note that female investors accounted for a sizable portion of the real estate transactions in the city and have also been actively using their financial independence to support the needs of the economy. As per the latest data released by DLD, the second quarter saw 1,781 women finalising nearly 2,000 deals worth AED2.6 billion, while the statistics for the entire first half show 4,536 women investors invested a total of AED6.6 billion over 5,000 deals. This cements female investors status as seasoned and significant contributors in the sector. Bayut reiterated that as an organisation it had always been on the forefront in championing workplace diversity and gender equality, providing equal opportunities for women as part of its successful business model. Nearly 40% of Bayuts employees are women, and almost 50% of the top management positions are held by strong, female leaders, it stated. Besides Fibha, Sahar Khan as the Director of Marketing, Mahvish Bari as the Director of Industry Marketing, Melissa Denham as the HR Manager, and Suzanne Gandy as HR Director, have led the company with a well-rounded and strategic approach that has propelled Bayuts success in a short time, it added. CEO Haider Ali Khan said: "Our female employees have played an indispensable part in building the company and the brand. In my professional and personal life, I never cease to be amazed by the ability of women to wear many hats and juggle their responsibilities while bringing a valuable, nurturing facet to everything they undertake." On this occasion, it is also important to highlight and respect the achievements made by Emirati women in the UAE, whose remarkable success under the countrys stellar leadership is something that countries across the world should emulate and embrace." "I look forward to seeing more women entering the UAEs workforce, making a difference, adding value, creating impact and driving success stories. I firmly believe that there is no gender and limit to success, and women in the UAE and around the world are a testament to that," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Umesh Chand was on his way home on Saturday when, at about 9 pm, he got a call from a relative, informing him that Metro trains would restart soon. He immediately confirmed the news on his mobile phone. For the past few days, Chand, a rickshaw-puller, had been thinking of returning to his village as his income had dipped drastically. I used to make Rs 600 every day; these days I am lucky if I make Rs 150. Getting passengers has been a struggle after the Metro closed. Now that the Metro is reopening, I will stay back in Delhi, says Chand, sitting in his rickshaw at the Moolchand Metro Station, right next to a signboard that marks the area as a halt-and-go parking space for cycle and auto-rickshaws. He was the only rickshaw-puller in the parking, which had been overtaken by cars belonging to customers of a popular paratha joint at the station, which is doing brisk business. Before Metro stopped its services, this parking used to have more than 100 rickshaws, all parked in a queue, waiting for passengers, and they never had to wait for more than a few minutes. Rickshaw-pullers in Delhi cannot survive without the Metro, says Chand, who is from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and has been pulling a rickshaw in the city for almost 12 years. Also Read: Metro stations in red zones not likely to open on Day 1 Talk to any rickshaw-puller in the city there are about 600,000 of them, most of them seasonal migrants from UP and Bihar and they will tell you how their lives came to a halt and their income fell by nearly 80% after the Metro suspended its services in March due to the coronavirus crisis. The rickshaw-pullers who earlier used to make anything between 500 and 700 per day, now barely made Rs 100-150, with the wait for passengers stretching for hours. Gone were the long queues of rickshaw-pullers at Metro stations, which ensured a steady flow of passengers throughout the day. The fate of the humble rickshaw in the Capital has been closely tied to the Delhi Metro ever since it came to the city. No wonder then, with the Metro announcing on Saturday that it would restart its operations from September 7, rickshaw-pullers feel their lives too would be back on track soon. Sujit Kumar,28, another rickshaw puller at the Moolchand Metro station, says the Metro ensured he never had to bother about where to find passengers. Every morning at 8, he would come to the station and for the next three hours, he would be busy taking commuters to and fro without a break. But today, I keep moving from Defence Colony to Andrews Ganj to the Amar Colony market in search of passengers, and consider myself lucky if I find one, says Kumar. When the lockdown happened in March, Kumar, who is from a village in Bihars Katihar, pedalled to his home town, covering over 1,500km, in his rickshaw. He came back in the last week of July and rented a rickshaw. I had heard the news that the Metro was reopening, but unfortunately, it did not, says Kumar, who returned by train, leaving his own rickshaw behind. In his village, many others who pulled rickshaws in Delhi stayed back, saying they would come back when the Metro starts. Today, I called them to say the Metro is starting. But they were doubtful and said they would come only after it actually restarts. Metro ensures a steady income to us. Also Read: Back in action, Metro Police ask for reinforcements A 2012 study tilled Urban Transportation Infrastructure and Poverty Reduction: Delhi Metros Impact on the Cycle Rickshaw Rental Market by Kurosaki Takashi, a professor at the Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan, said the Delhi Metro increased the demand for traditional transport services such as cycle rickshaws, resulting in the higher total number of rickshaw-pullers and higher income at lower working hours per day. More than 70% of rickshaw pullers in a sample of 1320 said they prefer to work near a Metro station because either there are more customers or each customer pays a higher amount for the ride. Mukesh Singh, a rickshaw-puller in Patel Nagar, testifies to it. When the Metro was running, most of my passengers were office-goers. Now only locals take my rickshaw to visit markets. I get Rs 15 for a ride that earlier got me Rs 30. And I have no option but to accept it, Singh says. In fact, one can see only a few rickshaws at the Patel Nagar Metro Station, which used to witness fights over parking space between rickshaw-pullers and e- rickshaw drivers. While my income has gone down four times, I continue to pay the same rent, Rs 50 a day, for my rickshaw, says Singh, adding that the Patel Nagar Metro station was like his workplace, where he would come by 9 am and leave by 12 midnight when the doors of the Metro closed. Now I leave the house at 11 am and generally wait for passengers in the nearby markets and return home by 6 pm, my earning barely crossing Rs 150, says Singh, who is from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh. Introduced in Delhi in the 1940s, cycle rickshaws were seen as a major technological advancement over the hand-pulled rickshaws. Vighnesh Jha, founder of FORPA (Federation of Rickshaw pullers Association), an umbrella body of rickshaw-puller associations, says there were about 800,000 rickshaws in Delhi until 2012, but their numbers almost reduced by half over the past few years because of the growing popularity of e-rickshaws. Jha credits the Metro with driving the income of rickshaw-pullers by creating the need for last-mile connectivity in Delhi. When there was no Metro, hardly anyone talked about last-mile connectivity. Those who used DTC buses generally walked to their bus stand because unlike a Metro station, which could be 1 to 3km from their house, bus stands were always a couple of hundred metres, says Jha. Over the years, Metro stations became rickshaw hubs where rickshaw-pullers parked their rickshaws, important in a city that has no parking stands for cycle rickshaw and no minimum fares. Rajendra Ravi, founder, Institute For Democracy And Sustainability, a Delhi-based non-government organisation, which fights for the cause of green transport, says rickshaws in Delhi are also a source of what he calls invisible mobility during the hard lockdown. When no transport was available, many families and senior citizens used rickshaw- pullers, who fetched grocery and medicines for them. Most rickshaw-pullers work in a particular area, and so many locals know them personally. Many people used them to distribute essentials to the needy, says Ravi, adding that there has been a symbiotic relationship between the cycle rickshaw and the Metro. Cycle rickshaws helped the world-class transport such as Metro by being an important feeder service and the Metro helped them get passengers, says Ravi, a social urban planner. Also Read: Will ensure people maintain social distance on Delhi Metro: Transport minister Kailash Gahlot In the last 15 years, he says, cycle rickshaws have figured in all urban transport policy and plans, all of which have recognised their role in employment generation and sustainable transport. The Delhi Master plan 2021 and the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP 2006) emphasised the promotion of non-motorised modes (cycles and cycle rickshaws) of transportation in cities, acknowledging that the rickshaws provided employment to a large number of unskilled workers in the city. The time has come to modernise cycle rickshaws and formally integrate them into our urban transport system, says Ravi. Prof Avilash Roul, principal scientist at Indo-German Center for Sustainability, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, feels the pandemic has provided an opportunity for planned integration of rickshaws into public transport in Delhi. Like the bike-sharing system, cycle rickshaws should be integrated into the citys public transport system. It is a good idea to introduce dial-a-cycle-rickshaw service, says Roul. I feel cycle rickshaws can also be part of a planned post- pandemic poverty alleviation and livelihood programme. In the meanwhile, Radhey Shayam Verma, 29, a rickshaw-puller near the Mayur Vihar Metro station, calls up a few people who used to regularly take his rickshaw. Metro stations allowed me to make personal connections with many people in the area. But some of my regular customers have started using their own cars. They said they would use my services when the Metro restarts. Since it is starting now, I wanted to ask if they are coming, says Verma, wearing a mask. Verma, who hails from Kanpur and has studied up to the 11th standard, keeps a small bottle of sanitiser in his pocket. I have a small child at home and cannot afford to fall sick. These days, I do not allow more than one person in my rickshaw. One of my passengers told me that rickshaws, which are mostly open, are safer than closed auto and taxis. I hope commuters will understand this and use our services when the Metro starts next week. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The city of Phoenix has reached a settlement with a Black family for more than $470,000 after a widely viewed video last year showed police officers drawing their weapons and shouting expletives at the family while responding to a shoplifting complaint. No charges were filed in connection with the episode and at least one officer was fired. Members of the City Council voted 6 to 2 on Wednesday to approve the settlement for the two people involved in the episode, Dravon Ames and Iesha Harper. A notice of claim that their lawyer sent to the city said the officers violated their civil rights and engaged in brutality during the episode. I just want to say, Im glad we got justice, Ms. Harper said at a news conference, The Associated Press reported. Its been hell dealing with my kids and everything that happened. Martinez-Andrades Honda shot toward the right side of the interstates northbound lanes, where it struck a tractor-trailer whose driver had pulled over on the shoulder with mechanical trouble. The crash spun the Honda back into traffic, where it collided with a vehicle attached to a trailer. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 03:55:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Saturday reported 329 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total confirmed cases in the country to 12,958. The center said in a statement that the new cases were detected after it received 1,481 suspected samples, adding 23 more patients have recovered and five died, increasing the total recoveries to 1,333 and the death toll to 231. To curb the spread of the pandemic, Libya has taken a series of precautionary measures since the first case was reported in March, including closing the country's borders, shutting down schools and mosques, banning public gatherings and imposing a curfew. China donated medical aid to Libya in June to help the country fight the pandemic, including 834 nucleic acid diagnostic kits, 5,000 medical protective suits, 15,000 N95 face masks, 100,000 surgical masks, 5,000 pairs of goggles and 5,000 pairs of medical gloves. Enditem People caught rioting during large protests could be stripped of their federal unemployment benefits and be forced to pay an order of restitution to police under a new bill proposed by a Republican Congressman. Jim Banks, who represents Indiana's 3rd congressional district, introduced the 'Support Peaceful Protest Act' on Friday, with the aim of stopping the riots, looting and vandalism that have occurred across the country in recent months. The bill will have to pass the U.S. House and Senate before it becomes written into law, but Banks says he hopes it will protect peaceful protesters and police officers, as well as bystanders who inadvertently become caught up in a crowd. People caught rioting during large protests could be stripped of their federal unemployment benefits and be forced to pay an order of restitution to police under a new bill proposed by a Republican Congressman. Pictured: Rioters setting fire to vehicles in Seattle on May 30 Those convicted of a crime associated with a large protest - such as looting - would lose their federal unemployment benefit if the bill is passed. Pictured: People inside a Dolce & Gabbana store in New York on June 1 Jim Banks, who represents Indiana's 3rd congressional district, introduced the 'Support Peaceful Protest Act' on Friday The bill proposes that if an individual is convicted of a federal offense while at a protest in which police are present, they will have to 'pay an order of restitution... that is equal to the cost of such policing activity, as determined by the court.' Further, Banks proposes that those engaging in rioting, looting and arson should be stripped of federal benefits accessible during the COVID-19 crisis, such as the $600 per week unemployment assistance drawn from the CARES Act. In an interview with WIBC, Banks says he believes a majority of rioters who intentionally disrupt protests are currently unemployed and receiving benefits. 'Due to enhanced federal benefits, taxpayers are giving wages to jobless rioters that are destroying our communities. We need to cut them off from their funding and make them feel the full financial consequences of their actions,' Banks stated. He continued: ''Many of these people are not working. They have the time to show up every day at some of these violent protests like in Washington, D.C. and they're getting $600 a week of unemployment to do it, and that's got to stop.' Banks was referring to chaotic scenes that unfolded in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night, following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention at the White House. Guests, including Senator Rand Paul, were heckled and abused as they made their way out of the event. The Senator and his wife had to be protected by police officers, and he later claimed the 'crazed mob' was 'shouting threats to kill us'. Chaotic scenes that unfolded in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night, following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention at the White House. Guests, including Senator Rand Paul, were heckled and abused as they made their way out of the event Meanwhile, photographers captured two of Banks' constituents - an elderly couple from Indiana - being verbally abused and intimidated by a young protester as they left the event. The photograph caused outrage, with Banks sharing the image and tweeting to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, accusing her of not doing enough to stop bad behavior. 'Hey @SpeakerPelosi, these are my constituent. They are good people. If you told these mobs to stop, I have a feeling they would... ' Meanwhile, Banks theorized that Antifa was behind a lot of the rioting. 'Antifa thugs are descending on suffering communities, disrupting peaceful protests and leaving violence, looting and vandalism in their wake,' he stated. 'They turned Milwaukee, Seattle and Portland into warzones, and now theyre moving the chaos to Kenosha, Wisconsin. Who knows which community is next?' Photographers captured two of Banks' constituents - an elderly couple from Indiana - being verbally abused and intimidated by a young protester as they left the event Robert Price is a journalist for KGET-TV. His column appears here on Sundays; the views expressed are his own. Reach him at robertprice@kget.com or via Twitter: @stubblebuzz. This month marked the 100th anniversary of womens right to vote in the United States. Seventy years of protest and consciousness-raising made it happen in 1920. The Catholic church moves even slower, if at all, but the time seems ripe to ordain women as deacons soon. Women deacons served the church up until the 12th century, but the churchs desire to control finances and require celibacy stigmatized women even more for the last 900 years. Pope Francis has now formed two commissions, which include women, to determine if the church can ordain them as deacons once again. U.S. theologian Phyllis Zagano was the only American to serve on the popes 2016 commission, which was not tasked to make a recommendation to the pope but only to discuss whether women could be ordained deacons. No consensus was reached so the Vatican disbanded the commission. There was no unanimity whether women were sacramentally ordained, said Zagano, who, nonetheless, enjoyed the experience, especially staying in the same residence as Francis at the Vatican as she researched archives and interviewed many cardinals and scholars in Rome. "Women: Icons of Christ'' traces the history of women deacons in the early church. That experience also produced her new book, Women: Icons of Christ, in which she makes the case that there is precedent for women serving as ordained deacons as they did perform diaconal altar service in the past. She also documents the prevailing prejudice against women preventing them from becoming deacons because women do not image Christ. In a one-on-one Zoom meeting and a subsequent Zoom discussion led by Josephite Sister Colleen Gibson with Zagano, we touched on many aspects of misogyny in Catholicism. For example, women were prohibited from entering the sanctuary at one time and altar cloths laundered by women had to be handed over the altar rail. Women were just adjuncts because men modeled the gender of Jesus and women were just not men, Zagano said. The early church created deacons, though only men were named in the first group, by the laying on of hands to fill a temporal need in the community. And this became the main ministry of deacons: to take care of widows, distribute food to the hungry, and free the presbyter or priest to take care of the spiritual needs. The women deacons or deaconesses were also responsible for taking care of women converts and their needs. We know that women served as deacons at the altar in the early church because there were significant complaints against the practice, Zagano wrote. In the fifth century, Pope Gelasius complained about women baptizing. As patriarchy prevailed in the church, women were sidelined by their menses, the shedding of blood, which the church fathers said made them impure, a carryover from Judaism. There was a concern about women touching sacred things, Zagano said. Surviving records of ordination ceremonies, though, recount the bishop calling women who were to be ordained deacons into the sanctuary, invoking the Holy Spirit, giving them a stole and chalice and the laying on of hands, Zagano said. They could also give themselves communion, a sign of that they were ordained. They served as treasurers of Christian communities and preached at liturgies. The most prominent woman deacon in the churchs history is St. Phoebe, whose feast is coming up on Thursday when there will be an online prayer service in her memory. Pauls letter to the Romans, 16 v. 1-2, reads, I commend to you Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, give her, in the Lord, a welcome worthy of Gods holy people and help her with what whatever she needs from you -- she herself has come to the help of many people, including myself. Phoebe was probably a woman of means, well-known and a leader in the large port city. The issue of women becoming ordained deacons also arose in the 2019 Amazonian Synod that Pope Francis convened because of the shortage of ordained priests to minister to the people in the vast South American territory. At the synods conclusion, 137 delegates voted to continue the study of the possibility of female deacons with 30 opposed. This led Francis to convene a second commission to study the matter; it includes women but no members from the U.S. Recently, Francis reorganized the Vatican Council on Finances and appointed six European women as members. Newarks Joseph Cardinal Tobin is also a member. I see their (women) nomination as an effort by Pope Francis to ensure greater opportunities for women to offer their gifts in service to the church, Tobin is quoted as saying in the National Catholic Reporter. The situation in the Amazon and throughout the world is dire since there is a shortage of priests and women are already involved in so many ministries. Zagano recalled the spirit of the 11th-century reforms of Pope Gregory VII that the church will not be deprived what it needs. She also sees a mechanism by which the church can have more ministry. What the church has done in the past, it can also do again, she said. Zagano dismissed the notion that by ordaining women as deacons, the church would be clericalizing women. She calls that notion itself clericalism, meaning it restricts deacon ordination to men alone. Women are so much a part of the parish that they are (in reality) deacons or acting like deacons, Zagano said. Francis has given the commission no timetable but if there is no positive recommendation a second time, it would be dispiriting. St. Phoebe, put in a good word. The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken. To learn more ... A 7 p.m. virtual prayer service will be offered on Thursday, Sept. 3, in honor of the Feast of St Phoebe, Deacon. To register, go to receiveherinthelord.org/. Beloved Amazonia, The Apostolic Exhortation and Other Documents from the Pan-Amazon Synod, by Pope Francis; Orbis Books, 2020. $18 Phoebe: Patron and Emissary, by Joan Cecelia Campbell; Order of St. Benedict, Collegeville, 2009; $11.95. U.S. Moral Theology from the Margins, edited by Charkes E. Curran and Lisa A. Fullam; Paulist Press, 2020. $39.95. Women: Icons of Christ, by Phyllis Zagano; Paulist Press, 2020. $14. 95. Prabhu Chawla By It appears to be burlesque yet it is the political reality. They have failed to get votes. Yet they grab maximum voices and make the most noise about themselves. For the past five decades, the Gandhis have never been out of sight or mind of the Indian electorate. They are in the news not because of any earthshaking political action. The Gandhis are conspicuously omnipresent due to their inaction. They are left with few adversaries but even fewer friends in the party. They hardly add any political pizzazz to the dwindling fortunes of the 135-year-old Congress party. Despite losing power, the puissant Gandhi Parivar can still make and unmake the Congress and change its ideological and demographic contours. When challenged, they bounce back triumphatically after trampling upon their opponents. Last week, history repeated itself, rather ridiculously. Two dozen odd Congress leaders from various parts of the country decided to shake the Empire. Most of them have been with the GOP longer than the all three Gandhis. Some of them were former chief ministers and union ministers. Others were former and current members of Parliament. They thought the time had come to wake up the party and its leadership from slumber. They just sought an active introspection and an efficacious leadership, which was both visible and active on the ground as well. In order to prevent a backlash, they also made it clear that Gandhi family would always remain an integral part of the duly elected collective leadership. They were distraught and appalled at the successive electoral humiliations and toppling of their elected state governments. With an inaccessible Sonia and occasionally visible Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leaders were feeling orphaned. A dark political future was staring at them. But for the Gandhis, it was yet another bad phase which too shall pass. And for them, the concept of collective leadership is an anathema. Ever since Indira Gandhi converted the party into a family-owned political entity after the first split in 1969, every attempt to broad base its dynastic hierarchical architecture has been crushed ruthlessly by purging the dissenters. Indira was perhaps the most calculated and forward looking parent who wrote and left an organisational algorithm which would always ensure the return of a Gandhi to dominate the affairs of the Congress. For them, political experience wasnt an essential qualification for holding the highest office in the party or the government. It was after 20 years that a group of Congress leaders endeavoured to correct the imbalance between family dominance and organisational supremacy. All of them have been co-conspirators in the past in perpetuating dynastic ascendancy. They have also been beneficiaries of the Gandhi munificence. But when they rose against the Gandhi deities, they were branded as Quislings who were egged on by the Bharatiya Janata Party. In fact, none of the letter writers had even a remotest link with the Sangh Parivar. The Gandhis and their promoters applied the original Mrs Gs formula of first threatening to quit and then using the loyalists to drum up the demand for the Gandhis to remain in office to save not only the party but also the nation. Even the resolutions passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) or the All India Congress Committee (AICC) during the past five decades are similar both in spirit and verse. They begin with how the Congress has brought India back from the precipice of destruction and end up with sycophantic adulation of Nehru and the Gandhis. Last week too, the factional shenanigans ended with laudatory speeches. Surprisingly, the resolution hailing the Gandhi Parivar was moved none other than the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. While warning the missive writers that the resolution vowed to strengthen the hands of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, it also added that No one can be, nor will be, permitted to undermine the Congress at this critical juncture and Sonia and Rahul Gandhis voices are the strongest voices fighting the BJP government and the assault on democracy. Not only were the Gandhis able to further solidify their control over the Congress, they were able to eliminate any immediate threat to their leadership. Though Sonia Gandhi offered to resign, yet stayed on till the next AICC session is held to elect a new president. In the meanwhile, a chorus was orchestrated to anoint Rahul Gandhi as her successor. It is quite evident that Indias second largest party was destined to be permanently dominated by the Dynasty. Historically, the party hasnt been at peace with itself whenever it was led by a non-Gandhi during the past 40 years. When Indira Gandhi was tragically assassinated in 1984, her son Rajiv Gandhi was elevated not only as the Prime Minister but also as the Congress president. He had merely less than three years of political experience as one of the general secretaries. Within four years, he faced a big challenge from his own party when a powerful faction led VP Singh revolted against him. He lost the popular mandate but retained his party presidentship. Unfortunately, he was killed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Once again, a vocal Congress section wanted his widow Sonia Gandhi to take over but she refused. It was perhaps divine intervention that PV Narasimha Rao was retrieved from a veritable retirement home to take over as party president and he became the prime minister later as well. It was during Raos tenure that AICC elections were held after a gap of 13 years. Rao survived in office for five years but was always under constant threat from Gandhi loyalists. When he lost the 1996 election, he was unceremoniously removed and was replaced by a nonentity like Sitaram Kesari. Even Kesari wasnt acceptable to Gandhi faithfuls. He was ejected out of office by using strong arm tactics. Ironically, it was Kesari who enrolled Sonia as a primary Congress party member in August 1997. Eight months later, she became the Congress president without holding any office earlier. When she faced opposition from Sharad Pawar and others, they were thrown out of the party. And she broke the record for holding the AICC presidents post for the next 19 years. When she decided to quit, she handed over the baton to her son Rahul Gandhi in December 2017. But he also resigned soon after a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Expectedly, he was succeeded by his mother Sonia Gandhi again. In fact, barring the brief period of 1991-98, the middle room of a sprawling 24 Akbar Road Congress office has always been occupied by a Gandhi. But generational transition in the Congress has also led to death of an ideology-led Indira dispensation and emergence of the personality cult-driven Gandhis. Anyone who made to minimise the Gandhis has been erased from the history of the Congress. Congress website has a page on Our Inspiration. It contains, other than Nehru and the Gandhis, pictures of eight personalities including Jagjivan Ram and Manmohan Singh. The only one missing from it is Rao. It is a stark reminder for those that if anyone ever messes up with the current crop of the Gandhis, he or she wouldnt find a place even in the footnotes of the partys history. Gandhis are never shellacked. Only the Congress is clobbered. Despite pretensions, it will always be Gandhi vs another Gandhi. Take it or leave it. US walks alone in Iran sanctions, EU goes other way IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, August 29, IRNA -- The European Union remains committed to implementing the Iran nuclear deal as a matter of respecting international agreements and of the bloc's shared international security, EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Spokesperson Peter Stano said. "The Iran nuclear deal, which was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council, is a key element of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and contributes to the security of the region, for Europe and beyond," Stano said. "The EU remains committed to implementing the JCPOA as a matter of respecting international agreements and of our shared international security," he added. Stano told New Europe that a meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA will take place in Vienna on September 1. The Joint Commission will be chaired on behalf of Borrell by EEAS Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid and will be attended by representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran. An arms embargo imposed on Iran is expected to be lifted on October 18 under the terms of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as JCPOA and UNSC Resolution 2231. This is while the United States has begun a campaign to extend the embargo. Washington firstly proposed a draft resolution to the UN Security Council which called for extension of Iran arms embargo. But on the voting day, except for the United States that had proposed the resolution, it was only Dominican Republican that voted for it. China and Russia voted against it and the rest 11 member states abstained. Following the unprecedented defeat, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo proposed another draft resolution to the UN Security Council which called for re-imposition of all the international sanctions on Tehran. But as the US unilaterally withdrew from Iran nuclear deal two years ago, the UNSC member states believe that the US is no longer a JCPOA participant and therefore cannot invoke the snapback. So, on the voting day, 13 UNSC member stats out of the total 15 members expressed their opposition to the US draft resolution. 9341**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The mayor of Portland, Oregon, whose city has been plagued by protests for months, has accused US President Donald Trump of escalating tensions that led to a fatal shooting of a man affiliated with a right-wing group. The man was shot in the city on Saturday night (US time) after a large caravan of Trump supporters clashed with protesters in the latest sign of divisions flaring in the lead-up to November's presidential election. Supporters of President Donald Trump take part in the rally and car parade from Clackamas to Portland that ended in clashes with Black Lives Matter activists. Credit:AP Trump weighed in by retweeting a series of posts denigrating Portland's Democratic mayor Ted Wheeler, who has been a vocal opponent of th President's push to send in federal troops to quell unrest in Democratic cities as part of his law and order agenda. But on Sunday afternoon, Wheeler hit back during an incendiary press conference in which he blasted the President and blamed him for inciting his base to cause trouble. In perhaps the most Boston-influenced move in craft beer history, Dunkin' and Harpoon Brewery are teaming up for donut-infused beers. The Boston-based brewery announced Tuesday that it plans to release three new beers in partnership with Dunkin' - Harpoon Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale, Boston Kreme Stout, and Jelly Donut IPA. Previously, the brewery released its Harpoon Dunkin' Coffee Porter in conjunction with the coffee giant. Auckland's tough Stage Three lockdown will come to an end tonight after several extensions, but life won't yet return to a pre-COVID normal. From 11.59pm on Sunday, restrictions in New Zealand's most populous city will be eased after two-and-a-half weeks to a Stage Two warning, like the rest of the nation. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement on Sunday afternoon as she confirmed a further two coronavirus cases linked to the Auckland cluster. But the eased restrictions won't look exactly the same as they do for the rest of the nation. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern demonstrates how she makes an improvised face mask during a video meeting with local community health leaders A further two COVID-19 cases were identified in New Zealand on Sunday, both linked to the Auckland cluster Aucklanders will be subject to temporary 'Stage 2.5' restrictions, officials said. Authorities will continue to stress the importance of wearing face masks where possible - without making them mandatory - and discourage non-essential public gatherings. Mask use is only mandatory on public transport for commuters aged 12 and above in Auckland, and that policy will remain under level 2.5 restrictions. Social gatherings will remain limited to 10 people, despite Stage Two lockdown in the rest of the nation allowing gatherings of up to 100. 'No gathering can be larger than 10. I cannot stress how important this is. Much of this cluster has stemmed from social gatherings. If we want to stop the spread, we have to stop socialising for a time,' Ms Ardern said on Sunday. People work at a drive-through COVID-19 testing facility in Brisbane as the Sunshine State battles a new outbreak, similar to New Zealand Staff at Honey Bones cafe in Grey Lynn serve takeaway customers at level three lockdown Authorised funerals will be granted exemptions to host up to 50 people. 'We are also keeping aged care facilities in Auckland on very strict settings. To those this affects, I am sorry. I know how hard this will be but we need to keep everyone in our aged care facilities safe,' Ms Ardern added. The restrictions remain in place throughout Auckland, but the prime minister has urged anybody from the region who is travelling to exercise caution and 'common sense'. 'If you are an Aucklander, please don't just pop into an aged care facility no matter where it is in the country,' she said. A person waits for a bus at a Karangahape Rd bus stop in Auckland after Ms Ardern made face coverings mandatory on public transport A nurse checks on people as the arrive at the Mangere Town Centre testing clinic Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Sunday Auckland would enter a 'level 2.5' lockdown to ease out of Stage Three 'Please don't attend a mass gathering, even if it is not in Auckland. And if you are sick, please stay home. Definitely don't travel.' There are now 135 cases linked to the Auckland cluster, and Ms Ardern told the public she highly doubted the virus had spread into other cities. 'We are still dealing with a single source, and a single cluster,' she said. But the PM, who has acted swiftly at every stage of the pandemic, insisted she wouldn't hesitate in locking down the community again if she considered it necessary. 'We need the team of five million to help us get back where we need to be. Our system is only as good as our people,' Ms Ardern said. A worker hands out information to people entering the Otara Town Centre COVID-19 Community testing centre Before Hurricane Laura battered Louisiana, it drenched the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba with deadly rainfall, killing at least 23 people outside the U.S. Because of their mountainous terrain and vulnerability to flash flooding and landslides, the Caribbean islands are particularly susceptible to a warming climate, which causes tropical systems to get considerably wetter. According to a new study, "considerably" may mean a 5 times greater likelihood of extreme hurricane rainfall in a warmer world. "The findings are alarming and illustrate the urgent need to tackle global warming to reduce the likelihood of extreme rainfall events and their catastrophic consequences, particularly for poorer countries which take many years to recover," said lead author of the study, Emily Vosper, a researcher at the University of Bristol. A 2019 study showed Hurricane Maria produced the single largest maximum rainfall event since 1956 in Puerto Rico. Using a statistical analysis, that study found the probability of extreme rainfall of Maria's maximum magnitude has increased by a factor of almost five due to human-caused climate change. Hurricane Maria approaches Puerto Rico in 2017 / Credit: NOAA/CIMSS This new study took a different approach than the 2019 study by using computer model simulations, instead of a purely statistical analysis, to answer the question of what would happen to Caribbean hurricanes in a warmer world. Researchers generated thousands of hurricane simulations from four global climate models in three different climates. The three climate scenarios were: present-day conditions, 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial temperature levels, and 2 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial temperature levels. The 1.5C and 2C scenarios were chosen because they are the warming goals that the Paris Climate Agreement endeavors to stay below. The results of the study show that in a 2C warmer world, an event of similar size and location to Maria would be more than twice as likely, occurring once every 43 years rather than once every 100 years. Story continues For the Bahamas, the findings are even more dramatic, with a once-in-100-year storm becoming 4 to 5 times more likely in a 2C scenario. In the Dominican Republic, a 100-year extreme hurricane rainfall in the present climate is projected to occur greater than three times more often once every 30 years in a 2C warmer world. But under the more ambitious goal of limiting warming to 1.5C, extreme hurricane rainfall events in the Dominican Republic would occur roughly once every 57 years half as often as compared to the 2C warming scenario. Comparison of the return period of extreme hurricane rainfall in the Caribbean and Bahamas using historical contrasting historical conditions with future warming scenarios. / Credit: Vosper Et al Vosper, the researcher, sees this as proof that taking efforts to limit climate change can make a real difference: "By focusing efforts to stabilise global warming to the more ambitious 1.5C goal, we could dramatically reduce the likelihood of extreme hurricane rainfall events in the area." It should be noted that most scientists feel the ambitious goal of 1.5C is not attainable and that we are more likely headed for close to 3C of warming, especially if we do not take bold measures. Vosper said there are various potential reasons why a warmer climate has a higher propensity for extreme hurricane rainfall. Her simulations reveal that there were more hurricanes in the 1.5 and 2 degree warming scenarios compared to current conditions. She believes this one of the factors contributing to the increase in extreme rainfall risk. While there is still some debate in the climate community about whether hurricane numbers will in fact increase, there are various aspects of hurricanes in a warmer climate that are commonly accepted. The most straightforward is the Clausius Clapeyron equation, which dictates that for every 1C temperature increase, the air can hold 7% more water. Vosper said that part of the increase in extreme rain events in her study can also be attributed to that. Dr. Kevin Trenberth, who was not involved in the study, agrees. As a distinguished senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, he specializes in the energy flows, ocean heat and tropical cyclones. He said Clausius Clapeyron plays a role, but it's so much more. With higher sea surface temperatures and more upper ocean heat content there is more potential energy to fuel storms, which grow through moisture evaporated from the oceans. Trenberth described the Earth as an interconnected system trying to equalize the imbalance caused by excess human heating. "We expect more activity as the system: the atmosphere and ocean, try to get rid of the extra heat," said Trenberth. "Hurricanes play a major role in this: a role of such storms is to pump heat out of the oceans, into the atmosphere, and disperse it to where it can radiate to space." Trenberth said increased activity is manifested in several ways: more storms, bigger storms, more intense storms, longer lasting storms, and heavier rainfalls. "We expect more intense, bigger and longer lasting storms," said Trenberth, but on the subject of "more frequent storms" he believes it is possible there may actually be fewer in the future. "That's because one big storm can play the role of 4 or more smaller storms in moving heat" and striving for energy balance, said Trenberth. But the following key point is perhaps the most important of all in explaining why a warmer climate means more extreme hurricane rainfalls. As Trenberth discusses, in hurricanes the air spirals into a storm from about 4 times the radius of the visible storm. So the moisture flowing into the storm, that feeds it, is converging from a much larger area. As a result "the Clausius Clapeyron effect is magnified and the net rainfall increase is more like 20 to 30% rather than the 7% per degree Celsius of warming," said Trenberth. A 20% to 30% increase in hurricane rainfall per degree Celsius of warming in itself is substantial. However, most scientists agree our climate will likely warm by at least 2 to 3 degrees Celsius, yielding an even more magnified effect on extreme rainfall. This is concerning for U.S. cities which reside in Hurricane Alley and the especially vulnerable Caribbean islands. It takes at least six years for even the richest of the Caribbean countries to rebuild after a major hurricane hits, stalling economic growth. Vosper said her team's research shows residents should be concerned about the impacts of hurricanes in the future and that governments should be stepping up planning. And that's exactly what island communities all over the world are working on. As the environment program officer for the New York Community Trust and with his Puerto Rican and Cuban roots, Arturo Garcia-Costas is concerned about their future. That's why, with the help of the New York Community Trust, Garcia-Costas is working with a program called Climate Strong Islands. After the devastation of hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017, last February in Puerto Rico more than 65 organizations from Guam to Maine signed onto the Climate Strong Islands Declaration calling for action. The overarching goal is collaboration to make island communities more resilient, sustainable, and self sufficient. "We are on the path to a much hotter, wetter world, and the 20th century systems and the infrastructure we have in place are just not ready for it," said Garcia-Costas. "Storms are regularly overwhelming aging sewer systems and electrical grids. We need new thinking for new challenges." Protests continue in Kenosha as more details emerge in Jacob Blake shooting Eye Opener: Portland mayor blames Trump for unrest Preserving dioramas of African American history Advertisement Chaos erupted outside the White House on Saturday following another night of Black Lives Matter protests that saw police clash with demonstrators, striking them with rubber bullets and detonating stun grenades, as they moved to clear out crowds. Hundreds of protesters had gathered at Black Lives Matter Plaza to rally against police brutality and racial injustice, following another week of unrest triggered by the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last Sunday. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department were out in force as demonstrators marched towards the White House chanting, 'No cops, no KKK, no fascists'. Shortly before midnight, tensions between protesters and law enforcement boiled over, as police officers in riot gear began charging at protesters to move them out of the area. Scroll down for video WASHINGTON, DC: Chaos erupted outside the White House on Saturday after police officers in riot gear deployed tear gas canisters and fired rubber bullets at protesters as it they moved to disperse crowds Police charge at protesters to move them out of the area. Theyve detonated at least 8 stun grenades so far and used chemical irritant. You can see an officer shoving protester to the ground here: pic.twitter.com/8NcrrDi6DF Abdallah Fayyad (@abdallah_fayyad) August 30, 2020 Protests 2 blocks from White House. Police continue charging at protesters, using what appears to be tear gas, smoke + stun grenades. pic.twitter.com/j8fPp5i4f8 Abdallah Fayyad (@abdallah_fayyad) August 30, 2020 Officers were seen deploying tear gas grenades, pepper spray and using flash bang devices to disperse crowds. Videos shared on social media showed protesters retaliating, with some throwing projectiles at cops and playing loud music. In one clip, one man was seen picking up a tear gas canister from the ground and hurling it back at police. The confrontation then took a violent turn as cops began firing rubber bullets into the crowd, injuring protesters as well as members of the press, according to one reporter. At one point, cops targeted a white BLM van on the street, smashing its windows and arresting the passengers inside. It is unclear why they were detained. The protest in Washington was just one of several across the country on Saturday as demonstrations against police brutality and racism continue three months after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In Portland, Oregon, where violent protests have broken out every night since May 25, one man was shot dead after a large caravan of Trump supporters and BLM protesters clashed in the streets. The man was pictured wearing a Patriot Prayer baseball cap, appearing to show support for the far-right group which is frequently present during Portland protests. Meanwhile in Kenosha, Wisconsn, the latest flash point for unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake last Sunday, protests were relatively peaceful following a rally earlier in the day that saw thousands of people march to the county courthouse to demand change. BREAKING: DC Cops just smashed the windows out on the BLM van and arrested the occupantsright after clearing Black Lives Matter Plaza with gas + rubber-coated steel bullets, leaving multiple protesters serious injured pic.twitter.com/T2edEg3OKB Wyatt Reed (@wyattreed13) August 30, 2020 PORTLAND, OREGON: A man was shot and killed in Portland on Saturday night amid deadly clashes between Trump fans and BLM activists PORTLAND, OREGON: Medics tried unsuccessfully to save the man, who was shot on the corner of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Alder Street. He was reported to be wearing a Patriot Prayer baseball cap, showing allegiance to the far-right group PORTLAND, OREGON: A Trump supporter caravan was organized on Facebook, with 2,500 people intending to attend. Around 1,000 showed up (pictured) Crowds took to the streets chanting, 'seven bullets, seven days' - a reference to the number of times Blake was shot - as they marched toward the court, where speakers encouraged protesters to vote for change in November, and to push for legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform. But unlike last week's demonstrations in the city, most people on Saturday dispersed from the protest before the 7pm curfew. More than an hour later, law enforcement officers, including some wearing U.S. Marshals Service identification, surrounded about a dozen people who remained outside the courthouse and made several arrests. As night fell, National Guard troops and police officers in riot gear remained outside the fenced area surrounding several government buildings that have been at the center of the unrest over the past week. During the rally earlier, Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr, called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests before a tense calm set in the past three nights. 'Good people of this city understand. If we tear it up we have nothing, Blake Sr said. 'Stop it. Show 'em for one night we don't have to tear up nothing.' He gave an impassioned call for changing a system he described as fostering police brutality and racial inequities. KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Police arrested several people outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Saturday after following a day of largely peaceful protests KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Law enforcement officers are seen standing guard as several people were arrested after the start of a city-wide curfew outside of the Kenosha County Courthouse on Saturday KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: About 1,000 people joined a mile-long march in Kenosha on Saturday, chanting 'Black Lives Matter' and 'No Justice, No Peace', a week after the police shooting of Jacob Blake KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Protesters marched with Blake's family towards the courthouse where speakers encouraged the crowd to vote for change in November, and to push for legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform 'There were seven bullets put in my son's back... Hell yeah, I'm mad,' said Blake Sr. 'What gave [police] the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? 'What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? I'm tired of this,' he added. Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic dispute call last Sunday when Sheskey shot 29-year-old Blake in the back. Blake Sr told reporters on Saturday that his son is heavily sedated, but he has regained consciousness. 'He's in a lot of pain,' he said. 'I just wish I could pick my baby up and make it all right.' He called for Sheskey to be charged and for the other two officers at the scene to be fired. Several of Saturday's speakers encouraged the crowd to vote for change in November, and to push for changing legislation. 'Justice is a bare minimum,' Lt Governor Mandela Barnes said. 'Justice should be guaranteed to everybody in this country.' Blake Sr asked those at the rally to raise their fists with him saying: 'We are not going to stop going in the right direction. We're going to the top ... we're gonna make legislation happen because that's the only thing that they recognize,' he said. 'We all have a knee on the back of our necks, every day,' he added, referring to the death of George Floyd, who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck. KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Jacob Blake Sr (pictured) gave an impassioned call for changing a system he said fostered police brutality. He also called on protesters to refrain from looting and vandalism, which had overshadowed peaceful protests KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Police officers in riot gear patrol the area following a rally in Kenosha. Earlier this week, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers approved a request for an additional 500 National Guard troops to be deployed KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: The commander of the National Guard said Friday that more than 1,000 Guard members had been deployed to help keep the peace, with more on the way One of Blake's sisters, Letetra Widman, said she felt recharged 'to stand up not just for Jacob, but for all the people who have not gotten justice.' Captured on cellphone video, the shooting sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after Floyd's death touched off a wider reckoning on race. Tensions escalated on Tuesday night after two protesters were killed by an armed civilian who claimed to have been defending the city. The commander of the National Guard said Friday that more than 1,000 Guard members had been deployed to help keep the peace, with more on the way. Following the rally, White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters Saturday night President Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent demonstrations that turned violent. Trump, who toured hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana and Texas earlier Saturday, had told reporters that he 'probably' would visit the city. KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Protesters hold up placards at the Kenosha rally on Saturday. One protester had a sign reading: 'Why did Jake [Blake] get shot in the back while Kyle [Rittenhouse] got a thank you?' KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Blake's shooting sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after Floyd's death touched off a wider reckoning on race KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Family members of Jacob Blake march with supporters to the Kenosha County Courthouse KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Protesters, many of whom wore t-shirts expressing support for Black Lives Matter Movement, gathered around as the family of Jacob Blake spoke out against his shooting Asked to weigh in on Tuesday's shootings in which 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was charged, Trump demurred and said 'it's under investigation' and that 'we are looking at it very, very carefully.' Aniyah Ervin, a 16-year-old from Kenosha who is black, said Saturday that the week has been surreal. Although she protested against racial injustice over the summer, she said there had been a feeling that police brutality was not a problem in Kenosha. But, she said, Blake's shooting 'shows it can happen anywhere.' Will Turner, who is black, said he brought his two children from Madison for the march to 'show them the power of peaceful protesting.' Investigators have said little about what led to Blake's shooting. The Kenosha police union said Blake had a knife and fought with officers, putting one of them in a headlock as two efforts to stun him with a Taser were unsuccessful. State investigators have said only that officers found a knife on the floor of the car. In the cellphone video recorded by a bystander, Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of an SUV to his driver-side door as officers follow him with their guns drawn and shout at him. As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV, an officer grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire. Three of Blake's children were in the vehicle. The man who recorded the video, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he heard police yell at Blake, 'Drop the knife! Drop the knife!' before gunfire erupted. White said he didn't see a knife in Blake's hands. By PTI BENGALURU: India's 'first toy manufacturing cluster' to come up at Koppal has the potential to create 40,000 jobs in five years and attract over Rs 5,000 crore investment, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said here on Sunday. "In line with PM @narendramodi 's vision of #VocalForLocal & boosting toy manufacturing, Koppala will have India's first toy manufacturing cluster. With the eco-system to support toy cluster in place, this 400 acres SEZ will have top-class infra & generate 40,000 jobs in 5 years," Yediyurappa tweeted. The tweet by the Chief Minister came following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, pitching India to become the world's toy hub. Modi on Sunday said India has talent and ability to become a toy hub for the entire world and called upon startups to work towards realising this potential while being "vocal about local toys". He said the global toy industry is over Rs seven lakh crore, but India's share was very small, as he stressed on the need to work to increase it. The Karnataka government is inviting global toy makers to the "first of its kind" toy manufacturing cluster in India at Koppala and had recently held a webinar cum panel discussion with a panel of leading toys manufacturers. Karnataka is poised to emerge as a leading toy-making cluster in the country due to the robust ecosystem the state has created to support toy making industries, the state government had recently said. It said, the state has supported and nurtured the setting up of Tool Manufacturing & precision engineering (TMTP), polymers manufacturing clusters Bengaluru, Dharwad, Tumkuru and Mysuru, robust design capacity and testing certification agencies in Bengaluru, Dharwad and Koppal and GTTC (Government Tool Room & Training Centre). With such a dedicated push by the government towards toy manufacturing, the state's toy industry has grown at a CAGR of 18 per cent (2010-17) and is expected to reach USD 310 million by 2023, it added. Karnataka is the third-largest market for toys in India (USD 159 million) 9.1 per cent of the national market. On International Day of the Disappeared, experts describe the plight of those who have gone missing and their families. The last time Jean Bigirimanas family saw or heard from him was 1,500 days ago. The Burundian reporter and father of two went missing on July 22, 2016, allegedly after being arrested by the countrys National Security Service in Bugarama, some 45km (28 miles) from the capital, Bujumbura. Later that day, one of Bigirimanas colleagues at the independent Iwacu newspaper received an anonymous phone call alerting him them of the arrest. Unlike dozens of other Burundian journalists, Bigirimana had decided against fleeing the country in the aftermath of the widespread violence that erupted in 2015 following late President Pierre Nkurunzizas controversial decision to seek a third term in office. Rights groups at the time had documented a series of kidnappings, arrests and killings of civil society activists, journalists and others by government forces, armed opposition groups and unidentified attackers. More than four years since Bigirimanas enforced disappearance, the agony of his family is unimaginable, Deprose Muchena, Amnesty Internationals director for East and Southern Africa, said in a statement on Sunday marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The Burundian governments failure to account for him is an affront to the principles of truth, justice and accountability, Muchena added, urging the new goverment of President Evariste Ndayishimiye to end the practice of enforced disappearances immediately and prosecute perpetrators of such acts. Families have the right to know the truth about the fate of their loved ones. Amnesty also called on Burundis government to ratify the 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. To date, 63 countries have done so. In a report last year, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Burundi said security forces, police and the governing partys youth league had continued to commit serious human rights abuses. Noting reports of numerous disappearances, the UN investigators said they were deeply concerned about the frequence of such disappearances and called on the government to set up an independent body with a mandate to investigate cases of disappearance reported since April 2015, locate potential mass graves and exhume and identify the remains. Families risk reprisals Every year on August 30, families, activists and humanitarian groups around the world mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances to draw attention to a practice that is frequently being used as a strategy to spread terror within the society, according to the UN. In 1980, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was established to assist relatives to determine the fate of their disappeared family members. To date, some 55,000 disappearances have been registered with the body. But Bernard Duhaime, professor of law at the University of Quebec and member of the working group, said this figure was just the tip of the iceberg. He noted that it was almost impossible to assess the extent of disappearances worldwide due to their clandestine nature. It is an intentionally hidden crime by nature, said Duhaime. The working group typically receives disappearance reports from family members or organisations around the world. It then transmits this information to the relevant governments requesting them to carry out investigations. Since the issuing of the Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance in 1992, the body has also has been mandated with monitoring the states compliance with their obligations under the declaration. But Rachel Nicholson, Amnestys Burundi researcher, said reporting disappearances to international bodies such as the working group or the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances could be dangerous for relatives seeking the truth. Families reporting a disappearance risk reprisals, said Nicholson. They have to be very brave to do so. No closure The extent to which disappearances can remain a burning political issue and tear at the social fabric is vivid in the case of Nepal, where 2,500 disappearances have been registered to the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), which was established to probe such cases in the country following the end of a decade-long civil war in 2006. Commenting on the situation in Nepal, human rights activist Ram Bhandari said the issue of disappearances still haunts the country. The government is fully betraying victims and survivors and has not been honest about implementing the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement to address the legacy of forced disappearances, argued Bhandari, founder of the Network of Families of the Disappeared in Nepal. After years of state denial there is still no closure for families or for society. This might turn into revenge and a cycle of violence. According to Eva Nudd, who runs the enforced disappearances project at victims-rights organisation Redress, lack of access to justice is one of the most difficult consequences of disappearances for families to live with. In her view, this is particularly acute in countries such as Sudan and Algeria where alleged perpetrators have received immunity. Nudd said one of the biggest problems with the definition of enforced disappearances is that such disappearances are defined as being committed by a state whereas now non-state actors are increasingly becoming perpetrators of disappearances, as is evident in countries such as Libya and Sudan. While families are further deprived of the ability to exercise funeral rites and traditions associated with burials, Nicholson said one of the practical problems flowing from disappearances is obtaining documentation for the children of a disappeared person. She described disappearances as a continuing violation since their effects are felt by families for years and years. Meanwhile, the time-consuming burden of looking for the disappeared person also mostly falls on women who then struggle to carry out their other daily duties. In Nepal, however, women have been allowed access to social services without having to produce death certificates, noted Nudd. Uttarakhand government is gearing up to conduct the NEET-JEE examinations even as Opposition Congress has started protests across the state on the issue. Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday evening instructed all the district magistrates to take necessary protective measures including enforcing necessary physical distancing and limiting the number of students at each centre holding the JEE-NEET examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Social and physical distancing should be followed and for this, the number of examination centers can be increased if required. Along with this, all the necessary guidelines of JEE-NEET exam should be followed in the larger interest of the students, said Rawat. Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has started protesting across the state demanding the postponement of the entrance exams. Pritam Singh, president state Congress unit said, The prime minister of the country or the chief minister are all working from their homes using different online methods, then why are they forcing students to come out and give exams during a pandemic. Also Read: With 658 fresh Covid-19 cases, Uttarakhand crosses 18,000-mark He claimed that safety of the entire official apparatus engaged in holding of the examinations as well as of the parents will be compromised if the tests are not postponed. It is not just about the safety of the students but also their parents and all the staff involved, who will be there during the exam. Just increasing the number of exam centres does not solve the problem, what about the safety of all the support staff needed to conduct the exams, Singh asked. Also Read: Covid-19: No lockdown in cities conducting JEE, NEET exams, says Odisha govt Most opposition states are demanding postponement of the twin examinations while NDA ruled governments including Uttarakhand government have expressed their willingness to conduct the exams. This topic often comes up in Christian and church circles. What is a woman's place? Is it the biblical definition? Surly all Christians agree that this is the God given role for all women. But this isnt true. Many Christians follow the western world view of equality between the sexes, at least that was how I was raised. It wasnt until recently when I realised that this was a very sensitive topic for a lot of people. Growing up in The Salvation Army I am very accustomed to women being in leadership and pastoral roles. I didnt know this was controversial. Controversy Last November my Youtube feed was flooded with people commenting on the drama between two well known American pastors: Beth Moore and John MacArthur. MacArthur had been asked to comment on Moores ministry to which he simply said (while laughing) that she needed to go home. The conversation online was full of outrage. The Atheist channels were saying evangelical Christianity is regressive. The progressive Christian channels were challenging MacArthur's words with bible verses and social science and the conservative Christian channels were quoting Paul in 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 11. I was just listening to all the opinions, seeing the hashtags #Iwillnotgohome and #metoo that followed. All while I wondered what year I was currently living in. So the question must be asked, what is a woman's place? The simple answer is whatever she wants it to be. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk. Well, I wish it was that simple. Paul did make those challenging claims. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy chapter 2, verses 11-12). Paul made a few comments about women that are often a cause of great stress for many Christian women reading the bible. As a woman who lives in the 21st century this doesnt measure up to our modern idea of equality. From this view, Christianity is regressive. But is it the final answer? Are we just a regressive religion with some progressive churches who have strayed from the true path? NO! Paul was a man of his time. A time that had traditions and customs that excluded women. He was speaking from that world view. We should look to Jesuss treatment of women. Jesus restores people. He doesnt put them in a box or force them to live a life that is harmful. He broke cultural norms that we wouldnt even think of in our modern world as being progressive (as they would be normal by our standards but unheard of in his time). Women funded Jesus ministry and were the first to see him when he was resurrected. Women were prophets, leaders and teachers throughout the bible. God calls people everyday into ministry and teaching roles, so why would God do this if only a small percent (ci-genderd hertrosexual males) were the only ones permitted to take up the calling? I know for myself God called me to more than the role of a biblical wife. If Paul was right then technically I shouldnt be writing these articles. But God gave me a voice and something to say, so best believe Im going to say it. Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen. Robert Pattinson and Christopher Nolan eventually joked about his work on The Batman, though (Image by Warner Bros) Christopher Nolan and Robert Pattinson originally didnt talk about his casting as Batman while shooting Tenet. Thats despite the fact that Pattinson was hired to be the next Bruce Wayne right at the very beginning of production on director Nolans time-bending blockbuster. Of course, Nolan became arguably the most in-demand director in Hollywood after overseeing The Dark Knight trilogy between 2005 and 2012. Read More: Jeffrey Wright explains why 'The Batman' is different to other comic book movies While talking with Singapores CNA news outlet, Nolan was asked whether Pattinson had asked him for any advice about playing the Caped Crusader. He certainly did not ask me for any advice, Nolan said. We kept a respectful silence around the issue until very near the end of the shoot. We said a couple of things and made a couple of jokes. We did have a little bit of a conversation about the various aspects of what he was going to be putting himself through. But I was thrilled that he was cast, and I think hell do an amazing job. Im really excited to see what he does with that character. While Nolan didnt have much to say to Pattinson about playing Batman, it turns out that Christian Bale, who portrayed the superhero during Nolans tenure in charge of the franchise, did have some advice regarding the Batman costume. Read More: Christopher Nolan films ranked from 'Following' to 'Tenet' Thats according to co-writer and director Matt Reeves, who told last weekends DC FanDome panel on The Batman: Rob actually talked to Christian Bale, and Christian Bale was like, Just make sure youre gonna be able to relieve yourself, so all of that sort of was actually part of what was important to build in too. Well get to see what Pattinson and Reeves deliver with The Batman when it is released on October 1, 2021. Some of the nations leading public health experts are raising a new concern in the endless debate over coronavirus testing in the United States: The standard tests are diagnosing huge numbers of people who may be carrying relatively insignificant amounts of the virus. Most of these people are not likely to be contagious, and identifying them may contribute to bottlenecks that prevent those who are contagious from being found in time. But researchers say the solution is not to test less, or to skip testing people without symptoms, as recently suggested by the Centers for Disease ... NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday wrote another letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on reports that the BJP was allowed to control WhatsApps India operations in return for a possible licence for its payment operations. At a press conference, the opposition party also demanded an investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the alleged links of Facebook employees and the ruling establishment. In his letter to Zuckerberg, Congress general secretary organization, K C Venugopal, referred to his earlier letter dated August 17 in which the party had requested the company to investigate the allegations made in the Wall Street Journal article that the social media platform refused to apply hate speech rules to certain BJP politicians. We draw your attention to the article in Time magazine dated August 27 that reveals more information and evidence of biases and a quid-pro-quo relationship of Facebook India with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Venugopal said in the new letter dated August 29. We will also be pursuing legislative and judicial actions in India to ensure that a foreign company cannot continue to cause social disharmony in our nation for their pursuit of private profits, he said. Spotlight Oral Care, an oral health product company founded by Galway dentists Lisa and Vanessa Creaven, has secured a 2m investment from Dermot Desmond's private equity fund, International Investment & Underwriting (IIU). According to records filed with Companies Registration Office, Spotlight secured the investment from IIU toward the end of July. The Creaven sisters founded Spotlight Oral Care in April 2016. It has since developed a range of oral care products - including toothpaste, teeth-whitening strips and a sonic toothbrush. The company, which is based in Galway, also recently announced new deals that meant it would be stocked in all 1,200 Ultra Beauty stores and 500 CVS pharmacies in the US. Its products are in 1,900 stores in the US and are set to be in 3,000 by the end of the year. According to a recent interview on radio station Newstalk, Spotlight co-founder Vanessa Creaven told presenter Bobby Kerr that Spotlight Oral Care had sales of 5.9m for the financial year at the end of June 2020. In the company's first year of business, which ended June 2017, it had sales of 900,000. In 2018, it recorded sales of 1.9m, while in 2019 sales hit 2.5m. Spotlight Oral Care or IIU failed to respond to a request for comment. National Day marked in France, Russia, Laos The Vietnamese Embassy in France on August 28 held a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of National Day of Vietnam (September 2) and the country's diplomatic sector. Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Thiep affirmed that Vietnam will continue grasping opportunities and overcoming challenges amid uncertain developments in the region and the world at present, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, so as to further deepen its strategic partnership with France. President Ho Chi Minh signs modus vivendi agreement in Paris on September 14, 1946 (Photo: VNA) According to him, France and its capital Paris witnessed the most important historic moments of Vietnams diplomatic sector, including the visit to the European country by President Ho Chi Minh in his capacity as the first head of state of an independent Vietnam to sign the modus vivendi agreement on September 14, 1946, and the 1968-1973 negotiations with the US to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam, which received support from people from every walk of life and political parties in France. He added that since the beginning of this year, the embassy has studied and collected documents about President Hos France visit in 1946. The same day in Moscow, the Vietnamese Embassy also held a meeting celebrating the 75th founding anniversary of the Vietnamese diplomatic sector. Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh said under the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, generations of Vietnamese diplomats have made contributions to the cause of national defence and development as well as raising Vietnams stature on international arena. He expressed his belief that Vietnams diplomatic sector will continue reaping successes and uphold the nations collective power to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and maintain an environment of peace and stability for development. A banquet was also held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos on evening of the same day on the occasion. Attending the event, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Bounthong Chithmany praised Vietnam for obtaining new, great achievements in various areas, becoming one of the fastest growing economies in ASEAN and the Asian region. These attainments have greatly contributed to continously raising the country's role, position and prestige in the regional and international forums, he said. He expressed his belief that Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair 2020, will continue making important contributions, together with other member nations, to building ASEAN into a strong and united bloc, for peace and common interests of the region and the world. President Donald Trump is to visit Kenosha, Wis., where unrest has surged over the past week in the wake of the police shooting of an unarmed African American man, Jacob Blake. During a Saturday roundtable discussion in Orange, Texas, in which state officials assessed the storm damage from Hurricane Laura, a reporter asked the president whether he would also visit Kenosha. "Probably so," Trump responded. Following Trump's comment, White House spokesperson Judd Deere confirmed the president will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent violence, according to a pool report. Blake, 29, was shot in the back seven times by a white police officer Sunday as he attempted to enter his own car. Blake survived the shooting but family members have said he is now paralyzed. More than 1,000 National Guard soldiers have been on standby at the Kenosha protests to prevent a further escalation of violence, Reuters reported. Roughly 1,000 people, including Blake's father, marched peacefully there Saturday in a rally against police brutality, the Associated Press reported. Trump has repeatedly used protests as a campaign talking point, contrasting a "law and order message" with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. On Thursday, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris said the police officer who shot Blake should be charged with a crime. The president also used the roundtable question to criticize officials in Portland, Ore., a city that has seen months of protests over systemic racism. He said Portland's mayor "doesn't have a clue what he's doing." Trump's comments echoed sentiments from his recent tweets on outbreaks of unrest in cities nationwide. "Portland, with a very ungifted mayor, should request help from the Federal Government. If lives are endangered, were going in!" Trump tweeted earlier Saturday. Later Saturday, Trump in a tweet called for the arrest of protesters who confronted Sen. Rand Paul and other attendees of the final night of the Republican National Convention in the streets around the White House after the event. Story continues "The thugs who accosted Senator @RandPaul and his wonderful wife, Kelly, together with those who made threats to many other people who had just attended the Republican National Convention at the White House, must be sought out and immediately arrested. Well documented evidence!" he wrote. During the Saturday roundtable, Trump deferred on a question on the fatal shooting of two Kenosha protesters Tuesday, in which a 17-year-old from Illinois has been charged, saying the case is under investigation. "They'll be reporting back to me over the next 24 hours, 48 hours maybe max, and well have a comment about it," he said. Member of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on August 30 that the government is hoping to have the signing ceremony for normalisation deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Washington by mid-September. Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Ofir Akunis told public broadcaster Kan that the date for such an event could be decided by the senior aids of the Israeli PM and to US President Donald Trump when those diplomats fly to Abu Dhabi on August 31 for talks. Trumps top adviser Jared Kushner and other American delegates were expected to be in Israel on August 30 in preparation for the UAE mission. Akunis said that setting the date for the signing of UAE-Israel deal could be one of the outcomes of the talks in the next 24 hours in the Emirates. He also indicated that Netanyahus government is expecting to host the ceremony before the Jewish new year that is on September 18. Read - Israel Responds To Explosive Balloons With Tank Fire On Gaza Read - Protesters Gather Outside Israeli PM's Office In Jerusalem Full normalisation between UAE and Israel On August 13, Israel and the United Arab Emirates along with the US released a joint statement that US President Donald Trump, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed agreed to the 'full normalisation of relations between UAE and Israel. The two countries have planned to immediately expand and accelerate cooperation regarding the treatment of and the developments of a vaccine for COVID-19. As part of the agreement, Israel will suspend the annexation of Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank, while it focuses on expanding ties with other Arab countries with other nations in the Muslim world. Meanwhile, UAE on August 29 reportedly issued a decree to formally suspend its boycott of Israel allowing trade and financial agreement between the two countries. According to international media reports, the decree from UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan aims at supporting bilateral cooperation in order to arrive at the establishment of bilateral relations amid US-brokered peace deal to normalise relations. Read - Thousands Gather In Israel For Anti-Netanyahu Weekly Rallies Read - UAE Issues Decree To Formally End Israel Boycott Law Allowing Economic Agreements Early this month, the state announced it would allow school districts, even in counties like Kern that are on the most restricted tier for COV A media scholar has advocated guerrilla marketing communication as a strategy in the campaign for COVID-19 behaviour change. Abiodun Adeniyi, a lecturer at Baze University, spoke at the recently concluded workshop series for technical aides of ministers, organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stifung and the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. Nigeria has been unable to convince millions of its citizens to adhere to COVID-19 protocols as the country, and the rest of the world, continue to be plagued with the virus. Mr Adeniyi said behaviour change communication is one of the most difficult types and requires higher level of creativity if success is to be achieved. At the event which held at the Frasier Suites, Abuja, the associate professor argued that the elements of guerrilla communication involve surprise messaging, novel channels of multiple dissemination, and intense campaign themes, to impact on audience emotions. Conventional messaging, he argued, are too routine to strike at the imagination of citizens. What we need therefore is shock messaging, that would invade the consciousness and imagination of receivers, overwhelm them and get them to rethink their patterns and particularities, he said. This tactic, he continued, is uncommon, but effective; unusual but legitimate, and looks more at a quicker achievement of results, given the lethargy of citizens to imbibe Covid-19 prevention protocols, like regular hand washing, social or physical distancing, and the avoidance of crowd or gatherings. Humanity, Mr Adeniyi argued, can be stiff when moulded, especially in the social sphere, but that stiffness can thaw in the face of the imagination of extinction. It is that fear of death that messaging can play on, even if not morbid, but through a creative thematization, weaved around fears, expectations, and a hope of going beyond tomorrow, and another tomorrow. He said although the government has tried lockdown and a heightened campaign on prevention protocols, it is yet to succeed as many Nigerians still ignore COVID-19 prevention protocols including regular handwashing, use of facemasks and social distancing. That does not mean they should give up. It is rather a call for more thinking, and Nigeria can lead the way, using this unique model of communication, he said. He noted that citizen fatigue is real, which is why they have become complacent; but reasonable control through effective guerilla communication has been known to be successful in behaviour change crisis communication. The problem with governments and institutions is the reluctance towards financing campaigns because they think it is intangible, unlike buying physical items, and therefore difficult for accountability, Mr Adeniyi argued. You may not also blame the authorities because communication heads have regrettably been used for laundering money in many agencies. Communication campaign is however real, and now much more measurable, using new devises and applications, arising from the rise in technologies. When properly funded, you feel the success, and it can save the system billions in expenditure on physical items in the pandemics management, and from recording more deaths. We have a pandemic that requires the adoption of non-pharmaceutical methods to interrupt its spread. This non-pharmaceutical method is obviously the raising of awareness on pattern change, an urgent need to cultivate a new normal. But the change wont come easily if you cannot fund it, or pay attention to it, he said. According to the professor, the distinction between elite and non-elite compliance with the protocol has now been blurred by realities of existence, which is why campaigns can now be easier, if uniform, through divergent language, multiple channels, other than the conventional, and in a way that the receivers would be awed and forced to comply, to save the self and the society. He added that the form of communication does not also envisage single, regular messaging, where people become too familiar with it and take things for granted, but one that is creative, constantly changing, appreciated and liked by the receivers, not just because the messenger is determined to stay on the theme, but because he is respected for being innovative, leading to effectiveness. Nigeria has recorded over 50,000 COVID-19 cases leading to over 1,000 deaths. Alice Marie Johnson hits back at media after RNC speech, Trump pardon: 'I'm not a prop or puppet' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Criminal justice reform activist Alice Marie Johnson, a grandmother whose life sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump on Friday, responded to a controversial tweet by Politico against her speech at the Republican Nation Convention, saying she is not a prop or puppet. Im not a prop and Im not a puppet. I make my own choices as do what Id like to do, Johnson, a 65-year-old black woman who was serving a life sentence on drug charges, said during an interview on Fox News' "The Story" with Martha MacCallum. Johnson, who was convicted of drug conspiracy and money laundering in 1996 and whose story caught the attention of Kim Kardashian, was responding to a tweet by Politico after her address at the RNC on Thursday. Shes been propped up as one of the most prominent beneficiaries of the terms of the First Step Act, read the tweet which was taken from a reporter live chat on the media outlets website. In her RNC address, Johnson, who spent 22 years in prison, praised Trump for his criminal justice reform efforts and thanked him for the presidential pardon she received. My Christian faith and the prayers of so many kept hope alive, Johnson said in the address. When President Trump heard about me, the injustice of my story, he saw me as a person, he had compassion and he acted. Free in body, thanks to President Trump, but free in mind thanks to the almighty God. Trump signed the First Step Act into law in December 2018, months after commuting Johnsons sentence. Kardashian personally met with Trump to plead on her behalf. In her interview on Fox News, Johnson said, What amazes me about the things that are being said is that another former prisoner spoke at the DNC last week, and she was not called a prop for choosing to speak there, yet I dont have the choice to speak where I want to. She said her speech was meant to give hope to prisoners and talk about how important criminal justice reform is. I was in a very dark place, a very dark, hopeless situation. But Id never lost my hope, and instead of turning inward and being bitter about my situation, I decided to help the women who were there and not just myself but what I could do for others, she said. Nan Hayworth, a former Congresswoman from New York, responded to Politicos tweet, saying it was the outlets bitter and desperate partisanship on full display. How dare you disrespect this amazing and powerful woman. You reveal yourselves in your derision. How petty, small, and pathetic you are, Hayworth added. In a statement from the White House on Friday, the Trump administration said in part: "Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for Alice Marie Johnson. ... While incarcerated, she completed numerous training and education courses, volunteered in a hospice, contributed her talents to art and theater programs, and held steadfast to her Christian beliefs. Although sentenced to life with little hope for freedom, Ms. Johnson nonetheless worked to better herself, those around her, and her community. "Since President Trump commuted her sentence, Ms. Johnson has shared her story of redemption and has worked with lawmakers on landmark criminal justice reform efforts. ..." In June 2018, when Trump commuted Johnson's sentence, the White House said: Ms. Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behavior and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades. While this administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance. Johnson responded by saying, Im free to hug my family. Im free to live life. Im free to start over. This is the greatest day of my life. My heart is just bursting with gratitude. Trump this week also pardoned prison reentry activist Jon Ponder, describing him as a beautiful testament to the power of redemption. At the age of 38, he was arrested for bank robbery, Trump said in a ceremony held at the White House, according to KLAS. While Jon was in prison, he began reading the Bible and listening to Christian radio, Trump added. One day, he heard Reverend Billy Graham on the radio proclaim Jesus wants to be Lord of your life. On that day, Jon dedicated his life to Christ. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/30/2020 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoilers Warning: This report includes spoilers revealing if Paul and Karine are still together and the latest about : Happily Ever After? couple.] ADVERTISEMENT So did Karine leave Paul and head back to Brazil or did she stay in the United States? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT So did Karine and Paul live happily ever after with Baby No. 2 on the way or has the couple split? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : Happily Ever After? recently aired a Season 5 preview of Karine Martins speaking with an immigration lawyer about traveling alone with her baby, so did Karine end up leaving Paul to move back to Brazil or is the married couple still together in America?Paul, a 35-year-old from Louisville, KY, and Karine, a 23-year-old from Tonantins, Brazil, met on a dating app and talked for over a year before Paul traveled to Brazil to get to know Karine better.The couple has appeared on Seasons 1 and 2 of : Before the 90 Days as well as Season 1 of : The Other Way.Paul and Karine tied the knot in 2017, and then Karine got pregnant in 2018 after suffering several miscarriages. The couple announced their baby news in October 2018 and revealed they had a baby boy on the way that same month.But shortly before baby Pierre was born on March 22, 2019, Karine threatened to file for divorce from Paul because she was tired of fighting with him, and she believed Paul had some major trust and jealousy issues.Karine didn't feel supported or taken care of, but Paul insisted he was doing everything he could for his wife. Paul never thought his efforts were enough for his wife, but Karine apparently just wanted Paul to land a steady job.: The Other Way's first season featured Karine and her mother leaving Paul behind in Tonantins and traveling to Manaus via boat to file for divorce shortly before Pierre was born.However, Karine decided to give Paul another chance because at the root of their relationship was love -- and she also thought Paul really stepped it up in the delivery room and stuck by her side.Paul and Karine had been married for two years by the time Season 5 of : Happily Ever After? filmed. The couple had been in Brazil for over a year but Paul said they were "barely getting by."Paul and Karine therefore planned to move to the United States so Paul could get a job and make more money. He also wanted to give Pierre a better life."It took a lot, but I was able to sponsor Karine on a CR-1 visa, which is a spousal visa and allows Karine to apply and get a two-year Green Card before she even enters America," Paul told the cameras."She already has her Green Card approved; she is a complete permanent resident."Karine, however, wasn't happy about leaving Brazil and being so far away from her family. Her spirit was also deflated when she learned Paul's mother Mary had no intention of helping them out financially and Paul had spent mostly all of their savings.A big U.S. grocery store didn't impress Karine, and she was disgusted with potential living options when she and Paul toured a trailer park together.Since Karine refused to live in a trailer, Paul found a tiny home for them in the same lot as the trailer park. The one-bedroom "studio," which appeared to be a renovated shed, had a little front porch and Paul cleaned it for his wife."It's good. I like it here," Karine said, adding that all she wanted was a house with walls, a bathroom and enough space for her family."Paul is really trying to make me happy. This house is the first step for me to feel comfortable here in the U.S. And right now, it makes me happy."Paul felt "so relieved" Karine liked the place, but they could only live there temporarily -- and Karine's happiness quickly faded since Paul couldn't find a job thanks to having an arson felony on his record."I wouldn't want to be with somebody who is kind of like a deadbeat," Mary admitted to her son.After one month of being in America, Karine called the adjustment very difficult, but Paul begged her to be patient with him and give it some time.Karine told Paul to go look for a job, and he insisted he had been networking and connecting with people. Paul said Karine didn't give him enough credit for everything he did for his family because he took care of their food "and everything."Paul promised Karine everything was going to be alright, but she replied, "I'll give you two months to find a job. Otherwise, I'll pick up Pierre and we'll leave for Brazil."Paul told Karine that he loved her and wanted to stay together as a family and so he would do his "very best." Paul said Karine's threat broke his heart and shattered it on the floor, adding he would be devastated if Karine and his son moved back to Brazil without him."Failure is not an option for me -- whatsoever," Paul noted to the cameras.Not long after Karine made her threat, Paul said his wife was having "a lot of mood swings lately" and tended to lock herself into a room for like five or six hours at a time.Paul said it was "heartbreaking" to see Karine struggle so much."I don't want my wife to feel like this... I just want to find out what I can do to make things better," Paul explained. "I am emotionally exhausted. It's one thing after the next, and it's really difficult."Paul acknowledged this was "the worst" he had ever seen Karine and he worried she'd just hop on a plane back to Brazil without him.And in a preview for the next episode of : Happily Ever After?'s fifth season, Karine is shown sitting down with an immigration lawyer."I would like to know about the laws here," Karine says in the footage. "For example, traveling alone, just me and the baby."According to Paul, Karine threatened him with divorce both in early September 2019 and again only weeks later.Paul claimed Karine was angry with his mother for spoiling their son in early September and then told Paul later that month she didn't want him in her life anymore."Karine asked me to remove our photos. And let everyone know that she doesn't want me in her life," Paul wrote in a since-deleted Facebook posting from September 27, according to screenshots captured by his followers.Paul then also wrote a subsequent posting in a mix of Portuguese and English. When translated, the text states, "Karine's divorce lawyer called me. Guess I need a lawyer."Shortly afterward, Paul deleted the second posting as well and then removed most photos of Karine from his page.The couple appeared to be at peace for another month or so, and they celebrated their second wedding anniversary in early November 2019.But later that month, the pair openly discussed filing for divorce, once again.Paul claimed Karine had "started divorce proceedings in Manaus," and Karine told Us Weekly on November 12 that she was "looking for a lawyer.""Over the course of our Christmas dinner Paul and Karine broke up, got back together, broke up, got back together, broke up and this just in -- are back together. Stay tuned for more on this developing story," Instagrammer John Yates posted on December 25.In December 2019, Paul alleged Karine had taken off with their baby and was with a new man named Blake. He also said Karine was demanding a divorce again at the time.But fast-forwarding to 2020, Paul posted an Instagram video on May 19 of a bike he had purchased and was putting together for Karine.That same month, Paul also took to Instagram to happily announce Karine's pregnancy with Baby No. 2. It appeared Karine was already several months along into her pregnancy at the time, and the pair have yet to announce the baby's gender.In late June, Karine posted a photo of Paul playing with Pierre in late June and captioned it, "Happy Father's Day." She also added a blue heart to her post.Paul and Karine's relationship took a dramatic turn in July 2020, when Paul lashed out at Karine on Instagram for allegedly calling Paul a "horrible father and husband" and threatening to move their son Pierre back to Brazil.Paul took to Instagram on July 15 with the angry message to Karine and quickly deleted it afterward, but Yates captured a screenshot of the rant and posted it on his own account.Paul blasted Karine in saying, "Yelling at me in public calling me horrible father and husband. We spend every penny we have on bills and designer [clothes] and video games for you. I did not buy anything for myself.""I made sure you and Pierre had everything you all could possibly want and I bought nothing for myself. I try to show my family USA History and I get shunned. Because only your country and culture matter," Paul continued."I take you to the hospital and stay by your side, make sure [you're] at all your doctors appointments and let you spend all your money only on what you want -- but I am a Bad Father and Husband you yell in public... I also never ever cheated on you.""But I understand you want to take Pierre to Tonantins and live because I am such a horrible person," he concluded.The pair appeared to briefly reconcile for about two weeks, but then things changed and Paul and Karine went on to have what appeared to be the worst fight of their relationship.On July 30, Paul posted a lengthy Instagram Live video in which he and Karine had a huge fight . They both made assault allegations against each other and Karine called the police.Paul said he wanted to file for full custody of their son Pierre after Karine allegedly cheated on Paul and violated a Child Protective Services case against her.During the Instagram Live video, an apparent friend of Karine's also told the police Karine wanted to be taken to a "shelter" where someone could "help her."The woman said Karine depended on Paul -- who seemed to be holding Karine's passport and other documents -- for everything, including money, and so Karine basically didn't have a way out.Later that night, at around 4AM on Friday, Paul posted another video on his Instagram Stories and seemed to claim the police were called again."I apologize to you guys for earlier. It's been crazy here. I did not get arrested. The cops did come back," Paul said."We had a storm and Karine got on her cell phone and called the police because the WIFI disconnected. She said I was halting her communications... which didn't make any sense to me because she had her phone the whole time and the WIFI just randomly went out.""Sometimes Internet goes out in our houses -- it happens right?! But you're going to call the cops? For that? The cops weren't too happy about it."Paul added it's "been stressful" for the couple and they "need prayers.""I don't want Pierre in dangerous situations," he said. "Pierre has been in a very dangerous situation before and that's why things happened."Paul subsequently made additional Instagram postings, reportedly, in which he claimed Karine had gone "missing" with Pierre while he was in the hospital being treated for a STD. He seemed to blame the alleged STD on Karine for allegedly cheating on him after she arrived in Kentucky."I've never cheated on Karine, ever, but apparently I've tested positive for an STD and they are giving me treatment for me," Paul said in one video.A couple of hours later, Paul then reportedly claimed Karine had filed a "full restraining order" against him and posted photos showing a copy of the order Karine had filed against him."I'm not allowed to be around her or my son, within 500 feet of them at all," he said.Paul subsequently made surprising claims about his estranged wife in his own protective order he had filed against Karine on July 30."I previously found glass in my food," Paul alleged in court documents obtained by Us. "I found similar glass shards from an item she broke."Paul also alleged that Karine's friends were calling him with death threats."[They are] threatening to come to my home and kill me. They requested I pay them $10,000 or I would never see my son again," Paul reportedly claimed, adding that Karine allowed Pierre to "run in the street [and] get into the chemical cabinets.""I fear for my wife's safety and mental well-being. I fear for my son's safety," Paul concluded.A judge therefore reportedly ordered Karine to stop all communication with Paul and stay 500 feet away from him at all times.Karine publicly confirmed in early August that she had left Paul and obtained an emergency protective order against him.Karine said she wasn't "missing" but needed to be "rescued from an environment" that was no longer healthy for her and her child, adding on Instagram, "Relationships are hard and sometimes it just can't be fixed anymore."Karine's protective order included an array of shocking claims -- including that Paul had physically assaulted her, sexually assaulted her, and prevented her doctor from prescribing contraception to her.In the emergency protection order application Paul had shared on social media, Karine claimed Paul "forcefully rapes me," "hold[s] my Green Card and all my documents," monitors her phone, uses cameras to monitor her on his phone when he is not home, has forced her to drink beer while pregnant, and has forbidden Karine's doctor from prescribing birth control to her."On multiples occasions in the past 3 weeks the respondent pushed me, grab my breast squ[ee]zing and twisting, hurting me, pushing me to the floor, covering my mouth. He force his penis into my mouth and forcefully rapes me. If I refuse he throws things, he yells, or he threat[ens] to call police," Karine wrote in the handwritten two-page application."He currently hold[s] my Green Card and all my documents. I am not allowed to leave the house, he monitor[s] my phone, he [has] cameras around the house and he can see through his phone who arrives and who leaves. He threat[ens] take out son Pierre away if I ever leave. He forced me to drink alcohol by threat[ing] me so I drunk some so he calm down."Karine continued, with the help of a language translator, "He is constantly on social media making videos of me against my will saying I am crazy, saying I have mental illness. Recently he called [Child Protective Services] and told [them] I was always drunk, aggressive, and abusive to him.""He post on social media [that] I have [cheated with] several [men] even knowing that he [has] cameras around the house and I can't leave. I have no access to money for my son or myself.""I went to the doctor to try [and] get contraceptive," she wrote. "In the doctor's office he said 'no' because I would be doing an abortion. The doctor explained the contraceptive was only for preventing [pregnancy] and I would not get pregnant [but] Paul said 'no' and took me home."According to her application, Paul also refused to let her return home to Brazil but she feared she still wouldn't even be safe in her native country."I came to U.S. to visit my in-laws and now he [does] not let me go back. We got married in Brazil, not in U.S.," she wrote. "When I ask to go back to me family he threat[ens] [to] take my son away.""I am terrified he will hurt me or hurt my son because I runned away from him and I am even afraid to go back to Brazil now because He Can go to Brazil and hurt us."Karine ended her application by stating she was also afraid of Paul's mother Mary and wanted no contact with any of his family or friends."I have my family in Brazil but I don't feel that law enforcement will protect me from him there," she wrote. "I am afraid of him and his mother because his mother knows and sees what he does and she refused [to] report her son. I have witnessed him threat[en] and being violent with his own mother.""I do not want any contact with or his mother, his friends or family. I do not want them close, I am afraid of them hurt[ing] my son for revenge.Paul, however, denied the allegations Karine had made against him on August 10."It truley [sic] breaks my heart it has come to this. I have bent over backwards. I found work. Got a new home. A new car. Let her buy anything she wanted. I did the cooking, cleaning, laundry and took care of Pierre," Paul wrote in his Instagram Stories."I have never in my life physically or sexually assaulted anyone."Paul has claimed for quite some time that Karine has mental health issues, and so he addressed his beliefs in the message to his followers."I have made motions to the court for Karine to get mental help. I have had to double up on my therapy to cope with this madness," Paul wrote."Her motion against me with false allegations is for a 3 year restraining order against me and both my children. Alimony and child support. But I can not see her or my children at all."One day later, Paul vented about how social media has basically ruined his life."I will be deactivating all my social media accounts soon. My social media addiction has caused me nothing but pain. It is time people put their phones and social media down and focus on your loved ones," Paul wrote."Do not allow social media to destroy your relationships and family. I never knew my heart could feel such pain. I always took for granted my son would be around me every day... I never want to date or remarry [or] to ever feel this pain again. To not be a part of your childrens life born and unborn is beyond painful."Paul continued in his Instagram Stories posting, "I regret oversharing private matters on social media and to other people. I regret taking for granted my family would be together for ever and live happily ever after," Paul lamented.Paul advised other men to treat their wives and children well and to "listen, forgive" and "not hold grudges" in relationships."But most of all, keep your marital problems private," Paul concluded."This is a pain no one should have to endure. Not knowing if my children [are] ok. If and when I might see them again. I forgive all those in my life who have ever made false accusations against me."As of August 28, the bio in Paul's Instagram account reads, "God please grant me a miracle," but the sentence is written in Portuguese.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) More than 170,000 repatriated overseas Filipino workers have returned to their provinces, the Department of Labor and Employment said on Sunday. DOLE said as of August 29, 2020, a total of 173,088 have been sent to their destinations. For the month of August alone, data from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration showed 55,709 OFWs have gone home after testing negative for COVID-19. Aside from repatriation, OWWA shoulders the COVID-19 tests of arriving OFWs, as well as their food and accommodation while awaiting test results and transport to their respective home provinces. Earlier this month, President Rodrigo Duterte approved an additional 5 billion fund for aid packages and repatriation efforts for OFWs. In July, DOLE had sought for an additional 2.5 billion funding to help provide assistance for the affected workers, noting the funds previously released to them were fast depleting. The government had earlier given the department 2.5 billion in two tranches to fund its program Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong, or AKAP, which provides displaced OFWs an emergency cash aid of $200 or 10,000 to help them cope with the crisis. On the eve of Remembrance Sunday, and with eurogeddon closing in, how bracing to find the nation doing what some think impossible under the imperium of celebrity nonsense, by seeing things in their true perspective. The brief delay in the transmission of Saturday's X Factor detonated an explosion of panic, outrage and fury, and rightly so. As the Dr Who supremo Stephen Moffat tweeted, "Look the collapse of the euro is bad, I get that but THIS??" Among the thousands who took to Twitter to speculate about the cause was the shadow Chancellor. Taking a deserved break from fretting about the eurozone, Ed Balls posited the theory that the power cut at the BT Tower was down to faddish metal thieves nicking the cables. With internal investigations barely under way, it would be irresponsible to add to the conspiracy theorising. So let me remind you that, in the film V For Vendetta, the superhero in the Guy Fawkes mask storms that very BT Tower and interrupts the regular transmission. Admittedly, V replaces it with a taped invitation to join him a year hence to watch Parliament being blown to smithereens, rather than archive footage of comedy chanteuse Goldie Cheung spooking Gary Barlow by doing the splits. Yet V is the inspiration for all the Fawkesian mask-wearers marching against the status quo under the Occupy banner. The political leanings of Frankie Cocozza are unknown, but he looks every inch the vengeful anarcho-hedonist to me. Something there for Mr Balls to ponder as he seeks refuge from the banalities of his work and remembrance of things past. A true friend of the poppy Speaking of the poppy, I was pleased to see Mr Tony Blair wearing one on superinjunctor Marr's Sabbath show. Ritual thanks to Mr T for carving the time from his frantic round of unpaid trips on executive jets to countries with flawless human rights records (after Libya and Kazakhstan, the attention turns to Rwanda). Whoever thought of booking him yesterday deserves praise. No one remembered the lesson of Flanders fields like Mr Tony, nor better put it into practice by refusing to send troops to die in insanely futile conflicts. And very few, given the exponential recent growth of the Afghan heroin crop, have done more for the poppy. There's worse than Cameron Sympathies to the Tory MP Patrick Mercer, once an Army colonel, on being caught ranting about the PM at a party by Sunday tabloids. Mercer is a bright and likable man with reason to loathe David Cameron, who with rancid opportunism sacked him to reinforce his anti-racist credentials, but here drink led him too far. Calling Mr Cameron an "arse" was fine, if a little prissy, but describing him as "the worst British politician since Gladstone" was legally reckless. Lembit Opik has already instructed Messrs Schillings, we gather, with a view to an action for libel. Raw courage of the mandarin I am disgusted ... no, that's overstating it. I am less than gusted by the cynicism over Theresa May's utterly credible version of the passport checks fiasco. In any public spat between a cabinet minister and a civil servant, what should never, ever be forgotten is this. It is absolutely typical of the career civil servant to put his job and reputation for soundness on the line by dreaming up and unilaterally enforcing highly contentious policy, without so much as a nod or a wink from above. Did Yes, Minister teach us nothing about the raw courage of the Whitehall mandarin? Keep it in the family "What is it about the Human Rights Act," intoned Joshua Rozenberg in introducing R4's Law in Action, "that upsets people so much?" No idea, Josh. You're the one married to mad Mel Phillips. Ask the missus. Born-again Bachmann is working the polls The race for the Republican presidential nomination continues on its merrily eccentric way with Rick Perry's audition for the Leslie Welch role (google him, younger readers) in any remake of The 39 Steps. There may even be time for the early front-runner Michelle Bachmann, pictured, to recover. Now polling in single figures, Michelle tacks sharply to the left in an audacious comeback bid. "Our nation needs to stop doing for people what they should do for themselves," says Michelle. "If anyone will not work, neither should he eat." Bless her born-again cotton socks for that. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer (pictured) has joined growing outrage over the leak of a police memo that revealed new information about the botched no-knock raid that killed Breonna Taylor The mayor of Louisville has joined growing outrage over the leak of a police memo that revealed new information about the botched no-knock raid that killed Breonna Taylor. The Louisville Metro Police Department memo outlined previously-undisclosed details about the evidence investigators used to obtain the search warrant officers used to storm Taylor's home on the night they shot her dead. The memo, which was written several weeks after Taylor's death and was leaked to the media last week, focused heavily on links between the hard-working EMT and the main target of the narcotics probe that prompted the warrant - her ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover. Critics have accused police of leaking the memo in an effort to smear Taylor and justify the deadly raid. 'Breonna Taylor's death was a tragedy. Period,' Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said as he charged that the leak was meant to 'sway opinion and impact the investigation', per NBC News. 'It is deeply reckless for this information, which presents only a small fraction of the entire investigation, to be shared with the media while the criminal process remains ongoing.' Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was shot eight times while sleeping in her bed with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker when three plain clothes officers performed a no-knock arrest warrant at her Louisville apartment on March 13 The 39-page memo included details that weren't provided to the judge in the search warrant application, along with evidence that came to light after Taylor's death. It does not mention anything about the officers' use of deadly force or whether they violated department policy. Taylor, 26, was shot eight times while sleeping in her bed with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker when three plain clothes officers executed a no-knock arrest warrant at her Louisville apartment on March 13. Outrage continues to build across America over Taylor's death as - five months on from her slaying - the three cops continue to walk free of all charges. The leaked police memo focused heavily on links between Taylor and her ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover (pictured). Glover was one of the main targets of a narcotics probe that led to police storming Taylor's home The leaked memo states that Taylor, who had no criminal record, had known the target of the narcotics probe - convicted drug dealer Glover - since 2016. Police said they believed Glover may have been keeping drugs or money in Taylor's apartment, but neither was found there. Glover had already been arrested at his home 10 miles away and taken into police custody before the midnight raid at her address. The 30-year-old broke his silence last week to say that Taylor had no connection to illegal drug activity and that police used false information to obtain their warrant for her house. 'The police are trying to make it out to be my fault and turning the whole community out here, making it look like I brought this to Breonna's door,' Glover told The Courier-Journal on Wednesday. 'There was nothing never there or anything ever there, and at the end of the day, they went about it the wrong way and lied on that search warrant and shot that girl out there,' he added. Glover was arrested again on Thursday, hours after his interview with the Journal, on charges including trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to WDRB. His arrest came after the leaked police memo revealed he had mail sent to Taylor's address and gave her phone number as his own in the run-up to her death. Glover denied Taylor was involved in any illegal drug activity and said he had been using her addresses for deliveries because he didn't want them to get stolen. 'Nothing ever been illegal there,' he told the paper. 'Getting shoes and clothes coming through the mail is not illegal. Nothing illegal at all.' Photos from Taylor's apartment shows how bullet holes riddled the building in the exchange of fire The three officers in the case - Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officers Brett Hankinson and Myles Cosgrove (left to right) - have not been charged in the shooting. No drugs or cash were discovered at Taylor's home and Glover had already been arrested at his home 10 miles away before the raid despite cops seeking him in the raid at Taylor's home Taylor's name is only mentioned twice in the search warrant affidavit, once in reference to her address, and a second time regarding a car which police said belonged to her that was once spotted outside Glover's alleged drug house. Officers had requested a search warrant at Taylor's home, claiming they had spotted Glover leaving the apartment with a 'suspected USPS package in his right hand'. They also claimed they verified through a 'US Postal Inspector' that Glover was using her address to receive packages however, a postal inspector later denied police had used his office for that information, the Courier-Journal reported. The leaked police memo included additional details about the evidence supporting the warrant request. The document is undated but features information from a May news memo, indicating that it wasn't finalized until two months after Taylor's death. The police department did not respond when asked by NBC about why the memo was written. 'At a time when the public was being assured that the department was doing a thorough and impartial investigation into Breonna's killing, [the department] was actually preparing a lengthy, one-sided report regarding things that their officers were unaware of at the time they killed Breonna,' Taylor's family lawyer Sam Aguiar said. Louisville Metro Police Department Interim Chief Robert Schroeder called the leak 'simply not helpful' to the investigation and 'irrelevant to our goal of obtaining justice, peace and healing for our community' in a news conference last week. Taylor's name is only mentioned twice in the search warrant affidavit, once in reference to her address, and a second time regarding a car which police said belonged to her that was once spotted outside Glover's alleged drug house The memo revealed Taylor's ex-boyfriend had his bank account registered to her address, gave her phone number as his own and allegedly borrowed a car hired under her name that would later be connected to a murder investigation of one of his associates. The report was written by an investigator in the Place Based Investigation team which was working on the drugs case against Glover - but which is not part of the probe into Taylor's death. On February 14, just one month before Taylor died, Glover passed off Taylor's phone number as his own when he tried to file a complaint against a cop for towing his car, the report reveals. In the following 10 days, investigators verified that Glover was also using Taylor's home address - 3003 Springfield Drive - and that her property was listed as the mailing address for his Chase Bank account, it shows. Mail addressed to Glover was reportedly seized from Taylor's apartment in the aftermath of her shooting. The report also documents a series of prison phone call transcripts between Glover and Taylor, when the convicted drug dealer was behind bars. In one conversation on January 3, Glover asked Taylor if she had talked to 'Doug', identified as Adrian Walker. 'You talk to Doug?' Glover asked Taylor. 'Yeah, I did,' Taylor responded, Wave reported. 'He said he was already back at the trap.' Adrian Walker, 27, was the second suspect alongside Glover sought by police in the raid at Taylor's home. He was also not present at the property when police broke in. Two hours later, Glover and Taylor spoke again on the phone where he thanked her for checking on him, to which she allegedly responded: 'When you're around I stress more... I just always be worried about you... not like you and b****, but just period with the police, like all kind of s***.' In another call that day the two said they loved each other. Between January 2016 and January 2020, Glover called Taylor 26 times from jail, the records state. The report also states that on January 2, the day before these calls were made and when Glover was not in police custody, he pulled up to 'trap house' 2424 Elliott Avenue driving Taylor's car. Taylor was allegedly spotted on surveillance visiting the home on occasion. Leaked documents this week revealed Taylor's (pictured) ex Glover had mail sent to her address and he gave her phone number as his own Glover's vehicle - a red Dodge Charger - also made six trips to Taylor's home in January where he was sometimes pictured collecting packages, the report says. The documents also allege in 2016 a vehicle rented under Taylor's name was found with a dead body inside. The deceased was Fernandez Bowman - brother of Damarius Bowman, a known associate of Glover's who has been arrested with him on several occasions, they state. Taylor told cops at the time she didn't know the victim and had let Glover - who was present at her home when officers arrived to question her - use the vehicle after dating him for several months. The report says she gave cops her phone number - the same number Glover later claimed was his in February this year. The documents also state Glover claimed in a jailhouse phone call to the mother of his child just hours after Taylor's slaying that the EMT had $8,000 of his money. 'Bre got down like $15 (grand), she had the $8 (grand) I gave her the other day and she picked up another $6 (grand),' he said on March 13, according to the documents. He then claimed: 'Bre been handling all my money, she been handling my mone ... She been handling s*** for me and cuz, it ain't just me.' Three months later on April 24, the dealer also told the woman cops 'took my car' and found Taylor's address on a bank statement in the armrest. 'Boom it got Bre's address on there,' he said. Protesters demand justice for Taylor (above). Taylor's death has sparked outrage across America as five months on none of the three cops involved have been charged with murder Anger over her death was ignited further following the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day at the hands of a white cop Attorneys for Taylor's family blasted investigators for withholding the report, saying they only learned of its existence after its leak to the press. 'It's unfortunate that the city did not provide LMPD's post-death report and that we only learned of it until it was leaked to the media,' the family's lawyer Sam Aguiar told WAVE 3 News on Wednesday. 'Either way, it doesn't change whether she should've been killed or the unlawful actions surrounding her killing.' He added: 'Good or bad, either way, everyone has the right to know all the facts in association in the case.' Sadiqa Reynolds, the CEO of the Louisville Urban League, questioned the motive behind the report's release. 'I think that whoever leaked that report wants to say, "See, this is why. Now you understand why we did this,"' Reynolds said at a press conference Wednesday. 'What we want to say back is it doesn't justify her death.' The memo did little to resolve mounting questions over whether the warrant used to enter Taylor's apartment was valid - or whether the warrant was executed correctly. 'You need probable cause to get a warrant to get into a house that doesn't mean you're set,' Christopher Slobogin, director of the criminal justice program at Vanderbilt Law School, told NBC. 'You still need to execute a warrant properly,' he continued. 'You still have to knock and announce, or announce and avoid using excessive force.' Aided by more favorable weather, California officials reported progress Saturday in containing the huge wildfires that surround the Bay Area and have filled its skies with smoke for days. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said it boosted containment levels on all three of the major fire complexes in the North Bay, the South and East Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Conditions are looking a lot better, said Daniel Berlant, a Cal Fire assistant deputy director. Were cautiously optimistic. Warmer and drier weather forecast for the coming days will make Cal Fires work more challenging, but the conditions are not expected to be nearly as bad as they were when the fires ignited during an extreme heat wave about two weeks ago. The largest of the local fires is the SCU Lightning Complex, which had burned 376,471acres and was 45% contained on Saturday evening up from 40% the night before. The SCU complex is the second-largest wildfire in Californias recorded history and has burned a huge, hilly area east of Silicon Valley, tearing through parts of several counties in the South and East Bay and extending toward the western edge of the Central Valley. Were still at the edge of our comfort zone, said Jake Hess, unit chief at Cal Fires Santa Clara Unit, from which the SCU Complex derives its name. Were making some significant progress, and were still gaining ground every day ... (but) were not out of the woods. Just behind that fire in terms of total acres burned is the double-barreled LNU Lightning Complex, composed of one area burned around Lake Berryessa and Vacaville and a second fire burning in west Sonoma County north of Guerneville. The LNU Complex had burned 373,920 acres and was 55% controlled Saturday evening only a slight increase in size but a 14 percentage point increase in containment. It is considered the third-largest fire or complex of fires in state history. Cal Fire was hoping to improve its grip on the LNU Complexs eastern zone, specifically a stretch between the Calistoga and Middletown areas. As containment on the LNU Complex improved, life began returning to Guerneville on Saturday after a 10-day shutdown. The western zone of the complex, the Walbridge Fire, did not touch the town, sticking instead to the ridges and nearby forests. But the whole place was evacuated in what is normally the busiest part of the tourist season for businesses, beaches and the meandering Russian River. Restaurants, art galleries and the classic Five and Dime were open for business on Saturday and chairs and tables for outdoor dining popped up along Main Street. The Safeway parking lot was packed and officials from Sonoma County and state and federal governments were preparing to open an assistance center for fire victims. Most of the services were outdoors in the parking lot of a Bank of America building, to avoid people crowding indoors and possibly spreading the coronavirus. Were making this space work, said Julie Wyne, a county employee co-managing the center. The assistance center will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday, Sept. 4, offering a variety of services, mainly helping them navigate bureaucracy. A few charities and nonprofits will also be there. In the Santa Cruz Mountains and San Mateo County coast, the CZU Lightning Complex has burned 84,338 acres as of Saturday morning and was 33% contained, a 4 percentage point increase from Saturday morning. In coming days, decreasing winds will help firefighting efforts but hinder clearing smoke from the air, said National Weather Service meteorologist Brayden Murdock. Its not going to hurt, but its not going to help, Murdock said, adding that no precipitation is coming any time soon. Air quality varied across the Bay Area on Saturday, from good to unhealthy, depending on location, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District reported. In Marin and Sonoma counties, air quality was largely good. In San Francisco and much of the East Bay, it was moderate. In an area from Vacaville to Woodland and also east of Livermore, it was unhealthy for sensitive persons. And in a stretch along the San Mateo County coast, it was unhealthy. Spare the Air Alerts remained in effect through Sunday, with wood burning prohibited and nonessential driving discouraged. Many people throughout the region remain under evacuation orders or warnings, but authorities have been gradually downgrading restrictions or lifting them entirely, a process that continued throughout the major fire complexes on Saturday. Berlant of Cal Fire said the agency was hoping to start sending firefighters home in the coming weeks so they can rest. California is still in the early stages of peak fire season, he noted, as many of the states worst blazes have occurred in autumn, when vegetation is at its driest before the rainy season and fast winds blow through from the east. J.D. Morris, Michael Cabanatuan and Steve Rubenstein are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com, mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris, @ctuan, @SteveRubeSF Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:39:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- The 2020 Democratic and Republican presidential nominees respectively rolled out their visions for the United States, while adding fuel to political rhetoric against each other. -- Traditionally, party conventions are aimed at building momentum for presidential nominees in the months leading up to the election day. -- The 2020 U.S. presidential election will take place on Nov. 3. WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The 2020 Democratic and Republican conventions concluded successively in these two weeks, where presidential nominees respectively rolled out their visions for the United States, while adding fuel to political rhetoric against each other. The conventions came at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is still raging in the country, with the economy struggling to recover, and calls for racial justice growing stronger. The events have set the stage for the final sprint in the presidential election that is saddled with uncertainties and challenges. Photo taken on Aug. 10, 2020 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) DIFFERENT VISIONS During the finale of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Aug. 20, former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden accepted the party's presidential nomination in a speech swiping at his Republican rival, sitting President Donald Trump. From a stadium in Wilmington in the eastern state of Delaware, Biden accused Trump of cloaking "America in darkness for much too long" and causing "too much anger, too much fear, too much division," while presenting himself as a unifying force to restore "the soul of the nation" and "an ally of the light." The 77-year-old moderate political veteran, who has also enjoyed support from the party's liberal wing, went on to promise to address the pandemic from day one since taking office, rebuild the economy, strengthen the health care system, deal with racial injustice, and tackle climate change. Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States on Aug. 20, 2020 shows screens displaying images of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaking in a video feed of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) In his acceptance speech from the White House South Lawn Thursday night, Trump fought back by going after Biden on topics ranging from the economy to foreign policy and sought to draw a contrast between himself and the former vice president, alleging that "there has never been such a difference between two parties, or two individuals, in ideology, philosophy, or vision than there is right now." Notably, Trump brought to the fore his "law and order" message, as public anger has erupted after 29-year-old African American Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer during an arrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin a week ago, leading to massive protests and violence at times. The president, however, didn't address the shooting or racial justice in his speech. Instead, he touted job numbers for African Americans, and doubled down on his support of police. To make his case for reelection, Trump also touted what he believes were accomplishments of his first term, made promises for the next four years, and tried to reshape the narrative of his administration's handling of the pandemic, which has infected nearly 6 million people and killed more than 182,000 in the United States. Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 27, 2020 shows screens displaying U.S. President Donald Trump delivering his acceptance speech during the 2020 Republican National Convention. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "Democrats basically argued Trump is incompetent and completely mismanaged COVID and the economy ... Republicans are focused on law and order and say Biden will be an ultra-liberal who will take America in a dangerous direction," said Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTIONS Traditionally, party conventions are aimed at building momentum for presidential nominees in the months leading up to the election day, with tens of thousands of delegates, politicians, lobbyists, and reporters gathering for the quadrennial, fanfare-rich assemblies. This year, the pandemic has largely put in-person campaign activities on hold. While all events of the DNC were held virtually, hundreds of Republicans met in Charlotte, North Carolina to renominate Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for the party's 2020 ticket. Besides, both Trump and Pence addressed a live audience while accepting the renomination. The Trump campaign said the Republican National Convention (RNC), which ran from Monday to Thursday, brought in more views across television and online than the DNC's, while the party's fundraising arms raked in 76 million U.S. dollars during the period, also higher than the DNC's. But Trump's acceptance speech drew fewer audience members than Biden's, according to Nielsen Media Research. Trump got a boost from the RNC. A new Morning Consult poll conducted on Friday that asked more than 4,000 likely voters which candidate they would pick found Biden leading Trump by 6 percentage points, 50 percent to 44 percent. But on Aug. 23, Biden led 52 percent to 42 percent. "In the particular case of the post-RNC polls, I'd say the small Trump bounce in polls so far is about what you might have expected and shouldn't change your view of the race much," Nate Silver, founder and editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight, a U.S. website on opinion poll analysis, politics and economics, tweeted on Saturday. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Biden still leads Trump by 6.9 percentage points nationally and 2.7 points in top battleground states, as of Saturday night, but both numbers have shrunk. Images of U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaking in a video feed of the 2020 Democratic National Convention are displayed on screens in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 19, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) RESTARTING CAMPAIGNS Immediately after the acceptance speech, Trump returned to the campaign trail on Friday by holding a rally in Londonderry in the northeastern state of New Hampshire. Separately, Pence made campaign stops in Michigan and Minnesota, both critical battleground states, on Friday. The states appear to be vital to Trump's reelection bid as his campaign has limited options compared to the electoral map from 2016 and has found itself on the defense in a number of states that the former businessman and television celebrity carried in his race against then Democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Campaign officials have identified New Hampshire and Minnesota as flip opportunities after Trump narrowly lost them four years ago. He won Michigan by only 0.3 percentage point at that time but polls have showed him trailing Biden in the "Great Lakes State." After the pandemic had kept both Trump and Biden away from the campaign trail for months, the Republican first held a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in June but the attendance was far less than expected and local health officials blamed a subsequent rise in coronavirus infections in the area on the event. Two attendees of the Charlotte portion of the RNC and two individuals supporting the event have also tested positive for the virus. Biden said earlier this week that he will begin traveling to battleground states after Labor Day, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. The final months of the presidential race also come as Trump continues to cast doubt on mail-in voting, repeatedly claiming without providing any evidence that it would lead to massive voter fraud, as states have moved to expand voting by mail amid the pandemic. He had even raised the prospect that he won't accept the results in November. Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Aug. 24, 2020 shows a computer screen displaying U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaking during the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "I have to see," Trump told Fox News's Chris Wallace last month when asked if he would accept the election results. "No, I'm not just going to say yes, I'm not going to say no, and I didn't last time either." The Commission on Presidential Debates has scheduled three debates between Trump and Biden and one between Pence and U.S. Senator from California and 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris in the next two months. The 2020 U.S. presidential election will take place on Nov. 3. (Video reporters: Sun Ding, Hu Yousong, Tan Yixiao; Video editor: Hui Peipei) OTTAWAConservative Leader Erin OToole says the Liberals screwed up their pandemic income supports, suggesting the universal income benefits undermined the governments wage supports for employers. In an interview with Globals West Block program Sunday, OToole said that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) under which Canadians unemployed during the pandemic received $500 a week undermined the Canada Employment Wage Subsidy (CEWS), which covered the majority of employees wages if businesses kept them on. Why do you think so many employers let their people go and (pushed) them onto the CERB? Because the Liberals got it wrong. Save the jobs first, OToole told West Block host Mercedes Stephenson. Put the jobs into hibernation for when we get through the wave. That lets people return to something. It was OTooles first national interview since his come-from-behind victory in the Conservative leadership race early Monday morning, defeating Peter MacKay on the third and final ballot. One of the major challenges facing OToole and the Conservatives particularly if the Liberal government falls in the coming weeks after testing the confidence of Parliament is putting forward a credible plan to assist Canadians still reeling from COVID-19s first wave, with the potential for a second wave looming. I was always a big fan of the wage subsidy. We need to preserve jobs. If theres a wave, put the jobs into hibernation, OToole said. But OToole said a Conservative plan will have income supports for everyone. Were going to make sure the economy is growing again, that capital comes to Canada, that theres jobs and investment, OToole said. As of last week, 8.66 million Canadians had applied for the CERB which guaranteed income for workers who could not work during the global health crisis which has been running since late March. According to the most recent data from Statistics Canada, the federal government has paid out $71.25 billion in CERB benefits since the start of the pandemic. The CEWS, which covered up to 75 per cent of employee wages in attempts to entice businesses to keep workers on the payroll during the pandemic, was announced roughly a month later. According to StatsCan, the government has approved 296,000 applicants and paid out almost $30 billion in benefits. Employment minister Carla Qualtrough announced on Aug. 20 that the government intends to wind down the CERB, turning their attention to bolstering Canadas employment insurance program to assist workers struggling during the pandemic. The CERB will remain in place until late September, with a new $400 a week benefit replacing it for up to 26 weeks for workers not eligible for E.I., such as the self-employed. When the coronavirus pandemic shut down San Antonio schools in March and forced students to begin learning remotely, many worked with paper packets or shared computers with their siblings. But for the fall semester now underway, area school districts are stressing real-time, virtual interaction with teachers and classmates. Most have jettisoned paper packets. Until students return to physical classrooms in September or October in numbers still unknown the revamped online instruction means about 350,000 students each need their own laptop or tablet and reliable internet. And despite months of effort to make sure they have those things, and staggering numbers of computers distributed since the spring, some students still are without. As the school year began this month, educators depleted stockpiles of devices in response to last-minute requests. Some districts are awaiting delivery of thousands more. And to solve connectivity problems at home, some are letting kids back on campuses weeks before their scheduled resumption of in-person learning, so they can take their online courses inside a school building. At Northside Independent School District, parents circulated a letter from the Folks Middle School principal informing them that the school had run out of devices after providing about half of the 600 requested, and would not have the rest in time for the first day of school. Each of the districts 121 campuses had been managing the distribution of the devices based on guesstimates of the likely demand for them, but their inventories were replenished if they ran out, said Lori Jones, assistant superintendent of technology services. Northside, the largest school district in Bexar County, has more than 106,000 students. By the start of online learning Monday, 60,000 students without adequate devices at home had been provided the equipment they needed, Jones said. Still, the district is awaiting the arrival of 40,000 Chromebooks ordered in July, to make sure every Northside student who sticks with virtual learning for the year has one, she said. Its been a Herculean effort, she said. We got about three days notice back in March to start this process and we basically have been in this kind of technology distribution process since. Some kids kept devices they got in the spring for summer classes, while others returned their devices for fixing or cleaning before they got loaned back out, Jones said, adding, It has not stopped for us. After handing out more than 10,000 devices, the North East Independent School District last month surveyed parents and calculated theyd need 15,000 more, said Aubrey Chancellor, district spokeswoman. Some children have their own devices and prefer to use those for school. But after the NEISD survey closed, parents kept coming forward, saying theyd missed the email or hadnt understood they could claim one device per student, or because their childs personal computer had broken. The district asked every campus how many devices they had to spare and a massive reshuffling is underway, Chancellor said. Far more than 15,000 devices have been distributed this summer, and parents who still need them should contact their schools, she said. Its all hands on deck, Chancellor said. East Central ISD emptied our coffers completely, Superintendent Rolando Toscano said. Officials attempted to get iPads and Chromebooks to every household and almost all of the districts 9,600 students. But they ran out and last week were still waiting for 1,000 more devices in a backed up order. Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News About 280 households either had no internet connectivity or too few devices for each student in the house, Toscano said, so the district invited those kids to come back to campuses two weeks before the schools were scheduled to open for in-person learning. About 90 kids responded to the offer and spent the past week spread out across libraries and cafeterias, Toscano said, adhering to social distancing guidelines. The students log on for their courses just like kids at home. The early opening is only focusing on the kids (for whom) remote learning is absolutely ineffective. And these kids have so many greater needs that it is irresponsible of us, since March really, to continue to not serve them in some form or fashion, he said. Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox The district has also brought back a small population of special needs students who have severe disabilities to be taught on campuses, Toscano said. For the other families lacking internet, the district is working with AT&T and Spectrum to provide it at discounts. District officials also have reached out to churches and nonprofits to request space for families who are comfortable going into those settings during time slots in which few others would be in the buildings. In-person instruction wont begin until Sept. 28 at Judson ISD, but the district is also offering access to school buildings for online learning starting Sept. 8 to households that have no internet at home along with those run by single or military parents, or two parents working full time. NEISD has spent nearly $4 million on Chromebooks and hotspots and is hoping for partial reimbursement from federal coronavirus relief funds. The district has loaned out at least 27,000 laptops and tablets since March, when schools first shut down, and ordered 3,000 additional Chromebooks early enough to receive them this summer. Were fortunate that all of our Chromebooks came in, Chancellor said. We know theres delays around the country. Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News The district has also distributed about 5,600 wireless hotspots to students who need high-speed internet, and made wi-fi available in the parking lots of all campuses. Despite nationwide backlogs, San Antonio ISDs tech department managed to get 30,000 Chromebooks delivered to students in the spring. So far, it has distributed a total of 41,000 laptops. But iPad tablets, which the district prefers for younger students up to third graders, were impossible to acquire at the time, said district spokeswoman Leslie Price. Officials finally scored 13,000 iPads this summer at a cost of $5.8 million, half of which was paid for with federal CARES Act funds, she said. Of those, 1,500 have been earmarked for teachers who will be giving in-person and remote instruction simultaneously, to be attached to robotic Swivl mounts that follow them around the room for the students watching at home, Price said. The 1Million Project, led by Sprint to bring internet access to students, also donated 3,000 hotspots to SAISD over the summer, Price said. Returning SAISD students, except for graduating seniors, were allowed to keep their devices from the spring. Schools held another round of device distributions this month, some as large-scale drive-up events and others as occasional informal handoffs, before online learning began. At this point, any student who needs a device should have one, Price said. If theres any student out there who needs one, who did not get one, they need to contact their campus. At the Guadalupe Community Center on the West Side, an after-school program has turned into a distance-learning gathering of about 30 students using iPads provided through grants and donations to the Catholic Charities facility. The students range from first through eighth grades, most of them enrolled in SAISD and a few from the Edgewood or Harlandale school districts, said Manuel Garcia, the programs director. They had all participated in the program last spring, when about twice their number used iPads for literacy lessons. Many received Chromebooks or iPads from their schools after the pandemic hit, but prefer the devices theyre familiar with from the center, Garcia said. He said most of their parents dont have consistent internet service or arent technologically savvy enough to help with virtual learning, especially on Canvas, the sophisticated program SAISD uses. Some of the parents are too busy holding two jobs, Garcia said. Theyre not aware how to use properly a laptop or a tablet, unless its just for random searches for music or things like that. ... Some of the instructions on some of those worksheets, you have to almost read it twice. The students are divided by age and spaced out, each at their own four-seater tables, and staffers help answer questions and submit assignments. Everyone must wear a mask or face shield, a rule Garcia said the children have obeyed without argument. Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News In the quiet room for older students, Timothy Garcia, 10, repeatedly ran over to his friend at the next table and tried to get his attention while they read on iPads. They were in the same virtual fifth-grade class and Timothy wanted to make sure they were reading together. Timothy said his parents sent him to the center because they had a lot of children to supervise at home. Its hard for them, he said. In the next room, about 15 younger children read aloud or talked, keeping the noise at a steady low hum. Anissa Ramirez, a second-grader, read a few pages about scientists on her iPad for an assignment. She said she was glad for the homework help and knew many of the other children from school and the after-school program. Its fun doing my work here and talking to my friends, Anissa said. At Edgewood ISD, students received tablets or laptops, depending on their grade level. The districts one-to-one device commitment entitles every student to a device and if they didnt have one by the time classes started on Aug. 17, they were encouraged to contact their school. Weve had a couple of requests here and there but nothing too alarming, said Keyhla Calderon-Lugo, district spokeswoman. Edgewood students will be learning remotely at least until Oct. 12, and the district has made most of its schools wi-fi signals extend into their parking lots. The district also has a short list of locations with public wi-fi, such as library parking lots, available on its website. KIPP charter schools worked to distribute about 1,400 Chromebooks and 400 internet hotspots to students at a drive-through pick-up event during the week before it began classes remotely on Monday. The network, which has about 3,600 students in its San Antonio schools, had already provided about 2,200 Chromebooks and 52 hotspots last spring, said Saki Indakwa, a KIPP spokeswoman. Were going to make sure that everyone has a device, she said. A lot of our students are low-income students who have multiple students in a family, so theyre all sharing a laptop, which isnt the best way to do homework. 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 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 New Delhi: Economic ministers from the 10 ASEAN member states and eight other countries including India have underscored the importance of strengthening regional supply chains to make them resilient and less vulnerable to shocks besides advancing sustainable economic growth. They reaffirmed their commitment to promote trade and investment, minimise disruptions to trade and global supply chains and facilitate supply chain connectivity, including for essential goods like medical supplies, medicines, including vaccines, food, commodities and other essential supplies and services in the region. The ministers have also finalized an ASEAN Digital Integration Index, which maps the readiness for an integrated digital economy among ASEAN members. The ministers also recognised the importance of facilitating the essential movement of people across borders, without undermining each country's efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, to stabilise the trade and investment, according to a joint statement released after the virtual meeting of 8th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers' Meeting (EAS-EMM) held on Friday. It was chaired by Vietnam's Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and attended by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal besides economic ministers from Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the Russian Federation and the United States. They said the COVID-19 global pandemic has created unprecedented challenges that have caused not only loss of lives but also economic downturn for most countries around the world. They welcomed the increasing trade and strong investment performance among EAS economies with the combined nominal GDP reaching 51.6 trillion dollars in 2019, marking an increase by 4.1 per cent from previous year. ASEAN merchandise trade with non-ASEAN EAS participating countries amounted to 1.3 trillion dollars in 2019, accounting for 48.1 per cent of ASEAN's total trade while foreign direct investment (FDI) reached to 61.2 billion dollars, representing 38.1 per cent of ASEAN's total FDI inflows. The ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The ministers welcomed regional initiatives to mitigate the impact of pandemic including the establishment of the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund as well as the work towards the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and the Standard Operating Procedures for Public Health Emergencies Response. The ministers also acknowledged the important role of initiatives, which aim to ensure the equitable global distribution of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. The father of a teenager shot dead in Seattle within a 'autonomous' protest zone that formed inside the city is seeking $3 billion in damages from the state and local government, accusing them of permitting 'a state of lawlessness'. Horace Lorenzo Anderson, 19, was shot and killed in the early hours of June 20 within the Capitol Hill protest zone known as CHOP, Capitol Hill Organized Protest. Marcel Levon Long has been charged with his murder, but has not been arrested. Long was allegedly seen on surveillance video approaching Anderson and pulling out a gun. He is then seen then chasing Anderson, who ran away, and appears to shoot him. Ambulances were unable to reach Anderson as Seattle police said they could not clear the area. Anderson was brought to the hospital by volunteer medics. Horace Lorenzo Anderson Jr was shot and killed inside Seattle's 'protest zone' on June 20 Anderson, pictured as a baby with his father, could not be reached by ambulances Horace Lorenzo Anderson Sr filed his case this week against three local authorities His father, Horace Lorenzo Anderson Sr, filed a suit this week against the city of Seattle, King County and the state of Washington. The claim states the three governments are to blame for creating a 'hazardous, and lawless situation' that resulted in Anderson's killing. 'This case warrants punitive or exemplary damages in order to punish the City of Seattle, County of King, the State of Washington and their agents for their outrageous conduct that allowed lawlessness to reign,' said Evan M. Oshan, Anderson's attorney, in a statement obtained by The Center Square. 'Such failure to protect citizens must not be allowed to happen again.' Marcel Long has been charged with Anderson's murder and is being sought by police The court documents state that Anderson 'laid bleeding to death in the Seattle streets with no one to respond.' 'With no assistance or rescue from Seattle first responders, Lorenzo died in agony from his wounds,' they claim. They accuse city officials of allowing 'politically charged armed, anarchist protesters to infiltrate, takeover, and govern a part of downtown Seattle.' They say the local and regional authorities 'did not intervene and stop this state of lawlessness.' Anderson's father told The New York Post: 'Everyone was walking around with guns. It's like the wild wild west.' The CHOP sprung up in early June, and was eventually cleared out on July 1 Construction crews were pictured on July 1 cleaning up the mess from the area He said he was shocked the authorities had ceded control of the area. 'You figure the police come in and they shut it down and clean up the area. 'I never knew that people could come in and take over a whole city. That means there is no safety. The police aren't doing their job.' He said he would not 'be quiet' about the loss of his son, who was born extremely premature and had life-long learning difficulties. He had celebrated completing his high school diploma - something his family said was a huge achievement - shortly before he was shot. 'Every morning I wake up and I miss him and I'm crying,'he told the paper. 'Just today I'm just driving down the street crying thinking about it going to the dentist.' Shortly after his son's murder, he told Fox News that he had been left in the dark about the circumstances. 'They need to come talk to me and somebody needs to come tell me something, because I still don't know nothing,' he told Sean Hannity on July 1. 'Somebody needs to come to my house, and knock on my door and tell me something. I don't know nothing. All I know is my son got killed up there.' Anderson's mother, Donnitta Sinclair Martin, filed a wrongful death suit against the city of Seattle on July 20. The city has 60 days to respond to the claim before a federal lawsuit can be filed. A second teenager, Summer Taylor, 16, was shot and killed inside the CHOP on June 29. On July 1 the protest site was cleared by police. A spokesperson with the King County Office of Risk Management Services declined to comment on this week's filing, since claim is 'currently under review'. The governor's office has not responded to requests for comment. Melissa Mixon, from Seattle's Department of Finance and Administrative Services, told the Post that the city was 'not able to comment on pending claims or litigation.' 'Our primary goal with any claim is to be thorough and fair with how we review and adjust the claim.' Toto Wolff has questioned whether Ferrari's "priorities" are right. The talk of the paddock at Spa is not focused on the front of the grid - instead, most the attention is on the depth of the Maranello team's slump. "What is happening with them is not good for Formula 1 and I very much sympathise with all the Tifosi," said Wolff, boss of the dominant Mercedes team. After winning from pole last year, Charles Leclerc qualified just 13th on Saturday, one place ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Earlier, it appeared as though they would struggle to get out of Q1. Former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld calls the 2020 slump "frightening". "It cannot be that a team with this history and these resources is so far behind," he told Sky Deutschland. Ralf Schumacher added: "It seems to me that they don't know what to do. They're getting slower." Mercedes reserve Stoffel Vandoorne told RTBF: "What is happening at Ferrari is weird. It's strange to see them so far away. "They've lost a lot of speed since last year and it feels like it's getting worse and worse." Ralf Schumacher says he has "no sympathy" for Ferrari, after the manner in which his countryman Vettel was ousted for 2021. "It seems as though the instructions from the president to the team are not going in the right direction," he added. When asked what has gone wrong at the fabled Italian team this year, Vettel smiled to RTL: "I don't think we have that much time in the show." Team boss Mattia Binotto thinks Ferrari has simply messed up this particular weekend, but he also said the team is busily "investing in the future" behind the scenes. "We are investing in a new simulator and in the team," he told Sky Italia. "We have all the resources to improve." Schumacher, though, calls that "excuses", while Heidfeld admitted: "I do think there is something going on behind the scenes." One of the things behind the scenes is that Ferrari is still yet to withdraw its appeal over the 'pink Mercedes' affair. Wolff urges Ferrari to do that. "Of course, nobody in Formula 1 can be happy about what is happening with this iconic team," he said. "My opinion is that they should concentrate on their performance rather than on the green table," Wolff added, referring to the Racing Point appeal. Ralf Schumacher quipped: "Instead of protesting against the Mercedes copy, maybe Ferrari should think about doing the same." Indeed, with this level of performance, Binotto might soon be fighting for his job. "At some point, heads will have to roll," former driver Christian Danner told RTL. Wolff agrees that "certain members of the team" might be holding Ferrari back. "This is not good for the competition at the front," he said. "In the end you have to question the priorities that have been set and where the lack of performance comes from. "It's wrong to say 'Ferrari priorities' because that drags everybody into it. It's maybe the decisions that have been made by certain individuals of the team." (GMM) Let me begin with a few positive comments. Both the DNC and the RNC rose to the occasion to conduct conventions under difficult circumstances. The Democrats invested heavily in a high-tech, choreographed, four-day commercial that was fun to watch. The Republicans drove home their messages with more face-to-camera speeches that were just as effective. For me, a bright spot at the Republican convention was First Lady Melania Trump taking the time to commiserate with the families who lost loved ones during the pandemic. It was appropriate and gracious. I also believe that Nikki Haley and Tim Scott acquitted themselves well. I did not agree with their conclusions, but I recognize thoughtful, mature discourse when I see it. Beyond that, the Republican National Convention was a steady stream of innuendo, misdirection, and flat-out falsehoods. Its not likely that Joe Biden will destroy the suburbs, eliminate law enforcement, or allow M-13 gangs to move in next to you. But that is the kind of drivel that spewed forth. What is striking about the focus on law and order is that the Republican speakers were referencing a dystopian future that is already here. In real time, a Black man was gunned down - as his children watched - by a white police officer. The Republicans were quick to condemn the resulting protests but they offered no compassion for the actual victims and no plan for meaningful civil justice reform. Kellyanne Conway presented so many alternative facts that it prompted one reporter to call her an innovator in shamelessness. On the pandemic, speaker after speaker tried to brush the topic aside. Larry Kudlow, Senior Economic advisor to Trump, praised the presidents leadership and tried to put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror. The reality is that the coronavirus is still very much with us and the United States has the worst death rates of any industrialized country. Another fact: prestigious universities like Columbia and Johns Hopkins have concluded that as many as half of the COVID-19 deaths could have been avoided with a more thorough, and immediate response. More disturbing was a poll released last week showing that a majority of Trump supporters consider 180,000 pandemic deaths acceptable. This allows the president to try to minimize that death toll. He cannot. Most Americans will hold the president accountable for his own faltering leadership. Vice President Mike Pence proclaimed that his bosss leadership had been quick and strong. No, Mr. Pence, the death toll and the economic havoc are the the result of leadership that was slow and weak. As to President Trumps words, we have heard it all before. Along with his self-aggrandizement, his remarks did nothing more than attack his enemies and pour gasoline on the reckless fires of his base. It was interesting to hear speaker after speaker say: Yes, but the economy was booming before all of this virus stuff happened. First, the statement is inaccurate. The economic growth in the pre-pandemic Trump years was about the same as the average growth recorded by Obama-Biden. Also, like it or not, the economy shrunk by 35% in the last quarter - a collapse that is worse than any since the Great Depression. A collapse that has wiped out any gains and put 20 million people out of work. This is on Trumps watch although he famously has not taken any responsibility for it. One conventional response to last weeks show was this reaction from Kamala Harris, the newly minted Democratic nominee for Vice President: Lets be clear where Trump and Pence got us: millions out of work, students across our nation who cannot go back to school, and 180,000 lives cut short by coronavirus. A more remarkable response came from one of the many prominent Republicans who are now supporting Biden. This from Jennifer Horn (R), a former Congresswoman from New Hampshire: Joe Biden is a decent person who cares more about the country than he cares about himself. . . those two things alone put him light years ahead of Donald Trump for being qualified to be president. Long after the virtual conventions are over, voters from both parties will be seeking to bring some kind of order out of this year of chaos and pandemic. Forget the fear mongering that plagued the Republican convention, forget the posturing that we got from both campaigns. In the final analysis and at the very least, we are entitled to invest our hope in someone who is a decent human being. That cuts the presidential field in half. Mark Singel is a former Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. He and Republican Charlie Gerow can be seen at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday on CBS21s Face the State. Coronavirus outbreaks have been identified at four sororities at Kansas State University. Residents of those Greek houses have been told to quarantine for 14 days from the day the outbreak was declared. Alpha Delta Pi and Alpha Xi Delta have six cases each, while Chi Omega and Kappa Delta have five cases apiece, the Riley County Health Department said Friday. More than 60 US universities and colleges in at least 36 states have reported positive cases of Covid-19, and some have returned to remote learning to try to stem the spread. More than 8,700 infections among American college students and staff were reported through Friday, as the nation approaches 6 million confirmed cases. At Kansas State, event permits associated with fraternity and sorority organizations through September 10 have been canceled or revoked. "It is no longer deemed safe to hold these events in person and they may not take place," the county said in a statement. Is it safe to go to college? Health experts weigh in At the campus in Manhattan, 364 students are in quarantine, and 167 students are in isolation, the school said in a news release, noting an increase of 149 in quarantine and 49 in isolation since last week. The entire student population reports a 3.82% positivity rate, the release states. Meantime, the University of Kansas reported a 10% positivity rate among its Greek community, with 270 members of sororities and fraternities there testing positive. That campus, in Lawrence, is about 75 miles from Kansas State. Statewide, Kansas has recorded more than 40,000 coronavirus cases, with 445 deaths. BNK Kyongnam Bank operates a pop-up branch in this file photo. / Korea Times file By Kim Bo-eun The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) proposed Sunday that banks come up with alternatives such as pop-up bank branches in the event they close down branches in rural areas which makes access to financial services difficult, particularly for the elderly. The plan comes as the authority and lenders have been in conflict over shutting down branches in recent years. Lenders have been reducing branches to cut costs in the digital era as many services that formerly required visiting a branch are now accessible online. The FSS has warned banks against excessive downsizing of branches, citing this would affect senior citizens in rural areas for whom accessing bricks-and-mortar branches will become increasingly difficult. The authority said lenders should consider setting up infrastructure that would be able to provide financial services for senior citizens in the event of a branch closing in a certain area. The FSS proposed the lenders could operate the pop-up branches in the form of buses that are stationed in a certain area throughout the week. Existing bank branches could also be substituted by smart branches without human employees, the regulator said. At such branches, customers would be able to make transactions, based on video or telephone calls with bank employees loacted off-site. The FSS said lenders can also partner with Korea Post, as the state-run postal service operates over 2,500 branches nationwide. This compares with commercial banks, which now operate around 6,700 branches across the country. The FSS noted that Korea Post's branches show an appropriate balance in regional dispersion, in comparison to bank branches, with 50 percent of their branches concentrated in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area. Four banks including Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), Korea Development Bank (KDB) and Citibank have already formed partnerships with Korea Post to offer bank services at the postal service's branches. The FSS said the model of offering substitutional infrastructure refers to the case in the U.K., whereby authorities have directed banks to offer substitutional services in the form of video telebanking, partnerships between banks and pop-up branches in the event they close a branch. The authority also advised lenders to develop mobile banking apps catering to senior citizens. The apps would show larger text, offer voice recognition services and employ a simpler design, mainly incorporating services that the elderly usually seek. In the meantime, the FSS said it would introduce a stricter process for when banks seek to close down branches. It said lenders, along with an outside expert, need to analyze the age group of the customers of the branch they intend on closing and whether substitutional services would be available. The regulator also said banks need to notify branch customers three months before the branch is shut down. "We intend on offering a proposal that seeks to enable convenient and safe financial services for senior citizens," the FSS said. Before they ordered him to go back inside, Mr. Sarpee said, he heard at least three loud bangs as they knocked on Ms. Taylors door, and heard one or more officers scream Police! a single time. He is emphatic that they said it only once. Mr. Wine, the county prosecutor, said both the police version and Mr. Walkers account of events could be correct: Through the door, he suggested, the police and the couple inside did not hear each other. Because Mr. Walker said he did not realize who was at the door, he made a tragic assumption: The apartment was being broken into and not just by anyone. He thought it was Ms. Taylors ex-boyfriend, he later told the police. Weve been on and off together, whatever, for like, seven years, he said. So there was a guy that she was messing with, or whatever, throughout that time, you know. And he popped up over there once before while I was there, like, a couple months ago, he explained. So thats what I thought was going on. Sergeant Mattingly said that as soon as the door was punched in and he cleared the threshold, he could see to the end of the long hallway. There, in silhouette, he saw a male and a female figure. The mans hands were stretched out, holding an object. As were coming to the door, the door, like, comes off the hinges, Mr. Walker said. Its like an explosion. He went on: They were scared. He thought someone was breaking in. He was trying to protect his girlfriend. So, boom, one shot. Then all of a sudden theres a whole lot of shots, he said. I just hear her screaming. Kentucky law is clear: Under the stand-your-ground statute, citizens can use deadly force against an intruder inside their own home. But like numerous other jurisdictions, Kentucky also has a statute protecting police officers who use deadly force in self-defense. One police officer in Florida was shot and another was injured during a gun battle with a murder suspect who was killed during the exchange of fire, authorities said. On Saturday the Daytona Beach Police Department released graphic body camera footage that showed the shootout that left Michael A. Harris dead, one officer shot and another injured after falling. Authorities said Harris, 44, was wanted for attempted murder related to the shooting of a woman at a Travelers Inn on August 18. During a press conference, Police Chief Craig Capri maintained that his officers responded appropriately. '[Harris'] intent was to go out in a shootout, not to surrender,' said Capri. But Harris' family members who've seen footage of the shooting said authorities went too far. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened an investigation into the incident. Footage begins with five officers from Daytona Beach and the Holly Hill Police Department approach an apartment complex on Espanola Avenue on Saturday to serve an arrest warrant. An anonymous tipster had called 911 at 2.38pm to report the whereabouts of Harris. The group of men, one of whom has a rifle drawn, set up a perimeter around the complex before approaching apartment 104 in search of Harris. One woman sitting outside the apartment says she doesn't know Harris, but a man standing nearby tells officers that he may be inside or fleeing through a window. After a few moments, the officer holding the rifle unlocks the apartment door and encounters Harris, who quickly hides behind a bedroom door in the back of the residence. Five officers from the Daytona Beach Police Department and Holly Hills Police Department dispatched to an apartment complex in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Saturday Authorities said they were there to serve an arrest warrant to Michael A. Harris, a murder suspect in Daytona Beach 'Police department, show me your hands!' the officer shouts. He follows Harris to the bedroom door and kicks it open just as Harris opens fire with a handgun. The officer screams out in pain as the bullet strikes him in the right chest area, but his bullet proof vest stops any severe injuries. Michael A. Harris (pictured in mugshot) was shot dead during the exchange of fire with law enforcement on Saturday 'I'm hit!' the officers yells to his colleagues. Using an adjacent wall as cover, the officer continues to shoot in the general area of the bedroom as a gun battle ensues. Suddenly, a petrified woman's voice screams out and officers discover a woman was inside the home at the time of the shootout. She repeatedly screams and asks officers to call an ambulance. When officers remove the woman from the scene, they call for Harris to come out of the bedroom and ask that he show his hands. It's unclear when exactly Harris was hit by law enforcement, but he does not appear to return fire for at least three minutes of the six-minute shootout. Authorities discovered Harris' body inside the bedroom and he died from his injuries at the scene. According to a press release, the officer who was struck in the chest is expected to recover and a second officer was injured after tripping during the incident. An unidentified officer (pictured) was shot during the gun battle, but was protected by his bullet proof vest Body camera footage showed that Harris fired a handgun at officers, who returned fire afterwards 'One round struck the ballistic vest of a full-time patrol officer. The vest stopped the bullet from penetrating, leaving him with a bruise in the right chest area. He is expected to recover after he went to Halifax Health Medical Center (HHMC) for treatment,' the release read. 'Another full-time DBPD officer on scene tripped and fell outside of the apartment while shots were being fired. 'Paramedics took him to HHMC, where he is being treated for injuries to his head and neck. He remains in stable condition and should recover from his injuries.' Both officers have been placed paid administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement reviews the matter, which is standard in officer-involved shootings. Neither officers' identities have been released due to the ongoing investigation. Authorities discovered Harris had died during the gun battle and found his body inside a bedroom At the press conference, Police Chief Capri defended his department's response to the shooting. 'If you pull a gun on a police officer and shoot a police officer, you're going to get killed. Simple as that,' said Capri. 'I can't make that any clearer, we don't want to take a life , we want to save lives but when you pull a gun and there's video, you can see that he tried to murder these police officers.' He said that the officers had not intended to kill Harris, but had opened fire in response to the suspect. 'He had a warrant for his arrest. All he had to do was surrender peacefully and go to jail and let the criminal justice system play itself out. 'But he took it on his own abilities to try and kill police officers. And we don't get paid to get killed. Chief Craig Capri speaks to reporters about a fatal officer involved shooting earlier today. Two of our officers were injured in the incident. MORE: http://www.codb.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=936 Posted by Daytona Beach Police Department on Saturday, August 29, 2020 Capri admitted that he was proud of his officers and the work local enforcement has done. 'Its like I said, 99.99% of officers in this country do the same thing, and people want to all of us as being bad under the same brush,' he said. 'Weve been attacked not only in the media but also by several radical groups. 'Im not going to let the voice of a small few go against us because I know what we stand for'. Harris' family told FOX 35 that they've viewed the body camera footage and although they send prayers to the officers, they're wondering why their loved one was killed in such a way. 'He belongs to a family who loved him dearly, in spite of his flaws. When it comes to him, what happened to him is wrong,' his cousin, Victoria Harris, said. 'I'm not justifying whatever happened and prayers go to his family as well, but regardless my cousin didn't deserve to die.' KABUL -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has revealed the names of the appointed members and leaders of the countrys High Council for National Reconciliation, a body tasked with leading peace negotiations with the Taliban. Political figures, including current and former officials, leaders of political parties, and renowned religious leaders are among the more than 40 council members approved by Ghani, according to a presidential decree issued late on August 29. The list includes former mujahedin leaders Abdul Rasul Sayyaf and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, as well as civil-society activist Safia Sediqqi and eight other women. One of the appointed women was named the deputy of council head Abdullah Abdullah, the former chief executive officer of Afghanistan's unity government. Former President Hamid Karzai was also named but he rejected the appointment in a statement on August 30, saying he declines to be part of any government structure. The High Council for National Reconciliation is to oversee a 21-member negotiating team appointed by Ghani in March to conduct face-to-face talks with the Taliban. The talks are part of an agreement reached between the militants and the United States in February in an effort to end nearly 19 years of war in Afghanistan. On August 26, the Taliban announced it had formed a new 20-member department responsible for Taliban representation at both the intra-Afghan talks and further negotiations with the United States. The beginning of the planned peace talks has faced some serious challenges, including the issue of the release of prisoners. The internationally recognized government in Kabul has recently reversed a decision to release the last 320 Taliban prisoners it is holding until the insurgents free more captured soldiers. The Taliban will have to release our commandos held by them before the government resumes the release of the remaining 320 Taliban prisoners, Javid Faisal, spokesman for the Afghan National Security Council, tweeted on August 29. With reporting by dpa, TOLOnews, and AP Kannada filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh on Saturday claimed that some Sandalwood artistes consumed drugs in parties and on the sets. "Some actresses do consume drugs at the parties. I am aware that they consume the banned substances inside the vanity vans on the sets," he told reporters here. Following his claims, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths, who recently busted a drugs racket, slapped a notice on him, asking him to disclose the details. The police have claimed that suspects arrested in the case have named some artistes and musicians of Sandalwood, saying they consumed drugs. Indrajit Lankesh, also a journalist, said he was ready to disclose details if he was given police security. "It's true that there is a link between Sandawlood and the drug mafia. I've heard that some budding artistes and those wanting to hog limelight within no time consume drugs at rave parties," he said. 'Big stars not involved' The filmmaker said, "As far as I know, no big star in Kannada film industry is involved in the racket. I haven't heard that big stars consume drugs. They have a sense of social responsibility due to their image. It may be safely said that they aren't involved in such incidents." He urged the police to thoroughly investigate certain previous cases, so that the truth was revealed. Actor's death "Why was the autopsy not conducted after the death of an actor recently? A car was involved in an accident some years ago at South End Circle in Bengaluru. It was reported that drugs were recovered from inside the car and there were some artistes inside. What is the status of the case? Why did the police not conduct a thorough investigation? Why did the police not initiate action against those inside the car," he sought to know. He said there was a need to identify unseen hands behind such incidents. "Are politicians too involved in the racket," Lankesh asked. Director told to appear CCB joint commissioner of police Sandeep Patil confirmed that they were serving a notice to Lankesh. "We have asked him to come to the CCB office on Monday," Patil said. A senior police officer said Lankesh will be asked to provide information regarding his revelations on TV. "The Anti Narcotics Wing officials will ask him to share information and support the city police in the fight against the drugs mafia. We are going to investigate each and every information he shares with us," the officer said. Lankesh has spoken out following the recent arrests made by the narcotics control bureau (NCB) officials, unearthing the links of drugs peddlers with Sandalwood actors and musicians. He said that a few budding actors and children of politicians took drugs. Lankesh said seniors in the film industry knew about the matter. The Lead Pastor, Daystar Christian Centre, celebrated with Arsenal fans on Saturday after the club won its 16th Community Shield. Arsenal achieved the feat by defeating the Premier League Champions Liverpool. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stole the show with a superb goal and the winning spot-kick as the Gunners beat Liverpool 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Commenting on the victory, Sam Adeyemi said: Congratulations Arsenal and all Gunners. Everything doesnt go downward at the same time, even in a challenging year like 2020. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Nineteen babies who weathered the hurricane at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital were brought to other hospitals across around the state. The babies, some on respirators or eating via feeding tubes, were at the neonatal intensive care unit of another hospital and had to be moved Wednesday hours before the hurricane arrived out of concerns that storm surge would swamp the one-story building. Hospital officials said they then decided to move them out of Lake Charles when it became apparent that it could be weeks before water was restored. Authorities of a state-run college in West Bengal lodged a complaint with the police on Saturday after a fake provisional merit list of the college, allegedly featuring names of Bollywood actors and adult stars, was circulated on social media. On Saturday the names of Sunny Leone, Mia Khalifa and Dani Daniels allegedly appeared in a fake merit list of Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas. A fake merit list, featuring the names of some actresses and stars, was being circulated on social media. The original merit list doesnt feature these names. Somebody downloaded the merit list and edited it and then circulated it on social media. We have lodged a complaint with the police, said Debesh Roy, principal of Barasat Government College. Also read: Never met Sushant Singh, saw Rhea in 2017, claims Goa hotelier Gaurav Arya The Trinamool Congress students wing filed a separate complaint alleging that people with vested interests are trying to malign the college. This comes a day after Sunny Leones name topped the merit list of another Kolkata-based college. Asutosh College authorities too had lodged a complaint. Later the name of Sunny Leone also featured in the merit list of another college in South 24 Parganas. While Leone is a Bollywood actor, Khalifa is a former adult movie star. Daniel is an American adult movie star. Suspected MI5 agent Dennis McFadden met Sinn Fein members in a house in the heart of loyalist Carrickfergus where they exchanged party documents, Sunday Life can reveal. The Scotsman, who later allegedly infiltrated the New IRA, was a trusted party official embedded within the mainstream republican movement long before he aligned himself with dissidents. Sunday Life's investigation has uncovered this photo of McFadden who former associates says usually shied away from having pictures taken and wore hats or hoodies at events. Republican sources said that McFadden was the chairman of Sinn Fein's north and east Antrim comhairle ceantair (local group) and that security concerns raised about him within the party were ignored. They claimed that the 52-year-old was moving in republican circles for two decades before he was named in court last week as the agent at the heart of the MI5-led Operation Arbacia against the New IRA. A Sunday Life investigation found details of McFadden's bizarre journey through the republican movement. Although living in Carrickfergus and understood to have ex-British military friends, he was a regular visitor to Sinn Fein's main office on Belfast's Falls Road. He worked as a doorman at Mynt (formerly the Parliament Bar), one of Belfast's leading gay venues. It is understood that he met his current partner Christine, who is 16 years his junior, there. The couple and their young son left their Glengormley home in advance of the operation against the New IRA. In 2018 McFadden formed an Irish bars firm that was dissolved in January. He is understood to have previously worked in a bar in west Belfast and to have owned a fast-food outlet in the north of the city. In 2013 he was involved with the human rights organisation Justice Watch Ireland, which launched in a Belfast city centre hotel with leading English human rights lawyer Gareth Pierce and Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four as speakers. Expand Close Carrickfergus / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Carrickfergus McFadden is listed in Companies House documents as the organisation's secretary. A former Co Antrim Sinn Fein member told Sunday Life how he first met the suspected MI5 agent almost 20 years ago. "Our cumann was instructed to liaise with him by party HQ. We were told to bring documents to his home in Carrickfergus," he said. "I couldn't get my head around someone in the party living in a loyalist area. It made us all very nervous. The three of us in the car actually turned back the first time. "Dennis had considerable influence. He collected the money we raised from selling AP/RN (the Sinn Fein newspaper An Phoblacht/Republican News) and we had to run all statements by him. He was in everything bar the crib." The insider said he and others were later asked by the party to install a security gate and drop bars at McFadden's Carrickfergus home. "It was odd because Dennis seemed to have no fear living there. He parked his car on the street and didn't even hide the Sinn Fein literature in the back seat," he added. "I found his whole connection to the party to be really strange. I asked him why a Scottish person would choose to get so involved with us. He said his father was from Donegal, but I didn't buy that as a reason." The ex-activist became alarmed when McFadden began openly discussing joining the IRA with party members, so he went straight to Sinn Fein HQ and reported him for "a complete security breach". He spoke to a then senior party official, whose name is known by Sunday Life, and was told his concerns would be investigated. "But nothing happened so myself and other cumann members resigned en masse," our source said. The individual he spoke to later left Sinn Fein for a dissident group. Another former Co Antrim party member said: "I was dealing with Dennis in 2001. He claimed he had been a pilot with a particular airline. I knew someone who worked for the airline, so I had it checked out. They'd never heard of him. I challenged Dennis about it, but he made an excuse. I voiced my fears to the leadership. "We were trying to build our membership in north Antrim and Dennis was a disruptive figure because so many people didn't trust him. "He organised protests locally on drugs and other issues, but the police always appeared to have been wired in advance because they'd arrive before we did." murder A third former Sinn Fein member said he'd worked closely with McFadden when the suspected agent was chairperson of the north and east Antrim comhairle ceantair. He recalled gently quizzing the Glaswegian about his republican involvement and being told "nobody questions Pat Doherty about that". Doherty, then Sinn Fein's vice-president and West Tyrone MP, was a Scot whose parents were from Donegal. A west Belfast republican recalled how he had worked alongside McFadden as doorman at Mynt. "He was going out with a girl from Carrickfergus, but then he met another girl from Glengormley who was a good bit younger than him and he got together with her," he said. The source added that McFadden told him he was from a republican family near Bloody Foreland in the Donegal Gaeltacht. The suspected MI5 agent was very close to leading west Belfast republican Tony 'TC' Catney, who died of cancer in 2014. Catney was released from jail in 1990 after serving a 16-year sentence for murder. He became Sinn Fein's director of elections but left the party in 2005 and later joined the dissident Republican Network for Unity (RNU). McFadden attended a number of RNU meetings with Catney, whom a source said he "followed from one organisation to the next". The were also involved in the 1916 Societies. A Tyrone source told Sunday Life: "People here were very careful around him. When he attended political meetings, he would ask, 'Where are the real meetings taking place?' He was told these were the only meetings, there were no hidden ones." The source said that the New IRA was "repeatedly warned" about McFadden, who is believed to have been responsible for booking a rental property in Tyrone which was then bugged before it was used for a New IRA meeting. The republican added it was "mind-blowing" that dissident leadership figures who lived only a few miles away used a Scot based in Glengormley to arrange meeting places for them "virtually on their own doorstep". Catney helped form the New IRA in 2012. Republican sources said McFadden helped nurse him when he was ill and was "badly cut up" about his death. The Glaswegian served on the national executive of Saoradh, the paramilitary group's political wing, as a "resource officer". Sources said he "worked his way up" through involvement in the organisation's finances. They added he claimed to have a job as a safety inspector making venues abroad secure for big events, which kept him out of the country for periods of time. Insiders stressed that as a founder member of Justice Watch Ireland, which was set up to highlight alleged miscarriages of justice, McFadden had access to legal cases. He was also involved in the Justice for the Craigavon 2 Committee and was at one stage in charge of the group's website and social media. A source said: "Dennis was nondescript. He just blended into the background. He was always the person who offered to take photographs, but he didn't want to be in them. "There are some republicans with big egos on social media, always trying to up their profile. Dennis wasn't one of them. You'd have hardly noticed he was there." Sinn Fein was contacted for comment but did not respond. On August 21, 1920, two policemen, Sergeant Patrick Reilly and Constable John Haverty of Kill RIC Barracks, were killed in an ambush at Greenhills, Kill. Subsequently, Broughals public house in Kill was raided and looted by a party of Black and Tans, while another group burned the premises of Boushells Family Boot Maker and Leather Merchant at South Main Street, Naas. The Black and Tans reputation for brutality mainly arose out of their willingness to avenge the death of members of the crown forces by exacting reprisals on the civilian population. About ninety per cent of Black and Tan recruits had served in the British forces in World War I and were hardened by their experiences. They had no policing knowledge, except for two weeks of training at Gormanstown Camp, Co Dublin. Their reaction to a hostile civilian population had predictable results and in August 1920 the Black and Tans would bring terror to Co Kildare. Five days after the Kill ambush, at 7pm on August 26, twenty Black and Tans armed with rifles and revolvers arrived in Kill village by motor lorry. They stopped outside the Dew Drop Inn, which was directly across from Kill RIC Barracks the inquest into the death of Constable Haverty had been held in the Dew Drop. The Black and Tans entered the Inn and remained there for some time. Then two of the party, one in uniform and the other in civilian attire, proceeded from the Dew Drop Inn to Thomas Broughals nearby premises. The man in uniform was trailing a rifle after him, while the other held a revolver in his hand. Ellen Broughal (48), the wife of the owner, was behind the counter as the two Black and Tans entered the premises using foul language, one of them shouting What bastard killed the policeman. Will anyone kill one tonight? Approaching the counter, one of the Tans shouted: Get us two bloody pints of ale! Mrs Broughal provided the drinks and as she was leaving them on the counter the policeman with the revolver fired two shots into the ceiling. Leaving the two pints on the counter without payment, Ellen Broughal turned and ran out the door. The Tan who fired the shots shouted: Well blow up this bloody place tonight. Meanwhile the lorry had driven down to the Dew Drop Inn with the rest of the policemen and they began removing around three dozen bottles of whiskey, brandy and rum and a large quantity of bottled stout. Horse shot The Black and Tans then smashed all the remaining bottles, firing shots at some and breaking the rest on the floor. One policeman went outside where a mare, the property of Michael Delahunt, Blackhill, Kill, was standing at the door. He drew his revolver and shot the animal through the neck. (Michaels son Patrick Delahunt had taken part in the Greenhills ambush.) The Black and Tans, having consumed a quantity of drink, left the pub and departed in the lorry cheering and shouting. Not long after, another lorry load of Black and Tans arrived. Some of them entered Broughals premises and one drew a list of names written on a piece of paper from his pocket. He inquired from several men who had remained in the premises their name and when they gave the answer he compared it with the list and then said, Get out home. We dont want any of you. When the second group of raiders departed, the owner, Thomas Broughal, returned and closed his licensed premises. Thomas and Ellen Broughal left their accommodation, feeling it unsafe to remain. Between twelve and one oclock that night, two motor lorries of military and police arrived, and the house was systematically searched; a bed and bedding were thrown out into the yard. A local man John Abbott, who was returning home late that night, was severely assaulted by one of the raiding party. Several houses in the locality were also raided, including that of Peter Domican, whose two sons had taken part in the Greenhills ambush, and some republican items were taken away. When local police arrived the next morning to make inquiries, they found Broughals premises empty. That same night, August 26, two lorries with 10 Black and Tans in each arrived in Naas around 1am. They drove into the town from the Newbridge Road, turned into Basin Street and then drove onto Main Street. One lorry parked at Staples Dowlings public house on the corner of Basin Street while the other parked at the Town Hall. Fortunately, no inhabitants were on the street at the time, and any late pedestrian made it inside with speed. The Black and Tans dismounted from their lorries; a group of them went to the Town Hall, shook the outer gate and went away when there was no answer from the caretaker. A number of men knocked on the door of butcher Denis Patterson at 11 South Main Street but received no answer. (Several of his adult children were involved with the Irish Volunteers and Cumann na mBan.) Loud knocking was heard at the door of JJ Whytes newsagent at 18 South Main Street, and again there was no answer. Jimmy, Ned, Paddy and Mick Whyte were all members of the Irish Volunteers while their sister May was at one time commanding officer of Naas Cumann na mBan branch. People were woken by several single shots followed by a sustained firing for about 10 minutes from the Black and Tans who were in open formation across the street. Nobody ventured outside as they feared that an attack on the police barracks was in progress. The Black and Tans then turned their attention to Boushells Family Bootmaker and Leather Merchant across the street from Whytes, beside the Leinster Leader premises and next to the police barracks. There was the sound of smashing glass and the door was forced in. The shutters were removed by the Tans who also sprinkled petrol around the premises. Mills bombs were thrown in and shots discharged into the premises and flames shot up. One of the Tans shouted Fire! as the building went up in flames. At the time of the attack the building was occupied by the proprietor Ben Boushell and two of his sisters who were in bed asleep. The manager of the Leinster Leader, John James Devlin, was awakened by the explosion and found the premises next door aflame. The two ladies were so terror stricken that it was with difficulty that their brother got them downstairs to safety; they were lucky to escape unharmed through the back door and into the Leinster Leader yard. The sisters were in a state of undress and were taken across the street to Whytes premises where they remained for the night. The building was completely consumed by flames as the Black and Tans left around two oclock firing revolvers and rifles indiscriminately. One bullet entered the window of Mr James Dowling, UDC, at Barrack Gate, on the Newbridge Road next to the military barracks, and was found later in the shop. Shots were also fired over the military barracks. Throughout the period of the raid, the police in Naas RIC barracks remained indoors, believing that they were under attack. Shortly after the Black and Tans left, two Verey lights (flares) were fired from the police barracks and the towns inhabitants came out to try and stop the flames spreading to the nearby Leinster Leader offices. RIC Co Inspector Kerry Supple and RIC District Inspector Major Foley arrived from Naas Military Barracks, where they had quarters. Maj Foley and some men from the police barracks went to the Town Hall and returned with a water hose. In the meantime, several residents among them Town Hall caretaker John Rogers; Cllr Michael Fitzsimons; Paddy and John Grehan, local Sinn Feiners; Mick Cush, OC Naas IRA; William McCormack, Main Street; and James Tracey, of New Row had come out into the street to help. Three of those who also tried to extinguish the fire were ex-soldiers. The hose was brought into play on the burning building but despite their efforts, Boushells shop and everything within was destroyed. Leader saved Attention was successfully concentrated on saving the adjoining Leinster Leader building, from which the formes, paper, etc., ready for printing had to be removed. Cartridges, whiskey bottles and two RIC caps were later found in the street. On Friday morning nothing but the bare walls remained of Boushells shop. The building was not covered by insurance. Ben Boushell later claimed for 8,000, 4 shillings for the house and contents destroyed, while the Leinster Leader Ltd. claimed for 1,400 for the destruction of their property, namely the house occupied by Boushells. Thomas, John, Elizabeth, Kate and Anna Boushell all made small claims for personal belongings destroyed. The Boushells were not connected to any political organisation and none of the family had taken part in political matters so the reason for the arson attack was a mystery. Ellen Gaul, of Rathasker Road, great aunt of the author, recalled that the reason Boushells was burned was that the Black and Tans were looking for the home of Jimmy Whyte and acting on incorrect information torched Boushells by mistake. This was the general consensus for the reason for the attack. However, Peter Lawler, a prominent local republican, maintained that when a detachment of Black and Tans first arrived in Naas in March 1920, Ben Boushell cleared out his shop window leaving only two shoes in public view one shoe was black and the other tan! The Black and Tans probably did not forget this slight and torched Boushells at the first opportunity. It is also possible that they could not find Jimmy Whytes home and decided to burn the next best thing. Whatever the reason, the residents of Naas and Kill were luckier than many more throughout the country who suffered far greater at the hands of the Black and Tans. Twitter: @cilldara2016 Facebook: Kildare Decade of Commemorations YouTube: Kildare Decade of Commemorations An employee Hana Bank passes by a monitor in the dealing room of the bank's headquarters in central Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap By Anna J. Park The top 10 largest market cap companies' weight in the total KOSPI market cap has seen a massive increase, reflecting rapid industrial changes since the global pandemic has accelerated the Fourth Industrial Revolution as well as digital transformation. According to the Korea Exchange, the monthly average of top largest market cap companies' weight in the total KOSPI market during August accounted for 44.78 percent, which is about 11.27 percentage points increase from last August's 33.51 percent. The top 10 market cap companies' combined share increased to 39.34 percent at the end of last year, but it has risen to nearly 45 percent since May this year. When calculated with the top 15 largest companies' market cap, their weight exceeds over 50 percent of the total market cap of the KOSPI, meaning that the top 15 companies are valued higher than the over 700 other listed companies. Market watchers say one of the key reasons behind the top companies' increased market weight has to do with particularly bullish moves of the biopharmaceutical industry as well as IT-based digital and contactless companies against the backdrop of COVID-19. "IT companies based on contactless and digital business models received high valuations, in addition to their enhanced performances during the pandemic spread," said senior analyst Chung Myoung-ji at Samsung Securities. "Their stock prices went higher with their improved guidance, resulting in an increased concentration in the major companies' weight in the total market capitalization." The pandemic-led economic recession is also benefiting a small number of digital-based companies in their performances, as the market cap gap between companies increases. "Only a limited number of companies have a bright future outlook in their performances amid the pandemic-led downturn. It is obviously clear to see the differentiated paths between the industries with rosy outlooks and the sectors without such outlooks," said Lee Kyoung-soo, analyst at Hana Financial Investment. Currently, five companies Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Samsung Biologics, Naver and LG Chem have a market cap of over 50 trillion won ($43 billion). For a long time, Samsung Electronics was the only company with over 50 trillion won of market capitalization, and this year marks the first time that the other four companies' market caps exceeded the mark. Other market insiders point out that it is the result of retail investors' proactive participation in the stock market this year. "Now is the time when retail investors are much contributing to the rise of the KOSPI index," analyst Lee from Hana Financial Investment said. "Generally, foreign investors and institutional investors have a tendency of diversified investment in their portfolio management, while retail investors tend to more focus on high-performing blue-chip companies." Market data backs up such claims. The percentage of retail investors' weight in the stock transactions accounted for some 64 percent as of last week, a whopping 16.5 percentage points increase from last year's 47.5 percent. Some of the most purchased stocks of retail investors from mid-March up to last Friday include Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Naver, Kakao and Samsung SDI all within the top 10 market cap companies' list. Versiti Blood Center of Michigan is encouraging Michigan residents to make an appointment to donate life-saving blood in September. All blood types are needed, especially O-negative blood, which is the universal blood type given to patients in emergency situations and those undergoing surgery. A community blood drive is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 19 at Sanford Community Drive at Our Lady of Grace (St. Agnes site), 2500 W. River Road in Sanford. Joe Biden says he will never use the military 'as a prop or private militia' if he is elected Commander-in-Chief, accusing President Trump of employing U.S. forces to violate citizens' rights. The Democratic presidential nominee made the remarks during a virtual address to the National Guard Association's 142nd General Conference on Saturday. Speaking to the crowd from a remote location, Biden said he was alarmed that Trump had deployed federal forces to Chicago, Albuquerque and Portland amid periods of civil unrest. He also expressed concern about the language the President had used in regard to the National Guard. Back in June, Trump tweeted that governors should order their military reserve forces to 'dominate the streets' during unruly protests. 'We're so much better than this. You deserve so much better,' Biden stated on Saturday. Joe Biden says he will never use the military 'as a prop or private militia' if he is elected Commander-in-Chief, accusing President Trump of employing U.S. forces to violate citizens' rights Trump poses with National Guard troops in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Saturday. In his address, Joe Biden accused the President of using the troops as a 'prop' The former Vice President also promised to restore the separation between civilian and military powers which he called 'the bedrock principal of our republic.' 'It's been tested lately, but I promise you, as president, I'll never put you in the middle of politics or personal vendettas'. Biden also claimed his family were a 'National Guard family', and referenced the fact that his late son, Beau, had served in the Delaware Army National Guard. Biden's address came a day after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress that the armed forces will have no role in carrying out the election process or resolving a disputed vote. A demonstrator stares at a National Guard solider near the White House in Washington back in June. Biden says he was concerned about the language Trump used about deploying the National Guard to 'dominate the streets'. He also implied that Trump had politicized the reserve forces and strained the relationship between civilians and the military It was a sign of rising tensions on both sides as the president has declared that the expected surge in mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic will make the vote 'inaccurate and fraudulent.' Trump has also suggested he might not accept the election results if he loses. Biden has said he's 'absolutely convinced' the military would escort Trump from the White House if the incumbent lost but refused to leave. Also on Saturday, Biden's camp were outraged over the Trump administration's decision to end in-person election security briefings to Congress less than three months before Americans head to the polls. President Donald Trump said National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe made the decision because the administration 'got tired' of intelligence about election security leaking from Congress. 'They leaked the information ... and what's even worse, they leaked the wrong information and we got tired of it,' Trump told reporters while attending a briefing on Hurricane Laura in Orange, Texas. In a statement provided to MSNBC'S Kyle Griffin, Biden's rep admonished the President - particularly amid fears foreign adversaries could increase their meddling prior to the election. 'For his admin to constrain the info being provided to the peoples' representatives in Congress as this national security threat multipliesespecially given Donald Trump's unprecedented welcoming of these assaults on our democracy for his own gainis deeply alarming,' the Biden camp stated. Also on Saturday, Biden's camp were outraged over the Trump administration's decision to end in-person election security briefings less than three months before Americans head to the polls When I got my first apartment after college, I needed my mom to co-sign my lease. The landlord required proof that I made three times the rent, but since I wasnt making nearly enough, I called Mom to sign on that second dotted line. Then, in my mid-20s, when I bought my first condo, I needed a co-signer again. Once again, my mom was there for me. Now I'm almost 30, married, and expecting our first child. Both my husband and I are gainfully employed and have good credit histories, so you'd think we wouldn't need any parent co-signing for us to rent a home! But alas, we'd recently moved to New York City, where rents were so high, snagging a half-way decent apartment would require Mom to co-sign once again. What's going on? Would I need my mother to co-sign forever? Of course, I feel lucky to have a parent whos so supportive. But I cant help but think that theres something wrong with me, where I was choosing to live, or perhaps the housing system in general. So, I started looking into why co-signing is so often required, even in cases where it seems unnecessary. Heres what I learned, and some words of wisdom from experts that could help you get through the inconvenient (and embarrassing) cycle. Why co-signers are required What bothered me most about needing a co-signer was that I felt like I wasnt being taken seriously as a tenant. I had a good job and a college degree, why couldnt I be trusted to pay my rent? As it turns out, many people face this problem. While landlords may have differing requirements, the industry standard is that your take-home income must be three times what you pay in rent. So if you make $3,000 a month, your monthly rent should not exceed $1,000. But is this realistic with today's runaway rent prices? For instance, in 2013, as a fresh college graduate, I paid $1,600 a month for a one-bedroom, third-floor walk-up in Los Angeles. So based on the three-times rule, I should have been earning $4,800 a month, or $57,600 a year. A salary that size was an unattainable dream for me right out of college. Even though I had a great sales job and a minimum-wage side hustle, I was making only about twice the annual rent, or $40,000. And I was one of the lucky ones. The minimum wage in California is $12 an hour, but in 2013 it was $8. To afford a monthly rent of $1,600 in 2013, a minimum-wage worker would have needed to put in 150 hours a week. Is the three-times rent rule realistic? Because I needed a co-signer, I couldn't help but wonder about the three-times rent rule, and the reason for it. Did this mean I'd overextended myself? As it turns out, I had no reason for worry. With a monthly rent of $1,600, I had another $1,600 left for other expenses, and it was more than enough. So I started wondering: If twice my income worked just fine for my bills, why do landlords want proof that renters make three times their rent? The exact origins of the three-times rule is unknown, says Michael Dinich of Your Money Geek. Nonetheless, this rule has remained the industry standardfor renters and home buyers alike. Mortgage lenders have often used the guideline that housing costs should be no more than 30% of income," Dinich says. "The three-times rule is likely a handy approximation based on those old guidelines. This guideline may even contribute to younger generations' low rates of homeownership. The income of many people, particularly younger adults, has not kept up with home prices in many areas, says Andrew Lantham, managing editor of Super Money. "This is why millennials have lower homeownership rates than previous generations. Plus, experts say that most landlords (even the nice ones) dont necessarily care if people arent making as much money as they used to. They care more about finding a renter who will be able to pay their rent on time. And if that means sticking to the tried-and-true method of renting to those who can prove they have plenty of income to spare, or can at least get a co-signer, theyll do it. How I pay my rent without a co-signer today While it's tough for young renters and home buyers almost everywhere to cover their housing costs, it's even worse in New York City. Sure, my mom agreed to co-sign the lease, as always. Yet with a baby on the way, my husband and I decided that, rather than taking my mom up on her kind offer, I'd try to find an apartment with a rent that fell comfortably within the three-times rule. We started crossing things off our wish list. We moved our search from Manhattan to Brooklyn. We stopped looking at homes near subway stations and cute cafes and started touring apartments that were a bit farther out. In the end, we found a studio we liked, and the low rent didn't require a co-signer. The post Why I'm Grown-Up and Employed, but Still Need Mom to Co-Sign on My Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. By PTI BHOPAL: Eight people have been killed in rain-related incidents in Madhya Pradesh and efforts are currently underway to evacuate nearly 1,200 people stranded in 40 flooded villages of the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. In the last two days, over 7,000 people stranded in 454 villages of 12 districts were evacuated as heavy rains hit large parts of the state, Chouhan told reporters. "Eight people have died in wall collapses and swollen nullahs so far," Chouhan said after calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inform him about the situation in the state. Efforts were underway on a war-footing to evacuate 1,200 people stranded in 40 villages of the state, he said. As of now, 9,300 people are staying in 170 relief camps in the state, the chief minister said. "I informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the flood situation this morning. I spoke to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last night for help," he said. Three helicopters of the Indian Air Force have been pressed into service to airlift stranded people, he said, adding that they have asked for two more choppers. #MPRains | Madhya Pradesh CM #ShivrajSinghChouhan conducts an aerial survey of flood-hit districts even as over 7,000 people have been rescued so far.@anuraag_niebpl Express Video pic.twitter.com/fUNFPkHqF8 The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 30, 2020 The Army (a column of 70 personnel) is already working and has evacuated people from flood-affected areas in Hoshangabad. More columns of the military have been requisitioned, he said. Chouhan said there was some let up in the rainfall on Sunday, and the system causing showers has moved to western Madhya Pradesh. Heavy rainfall is expected in Indore, Ujjain, Shajapur, Ratlam, Dewas, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Mandsaur and Neemuch in next 24 hours. Following heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh, IAF helicopter is seen rescuing around 25 people from Somalbada village of Sehore district.#MPRains #MadhyaPradeshRains Read more:https://t.co/2iF0eG4JEv pic.twitter.com/qmwrrBMIRo The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 30, 2020 Authorities in these districts have been alerted, the chief minister said. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Bhopal centre's senior meteorologist PK Saha said a well marked low pressure area causing rains in the state has advanced over west Madhya Pradesh and (adjoining) eastern Rajasthan. It is likely to shift to Rajasthan by 7 pm or 8 pm, he added. Detective Superintendent Rob Critchlow said the man's family and a neighbour attempted CPR, followed by emergency officers, but he was severely injured and died at the scene. Fares Abounader, 39, was returning to his home on Wall Avenue, Panania, shortly before midnight after an evening of leisure when an unidentified assailant sprang from the darkness and fired several shots. Police are warning motorcycle gangs not to engage in tit-for-tat violence after a Comanchero associate was shot dead out the front of his family home on Saturday night in what is believed to have been a targeted kill. Mr Abounader was a former ally of former Comanchero leader Mick Hawi and faced jail time over an airport brawl between rival bikies in 2009 which led to the death of Hells Angel member Anthony Zervas. Meanwhile, Hawi was shot dead outside a gym in Rockdale in 2018. Two men are facing trial for the alleged murder. "The shooting was very calculated, very deliberate and quite brazen when you consider this was a nice suburban street and was out the front of a family home," Superintendent Critchlow said. "There may have been some changes in that recently, which we're still investigating, and there may have been some impacts from that, but the information to date doesn't point us in any particular direction. "Often these sorts of crimes result in tit-for-tat behaviour and we stress on anyone who's considering doing that to refrain because it will only make the situation worse." So many of our stories about nature are about testing ourselves against it, setting ourselves against it, defining our humanity against it, Helen Macdonald writes in her new book, Vesper Flights. In the 41 essays that make up this collection, the author seeks to tell another type of nature story, one that asks readers to see the natural world as something other than a reflection of themselves. Doing so, she believes, may just help us save it. A former historian of science, Macdonald is as captivated by the everyday (ants, birds nests) as she is by the extraordinary (glowworms, total solar eclipses), and her writing often closes the distance between the two. None of the books essays, many of which run for just a few pages, concerns only one thing. A piece given the evocative title Lost, But Catching Up opens with Macdonald sharing that shes allergic to horses, dogs and even reindeer. Indeed, the longer life goes on, the more I realise that most quadrupeds make me ill, she notes with dry amusement. The essays ultimate focus is on fox hunting, but it also explores loneliness and grief, which, as demonstrated in her best-selling 2014 memoir, H Is for Hawk, she writes about beautifully. Macdonald wrote many of these essays for the New York Times Magazine, New Statesman and other publications. Some are being published for the first time, as they were written for friends, for the joy of exploring a subject, for piecing together a story or investigating something that troubled or fascinated me. Her curiosity carries her around the globe. In Hungary, she welcomes the arrival of migrating Eurasian cranes, thousands of beating hearts and eyes and fragile frames of feather and bone. She watches peregrine falcons hunt in Ireland and views an evening migration of numerous bird species from the observation deck of the Empire State Building. In Chile, she follows an astrobiologist into deserts and on to volcanic sites in search of extremophile life, organisms similar to those that might live on Mars. Its not all high adventure. A trip to Australias Blue Mountains National Park leaves her feeling dejected and homesick. MacDonald unites ordinary nature with the extraordinary (Getty) Home is England, where Macdonald began life in an incubator as an exceedingly premature baby whose twin brother died at birth. She writes of being haunted by isolation, of feeling unaccountably upset, with a vague, disquieting sense of vertigo. The essays in Vesper Flights wrestle with that feeling, which can arise while Macdonald watches hares box in a wheat field beside a highway or while she forages for mushrooms in a Suffolk forest. Always, the author pushes through the gloom to look beyond herself, beyond all people, to rejoice in the complexity of things and to see what science has to show us: that we are living in an exquisitely complicated world that is not all about us. When that meadow disappeared, part of me disappeared, too, or rather, passed from existence into a memory that even now batters inside my chest The climate crisis shadows these essays. Macdonald is not, however, given to sounding dire, all-caps warnings. By now, all but those in deepest denial or hiding in the dimmest ideological corners understand that, as the author describes, we are already inside the apocalypse. But by choosing to act, to march and cry and mourn and sing and hope and fight for the world, she argues that we can envision a future with us in it. Even so, Macdonald is direct about the losses to come. Increasingly, knowing your surroundings, recognising the species of animals and plants around you, means opening yourself to constant grief, she writes. To love is to risk letting go, and with quiet heartbreak, Macdonald details things that have disappeared from her life, and from the planet: meadows that gave way to housing developments, ash and elm trees felled by disease, flycatchers that vanished after years of nesting near her home. Helens new book is a collection of 41 essays For all its elegiac sentences and grey moods, Vesper Flights is a book of tremendous purpose. Throughout these essays, Macdonald revisits the idea that as a writer it is her responsibility to take stock of whats happening to the natural world and to convey the value of the living things within it. The more people understand that the animals we share this planet with are creatures with their own needs, desires, emotions, lives, she writes, the more people become invested in these animals survival and the preservation of their habitats. Its enough, she emphasises, to care about other beings for their sake alone. Their loss is not about us, even though when that meadow disappeared, part of me disappeared, too, or rather, passed from existence into a memory that even now batters inside my chest, Macdonald writes. Look, I cant say to anyone. Look at the beauty here. Look at everything that is. I can only write about what it was. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald. Jonathan Cape. 16.99 The Washington Post Growing up, I always heard Christians recite the same mantra to non-believers: Believe and youll be saved. I dont disagree with that sentiment, but its easy to get so fixated on this drop that we ignore the ocean its in: The Bible. Its especially easy to ignore the Old Testament because Lamentations is depressing, Daniels visions are trippy and confusing, and Song of Solomon is really awkward. Heres the thing you and I forget 99% of the time: God chose what went in the Bible. So, the fact that the Old Testament exists means that God put it there intentionally. My tiny little human brain cant possibly wrap itself around the thought process of God. It can, however, come up with four things the Old Testament does for those who read it. 1. It Preserves and Passes on the History of God Saving His People Anyone who skims the Old Testament can see that despite being Gods chosen people, the Israelites made a lot of mistakes. Like, a lot. For example, despite seeing God plague Egypt (Exodus 7:14, Exodus 11:10), part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:1-22), and dump the aforementioned sea back on top of their persecutors (Exodus 14:23-31), the Israelites got antsy during Mosess time on Mount Sinai and thought to themselves, This God isnt the real deal. Lets worship a shiny cow instead (Exodus 32:1-5). This was neither the first nor the last of Israels blunders, and God made sure the Bibles authors didnt leave out a single one. But what does God do after the Israelites get it wrong yet again? He saves them. He saves them every single time. Without the Old Testament, you and I wouldnt know half of what God has done to save the Israelites our spiritual ancestors from themselves. We also wouldnt understand the theological or cultural roots the New Testament, in general, and the gospel, in particular, stemmed from. And where would we be if we didnt know the gospel? 2. It Shows That God Is Deeply Invested in Our Everyday Lives Before they came to the Promised Land, the Israelites didnt have a president, prime minister, or even a king. Israel had what us newfangled folk would call a theocracy. In a theocracy, the religion is the state and the state is the religion. This means that the laws laid out in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy werent just thou-shalts and thou-shalt-nots for private life; they were public law, in the same way, paying taxes and stopping at stop signs are the law. Who cares?, you ask, Leviticus is still boring. That may be true, but the fact that the Law of God was also the law of the land shows us something important: God didnt just want to see the Israelites on weekends and Passover. He wanted to be an integral part of their lives so that theyd flourish. This is true of God today: He wants to be with us when we eat our Cheerios, pay our electric bills, and fold the laundry thats been sitting in the dryer all week. Without the Old Testament, we wouldnt know that no detail is too small for our God to care about. 3. It Teaches Us How to Praise God When most Christians think of praise, they think of singing along to Hillsong covers in church. This is largely because the book of Psalms is an anthology of hymns and poetry and partly because singing happy songs on Sunday makes our hearts warm and fuzzy. Because most modern Christian worship comes from happy source material, believers forget that not all praise comes from a joyful place. Jobs love for God cost him everything, some of the psalms (e.g. 28, 38, and 88) are desperate cries for help, and Ecclesiastes is a mope-fest about how meaningless life is. Job, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes are quite different from each other, but they serve the same purpose: To acknowledge God as savior not in spite of hardship and suffering, but because of it. Without these less-than-cheery Old Testament writings, we wouldnt know that pain can and should be harnessed for praise. We would only be able to praise God when we were happy. 4. It Foretells the Coming of Christ God saving Israel, making Himself part of our lives, teaching us how to praise Him whats the point of it all? Why do we need a hodge-podge of facts, rules, and angsty poetry when we have the tried-and-true believe, and youll be saved? Because the Old Testament has something else going for it: Prophecies about Jesus. Isaiah 7:14 tells us Jesus will be called Immanuel, or god with us. The prophet Hosea marries a prostitute as a symbolic representation of Jesus love for the undeserving Church. And Daniel 7:13-14 predicts Jesus second coming. These prophecies and dozens of others gave Old-Testament Israelites something to hope for: An end to the covenant of law and the beginning of the covenant of grace. Modern-day Christians get something out of it, too: The realization that God spent millennia yes, millennia taking care of His family. Why Does This Matter? If you forget everything else about this article, remember this: The New Testament tells us about the reason for our hope, but the Old Testament tells us what God did to give that hope to us. The more of it we read, the more we understand and appreciate the lengths He has gone to for sinful, stubborn, silly people like us who dont deserve it. Sparrowstock Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 16:45:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Millions of Iranian Shiite Muslims held solemn mourning ceremonies nationwide on Sunday to mark Ashura Day. Ashura takes place on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Shiite Muslims commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was killed and buried in Karbala in 680 A.D. Despite a tradition every year to march in the streets and chant religious anthems, the mourners in the capital Tehran this year gathered in separate groups in local districts, holy shrines and private communities to observe the day. Iran's health authorities had called on mourners to wear masks and practice social distancing in a bid to take precautions about the possible spread of the disease. Many people also stayed at their homes and followed up with live feeds of funeral ceremonies on TV and internet. The authorities had also announced strict measures on distribution of food and drinks which people used to offer every Ashura as a sign of votives. In his earlier messages, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had urged the mourners to comply to the advice of health officials during Muharram rituals. Similar ceremonies were held in other Iranian cities and villages on Sunday where people stopped business and economic activities. The participants in processions beat chest as a display of their devotion to Imam Hussein. Enditem Actors Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor celebrated one year of their film Saaho by treating fans with their photos and a super cool song. Prabhas took to Instagram on Sunday and shared: To my diehard fans & team Saaho, thank you for all the love and support! #1YearOfSaaho." The post was accompanied by his monochromatic image in which he is looking chic in formal wear. He also shared a video of Bang bang song and wrote: Dear @ohhavemercy, Today, as we celebrate #1YearOfSaaho, I would like to give a shoutout to this super cool song Bang Bang made by you. A big thank you from me and team #Saaho." Shraddha also posted photos from the high octane action drama film and video of the super cool" song. Just after the release across India, the Sujeeth directorial was also released in Japan. Delhis prisons are the most crowded and violent in the country, according to data for the financial year 2019-20 released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which also shows the authorities here spent more on food, clothing and medical care of inmates than any other jail in India. According to the NCRB data, Delhi was on top of the chart with the highest prisoner occupancy in the country at 174.9% -- housing 7,508 more prisoners than its given capacity of 10,026. The total number of prisoners in Delhis jails on December 31, 2019 was 17,534. The data shows while Rajasthan has seven prisons for women, highest in the country, Delhi, with just two, has the highest number of women inmates at 629. The occupancy rate of Delhis women prisons was 97.07% as on December 31, 2019, the report says. Fifty-seven clashes between inmates were reported in Delhi jails last year in 2019, making it the countrys most violent prison. 92 prisoners were injured in these incidents, the highest in the country, the NCRB data shows. Sandeep Goel, director-general, Delhi prisons, said the number of clashes was high because each and every incident is reported. One reason is also that the jails are overcrowded. Recently, we had taken measures to decongest our jails. While 1,150 convicts were released temporarily to decongest jails in the wake of the pandemic, 2,900 undertrials were released on interim bail. A police housing complex with a capacity of 2,000 inmates was also converted into a temporary jail near Mandoli, he said. Sunil Gupta, who was the prisons only law officer for 35 years until his retirement in 2016, said the reason behind fights among the prisoners is that criminals in Delhi are divided into separate gangs and groups. At the time of their admission and jail allotment, it should be seen that an inmate is not put in the same jail where the members of his rival gangs are housed, he said. There are 14 central jails in Delhi and two for women. Expenses on food, medical care: According to the data, of the total expenditure incurred on inmates, Delhi prisons spent the highest on food and medical care -- Rs 18,620 was spent per prisoner on food and Rs 9,684 on medical care of each prisoner in the financial year 2019-20, the data shows. It shows Delhi prisons spent an average of Rs 5.70 on education and vocational training of each of its prisoners in the financial year 2019-2020 and Rs 62.73 on their clothing the whole year. Delhi prisons stood second when it came to the total expenditure of Rs 310.02 crore incurred on its inmates in the financial year 2019-2020. Uttar Pradesh was on top with a total expenditure of Rs 349.55 crore and Haryana was in third place with Rs 272.62 crore. The data shows Delhi prisons expenditure break-up was Rs 32.65 crore spent on food, Rs 11 lakh spent on prisoners clothing, 1 lakh on their education and Rs 16.98 crore on their health care. Director general Goel said the expenses on education was low because the expenses of those inmates who express interest in studying further are taken care of by the National Institute of Open Schooling and Indira Gandhi National Open University. They bear all the expenses related to education, he said. Goel said they have computers in every jail. NGOs visit our jails and help inmates learn. In Jail number 5, for inmates in the age group of 18-21 years, we have a school to engage them in activities that focus in transforming them, Goel said. Goel said medical expenses are high as they have an advanced medical facility available in jail for every prisoner. We have in every jail a dispensary with doctors round the clock. We have two hospitals in the Tihar complex and one in Mandoli. Apart from this, we have a pathology lab for basic diagnosis. If required, patients are referred to other hospitals, Goel said. Gupta said more than 80% of jails population comes from the lower economic strata, whose monthly income is less than Rs 8,000. About 40% of them are illiterate. Because IGNOU and NIOS take care of major expenses, the jail administration only teaches the illiterate prisoners who express interest in learning. Therefore the expenses incurred are minimal like those on basic stationery, he said. Another reason why the medical expenses are high was that most of the inmates from the lower economic backgrounds suffer from ailments such as tuberculosis, cancer and even AIDS, Gupta said . Delhi prisons has more than 100 doctors and para-medical staff. Their salaries and allowances form a major part of expenditure, Gupta said. Apart from these expenses, a sum of Rs 17 lakh was spent on welfare activities and Rs 260.12 crore on other services. These other expenses may include money spent on sanitation, hygiene, on transport facilities for the movement of prisoners during remand, trials, transfers and to hospital etc., the data says. A man charged over breaching hotel quarantine for a night out in Northbridge could become the first person in Western Australia under COVID detention to have an ankle tracking device fitted. The 53-year-old man was charged with failure to comply with a direction under the Emergency Management Act after heading to Hotel Northbridge on Friday just hours after landing in WA from Queensland. Police apprehended the man and placed him under 24-hour police guard in a hotel before laying the charge against him. He could face a fine of up to $50,000 and 12 months in prison. Your support helps Excelsio to keep delivering open content. A small contribution is so valuable for us. A man has been arrested after allegedly stealing a river bus from the Trinity Buoy Wharf in east London. Specialist marine officers were called at around 3am on Saturday morning after police received reports that a man had jumped over a security gate and stolen a Thames Clippers boat in the River Thames near Tower Bridge. Police said they used their blue lights to stop the vessel which slowed but did not come to a stop straight away. The marine officers eventually managed to board the river bus and take control of the Thames Clippers vessel. It was then taken to Canary Wharf dock where the Metropolitan Police arrested a man in his twenties on suspicion of burglary and theft. Uber teams with Thames Clippers for boat service A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said: "On Saturday August 29, at 3:10am, marine support units were called to reports that a man jumped over a security gate and stolen a Thames Clipper boat from Trinity Buoy Wharf. '"Marine support units intercepted the Clipper with the blue lights illuminated. The vessel slowed but did not come to a stop. "Marine officers boarded and took control of the vessel and it was taken to Canary Wharf dock." Police added that the man remains in custody and an investigation is ongoing. Thames Clippers told the MailOnline that it was unable to comment on the alleged theft due to the police investigation. A spokesperson said: "As this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment at this time." More than 4.3 million people use the River Thames for commuting and leisure trips each year on the Thames Clippers network, the company has said. Recently Uber revealed it was forming a new partnership with Thames Clippers to launch the service, Uber boat. The multi-year partnership will launch later this summer and see the riverboats branded as Uber Boats by Thames Clippers, though the service is fully operated by the riverboat service still. Kriti Sanon, who has been crusading for justice for Sushant Singh Rajput, has now put up a cryptic Instagram post about karma. Sharing a picture of an audio book of The Secret playing, she said that the kind of energy one emits is the same kind of energy they will receive in return. She added that someone who oozes negativity might find momentary calm, but they would never eventually be at peace. In her post, Kriti wrote, THINK , BELIEVE , MANIFEST. I believe in energy. The thoughts you think & the words you speak determine what you receive.. If you let out negativity and frustration, it might calm you for that moment, but youd never eventually be at peace.. In other words, you cant throw s**t all around and wonder why your life stinks.. So think positive and be kind because the energy you emit will bounce back at you ultimately. Make sure you emit what you would like to receive. Some call it the law of attraction. Some call it Karma. #yourecievewhatyouputout #spreadlove #MyMantra #audiobook, the post added. Also read: Kangana Ranaut says top actor tried to silence her because she knows secrets about his drug overdose Sushant died on June 14. Kriti, who was his close friend and Raabta co-star, has been seeking justice for him. She welcomed the Supreme Court (SC) verdict of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into his death, which she had been rallying for. She was also one of the select few from the film industry who attended his funeral. In a tweet after the SC order earlier this month, Kriti had written that the two months until the decision were extremely restless for her, but now, there was a ray of hope that the truth will finally come out. Last 2months have been extremely restless with everything being so blurry. Supreme Courts order to let the CBI investigate Sushants case is a ray of hope that the truth will finally shine. Lets all have faith, stop speculating & let the CBI do their work now! #CBIForSSR, she wrote on Twitter. Follow @htshowbiz for more Tripoli Power Struggle Prompts Egypt Visit by UN Special Libya Envoy By Edward Yeranian August 29, 2020 A week of protests in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and an apparent power struggle inside the National Unity Government that controls the west of the country have both the U.N. and regional power brokers Egypt and Turkey jockeying to resume stalled political talks inside the country. A popular protest movement in the Libyan capital of Tripoli is calling for a major government reshuffle to deal with the many crises facing the country. Public anger brought crowds into the streets again Saturday to decry poor government services, including lengthy electricity blackouts. U.N. Deputy Libya envoy Stephanie Williams met Saturday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo in a bid to jump-start political talks amid what appears to be a power struggle in Tripoli within the U.N.-backed National Unity Government. Analysts in Cairo say the talks are focusing on a joint call August 21 for a cease-fire by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj and parliament Speaker Aguilah Saleh. The proposal includes new elections in March. Public anger over government-backed militias firing at demonstrators in Tripoli during a week of protests prompted the governing "presidential council" to suspend Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, pending an investigation into the incidents. Arab media reported that Bashagha and the head of the presidential council, Khaled al Meshri, are now in the Turkish capital, Ankara, to discuss the deepening political crisis. Turkey supports rival factions inside the Tripoli government. Libya analyst Hassan Muftah told Arab media the power-struggle in Tripoli is "pitting militias from the capital, which support Sarraj, against militias from neighboring Misrata, which back Bashagha." Muftah claims that Turkey, which supports both sides, "is the big loser in the conflict." Rival militias have struggled for control of Tripoli since former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was killed in October of 2011. A separate struggle for control of the country pits eastern military commander General Khalifa Haftar against militias and armed forces that support the Sarraj government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A former porn star and two men face murder and accessory charges in the death of a 51-year-old man whose body was found buried in a shallow grave in Florida. Florida's Holmes County Sheriffs Office said Lauren Wambles, 23, her boyfriend William Shane Parker, 35, and Jeremie Odell Peters, 43, were arrested and charged in connection with the early July death of Raul Ambriz Guillen. Wambles performed in 31 adult movies under the name Aubrey Gold, between 2015 and 2018, when she apparently stopped filming pornography, WTVY reported. Guillen, of Gordon, Alabama, was reported missing around July 4 and was last seen at Peters' home in Graceville, Florida, along with Parker of Gordon, and Wambles, of Dothan, Alabama, according to ChipleyPaper.com. Former porn star Lauren Wambles, 23, faces a murder charge in the death of an Alabama man Wambles performed under the name Aubrey Gold (pictured) but appears to have stopped filming pornography in 2018 Police said they served out search warrants at Peters' home and another home and found evidence of a homicide at both locations. A search with cadaver dogs then led police to a location that appeared to be a grave site in northeastern Holmes County. Wambles and two other men face charges in the death of Raul Ambriz Guillen, 51, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Florida When Florida Department of Law Enforcement excavated the site, they found a man's body, which was later identified as Guillen. Guillen's daughter, Rosa Ambriz, who lives in Texas, had reported him missing. She told the Dothan Eagle in early August, when authorities were still searching for him, that she and her mother knew Guillen 'was in danger.' 'My father called my mother, his ex-wife, the day before he went missing and told my mother he was with people he believed to be dangerous, and he needed to get out of the situation,' Ambriz said. 'He asked my mother for money, but she had just moved, and her mind was focused on other things at the time. She just told my father he needed to get out of the situation he might be in for his safety.' William Shane Parker, 35 (left), and Jeremy Peters, 43 (right), were also charged in connection with Guillen's death. Police believe Parker shot Guillen Wambles (pictured) performed in 31 adult movies under the name Aubrey Gold, between 2015 and 2018, when she apparently stopped filming pornography The investigation into Guillen's disappearance and death started after a woman told the Jackson County Sheriff's Office she had been raped by Parker in May and, two months later, told them that she believed her roommate - Guillen - had been murdered, but was unable to confirm it, WDHN reported. The JCSO began investigating Guillen's disappearance, collaborating with the Houston County Sheriff's Office to follow potential leads, which lead to a break in the case indicating that Guillen had been killed in Holmes County, which then brought in the Holmes County Sheriffs Office. Holmes County Sheriff John Tate called it 'a very complex case.' 'Basically, what we learned is they had been working a missing persons case for a couple weeks, two or three weeks, and information had revealed that possibly the homicide had occurred in our county and also the body had been buried in our county,' Tate said during a press conference on August 26. Authorities believe that Parker shot Guillen at Peters' home. 'Its all about drugs and money,' Tate said of the suspected motive, according to WTVY. Wambles is now charged with being a principle to murder and is in Houston County Jail awaiting extradition to Holmes County. Her previous arrest record is said to include at least six arrest since 2018 and a drug possession charge with a November trial date. Parker is charged with an open count of murder. He is currently in the Jackson County Correctional Facility, awaiting extradition to Holmes County. Peters is charged with being an accessory after the fact and abuse of a corpse. He is in custody of the Holmes County Jail. Authorities said the investigation is still open and that there could be more arrests in the case. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) Two retired Supreme Court justices and a former foreign secretary are calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to assert the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling favoring the Philippines' victory on the West Philippine Sea. In a joint statement during the weekend, retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio, retired associate justice Conchita Carpio Morales (who has also served as Ombudsman), and former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario urged Duterte to raise the Hague ruling before the United Nations General Assembly, which is set to convene in New York on September 15. The trio said Duterte must use the remainder of his term to gain the support of the 193 UN member nations on the ruling of a Permanent Court of Arbitration-backed tribunal that upheld the Philippines' sovereign rights to its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and invalidated Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea. "President Duterte must raise the Arbitral Ruling at the UNGA this September as he will have just one more opportunity to gain the support of more countries next year in the same forum," their statement said. "If the Arbitral Ruling is raised this year, we are enabled to work multilaterally and bilaterally in preparation for UNGA 2021 when our chances will have significantly been improved," the said. They added that Filipinos must not waste the chance to be heard, having lost opportunities in the past by shelving the Arbitral Ruling since 2016. Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Taiwan also have claims in the South China Sea, but have previously expressed their own pushback against China. Morales, Carpio, and Del Rosario also slammed the previous remark of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. that there is no need to "re-litigate" the Philippines' case. "Bringing the Arbitral Ruling to the UNGA is not re-litigating the case. It is enforcing that we already won," they claimed, noting that the international law does not have a "world policeman." The Philippines has the strongest position among all nations to bring the South China Sea issue to the fore," they said. Locsin reiterated his stance in an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday and claimed that raising China's misdeeds before the UNGA could only trigger a reopening of the case which could be interpreted differently. "I can't afford to lose our arbitral award. I don't want to go down in history as the guy who lost it," he said. Locsin, however, said that he would recommend terminating government contracts with Chinese firms involved in building an artificial island in the disputed territory. The United States has blacklisted state-run companies and officials involved in the militarization of the South China Sea. Despite the ruling, China has continued with its island-building activities in features covering the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Motifworks continued sustained growth has earned its third recognition in Inc. magazines influential Inc. 5000 list. Inc. magazine today revealed that Motifworks is No. 1,491 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. It is an honor to be nominated for the third year in a row as one of Americas fastest-growing private companies. Motifworks sustained growth results from demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft and Azure technologies. Thank you to our clients, our employees, and everyone that has supported us over the years. During this challenging time, we are proud to be in an industry where technology allows people to overcome challenges ahead of them. As always, we will continue to help our customers achieve their cloud migration goals and continue their success. Nitin Agarwal, CEO, Motifworks Not only have the companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2020 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent and a median rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 18. The companies on this years Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism. The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2020. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation. About Motifworks At Motifworks, we are AZURESMART. We are one of the fastest-growing cloud solutions company and Microsoft Partner of the Year Finalist. We provide Cloud migration and modernization services to transform legacy IT infrastructure and applications, resulting in reduced cost by up to 40% and faster time to market. Our laser-sharp focus and expertise in leveraging the Microsoft Azure Cloud platform help you drive business value and expedite digital transformation. Motifworks simplifies your path to explore whats possible. Motifworks Microsoft Competencies and Credentials: Partner of the Year Finalist App Innovation AMP SPECIALIZATION WIN & SQL AMP SPECIALIZATION Modernization of Web Application CSP TIER 1 GOLD CLOUD PLATFORM GOLD APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT GOLD DATA ANALYTICS GOLD DATA PLATFORM SILVER SECURITY CONTACT: info@motifworks.com 443-424-2340 More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Methodology The 2020 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 09:45:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday stressed the need for an inclusive return to the political process in the country. "Libya is witnessing a dramatic turn of events that underlines the urgent need to return to a full and inclusive political process that will meet the aspirations of the Libyan people for representative government, dignity, and peace," the UN body said in a statement. It urged calm, the application of the rule of law and the preservation of the rights of all citizens to peacefully express their views. "Across Libya, UNSMIL is registering an increase in reports of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detention, restrictions placed on freedom of movement and expression, as well as on the right of peaceful assembly and protest," the mission said. The UNSMIL expressed concern about the excessive use of force in the capital Tripoli against demonstrators, as well as the arbitrary arrest of a number of civilians. The mission also voiced concern about reports of ongoing human rights violations and abuses in the city of Sirte, some 450 km east of Tripoli, which include killing of a civilian, the arbitrary arrest of several others, and the illegal forced entry into private properties. "The prolific use of hate speech and incitement to violence appears designed to further divide Libyans, increase polarization and tear at the country's social fabric at the expense of a Libyan-Libyan solution," the mission warned. Libya has been plagued by escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Enditem By Trend Military units of the armed forces of Armenia violated ceasefire 28 times throughout the day in various direction of the front, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Armenian armed forces, located in Mosesgekh village of Berd region and in Jil village of Chambarak region subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army located in Aghdam village of Tovuz region and on nameless hills in Gadabay region. The positions of Azerbaijan Army were also fired from the positions of Armenian military units located near the occupied Goyarkh, Chilaburt villages of Terter region, Marzili village of Aghdam region, Garakhanbayli, Horadiz villages of Fuzuli region, as well as from the positions located on nameless hills in Terter and Khojavend regions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on August 30 visited and extended greetings to leaders of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) on the occasion of the Vu Lan Festival 2020. On behalf of the Party and State, Binh wished VBS dignitaries, Buddhist monks, nuns and followers a happy and meaningful festival Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh presents a gift to Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Chairman of the VBS Executive Board, at the event The official stressed Vietnamese Buddhism has always remained side-by-side with the nation and become an indispensable part of its history. The humanitarian spirit of the event is suitable to the countrys tradition of worshiping ancestors and building sustainable traditional family values, he added. He took the occasion to thank the Buddhist community contributions to Vietnam, particularly their recent support for and engagement in the nations COVID-19 prevention and control. Welcoming the official, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Chairman of the VBS Executive Board, and Most Venerable Thich Duc Nghiep, Vice Supreme Patriarch of the VBS's Patronage Council, and dignitaries in Vinh Nghiem Pagoda thanked the attention from and favourable conditions offered by the Party and State toward the VBS and the Buddhist communities in Vietnam and overseas. The Buddist official added that in the coming time, the VBS will continue promoting its patriotism and bond with the nation, while guiding the community to follow the Governments direction for COVID-19 prevention and control. The Vu Lan festival falls on the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. VNA The largest newspaper publishing company in Atlantic Canada, Saltwire Network, has its sites back online after a widespread server issue Sunday morning. Saltwire Network owns newspapers throughout the region including the Chronicle Herald and Cape Breton Post in Nova Scotia, The Guardian in P.E.I., the St. John's Telegram in Newfoundland, and the Sackville Tribune-Post in New Brunswick. On Sunday, websites across the network, in all four Atlantic provinces, were offline. By 3 p.m. Sunday, most were back online. "A process that updates 'certificates' failed to run this morning causing an error," Ian Scott, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Saltwire Network, told CBC News in an email. CNN is reporting an internet service, Cloudflare, that keeps websites up and running is down, affecting dozens of other websites. But Scott said it's unclear if the Saltwire server issues are related to that. Brooklyn Currie/CBC MORE TOP STORIES The Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffo Abronye has condemned recent political attacks in Ghana describing it as sad in Ghanas political space. He disclosed this at Nkrankwanta when the mortal remains of slain NPP supporter Kofi Lavert a.k.a Kofi Stephen who was shot and killed during the new voters registration exercise was laid to rest at Nkrankwanta today. Autopsy was reportedly performed on his body and authorities at Dormaa Government Hospital blamed the death on police stray bullet. Kofi Lavert was killed whilst two others suffered various injuries after some supporters the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Nkrankwanta laid ambush on supporters of the New Patriotic Party in the area. The Member of Parliament for Dormaa West constituency, Ali Maiga Halidu who first confirmed the incident accused the NDC of busing thugs from Ahafo Region to intimidate members of the NPP in the constituency. He accused the alleged NDC thugs of burning a pick up car, motorcycles, and vandalizing the partys office. However, speaking to the media at the final funeral service of the late Kofi Lavert, Chairman Kwame Baffoe Abronye called for calm on the rank and file of his party in the face of unprovoked attacks on supporters in the constituency adding that the party will match the opposition NDC Holigans squarely going into the general elections. Present at the funeral service were the Majority Chief Whip and MP for Sunyani East Hon Ameyaw Cheremeh, MP's Caucus Chairman for Bono also Aviation Minister and MP for Jaman South Hon Yaw Afful, Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Benjamin Sekyere MP and Deputy Minister for Ahafo, Kofi Ofosu Boateng Regional Secretary and his regional executives, Parliamentary candidate for Dormaa East Paul Twum Barimah, Municipal and District Chief Executives for Dormaa East, Central and West Constituencies, Constituency executives and party sympathisers in the region. Source: peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video CHADRON Fire officials from the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands are urging visitors to help prevent wildfires. This year, the forest has had a total of 11 fires. Four were human caused fires and seven were lightning caused. Currently, fire danger in all areas of the forest are rated Very High. The wildland fire support community of the NNFG said in a press release that the Labor Day holiday brings many visitors onto public lands. Forest Service officials are asking all forest visitors be considerate and practice fire prevention: Know before you go on that camping trip. Fire restrictions may be in place. Target shooting and use of power equipment can spark a wildfire. If you do have a campfire, keep it small, never leave it unattended, and put it out completely before you leave. Remember that fireworks and exploding targets are not allowed on National Forest system lands, so leave them home. NOTE: The Press Council has not upheld a complaint about this article. Read the full adjudication here. Senior executives at the scandal-plagued insurer icare appeared in a promotional video that spruiked a US-based software product it had bought that was delivered late and had cost blowouts. Icare awarded contracts worth $98 million to software company Guidewire to develop icare's new bespoke billing and claims management platform for its workers compensation scheme, which covers more than 3 million workers in NSW and hundreds of thousands of employers. The project is estimated to have cost $360 million and included Guidewire, technology firm Capgemini and a string of consultants and contractors. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaks during a news briefing in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on July 31, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Second Stimulus Remains at a Standstill, White House Chief of Staff Says White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Aug. 30 said the Trump administration is sticking to a $1.3 trillion stimulus offer to Democrats as talks remain at an impasse. Were not going to negotiate here because the speakers been very clear, Meadows said on Meet the Press, noting that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is blocking the measure. President Donald Trump said late last week that hes willing to sign a $1.3 trillion relief bill, which is a $300 billion increase from Republicans initial $1 trillion HEALS Act that was proposed in July. In May, House Democrats passed the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act, although Pelosi and other Democrats said they have proposed a $1 trillion cut to that. We brought up a number. I had a conversation with Speaker Pelosi. And even on her $2.2 trillion counteroffer, she cant tell the American people nor me what is in that, Meadows said. She puts forth a number, suggests that she came down, and yet shes willing to turn down $1.3 trillion of help that goes to the American people because she would rather them have nothing than to give way on what her fantasy might be. The $1.3 trillion package would include funding for child care, schools, and hospitals at levels [Pelosi] would agree with, Meadows said. He said the package could pass the Senate. That would require Sen. [Chuck] Schumer, as you know, anything in the Senate requires both Democrats and Republicans, he said. But Speaker Pelosi, if she worked with Chuck Schumer, I can tell you all of those things that I just mentioned are available for the American people, and Speaker Pelosi is saying no. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks to media at the Capitol in Washington on Dec. 19, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) The negotiations broke down several weeks ago after daily discussions between Schumer, Pelosi, Meadows, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The biggest sticking points were expanded federal unemployment benefits as well as state and local government funding. On Aug. 28, Pelosi accused the GOP of not being unified. The Democrats are unified, but the Republicans are in disarray, she said, while claiming Senate Republicans have come down to $500 billion in his proposal and that Mark Meadows is saying that the White House might go to $1.3 trillion. Neither of these proposals would meet the needs of American workers and families, she said. Both the House and the Senate are expected to reconvene in September. Should a pandemic relief bill be passed, it would likely be in late September or early October before stimulus payments, expanded unemployment payments, and small-business loans are sent out. The bill is intended to curb potential economic losses incurred during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. The snow-capped Kangrinboqe Mountain, known as Mt. Kailash in the West, is shown June 16, 2007 in Purang County of Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Kangrinboqe, meaning holy Mountain in Tibetan, is the summit of Gangdise Mountains with an altitude around 6,638 meters (21,778 feet) above sea-level. (China Photos/Getty Images) China Builds Missile Site at Sacred Lake Revered by Hundreds of Millions in India The Chinese regime has set up a surface-to-air missile site on the banks of a sacred lake, according to Indian media, which claims the installation is a desecration of a religious site revered by hundreds of millions in India. China started in April to build military infrastructure near a lake thats part of the sacred Kailash-Mansarovar site. India Today reported on Aug. 22 that construction is complete, and the pilgrimage site resembles a battle zone with heavy military presence. Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, popularly known as the Kailash-Mansarovar site is revered by four religions and is linked to culture, folklore, and spiritual scriptures in India. The Hindus revere it as the seat of Shiva and his consort Parvati. The Tibetan Buddhists call the mountain Kang Rimpoche, the Precious One of Glacial Snow, and consider it as the abode of Demchog and his consort, Dorje Phagmo. The Jains calls the mountain Astapada and believe it to be the place where the first of their 24 spiritual masters achieved liberation. The Bons, adherents of the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet, call the mountain Tise and consider it the dwelling place of the sky goddess, Sipaimen. Experts said that placing a missile at the sacred site, which is also the origin of four transnational riversIndus, Brahmaputra, Sutlej, and Karnali, a major tributary of the Gangesmenaces India, which has refused to back down against Chinese aggression on its western border. In my view, first and foremost, it is a continuation of the Chinese, CCP provocation against the Republic of India, which we are seeing all along from the LAC [line of actual control] in Ladakh to the eastern and middle sector bordering areas with India, Priyajit Debsarkar, author and a geopolitical analyst with the London based think tank Bridge India, told The Epoch Times in an email. India and China have been involved in various border skirmishes on the disputed border in Ladakh and Sikkim since May, the latest flare-up of a decades-long border conflict. One of these skirmishes turned bloody on June 15, with 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers killed. Since then, despite various high-level talks, the two countries havent been able to resolve their conflict and their bilateral ties have worsened amid accusations by both sides. This move, of deploying a surface-to-air missile in Tibet, should not surprise us. It is pure authoritarian brinkmanship and provocation to India, which has refused to back down against Chinese threats and aggressive aggression, Debsarkar said. A google map of the vicinity of the Lake Mansarovar. The red spot is the approximate location Indian media identifies China has set up a surface-to-air medium-range ballistic missile. (Google maps) Symbolism Aparna Pande, a research fellow and the director of the Washington-based Hudson Institutes Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia, told The Epoch Times over the phone that the Chinese regime doesnt care about religion or culture. We have to bear in mind that the Chinese dont care about Christianity. They dont care about any of the ancient Chinese practices. They believe religion is the opium of the masses, and the only ideology they care about is their form of communism, Pande said, adding examples of whats happening with Uyghurs and Falun Gong practitioners inside China. They dont care about symbols and symbolism except those that are tied to the Chinese Communist Party, added Pande. Harsh Pant, a New Delhi-based strategic analyst with the Observer Research Foundation told The Epoch Times in a written message that China erecting military infrastructure at Kailash-Mansarovar will only intensify anti-China sentiment within India. The fact that this happens to be one of the most sacred religious sites for the Hindus is also indicative of the disdain Beijing has for Indian sentiments, said Pant. This is only going to accentuate tensions in an already troubled relationship and will not only make Indian public even more antagonistic to China but will also make Indian policymakers even more determined to stand up to China, he added. The sacred trek called the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, which happens between June and mid-September and is conducted under the patronage of the Indian External Affairs Ministry, was canceled this year due to COVID-19, according to Times of India. Religious faithful pray at the snow-capped Kangrinboqe Mountain, known as Mt. Kailash in the West, June 16, 2007, in Purang County of Tibet Autonomous Region, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) Might Is Right Girish Kant Pandey, professor of defense studies at the Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University in Raipur in Central India told The Epoch Times over the phone that the missile base at Kailash-Mansarovar is a part of Chinas greater militarization of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). The missile mounted near Kailash-Mansarovar is called DF-21. Its a medium-range, 2,200 kilometers [about 1,367 miles] ballistic missile. Its advantage is that it can cover all cities of north India, including New Delhi, said Pandey. Pandey said that the Chinese regime is converting TAR into a military zone, and from 2006 to 2010, it undertook 180 strategic projects that it didnt show in its defense budget. These projects include building four large airstrips, 14 small airstrips, and 17 radar stations on the IndiaChina frontier from east to west, he said. To the Chinese regime, the Kailash-Mansarovar is not a sacred site but a strategically located mountain, and the Himalayas are a hindrance to their expansionist agenda, Pande added. For them, Himalayas is not a mountain chain which is sacred, which is cultural, which is historic for them, it is an impediment that is coming in their path of trying to create an empire that is extended into South Asia. So they have always tried to conquer the Himalayas. They have never tried to live in peace with the Himalayas, Pande said, adding that the Chinese also want to show off that they have everything thats needed to be present in such a strategic location. Might is Right. We can do it. We have the power, the will to do it and so well do it, said Pande while explaining the CCP behavior. She said the Chinese regime has already placed missiles aiming at Japan, Taiwan, Australia, United States, and the ASEAN countries. From their point of view, its also important to now start placing missiles in the areas where they can target India and the Indian Ocean region. So Kailash-Mansarovar helps with that, said Pande. Religious faithful hike around the snow-capped Kangrinboqe Mountain, known as Mt. Kailash in the West, June 15, 2007 in Purang County of Tibet Autonomous Region, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) Countering a Road Debsarkar said another reason to put a missile at the sacred site is to counter India recently building a road to a Himalayan pass of strategic value. He believes the missile site is meant to threaten India because it has constructed a road up to Lipulekh. Indias objective is however to facilitate our pilgrimage visiting Kailash, by making it much easier especially its dangerous to cross the preexisting treacherous path, Debsarkar said. The Chinese establishment is against the massive road construction across the IndoChina border. Lipulekh is a Himalayan pass; the road was inaugurated by Indias Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on May 8. The 50-mile, 17,000-foot-high road, which hasnt been completed, according to India Express, became an issue of contention between India and Nepal. Indian experts believe that the ruling Nepalese Communist Party at Chinas behest protested against the road, claiming the territory on which it was built. Indias Army Chief General M.M. Naravane said then that there is reason to believe that Nepals objection to the road inaugurated by Singh was at the behest of someone else, hinting at China. CLARKSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio A Medina man died early Sunday after crashing his motorcycle in Huron County. Raymond J. Orbas Jr., 55, was pronounced dead at Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk, according to a news release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Orbas was riding his motorcycle about 12:55 a.m. eastbound on Ohio Route 18, the release says. He failed to follow a right curve in the road, instead traveling off the left side of the road and into a ditch. Orbas was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, the release states. Neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be factors in the crash, authorities said. The crash investigation is ongoing. Read more on cleveland.com: Crash on Clevelands East Side leaves three women critically injured, police say Cleveland police respond to five shootings in less than 3 hours on citys East Side Cleveland woman shot to death in apartment building parking lot, police say An incident in the west Toronto neighbourhood of Oakwood-Vaughan that started with a man jumping on a car ended with four police officers taken to hospital and two arrests Saturday night. Some officers were already in the area of Oakwood Avenue and Eglinton Avenue West for crowd control at a peaceful, all-day demonstration Bana on the Block, in support of local Black-owned businesses when the unrelated incident occurred, police said. There was a protest earlier in the day and it was about 25 to 30 people, and then at 8 p.m. it all of a sudden became unruly, Toronto police Const. Laura Brabant said. At 7:55 p.m., a man jumped on a car, then down onto the street and an altercation with police occurred. The man was Tasered and arrested. He jumped down from the car and was hit and Tased by the police, said Deja Williams, who witnessed and recorded the scene. Then a bystander tried to help him by trying to get the police off of him ... Things escalated quickly. The bystander was also arrested, police said. Seven officers in all were treated for injuries, including a female officer who was punched in the face and assessed for a concussion, Brabant said. Cellphone video shared widely on social media showed a heavy police presence at the time of the incident, which some witnesses said was uncalled for. Why did they need 50 cop cars for one man? said a woman who attended the demonstration and requested anonymity in order to speak freely Police said the presence was heavier than earlier in the day because the crowd became unruly, a term Brabant said covers situations such as not giving police enough space, yelling or intervening with an arrest or investigation. Margaryta Ignatenko is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @MargarytaIgnat1 Public Health Wales in direct appeal to young people after several confirmed cases connected to TUI Flight from Zante to Cardiff This article is old - Published: Sunday, Aug 30th, 2020 Younger people are subject to a new appeal from Public Health Wales, who are reminding them even if they feel that they would not be badly affected by COVID-19 if they were to test positive for it, if they were to pass it on to older or more vulnerable family members, friends or colleagues it could be extremely serious, even fatal. Wrexham saw one new case again in todays figures, with Wales as a whole up by 56 new confirmed cases. In the last two weeks Wrexham has seen 18 new cases, out of 371 new cases in Wales. On Friday the Health Minister warned after a cluster of positive covid cases was found in Wales caused by holidaymakers not quarantining on their return, later linked to the Merthyr Tydfil area. Today Dr Giri Shankar, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: Cardiff and Vale Test Trace Protect and Public Health Wales have identified at least seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 from three different parties who were infectious on TUI Flight 6215 from Zante to Cardiff on 25 August. As a result, we are advising that all passengers on this flight are considered close contacts and must self-isolate. These passengers will be contacted shortly, but meanwhile, they must self-isolate at home as they may become infectious, even without developing symptoms. Anyone with symptoms should book a test without delay. Our investigations into a number of cases of Coronavirus have indicated that a lack of social distancing, in particular by a minority of the 20-30 year age group, has resulted in the spread of the virus to other groups of people. I would make a direct appeal to young people to remember that even if they feel that they would not be badly affected by COVID-19 if they were to test positive for it, if they were to pass it on to older or more vulnerable family members, friends or colleagues it could be extremely serious, even fatal. Its important to follow quarantine rules when returning from abroad. Yes, it might be boring, and yes, you may feel well, but theres a risk youll spread the virus to family and friends who are older and more vulnerable. Self-isolating saves lives. pic.twitter.com/Ciu2IXArBj Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) August 30, 2020 Dr Shankar added, Despite the lower infection rates in Wales, Coronavirus has not gone away. It remains the responsibility of everyone to help prevent the spread of this virus, that is, by self-isolating when asked to do so, staying two metres away from others, and by washing hands regularly. Particularly over this Bank Holiday weekend, we are also issuing a reminder to everyone of the importance of social distancing to keep everyone in Wales safe. Public Health Wales reminds the public that if you have recently travelled outside the UK there may be restrictions on your return. Advice on travelling abroad, including the latest information on quarantine requirements on returning home, can be found on the Welsh Government and FCO websites. Anyone returning to Wales from countries which have been identified as high risk must quarantine in accordance with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regulations even if they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have had a negative test result. Anyone with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 infection a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss of smell or taste (anosmia) must self-isolate and seek an urgent test. Confirmed cases must isolate for 10 days, with members of their household isolating for 14 days until the risk of passing on further infection has gone. Combined, these simple but effective actions will ensure the virus does not spread. ALTON An Alton Police officer was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital early Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle during a police pursuit. According to Alton Police Chief Jason Simmons at about 1:45 a.m. Saturday, an Alton Police officer came upon two vehicles driving very fast on Oakland Avenue. He suspected them of speeding or drag racing and pursued them Simmons said one of the vehicles went into a ditch and the officer continued pursuing the other vehicle. The pursuit continued, reaching Washington Avenue where near the intersection with Sanford Avenue two Alton Police officers deployed a spike strip with a series of spikes designed to disabled a vehicle by causing flat tires. The suspects vehicle swerved to avoid the spike strip, Simmons said. At the last minute the officer was able to jump out of the path of the vehicle, but was hit and serverely injured by its frot bumper. Simmons said the other officers placed a tourniquet on the injured police officers leg and an ARCH Air Medical Services Inc. helicopter was summoned to transport the officer to a St. Louis hospital. The officers name was not available Saturday morning; Simmons said the officer summoned very serious but not life-threatening injuries in the incident. According to Simmons, police continued to pursue the vehicle into Missouri. It was later recovered, unoccupied, in Missouri near Parker Road and Interstate 367. Illinois State Police accident reconstructionists were at the accident site early Saturday, documenting the area where the Alton Police officer was struck. Police closed Washington Avenue in both directions from the time of the incident until after dawn to conduct their investigation. Simmons said investigation into the incident continues with leads into who may have been in the car that struck the Alton Police officer. I think that arrests are imminent, Simmons said. For the past three decades, Vietnam has known only good -- or great -- economic news. The nation's consistent growth as an exporter, propelled by Communist leaders who began embracing market-oriented policies in the late 1980s, pushed many into the middle class. The coronavirus pandemic changed all that. With garment companies seeing orders slashed and other sectors hit with sudden export declines, Vietnam's workers are enduring the downside of being tethered to the global economy. The economic slowdown in the U.S. and other markets Vietnam depends on for growth is being felt on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, as well as in villages and tourist centers. Le Thi Hoa, who sells pineapple and mango slices outside Ho Chi Minh City's Ben Thanh Market in the heart of the commercial hub, is among those wondering where the good times have gone. "Now people don't go out," said Hoa, 55, wearing a face mask and sitting on a plastic chair next to fruit baskets in front of a closed seafood restaurant. "I can only sell about a third of what I did before the epidemic." Vietnam has been one of globalization's stars, transforming itself from a largely agricultural economy to a manufacturing powerhouse within the span of a few decades. With exports equivalent to the size of its GDP, Vietnam has seen its economy grow as fast at 7.02% in 2019. Now it's bracing for the slowest growth in two decades, of 2.4% this year. During the second quarter, it expanded by just 0.36% from a year earlier. "Vietnam has experienced a tsunami of good news over the past 30 years," said Ralf Matthaes, managing director of Infocus Mekong Research, who has lived in the country since 1994. "This is the first time since joining the global economic community two decades ago that Vietnam is experiencing a significant economic downturn." The abrupt slump highlights the sweep of the epidemic's financial fallout and how even countries that have been relatively successful in containing the virus are unable to avoid its economic afflictions. Such economies won't be able to return to business as usual until the rest of the world does. "It's likely to be quite bumpy," said Sian Fenner, a Singapore-based economist at Oxford Economics, which forecasts an 8% contraction in global trade for 2020. "Countries that are export-oriented will remain vulnerable." In April, Vietnam's exports plummeted 14% from a year earlier, followed by a drop of 12.4% in May as global commerce came to a standstill, according to the Department of Vietnam Customs. For the seven months through July, exports rose just 1.5% compared with 8% in the same period last year. Vietnam's leaders, though, show no signs of reversing economic course after signing more than a dozen trade agreements in recent years and making the nation a magnet for foreign investment. The government, grappling with an outbreak in the coastal city of Danang that has spread to 14 provinces and cities, has garnered international respect for its virus containment. Until July 31, the country hadn't reported a single infection death. It confirmed 1,029 virus cases and 28 deaths as of Aug. 26 as officials employ tough anti-virus measures, while allowing manufacturing businesses to stay open. Though Vietnam is in better shape than other economies in Asia, where the virus has been far more deadly and disruptive, its reliance on foreign markets and a growing tourism industry have given its residents a lesson in global volatility. In recent years, Vietnam has become a key cog in the global supply chain. It has opened factories for companies including Intel Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., as well as solar panel makers and garment producers. Vietnam's exports in 2019 reached $264.3 billion -- a fourfold jump since 2008. Average annual salaries rose from $1,154 to about $2,800 in that period, according to government data. The pace of Vietnam's shipments to the U.S., its largest market representing about 23% of exports in 2019, slowed in the first half of 2020 compared with the same period last year. The government reported a 14.6% increase in exports to the U.S., about half the rate of shipment growth in 2019. Many of the sectors that have been hard hit, such as garments and textiles, employ millions of low-skilled workers. Samsung's Vietnam unit, whose electronics products represented about 20% of the country's total exports last year, revised its 2020 exports forecast to $45.5 billion, a $13.5 billion drop from 2019, according to the industry and trade ministry. Meanwhile, the tourism industry, which represents about 9% of the economy, had a 55.4% revenue drop during the first seven months of the year. Given the pounding to the manufacturing and hospitality industries, almost a third of the population -- 31 million workers -- endured a financial fallout during the second quarter. Consumers kept more money in their wallets during the second quarter, becoming the world's most avid savers and ranking job security as the top concern, according to Nielsen Vietnam. Still, their historic optimism could lead to a relatively quick return to normal consumption once the pandemic ends, said Nguyen Anh Dzung, head of retail measurement services. With millions of assembly-line employees out of work, some local governments worry about the potential for social unrest, said Fred Burke, managing partner at the Baker McKenzie law firm in Ho Chi Minh City. He recalled that Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung recently pleaded with Vietnam Business Forum members not to fire their workers but to hold on to them as long as they could. Given the disruptions, consumer confidence is at its lowest point in 25 years, according to Infocus Mekong Research. Two-thirds of Vietnamese residents are deferring or deciding not to make big purchases. And 63% of Vietnamese are considering taking out loans as they seek financial lifeboats, the research firm said. "Everyone is saving and we don't go out so much," said Bui Viet Nam, a 34-year-old executive with a Ho Chi Minh City garment manufacturer. "Incomes are going down and people are thinking about ways to earn more money through selling things online or getting a second part-time job. It's a new world." Residents of the Nyingari Community in the East Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region have asked the authorities to provide them with potable water as they depend on a stream for domestic use and other purposes. The community has only one borehole, which has a low water table, making residents to enjoy its benefits only during the rainy season. The situation has compelled the more than 800 residents to share the stream with animals, with their plight worsening during the dry season. At a social auditing forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Naa Abdul-Karim Bugbila Tia, the Chief of Nyingari, said residents were suffering and they would be grateful if the Assembly constructed a borehole for them, at an area with high water table, to reduce the water crisis. The forum had funding support from the European Union as part of the implementation of the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme. The community, through the NCCE support, formed a seven-member social auditing implementation committee to work towards addressing the challenge. The engagement brought together representatives from the East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Police Service, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and residents to demand accountability from duty-bearers and deepen citizens participation in local governance. Mr Wilberforce Zangina, the Acting North East NCCE Regional Director, said the forum was a development mechanism to rekindle the self-help spirit in community members, sensitise them to be active participants in local governance, and promote community ownership of development projects. Basic principles that must exist in democratic governance includes citizens participation, equality, equity, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, human rights and rule of law, he said. Mr Zangina said it was time for communities to undertake development initiatives, mobilise resources and seek technical advice from the district assemblies for proper execution. That would ensure sustenance of projects, promote accountability and enhance good governance, he added. 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 As members of Missoulas environmental and conservation community, we believe achieving climate and environmental justice requires addressing inequities and injustices within our communities. In recent months, the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted these inequities and injustices and challenged communities across the country to rethink and reimagine our concept of community health and safety. This year's budget process is an opportunity to reallocate money away from services that promote a punitive form of justice toward programs and services that seek to uplift and empower all community members, and we urge Mayor Engen and Missoulas City Council to rise to the occasion. To that end, we support the request made by 1700 for Liberation for the city to reallocate the proposed additional $633,000 away from the Missoula Police Departments budget to health and housing needs, including: The Affordable Housing Trust Fund Housing navigators Emergency housing Additional funding for the mobile crisis response team Substance use treatment services and support Black Lives Matter uprisings across the country have jolted many in our community awake to the pervasive racism that undergirds many of our institutions, including American policing. Many community members do not have to contend with the ugly side of policing because they grew up white or with other societally privileged identities. Its irrelevant whether we have had overwhelmingly positive experiences with the police, as Mayor Engen commented in a July city council meeting. Instead, we must listen to the experiences of BIPOC community members whove been harassed, threatened, incarcerated or injured by the MPD. These experiences tell us our current policing system is effectively criminalizing skin color. Rather than growing a safe community that is resilient in the face of racism and violence, the proposed budget seeks to empower police to address problems for which they are ill-suited. Since 2010, the MPDs yearly budget has grown from $10.7 million to a proposed $19 million for 2021; calls to the police have not grown proportionally. In fact, Police Chief Jaeson White stated violent crime is at its lowest rate in the past three to five years. Instead, theres been a 10.7% increase in behavioral health calls from 2018-2019. In addition to behavioral health calls, a significant number of calls directly relate to homelessness, which disproportionately affects BIPOC in Missoula. In response, MPD has requested $134,297 for a new police officer explicitly "due to increased challenges related to our homeless and transient population" in the Missoula Downtown Business Improvement District. Despite the MPDs proposal to have a Master of Social Work student accompany the new officer, we dont believe policing is the answer to our housing crisis. Instead, imagine if we stopped policing homelessness and invested in the proposed Mobile Crisis Response Team that "seeks to promote a common sense, first response to crisis calls that will reduce the need for law enforcement." Or imagine if we reallocated that money toward two additional housing navigators who could serve up to 100 additional clients annually. Imagine if we reallocated $663,000 toward the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, increasing the fund by 36%. Imagine if we had invested an additional $8.3 million into housing and policing alternatives over the past ten years instead of the MPD. Missoula City Council and Mayor Engen, we ask you to imagine a system of public health and safety built on equity and compassion affirming that Black lives, Indigenous lives and the lives of all people of color matter. We urge you to focus more squarely on meeting the needs of all community members as the threats our community faces, from coronavirus to the climate crisis, turn up the pressure. We urge you to invest in our community, not in policing. This opinion is signed by the following members of the local environment and conservation community in support of 1700 for Liberation's city budget requests: Eliot Thompson, Caitlin Piserchia, Caroline Lauer, Winona Bateman, Marta Meengs, John Lund, Summer Nelson, Daniel Carlino, Devin Jacaruso, Leticia Romero, Melody Hollar, Robbie Liben, Susie Clarion, Steve McArthur, Bill Geer, Janet Lyon, Salim Matt Gras, Jim Roach, Len Broberg and Peter McDonough. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The newly-elected mayor of Metz, Francois Grosdidier, has already adopted a different position to his predecessor on the role of the Grand Duchy in the Greater Region. Former mayor Dominique Gros viewed Luxembourg as draining Metz and the surrounding area of their workforce and talents, to the extent that he brought the subject before the Council of Europe in Strasbourg last October. Gros blamed Luxembourg's tax competitiveness on the general deterioration of the border region's economic fabric. Grosdidier, however, told RTL 5Minutes he disagreed with his predecessor. He acknowledged there were some in Metz who criticised the Grand Duchy, accusing it of "poaching" qualified employees from regional businesses, or taking income tax which could benefit the region instead. Grosdidier refuted these claims and said Luxembourg should not cause jealousy among Metz residents. He explained that given an unemployment rate of 10% in the Moselle region, he welcomed the fact that 100,000 inhabitants were able to find employment in Luxembourg. The new mayor, who assumed office in July 2020, will have the opportunity to compare his vision to that of new Nancy mayor, Mathieu Klein, in a video soon to be broadcast by our colleagues at RTL 5minutes. MARYVILLE Working families and teachers may see lower back-to-school shopping costs next year under a measure introduced by State Sen. Rachelle Crowe. Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) filed Senate Bill 4008, which would create a tax holiday on clothes and school supplies starting with the 2021-2022 school year. As a nod to our working parents, guardians and teachers in Illinois, lowering the tax rate on school supplies is one less burden when preparing for the academic year, Crowe said. It is my hope by instituting a tax holiday, we can help relieve families and educators of some financial costs in order to prepare students for success. The measure would impose a lower tax rate on clothes and school supplies from 6.25% down to 1.25%. Illinois last promoted this initiative in 2010. To offer more opportunities for savings, Sen. Crowe is pushing for the holiday to last from Aug. 6 through Aug. 8, 2021, as well as Aug. 13 through Aug. 15, 2021. Every year, Missouri holds a Tax Free Weekend on school supplies, and historically Metro East families living near the border travel across the river to take advantage of the lower costs. By lowering the tax rate to be competitive with Missouri, we can give residents one more reason to shop local, Crowe said. We need to do whatever we can to support small businesses in our communities. This includes efforts to acquire the Motor Sich engine producer. The United States has raised with Ukraine the issue of "malign" Chinese investment in the country. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brough up the issue as he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone on August 26, the State Department's spokesperson Morgan Ortagus reported. Read alsoUkraine prepares to snub China in aerospace deal with U.S. help Forbes"Secretary Pompeo raised U.S. concerns regarding malign PRC [People Republic of China] investment in Ukraine, including Beijing's efforts to acquire the Motor Sich engine manufacturer," says the readout, released on August 29. Motor Sich acquisition and U.S. reaction: background Motor Sich is one of the world's leading manufacturers of engines for the aviation industry. After it abandoned its role of a traditional supplier to Russian aviation, it ended up at the epicenter of an international diplomatic spat since in 2017 the Chinese Skyrizon Aircraft Holdings Limited took over 41% of the capital and then sealed the majority. The shares were frozen in 2017 pending an investigation by Ukraine's security service (SBU). On August 25, 2019, PR Director of OJSC Motor Sich Anatoliy Malysh announced that China's Skyrizon and Xinwei Group had already applied to the Antimonopoly Committee for the approval of the deal to acquire over 50% of Motor Sich's shares. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources in the U.S. administration, reported that the United States was trying to prevent the Chinese company from buying the Ukrainian Motor Sich plant, as this would significantly boost China's defense positions. Read alsoU.S. hopes Ukraine's Motor Sich not be sold to ChinaOn August 28, 2019, the then-U.S. presidential adviser John Bolton said in Kyiv about risks of selling part of the Ukrainian Motor Sich to the Chinese side. According to him, China is playing a dishonest game in the United States and is stealing military technology. It was reported that Erik Prince, a private security contractor and informal adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, is in discussions to purchase a Ukrainian aerospace asset, Motor Sich. A Kyiv court in April 2020 rejected an appeal by Chinese investors to unfreeze Motor Sich's shares. In August 2020, Ukrainian privately-owned conglomerate DCH said it had signed an agreement to buy a 25% stake in Motor Sich from Chinese investor Skyrizon Aircraft Holding Limited. The DCH deal needs approval from Ukraine's national regulator, the State Antimonopoly Committee. In late July, the son of Vyacheslav Boguslayev, who had long been at the helm of Motor Sich, acquired the Gallinara island in Italy's Liguria for over EUR 10 million. Turkey's Vice President Fuat Oktay Saturday urged the European Union to adopt a fair and just stance regarding the dispute between Turkey and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Oktay said: "Turkey expects the EU to deliver a just stance, no one should expect Ankara to take a step back based on its rights." Oktay further asked: "If Greece's attempts to expand its territorial waters isn't a cause for war, then what is?" stressing that the country "will protect its rights regarding every cubic meter of the Eastern Mediterranean no matter what." Tensions have been running high for weeks in the Eastern Mediterranean as both Turkey and Greece have been conducting military maneuvers in the area. "It is insincere for the EU to call for dialogue on the one hand and make other plans on the other regarding the activities we carry out in our own continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean," Oktay also said on his Twitter account. He added: "We (Turkey) are well aware of the language of peace and diplomacy, but we will not hesitate to do what is necessary when it comes to protecting the rights and interests of Turkey. France and Greece are among those who know this best." Greece disputed Turkey's current energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, trying to box in Turkish maritime territory based on small islands near the Turkish coast. Turkey the country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean has sent out drillships to explore energy reserves on its continental shelf. The country has been firm in declaring that Ankara and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have rights in the region. Ankara earlier said energy resources near the island of Cyprus must be shared fairly between the TRNC which has issued Turkish state oil company Turkish Petroleum a license and the Greek Cypriot administration. Mangaluru, Aug 30 : Karnataka's ruling BJP president and the party's Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel has been admitted to a private hospital here after testing positive for the coronavirus, an official said on Sunday. "Kateel is in a private hospital in the city on a doctor's advice for treatment after testing positive for Covid-19. He is asymptomatic," the party official told IANS. Mangaluru is a port city on the west coast about 360km from Bengaluru in the southern state. "Though I have no symptoms, my Covid test has come positive. I have got admitted to a hospital on doctor's advice. I will recover fast with all your blessings and good wishes," tweeted Kateel in Kannada. The three-time lawmaker also advised all who came in contact with him recently to undergo a Covid test and isolate at their home. State Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar, said he was saddened to know that Kateel tested positive for Covid. "I pray to god that he recovers fast and get back to work," Sudhakar tweeted. Earlier in the day, state's mining baron and former BJP Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy tested Covid positive and was admitted to a private hospital for treatment in Bengaluru. "Reddy is in a private hospital for treatment after he tested positive for corona virus on Saturday as he was not feeling well. As he is asymptomatic, he is responding to the treatment," a party official told IANS. Confirming that Reddy tested positive for the infection, state Health Minister B. Sriramulu said he would pray to god for his best friend's speedy recovery. Incidentally, Reddy, 53, was to visit Bellary on Sunday to attend the last rites of Sriramulu's mother after the Supreme Court on August 27 allowed him to travel to his home town from Bengaluru for 2 days. Bellary is about 330km northwest of Bengaluru in the southern state. In a related development, former Congress legislator Munirathna has also been admitted in a private hospital in Bengaluru after he tested positive on Saturday. Munirathna, 57, joined the ruling BJP in November 2019 after he defected from the Congress following his disqualification for revolting against the party. He resigned from the RR Nagar assembly segment in the city's northwest suburb. Former Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) minister H.D. Revanna and Congress state unit president D. K. Shivakumar are in separate private hospitals in the city for treatment after they both tested positive for the virus on August 27 and August 25. Scores of politicians, including state Chief Minister B.S Yediyurappa, opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah, state cabinet ministers S.T. Somashekar, Anand Singh and C.T. Ravi, Lok Sabha members, MLAs and MLCs tested positive and recovered from the infection during the last 2 months,/Eom/465 words. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay this morning urged employees to return to offices next week amid reports the government is set to scale back the campaign to get millions back to their desks. Mr Barclay said the Government was 'keen' for people to stop working from home where possible. The comments followed conflicting signals on the issue from Cabinet ministers in recent days. He told Times Radio: 'We are keen to get people back in the office. We think that's best for the economy to get back to normal as part of our recovery. 'The whole purpose of the furlough scheme has been to retain that link between the employee and their business. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Barclay arrives at the Cabinet Office, Whitehall, London, in March this year 'Obviously, people coming back as the furlough scheme starts to unwind, back into the workplace in a more active way. 'So, we are keen to see that take place. Clearly, these are conversations that businesses will be having with their staff.' It comes amid reports the government is rowing back on plans to launch a campaign to get workers back into the office, as reported by The Sunday Telegraph. Ministers are understood to be concerned that a lot of people commuting again combined thousands of children going back to school could cause a spike in infections. A government source told the newspaper that the priority remains getting children back to school. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he had 'absolutely no idea' how many people in his department are currently working from home. In comments interpreted by some as out of step with the Government's message, Mr Hancock said: 'What I care about is how effectively people work and obviously people should come back to the office if that is what they need to do their job.' People hanging around Cabot Square in Canary Wharf with One Canada Square building in the background. The city's financial district is still quiet Mr Barclay defended a Government ad campaign encouraging a return to workplaces. He said: 'It's part of a wider comms message really which is we need to ensure that work places are Covid safe, that businesses take the necessary measures.' Mr Barclay said he did not accept union concerns that the Government and universities could be risking public health by going ahead with plans to fully reopen campuses. He said: 'I don't agree with that. 'I think universities, like the rest of the economy, need to come back and I think students need to be able to do so.' Mr Barclay's push for a return to work environments coincided with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson urging parents in England to send their children to reopened schools from Tuesday. In an open letter to parents, Mr Williamson acknowledged that some may have concerns about their children attending school in England for the first time since March. He insisted that schools are safe, detailing measures which have been put in place to minimise infection, while reassuring parents that the health risk posed to children by Covid-19 is 'extremely low'. The Education Secretary said: 'If a child is not in school, they stand to lose far more than just a few months of learning. It could well put a huge dent in their future life chances.' TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said companies should be obliged to publish their coronavirus risk assessments as the Government wants employees to return to work. She told Times Radio: "Sadly there are some cowboys out there and that's one of the reasons why we were arguing with Government: require companies to publish those health and safety risk assessments so staff and the whole community can see for ourselves whether employers are taking this seriously. "Now the Government has said it would expect employers to publish their health and safety risk assessments. Frankly, very few have. I think it's time that the Government said, 'That's not just a request, that's a requirement'." ORANGE - President Donald Trumps stopover in East Texas was more rally than recovery following Hurricane Laura, just days after a dozen people died and hundreds of thousands lost power from the category 4 storm. The path was a little bit lucky, Trump said, echoing earlier comments from state and local leaders when Texas dodged the brunt of Lauras wreckage, which ravaged parts of Louisiana the president visited earlier in the day. He marveled at the storms power, a fury known all-too-well to Gulf Coast residents. You had trees ripped from the roots, Trump said. You had pine trees broken in half, and you dont see that kind of power. Trump only saw Orange damage from the air or the motorcade, instead spending 90 minutes on the ground touring the Orange County Exposition Center where state police and county emergency management officials waited out the storm. The building, also the countys emergency operations center built after damage following Hurricanes Rita and Ike, can resist winds of 250 mph. Wow, 250 mph, Trump said. Thats great. Rather than recite the damage, the president, Gov. Greg Abbott, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and other leaders spent most of Trumps time lauding their swift response and readiness for the storm that didnt quite pack the expected punch. Ive been in this seat for 10 years, we have never had this fast a response, state emergency management director Nim Kidd said. The most significant damage this side of the border was in Orange County and concentrated in Orange city limits, near the Sabine River and north on Texas 87. High winds toppled trees which brought power lines down with them, while some metal and brick buildings buckled in the heavy storm. Saturday, utility crews were fanned out in Orange erecting new poles to replace those splintered by the storm. Well be back in a few days, I hope, John Samuelson said of his house which, like others in the vicinity, remains cut off. Samuelson, 77, and his wife are living in Beaumont with her brother. At the peak of power outages, Abbott said 350,000 customers in Texas were without power. By Saturday afternoon, slightly more than two days after the winds died down, he said 120,000 remained in the dark. Of those evacuated by bus from the storm, 808 have returned. Across Texas and Louisiana, Trump said emergency and recovery officials have delivered 400,000 liters of water and 250,000 meals to address needs in the community. State officials cheered Trumps fast approval of a disaster declaration in affected counties, while local officials cheered the cooperation and guidance they received from the state. We are getting good at something we dont want to be good at, Orange County Judge John Gothia said. Officials also used Trumps attention to tout planned protections along coastal Texas, namely a $4 billion levee spine system meant to expand local storm barriers into Jefferson and Orange counties. Cruz, a champion of the plans, called it critical to protect petrochemical interests and homes in East Texas. Three separate levee projects will create 25 new miles of coastal barriers with 30 gauges tied into the broader flood and surge control system. Collectively those projects will protect 100,000 people, said Gen. Christopher Beck, commander of the southwestern division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Approved projects by the Corps of Engineers also allow for studying of a protection system in the Houston area. Trump expressed interest in the projects, but joked he wanted assurances of their effectiveness. It will work right. We are not going to build it and say Oops it sprung a leak, he said. Orange is friendly turf for Trump, who won with nearly 80 percent of the vote in 2016. All of Orange Countys elected officials are Republican. As a result the president felt free to veer into other political topics, criticizing the mayor of Portland, Ore., and the ongoing protests. Trump said if asked he would deploy the National Guard. We could clear out Portland in 45 minutes, the president said. Trumps Orange visit, while welcomed, barely registered with some residents and workers focused on rebuilding the town. Are they gonna help fix my roof? Tom Reynolds asked, standing in front of his home that took a hit from a tree. I dont mean any disrespect, but this doesnt seem like the time to talk politics. dug.begley@chron.com President Donald Trump said he would support a female president in the U.S. but suggested that his daughter Ivanka Trump would be a better fit for the job than vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Trump told supporters that Harris is 'not competent' enough to be the Democrats' bet as vice president at his campaign rally on Friday night. Hindustan Times noted that, as he said this claim, some of his supporters screamed Ivanka's name, which Trump noticed. "They're all saying, 'We want Ivanka.' I don't blame you," he said. Harris, 55, was hoping to be president until she dropped out of the race last year because of lack of popular support. She returned to political limelight after Democratic presidential bid Joe Biden picked her as running mate. Trump Pokes Fun at Harris' Failed 2020 Run Speaking to the crowd, Trump made fun of Harris' failed "run." He said she was not the kind of woman who could make history as the country's first female president, a Business Insider report said. Trump said Harris started of her campaign "sort of strong." "She's one of the favorites," he even noted. But things didn't look up for the better for Harris, as Trump noted. In a period of a few months, Harris's numbers went down, he said. Trump also pointed out the Harris dropped from the presidential race because "she wouldn't have gotten any votes." He believed that Harris could emerge as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate in 2024, to which he believed Harris would do a terrible job, said an NDTV report. Trump stressed that he did want to see the first female in the country's top job. But he said he didn't "want to see the first woman president get into the position the way [Harris] would do it," said a report from The Daily Beast. Harris was born to a Jamaican father and an Indian mother. She is the first Indian-American and first Black woman to have been picked by a major American political party for the leading ticket. This campaign-rally is the first one Trump held after formally accepting his nomination at the Republican Convention on Thursday. Trump Fresh from Convention to Persuade Females The attacks on Harris came a day after the President wrapped up the Republican National Convention. In it, he had a large portion of the program dedicated to convincing female voters. In the program, counselor Kellyanne Conway expressed how grateful she was that Trump helped in "elevating women." A large portion also focused on convincing voters that he has worked on behalf of Black Americans. It was a move to hopefully recover from the President's history of sexist and racist comments, said a CNNreport. Hours before Trump delivered his acceptance speech at the RNC, Harris alleged that his policies were "a reckless disregard" for the dangers posed by a pandemic. Harris claimed Trump failed as his top job as president: to protect the American people. She was the California attorney general and also served as a district attorney in San Francisco. Check these out! Trump Formally Nominated for 2020 Race at Republican Convention Republican Convention Airs Naturalization Ceremony for 5 New US Citizens Trump Announces $750 Million Deal With Abbott Labs for Rapid COVID-19 Tests Estonian Americans Support Belarus More photos here. Estonian Americans in several communities came out to show their support for the ongoing fight for democracy in Belarus. Socially-distanced, COVID-aware rallies have been held across the U.S. in recent weeks as outrage over disputed elections and demand for change continue in Minsk and beyond. In addition to Washington, DC, Estonian communities supported events in New York City and Lakewood, NJ. The Estonian American National Councils (EANC) Washington, DC Director, Karin Shuey, offered supportive remarks at two events in the nations capital. On August 23rd, over 200 supporters of Belarus gathered at the Embassy of Lithuania and then created a Baltic Way-like human chain stretching toward the Embassy of Belarus, about a mile away. The participants stood in solidarity with a chain organized in Lithuania, dubbed Freedom Way, taking place at the same time, that stretched from Vilnius to the countrys border with Belarus. According to euronews.com, 50,000 people took part in that event. The Baltic Ways anniversary date was chosen intentionally as a symbol of hope that freedom will flourish in Belarus as it did in the Baltic nations. The Freedom Way DC event was organized by the local Lithuanian and Belarusian communities, with high-level leadership by Ambassadors Kurt Volker (former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations) and John Herbst (former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine). Other notable participants included Ambassador Daniel Fried (former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and Ambassador to Poland), Ian Brzezinski (former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO Policy), and Damon Wilson (Former Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council). On August 12th, a rally was organized by Belarusian community leaders on Black Lives Matter Plaza. It was attended by over 100 Belarusian Americans and friends of Belarus. At both events, Karin represented EANC, the Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC), and the Central and East European Coalition (CEEC). She stressed that Belarus is not alone in its fight for democracy. EANC, JBANC, and the other member organizations of the CEEC represent over 20 million American voters with heritage from those parts of Europe and make regular contact with Congressional offices to raise awareness of issues important to our communities. Supporting freedom in Belarus is currently at the top of the CEECs list. Belarus is at a pivotal moment in its history, similar to where many European nations were in 1989, and Americans with roots in those nations want democracy in Belarus to succeed. JBANC and the CEEC issued statements that are posted at jbanc.org and ceecoalition.us. EANC will continue to advocate for new elections in Belarus and sanctions against those who participated in election fraud or human rights violations. We thank all who have taken part in rallies and advocacy on Belaruss behalf. ! Zyvie Bielarus'! Karin Shuey Washington, DC Director Estonian American National Council www.estosite.org - A Nigerian stylist Toyin Lawani has described the late Chadwick Boseman as her son's superhero - The mother of two shared a video of him crying uncontrollably over the death of the actor - Toyin said that her son lived for the Black Panther actor A Nigerian stylist named Toyin Lawani's son, Tenor, is one of the many fans and followers of Hollywood actor Chadwick Boseman who were hit by his sudden death. The celebrity stylist shared a video of her son crying uncontrollably over the death of the actor. READ ALSO: Perfect for bedsitter: Kenyans applaud innovative fundi who crafted convertible bed Toyin Lawani's son cries uncontrollably over Chadwick Boseman's death. Source: @tiannahsplaceempire Source: UGC READ ALSO: Francis Atwoli, wife Mary Kilobi enjoy much needed time away in Masai Mara The celebrity stylist shared photos of herself with her son in a superhero outfit and posing as Chadwick to commemorate the death of the actor. Reacting to the comments, she shared a video of her son crying uncontrollably. In the video, one could see that the fashionista was in her son's room. A photo of her son dressed as a superhero was spotted on the wall just beside his bed. According to Lawani, Chadwick is her son's superhero. She noted that her son has been crying since he heard the news of his death. "My son loved this guy, lived for this guy, thats his hero. please lets mourn him in peace. He was my son's superhero, he inspired @thereallordmaine to be greater. please be with us in prayer, my son is so down," she wrote. READ ALSO: Comedienne Mammito leaves fans thirsty with eye-catching bikini photo READ ALSO: Nameless shows off his exquisite sitting room as he complains of daughter Nyakio's visitors The Hollywood actor died from colon cancer after a four-year battle with the disease. Popularly known for his role in Black Panther, the actor stood as a hero in the heart of many people across the world including children. TUKO.co.ke earlier reported that Barack Obama joined the world in mourning the Wakanda king who died aged 43 through a touching message on social media. READ ALSO: Mt Kenya kuchukua wadhifa wa Waziri Mkuu, asema David Murathe READ ALSO: Aubameyang hints at staying at Arsenal after Community Shield win Obama posted a throwback photo of the Black Panther actor in White House while he was still in office and revealed the star went there to work with some kids. The former POTUS said he knew right away Chadwick was a blessed young man with too much potential. 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. My children are not a curse - Judy Kemuma | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke David Blaine is postponing his big balloon stunt and moving his attempt from New Jersey and New York to Arizona. Blaine made the last-minute change to his Ascension stunt this weekend. The illusionist was supposed to attempt to float over the Hudson River from New Jersey to New York while attached to helium balloons, like the house in the 2009 animated movie Up. As some of you already know, Im working on the most exciting project of my life, which is called Ascension, Blaine, 47, shared in a video Sunday that he filmed in Arizona. The idea is I wanna grab a bunch of balloons and go floating all the way up into the sky until I almost disappear, he said. Ive been working diligently on this with the best team in the world, but because of the complexity of this project, Im not going forward with my plans to do New York City at this time. But the good news is this groundbreaking R&D flight will be done for the first time right here in Arizona, which is the most beautiful backdrop that Ive ever seen in my life. #DavidBlaineAscension is beyond anything that I couldve imagined. Its also really complex so it will now take place in Arizona. I'm hoping to ascend in a few days, so set a reminder to get notified when I take off. https://t.co/bVy2WU5kvM pic.twitter.com/JY3p2iQZeZ David Blaine (@davidblaine) August 30, 2020 Blaine said he was hoping to launch Sept. 1 or 2 (Tuesday or Wednesday), but that everything is wind-dependent. He directed fans to look for updates on his YouTube channel. YouTube was originally set to air the stunt live Monday. The event page now lists a start time of 9 a.m. Sept. 1. Blaine was born in Brooklyn and lived in Little Falls when he was a teen, attending Passaic Valley Regional High School. He was formerly a magician-in-residence at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. We wont be doing this in my hometown, Blaine told the New York Post of the planned 18,000-foot ascension using 52 weather balloons filled with helium. Blaine described the project as R&D research and development because the Federal Aviation Administration has apparently deigned to classify it as such. The illusionist, who plans to use a parachute to come back down to Earth, told the outlet that he hadnt seen the Oscar-winning movie Up in which the hero, balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, uses a mass of balloons to set his house aloft until recently. Magician David Blaine is attempting his first stunt in nearly a decade.David Livingston | Getty Images He said he was inspired to pursue the balloon flight after seeing the 1956 French film The Red Balloon (Le Ballon Rouge) as a child. James Corden offered a sendup of Blaines Hudson River attempt on a recent episode of The Late Late Show, clutching balloons to jump from the rooftop of the CBS building in Los Angeles with disastrous results. Blaine participated in the little roast, which saw Corden dress like Fredricksen from Up thick glasses included. For previous stunts, Blaine was buried in a box for seven days in 1999. He also stood on a block of ice in Times Square in 2000 for 63 hours and on a 22-foot-high pillar for several days without food in 2012 as Tesla coils directed one million volts of electricity at the magician, who wore a conducting suit to prevent the current from going through his body. In preparing for Ascension, Blaine has been sharing updates on social media in which hes talked about guarding against hypothermia and hypoxia caused by a lack of oxygen from floating too high. Its my dream, he said. Grabbing a bunch of balloons and just lifting off. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a coronavirus tip here. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called on Donald Trump to help him "lower the temperature" of the rhetoric and raw political emotions that have fuelled the violence that has gripped several cities in the US in the wake of police shootings this summer. Mr Biden delivered a lengthy statement on Sunday condemning "violence of every kind by anyone" after a man was shot and killed in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday as Trump supporters on a vehicle paraded through the city and some clashed with counter-protesters. A 17-year-old boy from Illinois, Kyle Rittenhouse, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety all with a deadly weapon after he allegedly shot and killed two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last week amid a protest-turned-riot against the police shooting of Jacob Blake. "The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. Shooting in the streets of a great American city is unacceptable. I condemn this violence unequivocally. I condemn violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same," Mr Biden said in his statement. "It does not matter if you find the political views of your opponents abhorrent, any loss of life is a tragedy. Today there is another family grieving in America, and Jill and I offer our deepest condolences," Mr Biden said. The former Democratic vice president indicated he was not optimistic Mr Trump would rise to the occasion to promote unity and issue a similarly worded statement. On Sunday morning alone, Mr Trump fired off more than 85 tweets or retweets commending the vehicle parade of his supporters in Portland, some of whom unloosed pepper spray and unloaded rounds of paintballs at counter-protesters and journalists covering the event. "We must not become a country at war with ourselves. A country that accepts the killing of fellow Americans who do not agree with you. A country that vows vengeance toward one another. But that is the America that President Trump wants us to be, the America he believes we are," Mr Biden said. Despite Mr Biden issuing statement after statement calling for anti-police brutality protests to remain peaceful and denouncing the rioting and looting that has marred some of them after the deaths in police custody of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, the Trump campaign has sought to portray him as sympathetic to and complicit in the violence. The president has also needled Democratic mayors of the cities where the protests and riots have reached a pitch. "The Radical Left Democrat Mayors, like the dummy running Portland, or the guy right now in his basement unwilling to lead or even speak out against crime, will never be able to do it!" Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday. Mr Biden still leads Mr Trump in the RealClearPolitics average of national polls by 6.9 percentage points from 12 to 25 August. The US presidential election is on 3 November. The CBS drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" routinely draws more than 20 million viewers per episode, making it one of television's greatest successes. The show's popularity owes a great deal to the writers and actors who bring the stories to life. But another intriguing element is the cutting-edge technology used by the Las Vegas crime lab trying to solve crimes. Collecting and analyzing DNA evidence tops the list of the lab's forensic toolkit, and its ubiquity in shows like "CSI" and "Cold Case" has increased public awareness to the point that many jurors in real-world courtrooms expect to see DNA evidence presented -- whether a case calls for it or not. It's hard to believe that DNA evidence has come so far so fast. The techniques that make it possible to identify a suspect using his or her unique genetic blueprint have only been around since 1985. That's when Alec Jeffreys and his colleagues in England first demonstrated the use of DNA in a criminal investigation. Since then, DNA evidence has played a bigger and bigger role in many nations' criminal justice systems. It has been used to prove that suspects were involved in crimes and to free people who were wrongly convicted. And, in the United States, it has been integral to several high-profile criminal cases. Advertisement At the heart of DNA evidence is the biological molecule itself, which serves as an instruction manual and blueprint for everything in your body (see How Cells Work for details). A DNA molecule is a long, twisting chain known as a double helix. DNA looks pretty complex, but it's really made of only four nucleotides: Adenine Cytosine Guanine Thymine These nucleotides exist as base pairs that link together like the rungs in a ladder. Adenine and thymine always bond together as a pair, and cytosine and guanine bond together as a pair. While the majority of DNA doesn't differ from human to human, some 3 million base pairs of DNA (about 0.10 percent of your entire genome) vary from person to person. In human cells, DNA is tightly wrapped into 23 pairs of chromosomes. One member of each chromosomal pair comes from your mother, and the other comes from your father. In other words, your DNA is a combination of your mother's and your father's DNA. Unless you have an identical twin, your DNA is unique to you. This is what makes DNA evidence so valuable in investigations -- it's almost impossible for someone else to have DNA that is identical to yours. But catching a criminal using DNA evidence is not quite as easy as "CSI" makes it seem, as this article will demonstrate. Our first step in exploring DNA evidence is the crime scene -- and the biological evidence gathered there by detectives. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 10:08 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c416d330 4 News Bali-tourism,tourism,travel,destination Free The decision to postpone a plan to reopen Bali to foreign tourists was not an easy one, a spokesperson of the Bali Hotel General Managers Association (IHGMA) has said. "We're not sure how the Bali tourism industry can survive until early 2021 with the addition of four to five months [of closure]," IHGMA deputy chairman I Made Ramia Adnyana told kompas.com on Wednesday. "The reopening of tourism to local residents on July 9 and domestic tourists on July 31 has not had a significant effect on increasing hotel occupancy in Bali," Made said. For example, he said around 4,900 tourists visited Bali last weekend, barely filling the island's more than 130,000 hotel rooms. Made expressed hope about ministries and state-owned enterprises holding meetings, activities and national-level events in Bali in the near future to help boost tourism. "It is the most suitable solution to help Bali survive until early 2021," he said. Bali Governor Wayan Koster announced on Aug. 22 the postponement of plans to reopen Bali to international tourists on Sept. 11 as the government is still prohibiting its citizens from traveling abroad at least until the end of 2020. According to official data from Saturday afternoon, Bali recorded 4,901 positive cases of COVID-19 with 4,260 recoveries and 60 deaths. (kes) A French magazine has apologized after portraying a Black lawmaker as a slave, as Frances government and officials across the political spectrum decried the publication. The legislator, Danielle Obono from the far-left party Defiant France, said the publication flies in the face of those who complain that free speech is threatened by the fight against racism and sexism. You can still write racist s- in a rag illustrated with a Black French parliament member repainted as a slave, she tweeted. The extreme right odious, stupid and cruel. The magazine, Valeurs Actuelles, which caters to readers on the right and far right, apologized. Deputy editor Tagdual Denis told BFM television Saturday that the image wasnt designed to wound Obono, and denied that it was an attention-getting ploy. But he added: What I regret is that we are always accused of racism we are politically incorrect, its in our DNA. Anti-racism activists said the publication reflected a creeping acceptance of extremist views, fueled by social media. Prime Minister Jean Castex from the conservative Republicans party tweeted: This revolting publication calls for unambiguous condemnation. The fight against racism will always transcend our differences. The junior minister for equality and the only Black member of the French government, Elisabeth Moreno, tweeted that I dont share Danielle Obonos ideas, but today I offer her all my support. A similar refrain came from politicians from multiple parties, including the treasurer of Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally party France saw multiple protests in June and July against racial injustice and police brutality inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyds death at the knee of police in the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist who raised eyebrows when he gave an interview to Valeurs Actuelles last year, has pledged to root out racism. But he also insisted that France will not take down statues of figures linked to the colonial era or the slave trade, as has happened in other countries in recent months. India on Sunday became the first country in the world to report more than 80,000 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in a single day, as the outbreak continued to grow and set new records. A total of 80,097 new infections were reported across India on Sunday, taking the nationwide tally to 3,616,747, according to HTs dashboard. To contextualise the size of the daily tally, China, where the virus originated in December 2019, has a total 85,031 confirmed infections to date. After Sundays spike, the seven-day average of daily cases in the country stands at 73,318, also a new global record, and taking it higher than the seven-day daily case peak recorded in the United States when the number touched 69,330 for the week ending July 25. In Delhi, after a gap of over 50 days, new cases of Covid-19 breached the 2,000 mark on Sunday as the resurgence of daily infections in the city continued. The Covid-19 positivity rate in Delhi also continued to rise, with 8.7% of all tests conducted in the last week coming back positive, suggesting that more and more Delhi residents are now carrying the virus. In terms of the single-day, 9.9% of samples tested on Sunday came back positive the highest since July 13, or in 48 days. On Sunday, the city recorded 2,024 new cases, the highest single-day increase in cases since July 10, when the city reported 2,089 new infections. After Sundays new cases, Delhis total case count stands at 173,390. Twenty-two new deaths were reported on Sunday, taking the total number of deaths in the city to 4,426. Delhi has seen an average of 1,703 new cases every day in the last seven days the highest this number has touched since July 17. The seven-day average of daily cases in the Capital, which peaked at 3,446 on June 26 before falling to 983 on August 4, has now gone up for the 14th consecutive day. Last week, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held an emergency meeting as he acknowledged that cases were increasing again after dropping for a month-and-a-half. He announced the city government would double the number of daily tests from current levels to around 40,000 per day in an effort to catch and isolate more patients. An increasing positivity rate means that the transmission of the infection is going up in the city. And, this is likely to increase further as we open up the economy, the metro. We need to keep following the test-trace-treat strategy to keep things under control. We also need to identify cases who need intensive care early to prevent deaths, said Dr Lalit Kant, former head of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research. Some experts said Delhi may be facing a fresh challenge to control an outbreak it had contained to a considerable extent. Yes, there has been an increase in the number of cases being reported daily, but it is not alarming as we are not reporting extremely high number of hospitalisations or deaths, like it happened in June. Plus, the government is well prepared and the infrastructure is in place. That said, people should continue following the general precautions like wearing masks and washing hands frequently, said Dr Jugal Kishore, head of the department of community medicine at Safdarjung hospital. I do not think there will be a second surge like the one in June. Around 30% people in Delhi already have antibodies against the infection, he said, pointing to the second sero surveillance that said almost 30% of the people in Delhi have antibodies against the infection. The seven-day average positivity rate, meanwhile, has been rising consistently with 8.7% of all tests conducted in the last week coming back positive, the highest in 47 days, in what experts said was an alarming trend. Positivity rate the fraction of tests that return positive had dropped from a peak of 31.4% in mid-June to 5.7% at the end of July, but is now consistently rising again. The case fatality rate (CFR) the fraction of people who die among the confirmed cases in Delhi stands at 2.6%, much higher than the national average of 1.82%. According to Sundays bulletin by the Delhi government, 20,437 new samples were tested in the last 24 hours, of which 6,881 were RT-PCR or molecular tests, while 13,555 were rapid antigen tests. Across the country, with 959 new deaths lodged on Sunday, the total number of people who have died from the disease now stands at 64,610, according to HTs Covid-19 dashboard. I probably would because keep in mind with the events that have taken place across the country, there have been two or three tragedies, McCarthy said. What has come out of it has been horrendously bad. But to give you an example, in Orland Park, we have about 200,000 incidents per year where we come in contact with people. In about 20 of those, force is used. Typically, its hands. Its an infinitesimally small number where force is used. Thats the same throughout the country. Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters The documentary film-maker Michael Moore has warned that Donald Trump appears to have such momentum in some battleground states that liberals risk a repeat of 2016 when so many wrote off Trump only to see him grab the White House. Sorry to have to provide the reality check again, he said. Related: What lies ahead as the US election enters the home stretch Moore, who was one of few political observers to predict Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016, said that enthusiasm for Trump is off the charts in key areas compared with the Democratic party nominee, Joe Biden. Are you ready for a Trump victory? Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again? Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust youve placed in the DNC [Democratic National Committee] to pull this off? Moore posted on Facebook late on Friday. The president tweeted about Moore on Sunday morning. Moore identified opinion polling in battleground states such as Minnesota and Michigan to make a case that the sitting president is running alongside or ahead of his rival. The Biden campaign just announced hell be visiting a number of states but not Michigan. Sound familiar? Moore wrote, presumably indicating Hillary Clintons 2016 race when she made the error of avoiding some states that then swung to Trump. Im warning you almost 10 weeks in advance. The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trumps base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much, he later added. He continued to voters: Dont leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump. YOU have to get rid of Trump. WE have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote. ACT NOW! Story continues Moore cited CNN polling of registered voters this month to assert that Biden and Trump were in a virtual tie, including a poll that showed the pair tied at 47% in Minnesota. Moore said that Trump has closed the gap to 4 points in Michigan. A national CNN poll this month showed that Bidens lead over Trump has narrowed nationally, 50% to 46%, while a survey from the Republican-leaning Trafalgar Group found Biden and Trump statistically tied at 47% in Minnesota, and Trump narrowly leading Biden in Michigan. The margin of error for the poll, which surveyed 1,048 people, is 2.98%. Moore, a vocal supporter of Bernie Sanderss leftwing candidacy, warned in October 2016 that Trumps election is going to be the biggest f*** you ever recorded in human history and it will feel good, even as Clinton appeared to be sailing to victory. Whether Trump means it or not is kind of irrelevant because hes saying the things to people who are hurting, and thats why every beaten-down, nameless, forgotten working stiff who used to be part of what was called the middle class loves Trump, Moore warned at that time. Moores latest warnings come as Trump said at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Friday night that he supported seeing the first female president of the United States, but recommended his daughter over the Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Theyre all saying we want Ivanka, Trump told his supporters. I dont blame them. SSR's brother-in-law accuses Rhea right back In a sharp rebuttal to Rhea Chakraborty's claims that Sushant's sisters left him at Waterstone Resort despite his bad health, the late actor's brother-in-law has narrated family's side of the story. Penning a blog post, Sushants brother-in-law Vishal Kirti said that Sushant got his and his sisters tickets booked for Chandigarh since he wanted to go back with them. Read full story: 'Glad Sushant's Sisters Left Waterstone': SSR's Brother-in-law Accuses Rhea Right Back Indian Army kills 10 terrorists in 48 hours In a series of success for security forces deployed in the Kashmir Valley, 10 terrorists were killed in three separate encounters in South and Central Kashmir in the last 48 hours. Four terrorists were killed in Shopian in an overnight operation on August 28 and 29, three terrorists were killed in Pulwama encounter on August 29 and three in Srinagars Pantha Chowk encounter. Read full story: Operation All Out: Indian Army Crushes Terror; 10 Terrorists Killed In 48 Hours 'Ghulam Nabi Azad wanting elections is unfortunate' Another Congress leader has lashed out at senior party member and Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad for remarks in favour of the election of party president. V Hanumantha Rao on Saturday said that Azad is asking for party election because he is not in that (Congress president) position otherwise it would have been different. Read full story: 'Ghulam Nabi Azad Wanting Elections Is Unfortunate': Congress Sycophancy Reaches New Low In NEET-JEE row, Subramanian Swamy won't take his 'last chance' Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy on Saturday said if Chief Ministers seeking postponement of JEE and NEET exams had "not intervened", he would have tried to meet PM Modi and take "one last chance", adding that he cannot do so now. He said that it is now the Chief Ministers and the Supreme Court's responsibility to take it to its "logical end" Swamy also said that 'Monday is crucial', seeing as the JEE exam is set to begin on that day. Monday is a crucial day.If CMs had not intervened I would have tried to meet PM and take one last chance. I cannot do so now because for Modi, the CMs intervention has made it a prestige https://t.co/PORxIUcjHl it is now CMs and SCs responsibility to take it to its logical end. Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 29, 2020 Read full story: NEET-JEE Row: Subramanian Swamy Won't Take His 'last Chance'; Reasons Why As CMs Move SC Delhi Metro's plan of resuming services From limiting the number of people in lifts to longer halting time for trains, Delhi Metro has planned various restrictions that would be followed after its services resume on September 7 for the first time amid COVID-19 pandemic. "As per the latest guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Unlock 4, the Delhi Metro will be resuming its services for the public from September 7 onwards in a calibrated manner," the DMRC said in a statement on Saturday. Read full story: Longer Halting Time, Less People In Lifts: Delhi Metro's Plans Ahead Of Resumption Of Services Barack Obama recalls meeting Chadwick Boseman Former US President Barack Obama is the latest personality to mourn the sudden demise of Chadwick Boseman. Obama took to his official Twitter handle to recall a meeting with the Black Panther star in 2013 at the White House, while the latter's movie on Jackie Robinson had released. Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed. To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain what a use of his years. https://t.co/KazXV1e7l7 Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 29, 2020 Read full story: Barack Obama Recalls Meeting Chadwick Boseman: 'Could Tell Right Away That He Was Blessed' US, Japan reiterate South China Sea commitments US Defence Secretary Mark Esper and Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono reiterated their commitment to maintaining a 'rules-based order' in the East and South China Seas on Saturday, August 29. An official statement from the US Department of Defence stated that Esper hosted Kono in Guam where both the leaders acknowledged the strength of the US-Japan alliance and held high-level talks to boost and expand bilateral defence cooperation. Read full story: US, Japan Reiterate South China Sea Commitments Amid Growing Chinese Presence Six months into the lockdown, be it for youngsters or professionals, the thoughts of mundane activities of the now bygone normal days are catching up with them. The excitement of hitting the gym, early morning, before going to work or college is being missed by everyone. I have tried to stay fit by working out at home. But I do miss the equipments and theres only so much you can do at home, says Devansh Shah, a management student. Prashant Sawant, a well-known celebrity trainer, agrees with this, when he says, A lot of people do not have adequate space, the right environment, equipments or the right mind set to work out at home. He adds that the environment matters a lot, too. The environment that a gymnasium provides cannot be recreated at home. Alok Jain, a professional, who has been working from his home the past few months, reiterates this. I stopped working out the way I used to two months ago. There is a feeling that Ive lost interest. I wish the gyms here open up soon so that this laziness does not catch hold of me, he says. Nutritionist Maya Pereira feels We need to try and sleep an hour or two earlier. As soon as you wake up either go for a walk or do a 15-20 minute basic workout at home and start making healthy choices when we are eating, she cautions before adding that a lazy routine might just turn dangerous in the long run. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amory Lovins, founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, became interested in energy conservation during the gas crisis of the 1970s, after completing his studies in physics at Harvard and Oxford. In his twenties, he wrote an article that, rather than attempt to provide a solution for acquiring more gas and oil, questioned why the United States needed so much gas and oil in the first place and why it could not be more efficient with its resources [source: Nuclear Control Institute]. This article, at first read primarily in the scholarly community, attracted a lot of attention. Initially, many in the industry scorned his ideas. Then, as the energy crisis worsened, people -- including former President Jimmy Carter -- began to recognize the value of energy efficiency. From about 1971 to 1981, Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins, his wife at the time, began consulting with various corporations and governments. Eventually settling in Snowmass, Colorado, the two began a small nonprofit organization -- the Rocky Mountain Institute -- with some friends and colleagues. RMI's initial goal was to push issues, research and solutions to the forefront of the energy conservation movement. In 25 years, RMI's goals haven't really changed. Lovins' concept of "soft energy paths" -- using less energy by using it more productively -- continues to flourish, nearly 30 years after its introduction. RMI's staff continues to grow, collecting people from different business and economic backgrounds to round out its vision. Its current CEO is Michael Potts, who brings experience from the world of high technology. Lovins remains the chief visionary [source: RMI]. Advertisement RMI has nine core principles as its guideposts: Advanced resource productivity -- Using resources more productively and efficiently actually creates wealth by saving energy costs. It also increases productivity and economic activity. Systems thinking -- By designing and optimizing entire systems rather than building one piece of a system at a time, it's possible to reveal interconnections, problems and solutions. Positive action -- a respectful approach to other people's ideas. RMI supports what it is for, rather than fight what it is against. Market-oriented solutions -- RMI believes in working with the market rather than in opposition to it, promoting best practices whenever possible. End-use/least-cost approach -- By paying attention to demand, RMI can provide better and cheaper solutions for supply. Biological insight -- RMI mimics nature and attempts to operate in a "closed loop" with little or no waste. Corporate transformation -- Adopting sustainable and efficient practices can bring companies competitive advantage and increased financial success. The pursuit of interconnections -- Understanding the connectedness of every system leads to more complete solutions. Natural capitalism -- RMI's goal is for businesses to adopt a new style of thinking -- learning to profit and gain advantage by adopting environmentally-friendly business practices. RMI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This means it is a charitable organization but not an action organization. It is restricted from any political campaign activity or attempted influence on legislation [source: Internal Revenue Service]. RMI also accepts donations in various forms, including through its National Solutions Council Membership, which brings together friends of the Rocky Mountain Institute. Next, we'll take a closer look at RMI's consulting services. Talking the Talk, Walking the Walk RMI's original headquarters is a model of efficiency. The Lovins built it as a bioshelter and home, and the structure itself appears in dozens of publications and television programs. Although the majority of employees work in other buildings off-site, the Snowmass building remains a research center and home for Lovins and his guests. The building is insulated and uses passive solar heat through the windows and greenhouse. Two wood stoves provide emergency backup heat, if needed. Solar panels on the roof provide electricity for the efficient appliances and electronics inside, and assist in heating water. The building features a 900-square-foot (274 meters) greenhouse that collects energy through photosynthesis, heat, light, hot air, and hot water. Excess heat -- in the summer, for example -- simply escapes out vents near the ceiling. Vegetables and fruit also grow inside the greenhouse, which once housed a banana tree so prolific, it nearly took over the ecosystem. The entire building is open for public tours by reservation [source: RMI]. - Karen Davila recently expressed grief following the cease of operations of ABS-CBN Regional group - She also penned about her colleagues in Manila affected by the second wave of retrenchment of the networks employees - The prominent Kapamilya broadcaster even compared the pain she feels to "death by a thousand cuts" - Despite being "blessed to have saved and be married to a supportive hardworking husband with a good job," Karen is still worried for the future of ABS-CBN PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Karen Davila has taken to social media to express grief following the cease of operations of ABS-CBN Regional group. Karena Davila (Photo courtesy of Karen Davila/Instagram) Source: Instagram She also aired her sympathy towards her colleagues in Manila affected by the second wave of the media giants retrenchment of workers. The broadcaster even compared the pain she feels to deaths by a thousand cuts. The last few days have been so painful for me. I can liken the closure of ABSCBN Regional and the second wave of retrenchment among my colleagues in Manila to deaths by a thousand cuts. Seeing good journalists and anchors go feels so wrong. My own team in Bandila and My Puhunan are gone, now challenged to look for new jobs, made even much harder during the time of COVID. While I am blessed to have saved and be married to a supportive hardworking husband with a good job, I still get scared sometimes. What does the future hold? What will happen to ABSCBN, a company Ive worked for for 20 years and one Ive considered my second home? And as Ive grown in my walk with Christ and in Gods Word this ECQ, this verse struck me recently. Although Isaiah 55 is written for a Call To The Thirsty, a part here answers things I dont understand. PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts. And it is true. I cannot fully comprehend or understand Gods plans. All I know is He has allowed certain things to happen. And I choose to trust HIM. Do I know what will happen in the future? NO. And this why while it is important to plan, be disciplined, be excellent in what we do every single day, if there is one thing the closure of ABSCBN has taught me and what COVID has taught us all, we must learn to have the humility to say, Truly, Lord, if it is what you want - your will be done. PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! ABS-CBN is one of the leading broadcast networks in the Philippines. Its 25-year franchise expired on May 4 and the Committee on Legislative Franchises of the House of Representatives rejected on July 10 its bid to secure another franchise. Several personalities from its major rival, GMA 7, including prominent Kapuso talents and journalists then expressed sympathy to celebrities and employees from the Kapamilya network. GMA's late-night news program "Saksi" also showed solidarity with ABS-CBN by displaying the Kapamilya network's transmitter tower and logo in its 'extro'. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! Source: KAMI.com.gh A Byron Bay filmmaker who has tested positive for coronavirus three times has revealed the devastating impact the disease continues to take on her health. Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar was first diagnosed in April after suffering mild symptoms when she returned to Australia from Germany. More than five months on, the 35-year-old endures bouts of extreme fatigue and struggles with simple tasks such as driving. 'Its completely rendered me useless, I cannot function like a normal person,' she told Yahoo News Australia. Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar (pictured) has never fully recovered from her long-drawn three months battle with coronavirus 'The simplest things, I cant do anymore its incredibly frustrating.' Ms Nicholson-McKellar said she first began displaying mild symptoms on March 13, a week before landing in Brisbane from Europe. Upon arrival, she told Border Force officials she he had no sense of smell or taste but was unable to get tested because she didnt have a cough or a fever. She was finally given a test towards the end of her time in 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine, which came back positive. The movie-maker went into self-isolation for six weeks and experienced a host of symptoms including aches and pains, sinus infections, severe headaches, diarrhoea, nausea, chest pain and shortness of breath. She was declared free of the virus on April 24, but was rushed into the emergency department four days later when she began experiencing severe chest pain while working on her computer at home. A second test returned positive, and she was given Panadol and sent back into home quarantine. The 35-year-old first began displaying mild symptoms on March 13, a week before landing in Brisbane from Europe However, X-rays taken in hospital revealed her lungs looked foggy and abnormal and her case was referred to an infectious disease specialist who tested her again two weeks later. In mid-May, two months after first experiencing symptoms, she received her third positive result. The swabs were sent for further analysis, and Ms Nicholson-McKellar, who by that stage was nearing almost 60 days in self-isolation, was fortunately declared not contagious. Ms Nicholson-McKellar said she was frustrated and worried with medical advice she had received, as doctors still don't know a lot about the disease and how long her recovery will be. 'One of the most challenging things about this illness, apart from its severity and length, is that there's so much that we don't know about it and so it's a really vulnerable place to be,' Ms Nicholson-McKellar previously told 7.30. Ms Nicholson-McKellar kept an extensive Instagram diary of her battle with COVID-19, posting regular updates of her condition and symptoms. On day 22 she wrote: 'I'm just sick of being sick'. Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar has tested positive for coronavirus three times in just over two months. Pictured: Ms Nicholson-McKellar in hospital before being diagnosed for the second time On day 48 she reported that it felt like someone was pushing 'really hard' on her chest and that she had 'stabbing pains in my ribs'. Data from NSW Health states that 50 per cent of coronavirus patients recover in 16 days, with 75 per cent of people beating the virus after 23 days. From the test pool of 3,000 patients, 95 per cent of people were over the virus after 6 weeks. Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young on Saturday shared a video message via social media warning that some patients do not completely recover from COVID-19. 'For most people COVID-19 is a mild disease, but unfortunately as we learn more about the virus, we're learning that for a reasonable number of people, they don't recover, they'll have long-term consequences from the disease,' she said. 'Thats because this virus doesnt just affect the lungs, unlike flu this virus can affect every part of the body.' Dr Young said the long-term consequences of the virus can affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and the brain. Ms Nicholson-McKellar posted regular updates on her condition in Instagram She experienced more than 16 symptoms in her fight with the virus including headaches, chest pain and fatigue Ms Nicholson-McKellar is not alone, with thousands of patients gathering in groups online to share their experiences of what appears to be post viral exhaustion. Their symptoms share similarities with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Professor Axel Kallies, an infectious disease expert at Melbournes Doherty Institute, this week was part of a team that published a paper investigating the potential cause of long term effects seen in coronavirus patients. Their research showed that T cells (which work to attack disease cells) can become impaired within a few days, and appear to be exhausted in those who with ongoing health ramifications. Ms Nicholson-McKellar said she struggles to drive longer than 20 minutes on bad days. When her symptoms are at their worst, she goes through days and weeks where she can never imagine being 'normal' again. 'Its such a slow grind coming out of this. I have no trajectory, no guidelines about when or if I will be well again,' she said. Seven Terrorists, One Soldier Killed in India's Jammu and Kashmir in Security Operation Sputnik News 05:43 GMT 29.08.2020(updated 10:01 GMT 29.08.2020) New Delhi (Sputnik): The issue of terrorism in India's Kashmir Valley dates back to the 1990s, when demands for independence from the country began to be made in the region. The Indian government accuses neighbouring Pakistan, which also lays claim to the region, of fuelling Kashmiri secessionism Seven terrorists, including three from the banned Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, have been killed in India's Jammu and Kashmir union territory since Friday as part of a security operation against terrorism in the valley, officials said on Saturday. A critically injured soldier of the Indian Army later succumbed to his injuries. He was wounded during the encounter between terrorists and security personnel, officials said. According to a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official, the encounter started at around 1 am and lasted for over five hours. "A joint team of forces approached the suspected spot when the hiding terrorists fired upon them. It was retaliated, triggering an encounter", the officer, who didn't wish to be identified, said. Three of the seven terrorists were gunned down on Saturday morning in the Pulwama district. "We have seized heavy arms and ammunition from their possession", the officer added. On Friday evening, four terrorists were shot dead and one was nabbed by security forces in Shopian district. Officials revealed that two of these four terrorists who were shot dead were involved in the kidnapping and killing of a federally governing Bharatiya Janata Party member. According to the officials, terror incidents have seen a steep rise, with over 150 terrorists killed in encounters since the beginning of the year until July. As per the data, terrorists have carried out around 80 attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 security personnel and 13 civilians have been killed, while over 50 officials have sustained injuries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:50:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed after heavy rains triggered flood-like situation in India's central state of Madhya Pradesh, officials said Sunday. Authorities have rescued hundreds of people and set up relief camps for the affected people. "Eight people were killed so far in rain-related incidents in Madhya Pradesh," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told media. Authorities have deployed disaster response force personnel, army and Indian Air Force (IAF) teams to carry out rescue efforts. "Efforts are currently underway to evacuate nearly 1,200 people stranded in 40 flooded villages of the state," the chief minister said. "In the last two days, over 7,000 people stranded in 454 villages of 12 districts were evacuated as heavy rains hit large parts of the state." Heavy rains in several parts of Madhya Pradesh in the last two days triggered floods and inundated several areas, leading to a rise in the level of the Narmada river at several places. "Nearly 7,000 people have so far been rescued across the state and 170 relief camps are set up in the affected districts," an official said. According to officials, IAF helicopter rescued 60 people from a village in Sehore district. The chief minister said three helicopters of the IAF have been pressed into service to airlift stranded people and requisition for two more choppers have been forwarded. "I informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the flood situation this morning. I spoke to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh last night for help," he said. Meteorological department officials have predicted heavy rainfall in Indore, Ujjain, Shajapur, Ratlam, Dewas, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Mandsaur and Neemuch in next 24 hours. The ongoing monsoon season in India is at its peak. The downpour accompanied with it has triggered floods in several Indian states. Enditem Mobile phone giant Vodafone has suffered a defeat in court that could open the door to a wave of legal challenges by landowners that host 5G phone masts. Operators such as Vodafone pay landowners billions of pounds in rents every year at thousands of sites but hoped to reduce these under the Electronic Communications Code, which was introduced in 2017. It was designed to speed up the roll-out of 5G by cutting costs for operators hoping to install the infrastructure quickly and cheaply. Challenge: The Electronic Communications Code was designed to speed up the roll-out of 5G by cutting costs for operators Vodafone alone spent 3.5billion in rents last year across its entire estate and tried to use the law in an early test case. It wanted to cut its rent bill for a site owned by a Monaco-based property tycoon but lost in the County Court in Manchester. Judge Martin Rodger QC ruled that Vodafone should pay rent to the landowner, Hanover Capital, based on the value to the operator as opposed to the value of the land itself, which would be much cheaper. The judge said he came to his decision because four operators use the phone mast in a car park on an industrial estate outside Stockport. Vodafone estimates that only around 10 per cent of its 18,000 UK sites are shared with other operators. Although Vodafone was only hoping to slash a few thousand pounds off this particular bill, it had spent more than 300,000 fighting the case because of the significance for rents at its other phone masts across the country. Hanover is an Isle of Man-based company owned by Mark Harrison, a property entrepreneur originally from Manchester but now based in Monaco. He also owns property investment firm Praxis. Lawyers for Harrison said the terms Vodafone was offering were 'unfair' and he decided to fight them. They said other landowners would now have a good comparison to help them negotiate a better deal. It means thousands more landowners could now fight the company on rents. The defeat for Vodafone comes amid calls for reforms to prevent these rows in order to speed up the installation of 5G infrastructure across the country which is expected to provide a major economic boost. Critics of the Electronic Communications Code argue there are loopholes that mean it is not fit for purpose. Operators joined forces last month to establish the Speed Up Britain campaign, which is chaired by the former Digital Minister Ed Vaizey. It is calling for the code to be reformed and argues the UK will fall behind in the race to cash in on the benefits of 5G. Vaizey told The Mail on Sunday: 'This is another example of the Government's plan to give Britain the best possible mobile networks being held back by grey areas in the law. The changes we're proposing to the Electronic Communications Code can address this and help move us forward at a time when connectivity has never been more important.' Victoria Dobson from law firm EMW said the outcome was bad for Vodafone and other operators because more landowners will now challenge them on rents. She said: 'Growing friction between landowners and operators is definitely hindering progress on the roll-out of 5G technology.' It is unclear whether Vodafone will appeal the outcome. Vodafone declined to comment on the case. by Pierre Balanian Many judge the sentence - which does not condemn Hezbollah and the Syrian government - ridiculous; for others it is the result of a political agreement. The village of Haruf, homeland of Salim Ayash, one of the condemned, celebrates him as a "son of the resistance". Tripoli's Sunnis remain calm. Saad Hariri accepts "what emerged from the Court, though it falls short of expectations". Beirut (AsiaNews) After 15 years The Hague International Court has issued a final ruling on the Hariri murder which has sparked reactions from leading figures and ordinary citizens alike. For Ramez, a taxi driver from Beirut, "the investigation wasted a lot of money. If it had been conducted by the gendarmerie barracks in Uzaii [an infamous neighborhood of Beirut - ed.] it would have been faster, clearer and would have cost less than a thousand Lebanese pounds!. Aida Akiki, a housewife from Mount Lebanon comments with a bitter smile: "They made us fear we would die in the civil war that the sentence would cause, and instead we are dying with laughter". A more composed comment, the first after the sentence, comes from the son of the assassinated Premier Rafiq Hariri, former Prime Minister Saad. In a press conference from The Hague, he stated that he "accepted the findings of the Court, even if it did not live up to expectations". He recalled that the killing of his father Rafiq was a political assassination and "whoever committed this assassination wanted to change the face that characterizes Lebanon". Repeating the words of the Court, Saad linked the decision to eliminate Rafiq Hariri, with the meeting that took place at the Hotel Bristol in Beirut between the victim, then Prime Minister of Lebanon, and a Syrian delegation which he told the Syrian military presence in Lebanon had to end. With this sentence, "the phase of the political exploitation of the assassination ends," Saad said, and he invited Hezbollah to "collaborate". In an interview with Al Hadith TV, Saad Hariri then said: "Hezbollah know they are responsible for the murder. I ask them to hand over Salim Ayash convicted in absentia." A second noteworthy comment is that of the victim's other son, Bahaa Hariri, a political rival of his brother Saad. From Beirut he declared: The court was clear: Salim Ayash is part of the Hezbollah; for us the important thing is that it was a political assassination ". He then added that he did not intend to become Prime Minister, but that he wanted to "serve my country". Bahaa then declared that he is close to the demonstrators who accuse "the political system and the war lords" responsible for "the collapse of Lebanon". The Lebanese people, he said, must be firm in "getting rid of them and returning the country to Arab and international credibility". "I am in direct contact with Patriarch Rai - he added - and I support his position" on the neutrality of Lebanon. In a live broadcast, Nazik Hariri, the victim's widow, said she considered the court's decision a "historic sentence". It does not restore what is lost, but "restores to Lebanon the logic of responsibility and justice that has long been held captive". In a sarcastic way, TV presenter Ramez Al Kadi asked himself: "After 15 years, was it Salim Ayash who killed Rafiq Hariri?" And he added: "We spent a billion dollars to find out if Ayash had phoned or not!" He was referring to wiretapping among those responsible for the attack, and to a popular song by Ziad Rahbani entitled "Ayash phoned". Hisham Hadad a Lebanese comedian commented: "It seems we want to close the post-assassination phase of Hariri both locally and internationally, to devote ourselves completely to the post-explosion phase of the port, which seems much more dangerous". Druze deputy Wiam Wahab: The mountain gave birth to a mouse. Lebanon has spent a billion dollars listening to an absurd political analysis. Give us back the money spent since the Court has not added anything to the conclusions made by the Lebanese bodies. In Haruf, the native village of Salim Ayash in southern Lebanon, a banner (see photo) has been displayed at the entrance to the village, with these words: "Haruf's sons are proud of their resistant son, the hajj Salim Ayash". Yesterday on social media there were many calls for vendetta against Syrians and Shiites. But the city of Tripoli, a Sunni stronghold, semi-closed due to the increase in Covid 19 cases, has remained calm. For Huzeifa, a minibus driver who had to transport angry protesters from Tripoli to Beirut, the Hague ruling was a cold shower: "We just have to hope for divine justice," he said. Also from Tripoli, the engineer Omar Kabbara, a member of the Future Current political party of Saad Hariri, commented: "I personally believe that the Syrian secret services and Hezbollah participated [in the attack] with all their abilities. The final sentence could be the result of an international agreement to calm the waters and get Hezbollah out of direct involvement. For university professor Prof. Bilal Haffar, "whoever is saved today from human condemnation, will not escape divine punishment on judgment day". Police have been attacked during a disturbance in east Belfast involving 30 youths. Police responded to an incident after CCTV operators picked up a disturbance at the Bryson Street and Pitt Park interface area of Belfast. A crowd of around 30 youths ran from the area and police recovered a number of objects that were used as weapons hidden nearby. A PSNI officer, posting on East Belfast PSNI Facebook page, said: "Thanks to good work from our CCTV crew these objects were located and seized by police even with stones and bricks being thrown at us and our vehicles. "Enquiries will be made and CCTV followed up to identify those involved in the disorder." A corporate worker who quit her job to start selling crystals now makes up to $185,000 a month after the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to shut her stores. Ashley Bellino founded Stoned Crystals in Melbourne in 2015, and has since increased her brand's online sales by more than 134 per cent compared to this time last year. The 32-year-old closed her stores in July during Melbourne's second wave, and turned her focus to her website. Ashley Bellino founded Stoned Crystals in Melbourne in 2015, and has since increased her brand's online sales by more than 134 per cent compared to this time last year Stoned Crystals has been thriving amid Melbourne's lockdown, with $185,000 in gross online sales during July alone But Stoned Crystals has been thriving after making $185,000 in gross sales during July alone. Ms Bellino began holding Instagram Live sale events six times a week, where customers could ask questions and learn about a product virtually rather than in a physical store. Consumers can then reserve the products they want to buy and are sent a link to purchase them on the Stoned Crystals website. 'It's very different from buying from a website, because when you buy from a website it's very dry,' Ms Bellino told news.com.au. 'You see a product, you might see a description, and then you might have some questions, and then you may or may not try to get in a live chat if you've got questions about that product. Ms Bellino said she became fascinated by crystals during a trip to China in August 2014. She then started researching crystals and their benefits, and just months later quit her lucrative corporate job to open an online store. Ms Bellino is now developing an app with an in-built live sales feature, and encourages other business owners to turn to social media to sell their products. 'Bricks and mortar is becoming such an expensive operation and so many of them are going out of business. You can do a lot with live sales software,' she said. 'Learning pods': the magic words as kids return to school in US Seventh graders (from L) Mia Friedlander, Ella Kingsrud, Taylor Credle, Hannah Cooper and Bella Rocco follow instruction online by tutor Robin Lorch from an iPad placed on a ladder in a home garage on August 27, 2020 in Calabasas, California As parents across the United States come to terms with remote learning this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic, many who can afford it are opting for so-called "learning pods" to help their kids -- and themselves -- get through the school year. The pods, also known as "pandemic pods," are popping up all over the country and consist of small groupings of children typically living in the same neighborhood who meet at each other's homes to learn together with a tutor or teacher. For some students, the pods -- held preferably outdoors or in a home garage -- will be full-time and follow the school curriculum. For others, they will supplement virtual learning adopted by many school districts in states where the rate of Covid-19 infections remains high. "These learning pods are occurring because many parents realize that their children are not doing well with online learning," said Pedro Noguera, dean of the University of Southern California's School of Education. Noguera, whose own eight-year-old daughter is in a learning pod full-time this fall instead of all-virtual schooling, said although this form of instruction is by no means ideal and can be quite expensive, it is a welcome solution for parents as they juggle childcare and work under COVID-19. For students, especially younger ones not always able to engage in online learning, the pods also provide much-needed socialization and a way to navigate the stress and uncertainty linked to the pandemic. - 'Sense of normalcy' - "This will serve a dual purpose for us," said Nicole Friedlander, an employment attorney in the Los Angeles area, whose two kids aged seven and 12 are in pods that will supplement their online education. "One is to help the kids with any additional academic support that they might need, and then to have that social aspect of getting together with other kids... and have a little sense of normalcy with a little in-person interaction." Story continues Naomi Leight-Giveon, the founder of PodSkool, a company in the Los Angeles area that assists parents looking to form pods, said the reaction to the concept has been overwhelming. "We have had more than 400 families reach out to us so far, and we've done no marketing," she told AFP. "And we have hundreds of teachers we have been vetting over the past month to match them with families." But while experts agree pods can be beneficial for both parent and child, they also acknowledge they are mainly accessible to the wealthy. "What we're seeing is those with the wealth can invest in and pay teachers on their own, at good rates, even higher than the teachers might get working in schools," said Noguera, who is paying $10,000 this semester for his daughter's pod. "But what we're also seeing is that poor children, middle-class children even, are left to fend for whatever the schools can provide." Mira Rocca, who has three children in three separate pods intended to supplement their online education, said the classes are costing her about $1,300 a month. "It's my most expensive public school semester yet," she told AFP. - 'Exacerbate inequities' - Still, Rocca said the benefits of an in-person teaching experience for the kids outweigh the cost. "My kindergartener had his first class today at a friend's garage... and he said it was his best day ever," she said. "I think that having social interactions with other kids their age is so much more impactful than what they're learning academically at this point." Experts agree that the pods will help many children experiencing depression, greater anxiety and stress as a result of the pandemic and isolation. But they also warn the pods are likely to further heighten inequalities and leave many kids by the wayside. "At face value, learning pods seem a necessary solution to the current crisis," Clara Totenberg Green, a learning specialist in Atlanta Public Schools, wrote in a recent op-ed in The New York Times. "But in practice, they will exacerbate inequities, racial segregation and the opportunity gap within schools," she added. "Children whose parents have the means to participate in learning pods will most likely return to school academically ahead, while many low-income children will struggle at home without computers or reliable internet for online learning." jz/to Writer Chetan Bhagat has said that he owes his career to late actor Sushant Singh Rajput because the late actor had agreed to do his film Kai Po Che. Sushant was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14 and Chetan is now being trolled for using the actors death for publicising his book, An Arranged Murder. Chetan said Sushant took a huge risk in making his Bollywood debut with a film like Kai Po Che - one that did not feature him as a romantic lead. Chetan said in an interview with NDTV, I say, with all the respect to Sushant, I loved him, I owe my career to him, Kai Po Che was not getting made, I was not getting a movie, it started after 3 Idiots, because of whatever happened Sushant saved me. So please, I understand and dont ever, nobody can really say that I didnt care for him. But we have to care for India also, we cannot spend months and months making that the prime issue. I mean, we wanted a different agency, we have got it. I met him when we were making Kai Po Che. He was very driven, very dedicated, very hard working, very sweet, little different in personality related to me, I am very outspoken, I am very besharam, Punjabi types he was a little introverted, thats, those personality things have had a role you know, I feel, he added. Chetan also clarified that his upcoming book has nothing to do with Sushant. Just to make it very, very, clear, One Arranged Murder, the name of my book, is not connected to the Sushant case, it is releasing now but it was actually supposed to come out in April-May. We had made some social media posts on it then; you can go back and see. And then because of COVID, these lockdowns, we decided to not come out, we decided to come out now in August-September, even though COVID is still very much on, but we thought okay well take a chance and thats; we can discuss that, its very interesting to release a book in the middle of a pandemic, but I never knew that Sushants case after two months also will be like so much in the news you know. And, but its not connected although like I have said, its interesting to talk about the social phenomenon of this case capturing the nations imagination, he said. Also read: One Arranged Murder: Vikrant Massey stars in teaser for Chetan Bhagats new book. Watch Talking about blind items written around Sushant, Chetan had recently said, They broke him, the media reports broke him. It mattered to him when they called him a TV actor. He said that he, too, used to be affected by negative press, despite being the top-read author in the country for several years, but added that he had developed a maturity about it. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alya Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, August 31 2020 The Agriculture Ministry will revise a 2020 ministerial decree that lists marijuana as a medicinal plant under the ministrys supervision. Signed on Feb. 3, the decree includes marijuana (Cannabis sativa) as one of 66 medicinal plants whose production is under the supervision of the ministrys horticulture directorate general. The decree went viral on Friday after the Nusantara Marijuana Network (LGN) posted a photo of the document on its Instagram account, @lgn_id. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login A plane carrying 342 Vietnamese citizens from Macau landed at an airport in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam on Sunday. The flight touched down at Can Tho International Airport in Can Tho City at 3:00 pm, according to local officials. All of the 342 passengers had their health checked by medical personnel from the Can Tho Center for Disease Control upon entry. They include sick people, 61 pregnant women, 26 children, most under two years old, workers whose contracts already expired, and tourists stranded in Macau because of COVID-19. One hundred and seventy of the passengers were sent to a centralized quaratine center in Bac Lieu Province, about 100km south of Can Tho, while the rest were taken to another quarantine facility in Ben Tre Province, roughly 110km east of the city, following their medical check-ups. On August 19, another flight landed at the same aiport in Can Tho with 230 Vietnamese returnees from Taiwan on board. They were senior citizens, ill people, children, and pregnant women. The returnees were sent to collective quarantine centers in nearby Dong Thap and Hau Giang Provinces. Vietnam has barred entry to foreigners since March to stall coronavirus spread but foreign experts and skilled workers are granted government-approved exemptions. The Vietnamese government has been arranging for charter planes to evacuate citizens from virus-hit regions. International arrivals are all subject to mandatory 14-day quarantine in the Southeast Asian nation. Vietnam has confirmed 1,040 COVID-19 cases, with 690 recoveries and 33 virus-related deaths as of Sunday afternoon. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Kyrgyzstan reported on Sunday 108 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total cases to 43,820, Trend reports citing Kabar. The republican headquarters on COVID-19 said that 5 of the new cases are medical workers, bringing the tally of contracted medical workers to 3131. The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Kyrgyzstan increased to 38,198 after 225 new ones were added. Currently 736 patients receive treatment in hospitals and 4870 at home. One new virus related death have been registered over the past day, bringing the COVID-19 fatality rate in Kyrgyzstan to 1,059. TAIPEI, Taiwan - The president of the Czech Senate arrived in Taiwan on Sunday on a visit that has drawn sharp criticism from China. Milos Vystrcil was accompanied by Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib and more than 80 representatives from government, business and academia, lending Taiwan a boost in its efforts to resist the diplomatic isolation imposed by Beijing. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu greeted the delegation at Taiwans main Taoyuan International Airport after their arrival on a flight chartered from Taiwanese flag carrier China Airlines. China last week denounced Vystrcils visit as undermining the political foundation of China-Czech relations and said participants were acting out of their own interests. China condemns this despicable act and urges the Czech side to abide by the one-China principle and handle Taiwan-related issues in a prudent and appropriate manner, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters on Thursday. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and its increasing diplomatic pressure has reduced the number of the self-governing islands formal allies to just 15, most of them small countries in the Pacific, Central America and the Caribbean. Taiwans robust democracy and strong defence of civil liberties mark a stark contrast to Chinas one-party authoritarian political system, making it a draw for some European politicians who recall Soviet dominance of Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Vystrcils six-day visit follows complaints from the Czech side that China was introducing unwanted political elements into their relations, part and parcel of Chinas more aggressive foreign policy under Communist Party leader Xi Jinping that is centred on asserting the countrys territorial claims and shielding the regime from criticism. Prague and Beijing severed sister city relations after China refused to remove language from the agreement dictating that the citys government endorse the one-China principle that defines Taiwan as part of China. Shanghai then also ended its sister city relationship with Prague, and China reportedly threatened to cut all such ties to cities that maintained their relations with Prague. During his visit, Vystrcil is due to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who is detested by Beijing for her assertions of the islands independence. Vystrcils predecessor, Jaroslav Kubera, had planned to travel to Taiwan, angering pro-China Czech President Milos Zeman. Kubera died in January before making the trip and Vystrcil said Chinas pressure, including a warning from the Chinese Embassy against congratulating Tsai on her reelection, contributed to his decision to travel to the island. Taiwans high-tech companies are also major investors in the Czech Republic, somewhat reducing Chinas economic leverage over the country. Israel is in secret talks with several Arab states on establishing ties, premier Benjamin Netanyahu said August 30, ahead of the Jewish state's first commercial flight to the UAE following a normalisation accord. "There are many more unpublicised meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders to normalise relations with the state of Israel," the prime minister said, without naming any countries. A US-brokered agreement between the Jewish state and Dubai to normalise ties was announced on August 13, making the UAE the first Gulf country and only the third Arab nation to establish relations with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan. The first-ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE will on Monday morning carry a US-Israeli delegation led on the American side by White House advisor Jared Kushner, who stood next to Netanyahu during the Israeli premier's remarks on Sunday. "Today's breakthrough will become tomorrow's norms," Netanyahu said. "It will pave the way for other countries to normalise their ties with Israel." Netanyahu's office said last week that National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat will lead the Israeli delegation. The talks in Abu Dhabi will seek ways to boost cooperation in areas including aviation, tourism, trade, health, energy and security, Netanyahu's office said. Since the agreement between the UAE and Israel was unveiled, there have been frequent bilateral phone calls between ministers and the signing of commercial contracts. On Saturday, the Emirates repealed a 1972 law boycotting Israel. "It will be permissible to enter, exchange or possess Israeli goods and products of all kinds in the UAE and trade in them," read a federal decree issued by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. -'New sense of optimism'- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week undertook a regional tour, which took him to Sudan, Bahrain and Oman, in the hope of convincing other countries in the region to follow the Emiratis. "While this peace agreement was thought to be impossible, the stage is now set for more," Kushner said of the Israel-UAE accord on Sunday. "What I felt over the last couple of weeks is a new sense of optimism, and we must seize that optimism and we must continue to push to make this region achieve the potential that it really has." Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who also met with Kushner on Sunday, called on "other Arab and Muslim states to follow this path of friendship and to establish full and warm relations with the State of Israel - peace between nations and peoples, peace for peace." As part of the normalisation agreement announced by US President Donald Trump, Israel agreed to suspend planned annexations in the occupied West Bank, although Netanyahu quickly insisted the plans remained on the table in the long-run. The Palestinians dubbed the UAE's agreement with Israel a "stab in the back", as it opens the Arab world to the Jewish state while their own conflict remains unresolved. Saudi Arabia, in keeping with decades of policy by most Arab states, says it will not follow the UAE's example until Israel has signed a peace deal with the Palestinians establishing an independent Palestinian state. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 10:36:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HEFEI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Kangmei Chinese medicinal material price index, a barometer of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) material market, dropped 0.03 percent to 1,276.67 points Sunday. Covering more than 500 TCM materials including herbs and minerals from six major markets nationwide, the closely-watched index reflects the overall price trend in the country's TCM material market. It is released daily by Kangmei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, one of China's major TCM companies. The index was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission of China in 2012 to offer a more timely and accurate reference for TCM material growers, traders and pharmaceutical companies. Traditional Chinese medicines, often given as oral liquid, granule and pills, typically use the combination of a number of medicinal materials, mostly herbs, to address health problems. Enditem Boris Johnson wants to recruit BBC London presenter Riz Lateef as the face of the government's daily press conferences, set to start in the autumn. Lateef is the prime minister's top choice for the job, according to senior Tory sources, which comes with a salary of at least 100,000. Work is already underway to create a television studio at 9 Downing Street, a former colonial courtroom, where the new spokesperson will host a daily tea time briefing. Lateef was known for giving Boris Johnson a tough time in interviews during his time as London Mayor. The presenter, 40, is seen as 'fair' and a 'straight shooter' by Johnson, with a source telling the Times: 'Riz Lateef was Boris's first thought.' Riz Lateef was known for giving Boris Johnson a tough time in interviews during his time as London Mayor The presenter, 40, is seen as 'fair' and a 'straight shooter' by Johnson and was understood to be the PM's favourite for the spokesperson role However, it is understood that she was flattered to be considered for the job but turned it down. The hunt for a spokesperson is set to intensify this week. Allegra Stratton, communications director for Rishi Sunak is regarded as favourite by government insiders. She has worked as a journalist for The Guardian, the BBC and ITV News and is credited with helping to make Sunak the most trusted minister in the government. Lateef has previously been named as one of the 1,000 most influential people in London and was the winner of the media category at the Asian Women of Achievement awards in 2009 for her coverage of Johnson's first mayoral campaign victory in 2008. Sophy Ridge, lead political interviewer for Sky News, is also understood to have turned down the job. Johnson's plans to introduce daily televised press briefings from October are facing a set back after it emerged Sky News and the BBC may not always cover the events. The decision to introduce the afternoon TV briefings was made by Number 10 as part of a bid to communicate more directly with voters Downing Street is currently in the process of recruiting a 100,000-a-year political spokesman who will be tasked with hosting the daily grilling. But the UK's two major broadcasters are expected to only show the briefings based 'on merit' which means they could cut away early or fail to show them at all if they are judged not to be newsworthy. The decision to introduce the afternoon TV briefings was made by Number 10 as part of a bid to communicate more directly with voters. The Government is keen to replicate the success of the daily Downing Street coronavirus press conferences which saw millions of people tune in for the latest updates. The afternoon TV events will replace an existing off-camera press briefing currently carried out by the PM's official spokesman. A similar off-camera briefing which takes place in the morning will continue as normal. They were granted permission to cross the hard border from the Northern Territory after repeated knock-backs from WA Police. Stranded in their RV, running out of money and living on superannuation they were forced to withdraw because they couldn't get home, they were getting desperate. Although they have no idea why they were rejected and then suddenly approved, they think police took pity on them because of their baby. Living hand-to-mouth on the wrong side of the hard border was frustrating, especially when they knew there had only been 34 COVID-19 cases in the NT, all of them had recovered, and there was no evidence of community transmission. They are only now in quarantine at a family property in the Kimberley before heading home in the state's south. "I'm on Mark McGowan's Facebook and I can see all the comments coming through, and I'm just mortified," Keith said. A social media post was how many West Australians discovered the state's border had been closed. Credit:WA Government "I thought people were being really strongly opinionated and at the end of the day, the whole 'we are one, we're all Australians', we've got to be looking out for each other. "It's fine if you're inside the state, but if you're outside the state it's a different story." Keith, who is an IT professional, and Fleta, a teacher, were confident they would quickly find work. But they worried about the people they met in limbo on the wrong side of the border. The way West Australians were being treated was "awful, hideous", Keith said. He described meeting retirees living at roadside rest stops who couldn't get permission to come home. "There was one lady, she was in a Hyundai," he said. "She got to the border late in the afternoon, she had to sleep in the car overnight and then go through the whole interview process the next day and then they sent her back and they wouldn't let her through. It was just hideous." She was angry and frustrated and didn't understand why she couldn't go home. Stephen, a 41-year-old housekeeping manager for a resort near Fitzroy Crossing, flew to Melbourne to attend his step-father's funeral at the end of March. He didn't realise the Premier had closed WA's borders, even to West Australians, until the night before he was scheduled to fly home. "When I was supposed to fly back, I didn't know you had to get the G2G pass, and the night before I was supposed to fly I got a phone call from the WA police saying that if I travel over there I will be fined," he said. He has been stranded in Melbourne ever since. Police have rejected his pleas to return home 15 times. "I just kept applying and I tried to go a bit higher so I went to the Police Commissioner and he had a look at my applications as well and he said they were right to not approve me," he said. "I don't know why. Each time I would apply they'd keep asking for more and more information so I would give it to them, but nothing happens." Stephen is paying off a car which is in Fitzroy Crossing along with everything else he owns. He doesn't know how long his work will keep his job open for him. He said it was "very hard and disheartening" to hear the tough rhetoric from the Premier, who famously told "people over east" that "we don't want you here". "I don't mind doing the two weeks quarantine and all that, but it's just being able to go over at all," Stephen said. "The main thing is, why do you keep rejecting us and letting other people travel?" Loading He said he was so desperate he was considering getting legal advice. They all say they don't need exemptions based on compassionate grounds. Thankfully, there are no gravely ill relatives, no funerals to attend, no emergency medical procedures. Just jobs and families and lives they are desperate to return to. They all say they are angry and frustrated when they see high-profile business people and celebrities coming into the state. The hard border was dividing families. Dominic, who is proud he was born at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Subiaco, said he'd had an argument with a nephew, who was an ardent supporter of the restrictions. "He's saying 'close the borders', well hang on a minute, mate, I'm West Australian," he said. "I'm older than you, I've been a West Australian longer than you and he's 30 something and I was 55 when I left WA to come here. "I've been a West Australian longer than you, mate." Dominic said he couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, and he was running out of options. "It is frustrating because I voted for Mark McGowan at the last election, we travelled to two or three different places here in Victoria to find somewhere that would do absentee votes," he said. New Delhi, Aug 30 : A fresh chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police against JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam, who was arrested under sedition charges for his alleged inflammatory speeches, has claimed that he "was desperate to take the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests to an all India level" and was making rigorous efforts in order to do the same. As per his statements, Imam was in touch with one of the members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) who suggested him to protest as a member of PFI, the chargesheet has claimed. "The accused was very desperate to take the protests that level where the leaders of the protestors take the control of the mob in their own hand," the chargesheet said ,while adding that Imam not only mobilized one of the communities but also set the stage for disruptive 'Chakka Jam' across Delhi and other parts of the country. As per Imam's statements and the analysis of his call detail records, it came to light that he had visited the protest sites in Seelampur and Khureji. The same was also corroborated through a WhatsApp chat which further pointed out to his alleged role in spreading "misinformation in the North-East district by taking help of local Imams of local Masjids." The chargesheet further alleges that Imam and his group had identified various mosques and assigned the task of distribution of pamphlets in these mosques to certain individuals in order to mobilize the Muslim mass in large numbers in the garb of protesting against the CAA. It was also alleged that Imam along with one Mohd. Kasif distributed the pamphlets at a mosque in Delhi's Nizamuddin area and several other places. The documents further states that Imam in a WhatsApp chat had admitted that he had drafted the pamphlets and later distributed the same. The fresh chargesheet was filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case related to delivering seditious speeches against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. It was also filed under Sections 124A (Sedition), 153(A) (Promoting enmity), 153 (B) (Assertion prejudicial to national integration), 505 (spreading rumours) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. On August 25, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Imam in a separate case relating to the Delhi riots under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act UAPA). He was brought back to the capital from Assam two days earlier on a production warrant. Next day, a Delhi court sent him to a four-day police custody. Imam came to th limelight for his speech in Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens on December 13, 2019 and subsequently on January 16 at the Aligarh Muslim University, where he allegedly threatened to "cut off" Assam and the rest of the northeast from the country. We are now excited about the prospects of a second animal in Dong Mo Lake which could potentially increase the number of known living Swinhoes Softshell Turtles to four individuals, with three in Vietnam and one in China, read the statement from the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) the organisation is sparing no efforts in protecting the critically endangered species in Dong Mo Lake. The Hoan Kiem Turtle is believed to be almost extinct in the wild. No surviving populations were known until the first wild animal was confirmed in Dong Mo Lake on the outskirts of Hanoi in 2007. It was a long wait until a second animal was confirmed on May 24 of the same year in nearby Xuan Khanh Lake. Fishermen in Dong Mo Lake have long claimed that a second, smaller individual of the species lived in the lake. One large Swinhoes Softshell Turtle has regularly been photographed and is the same individual who escaped during a dam break in 2008 which resulted in the rescue and return of the 69kg individual to the lake. However, in May 2011, staff of the ATP/IMC, who continuously monitor the lake, did see a softshell turtle that appeared to be smaller than the big turtle that is regularly seen. Although some photographs have been captured of this individual in recent years, the images have not been clear, and some doubt remained over if was only one animal being seen or not. Finally, on August 20, 2020, Nguyen Van Trong, the ATP/IMC local field officer, was able to capture a photo of two large softshell turtles emerging simultaneously. Although they appeared for only a few seconds, he was able to capture some amazing pictures. The identity of the smaller turtles species cannot be confirmed with these photos but, together with previous observations by staff, its size of 40-50kg is a good indication that it might be a Rafetus. (Photo: Nguyen Van Trong - ATP/IMC) The well-known large individual sits in the foreground weighed in at 69kg in 2008 when captured and could weigh between 100-130kg now in 2020. The second animal is seen not far behind and, although its not clear enough to see head markings, this also looks to be a large animal that could be 40-50kg in weight. With few other species reaching this size in Vietnam, it gives us good hope that at least two, and possibly more, of these critically endangered Swinhoes Softshell Turtles still survive in Dong Mo Lake, although further work is required to confirm this new turtles identify, the ATP/IMCs statement said. With a number of other sites already identified by the ATP/IMC in Vietnam, the new findings bring the hope that additional Swinhoes Softshell Turtles may be found, giving more options for the future conservation of the worlds rarest turtle species in Vietnam. These new photos will boost monitoring efforts at Dong Mo and will hopefully draw more attention to the species. The larger well-known individual can be seen clearly in the centre of the image, while the smaller turtle appears behind it in the top left corner. (Photo: Nguyen Van Trong - ATP/IMC) Living in wetlands, streams and large rivers in northern Vietnam, southern China and possibly Laos, the giant Swinhoes Softshell Turtle can reach up to 150kg or more in size. It was heavily hunted for food from the 1970s until the 1990s and is believed to be almost extinct in the wild. Only three individuals have been recorded, with two in Vietnam (in Xuan Khanh and Dong Mo Lakes) and one in China. In January 2016, the only remaining turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake in the centre of Hanoi, known as Cu Rua (Great-Grandfather Turtle) by Hanoians, was reported dead due to old age. It was believed to have lived for 200 years. Dong Mo Lake offers hope for the worlds rarest turtle to recover. (Photo: Nguyen Tai Thang - ATP/IMC) The two turtles in Dong Mo or more may be the only hope of conservation for this species in the world. Therefore, this lake has always been strictly supervised by the authorities and conservation organisations for many years. The ATP/IMC has partnered with the local authorities and other conservation organisations around the world to implement a conservation action plan for the species since 2003. ATP/IMC staff have been working hard at Dong Mo for the last 13 years to record sightings and the behaviour of the large individual while working with local communities to promote conservation. (Photo: Nguyen Tai Thang - ATP/IMC) Nguyen Van Trong grew up on the lake and was a fisherman before picking up a camera and becoming a key part of the field staff protecting the worlds rarest turtle. Photo by: Nguyen Tai Thang (ATP/IMC). Watching Sadak 2 felt like he had regurgitated the indigestibles of Sadak, which wasnt a great film to begin with Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Jisshu Sengupta, Makarand Deshpande, Gulshan Grover, Priyanka Bose, Mohan Kapoor Direction: Mahesh Bhatt Rating: *1/2 Sadak 2 is a homely production of the Bhatts. Daddy Mahesh Bhatt has directed his younger daughter in a sequel to his 1991 film, Sadak, which starred his elder daughter, Pooja Bhatt. Both films were produced by his bro, Mukesh Bhatt. Sanjay Dutt was the hero of that film, and he is the hero of this film as well. He bashed up bad-guy Sadashiv Amrapurkar then because, I suspect, he kept stealing the heroine's clothes and wigs and prancing around in them. Now too he beats up the baddie, Gyaan Prakash "Guruji" (Makarand Deshpande), when he appears in a gotta-patti lehnga-dupatta that the heroine had probably kept for a special night. Daddy Bhatt has returned to direction after 19-20 years. In his long career, the prolific director made Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam -- stellar films in a large pool of tedious mediocrity. But he has never in his life made a film as bad as Sadak 2. Watching Sadak 2 felt like he had regurgitated the indigestibles of Sadak, which wasnt a great film to begin with, but worked then because of the innocent impishness and lisp of Pooja Bhatt, Sadashiv's stellar evil act and catchy songs. Sadak 2, which is quite literally set in Sadak in the sense of what became of those characters takes off on the exact same journey with ill-conceived characters who seem to belong nowhere except the godowns where terribly tacky, B-grade scripts of the 1980s were discarded. Aarya (Alia Bhatt) is a riche-rich heiress of the Desai Group of Industries, owned by Papa Yogesh Desai (Jisshu Sengupta) and mummy Shakuntala. At 21, she is to inherit it all. But Shakuntala is dead and replaced. Nandini Maa (Priyanka Bose) is Aaryas maasi and new mommy. She is also, perhaps, the murderer of her sister at the behest of Guruji. So Aarya rages and devotes herself to waging an Instagram war against him. This involves wearing a hoodie and entering his ashram to set fire to Guruji's larger-than-life cutout. I request you, dear reader, to pause and consider this: Aarya in a hoodie first spray-paints BADLA on Gurujis cutout, then pours petrol on it and sets it on fire. As it burns, she starts recording it and posts it on her @IndiaAgainstFakeGurus account, #Victory. What was the point of spraying the word BADLA when she was going to set fire to it? Anyway. A few seconds later, when accosted by Guruji's armed chellas, Aarya points two fingers and pretends to shoot, saying, "Thish". Aarya is deemed mentally unstable by Nandini Maa and given the aforementioned sequence of events, there may be merit in that diagnosis. Meanwhile, somewhere in Mumbai, Ravi (Sanjay Dutt), the owner of Pooja Tours and Travels, is crying and smelling a saree. He keeps talking to Pooja under whose large black & white poster a scented candle burns. He is so sad that he decides to off himself. But the ceiling hinge cant take his weight. He is rushed to the same psychiatric hospital where Aarya is being treated. Upon return, Ravi gets busy trying another contraption to off himself, but Aarya, having escaped her luxurious house that looks like a banquet of banquet halls designed by JJ Valaya, keeps knocking on his door. It seems that three months ago Pooja took her booking to be driven to Kailash Parvat. Meanwhile, Gyaan Prakash appears in a tiny black dhoti and wearing the entire Tribal collection of Amrapali jewellery, in gold. His hair is frizzy and so is his ominous chatter which amounts to ordering the offing of a young heiress. Enroute to Kailash, Aarya tells Ravi to take a detour to a jail. When he asks why, we are treated to a dull millennial flashback that involves trolling, devoted activists and a meeting of the two. Only two activists of India Fights Fake Gurus matter to Sadak 2 -- Aarya and one troll-turned-ally, Vishal (Aditya Roy Kapoor). Vishal emerges from Central Jail with a guitar dangling on one shoulder and an ullu in a cage in his other hand. It's as if he wasn't serving a sentence for a heinous crime but was invited by the inmates to sing and strum his guitar for a weekend gig. Ravi doesn't like Vishal, but he likes Kumbhkaran the ullu and they briefly form a bond which reminded me of Iqbal and Allah Rakha (Coolie). In flashback we see Aarya and Vishal arguing over the need to fight andh vishwas and rich kids faking concern, all without even a hint of irony given the fact that they are on their way to Kailash Parvat to say Har Har Mahadev. Aarya discovers that at least two people she trusted have been planted by Guruji to off her, and Ravi decides that given Aaryas mental state and the irritating imbecility displayed by Vishal, one Hathkata goon (Gulashan Grover) and a cop played by Bollywoods always reliable overactor (Mohan Kapoor), he has to take charge. So he goes forth alone, chanting Ram Naam Satya Hai. Lucky for him, all the people he needs to off are gathered in the banquet designed by Valaya. After a bloody thish-thish climax comes a press conference. This scene, which goes on and on, is so bad and boring that I felt like not only had we just been served the most tasteless dish by a chef we had gone to expectantly, but as he turned to walk away, he let out a loud, smelly fart. Alia Bhatt has never been so bad or looked so lost, although the same cant be said about Aditya Roy Kapoor. Like in many of his films, here too he seems as if he had come to the sets to hang, but was suddenly told to go change and say two-three lines. Watching Priyanka Bose "act" is a chore. It's as she can only play Lady Macbeth going mental, over and over. Sadak 2s screenplay, written by Mahesh Bhatt and Sumitra Sengupta, was probably completed on a post-it note. It first festoons it's two young characters with random millennial characteristics and ticks and then incarcerates them in a story from the 1980s. Every cliche that had been discarded and forgotten is revived to fill in two hours. Mahesh Bhatt's forte has always been neurosis, quivering love, intense intimacy, insecurity. But here, with characters created out of Bollywoods thin air, its all either claustrophobic or plain stupid. Sanjay Dutt still has the power to command the screen, but he has just two things to do here -- look teary-eyed at Poojas photo, or babble to her pret aatma that talks back sometimes. Jisshu Sengupta is quite good, but Makarand Deshpande, who came all dressed up to be the centre of a bad boy party, gets one-and-a-half scene, an itsy-bitsy lungi and no conditioner. Any wonder he stole the heroines clothes? There's still a lack of clarity about the deadly shooting in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday night, but the founder of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer said the man who was killed was a supporter, The Associated Press reports. Earlier reports indicated the victim was wearing a hat with the group's insignia. Joey Gibson, who leads the Washington state-based group, said he couldn't say much "right now" but he was able to "verify that [the victim] was a good friend and supporter of Patriot Prayer." He told AP he would make a more complete statement later on Sunday. Gibson was also in Portland on Saturday night and arrived at the scene of the shooting shortly after it took place, although it was not immediately clear why he did so, AP reports. Police still have not released any information on the potential shooter, and while there was fighting between a caravan of Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters throughout the night, there's nothing that has definitively linked the fatal incident to the clashes. Patriot Prayer, AP notes, has a history of crossing the Oregon-Washington border for rallies and marches in Portland, where along with other far-right groups like the Proud Boys they have faced off with counterprotesters. Read more at The Associated Press. More stories from theweek.com Data firm predicts election 'chaos' as Trump seems to win in a landslide before losing as more votes are counted Mariah Carey remembers Ellen DeGeneres pressuring her to reveal she was pregnant: 'I was extremely uncomfortable' Joe Biden: 'Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?' Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 23:13:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit and Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Libya Stephanie Williams discussed the latest developments in the war-torn Arab country on Sunday. The Arab League chief and the UN diplomat agreed on the importance of building on the joint call for the cease-fire declared earlier in the month by the two rival governments in Libya, the Cairo-based pan-Arab organization said in a statement. Aboul-Gheit reiterated the Arab League's position that seeks a comprehensive settlement for the Libyan crisis through resuming negotiations to reach a permanent cease-fire in Libya under UN sponsorship and supervision, according to the statement. Earlier in the day, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held similar talks with Williams on the latest developments in Libya. The UN envoy's visit to Cairo came after a week of popular protests in Libya's capital Tripoli calling for a major government reshuffle to deal with crises including poor services and lengthy electricity blackouts. On Aug. 21, a call for cease-fire was separately announced by two key rivals in Libya: Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, head of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), and Aguila Saleh, speaker of the east-based parliament that supports the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar. Serraj and Saleh vowed to end all hostilities in Libya and called for presidential and parliamentary elections and resumption of oil exports. Oil-rich Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments: the GNA based in Tripoli and a government in the northeastern city of Tobruk allied with the LNA. Enditem St. Tammany Parish sheriff's deputies arrested two teenagers sought for vehicle burglaries near Covington after they fled in a pickup truck early Sunday morning, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph, ultimately hitting two patrol units, according to a news release. Deputies went to the Timberlane subdivision near Covington shortly before 2 a.m. after a resident saw two people trying to burglarize his vehicle, according to the Sheriff's Office. The deputies spotted the suspects' pickup truck leaving the subdivision and, after an unsuccessful attempt to stop it, they chased the truck into Madisonville reaching speeds of more than 100 mph, the Sheriff's Office said. The truck hit two St. Tammany Parish patrol units near the intersection of Main Street and Louisiana 22. Deputies removed the passenger, a 16-year-old male from Hammond, and booked him on simple burglary, illegal possession of stolen firearms and possession of Schedule II narcotics. He was released to his mother. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The driver, 18-year-old Mark Fridge, of Picayune, Mississippi, tried to get away and fought with deputies, hitting one in the face and kicking others, the Sheriff's Office said. Fridge was taken to an area hospital where he is being treated for injuries related to the struggle with deputies, the news release said. The deputies did not require treatment. In the bed of the truck, deputies found a bottle of prescription drugs that had been stolen from a vehicle in Timberlane subdivision and three firearms, all thought to have been stolen. After he is released from the hospital, Fridge will be booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail on two counts of simple burglary, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, flight from an officer, resisting an officer with force or violence, two counts of aggravated criminal damage, aggravated obstruction of a highway, aggravated assault on peace officer, illegal possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a Schedule II narcotic. Brown Berets join hundreds of people gathered at Ruben Salazar Park in East Los Angeles on Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium march. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Several hundred marchers and dozens of tricked-out cars converged on an East Los Angeles park Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, a peace march to protest racial injustice and the disproportionate death toll of Mexican American soldiers in the Vietnam War. Reprising the Chicano power and revolutionary rhetoric of the 1970 event, speakers at Saturday's rally called for unity among the Latino and Black communities to fight the oppression they said has not been vanquished in the last half century. The mothers of young men who were killed in police shootings tearfully called for justice for their sons while others in the crowd shouted, "Say the name, David Flores! Say the name, Alex Hernandez." In a concession to the novel coronavirus, attendees remained largely masked and kept hugging to a minimum, though physical distancing proved futile even in a crowd that grew only to a fraction of the tens of thousands who marched Aug. 29, 1970. That event started as a peaceful demonstration. But the day turned violent when sheriffs deputies stormed Laguna Park and tried to disperse protesters with tear gas and clubs. Three people were killed, including Times journalist Ruben Salazar. The 1970 rally, which was the biggest gathering of Mexican American demonstrators in U.S. history to that point, is recognized as a pivotal moment in the Chicano civil rights movement. Organizers of this years event point out that some of the issues highlighted including racial injustice and law enforcement brutality remain painfully relevant today as protests continue across the nation over the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of police. Hundreds of people march along Whittier Boulevard to Ruben Salazar Park in Los Angeles on Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Saturday's march started at Atlantic Park, just north of Whittier Boulevard, and ended about 2 miles away at Salazar Park, the name given to Laguna Park weeks after the 1970 march. As the marchers gathered in the morning, about 50 Brown Berets from around the country stood in a circle as several of them reflected spontaneously on the meaning of the commemoration. Story continues Its a continuation, not a celebration, said L.A. native Lukas Tekolotl. We are fighting for the same thing. That means were not doing something right. Were not being effective. We have to look back. In sharp contrast with the 1970 march, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stayed out of sight Saturday, leaving the Brown Berets in charge of crowd and traffic control. They deftly guided the marchers slowly along the route with several Aztec dancing troupes in feathered headdresses and mandatory masks leading the way. Members of the Brown Berets led the way at Saturday's anniversary march, which included a parade of vintage cars. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) At the intersection of Atlantic and Whittier boulevards, the marchers joined a caravan of vintage cars that eventually merged into a gridlocked parade of honking, shouting and sign-waving. One of the day's few tense moments occurred when a woman at an outdoor restaurant rushed at a marcher who took her picture. Several Brown Berets quickly defused the scuffle. Through the day the crowd remained mellow, letting its emotion show through rhetoric alone. Sara Aguilar, 42, of Whittier has taken to the streets annually for the Womens March and most recently the Black Lives Matter movement. But as a Latina and a recent member of the Brown Berets, she couldnt miss the Chicano Moratorium anniversary march. Alongside her were Brown Berets from across the country: Fresno, Houston, Chicago, Oregon, Colorado and beyond. She grew up in East L.A., and she hasnt seen much progress since her youth. I dont think much has changed as far as being treated equally or as a woman, she said. Thats why were still out here today. Its not only a celebration but a continuation of our fight. She remembers, as a little girl in school, being taught that I cant speak Spanish and that I needed to learn English. Im here to get back to my roots and fight for a future thats different for the children. Rafael Avitia, co-chair of La Mesa Brown Berets, said the term Chicano encompasses all Indigenous people. Were going to march and reassert who we are: la gente de Aztlan [the people of Aztlan]," Avitia said. "How the hell can we be illegal? We are Indigenous on this land." March participants rest in the shade at Ruben Salazar Park. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Those gathered decried continued killings by Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies and Los Angeles police officers, as well as racism against the Latino community by the presidential administration. They held signs that said, End police brutality, Dump Trump. Vote 2020, Unite, School not prison, Keep families together and Jail killer cops. They repeated, Revolution! Nothing less, Black Lives Matter and Trump, Pence, out now! to the beat of a drum. A line of cars followed behind them, from which people waved Mexican flags and held signs saying Chicanx Power. Fifty years ago, Esther Aguilar marched for the first time during the Chicano Moratorium with her sister and brother-in-law. Now 69 years old, Aguilar came out to her hometown of East L.A. with her daughter, Vanessa Valdez, to march against police brutality. We have to continue marching for him, said Aguilar, pointing to the name Ruben Salazar on her sign, and now, for all these people dying. Its not fair and its sad, sad, sad. Innocent kids are getting killed by the police. Its wrong. Valdez, 45, grew up listening to her mother tell stories about the 1970 protest. Two years ago, when she heard about the 50th anniversary march, she told her mom: Lets go! Her father, Victor Aguilar, a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran, made signs for the two women to march with: Its a beautiful day to be a Chicana, said one. I been marching since 1970 and Ruben Salazar, Que Viva! said the other. I dont think anything has changed since 1970, Valdez said. I live in Montebello, and you still see the racial profiling and you still see the cops assuming that brown people are criminals." November is a chance to see some change, they both said. We all have to go out and vote, Aguilar said. "The revolution won't wait," United Teachers Los Angeles President Cecily Myart-Cruz told the crowd assembled for the march. "We do not have another 50 years to get it right." The three etched-in-stone rules of the coronavirus pandemic are: 1) wear a mask, 2) wash your hands frequently and 3) keep at least 6 feet from others. Now British researchers say No. 3 needs some tweaking. A new paper published Monday in The BMJ, the peer-reviewed UK medical journal, finds that the 2-meter (6-foot) safe physical-distancing rule is "an oversimplification based on outdated science." Nicholas R. Jones of the University of Oxford and his fellow researchers from the University of Oxford, St. Thomas Hospital in London and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concluded that the current rigid distancing guideline ignores the physics of respiratory emissions in which droplets of all sizes are concentrated in a gas cloud that can cover several meters in a few seconds. Instead, they proposed a more nuanced model assessing the risk of viral transmission as it relates to the four Cs (close, closed, crowded, continuous) and whether or not face coverings are worn. The model assumes everyone is asymptomatic (or presymptomatic). The chart (broken into two sections here to make it easier to read) does not replace the 2-meter rule but shows graded recommendations that better reflect the multiple factors that combine to determine risk, the studys authors wrote. Where the risk is great, such as a crowded bar or night club, distancing should be extended beyond 2 meters. The model is not perfect. Risk levels do not factor in an individuals susceptibility to infection, the amount of virus shedding from an infected person, indoor airflow patterns or the proximity of a healthy individual to an infected one. The authors acknowledged that more research into these variables is needed, as well as a study of the duration of exposures indoors and how it relates to occupancy levels. The 2-meter guideline has been around for a long time. In 1897, German bacteriologist Carl Flugge demonstrated that pathogens contained in large droplets expelled from the respiratory tract could spread disease. Flugge recommended a 1- to 2-meter safe distance, which over the years became entrenched scientific belief. But a recent Swiss study demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 can be spread by aerosols over distances of at least 8 meters (26 feet). The BMJ paper cited evidence that distribution of viral particles is affected by numerous factors, including air flow, and that activities such as singing, shouting, coughing and sneezing can propel pathogens to distances greater than 2 meters. Physical distancing should be seen as only one part of a wider public health approach to containing the covid-19 pandemic, the authors wrote. It needs to be implemented alongside combined strategies of people-air-surface-space management, including hand hygiene, cleaning, occupancy and indoor space and air managements, and appropriate protective equipment, such as masks, for the setting. Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate With the business potentially at an important milestone, we thought we'd take a closer look at Electrovaya Inc.'s (TSE:EFL) future prospects. Electrovaya Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets lithium-ion based battery products in Canada, the United States, and internationally. With the latest financial year loss of US$2.8m and a trailing-twelve-month loss of US$675.0k, the CA$75m market-cap company alleviated its loss by moving closer towards its target of breakeven. The most pressing concern for investors is Electrovaya's path to profitability when will it breakeven? In this article, we will touch on the expectations for the company's growth and when analysts expect it to become profitable. View our latest analysis for Electrovaya Electrovaya is bordering on breakeven, according to some Canadian Electrical analysts. They anticipate the company to incur a final loss in 2019, before generating positive profits of US$2.0m in 2020. The company is therefore projected to breakeven around 12 months from now or less. How fast will the company have to grow to reach the consensus forecasts that anticipate breakeven by 2020? Working backwards from analyst estimates, it turns out that they expect the company to grow 158% year-on-year, on average, which is extremely buoyant. Should the business grow at a slower rate, it will become profitable at a later date than expected. Underlying developments driving Electrovaya's growth isnt the focus of this broad overview, but, keep in mind that typically a high growth rate is not out of the ordinary, particularly when a company is in a period of investment. One thing we would like to bring into light with Electrovaya is it currently has negative equity on its balance sheet. This can sometimes arise from accounting methods used to deal with accumulated losses from prior years, which are viewed as liabilities carried forward until it cancels out in the future. These losses tend to occur only on paper, however, in other cases it can be forewarning. Story continues Next Steps: There are too many aspects of Electrovaya to cover in one brief article, but the key fundamentals for the company can all be found in one place Electrovaya's company page on Simply Wall St. We've also compiled a list of relevant factors you should look at: Historical Track Record: What has Electrovaya's performance been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business take a look at who sits on Electrovaya's board and the CEOs background. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks 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. Last year, a request for a by the US on a lobster deal was rejected by the EU. Photo: Getty The United States and the European Union have agreed a limited trade deal, allowing US lobster exporters to enter the EU tariff free for five years. With US president Donald Trump threatening to impose higher tariffs on European car exports, most notably from Germany, the EUs biggest economy, if the bloc didnt agree to end the lobster duties. The move will be seen as an effort to de-escalate rising tensions between the two economic heavyweights after Trump slapped tariffs on steel and aluminium exports from Europe and other partners in 2017. It is the first time the US and EU have agreed on a tariff reduction in more than 20 years, with decades-long battles over subsidies for Boeing (BA) and Airbus (AIR.PA). READ MORE: Pound declines as EU Brexit negotiator says UK trade deal still unlikely Trump has put heavy pressure on clinching the lobster deal, after Europe entered a trade deal with neighbouring Canada, which also exports shellfish. in 2017, the US exported about $111m (85m) worth of lobster to the EU with Fridays deal slashing European tariffs on lobster, that currently range between 8% and 30%. The joint-agreement announced by US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and EU commissioner Phil Hogan, still needs approval from EU governments and the European parliament. "We intend for this package of tariff reductions to mark just the beginning of a process that will lead to additional agreements that create more free, fair, and reciprocal transatlantic trade," they said in a statement. In exchange, the EU seeks to see tariffs slashed in half on a series of items worth an average trade value of $160m, including cigarette lighters, crystal glass and certain prepared meals. Last year, the EU rejected a request by the US on a lobster deal and earlier in August the US refrained from a rise in tariffs it had threatened over European subsidies for Airbus (AIR.PA). Lucy Liu joyously welcomed her son Rockwell into the world by way of gestational surrogacy in 2015. And the 51-year-old actress gave her 1million Instagram followers a rare glimpse at her only child as she paid tribute to him on his fifth birthday. 'My darling son turned 5 yesterday. He is a rainbow of light and his energy is pure magic,' began Liu in her post's caption. Birthday boy: Lucy Liu gave her 1million Instagram followers a rare glimpse at her son Rockwell as she paid tribute to him on his fifth birthday In the photo shared with her fan following, the Charlie's Angels star watched in awe as Rockwell blew out the number five candle on his birthday cake. The cake was covered in a various decorations and coated in a thick layer of chocolate frosting. Lucy and Rockwell donned matching rainbow party hats as they posed for the photo in their kitchen. Rockwell also happened to be wearing a dinosaur print shirt and a pair of bright red shorts. A light: 'My darling son turned 5 yesterday. He is a rainbow of light and his energy is pure magic,' began Liu in her post's caption' Lucy and Rockwell pictured in 2019 After paying tribute to her son, Liu used the rest of her caption to show her support for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Senator Kamala Harris. 'As a human being, a woman, a mother, a daughter - now more than ever we must come together to fight for the soul of this nation. 'Let's all wish as hard as he is for a brighter and safer future for our children and Mother Earth. I am all in for #BidenHarris2020 and their vision for an inclusive America,' concluded Lucy, who tagged Joe and Kamala in her post. Months after she welcomed Rockwell via gestational surrogacy, Lucy opened up to People about her experience and why surrogacy ended up being the 'right option' for her. Journey into the world: Lucy Liu joyously welcomed her son Rockwell into the world by means of gestational surrogacy in 2015; Lucy and Rockwell pictured in January Right option: 'It just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn't know when I was going to be able to stop,' explained Liu regarding her choice to go the gestational surrogacy route; Lucy and Rockwell pictured in 2019 on Instagram 'It just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn't know when I was going to be able to stop,' she explained. 'I decided that was probably the best solution for me, and it turned out to be great.' She also marveled at how fast Rockwell, who was just eight-months-old at the time, was growing. 'I didn't realize how quickly babies progress. Very basic things that you just take for granted. They're just this little lump of flesh, and then all the sudden they're turning around, they're observing you and they're smiling and they're interacting. It's a magical experience,' said the Elementary star. Magic of motherhood: 'I didn't realize how quickly babies progress. Very basic things that you just take for granted. They're just this little lump of flesh, and then all the sudden they're turning around, they're observing you and they're smiling and they're interacting. It's a magical experience,' said Lucy; Lucy pictured in February Aside from celebrating another year of her son's life, Lucy also took to Instagram to express her condolences over the tragic passing of fellow actor Chadwick Boseman. Boseman passed away on Friday after enduring a four year battle with colon cancer. The Black Panther star never spoke publicly about his diagnosis prior to his death. He was 43. 'What a huge loss for our community. He leaved behind such an important legacy through his beautiful performances. RIP #ChadwickBoseman,' wrote Liu, who also shared a portrait of the late actor to her Instagram Story. White House adviser on Sunday trumpeted the recent agreement by and the to establish diplomatic relations as a historic breakthrough and said the stage is set for other Arab states to follow suit, but he gave no indication that any new deals were imminent. Appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, Kushner spoke a day before he is to join a senior Israeli delegation on the first commercial flight from to the UAE. The flight holds great symbolic value and is a key step in what is expected to be full normalization between and the UAE. The August 13 announcement makes the UAE just the third Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, and the first to do so in over 25 years. It reflects a shifting in which shared concerns over Iran have overtaken traditional wall-to-wall Arab support for the Palestinians. Today obviously we celebrate a historic breakthrough for peace, Kushner said, adding that the deal will create previously unthinkable economic, security and religious cooperation. While this peace agreement was thought by many to be impossible, the stage is now set for even more," he said, claiming he has heard optimism throughout the region since the deal was announced. We must seize that optimism and we must continue to push to make this region achieve the potential that it truly has," said Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and chief Mideast adviser. Israel and the UAE have moved quickly to cement their ties over the past two weeks. Almost immediately, they opened direct phone lines, and Cabinet ministers have held friendly phone conversations. On Saturday, the UAE formally ended its commercial boycott of Israel, although the two countries have quietly conducted business for years. Monday's flight of an El Al plane from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi will be the first known flight of an Israeli commercial airliner from Israel to the Emirates. The two Mideast countries are expected to sign a formal agreement at the White House in the coming weeks. But so far, predictions by Israeli and American officials, including Kushner, that other Arab countries would follow the UAE have not yet materialised. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo toured the region last week, stopping in Sudan, Bahrain and Oman three countries widely seen as candidates to establish ties with Israel but appeared to leave empty-handed. The flurry of US diplomatic activity comes as the Trump administration presses ahead with ambitious plans to promote Arab-Israeli rapprochement even in the absence of a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had long been seen as a prerequisite for Israel to reach peace deals with all of its Arab neighbours. Gulf Arab countries, which like Israel share deep animosity toward Iran, have shown an increasing willingness to make back-channel ties with Israel public. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring unbridled trade and opportunities. You will see how the sparks fly, he said. Trump unveiled a Mideast plan in January that has been rejected by the Palestinians, who say it unfairly favors Israel. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war for an independent state. The Trump plan offers them limited autonomy in 70% of the West Bank, leaving Israel in overall control of the territory, and a symbolic presence on the outskirts of Jerusalem, while handing Israel control of the city's sensitive holy sites. Netanyahu said the deal with the UAE proves the Palestinians no longer have a veto over regional peace. The Palestinians have accused the UAE of treason. If we have to wait for the Palestinians, we will have to wait forever," Netanyahu said. "As more Arab and Muslim countries join the circle of peace, the Palestinians will eventually understand their veto has dissipated and they will be hard pressed to stay outside the community of peace. (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.) After attending the 2020 Conservative leadership election in Ottawa, Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence shared his experiences from that night, talked about his friendship with the new leader and his outlook on the future. Conservatives selected Durham MP Erin OToole, the son of Peterboroughs John OToole, to lead them into the next federal election. It was great watching all that work come to fruition and, most importantly, watching the grassroots have their say as to who will be our leader and hopefully our next Prime Minister of Canada, Lawrence said. Lots of work was put toward Erins team and campaign. Lawrence said he has known OToole since he formed his own political aspirations and said his name is synonymous with politics in the Clarington area he calls home. Erin was a mentor to me early on, helped us with our fundraising and his team helped our team get into the air. I owe Erin a great debt of gratitude. Asked about OToole and what would make him a good leader, Lawrence said he is the quintessential Canadian. Pragmatic, diplomatic, friendly and kind. He is who Canada is, Lawrence said. I think his pragmatic, centrist approach is exactly what Canadians need now. Lawrence said that as he walks the streets and talks to people, he is hearing that they are tired of the political rhetoric, tired of the vitriol and they just want solutions. They want a serious person with serious solutions for some of the serious problems that Canada is facing, he added. Lawrence said Canada is facing down the barrel of a significant economic crisis. No. 1 we have to keep Canadians safe through COVID-19 and I think the Ford government has done a great job of that, he said. Locally our leaders from (MPP) David Piccini and (Cobourg Mayor) John Henderson have done as great job, too. He said OTooles common sense approach includes a great recovery plan that will free our private enterprise systems, our job creators and wealth creators, in order to create great jobs for Northumberland and Peterborough South. To that end, he said OToole proposes to convert the existing child care expense deduction to a refundable tax credit for the recovery period. It is also a very centrist approach. What that will do is put money back into the pockets of parents and disproportionately more toward the more vulnerable parts of the population, Lawrence said. That is great because in this COVID pandemic ... women have been disproportionately affected. For every man that has lost his job due to COVID, two women have lost theirs. He said the tax credit will allow more moms to return to work. OToole will take the health responsibilities of COVID-19 extremely seriously, Lawrence said, adding that dealing with the health crisis will transition in dealing with an economic crisis. That is our big challenge. We went in with a weak position of ever mounting deficits, increasing unemployment and a reduction in the GDP, Lawrence said. That put us in a weak spot and it only got worse over COVID. Asked about the possibility of a fall election, Lawrence said he wanted to make it clear that his party is not pushing for an election right now. In fact I would like to be in parliament right now but unfortunately the prime minister prorogued parliament, and I can see now other reason than to avoid a further investigation into the WE scandal, he said. I want to be in parliament right now not deciding whether we need an election right now or not, because thats not what Canadians are talking about. I want to help Canadians get back to work. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Saturday refused to vacate its stay on the telecast of a programme on Sudarshan TV about a "big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service". In an interim order on Friday, the high court had restrained the channel from airing the programme 'Bindas Bol' which was scheduled for telecast at 8 pm last evening. A special hearing was held on Saturday post 7 pm by Justice Navin Chawla on a plea filed by Sudarshan TV and its editor-in-chief seeking to vacate the stay order on telecast of the programme, a lawyer said. The channel submitted that the Supreme Court, on another petition, on Friday has refused to restrain pre-broadcast ban on Sudarshan TV from telecasting the programme. An advocate associated with the case said the judge asked the channel to first respond to the notice issued to it by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which has sought a clarification after receiving several complaints. The court asked the channel to submit by September 1, its reply to the ministry, represented through central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, which will decide it within 48 hours and place the decision before it. The advocate said the court was also of the opinion that while in the matter before the Supreme Court the transcript was unverified, here the video clipping has not been disputed by the channel. In the high court, the main petition was filed by former and present students of Jamia Millia Islamia University, contending that the proposed broadcast sought to defame, attack and incite hatred against JMI, its alumni, and the Muslim community at large. The high court had issued notices seeking replies from the central government, Sudarshan TV, and its Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke on the petition, which has been listed for further hearing on September 7. The petitioners' counsel had shown a video clip of the trailer that was released by the TV channel for 'Bindas Bol' and said it shows the programme could be in complete violation of the programme code. He had said an irretrievable damage would be caused to the petitioners if the programme is allowed to be telecast. In the apex court, the petition was filed by advocate Firoz Iqbal Khan. The top court had said it has to first circumspect in imposing a prior restraint on publication or the airing of views. In the high court, the petition by Syed Mujtaba Athar, Ritesh Siraj and Aamir Subhani sought a direction to prohibit the telecast of the programme and to take down the trailers and all videos of the broadcast which are uploaded on the Internet by them. It said the trailer was uploaded by the channel's editor-in-chief on August 25 on social media and the petitioners came to know about it on August 27 when it went viral. "The respondent no.4 (Chavhanke) has openly incited his target non-Muslim audience by fearmongering that 'jihadis' or terrorists from Jamia Millia Islamia would soon hold positions of authority and power like that of collector and secretary," it said. The plea said if the proposed broadcast is allowed to go ahead, it would present a clear danger to the security of the petitioners as well as that of other students and alumni of Jamia Millia Islamia including those who cleared the Civil Services Exam in 2020 as well as the Muslim community at large. It claimed that this would leave them open to the imminent threat of violence, including the possibility of lynching. "This would amount to an extremely egregious violation of the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed to the petitioners under Article 21 of the Constitution," the plea said. It said a prima facie case is made out that the proposed broadcast amounts to hate speech and criminal defamation and fatally compromises the right to life and liberty of the petitioners. 90 Day Fiance star Elizabeth Potthast Castravets husband, Andrei Castravet, has always had major in-law drama. But things got more heated than ever when Andrei and Elizabeth decided to have their second wedding in Moldova, Andreis home country. After Chuck Potthast (Elizabeths dad) and Charlie Potthast (Elizabeths brother) asked Andrei one too many questions about his past, Charlie and Andrei nearly came to blows at a Moldovan restaurant. Elizabeths husband ultimately apologized to her father and brother, but their relationship was still awkward and tense. In a new 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After sneak peek, Elizabeths sister, Jenn, and mother, Pamela, joined the rest of her family in Moldova for the wedding. On a sightseeing trip to a traditional village in the countryside, Andrei showed a different side of himselfbut Chuck and Charlie didnt shy away from asking the tough questions. Andrei Castravet and Elizabeth Potthast Castravet | Elizabeth Potthast Castravet via Instagram Charlie asked about Andreis dating history On a 90 Day Fiance sneak peek, Andrei headed to a traditional Moldovan village in the countryside to make wine with his in-laws. While he admitted that his relationship with themespecially Chuck and Charliehad often been tense, he hoped that the day would prove to be a turning point for the family. Im just trying to do my best not to get into another altercation with them, Andrei said. So Im just on my best behavior right now. Elizabeth, too, said she hoped for the best when it came to her husbands relationship with her family. Im hoping today that everyone can conduct themselves like normal people and get along like a family should a few days before a wedding, she said optimistically. Despite Elizabeth and Andreis hopes, Charlie began to needle his brother-in-law a bit on the bus ride over to the village. I did notice that you have a lot of pretty girls here in Moldova, Charlie pointed out to Andrei. He asked the 90 Day Fiance star if hed dated a lot growing up. Like every man does, Andrei said simply, looking wary of where Charlie was going with this line of questioning. Elizabeths husband then asked Charlie what his point was. Well, it seems like there are a lot of pretty girls here, but you had to find one in America, Charlie said leadingly. Luckily, Andrei stayed calm and turned the question into a joke. What does this mean? Americans are ugly? he laughed. Elizabeths sister, too, got in on the questions, asking Andrei if he hadnt ended up with a Moldovan woman because they had attitudes. Like you, yes, Andrei joked. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Fans Call Out Andrei Castravet For His Sexism On Social Media Andrei and Chuck exchanged jokes about not working Before the day trip, Charlie told 90 Day Fiance producers that he and Chuck were still going to be observing Andreis actions closely. Were still going to be watching Andrei closely to see how he acts, Charlie explained, and to see if hes gonna be friendly, welcomingor if hes going to be the same confrontational guy that we saw at dinner. And when the family arrived at a village where they planned to make wine together, Andrei and Chuck couldnt resist throwing a few barbs at each other. Luckily, though, they kept things civil and good-natured. I know youre not used to working, but this is going to be a little bit physical, okay? Andrei joked to his father-in-law as she showed him how to operate the wine press. No, I think its the other way around, Chuck shot back, laughing. You cant sit on the couch and play video games and do this. The day seemed to go better than anticipated Elizabeths family seemed to enjoy their time in a new part of Moldova. Andrei and Charlie even joked about squashing their issue with each other as they stepped on grapes together as part of the wine-making process. Andrei told 90 Day Fiance producers that he was pleased with how the day had goneand he hoped it could be the start of something new with his in-laws. The day went pretty well, actually, Andrei mused. You know, sometimes I think that it may be a fresh start with Elizabeths family. He added that he was glad he stayed patient and stayed calm so his second wedding to Elizabeth would go well in a few days. Charlie, too, admitted that his day with Andrei had been much better than he expected. Andrei and I, basically today, have gotten along better than we ever have, he said. I appreciate that. Still, Elizabeths brother added, he wasnt ready to trust his brother-in-law just yet. It still doesnt excuse what happened the other night, so were still trying to work through that, he told 90 Day Fiance producers. Today did not replace the other night, Chuck agreed, suggesting that the familys conflict was not yet completely resolved. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 15:51:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Wang Yapeng(R) talks with villagers in Nanpo Village of Pingshun County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 20, 2020. Wang Yapeng, 22, returned to his hometown Nanpo Village to start his business after graduation from Taiyuan Normal University this summer. With personal experience of E-commerce he gained at university and technical supports offered by local authorities, Wang took over a planting cooperative in Nanpo Village after discussing with his family. Nanpo Village is a typical agricultural village with a long history of planting millets and codonopsis pilosula, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, due to inconvenient transportation, sales have always been a big problem. "E-commerce is a good way to promote high-quality agricultural products in my hometown, and now the market for livestreaming is getting better and better," Wang Yapeng said. With a growing recognition from around, the Anda planting cooperative has provided over 120 job opportunities for local villagers including some 90 poverty-stricken households. "Through our efforts, I hope more and more fellow villagers could make a better living without working far away from home," Wang Yapeng said. (Xinhua/Yang Chenguang) Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, obviously a no nonsense man but interestingly finds time to have fun. But many people wouldnt know that he is also a good dancer, until DJ Switch played at the ongoing BBNaija Lockdown on Saturday. She sets everyone dancing frenzily, but one person who was watching the whole show with his family was governor Wike. After the show, Wike took to twitter to express how he felt after the performance, saying he was greatly impressed by what DJ Switch did. According to him, he and his family danced for two hours to the rhythms of the songs non-stop This DJ switch has my whole family up and dancing nonstop for two hours. This is talent, i am impressed big time, he tweeted. Obianuju Catherine Udeh, professionally known as DJ Switch, is a Nigerian DJ, songwriter and musician who emerged as the winner of the first edition of The Glo X Factor in 2013 at the age of 29. She is the last of eight children, from Udi in Enugu State, a Geology graduate from University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and now a professional DJ. 2020: Year of celebration of the DB28's 10th anniversary When the first DB28 was launched in 2010, De Bethune's idea was to present a timepiece with an identity of its own and a resolutely futuristic vision of the art of watchmaking. The design naturally follows through in the spirit of the Manufactures creations. The distinctive shape of the case and the crown at 12 o'clock, inspired by pocket watches, are characteristic features of the contemporary aestheticism specific to De Bethune. It is on this timepiece that the patent for De Bethune's unique, innovative floating lugs, designed to significantly improve comfort, acquired its full meaning. Since then, the DB28 named Best Watch of the Year and awarded the Aiguille d'Or prize at the Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) in 2011 has never ceased to express past, present and future watchmaking culture through different variants. Following through on a series of contemporary iterations, from Skybridge to the Kind-of-Blue, by way of the more recent DB28XP, DB28XP Starry Sky and DB28XP Tourbillon, De Bethune has time and again found a new way to reveal new facets of this design, already instantly recognizable by its sleek and taut lines. January 2018: Birth of the DB28 Steel Wheels The DB28 Steel Wheels came to be in 2018, under the sign of transparency and light, with the idea of opening the dial to reveal the contemporary architecture of its movement. Recognizable by its delta-shaped bridge a De Bethune hallmark and its moon at 6 o'clock, the DB28 Steel Wheels fascinates with a multitude of different forms hemispherical, concave, spherical for an architecturally dynamic result. It is all about levels of perception, layers and reliefs, light playing with shadows and reflections. Cut from titanium, light on the wrist, this watch reveals a contemporary, architectural fusion of space, time and light. DB28 Steel Wheels De Bethune August 2020: Creation of the DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon We must go back to the wellspring of inspiration that nourishes the creativity of Denis Flageollet, Founder and Master Watchmaker of De Bethune: the passion to celebrate the Great Watchmaking of the Age of Enlightenment, and subtly reinterpret it in contemporary masterpieces infused with ancestral knowledge and at the same time the latest technical and scientific advances. Most often used in the production of watch cases, sapphire crystal takes on a new role for De Bethune. Here, it finds a new vocation in the form of the signature delta-shaped bridge and the cover for each of the two barrels. Blue for the bridge, clear for the barrel covers, these elements are integrated into the movement, letting light in to play and offer new reflections and allow the eyes to literally plunge into the mechanism. The transparency of these sapphire crystal components not only magnifies the movement, but also offers a different kind of lighting, new brilliance and shimmering, that highlights the taut lines, the architecture and the different levels of the caliber for an intriguing sense of depth. Each sapphire crystal component is encircled in polished titanium. A contemporary reinterpretation of stained glass Always in the spirit of taking things further, as far as possible, Denis Flageollet designed the sapphire glass components, cutting them by laser with utmost precision so they fit in perfectly with the forms, rises, angles, the teeth the bridge as well as the barrel covers all perfectly adjusted like lace of sapphire crystal. To this is added a ring of polished titanium to circle each barrel cover. The sight of the delta bridge and two barrel covers in sapphire crystal is something never seen before, along with the cut of the glass, underscored on its periphery by the polished metallic grey line, accentuating a resolutely contemporary aesthetic. DB28 Steel Wheels De Bethune The thicknesses of the sapphire crystal vary according to the components. The sapphire of the bridge is 1 mm thick to ensure functional rigidity, whilst the sapphire of the barrel covers is 0.3 mm thick. These glass components in no way compromise robustness or, of course, reliability when worn solid, perfect resistant to small everyday shocks is assured. Handcrafted hands by De Bethune De Bethune has always crafted its watch hands in-house, by hand, in the workshop in lAuberson. The DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon thus comes with a particularly finely worked hour hand. It consists of 4 distinct elements: the barrel made of steel for technical reasons, a titanium insert, an inner component of matt titanium, and a polished titanium outer component. Each component is worked differently. The result is unique. At the back, an understated movement. The power reserve indication can be read with a hand-blued steel hand, also made, as is the custom, by hand in De Bethunes workshop. The tourbillon according to De Bethune: Why so small, so light, so fast? In the vast array of complications and functions, of horological disciplines in which De Bethune has become a virtuoso, the tourbillon often played a leading role. The DB28 Steel Wheels took a step further towards sophistication and supreme refinement with its moon, and today this gives way to a tourbillon featuring an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18 grams, the lightest ever created). Rotating on itself every thirty seconds, it comprises a total of 63 components (the lightest of which weighs less than 0.0001 grams!). Nowadays, a wristwatch is subjected to more action than may be safely and sufficiently compensated for. Changes in position are often abrupt and sometimes chaotic. Indeed, the kinetic forces inflicted on a mechanical watchmaking movement under normal wear conditions might seem quite staggering. Just as Breguet had invented the tourbillon to meet the constraints of marine watches, De Bethune designed a tourbillon for the new dynamics of wristwatches. DB28 Steel Wheels De Bethune The laws of physics are unequivocal: To compensate for the sheer force of wrist movements, the tourbillon cage must be as light as possible and operate at maximum frequency and speed of rotation, all with weight and inertia at absolute minimums. Only then can it fulfil its function in a watch made for today. The tourbillon is a titanium and silicon creation that beats at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour. It features an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18 g, the lightest ever) that rotates on itself every thirty seconds and comprises 63 components (the lightest of which weighs less than 0.0001 g). Like a flying insect, a microscale exoskeleton keeps it all together. It is thus, so small, so light, so fast, that De Bethunes tourbillon simply fulfils its function more ably for today's watches. The futuristic shape of the tourbillon bridge holds the tourbillon perfectly in position, symmetrically, from both sides. Highly refined finishes, the quintessence of fine craftsmanship The Metiers dArt artisan crafts as understood and lived by De Bethune are a vibrant tribute to what is uniquely human. Among the various hand-made decorations specific to De Bethune's movements, the mirror-polishing of the titanium pieces offers an astonishing play with light. The surfaces of the components are finished to perfectly reflect ambient light. The metal surface is patiently polished until it becomes a true mirror. It can take many days of polishing individual components to achieve this result. Ever so gradually the moment approaches when matter settles and atoms fall into place. That moment, that knowing that one is just about to go too far with the boxwood grindstone and diamond paste. That split-second between a deep, flawless mirror finish and something less than perfect. All this is the result of the interaction between the mind, the eye and the hand. Beyond know-how, its a question of artisanship. It takes a burning desire, an unencumbered impetus to push the boundaries of excellence in all areas in this manner. And comfort thanks to its floating lugs, kept to an intermediate size on this watch The DB28 Steel Wheelss Sapphire Tourbillon features a polished grade 5 titanium case, mounted on the new floating lugs unveiled this year. Entirely redesigned, harmonized and adapted to the spirit of the watch, they are tipped by the famous bullets, more prominent here, reminiscent of the spirit of the first De Bethune collections. The finishing touch: an alligator strap with a titanium buckle, which also contributes to the practicality and everyday wearability of this very special timepiece. Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Saludo a todas las enfermeras y enfermeros del Peru en su dia. Mi respeto, admiracion y agradecimiento por la noble labor y el gran trabajo que desempenan por nuestro pais. pic.twitter.com/pvNOuUopwA For Muhammad Hussein, the Abu Dhabi signing is a "stab in the back for Palestinians and Muslims" and a "betrayal for Muslim and Christian holy places". And it prevents UAE Muslims from praying in al-Aqsa. Last week the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies (FPPMS) issued a note, later deleted, in support of the normalization of relations. Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The grand mufti of Jerusalem yesterday resigned from the Forum for the Promotion of Peace, based in the United Arab Emirates, in protest against the public support of the organization for the normalization of relations between Abu Dhabi and Israel. This is the second resignation in a few days of a leading personality from the organism based in the Gulf country where the document on human fraternity was signed by Pope Francis and the imam of al-Azhar. According to reports from the Palestinian agency Wafa, Muhammad Hussein announced his intention to leave the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies (Fppms) during a press conference. In a note, the Muslim leader stressed that "normalisation is a stab in the back of Palestinians and Muslims, and a betrayal for Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem". Last week, the FPPMS issued a statement, later canceled, that normalization could "stop Israel from extending its sovereignty over Palestinian lands" and is also a way to "promote peace and stability in the world". Emirati leaders have called the pact an "effective means" to stem Israel's expansionist policy, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed the goal of "annexing part of the West Bank". Previously, Hussein issued a statement condemning the agreement and forbidding Muslims in the United Arab Emirates to visit and pray inside the Al-Aqsa mosque. On 23 August, the American Muslim activist Aisha al-Adawiya cancelled her membership in the forum, again for the same reason. The issue of normalization of relations, the religious leader stressed, "was never raised in the recent meeting" of the commission and "there was no agreement on the support of the agreement between the UAE and Israel". This is why, he concludes, with this "violation" "trust" has been lost. Without resigning, other prominent personalities of the forum have distanced themselves from the declaration of support for the normalization of relations. They include Abdullah al-Matouq, adviser to the royal family of Kuwait. The FPPMS was born in 2014 and is led by Mauritanian religious leader and former politician Abdullah bin Bayyah. Mysuru: On one hand with the rains subsiding Kodagu is limping back to normalcy, and all 720 people who were hit by floods and landslides and housed at nine relief centres, have returned to their homes. But bodies of two people who went missing after their home collapsed due to landslides at Brahmagiri hills at Talacauvery on 6 August, could not be traced even nearly a month since the incident occurred despite intense operations by special teams amid adverse weather. Kodagu district administration has stopped the operations by special teams to trace them, after the family members of those missing consented for the same. And Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy has written to State government to consider it a special case and release ex gratia of Rs five lakh each, for family members of those two people missing. Though the special teams carried out operations despite adverse weather, 70 year old Shantha, wife of chief priest of Talacauvery temple Narayan Achar, one more assistant priest Pavan could not be traced. It is suspected that they are either buried under the debris of the house or carried away by floods. While a total of five people went missing in the landslides at Brahmagiri, the body of 80 year old chief priest of Talacauvery temple Mr Narayan Achar could be traced after five days since he went missing. They recovered the body of Narayan Achars elder brother 86 year old Anandatheerthaswamy after two days since the incident occurred. And they even recovered the body of assistant priest of Talacauvery temple Ravi Kiran after 9 days since he went missing. Special teams of NDRF, SDRF, Police department, Rapid response team of forest department, district natural disaster management team, department of fire and emergency services, had crossed the flooding river at Bagamandala, and reached the spot along with three hitachis, three jcbs, two tippers. And they dug ground upto 60 feet, searched for bodies for few kilometers from the landslide spot. They even used drone to search for those missing at the places where they could not reach. Despite all the efforts in adverse weather, besides three bodies, all they could recover was Mr Achar's dog, soily Duster car, Omni, a scooty and few other belongings of Mr Narayan Achar. And they had to return disappointed unable to trace two more people. Due to heavy rains, there were floods at 60 places and landslides at 15 places and 341 houses got damaged at Kodagu between 5 and 10 August. Due to floods and landslides 710 people were rescued by special teams and were housed at 9 relief centres in Kodagu. And all of them have returned to their partially damaged houses. But 12 families whose houses are completely damaged have returned to their relatives houses, because like past two years, government is not providing house rent this year for their stay until they build a house. But an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh will be given to those who have lost homes. Also rains caused crop loss in 34170 hectares including 28000 hectares of coffee plantation, 2670 hectares of horticulture crops, 3200 agriculture crops during heavy rainfall in Kodagu last week. They have estimated damage of Rs 78,969.92 lakhs to various infrastructures of different departments of Government, including buildings, bridges, roads, side walls and others. And 250 trees were uprooted. Meanwhile Kodagu recorded 10 new Covid 19 cases and one more death of a 64 year old man on Sunday. So far there have been as many as 1389 covid 19 cases and 21 deaths in Kodagu. And 233 cases are active and there are 215 containment zones in Kodagu. Hands up if you're slightly dreading whatever is to come in the next few months? Life with Covid-19 has come to seem somewhat bearable in the brighter months; outdoor socialising is relatively easy, the horrors of full lockdown a receding memory. But who knows what is coming this autumn/winter? Never before have we so needed escapism. On some days you feel as though you're losing the will to keep going and spend the entire WFH day in pyjamas, but on others, assembling an outfit and the joy, and aforementioned escapism, provided by clothes gets you through. Getting dressed up, even if we have nowhere to really go beyond a picture on Instagram, or a walk with a friend, is one of the pleasures left to us. "At the end of the day, fashion is there to enjoy. People want to cheer themselves up," reflects Brown Thomas fashion director Shelly Corkery. If the images in today's fashion shoot and the clothes in them suggest one thing, it is nostalgia. Things are difficult now, so we look to the past for comfort. Not the immediate past; it's too painful to remember just seven months ago, when we thought nothing of going to the pub, or throwing a casual arm around a friend. Instead we look to a half-imagined, romanticised past, where things were also difficult, but we got through. The garments on these pages conjure up wartime and the spirit of the Blitz - an utterly untrue but comforting notion of hard times. Think Cate Blanchett in Charlotte Gray. Expand Close Blazer. 2,100; silk shirt, 990; culottes, 750; bag, 1,750; all Celine. Boots, 500, Paris Texas. Brown Thomas AW 20 shoot for LIFE magazine. Photography by Andrew Nuding. Styling by Darren Feeney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Blazer. 2,100; silk shirt, 990; culottes, 750; bag, 1,750; all Celine. Boots, 500, Paris Texas. Brown Thomas AW 20 shoot for LIFE magazine. Photography by Andrew Nuding. Styling by Darren Feeney "That sense of nostalgia was seen across so many collections. You look back on the revival of vintage, and of tailoring, and I think they're all coming through in that sense of nostalgia. It's a feminine season for sure," Shelly says. That means beautifully structured coats, roomy trousers worn with knits, hourglass silhouettes, houndstooth, tartan, pillar-box red, Prince of Wales check. "Tailoring is still going to be huge," Shelly explains of this season's trends. "The oversized jacket thrown over your dress; whether you wear it loose, or belted up." How we live now is affecting everything, so for example with tailoring, it will be styled in a relaxed fashion. "A lot of the jackets are oversized, and you could throw a knit over a lot of the trousers. It's still quite casual," Shelly explains. Given that we will be spending more time than usual outdoors in the coming months, it helps that outerwear is a big story - puffa jackets, shearling and structured, tailored coats. It's in keeping with the increasing desire from customers, only hastened by Covid-19, to refine their shopping habits. Shelly adds: "We've all had time to think. I think people will buy differently. I think they will buy better. We had a lot of time to reflect over lockdown, and I think people are now being more considered about their purchasing." The changes in how we live our lives have meant a change in how we wear our clothes. Shelly describes a sort of seize-the-day mentality; the beautifully embellished cardigan worn day-to-day with jeans, rather than being kept 'for good'. Who knows when we will get to dress up for a big party again? Or attend a proper event, in a room full of people? May as well wear the stuff now. Video of the Day Photography by Andrew Nuding Styling by Darren Feeney Words by Liadan Hynes By PTI BHOPAL: A 35-year-old womanwas killed and three others were injuredwhen a house collapsed after heavy rains at Sehore in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, while nearly 60 stranded people were airlifted from a village in the district by an IAF helicopter, officials said. Following heavy showers in several parts of Madhya Pradesh in the last couple of days, nearly 7,000 people have so far been rescued across the state and 170 relief camps are set up in the affected districts, said Manish Rastogi, the principal secretary to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Water level of the Narmada river, which flows across various districts of the state, has not risen further on Sunday, he said. In the last two days, heavy rains pounded nine districts of the state, including Hoshangabad, Sehore, Chhindwara and Narshinghpur, leading to a rise in the level of the Narmada river at some places. A house in Ashta area of Sehore district collapsed around 3.10 am on Sunday, killing a woman, identified as Ruksar Bi, a police official said. Three others who were trapped under the debris of the collapsed house were later pulled out and admitted to a hospital, he said. An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter rescued 60 people from a village in the district, Rastogi said. #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: People airlifted and rescued from flood-affected areas of Somalwada in Sehore by Indian Air Force pic.twitter.com/pWKJV65luB ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2020 Three IAF helicopters have been pressed in evacuation works, he said, adding that one more chopper would join in the rescue operation shortly. An Army column comprising 70 personnel is deployed in Hoshangabad and five more columns of the defence force are going to join in, said Rastogi, who is also the state's revenue commissioner. Torrential rains over the last two days triggered flooding in several districts of the state, including Hoshangabad, where the Army and the NDRF were roped in on Saturday to rescue people from inundated areas, officials said. Sehore and Chhindwara districts also continue to be lashed by heavy rains, which sent water bodies in these regions into spate, they said. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of the inundated areas of Hoshangabad and Sehore districts and the hailstorm-hit parts along the Narmada river for one-and-a-half hours on Saturday, officials said. Hoshangabad received 208 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am Saturday. In the same period, the famous hill station of Pachmarhi in Hoshangabad district and Chhindwara received 228 mm and 142 mm downpour respectively, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Due to flooding, several people reportedly got stranded at different places, especially in Hoshangbad and Sehore districts. Talking to PTI over phone, Hoshangabad divisional commissioner Rajnish Shrivastava previously said that the Army had been called in to help the district administration to effectively deal with the flood situation. "Following heavy rains, the water level of the Narmada river in Hoshangabad district has gone above 978 metres as against the primary danger level of 964 metres. Many areas in Hoshangabad city were flooded with up to six to eight feet of water," he added. "The rural areas in the distrit are lso facing a similar situation, which is why we had to call the Army," he added. Due to the downpour, sluice gates of several dams across the state have been opened to release water, officials said. Meanwhile, the IMD issued a red alert of extremely heavy rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places of Chhindwara, Vidisha, Sehore, Rajgarh and Shajapur districts. It also issued an orange alert warning that very heavy rainfall and thunderstorm with lightning is likely at isolated places of 17 districts, including Bhopal and Indore besides Hoshangabad division. Its yellow alert said that heavy rainfall is likely at a few places in four districts including Guna and Shivpuri. These alerts are valid till Sunday morning. With new coronavirus cases showing up at Temple University and other schools that reopened last week, Philadelphia health officials issued new advice on Saturday that students should avoid all social contact with people outside their homes or apartments. As of Friday, more than 250 new cases had been reported at newly reopened campuses in Pennsylvania. Temple, the citys largest university with nearly 40,000 full- or part-time students, agreed to ban gatherings of any size and help spread the word. Just before 8 p.m. Saturday, the school sent out this text to thousands of students: City health officials have issued new guidelines. Temple is directing students to avoid all social gatherings in order to limit the spread COVID-19. New COVID cases are coming from even small gatherings. The new recommendations for college students from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are stricter than the current coronavirus guidelines, which allows gatherings of 25 or fewer people indoors (with masks, six-foot distancing, and handwashing). The guidelines will instead treat colleges like nursing homes, which are urged to keep residents from joining even small gatherings. READ MORE: Philly-area children, parents, and teachers brace for a school year unlike any other The city still considers there to be a high risk of community transmission, though cases have been falling and the citys staggered reopening continues, with some indoor dining, movie theaters, and other venues permitted to reopen, with restrictions, on Sept. 8. Health commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley recommended the stricter guidelines after his department learned that students who tested positive suspect they became infected at intimate, private gatherings. We were looking for large parties, and we didnt find that. It was the small gatherings students attended that were the likely source, the commissioner said. Farley said Philadelphia was hoping to be proactive, and prevent the outbreaks suffered in other college towns. Michigan State, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, and other universities have reported hundreds of cases after students attended large, unauthorized parties in the first days of the fall semester. Farley acknowledged the difficulty for students who have been looking forward to their college experience. A lot of what makes college an experience we all like is the social opportunities, the small gatherings, the long conversations, he said. Unfortunately with this epidemic, that brings with it the risk, not only to the students, but to the larger community. The new guidance for college students is much closer to Pennsylvanias red stay-at-home social guidelines, and stricter than the yellow phase. But unlike the current ban on large gatherings, the new guidance isnt a law; its up to institutions to enact and enforce the policy, said city spokesperson Dan Garrow. So how will schools enforce the new guidelines? At Temple, if we find students who continue to have social gatherings, we will break them up as we have larger gatherings, which the city already banned, said spokesperson Ray Betzner. Students told of the earlier ban have been cooperative, and anyone who defies the wider ban would face discipline, he added, though he declined to provide details about what that might entail. After testing more than 5,000 students and staff, Temple reported 58 cases Friday, including 52 students at its North Philadelphia campus. Thats up from 10 at Temple Monday, when classes resumed. READ MORE: No, no, no: You shouldnt be quarantining with friends, even if you were all exposed to COVID-19 at the same time St. Josephs University reported another 12 cases. Outside the city, Penn State said Friday it had 31 cases of coronavirus, plus 25 people in isolation and 19 in quarantine as a precaution. Bloomsburg University, one of Pennsylvanias 14 state colleges, canceled most live classes after identifying 118 cases among students, plus an employee. Villanova University reported 13 cases, nine of them at the schools Main Line campus. Other universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, LaSalle, and Chestnut Hill, have shut dorms and classrooms. But some undergraduates and graduate students who paid for off-campus apartments have arrived in University City and other neighborhoods. Farley hopes those colleges will also act to ban all gatherings, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. The new guidance for college students is much closer to Pennsylvanias red stay-at-home social guidelines, and stricter than the yellow phase. READ MORE: Six feet might not be enough social distance to protect against the coronavirus, experts warn But unlike the current ban on large gatherings, the new guidance isnt a law; its up to institutions to enact and enforce the policy, said city spokesperson Dan Garrow, If students are in situations where they cant avoid people they dont live with, the city recommends practicing social-distancing measures, including staying at least six feet from the nearest person, frequent handwashing, and getting tested if they feel sick or know they have been in contact with others who have tested positive. More information about the current guidelines at phila.gov/COVID. New city guidance for college students Lakshman Jhula is a footbridge over the Ganges river in India, made famous by the Beatles in the 1960s A French woman arrested for allegedly making a video of herself without clothes on a holy bridge in India apologised Sunday, but denied being completely naked and said she carried out the stunt to bring attention to sexual harassment. Indian police said Saturday that the 27-year-old -- identified as Marie-Helene -- faced charges under the country's internet laws after posting footage of herself on the Lakshman Jhula, a footbridge over the Ganges river made famous by the Beatles in the 1960s and which remains a draw for backpackers and yoga practitioners. "She told us she sells bead necklaces online and the shoot was aimed at promoting her business," said R.K Saklani, head of the local police station. But in a statement to AFP, Marie-Helene said no-one was around when she carried out the stunt, and she did it to raise awareness about harassment in India. "I chose to partially uncover on Laxman Jhula because each time I crossed the bridge I felt I was being harassed... My Indian sisters and fellow female travelers surely have experienced the same," she wrote. "The main goal was to help oppressed Indian women to access education and to leave abusive marriages or situations, where there are no other options or help." Police said Marie-Helene was arrested on Thursday and released on bail. Her mobile phone was seized as part of the investigation. "The first thing I want to say is that I am sorry my actions hurt the local community," Marie-Helene added. "I was lacking awareness on cultural specificities." Police said they were alerted after the footage was posted on social media. ash-grk/tom Washington The nation's top intelligence official has informed Congress that his office will no longer give in-person election security briefings on Capitol Hill, a move that raised concern among lawmakers Saturday about the public's right to know about foreign interference in the upcoming presidential election. President Donald Trump said National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe made the decision because the administration "got tired" of intelligence about election security leaking from Congress. "They leaked the information ... and what's even worse, they leaked the wrong information and we got tired of it," Trump told reporters while attending a briefing on Hurricane Laura in Orange, Texas. He didn't offer details to support his statement. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said the idea that the national intelligence director's office would stop briefing Congress on foreign threats to the U.S. election is "an outrage" and that written updates were "flatly insufficient." "America's election indeed, our foundation of democracy itself is under threat as we face weaponized disinformation from global foes around the planet," King, a member of the Senate's intelligence committee, said in a lengthy statement. "To stifle and limit the American peoples' awareness of this fact cannot be explained or allowed." Ratcliffe, who oversees the nation's intelligence agencies, sent formal notification letters Saturday to the Senate and House leadership and the chairmen and ranking members of both chambers' intelligence committees. In the letter, Ratcliffe wrote: "I believe this approach helps ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the information ODNI provides the Congress in support of your oversight responsibilities on elections security, foreign malign influence, and election interference is not misunderstood nor politicized." White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who was with Trump in Texas, said lawmakers will still be sent full written readouts. Meadows said Ratcliffe is going to make sure there are "proper tools for their oversight." Earlier this month, the nation's counterintelligence chief, William Evanina, issued a statement saying U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia is using various methods to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and that people linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin are boosting Trump's reelection bid. U.S. officials also believe China does not want Trump to win a second term and has accelerated its criticism of the White House, Evanina wrote. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. On Saturday, Democratic lawmakers criticized Ratcliffe's decision. "This intelligence belongs to the American people, not the agencies which are its custodian," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democrat who chairs the House's intelligence committee, said in a joint statement. "The American people have both the right and the need to know that another nation, Russia, is trying to help decide who their president should be." Pelosi and Schiff called the decision a "betrayal of the public's right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy." An official with the House intelligence committee said the decision was unexpected because Ratcliffe's office earlier had reached out to schedule an in-person briefing to the committee Sept. 17. A room on Capitol Hill had already been reserved, according to the official, who did not have permission to speak about the issue publicly and requested anonymity. The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged women to propagate the safety protocols and preventive messages against the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This, the NCCE said was because women engaged in social and economic activities and interacted with people of diverse backgrounds. Madam Doris Gbongbo, the Bono Regional Director of the Commission, made the appeal when she held a meeting with the leadership of the Sunyani central market. The engagement was to keep the market leadership abreast with ways the virus could be transmitted from one person to another. She said women could assist to prevent the spread through education in their homes, marketplaces and other locations. "Be the gatekeepers of your houses for COVID-19 prevention and constantly insist on adherence to safety protocols, anytime and anywhere, Mad. Gbongbo stressed. Mr Joseph Axovi, Assistant Public Health Officer at the Regional Environmental Health Unit, said clean environment and proper personal hygiene could help to stem the outbreak of COVID-19 and contagious diseases like cholera. 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 The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday shut its headquarters in Jammus Trikuta Nagar area for ten days as a precautionary measure after two of its senior leaders tested Covid 19 positive. Following Covid-19 protocol we have decided to close our headquarters for 10 days, said a party spokesman. The two leaders are the two general secretaries of the party Ashok Koul and Vibodh Gupta. Earlier in the week, BJPs Lok Sabha member Jugal Kishore Sharma, his wife and personal secretary had tested positive for Covdi-19. Koul and Gupta had returned from Kashmir recently after attending party meetings of national general secretary Ram Madhav, who was on a two-day tour to the Valley. Ravinder Raina, president of the J&K unit of the BJP, had recently recovered from the Covid-19 which he had contracted during his visit to Kashmir following the killing of party leader Waseem Bari, his brother and their father. Raina said that given the rapid spread of the infection, the party decided to close its headquarters for 10 days. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Leaked Government Documents Reveal Chinese Officials Refused to Follow Leader Xis Orders Throughout Chinese history, the Qinling mountain range in China was referred to as the dragon vein. Xian city, the ancient capital of at least 11 Chinese dynasties, is nestled among the mountainsa geological feature that divided China into its northern and southern regions. Qinling was considered a sacred site with connections to the rulers of the Chinese empire. In modern times, local officials have illegally built luxury villas near the mountains and profited from them. Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he has launched an overarching anti-corruption campaign to rid the Chinese Communist Party of his political rivals. Since 2014, Xi targeted corrupt officials involved in the Qinling villas and sought to demolish the structures. Among them is the former Party boss for the northwestern province of Shaanxi, Zhao Zhengyong, who received a two-year suspended death sentence for graft. Zhao was known to have close ties to former Party paramount leader Jiang Zemin. A faction loyal to Jiang is opposed to Xis leadership. But an internal government document about the Qinling anti-graft project revealed that demolition work has continually stalled, and that some villas were still in operation. China commentators analyzed that this indicates Xi is not yet successful in ridding the Party of disloyal officials and getting his subordinates to fall in line. Documents The Epoch Times recently obtained from a trusted source a government internal report issued in early 2018 by the Xian city municipal Communist Party committee, Qinling office. According to the document, a team within the Partys internal anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), launched an inspection on the Qinling villas between Aug. 9 and Oct. 13 of 2017. The report mentioned that the CCDI identified two separate illegal resorts that were said to be reformed but actually continued operating. The Qinling office also noted that 7,404 problems were discovered. The report, which is over 20,000 words long, only devotes about 2,300 words to describing the illegal construction. The rest is about ideological requirements to toe the Party line. For instance, the Qinling office arranged Party members to read the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, referring to a once-in-five-years conclave when the next succession of Party leaders is determined. During the 19th congress held in 2017, Xis power was solidified as the congress decided to remove term limits for the Party chairman from the Chinese constitution. The document also noted that officials were asked to persistently handwrite the original text of the report of the 19th National Congress and the newly revised Party constitution. China commentator Li Linyi analyzed that this indicates anti-corruption work at the Qinling office was mostly superficial and did not make concrete changes. He also pointed out that Chinese state media reported about the demolition of 1,185 Qinling villas in August 2018, when the CCDI was again dispatched to the area for an anti-corruption investigation. Since the internal report was issued in early 2018, that means local officials did not put into action any demolition work at the time. But ironically, the Qinling office said in the document that it achieved good results in its anti-corruption work. According to a Jan. 2019 report by Chinas state broadcaster CCTV, Xi gave orders to demolish the Qinling villas back in 2014. After six instructions over the course of five years, authorities finally destroyed 1,185 villas and seized another nine. On a cloudy day last month, thousands of soldiers massed on a beach in central Taiwan for the culmination of five days of exercises intended to demonstrate how the islands military would repel an invasion from China. Jets, helicopters and artillery and missile batteries fired live ammunition at targets offshore, sending plumes of sea spray into the air. Then, a few hours later, a military helicopter taking part in the same exercise crashed at an airfield farther up the coast, killing two pilots and casting a shadow over the show of force. It was the latest in a string of deadly mishaps, including a crash in January that killed the militarys top commander, that has given new urgency to the debate over Taiwans readiness to defend its 24 million people with or without the help of the United States. I have to be honest: Taiwans military needs to improve a lot, Wang Ting-yu, a member of the parliaments foreign affairs and defense committee, said in a telephone interview. Taiwans leaders have been moving to shake up the military and increase spending. Military tensions across the Taiwan Strait have surged in recent months as Taiwan has increasingly become a focal point in the confrontation between China and the United States. Last week, the Peoples Liberation Army of China held a fresh round of live-fire exercises an unusually concentrated training schedule that the state news media said was directed at Taiwan and the United States. The latest involved a test firing of four medium-range ballistic missiles into an area of the South China Sea near Hainan on Wednesday. The barrage came a day after China accused the Americans of flying a U-2 spy plane over one of the exercises, calling it a naked provocation. Chinas authoritarian leader, Xi Jinping, has long threatened to use force, if needed, to prevent any movement toward formal independence for Taiwan, a self-governing democracy. China has stepped up those warnings ever since Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, won reelection in January by vowing to protect the islands sovereignty, defeating a candidate viewed as more conciliatory. That has raised fears that Xi could feel compelled to act aggressively, as China has from the South China Sea to the border with India. Chinese aircraft and warships have repeatedly menaced Taiwans airspace and territorial waters in recent months, while officials have taunted its military, comparing it to an ant trying to shake a tree. The likelihood of a military clash is much higher than before, said Lin Yu-fang, a Taiwanese former legislator from the opposition party that ruled the island for decades, the Kuomintang. Tsai has responded to Chinas muscle flexing by pressing ahead with military changes. She has moved to revamp Taiwans military doctrine and strengthen its reserves, a force that would be crucial to defending the island in the event of an invasion. Tsais government announced this month that it would increase Taiwans defense budget by 10%, on top of a 5% increase the year before. That would raise military spending to more than 2% of gross domestic product a level that President Donald Trump has derided many NATO allies for not sustaining, and the highest since the 1990s. Taiwan also finalized a deal announced last year to buy 66 American F-16 fighter jets, worth $62 billion over the next 10 years. Groveling will not bring national security, Tsai, wearing combat fatigues and body armor, declared at the beach exercise in July. She argued that only a strong defense, not conciliatory gestures to Chinas Communist leadership, would preserve Taiwans de facto independence. For Tsai, the islands defense has become an especially fraught issue. She faces criticism for not doing enough to support Taiwans military, while she risks antagonizing Beijing for doing too much. A crucial consideration is the role that the United States might play in a conflict. By law, the United States is committed to providing Taiwan with the support necessary to defend itself, a point reiterated by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in a recent talk. Yet it is far from clear whether the United States would risk a broader confrontation with a nuclear-armed China, meaning Taiwan cannot count on it as a matter of strategy. Tsais predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou, has accused Tsai of clinging to hopes that as long as Taiwan put up an initial defense, the United States would intervene on the islands behalf, a scenario he considered impossible. He did not elaborate, but Tsai said in an interview last year that Taiwan would be able to hold out for 24 hours and then China would face international pressure. I feel as a president, one should not tell our people how many days we can last, said Ma, who pursued a policy of detente with China during his two terms from 2008 to 2016 and has urged Tsai to do the same. We need to tell our people we can stop the war from happening. For decades, Taiwans security was assured by the islands military capabilities, but Chinas efforts to modernize its forces have upended the balance of power. China now has an array of options for a Taiwan campaign, ranging from an air and maritime blockade to a full-scale amphibious invasion, according to a 2019 Pentagon report on the Chinese military. The report acknowledged the challenges that the Chinese army would face in such an attack but said Chinas buildup has eroded or negated many of Taiwans advantages. Those include the islands geography and the technical superiority it once had from buying American and other foreign weaponry. Taiwans summer exercises, like the large purchases of American hardware, are intended to demonstrate the militarys ability to counter Chinese aggression, even if outnumbered and outgunned. (The authorities are investigating the cause of last months helicopter crash.) The F-16 jets are meant to replace Taiwans aging air force, which has suffered a number of accidents in recent years, and that could help challenge Chinese aircraft for domination of the skies. At the same time, Taiwan cannot afford to compete plane for plane, ship for ship, tankfor tank against the far larger Peoples Liberation Army, according to military analysts. They argue resources would be better used on capabilities that would slow or even cripple an invading force. Those include sea mines, submarines and missile systems that could destroy Chinese aircraft and warships before they reached the island. Others have suggested training units for guerrilla warfare to grind down conventional forces of the type the Chinese would land in an invasion, replicating a strategy used by smaller countries facing larger adversaries, like Estonia or Finland. Tsais government has pledged to undertake reforms, although as Wang, the lawmaker, said, the changes in strategy and procurement will take time. Taiwan is competing with time, not only with the PLA, he said. Another challenge has been filling the ranks. Under Ma, when relations improved a bit, Taiwan began to phase out mandatory conscription for all young men, which was deeply unpopular, in favor of an all-volunteer force. The number of ground troops has since fallen to 140,000, down from 200,000 in 2005. Paying for professional soldiers eats up more of the budget. Young men are required to complete only four months of compulsory service Taiwan does not draft women and then to join the reserves. Training, however, is considered insufficient to meet the challenges posed by the increasing threat, according to a 2017 report produced by the RAND Corp. for the Pentagon. Tsais government has sought to address that, arguing that integrating the reserves is one of the focal points of our current military reforms. The beachside military exercise in Taichung last month showcased reserve forces practicing alongside active-duty troops in a live-fire drill for the first time, an effort to highlight the strength of the reserves. We want the world to see our determination and efforts to protect our country, Tsai said. On Friday, Tsai vowed not to bow to pressure as she unveiled a maintenance center for the F-16 fighter jets in central Taiwan. She said she would also work to deepen economic ties with the United States, including by easing restrictions on the import of American pork and beef. Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official overseeing China policy who is a professor of public policy at the National University of Singapore, said Taiwan was taking steps in the right direction but needed to do more to break free of the traditional focus of commanders on big-ticket weapons like tanks and fighter jets. He noted that during the recent exercises, helicopters and ground troops fired missiles normally used against armored ground forces at targets offshore a demonstration of adapting tactics for the most likely threat, he said. If Taiwan focuses on its advantages, he said, it can beat back a Chinese invading force. He added, Its not nearly as dire as those people who just wash their hands and say, Theyre done. c.2020 The New York Times Company Shinzo Abes successor wont have it easy The prime minister of Japan announced his resignation on Friday, leaving office a year early with no obvious successor. The eventual replacement for Mr. Abe, who cited ill health in his decision, will confront many challenges without having the stature that Mr. Abe has built over a record-setting run of nearly eight years. Myriad troubles: The Japanese economy has taken a nosedive. The coronavirus could yet rage out of control and force a second postponement of the Olympics. Chinese military aggression is rising in the region just as the U.S., Japans closest ally, is embroiled in a polarizing presidential election. It makes me wonder why anybody would want to be prime minister, said Jeffrey Hornung, an analyst at the RAND Corporation. Wannabes: There is no shortage of aspirants. Those who have already announced their desire to stand for prime minister include Fumio Kishida, a former foreign minister; Toshimitsu Motegi, the current foreign minister; Taro Kono, the defense minister; Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister who once ran against Mr. Abe for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party. Niagara reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and zero new cases on Sunday. This follows only two cases reported Friday. Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Niagaras acting medical officer of health, feels the numbers are setting us up pretty well as the region and province ready for children returning to schools. I think overall after our numbers started to go up in late July they seem to have come back down and may be lower than most of June and July. So I think thats really good news, said Hirji. The No. 1 thing that will keep children and staff safe at schools is if there are very few infections outside of the school. Hirji cautioned there is always possibility there are unknown infections in the community. If people are perhaps disregarding mild symptoms, they feel that with the numbers so low its unlikely that they have COVID and are not getting tested. I want to remind people that if they have any kind of mild symptom, fever cough, even a runny nose, congestion, sore throat, nausea vomiting, anything like that its a good reason to get tested to be sure that you do not have COVID-19. His other message is that as good as the numbers are looking right now all of this good news is very fragile. Weve seen elsewhere like Toronto and Peel, they are seeing their numbers start to go up again, not by a lot but it has ticked up a bit. In some countries around the world like Spain, Australia, they are in second waves of infection. Even right here in Canada were experiencing a second wave of infection, added Hirji. In B.C. theyre seeing more cases per day then they were in March and April. While he said its not his job to convince parents to send their kids back to school its an individual decision by parents the low numbers from the weekend position Niagara well for the return to school. The health department is here to have the information available for them to make the right decision. And for parents wanting some reassurance, first off we have seen schools reopening has been successful in other countries. He said the consistent theme for all of those countries is that they had very few cases of COVID-19 in the community. When children get COVID-19, they are most likely to get a mild infection. In that sense, there is relatively less risk for children. I dont want to say that there is absolutely no risk, there is always a risk of getting, COVID-19. There are going to be children and teachers who get COVID-19, and were probably going to see some outbreaks, but I think with all the measures that have been put in place by the province, and by the school boards hopefully, well see few if any, and small, outbreaks. Hirji said Niagara has 700 to 1,000 tests done per day, and its vital that anyone with symptoms, even if theyve been tested before, have it done again. The critical time when someone should get tested is when they have symptoms of illness, the test at that point is very reliable, and it will give you a good answer then. Nicola Sturgeon's government has asked for 'UK' to be omitted from the title of the 2022 festival - Reuters SNP ministers have demanded that Boris Johnson drop the words 'Britain' or 'UK' from the branding of a nationwide cultural festival being planned for 2022. Whitehall insiders said the Scottish Government had also objected to 'British' being included in title or promotional material for the celebration of the "very best of modern Britain." The row is said to have delayed the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) commissioning around 3 million of work from creative agencies tasked with drawing up the material. UK Government sources said the SNP's stance was "incredibly petty and hugely frustrating", with the festival expected to give Scotland's struggling cultural sector a 12 million boost. Talks with the Scottish Government are now said to have stalled over planning for the event, which was envisaged as a successor to the hugely popular 1951 Festival of Britain. The RAF Red Arrows perform a fly past over Edinburgh Castle on Aug 24 - Andrew West | EdinburghElitemedia.co.uk Theresa May announced the festival at the 2018 Tory conference with a prediction it would strengthen "our precious Union", and Mr Johnson wants to use it to boost national morale following the Covid-19 pandemic. It also emerged the Prime Minister is planning his third trip in three months to Scotland next month, with polls showing a small majority for independence. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will also make another visit north of the Border later this year as part of a UK Government 'charm offensive'. The Treasury is currently supporting 930,000 Scottish jobs through furlough and funding for the self-employed. The Government is drawing up plans for 10 events as part of the 2022 festival, including one in Scotland, that would include spectacular performances akin to those seen in the 2012 London Olympic Games opening ceremony. It will also celebrate the UK's achievements in science, engineering and technology as Mr Johnson seeks to strike new trade deals after Brexit. A source told the Scottish Mail on Sunday: "We want to create a festival that showcases the very best of modern Britain but the Scottish Government are causing unnecessary delays because they want to remove all references to Britain or the UK when we launch the next phase. Story continues "All parts of the UK should be working together to deliver something that we can all be proud of." A nationalist demonstrator holds a flag as she welcomes Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to the Isle of Bute last month - Reuters Maurice Golden, the Scottish Tories' Shadow Culture Secretary, said that more funding to celebrate Scotland and the UK's shared culture was "indisputably" positive "but, as usual, the SNP is playing petty, nationalist politics." The Scottish Government did not say whether ministers had asked for the words 'UK' and 'Britain' to be removed from the festival. A spokesman said: "We have been engaging positively since very early in the process on this issue and had several meetings with the Director Martin Green and with the UK government and any suggestion to the contrary is unfounded. We are currently working constructively with the UK Government and the other devolved nations on plans for the festival." Some 27 floors above the corner of Adelaide Street West and York Street, the law firm Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP has transformed its largest boardroom into a remote, electronic appendage of the countrys judicial systems. From here, many of the firms 72 litigation lawyers have stood at a sleek, pine-coloured podium and argued their clients suits to the virtual courtrooms that the COVID-19 shutdown has created across Canada. As things started to reopen and the courts were opened virtually, we had virtual hearing room issues in relation to internet access at home, says Monique Jilesen, a partner at the firm. Kids and dogs etcetera, Jilesen explains. Thus the debut of the miked-up and video-strewn room which helped to host the first federal trial in the virtual courts era, with up to six, socially distanced lawyers and clerks gathered there in late May on their clients patent-dispute behalf. But pan back from that small hive of legal hearings and the widening resolution of a sky-bound camera would still reveal a tumbleweed downtown. Empty streets and sidewalks. Empty brokerage houses, accounting firms and law offices in the towers that rise up from those lonely thoroughfares. It feels like everyone just picked up and left, says Jilesen, who was instrumental in creating the hearing room from which her firm pitches for legal judgments. In September, as an unknown number of kids return to school, tens of thousands of homebound office workers are going to be making some fraught judgments of their own. Do they return to the empty towers, which have been likened to vertical and virulent cruise ships in this time of COVID. Or will they continue to work from home, as many will have the option to do. The Star spoke to several workers who have already braved those pandemic perils and they tell some very similar, and not so frightening stories. But Jilesen who heads her firms reverse exodus planning has some ideas already about the numbers. At an online town hall meeting last week to discuss a voluntary return among the firms 170 employees, some figures emerged. Our timing is post Sept. 14, she says, We did a survey to just get an assessment of how many people wanted to work from home, how many people wanted to work from the office full-time and how many people wanted to work from the office part-time. That breakdown was roughly 32 per cent, 11 per cent and 57 per cent in order. Jason Kiselbach is a Vancouver executive with CBRE Canada, part of the worlds largest commercial real estate services firm. His B.C. office was the first of the companys North American branches to reopen after the COVID shutdown. And as such, it was the first to implement the safe restart playbook CBRE distributed to its thousands of skyscraper clients across the continent. And Kiselbach, who heads the Vancouver office, figures that almost half of workers could return safely to their offices so long as the proffered protocols were implemented. We could have up to 40 per cent of our head count in the office at any given time, says Kiselbach, whose branch is housed in a 36-storey tower in downtown Vancouver. That plan, which CBRE has distributed to its many Toronto clients, includes provisions for contact tracing, physical distancing, improved cleaning regimens, total visitor bans and the closure of office kitchens, meeting rooms and other common spaces. Regardless of the precautions, the expected returnee numbers have not materialized in the weeks since reopening much to Kiselbachs surprise. I was getting a lot of feedback, from our people saying Im not productive from home, I need to get back to the office, when can we reopen? he says. So I was kind of expecting a stampede of people definitely at 40 per cent ... day one that we opened. What happened instead was a slow trickle, with about 20 to 30 per cent of the branchs 125 employees coming in at peak times and many of them using the offices only as needed. If they have meetings downtown, they want to come in for an hour or two before or after the meetings, he says. They will do a bit of work in the office, print some materials and then they kind of go on their way. Its this concept of flexibility for coming or going. Whats keeping people away, or flitting in and out, is not the office environment itself so much as the getting to it. And in skyscraper settings, the pandemic trepidation for many is focused most intently on elevators. Thats certainly the case for Toronto lawyer Jack Siegel, who decided to forego a planned office return for a newly spiffed up home workplace, largely because of the lifts. Im perfectly comfortable once I get into the office, says Siegel, a workplace safety specialist at Blaney McMurtry LLP. Im not comfortable personally with getting from the lobby of the building ... to my office. says Siegel, who works on the 16th floor of a tower at Queen Street East and Yonge Street. His firm limits to 20 the number of people on any single floor, mandates masks everywhere but at your desk and encourages phone use for most office conversations. Despite those precautions, however, Siegels discomfort with even periodic visits caused him to transform a second-thought home office into a more plush and permanent workspace. His lack of control over other building goers, especially in the elevators, was a key motivator for this move. What are you going to do if somebody has their mask hanging off the bottom of their nose instead of covering their face appropriately going up the elevator with them? says Siegel, a partner at the firm. They dont work in my business. Its not a long time but its enough time. And I can just imagine the reaction if someone like that sneezes. For some early tower returnees, however, the elevator ride has been a breeze. Thomas Vaughan, who works for a non-profit organization in a 31-storey building at 390 Bay St. has been at work for several months after a bit of a struggle working from home. And since that phase one return hes hardly ever been with another soul on an elevator. I go in like two or three times a week and Ive only shared an elevator once or twice, he says, citing the pure lack of people in the building for the easy rides. And Vaughan, whose office is on the 12th floor, finds no reason to go up and down the lifts for food or coffee during the day. The places he used to go to all remain closed. So I just stay there till I get hungry and bike home, says Vaughan, who adds he has no at-risk people in his social bubble. Carolyn Kay, a partner at the labour and employment firm Hicks Morley, works on the 37th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Centres north tower has not skipped a beat with COVID. Ive been coming in every day since the pandemic hit other than weekends, says Kay, whose role on the firms executive committee brought a string of pandemic crises to her office door. Personally I just found it was more helpful to physically be here to deal with some of the (things) that everybody was reeling with at the outset. Certainly 95 per cent of the firms lawyers worked from home at the beginning, even though as an essential service, law offices were all officially opened. And again that paucity of people made the TD Centre tower less perilous from a pandemic perspective, Kay says. I think I was the only person on my floor for several months. And while the firms three floors are now at about 30 per cent staffing levels, shes still seen little of the crowding that especially on elevators gives most people pause. I still have not seen more than two people in an elevator, says Kay, who has no problem going up and down to fetch coffee or lunch. And so even though people are starting to come back slowly, theres still no issue of crowding, at least not in this (46-storey) tower. Overall, Kay says, COVID also seems to have brought on a new level of mutual respect in people though much of it may be mandated by city and landlord regulations. People are just very respectful, people are wearing masks in the concourse and in any of the common spaces, she says. Once we get up into our own offices, masks arent mandatory as you move about in the internal space, but certainly the expectation is that youre keeping your social distancing. Kay, whose firm works mainly for the employers side of the labour scene, says a time may come when bosses may well demand their workers come back to an office setting, leaving the voluntary cocoon of working at home. In due course I can see that becoming a challenge, where people will simply have to make their election about whether theyre going to return, she says. But Im not seeing that thats going to be happening any time soon, I think most organizations are talking about not being fully operational at least until January now. For some, however, COVID-19 happened to coincide with a permanent and lucky workplace break. Lawyer Chris Jaglowitz started his own law firm Common Ground Condo Law on Jan. 1 as the virus was hopscotching its way toward Canada. For his virtual firm the former Bay Street lawyer purchased a so-called intelligent office at First Canadian Place the countrys tallest skyscraper which offers mail services and shared office space he can use at will. And I wake up every day and thank god that I made that decision this year, he says. Clarification - August 31, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version to include the complete name of the law firm Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP. Joseph Hall is a Toronto-based contributor for the Star. A former Star reporter and feature writer, he is based in Toronto. Coronavirus skeptics and right-wing extremists march in protest against coronavirus-related restrictions and government policy on August 29, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin police broke up a mass protest against coronavirus curbs over the weekend and arrested 300 in the German capital after demonstrators failed to keep their distance and wear masks as instructed. Around 38,000 protesters gathered for events across the city Saturday and police reported pockets of unrest, as infections rise in Europe and public frustration at measures to contain the virus grows. Similar events took place in Paris, London and elsewhere on Saturday. "Unfortunately, we have no other option," Berlin police said on Twitter, adding that those taking part had failed to comply with the safety conditions of the march. At a demonstration close to Brandenburg Gate, several thousand were still gathered by early evening, some throwing rocks and bottles. Police arrested around 200 protesters, Berlin's interior minister Andreas Geisel said, describing the group as "extremist." Seven police were injured. Election security briefings on the Congress floor has been ended the top U.S. intel office, said National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe on Saturday. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) informed Congress that intel on threats to the election would still be given in a different form, a Voice of America report said. Specifically, the intel office will be giving updates to Congress through written form, a senior administration official told CNN. Cutting off election security briefings became a concern for the Congress, said an Al Jazeera report. Congress is worried about the public's right to know about election security. But a Wall Street Journal report said that the intel office was worried about the Congress leaking sensitive and classified materials. "They leaked the information ... and what's even worse, they leaked the wrong information, and we got tired of it," President Trump said in a briefing in Texas. He did not give further details to support this statement. The move was further affected by tensions between Trump's office and Capitol Hill. An ODNI official said that they are loyal to meeting their duties. At the same time, they also want to keep the Congress fully informed. They said they switched to written format "to protect sensitive intelligence." The official added that other agencies tasked to handle election security will still have briefings with Congress. Some of these are the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. Abrupt Notice from Intel Office A House official said the intel office's choice was sudden because it had earlier reached out for an in-person briefing schedule on September 17. It also runs counter to their pledge of transparency and briefings on election security. It did come after top officials issued a statement earlier this month saying other countries seek to interfere with the 2020 election. Some of these countries are China, Russian, and Iran. William Evanina, the nation's counterintelligence chief, stated the matter. He said U.S. officials believe Russia is using various ways to put down Democratic Party's Joe Biden. He added to the claims, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is boosting Trump's bid back into the White House. U.S. officials also believe China does not want Trump to get a second term in the White House, Evanina wrote. Democrats Slam Intel Office's Move This news prompted a backlash from Democrats who have pushed for a public release on the said efforts. In a joint statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff said the information belongs to the people and not the just agencies. They stressed that people have the right and the need to know if foreigners are trying to help decide the election. They called the decision a "betrayal" of the public's right to know. Last week, U.S. officials who were in charge of guarding the election said that they have no information on such attacks. They found no proof that foreign countries are seeking to weaken parts of the voting process. It was a clear denial of Trump, who claimed that foreign entities are trying to "rig" mail ballots. Check these out! Trump Announces $750 Million Deal With Abbott Labs for Rapid COVID-19 Tests Donald Trump Claims Harris 'Not Competent' Enough for Top Job, Plugs Ivanka Trump Suspends Collection of Social Security Tax In a letter to the rotating president of the UN Security Council this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requested the Security Council to initiate the restoration of virtually all UN sanctions on Iran lifted under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, aiming to make those sanctions come back into effect in 30 days. The U.S. has long quit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but is still requesting sanctions on Iran according to it, and even threatened to launch unilateral sanctions on whoever opposes. Such practice is not law-based or reasonable. It is just a political show directed by the White House which has been resisted by the members of the UN Security Council and the international society. Rotating president of the UN Security Council and Indonesian Ambassador to the UN Dian Triansyah Djani made clear on Aug. 25 that he would not take any action on a purported U.S. notification for a snapback mechanism on sanctions against Iran. The JCPOA is an important achievement of multilateral diplomacy approved by the UN Security Council, an important support for the global system of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and an important part of the international order based on international law. It was reached in July 2015 between Iran and the U.S., the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany after 10 years of arduous negotiations. According to the plan, Iran promises to restrict its nuclear plans, and the international society lifts sanctions on the county. Later the UN Security Council adopted the Resolution 2231 to endorse the JCPOA. The resolution stipulates that the ban on the transfer of arms to or from Iran expires from October 18, 2020. The U.S. has withdrawn from the JCPOA since May 2018, so it is in no position to request a restoration of sanctions on Iran. It is universally recognized that the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the countrys extreme pressure exerted on Iran are the source of the current tension over the Iranian nuclear issue. Eating its own words and tearing up the plan, the U.S. has already undermined multilateralism, the authority of the UN Security Council and the global system of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Now it is requesting the UN Security Council to restore sanctions as a party concerned, which is ignorant to international justice and the authority of international law. The U.S. is nothing but an unreasonable trouble maker. It only pursues private interests, and uses whatever that suits their interests and abandon whatever that does not. Apart from disobeying the rules itself, it is requesting other countries to join it, and even threatened to place sanctions on them. How ridiculous is that! The snapback of the U.S. has triggered wide opposition from the international community. Last week, 13 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council had written to the Indonesian presidency to reject the validity of the U.S. request. Russians Foreign Ministry called the U.S. request a dangerous and wrong move in a statement, and the British, French and German foreign ministers said in a joint declaration that they would not support unilateral snapback by the U.S. The voices from the international society once again proves that unilateralism will not be supported, and hegemony will find no way out. Any attempt that places private interests above the common interests of the world will finally fail. An American media outlet said that the U.S. suffered an embarrassing diplomatic defeat, with even Americas strongest allies refusing to buckle under pressure from the White House to take a harder line. The defeat underscored Americas deepening global isolation on the issue of Iran. A just cause enjoys abundant support while an unjust cause finds little. The JCPOA is a hard-won result, and the experience in the past 5 years explains that it calls for equal dialogues and frank consultations to solve the issue of Iran, rather than sanctions, pressure, or military threat. Only with multilateralism and diplomatic means can the tension be relieved and regional peace promoted. The U.S. unilateral and arbitrary long-arm sanctions will definitely be condemned by the world. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy.) Dr Tommaso Jucker, NERC Independent Research Fellow and Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences, has received the BES Founders' Prize for 2020. The British Ecological Society (BES) announced today the winners of its annual awards and prizes, recognising eleven distinguished ecologists whose work has benefited the scientific community and society in general. The Founders Prize was awarded to Dr Jucker and commemorates the enthusiasm and vision of the Societys founders. It is awarded to an outstanding early career ecologist who is starting to make a significant contribution to the science of ecology. Tommaso has been called a rising star in forest ecology, carrying out research on the composition, structure and function of forest ecosystems and examining how these will respond to rapid environmental change and how this in turn will impact society. His goal is to get a more accurate picture of what forests will look like in the future and better understand how they will respond to rapid environmental change, and in turn, how this will impact climate, biodiversity and people. Tommaso is a NERC Independent Research Fellow and Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Bristol. He completed his PostDoc and PhD at the University of Cambridge and worked as a Research Scientist at CSIRO in Australia. He recently established a new research group called Selva lab at Bristol, which focuses on bridging the gap between field ecology and remote sensing. Tommaso said: "This award is a huge honour. The BES annual meeting was the first conference I ever attend and presented my work at. The Journal of Ecology is also where I published the first chapter of my PhD and is the journal that took a chance on me as a young associate editor. So receiving this early career award from the BES really means a lot to me. I am immensely grateful to the many, many wonderful colleagues, mentors and friends Ive had the good fortune to work with. This prize is as much a testament to their hard work, generosity and kindness as it is to anything Ive achieved." Professor Jane Memmott, President of the British Ecological Society, said: I am delighted to offer my congratulations to the winners of this years BES awards for their exceptional contributions to ecology. Each year these prizes recognise and celebrate the exceptional contributions of individuals to advancing ecology and communicating its importance for society. You can find the full list of 2020 BES award and prize winners on the BES' announcement webapge. The winners will be presented with their prizes during a ceremony held at the Societys annual conference in December 2021 (there will be a smaller face-to-face conference in 2020). The meeting will bring together 1,200 ecologists from around 60 countries to discuss the latest advances in ecological research across the whole discipline. Louisville, Ky. Breonna Taylor had just done four overnight shifts at the hospital where she worked as an emergency room technician. To let off some steam, she and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, planned a date night: dinner at a steakhouse, followed by a movie in bed. Usually, they headed to his apartment, where he lived alone. But that night, they went to the small unit she shared with her younger sister, who was away on a trip. It was dark when the couple pulled into the parking lot, then closed the door to Apartment 4 behind them. This was the year of big plans for the 26-year-old: Her home was brimming with the Post-it notes and envelopes on which she wrote her goals. She had just bought a new car. Next on the list: buying her own home. And trying to have a baby with Walker. They had already chosen a name. She fell asleep next to him just after midnight March 13, the movie still playing. "The last thing she said was, 'Turn off the TV,'" he said in an interview. From the parking lot, undercover officers surveilling Taylor's apartment before a drug raid saw only the blue glow of the television. When they punched in the door with a battering ram, Walker, fearing an intruder, reached for his gun and let off one shot, wounding an officer. He and another officer returned fire, while a third began blindly shooting through Taylor's window and patio door. Bullets ripped through nearly every room in her apartment, then into two adjoining ones. Taylor, struck five times, bled out on the floor. Taylor has since become an icon, a symbol of police violence and racial injustice. Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris spoke her name during their speeches at the Democratic convention. Oprah Winfrey ceded the cover of her magazine for the first time to feature the young Black woman, and paid for billboards with her image across Louisville. In Louisville, demonstrators have led nightly protests downtown, where most government buildings and many businesses are now boarded up. As outrage mounted, the city fired one of the officers, pushed out the police chief and passed "Breonna's Law," banning "no-knock" warrants, which allow the police to burst into people's homes without warning. Nearly six months after Taylor's killing, the story of what happened that night remains largely untold. But a clearer picture of Taylor's death and life, of the person behind the cause, emerged from dozens of interviews with public officials and people who knew her, as well as a review of more than 1,500 pages of police records. The Louisville Metro Police Department, citing pending investigations, declined interviews. The daughter of a teenage mother and a man who has been incarcerated since she was a child, Taylor attended college, trained as an EMT and hoped to become a nurse. But along the way, she developed a yearslong relationship with a twice-convicted drug dealer whose trail led police to her door that night. Sloppy surveillance outside her apartment before the raid failed to detect that Walker was there, so officers expected to find an unarmed woman alone. A failure to follow their own rules of engagement and a lack of routine safeguards compounded the risks that night. While the department had gotten court approval for a "no-knock" entry to search for evidence of drugs or cash from drug trafficking, the orders were changed before the raid to "knock and announce," meaning that the police had to identify themselves. The officers have said that they did; Walker says he did not hear anything. Only one neighbor said he heard the officers shout "Police!" a single time. Sam Aguiar, a lawyer representing Taylor's family, blames "catastrophic failures" by the police department for the young woman's death. "Breonna Taylor," he said, "gets shot in her own home, with her boyfriend doing what's as American as apple pie, in defending himself and his woman." Taylor had been focused on her future with Walker. But her history with 30-year-old Jamarcus Glover, an on-again off-again boyfriend who had spent years in prison, was hard to escape, even after she cut ties with him. When officers rammed the door of the apartment, Walker later explained, he fired his gun because he feared it was her ex-boyfriend. Almost a dozen neighbors interviewed for this article said that they never heard the police calling out, including Clifford Tudor, who had stepped outside to smoke a cigarette. Only one person, a truck driver coming off his shift, said he heard the officers shouting. Aaron Julue Sarpee had left his 2-year-old in the care of the woman living directly above Taylor. Before the police lined up, he had run upstairs and picked up his sleeping toddler. He had just stepped out onto the exterior staircase when he saw the officers. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Before they ordered him to go back inside, Sarpee said, he heard at least three loud bangs as they knocked on Taylor's door, and heard one or more officers scream "Police!" a single time. He is emphatic that they said it only once. Because Walker said he did not realize who was at the door, he made a tragic assumption: The apartment was being broken into and not just by anyone. He thought it was Taylor's ex-boyfriend, he later told police. Mattingly said that as soon as the door was punched in and he cleared the threshold, he could see to the end of the long hallway. There, in silhouette, he saw a male and a female figure. The man's hands were stretched out, holding an object. "As we're coming to the door, the door, like, comes off the hinges," Walker said. "It's like an explosion." He went on: They were scared. He thought someone was breaking in. He was trying to protect his girlfriend. "So, boom, one shot. Then all of a sudden there's a whole lot of shots," he said. "I just hear her screaming." Kentucky law is clear: Under the "stand your ground" statute, citizens can use deadly force against an intruder inside their own home. But like numerous other jurisdictions, Kentucky also has a statute protecting police officers who use deadly force in self-defense. Sometime between 12:41 and 12:42 a.m. according to call logs, the rights guaranteed by those statutes clashed. "As soon as the shot hit, I could feel the heat in my leg," Mattingly recounted in his statement. "And so I just returned fire," he said. The bullet tore through the sergeant's thigh, piercing the femoral artery. He scooted out onto the breezeway, then stumbled into the parking lot, where he collapsed, he recalled. As officers outside scrambled to help him, no aid was rendered to Taylor. It wasn't until 12:47 a.m. that emergency personnel realized that she was seriously wounded, after her boyfriend called 911. "I don't know what's happening. Someone kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend," Walker cried on a recorded call to 911. When the operator asked if the young woman was alert and able to speak, he said: "No, she's not," and then, "Oh, my God. Oh, my God." Sydneysiders have flocked to the city's popular beaches amid NSW's first taste of spring, with temperatures climbing into the high 20s in some parts of the state. Sydney was treated to 25-degree weather on Sunday afternoon. Coogee and Bondi beaches inundated with visitors making the most of the city's hottest day since May 9. Coogee beach was packed on Sunday as temperatures pushed up to 25 degrees. Credit:Edwina Pickles A spokesman for NSW Police said officers had attended Bondi and Clovelly beaches on Sunday for observation but had also been called to Little Bay over social distancing concerns. Police were also called to Gordons Bay following reports of a 50 to 60-person gathering. Members of St. Mark Armenian Church in Springfield will continue their more-than-25-year-old tradition of serving traditional Armenian dinners and baked goods, but this year the food will be served in drive-thru style rather than at an in-person festival. The new Fest-To-Go Drive Thru will allow customers to bring home the same meals and baked goods always offered at the parishs annual Armenian Festival, but they will procure them from the safety of their cars. The COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for the change, but church members did not want to cancel their largest fundraiser so decided to shift to the drive-thru model. Among the reasons for the change rather than cancellation were the financial component and tradition. Rather than cancel our festival, we decided that we can hold our fest in a way that is safe for everyone, said David Jermakian, a St. Mark parishioner and Fest-To-Go organizer/volunteer. We put on a great event and feel that the community looks forward to it each year, and during these difficult times we hope our food will bring some joy to the community. The drive thru will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, 4 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 6, noon to 5 p.m., at the church, 2427 Wilbraham Road, Springfield. Dinners served with rice pilaf, pita bread and tomato/cucumber salad feature chicken kebabs and losh kebabs (Armenian beef/lamb burger). Baked goods will include cheese boreg (ready-to-bake filo dough triangles with cheese filling), choreg (traditional, slightly sweet bread with sprinkled sesame seeds on top), paklava (sweetened layers of filo dough with walnut filling), khadayif (sweetened, shredded filo dough with custard filling also available by the pound for pre-orders), nazook (rolled pastry with sweet buttery filling), khurabia (tender butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar), katah (slightly sweet bread with sweet buttery filling) and Armenian string cheese (mild, moist braided cheese, smooth with a nutty accent). Were fortunate to have great chefs in our parish who have their specialties that they prepare for the Fest every year, either in their homes or through baking workshops, Jermakian said. Though baking workshops are not as feasible this year, baked goods still will be prepared in parishioners homes. The dinners will be prepared by shifts of parishioners at the church while following social distancing and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. One dollar from each dinner purchased will be donated to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, we know that many people in our community are experiencing food insecurity, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is helping people in need throughout our region and the need continues to rise, Jermakian said. We want to do our part to support an organization that is on the front lines helping individuals and families. In addition to the donation to the Food Bank, proceeds from the Fest-To-Go will benefit the ministries of St. Mark Armenian Church. The church went months with no in-person services, from mid-March through July 26, which has been difficult both spiritually and financially for members. Not being able to be together with our church family was very hard, he said, but the church streamed Sunday services on Facebook Live each week, and the pastor provided weekly spiritual talks via Zoom, which kept church members connected. Following CDC guidelines, St. Marks now offers in-person services. An online ordering system for the Fest-To-Go can be found on the churchs website, stmarkarmenianchurch.org/2020-aftg-order-form, which is an easy way to read descriptions of each food item, select a pick-up time and pre-pay. Quantities will be limited, and online pre-ordering and pre-pay is recommended by Sept. 3. A printable order form can be downloaded from the St. Mark website, stmarkarmenianchurch.org, and mailed to the church (2427 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01129). To place a phone order, leave a message at 413-783-5793. Though online ordering is encouraged, card, check (made payable to St. Mark Armenian Church) and cash will be accepted for drive-up orders. The Fest-To-Go will be observing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines; those picking up order are asked to remain in their cars and wear a mask. For more information, call 413-783-5793 or 413-727-2586. Your browser does not support the audio element. Most of us would be aware of the plight of families and couples separated, stranded, and caught out by international lockdowns but what of those separated by quarantine within Vietnam? As Im a long-time single expat here, I hadnt really thought about this dilemma until a Facebook post by an expat protesting at the separation difficulties being faced by expats married to locals who have been put in quarantine. The question here is firstly, why cant everyone in this situation within the country quarantine at home or alternatively spend the time together in a designated quarantine hotel or facility? Well, one part of that stems from national and local medical rules and resources on site including beds. I dont think paying to stay with loved ones in a medical facility would be a big problem if you could petition local authorities. Probably the bigger issue is mostly women and men are separated in these dormitories and not enough space for an entire family in one room. Then think about the days together if you enter later, you leave later, becoming separated yet again. Home quarantine would be the way to go but what happens if one member gets seriously ill? Clearly, mothers would go with young children although even that would be problematic if medically serious complications arise. Secondly, Vietnamese citizens can return to Vietnam to be with their spouses and loved ones, yet it appears foreigners married to locals cant enter. While I doubt this is intentional apart from the perceived risk of importing infections from international arrivals this oversight does cause serious distress and disruption to family life and relationships. The second situation doesnt make much sense if Viet Kieu (Vietnamese who live outside Vietnam but still have cultural, business, and family connections to the motherland), for example, are allowed entry despite the medical risk, yet foreigners who can prove they are COVID-19 negative at the time of travel and have married long-term relationships in Vietnam cant. This could be seen as one sided and preferential treatment. But this would be moot as the number of foreign spouses wishing to re-entry Vietnam wouldnt add much to the number of people willing to return, pay a lot for the flight and the cost of quarantine. All in or all out, I suppose. However, adding foreign spouses to the existing list of entry exemptions which includes business, expert, and government visas shouldnt be too hard to do. Either a marriage certificate, certified copy or maybe even a change to the temporary resident card to include marriage details is sufficient for legal entry. Mixed marriages between foreigners and locals are considered by some as not that much of a benefit (apart from love and kids!) because temporary resident cards, visa extensions, and buying and selling property are still difficult, complex, expensive, and time-consuming. So, following that line of reasoning, being a spouse shouldnt demand any special treatment either. Then again thats much of the world, hey? With the real truth being that foreigners, even if they integrate by marriage into the Vietnamese culture, dont register that much on the governments radar especially now that its got more to deal with on its hands. Apart from the initial declaration blocking foreign arrivals, I havent found a single document mentioning expat spouses nor the prospect of changes to the visa/immigration rules for them. While its not illegal to have a same-sex relationship in Vietnam anymore, marriage is still not legal or recognized by law, gay and lesbian couples have no spouse status for entering the country just enter as individuals. Which also lumps all the other lover relationships in the banned category for foreigner entry into the country. A blog entry made an interesting point that while many embassies are not really helpful during the plight of so many people scrambling desperately to reach their loved ones (in either direction: into or out of Vietnam). Contacting your local government representative might actually help get something happening, as it already occurred to an Australian needing to get to Australia with official documentation and an American attempting to return to his Vietnamese wife. Both have, however, failed so far in their efforts. As the original poster, I mentioned at the beginning of the article the question of fairness. It could be argued that the Viet Kieu, having originally left the country, have no higher claim to special entry than expats who made Vietnam their home, marrying and building lives and businesses. This is especially true, considering claims that English teachers who are usually single and not particularly experts are gaining entry. I feel a general consensus, based on social media speculation and cautious government statements, that officials seem to wait for the number of coronavirus cases to go down, particularly in the central coast region, before they gradually or altogether lift social distancing restrictions. All of this might be wishful thinking on the part of many but change doesnt come without effort. Its time to reunite families and support one another throughout this extraordinary circumstance in the history of the world. Ms. Ryberg moved to Saratoga Springs to live closer to her aging parents. But now she rarely sees them because they are at higher risk for complications from Covid-19, and when she does see them, the visits are brief and at a distance. So instead, she spends her hours eyeing the social lives of other people, like the mother of a girl in her daughters Girl Scout troop who recently posted photos on Facebook of a vacation at a lake house. She was up there and the kids were all hanging out together, she said. Im not super close to her or have any reason to feel left out and its not like I know her that well. But my kids are literally sitting here at our house just hanging out here. Thats it, thats all they ever do. Then there are the learning pods, turning the upcoming school year into something of a popularity contest orchestrated by parents desperate for a solution to endless remote learning. These pods, some led by educators and others by parents, have been criticized because the invite-only arrangements risk favoring wealthier, better-connected families, who are often white, leaving behind classmates who may be poorer, are minorities, have special needs or have trouble making friends. A kid whos not chosen to be in one of these pods, there is a huge psychological burden that they could be facing, said Carla Pugliese, an educational consultant who has been advising parents on pods. Its like not being invited to the birthday party. I know that Im not in the in group; whats wrong with me? At a time when there are few opportunities for social interaction, not getting invited to the pandemic version of the birthday party can sting. And its not like we all had glowing social lives before all of this. In January 2020, 61 percent of respondents to a Cigna survey felt lonely. While stay-at-home orders and social distancing practices havent necessarily made the situation worse, as a study published in June in the journal American Psychologist found, they certainly havent made it better. We have lost the everyday distractions the small talk at the school drop-off and pickup line, the banter at the office, the often tedious networking events. We were able to avoid the fact that we were lonely before this because we could stay busy with a whole bunch of people, Ms. Nelson said. This is eliminating a lot of the filler and giving us the opportunity to say Wow, I really need to make sure that I have a good support system in place and have close friends and meaningful friends. To make those deeper connections, Marisa G. Franco, a psychologist who specializes in friendship, suggests calling an acquaintance you like to see where the conversation leads they may be lonely, too. People are so passive when it comes to friendship, she said. We dont initiate. But people who do make the first move are more satisfied, she said. In other words, if no one invites you to a pod, create your own. But heres the rub: When youre trying to avoid getting a potentially deadly virus, is a pod with people who arent already your nearest and dearest friends worth the risk? Ms. Ryberg has been considering talking to other parents at her daughters school about setting up a learning pod her husband plans to leave his job in the fall to help the children with distance learning. A man wearing a hat featuring a symbol of far-right group Patriot Prayer was fatally shot during clashes between supporters of President Trump and anti-racism protesters in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday night, per multiple reports. Details: It wasn't immediately clear if the death was connected to skirmishes that erupted after some 1,000 Trump supporters rallied in the city, the Oregonian notes. The Portland Police Bureau said in a statement they had opened a homicide investigation into the shooting, which happened at 8:46pm. Police tweeted about a political caravan holding up traffic just before the shooting. "There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counterdemonstrators," the police said. "Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests." Times reporter Mike Baker shared video from the scene of people he identified as Trump supporters unleashing paintballs and pepper spray while passing in a caravan of vehicles. What they're saying: President Trump spent much of early Sunday morning tweeting and retweeting videos from the protests, attacking "Antifa" and Democratic leadership in cities and demanding that Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler resign. Two days earlier, Wheeler had sent Trump a letter rejecting his offer to send federal law enforcement to help quell violence in the city. "We don't need your politics of division and demagoguery," Wheeler wrote. The big picture: The shooting occurred on the 94th straight day of Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, which began in response to the May killing by police of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The clashes come after the president said in his Republican National Convention speech Thursday that if his Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden were elected, "They will make every city look like Democrat-run Portland, Oregon." Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. FILE PHOTO: Tel Aviv's municipality building is lit in the Israeli and United Arab Emirates national flags following the announcement of a deal to normalise relations between the countries By Maher Chmaytelli DUBAI (Reuters) - The president of the United Arab Emirates scrapped an economic boycott against Israel, allowing trade and financial agreements between the countries in another key step towards normal ties, the UAE's state news agency reported on Saturday. Israel and the UAE said on Aug. 13 they would normalise diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran. President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a decree abolishing a boycott law as part of "the UAE's efforts to expand diplomatic and commercial cooperation with Israel, leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation," the WAM news agency said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the UAE had taken "an important step towards peace, which will yield substantial economic and commercial achievements for both people while strengthening the stability in the region." The announcement came as Israeli flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines Ltd prepared to operate the country's first direct flight between Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport and the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi. An Israeli government delegation and top aides to Trump, including his senior adviser Jared Kushner, are due to travel on the flight on Aug. 31, a U.S. official said. Before the Aug. 13 deal can be officially signed, details must be agreed on issues such as the opening of embassies, trade and travel links. Israels Channel 13 TV said bilateral trade could initially be worth $4 billion a year, a figure it said could soon be tripled or quadrupled. Government officials did not immediately confirm that estimate. Israeli Agriculture Minister Alon Schuster said Israel was working on potential joint projects that could help improve the oil-rich Gulf nation's food security, such as water desalination and crop cultivation in the desert. "With their money and our experience, we could go a long way," he told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM in an interview on Friday. Story continues Officials from the two countries recently said they were looking at cooperation in defence, medicine, tourism and technology. The decree announced on Saturday means UAE citizens and businesses will be free to do business with Israel. The two countries do not yet have official air links, and it was unclear whether Monday's El Al flight would be able to fly over Saudi Arabia - which has no official ties with Israel - to cut down on flight time. In May, an Etihad Airways plane flew from the UAE to Tel Aviv to deliver supplies to the Palestinians to help fight coronavirus, marking the first known flight by an UAE carrier to Israel. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Helen Popper and Clelia Oziel) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Geneva Sun, August 30, 2020 18:00 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417c1ec 2 Environment switzerland,trophy-hunter,Alpine-ibex Free A Swiss region that has faced heavy criticism for allowing wealthy foreigners to pay large sums to shoot protected Alpine ibexes, a species of wild goat, for trophies decided Friday to end the practice. The southern Swiss canton of Wallis, the only one to allow the trophy hunting, said in a statement that as of next year, foreigners would no longer be granted permits to hunt ibexes. The canton stressed that its Alpine ibex population was growing healthily and said there was still a need for responsible regulation through hunting. But it said that from 2021, "ibex regulation will only be carried out by hunters residing in the canton of Wallis or those who hold a Wallis hunting licence." The canton has for years quietly allowed trophy hunters to shoot ageing male ibexes already destined for elimination. But a documentary aired by public broadcaster RTS last year brought the trophy hunt to the attention of the broader public, sparking a heated debate across Switzerland about the practice and its potential impact on the viability of the species. Outraged citizens launched a petition demanding the "disgraceful" hunt be halted, gathering some 75,000 signatures in a matter of months. The entire Swiss ibex population was wiped out at the end of the 19th century, but since they were reintroduced from neighboring Italy, the population in the country has grown to around 17,000. Wallis counted 6,030 ibexes at the end of 2019 -- nearly double the roughly 3,500 in the canton 15 years earlier. The canton allows several hundred animals to be culled each year, with the maximum quota this year standing at 544 animals. Animals across all age groups and of both sexes can be listed for culling, but males over the age of 11 are typically offered to trophy hunters, at a price. Read also: Russia cracks down on marmot hunting after bubonic plague alert The cost depends on the length of the horns, with the longest specimens, measuring around 1.10 meters, reportedly raking in up to $20,000 for a pair. The canton has pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in income from this hunt annually. For 2020, authorities have granted hunting permits for up to 45 large males over the age of 11, including 25 to foreign hunters. While the canton will lose income once the foreign trophy hunters are gone, it pointed out Friday that the shift would lead to a reduction in workload for game rangers, who had been tasked with supervising and accompanying foreigners holding one-day hunting permits. This, it said, would allow the region to save on personnel resources, meaning there would be no need to hike hunting licence prices for Wallis residents, which had been one of the main sticking points in the debate. Contributed photo / Patrick Sikes / For Hearst Connecticut Media Several state parks and boat launches began closing early Sunday after reaching capacity. Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden and Penwood State Park in Bloomfield were both full and closed to new visitors by 10 a.m. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 06:12:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LIMA, Aug. 30 (xinhua) -- Peru's President Martin Vizcarra on Sunday urged the country's 32 million people not to lower their guard in the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has overwhelmed the national healthcare system. According to the head of state, the outbreak has worsened because of lax compliance with social distancing and lockdown measures, including a curfew. During a working tour of northern Tumbes, a region that borders Ecuador, Vizcarra said that despite the magnitude of the outbreak, people were still thronging nightclubs, holding birthday celebrations and throwing parties, disregarding health regulations and recommendations. "'Let's not be accomplices' is a tough campaign that clearly and directly tells the irresponsible citizens that COVID-19 does not kill alone but needs accomplices," he stressed. The Peruvian government extended a state of emergency in force since March 16 for a further 90 days due to a rise in infections in the capital Lima and other parts of the country. The virus has so far taken more than 28,600 lives. Enditem The French government on Sunday called on Mali's military junta to 'quickly" organise a transition to civilian rule after the 18 August coup, warning that the political crisis would 'benefit terrorists'. Army minister Florence Parly warned that the region risked falling into the hands of terrorists, "because terrorists feed on the weakness of states and the Malian state is weak, very weak at the moment." "Moreover, the international community, which has committed itself to the Sahel, and Mali in particular, could ask itself questions," Parly also warned. France has more than 5,000 soldiers as part of Operation Barkhane, its military force in the Sahel. The UN has deployed 13,000 soldiers to Mali in one of its biggest peacekeeping operations. Takuba, a European special forces group, as well as the G5 Sahel, an under-resourced force of regional soldiers, are also present. Mali's military rulers on Saturday postponed the first scheduled meeting with political and civil organisations on the transfer of power. A protest coalition that had campaigned against former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the 'June 5 Movement', was not invited to the meeting and accused the new military rulers of trying to hijack the coup. Neighbouring West African countries, which are demanding a return to civil rule and elections within 12 months, decided Friday to maintain the closure of borders and a ban on trade and financial flows with Mali. (with AFP) Ghana has secured $54 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to implement a Shea landscape project in the northern part of the country. Under the project, communities in the four regions of the north will be engaged to undertake a reforestation programme using shea trees which have economic value. The new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Mr John Allotey, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview, said there were processes ongoing for the project to start before the end of this year. We got $50 million from the GCF for the cocoa sector last year and just last week, we received $54 million for the Shea landscape project which is expected to boost the shea industry and also preserve the forest vegetation, he said. Swearing-in ceremony Mr Allotey spoke to the Daily Graphic shortly after he was sworn in as the CEO of the Forestry Commission to replace his former boss, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who passed away on July 1, this year, after suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He was sworn into office by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh. At the same event, the Paramount Chief of Alavanyo, Togbe Tsedze Atakora VII, was also sworn in as a member of the Forestry Commission board, to replace the Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VI, who passed on early this year. Implementation procedure When Mr Allotey was asked when the shea landscape project would start, he said the financial processes would be concluded soon enough to pave way for its commencement. The funds for the project have been approved by the GCF, but the Forestry Commission will not be given money directly; due process would have to be followed and so it would go through the Ministry of Finance before it is released. We are hopeful that the project will start before the end of this year though, he said. In addition, the new Forestry Commission CEO said the Board of Directors of the Forestry Commission had approved the project and details would be made available to the public in a short while. 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 The Jharkhand government on Sunday released BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj within 24 hours of placing him under home quarantine for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols, officials said. The MP from Unnao seat in Uttar Pradesh was "forcibly" placed under 14-day home quarantine at Shanti Bhavan Ashram for allegedly not intimating the state administration about his arrival to the district to take part in a programme. The state government had "come under pressure" to release him from home quarantine, official sources said. "The MP had tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday. He was released from quarantine as per the state government's orders. He is free to go anywhere he wants," Giridih Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha said. Maharaj left Giridih for Dhanbad to take a train to New Delhi. "Several politicians are prejudiced. Yesterday, the administration had stopped me so I stayed back. Now, they have permitted me to go, so I am leaving," he said. The administration had on Saturday sealed the borders of the district and put up barricades after it came to know that Maharaj had visited Giridih without intimating it and was leaving. A team headed by Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Prerna Dixit followed the MP and stopped him at a barricade in Pirtand police station area before placing him under home quarantine. Maharaj had said he had come to meet his 97-year-old ailing mother and claimed that he had informed the chief secretary about it. The chief secretary had rejected the MP's application to visit Giridih but had not informed either him or the district administration, the official sources said. "If the administration had rejected Maharaj's application, it should have informed him. Such behaviour with an MP is uncalled for. The state government realised its mistake and released him. Otherwise, the BJP was planning to launch an agitation," state BJP president Deepak Prakash said. GEORGINAPolice north of Toronto say theyre investigating after human remains were discovered near the docks in Georgina. York Regional Police say they were called to the area near Lake Drive North on Lake Simcoe shortly after noon on Saturday. Officers say they located what was determined to be human remains and the coroner was contacted. Police say a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the identity of the deceased and the cause of death. They say there are no concerns for public safety in connection with the incident. Charles Andrews remembers his first trip to see the movie, To Kill a Mockingbird inside a single-screen theater in downtown Monroeville, the small town that inspired an American literary classic written by its most famous resident, Harper Lee. He was a young boy at the time when his mother took him to see the Academy Award-winning film starring Gregory Peck inside a segregated theater. It didnt strike me that we were sitting in the black section of the theater, said Andrews, now 65. Being a child at the time, and being the first time going to the movies, I was kind of awe-struck. Andrews on Tuesday, roughly 60 years since Lees Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was released, provided Monroeville with another historic moment when he won the mayoral race to become the first Black person to assume the citys top elected post. The moment left Andrews awe-struck once more, much like that little boy who was watching a movie loosely inspired on a historic moment in the community he now leads. But the political victory also allowed him to reflect on his childhood and moments such as spotting a sign that read White Only above a water fountain at a local gas station around the same time he had just learned how to read. I think Monroeville, over the years, has grown past that, said Andrews, referring to its segregated past which existed into the 1970s and a well-documented history that also includes the wrongful murder conviction of Walter McMillan in 1988, detailed in the novel and movie, Just Mercy. Andrews, himself, attended Union High School in the citys Black neighborhood before moving to the integrated Monroe County High School in 1970. One of the things I learned during my campaign is that there are so many people, a diverse group of people, and the biggest they want to do is not just have someone to talk to, but someone who will listen t what their concerns are, he said. Over the years, the biggest thing that I have learned is that you really want to learn from the people, you listen to them. A big deal Charles Andrews was elected the city of Monroeville's first Black mayor on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. He takes office on November 2, 2020. (supplied photo). Andrews defeated incumbent Mayor Sandy Smith by 159 votes and will be sworn into office on November 2, and in many ways the outcome was split along racial lines within the citys six precincts. Smith, for instance, garnered 83% of the vote in one precinct while Andrews secured 93%, 71% and 68% in three others. Absentee votes made the difference, with Andrews securing 172 more than Smith. I think this is a big deal, said Cynthia Tucker, a Monroeville native who attended Monroe schools with Andrews during the 60s and 70s. Tucker would later gain fame as a columnist and editor at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, winning a Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2007 after being a finalist in 2004 and 2006. Monroeville has just elected its first Black mayor, said Tucker, who now lives in Mobile. I would not be surprised to hear that the votes fell along racial lines. There is still some tension, between Blacks and whites and neighborhoods remain largely segregated. But obviously, (Monroeville) has Black elected officials now. There are Black representatives at the county level, school board and there have been Black city council members for quite some time. Neighborhoods are beginning to integrate slowly. Things are changing. She added, I think that Charles will be a mayor for the entire city, and he will be able to overcome some of the racial divide. Wayne Flynt, a historian and a close friend with Lee during her lifetime, said the election of Andrews as the citys first Black mayor represents another sign of the slow healing from the deepest historical scar in Alabamas past. He said, Monroe County is on the southern fringe of the historic Black Belt, once the wealthiest place on earth, and now one of the poorest places in America. Unless the region can obtain racial reconciliation, there is no hope for its future. This is a step in the right direction. Andrews said he is confident he can be a success as mayor. He said he has the communication skills and a respected law enforcement background to bridge the divides that might exist in a city battling a declining population, increased poverty, and the loss of industry. He has been in this position before, breaking down racial barriers: In 1994, 26 years ago, he made history in the Alabama Department of Public Safety by becoming the first Black state trooper to rise to the rank of Major. Eight years later, in 2002, then-Gov. Don Siegelman named him as the interim director of public safety within the department the first Black to head the department. Cynthia Tucker Said Tucker, Those experiences gave him a broad perspective to have risen as high as he did with the Alabama State Troopers. Think about it. At one time, in my lifetime when I was a very small child, Alabama State Troopers stood out as among the law enforcement organizations that (former Alabama Gov.) George Wallace used to beat back peaceful Black marchers in the 1960s. To think that Charles rose as high as he did in that organization, is pretty remarkable. Andrews started his career in law enforcement after graduating from the University of Alabama in 1977, as a corrections office. He became a State Trooper in 1980, beginning a long career that eventually led to the Siegelman appointment and, in 2011, an appointment by President Barack Obama as U.S. Marshal based in Mobile. I certainly dont want to, in any way, shape or form, downplay it, said George Elbrecht, a retired judge in Monroe County who is currently an assistant district attorney. Its a significant moment in our history. But I must say that Charles is the right person to step into that role. I cannot think of a better person to step into the role as mayor and being the first African American mayor. I just cant. It is historic and I am proud of him. But hes a skillful and thoughtful individual. I think were blessed to have him. Derryn Moten, chairman of the history and political science department at Alabama State University, said that Andrews story is one of knocking down doors, no pun intended, probably all of his professional life. And like the election of Obama as the first Black president, other moments of firsts are still occurring for Black politicians that deserve recognition, Moten said. He noted that California Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, is only the second Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, and that only two Black men Democrat Cory Booker of New Jersey and Republican Tim Scott of South Carolina are currently serving in the Senate. They are still important, and heavens knows, in Monroeville, yeah, this is a big, big deal, said Moten. Mayor of everyone Billy Ghee, a Black Monroeville resident and longtime educator could have been the first Black mayor of the city. But he lost his election four years ago, losing to then-Mayor Joseph Oglesby who about two years later. Smith, who served 28 years as the director of the Monroeville/Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, was appointed by the Monroeville City Council to complete Oglesbys term. Ghee credited Andrews for running a more well-organized campaign than he did four years ago. He had eight to 10 people with him once leaving a meeting, said Ghee. He had a good team. I will say that might have been the difference this time. Andrews also had some catchy Facebook videos on his campaign website, most of which feature him speaking directly into the camera about his visions for the city. In one video, Andrews talked about how the train was coming into the city and urged voters to hop aboard. I hope you have your ticket punched, he said while The OJays hit 1972 song, Love Train played in the background. Andrews said the train included a diversified workforce and smart industrial development. He said, this train is about the future of the city of Monroeville. He campaigned on a One Monroeville slogan. Andrews said his message of inclusion played an important part in his victory. One of the things I said to them is that if Im elected mayor, I will be the mayor of everyone in Monroeville. You have to be the mayor of everyone, and that message is one that got across to them. It was also about me talking about this vision for Monroeville and wanting to be a diverse community with diverse industry and things of that nature. His successful political campaign might come as a surprise to those who once knew Andrews. Tucker said she can recall the mayor-elect being pretty quiet in high school, but always maintaining a nice guy reputation. She said he while he was not a wallflower, he wasnt outgoing or boisterous or the type who would run for student government. He was, in the political sense, a late bloomer, she said. Andrews said he did not decide to run for mayor until he retired from law enforcement following his tenure as a U.S. Marshal, which ended in October 2018. He and his wife, Linda, moved back full-time to Monroeville where the couple was able to spend more time together. It was the first time that Andrews said he lived full-time in Monroeville since the early 70s, when he left for the University of Alabama. It just came to my mind, with all of this experience and all of this training provided to me on the state and federal level I felt like my roots are here and its time to pay off in the investment made in me, he said. Major challenge Charles Andrews, the mayor-elect of Monroeville, Ala., pictured here in this photograph during his tenure with the Alabama Department of Public Safety. Andrews was selected in 2010 by President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S. Marshal in Mobile. (file photo). For Andrews, he will need to utilize his experiences to tackle the challenges plaguing Monroeville. The city has a dwindling population of 5,718 residents which represents a 12% decline between 2019 and 2010, according to the latest Census update. More than a quarter of the citys residents live in poverty, and 12% are without health insurance. The median household income is $34,250, which is well below the state average. Economic development is the biggest hurdle in Monroeville, where the city is still pained by the loss of jobs at Vanity Fair Brands as the apparel industry outsourced its operations offshore in the 2000s. The county was hit hard during the national Recession in 2008, as more than 1,000 jobs were cut from a host of companies including Georgia-Pacific, Harrigan Lumber Co., and Standard Furniture Manufacturing Co. Georgia-Pacific, last year, announced it was closing its Monroeville operations, shedding another 100 jobs. Monroeville is not unusual, said Tucker. In small towns all over the South, and quite frankly, all over the United States, those economies have gone down. Monroeville was a textile town and Vanity Fair was a major industry there starting in the years after World War II. But those jobs are lost to globalization, either moving offshore or through automation taking over. Bringing in jobs and businesses will be a major challenge for the new mayor. Monroe Countys unemployment rate of 10.9% in July, is higher than the state average. Jobs are what we need in Monroeville, like every small town in Alabama, said Tonja Carter, president of the Mockingbird Company, which puts on the annual adaption of To Kill a Mockingbird play during the months of April and May. Inside the Old Courthouse Museum in Monroeville, Ala., is a tourism draw for the small city of 5,700 resident. It has been restored to its 1930s appearance. This is the view from the bench. (file photo). Tourism, perhaps, is what makes Monroeville unique over other small Southern communities thanks to its reputation as the Literary Capital of Alabama where Lee, Truman Capote and other writers called home. But tourism throughout Alabama has taken a hit during the coronavirus pandemic. In Monroeville, the play was canceled this year and created additional strain on restaurants and hotels that typically rely on the business. Tourism is also down at the Monroe County Heritage Museum, which remains open but has seen a 40% to 50% decline in attendees, according to museum director Wanda Green. Monroeville has really three things going for it timber (industry), agriculture and tourism, said Andrews. To Kill a Mockingbird plays a huge portion of that tourism. Because of Covid-19, that was lost a bit. Ghee said that economic development will loom large over Andrews tenure as mayor and will likely be his biggest challenge. His whole life hes been working in law enforcement and, as you know around the nation, we are having a problem with law enforcement so that is his biggest plus, said Ghee. But where he will need more help with is economic development. Hes never been in politics before. We are in dire need (of new economic development) and we tried a few projects, but they havent panned out. He added, Its hard to get economic development here. We dont have a major four-lane road near us. Its 40 miles away to Evergreen and 40 more to Atmore (where Interstate 65 is located, the closest interstate). Its hard to recruit, in my opinion, if you dont have a major four-lane (road) running through your county. Elbrecht said that Andrews personality will be a plus for the city as it pursues additional industry. The man has great people skills, he said. I think whatever he confronts, he will be thoughtful, considerate and make the right decisions. Catch up on some of the local news you may have missed this past week: US DoJ filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize 280 Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) accounts containing funds allegedly stolen by North Korea-linked hackers The US DoJ has filed a civil forfeiture complaint with the intent to seize control over 280 Bitcoin and Ethereum accounts that are believed to be holding funds which are the proceeds of hacking campaigns conducted by North Korea-linked APT groups against two cryptocurrency exchanges. The complaint did not name the hacked exchanges, it only reports two attacks that took place in July 1, 2019, and September 25, 2019. The DoJ reveals that the funds stolen in the two hacks, along with $250 million stolen from another exchange in 2018, were all laundered by the same Chinese Over-The-Counter (OTC) traders. The first attack carried out by North Korean hackers resulted in the theft of $272,000 worth of alternative cryptocurrencies and tokens, including Proton Tokens, PlayGame tokens, and IHT Real Estate Protocol tokens. In the second attack, threat actors stole $2.5 million worth of multiple virtual currencies. North Korean hackers used chain hopping to launder the stolen funds, this means that they have used the stolen funds to buy other cryptocurrencies, for example, converting Stellar to Ethereum. Over the subsequent months, the funds were laundered through several intermediary addresses and other virtual currency exchanges. In many instances, the actor converted the cryptocurrency into BTC, Tether, or other forms of cryptocurrency a process known as chain hopping in order to obfuscate the transaction path. reads the press release published by DoJ. As detailed in the pleadings, law enforcement was nonetheless able to trace the funds, despite the sophisticated laundering techniques used. The analysis of the blockchain allowed the US officials to follow the stolen funds from two hacked exchange back to the 280 crypto-currency accounts. Many of these 280 addresses are currently frozen as a result of the investigation conducted immediately after the hacks. Todays complaint demonstrates that North Korean actors cannot hide their crimes within the anonymity of the internet. International cryptocurrency laundering schemes undermine the integrity of our financial systems at a global level, and we will use every tool in our arsenal to investigate and disrupt these crimes, said Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie Jr. of the FBIs Chicago Field Office. The FBI will continue to impose risks and consequences on criminals who seek to undermine our national security interests. In September 2019, the US Treasury put sanctions on three North Korea-linked hacking groups, the Lazarus Group, Bluenoroff, and Andarial. The groups are behind several hacking operations that resulted in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars from financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide and destructive cyber-attacks on infrastructure. Lazarus Group is also considered the threat actors behind the 2018 massive WannaCry attack. According to the Treasury, the three groups likely stole $571 million in cryptocurrency from five Asian exchanges in 2017 and 2018. Intelligence analysts believe the groups are under the control of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, which is North Koreas primary intelligence bureau. Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs hacking, North Korea) Afghan Forces Recapture Territory From Taliban, Kill 18 Militants, Local Authorities Say Sputnik News 17:56 GMT 29.08.2020 KABUL (Sputnik) - Afghan forces on Saturday managed to recapture an area, previously held by the Taliban* movement for years, in the eastern Nangarhar province, Ahmad Ali Hazrat, head of the provincial council, said. According to Hazrat, Afghan troops captured the area called Zabit Zahir Qala and killed 18 Taliban members in the security operation. The official added that 13 militants were injured, while the operation was still ongoing. Meanwhile, Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said that one local police officer was killed and two others were injured during the clash. The Taliban movement has not yet commented on the incident. Prior to this, the Interior Ministry said that the Taliban are responsible for 67 civilian deaths recorded in Afghanistan in the past week. Further 179 civilians have been wounded, according to a statement. The militants were involved in 446 acts of violence in 27 provinces. The biggest share of attacks took place in the restive northern Balkh province. Attacks targeting civilians and security forces in Afghanistan have long been typical for the Taliban movement, which has waged an insurgency against the government in pursuit of political recognition. In late February, the Taliban and the United States, which has supported the Afghan government, signed an agreement in Doha, stipulating a gradual withdrawal of US troops as well as the beginning of intra-Afghan negotiations and prisoner exchanges. The intra-Afghan talks are expected to pave the way for a peace process and withdrawal of foreign troops after almost two decades of war and insurgency. *Taliban is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio: Oversight in Crisis After Leaks Force DNI to Opt for Written Election Briefings The Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee warned on Aug. 29 that congressional oversight of intelligence activities is in crisis after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) told lawmakers that it will opt for written election intelligence briefings to prevent further leaks from congressional sources. Congressional oversight of intelligence activities now faces a historic crisis, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) acting Chairman Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said in a statement. Intelligence agencies have a legal obligation to keep Congress informed of their activities. And members of Congress have a legal obligation to not divulge classified information. In my short time as Acting Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I have witnessed firsthand how this delicate balance has been destroyed. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe announced the transition to written briefings in an Aug. 28 letter to Rubio and SSCI ranking member Mark Warner (D-Va.) Ratcliffe explained that the new format will help ensure that election intelligence briefings arent misunderstood or politicized, according to a copy of the letter (pdf) obtained by The Epoch Times. Election security briefings have been subject to a number of leaks during the 2020 presidential campaign. Most recently, congressional sources leaked that Russia is still working to help reelect Trump while China would prefer Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden to win. Divulging access to classified information in order to employ it as a political weapon is not only an abuse, it is a serious federal crime with potentially severe consequences on our national security, Rubio said. This situation we now face is due, in no small part, to the willingness of some to commit federal crimes for the purpose of advancing their electoral aims. Warner didnt mention leaks in a statement criticizing the switch to written briefings. Director Ratcliffes outrageous decision to stop providing briefings to Congress is an unprecedented attempt to politicize an issueprotecting our democracy from foreign interventionthat should be non-partisan, Warner wrote on Twitter. The Senate Intelligence Committee does not and will not accept ODNIs refusal to brief Congress in the 66 days ahead of the election. Rubio noted that despite the leaks and the breakdown in the oversight process, the ODNI is still obligated to brief Congress. Rubio said that hes spoken to Ratcliffe and was assured that the ODNI will continue to fulfill its obligations. In particular, he made explicitly clear that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will continue receiving briefings on all oversight topics, including election matters, Rubio said. In addition to notifying Rubio and Warner, Ratcliffe sent copies of the letter to the Gang of Eight and the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate defense subcommittees of the Committee on Appropriations. By Express News Service KOCHI: This years Onam celebration may not have its usual glory and grandeur for Malayalis, but Jennah and two-year-old Jin from Liberia got to celebrate the festival with a full-fledged Onasadya at Lisie Hospital in Kochi. The duo, who came to Kochi on March 2 for Jins heart surgery, had been stuck here for over four months due to the pandemic. Jin is the second son of Jennah and Peter Paye. Within few months of his birth, Jin was diagnosed with heart disease and was not gaining enough weight due to the same. Jin was referred to Lisie by the doctors in Liberia. After reaching Kochi, he underwent surgery on March 12 and made a speedy recovery. They were ready to go back on April 2 but the pandemic changed all the plans. The mother and son has been lodging in Lisie Hospital since then. Fr Paul Karedan, director of Lisie Hospital, arranged the sadhya for the duo.The family is set to return to Liberia on Thursday. The Russian leader earlier accused the U.S. and Ukraine of a joint effort to deploy mercenaries in Belarus to sow unrest. The U.S. State Department has reacted to the statement voiced by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the alleged involvement of American intelligence in the emergence of the Russian Private Military Company Wagner's troops in Belarus. Putin has accused Ukrainian and U.S. intelligence agencies of a joint effort to deploy Wagner troops in Belarus as a "strike force to destabilize" the country during the elections, Voice of America reported. The U.S. is aware of reports of Russia's use of puppet forces, said State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, according to a report by Voice of America's Ukrainian service, delivered in Ukrainian. Such spins shift public focus away from the actual problem, which Russia is using these forces to cover up own stubborn efforts to embarrass other governments, deepen internal divisions, support autocrats, and sow chaos in order to give Russia the opportunity to influence events globally, according to the U.S. State Department's speaker. Read alsoZelensky on alleged disruption of intel operation: "Nonsense"Russia's overt efforts to deprive the people of Belarus of their sovereign rights are unacceptable, the U.S. believes. Ortagus also noted that the United States supports the right of the Belarusian people to elect their leaders through truly free and fair elections with independent observers, and beyond the influence of the Russian special services. Moscow's impudent use of Wagner PMC mercenaries worldwide enriches the Russian elite, harming the countries where it operates. Russias use of influence campaigns to weaken opponents and muffle the voice of the people is unacceptable, Ortagus said, according to VOA's report. Wagner PMC in Belarus: background In a Facebook post last week, the activist raised questions about Joe Bidens election strategy, warning of a repeat of the 2016 election Are you ready for a Trump victory? This is not an affirmation of celebration from a Donald Trump supporter, but a warning from filmmaker Michael Moore. The Oscar-winning documentary director posted on social media that signs are pointing to a Trump reelection come November. Moore, an avid critic of the president and advocate of Sen. Bernie Sanders, took to his Facebook page to let his followers know that history may be repeating itself as the presidents poll numbers rise in swing states that will be critical to winning the electoral college. Sorry to have to provide the reality check again, but when CNN polled registered voters in August in just the swing states, Biden and Trump were in a virtual tie, Moore wrote. In Minnesota, its 47-47. In Michigan, where Biden had a big lead, Trump has closed the gap to 4 points. READ MORE: Biden campaign buys Keep America Great domain to troll Trump Sorry to have to provide the reality check again, but when CNN polled registered voters in August in just the swing Posted by Michael Moore on Friday, August 28, 2020 The filmmaker feels that Democrats lack of campaigning in said swing or battleground states Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin is the same flaw that may have doomed Hilary Clinton in the 2016 election. The Biden campaign just announced hell be visiting a number of states but not Michigan. Sound familiar? Former Vice President Joe Biden said at a fundraiser Thursday, the same day of Moores post, that he would begin traveling to hold campaign events since the coronavirus pandemic limited his campaign, including the Democratic National Convention, to virtual outreach. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Arizona are being considered for stops, according to NBC-affiliate KARE in Minneapolis. Story continues The in-person events will be done in a way that is totally consistent with being responsible, Biden said, the outlet reports. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris confer on stage outside the Chase Center after Biden delivered his acceptance speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center on August 20, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Moore warned against overconfidence among Democrats and left-leaning voters leading up to November. Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again, Moore continued. Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust youve placed in the DNC to pull this off? The warning even caught approval from Trump himself, who on Sunday reshared a Twitter post referencing Moores message. Michael knows!!! said Trump, who is firing on all cylinders with the November election nearing. Additionally, Moore wrote that Trumps popularity among his supporters has increased, in comparison to the supporters for Democratic nominee Biden. Im warning you almost 10 weeks in advance. The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trumps base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much. The Bowling For Columbine director concluded his post by urging readers to vote and rally others to do the same. Dont leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump. YOU have to get rid of Trump, Moore stated. WE have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote. ACT NOW! Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Filmmaker Michael Moore warns of 2016 redux, says Trump support is OFF THE CHARTS appeared first on TheGrio. The week kicks off in Colorado Springs with a sunny Monday morning and the chance of afternoon thunderstorms with likelihood of rain at night, Dan Andrews and Scott Morrison are heading for a break-up. The bromance cannot last. The ideological gulf between them goes deeper than Aussie rules versus rugby league. The window of convenience that allowed a working relationship to blossom during COVID-19 is coming to a tragic end. Morrison's office is actively briefing journalists against the Andrews government in order to deflect scrutiny and blame as well as to provide succour to the state opposition. The gloves are off. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen There will be mutual relief when normal hostilities resume. They are both effective brawlers and relish a fight. Both have been underestimated by their opponents, internal and external. Both are intensely protective of their ministers. In earlier times, a leader would have jettisoned Health Minister Jenny Mikakos in Victoria or federal Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar. That Colbeck and Sukkar survive, and equally Mikakos in Spring Street, is testament to the impotence of oppositions in the current climate. Morrison keeps his wounded pair in their ministerial suite with the active assistance of a vociferous media cheer squad. Mikakos survives because of the sheer heft of the factions in resolving tensions within the Victorian ALP. Neither equation takes the public's concerns into account. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 23:16:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani and Afghan officials will hold talks in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday to review bilateral cooperation in various fields including security and economy, Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood will lead the Pakistani delegation at the second review meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), while the Afghan side will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mirwais Nab, according to the statement. APAPPS was established in 2018 to provide a comprehensive and structured framework for institutional engagement in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, said the statement, adding that the first review meeting was held in Islamabad in June 2019. "The framework comprises five Working Groups focused on Politico-Diplomatic, Military to Military Coordination, Intelligence Cooperation, Economy, and Refugee Issues," the statement said. The Pakistani foreign ministry said that during the second meeting, all five working groups under APAPPS will review the implementation status of earlier discussions and decisions, with a view to taking the process forward. APAPPS provides an important forum to address common challenges and deepen mutual trust and understanding, and effective utilization of the APAPPS mechanism is pivotal in advancing the shared objectives of peace, stability, prosperity and development, according to the statement. Enditem BRADY ANDERSON, Chariho, Wrestling, Sophomore; Anderson finished first in the 152-pound weight class at the Griswold Midseason Invitational tournament. Anderson went 3-0 in the tournament, pinning all of his opponents in the first period. Anderson is 10-4. LYDIA LASKEY, Stonington, Gymnastics, Senior; Laskey finished first in all four events in meets against NFA and Westerly. Laskey had an all-around score of 33.75 against NFA and 34.60 against Westerly. RILEY PELOQUIN, Westerly, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Peloquin scored 22 points and had 19 rebounds in two games. Peloquin is averaging 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for the Bulldogs. DEONDRE BRANSFORD, Wheeler, Boys Basketball, Sophomore; Bransford scored 25 points and had 28 rebounds in a pair of Wheeler victories. Bransford is averaging 10.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per contest for the Lions. Vote View Results Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alya Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 08:33 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c416a171 1 Health COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,virus-corona,coronavirus-mutation,mutations,D614G,Eijkman-Institute,amin-soebandrio Free The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology has reportedly detected a mutated variant of the coronavirus in Indonesia that is deemed more infectious than the original strain found in Wuhan, China. The mutation, widely known as the D614G mutation, has been found in eight of 22 whole genome sequences reported in Indonesia, Eijkman Institute chairman Amin Soebandrio told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. He added that researchers had yet to estimate the percentage of infected people carrying the mutated variant, but Amin believes the mutated strain had been spread to most patients in the country. Currently, D614G accounts for nearly 40 percent of the genomes reported in Indonesia, but if we analyze more samples, we might come up with clearer information, said Amin. The researcher added that the mutated virus was 10 times more transferrable from cell to cell than the original strain found in China. That conclusion, however, was so far limited to cells in laboratory cultures. More studies are necessary to know whether this also occurs in humans. Read also: Mutation in new coronavirus increases chance of infection: Study Amin also said more studies were needed to confirm greater severity or any new symptoms possibly caused by the mutated variant. He added that the mutation would not affect the efficacy of potential vaccines currently being tested, as it did not alter the virus receptor binding domain that allowed the virus to infect cells. Most vaccines under development target this part of the coronavirus. We will keep conducting the whole genome sequencing process to understand the characteristics of the mutation. These sequences are important epidemiological data to trace the virus' mobility, said Amin. Health experts have advised people to wear masks while outside their homes and to wash their hands with soap regularly to avoid contracting the coronavirus. The D614G strain was first detected in Germany in late January and is commonly found in the United States and Europe. It was also recently detected in Malaysia, with health authorities reporting it in four cases from two clusters in the country, as reported by The Star. In a paper titled Tracking Changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: Evidence that D614G Increases Infectivity of the COVID-19 Virus, Bette Korber of Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States and other researchers said the variant carrying the D614G spike mutation became the globally dominant form of SARS-CoV-2 over the course of one month. Other researchers, including Yale School of Public Healths Nathan Grubaugh et al., said the impact of the mutation on transmission, disease and vaccine and therapeutic development are largely unknown. It is clear from the in vitro and clinical data that G614 has a distinct phenotype, but whether this is the result of bona fide adaptation to human ACE2, whether it increases transmissibility, or will have a notable effect is not clear, Grubaugh wrote. Editors note: The article has been updated with more information from other researchers. Jared Kushner visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday, where it appeared he had a private time for prayer, after declaring the 'stage is set' for more Middle East peace deals. The president's senior adviser and son-in-law trumpeted the recent agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic relations. He called it a historic breakthrough and said other Arab states are likely to follow suit giving no indication any new deals were imminent. Appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, Kushner spoke a day before he is to join a senior Israeli delegation on the first commercial flight from Israel to the UAE. The flight holds great symbolic value and is a key step in what is expected to be full normalization between Israel and the UAE. The Aug. 13 announcement makes the UAE just the third Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, and the first to do so in over 25 years. It reflects a shifting Middle East in which shared concerns over Iran have overtaken traditional wall-to-wall Arab support for the Palestinians. 'Today obviously we celebrate a historic breakthrough for peace,' Kushner said, adding that the deal will create 'previously unthinkable' economic, security and religious cooperation. 'While this peace agreement was thought by many to be impossible, the stage is now set for even more,' he said, claiming he has heard optimism throughout the region since the deal was announced. President Donald Trump's son-in-law and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem It appeared Kushner had time for a private prayer at the holy spot in Jerusalem on Sunday Jared is married to President Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka Trump, and they have three children. Ivanka converted to Judaism when she married Kushner Kushner trumpeted earlier Sunday the recent agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic relations, claiming 'the stage is set' for other Arab states to follow suit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Kushner (right) made joint statements to the press about the Israeli-United Arab Emirates peace accords, in Jerusalem on Sunday 'We must seize that optimism and we must continue to push to make this region achieve the potential that it truly has,' said Kushner, Trump's chief Mideast adviser. Israel and the UAE have moved quickly to cement their ties over the past two weeks. Almost immediately, they opened direct phone lines, and Cabinet ministers have held friendly phone conversations. On Saturday, the UAE formally ended its commercial boycott of Israel, although the two countries have quietly conducted business for years. Monday's flight of an El Al plane from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi will be the first known flight of an Israeli commercial airliner from Israel to the Emirates. The two Mideast countries are expected to sign a formal agreement at the White House in the coming weeks. But so far, predictions by Israeli and American officials, including Kushner, that other Arab countries would follow the UAE have not yet materialized. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo toured the region last week, stopping in Sudan, Bahrain and Oman - three countries widely seen as candidates to establish ties with Israel - but appeared to leave empty-handed. The flurry of U.S. diplomatic activity comes as the Trump administration presses ahead with ambitious plans to promote Arab-Israeli rapprochement even in the absence of a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had long been seen as a prerequisite for Israel to reach peace deals with all of its Arab neighbors. The UAE deal gave the Trump administration a welcome foreign-policy victory ahead of November's presidential election. Facing a tough reelection battle, the White House is eager to build on that momentum. Gulf Arab countries, which like Israel share deep animosity toward Iran, have shown an increasing willingness to make back-channel ties with Israel public. Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring 'unbridled' trade and opportunities Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement with the UAE would bring 'unbridled' trade and opportunities. 'You will see how the sparks fly,' he said. Trump unveiled a Mideast plan in January that has been rejected by the Palestinians, who say it unfairly favors Israel. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip - areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war - for an independent state. The Trump plan offers them limited autonomy in 70% of the West Bank, leaving Israel in overall control of the territory, and a symbolic presence on the outskirts of Jerusalem, while handing Israel control of the city's sensitive holy sites. Netanyahu said the deal with the UAE proves the Palestinians no longer have a 'veto' over regional peace. The Palestinians have accused the UAE of treason. 'If we have to wait for the Palestinians, we will have to wait forever,' Netanyahu said. 'As more Arab and Muslim countries join the circle of peace, the Palestinians will eventually understand their veto has dissipated and they will be hard pressed to stay outside the community of peace.' "Corporate confessionals" are a long-standing (albeit unfortunate) tradition for German businesses that were tapped to fuel the Nazi war machine. The list of companies with ties to the Third Reich includes everything from consumer staples such as Bayer to effectively every German automaker in existence, to one degree or another. It also includes Continental, which just concluded its review, revealing in the process just how even liberal corporate culture can fall victim to nationalism if the climate is conducive to it. The New York Times detailed Continental's contributions to the war effort in a profile that examines the results of an external review conducted by Paul Erker of the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. It details such crimes as the use of slave labor and the exploitation of concentration camp prisoners for the (sometimes fatal) testing of products and equipment. The Times points out that most German businesses have long since completed such reviews (in the case of Volkswagen and Deutsche Bank, for example, decades ago). Still others, such as the aforementioned Bayer and electronics giant Siemens, have yet to step up to the plate, Erker points out. We cant speak for earlier generations of management and dont want to make any accusations against them, Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart said, acknowledging that the review was "overdue." The reality of the wartime economy is that corporate conscription is an inevitability, but long-standing German institutions are forced to grapple with a far more complex issue: the pre-war creep of National Socialist fascism and its implications for their roles in the ensuing conflict. As the Times reports, the intersection of Nazi ideology and wartime corporate culture fueled not only the war effort itself, but the atrocities that it ultimately produced, which weigh heavily on the country's collective conscience. It's telling that even Continental, which was founded by Jewish bankers, was not immune. Story continues It shows me how fragile company cultures are, Continental human resources chief Ariane Reinhart said. In the 1920s, Continental was an open, international, liberal company. Within a few years, the Nazi system was able to smother all of these qualities. The profile is grim, but compelling, and a nice reminder of just how easy it is for evil to proliferate in times of national crisis. We encourage you to check it out in its entirety. Related Video: Click here to See Video >> Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole holds his first news conference as leader on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - As the Liberal government toils away on a throne speech and post-pandemic recovery plan, newly elected Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole is equally at work on his own response. He's not said whether the Conservatives will support the Liberals in the subsequent confidence vote, but even if they didn't, it might not bring down the government. The Bloc Quebecois says it will push for a fall election but even if the Conservatives agreed the two parties are still a few seats shy of the majority required to overtake the Liberal minority government. Still, how O'Toole responds to the Liberals' plans will give a strong signal about where he intends to take his party's own policy for the post-pandemic period and what he will pitch to voters in the next federal election. In an interview with Durham Radio News on Wednesday, two days after he won the leadership race, O'Toole said he doesn't think the Liberals have any intention of working with their opponents to stave off a fall election. "I don't want him to have a recovery plan that is more about ideological Liberal talking points than the well-being of Canadians," O'Toole said. That's why he brought up the subject of Western alienation in his first call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he said. "This throne speech he's doing, if it adds to Western alienation, Canada is seeing risks we haven't seen since the referendum of 1995," he said. "I will be very fair with him, but I will be direct. I think he is taking Canada in a very dangerous way." Which way O'Toole would like to take Canada was, of course, a large part of the leadership race he won in the early hours of Aug. 24. When the COVID-19 pandemic gripped Canada early in that the race, he and the other candidates were forced to reframe some of their platforms to reflect the disaster the novel coronavirus was causing to the economic and social fabric of the country. So, his platform does give some clues about what O'Toole would seek to do when setting Canada on a path to recovery. A couple of caveats for those seeking to read the tea leaves: one, a leadership race platform and campaign promises do not always transition to a general election plan. Also, O'Toole's platform was released prior to the Liberal government doing several things that he also suggested he would like to do, including winding down the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and expanding employment insurance. Still, here's a look at some specific ideas he did advance as part of a nine-point plan. There are specific measures related to COVID-19 throughout the plan, including ensuring increased testing capacity, reliable domestic supplies of personal protective equipment and using agricultural research funding to get more food grown in Canadian greenhouses. He also promised to call a royal commission into the pandemic within 100 days of assuming office to ensure lessons learned are applied going forward. Other ideas include: a reduced EI premium for any increase in $50,000 insurable earnings over the previous tax year to promote hiring, an expansion of the emergency loans program for business, and amendments to bankruptcy laws to make it easier for companies to restructure. turning the existing deduction for child-care expenses into a refundable tax credit covering up to 75 per cent of those expenses, though how much a family could get back would depend on their income. He'd also double the limits under the existing deduction, and extend the boost the Liberals gave to the Canada Child Benefit until the end of 2021. he'd give broadband internet providers a tax credit to cover the cost of replacing Huawei components on 5G infrastructure; review the tax code to simplify and flatten taxes; a new law to ensure free trade across provincial borders. A National Strategic Pipelines Act to speed approval of pipelines considered in the national interest, which he defined as "lines providing access to global markets or domestic refinery capability, especially petrochemical refineries producing the materials essential to PPE production." He also suggested he'd work with the U.S. and Mexico to strike a deal to end the importation of oil from outside the continent. If unemployment numbers remain high due to the pandemic, he is also suggesting a shift in immigration, suggesting that Canada cut back the number of workers it is seeking to admit and instead increase people coming to reunite with their families, particularly if they can help with child care or family support here. NEW YORK The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control announced the 23rd Annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony will be held virtually as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Occurring each October during Fire Prevention Week, the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony honors those firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty and adds their names to the States Fallen Firefighter Memorial Wall at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. This year, the names of 21 fallen firefighters will be added to the Memorial Wall. Each year, New York states fire service community comes together to honor our brothers and sisters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in order to keep their communities safe, New York State Fire Administrator Francis Skip Nerney remarked. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic will prevent us from holding our traditional ceremony this year. Nevertheless, we, like everyone else, will adapt to this new reality and ensure these heroes and their families get the recognition, respect, and gratitude they deserve, Nerney added. Dedicated in 1998, the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial honors the states fallen firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. As of October 6, 2020, there will be 2,596 names on the wall. The earliest name on the wall dates back to 1811. Each year during Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 4-10), the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control holds the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. In 2020, the names of 21 fallen heroes will still be added to the Memorial Wall, however, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a condensed version of the ceremony featuring State Fire staff conducting the traditional reading of names and other pieces of the ceremony will be made available on the Memorials website. Additionally, the families of all 2020 honorees will be invited to attend the 24th Annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial in 2021, so their loved ones can be recognized at a traditional in-person ceremony as well. In the Conservative Party leadership race, Erin OToole ran a strategically masterful campaign to overcome front-runner Peter MacKay. But the very strategy that won him the leadership may prevent him from defeating Justin Trudeau in a general election. In the leadership race, OToole styled himself as a true blue Conservative, with the almost Trumpian promise to Take Canada Back. In this fashion, OToole positioned himself to appeal to the core constituencies of the Conservative Party: the Prairies and older white men. He was also well-positioned to be the second choice among the supporters of social conservative candidates Derek Sloan and Leslyn Lewis, who together secured a third of the vote on the first ballot. And indeed as first Sloan and then Lewis dropped off the ballot, their supporters migrated to OToole, propelling him past MacKay. But it is one thing to win the leadership of the Conservative Party when only party members get to vote; it is another matter to win a general election when all citizens get to vote. Conservative voters are considerably to the right of median voters in Canada. Messages that appeal to Conservative voters during a leadership race may not resonate with average voters during an election. Indeed, median voters may be turned off by these messages. As a social conservative himself, Andrew Scheer looked distinctly uncomfortable every time he was asked about abortion or same sex marriage in the last election campaign. While OToole seems more comfortable discussing these issues, he may also find it difficult to pivot away from the social conservatives in his party. Thats because social conservatives are now a force to be reckoned with in the Conservative Party. Erin OToole is indebted to them not simply because they supported him in the leadership race he needs their votes and especially their financial contributions going forward. This is ironically a legacy of the party finance reforms introduced by the last Conservative government. When Stephen Harper cancelled the per-vote subsidy of political parties in 2011, he believed it would give the Conservatives a fundraising advantage over the other parties. Instead, it has left the party hostage to its most partisan supporters. When the subsidy was cancelled, parties were receiving $2.04 per vote. With over six million votes in the 2019 election, the Conservatives would have received more than $12 million in subsidies under the old system. That would have provided about 40 per cent of what the party spent on the last election; a subsidy of that magnitude would make it easier for the party to pivot away from its social conservative base towards the middle of the political spectrum. But without the subsidy, the Conservative Party cannot afford to alienate its social conservative supporters. Erin OTooles first big test will be to decide what to do with Derek Sloan the only other leadership candidate with a seat in Parliament. Sloan received 15 per cent of the vote on the first ballot and he raised almost one million dollars during the leadership campaign. He obviously has a significant base of support in the party. If OToole appoints Sloan to a prominent role in the party, it will turn off the non-Conservative voters the party needs to win over in the next election; if he does not include Sloan on his team, he will alienate a core constituency of his party. While OToole appears to be between a rock and a hard place, Liberals would be wise not to underestimate him. He presents an interesting contrast to Justin Trudeau. While being a handsome international celebrity has its advantages, Canadians tend to like politicians they can relate to, and OToole seems like a thoroughly decent man. But decency is not going to win the election for Erin OToole. To win over younger urban and suburban voters, especially women and visible minorities, OToole will have to convince them that a government led by him will not act on the social conservative issues that animate many members of his party the very people who helped him win the leadership. Aucklanders are waking up to life out of lockdown, with the city moving down alert levels at midnight. But it isn't completely joining the rest of the country in level 2, instead moving to what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is calling "level 2.5". Aucklanders still face greater restrictions, with gatherings capped at 10 people and authorised funerals and tangihanga at 50. "I cannot stress how important this is. Much of this cluster has stemmed from social gatherings. If we want to stop the spread we have to stop socialising for a time," says Ardern. From today, masks are mandatory on public transport and planes across the country for everyone over 12. But Ardern is making an extra appeal to Aucklanders. "If you go to a shop wear a mask. If you go to a mall where a mask. Basically when you step out of your home we are asking you if you can please wear a mask." Ardern says these rules aren't just for the city of Auckland - and Aucklanders should stick to them even if they travel outside of the region. "Please don't just pop into an aged care facility no matter where it is in the country. Please don't attend a mass gathering even if it's not in Auckland and if you are sick stay home, definitely don't travel." Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says this is a common sense requirement. "No Aucklander wants to be the person that spreads the virus to other places and that's why we've got to be a little bit more careful. "We've got the right to travel, but let's make sure that we use that right responsibly and carefully." Goff says he's "celebrating" the new freedoms Aucklanders have, and while businesses are eager to get to full level 2, a cautious approach was necessary. "But really our ability to do that depends on all of us. Complacency is the real enemy and if people don't follow the rules and they take risks then that risks us going to a situation where the rules have got to be tightened," Goff said. National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee says if the health advice recommended caution, then he supports that. "This is not for too long a period and we are stepping towards what our new normal is going to be OK I guess, but it's still a lot of disruption for people in Auckland and a lot of disruption for business activity." But Brownlee thinks expecting Aucklanders to adhere to these rules outside of Auckland is "unrealistic". "If there's a gathering of 100 people in Christchurch for example and someone comes from Auckland are they really going to say 'look I better not go cos I'm from Auckland'? I just don't see how that works." ACT leader David Seymour believes the government is just "making up the system" as it goes along. "Nobody imagined when we had four distinct levels that there would be a level 2.5. I think if there was a need for such a level it should have been communicated and established in the 102 days of COVID freedom. That's the period the government had time to prepare for an outbreak like this." Seymour says the government needs to be a lot more deliberate, clear and prepared. But Ardern says this is the same as the "stepping down" phase the last time there was a move down from level 3. She says level 2 is designed to handle stamping out a cluster like this one, but this graduated step was needed to ensure no region has to move back up alert levels. Cabinet will review the country's settings again on Friday. RNZ/Yvette McCullough India and China arent in the best of relations today. So much so that Indians are urging to boycott Chinese products and services. However, there was a time when the bond between China and India was so strong that five doctors from India went to aid China in their time of need and how one of them gained so much love and respect from the nation, that he stayed there for the rest of his life. This is the story of Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis. Wikipedia Early life Dwarkanath Kotnis was born in the year 1910 to a middle-class family in Solapur, Maharashtra. He went on to study medicine at Seth G.S. Medical College of the University of Bombay. While he was getting ready to complete his post-doctoral degree, he received a call that would completely change his life. Arriving in China In 1938, China was at war with Japanese invaders, causing an acute shortage of medical practitioners and medicines, with soldiers suffering from severe wounds and no one left to treat them. Upon request of Chinese leader Zhu De, the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose sent a team of five doctors to show solidarity with the Chinese in their fight. Kotnis was one of them. He was named Ke Dihua where hua meant China. Determined to save the lives of Chinese soldiers In a recent report by Xinhua, Lou Yue, a research fellow with the North China Martyrs' Memorial Cemetery who has studied the life of Kotnis, shares how he saved several lives through stories he heard from people whose lives Kotnis has saved. He has heard stories that revealed how careful he was while sewing wounds, trying his best to not cause a lot of pain. Representational Image: Wikipedia Another instance Lou shared how hard-working Kotnis was. During a battle in 1940, Dr Kotnis performed surgeries for nearly 72 hours, non-stop, treating over 800 patients in a matter of 13 days. Moreover, when he heard the news of the demise of his father, he chose to stay in China instead of returning to India. People in China even today truly respect and appreciate his efforts. People refer to him as 'Old Ke' or 'Dr Thoughtful'. Teaching medicine to the Chinese Later, in the year 1941, he was appointed as the director of Dr Bethune International Peace Hospital, named after the famous Canadian surgeon Norman Bethune. Here, he performed about 2,000 surgeries, saving peoples lives. He even went ahead and learnt Mandarin and went on to teach students in China. He would compile and write study materials for the students. Later, he married a Chinese woman named Guo Qinglan and had a child who was named Yinhua (meaning India and China) Death of Dr Kotnis Sadly on the evening of December 8, 1942, while he was writing a surgery textbook, he collapsed and passed away due to epileptic seizures at the age of just 32 years. Late Chinese leader Mao Zedong was deeply affected by his death. He wrote in his eulogy "the army has lost a helping hand, the nation has lost a friend. Let us always bear in mind his internationalist spirit." Kotnis is remembered even today Today, in the North China Martyrs Memorial Ceremony, his white grave headstone still sees numerous visitors who come and mourn his loss. Next month, a bronze statue of Dr Kotnis will be revealed, which has been erected outside a medical school in North China. Wikipedia He even has a medical school named after him -- Shijiazhuang Ke Dihua Medical Science Secondary Specialized School -- with memorials of Kotnis in both Shijiazhuang, the capital of China's Hebei province, and Tangxian county where he once served. Members of Student Innovation Ireland and Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) advocates are encouraging second-level schools in Longford to register and take part in the 2020/21 F1 in Schools education programme this autumn. The F1 in Schools STEM Challenge raises awareness among schoolchildren all across the globe of STEM through Formula 1; it encourages students to think creatively, improve their skills, and gain confidence. It is the only global multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams of students aged 9 to 19 deploy CAD/CAM software to collaborate, design, analyse, manufacture, test, and then race miniature compressed air powered cars made from the F1 model block. Four Irish teams will compete in the F1 in Schools world finals in Melbourne next March. Aaron Hannon, Co-Founder of F1 in Schools, is calling on schools to enter this years challenge. He said, F1 in Schools gives second-level students the opportunity to learn how to be a leader, an engineer or a businessperson in a fast-paced, exciting and competitive way. Registration for F1 in Schools Ireland 2020/21 will close on November 15, 2020, with Regional Finals taking place in February 2021. The 2021 Irish National Final will be held in April/May 2021. Many notable artists discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the online theater trend with VietNamNet. Director Viet Tu: Onstage emotions are irreplaceable Director Viet Tu (left) With previous extensive experiences in performing art, I find myself having a hard time getting along with streaming theaters. However, I understand, whether there is an epidemic or not, the online art trend is inevitable. Therere loads of factors required for successful streaming performances. Meaningful content is first and foremost. Then there comes good infrastructure and techniques which are the main support maintaining onstage progress. Most theaters in Vietnam do not meet these requirements. I would willingly sacrifice plenty of pleasures in life in return for first-hand shows. There will never ever be an alternative online form that fully offers multi-sensory experiences by which you feel the land, the people, the culture that youre, in person, surrounded with. Its quite similar to screen reading versus paper reading. Screens make you read slower, learn less deeply whilst touching paper and turning pages enhances knowledge intake, brainstorming, and memory as well as emotions. As a newcomer to streaming performances, Vietnam is facing a challenging time in copyright, policy and exploitation as well. Elsewhere in the world, many countries have succeeded in online art business and ensured good income for artists. Things, nonetheless, will not always work out the same for Vietnam. Importantly, will the market easily adapt to this? Will viewers be pleased to pay what its worth, what artists deserve? If streaming art can really see a future here, I hope the audience will be aware of how much it takes to have it online, there arent such thing as a free lunch. Everyone looking for free channels to watch means destroying the theater industry and blocking artists path. There must be a fairer way. People's Artist Hong Van: Live-streaming art shows is probably not a good idea People's Artist Hong Van Being filmed with multiple-camera setup makes television drama itself far more appealing to viewers than online drama. Online stage honestly does not sound feasible to me. The essence of theater is direct interaction with audience, and sound resonance within art houses, so how is it possible through screens? Personally, as an artist, I don't see myself acting on stage without being witnessed. Whether theaters will bounce back after the crisis or not depends chiefly on us considering the implementation of the best solutions for theaters, including especially taking risks involved in effectuating streaming performances. People's Artist Tong Toan Thang (Deputy Director of Vietnam Circus Federation) Circus artis Tong Toan Thang The biggest advantage of online performance is the broad access from anywhere across the globe with diverse genres. The audience is able to enjoy art however they wish, whatever they choose, and wherever they are For the same quality as broadcasted, theaters themselves invest in the quality of performances alongside support from the State with budget for filming. We are, of course, fully conscious of the investments required. Most theater stages are more like halls, and not so well-equipped as those in the Opera House. If only for storage, single angle filming would probably be enough. Nevertheless, to transfer online, it takes a comprehensive process from content, technique, filming, to perfect lighting and sound. With proper investment, artists are all set! Meritorious Artist My Uyen (Director of Small Drama Theater 5B) Meritorious Artist My Uyen We, artists do our best to keep conventional stages lit up. A less direct audience doesnt mean phase-out. Artists cannot act online! I cannot emphasize that enough. During the previous social distancing, many of them had to switch their jobs to earn extra incomes. But theres one thing I know for sure, their onstage passion never wears out, like the fire that keeps burning up, despite the uncertainties of life. Since the audience has ever-greater viewing demands, I totally see eye to eye with the State about investment policies for mainstream art stages, including circuses, magic shows, ballet, theaters, operas, reformed dramas ... to deploy online performances amid the epidemic. I did have a discussion with HCMC Television, ideas on this are endless. Artists only need to pay no more than the expenses of the show. The governing body, afterwards, can either close that online theater or continue broadcasting the show for free. Its called fair play if we get state funding to make art. By and large, our ongoing shows are not for filming! No other form of transmission can ever replace the conventional stage, whatever the times! Gia Bao - Tinh Le - My Anh Recently a 100-pound Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, a massive new species that live in the Suwannee River, was one of three caught recently by Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission trappers. According to an FWC Facebook post on Friday, biologists with the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute found three of the species in traps set in the New River: a 100-pound male and a 46-pound female in one trap, and a 64-pound male in another. FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute share the pictures on their official Facebook account. The New River, which is north of Gainesville is a blackwater stream with low biological productivity, so finding a large turtle in such a small stream is unusual," the Facebook post said. The FWC has been collaborating with researchers in Florida and Georgia to study the population size and distribution of Suwannee alligator snapping turtles, which is indigenous to the area. Comments on FWCs page perhaps sum up the find. Absolutely beautiful reptiles! I would love to hold one of these magnificent creatures." Imagine one of those mutated in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Awesome!" Those alligator snapping turtles our hudge an you let them loose you find them in small stream cant you take them to large stream an release them." Previously, it was believed there were only one living species of alligator snapping turtle. The current one has been recognized as Macrochelys suwanniensis. Its name is derived from the ridges on its shell that resemble the rough skin of an alligator. It has also been dubbed the dinosaur of the turtle world for its eerily similarity in appearance. Most live to about 70, though there have been reports of alligator snapping turtles living to 100. Males alligator snapping turtles weigh about 175 pounds, according to National Geographic, although they can surpass 200 pounds. Females are much smaller, usually weighing under 50lbs. Scientists are particularly concerned about the Suwannee because of its limited habitat. Over 16.4 million recoveries and 842,000 deaths reported; US, Brazil and India report highest number of infections. Global coronavirus cases surged past 25 million, according to a Johns Hopkins Universitys tally, as deaths exceed 843,000. More than 16.4 million have recovered. Indias health ministry announced on Sunday at least 78,761 new infections in 24 hours, setting a new daily record worldwide. Brazils Ministry of Health has reported at least 758 additional coronavirus fatalities during the last 24 hours, with 41,350 new cases, bringing the death toll to 120,262, and the confirmed cases to 3,846,153. Every Italian region reported new coronavirus cases after a record 99,000 tests turned up another 1,444 cases. Here are the latest updates: Sunday, August 30 23:08 GMT Pakistan reports lowest number of new daily cases in four months Pakistani authorities have reported 264 new COVID-19 cases, the countrys lowest daily count for the new coronavirus in more than four months. In a statement Sunday, the national command and control center said only four people died from the new virus in the previous 24 hours, taking overall COVID-19 deaths to 6,288 since the start of the outbreak in February. However, health officials are still trying to understand the reason for a steady decline in infections in Pakistan, which witnessed twin peaks in June when daily confirmed cases reached up to 6,825. It was then when hospitals were full amid shortage of medicine, oxygen and ventilators, and even face masks were not easily available. 19:40 GMT Jordan reports its highest daily tally of infections Jordan reported 73 new cases, its highest daily tally since the start of the outbreak, the health ministry said. The countrys total number of confirmed infections now stands at 1,966, with 15 deaths, since the first case surfaced in early March, according to the health ministry. Jordan has seen a jump in daily numbers over the last 10 days, prompting authorities to toughen a nationwide overnight curfew, which now starts at 11pm rather than 1am, and to introduce a one-day lockdown in the capital Amman on Friday. Officials have also delayed the resumption of regular commercial flights from Alia international airport, which was expected to happen this month, hampering prospects of a rapid recovery for its debt-burdened economy. 17:36 GMT France shows steady growth in new cases France reported 5,413 new cases, slightly down from the 5,453 seen on Saturday. The health ministry said the cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths rose to 30,606 from 30,602 reported on Saturday. The number of people in hospital with the disease was 4,535 versus 4,530 the day before and the number in intensive care rose to 402 from 400. In mainland France, the progression of the COVID-19 epidemic is exponential. The strong growth dynamics of transmission is very worrying. the ministry said in a statement. Police officers wearing protective masks patrol in front of the Eiffel Tower as France reinforces mask-wearing as part of efforts to curb a resurgence of the coronavirus disease [Charles Platiau/Reuters] 17:34 GMT US CDC reports coronavirus deaths increase by 1,006 to 182,149 The number of deaths caused by the coronavirus rose by 1,006 to 182,149 people, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, reporting a total of 5,934,824 cases, an increase of 44,292 from its previous count. 16:22 GMT Turkey records 1,482 new cases, 42 deaths Turkey registered 1,482 new cases and 42 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the health minister said. It also recorded 1,027 recoveries. To date, the country reported 267,064 cases nationwide and 6,284 deaths. 16:13 GMT Zante flight to Cardiff told to self isolate after cases found Passengers who were on a flight last week from the Greek island of Zakynthos to Cardiff in Wales have been told to isolate after it was identified as the source of at least seven confirmed coronavirus cases, Public Health Wales said. Cardiff and Vale Test Trace Protect and Public Health Wales have identified at least seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 from three different parties who were infectious on TUI Flight 6215 from Zante to Cardiff on 25 August, said Giri Shankar, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales. As a result, we are advising that all passengers on this flight are considered close contacts and must self-isolate, he said in a statement. Shankar added that investigations had found that the virus had spread to other groups of people because of a lack of social distancing, in particular by a minority of the 20-30 year age group. 15:06 GMT Britain records 1,715 new cases The United Kingdom reported 1,715 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, up 607 cases from the day before, according to government data. One person had died after they tested positive for the disease within 28 days, it said. The country has so far recorded 334,926 infections and 41,585 deaths. 14:18 GMT Germany politicians condemn far-right flags outside parliament Leading politicians condemned protesters who stormed the steps of Germanys Reichstag parliament building, some of them holding far-right flags, during mass marches against coronavirus curbs a day earlier. Finance minister Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democrats, the junior partner in Angela Merkels conservative-led ruling coalition and candidate to succeed her as chancellor, said Germans must do everything possible to prevent such scenes. It is unacceptable that some now appear in front of the Bundestag building, the Reichstag building, the most important symbol of our democracy, the parliament, with symbols from a bad dark past, flags that have nothing to do with our modern democracy, Scholz told journalists at a brief news conference outside his partys headquarters in central Berlin. Scholzs comments were echoed by politicians including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the chair of Merkels Christian Democrats, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Im truly incensed, Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Twitter. 13:47 GMT Schools to reopen in Nigerias Lagos as cases decline Schools will reopen in Nigerias commercial hub of Lagos next month as part of plans to revive the economy as COVID-19 cases decline, the state governor said. Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria, plans to reopen colleges on September 14, and primary and secondary school schools on September 21, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said. The gradual easing doesnt mean the pandemic is over, he said in a tweet. It is not an invitation to carelessness or nonchalance. Following the progress we have made in the management of #COVID19 and in line with our desire to gradually open the economy and critical sectors, today I announced that tertiary institutions will re-open from September 14th 2020. pic.twitter.com/QxDcHLUUoM Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) August 29, 2020 The Lagos governor said restaurants, social clubs and recreational centers would also be allowed to reopen as long as they followed safety rules. Nigeria has reported 53,727 infections in total including 18,104 in Lagos and 1,011 deaths. Hello, this is Farah Najjar taking over from my colleague Umut Uras. 12:30 GMT FDA commissioner says willing to fast-track COVID-19 vaccine FT The head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is willing to fast-track a COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible, the Financial Times reported him as saying in a published interview. Stephen Hahn, who serves as the commissioner of FDA, said his agency was prepared to authorise a vaccine before phase three clinical trials were complete, the paper reported 11:45 GMT Mutated coronavirus strain found in Indonesia A more infectious mutation of the new coronavirus has been found in Indonesia, the Jakarta-based Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology said. Indonesia reported 2,858 new infections on Sunday, data by the health ministry showed, below the previous days record 3,308 but above the past months daily average. Its total number of cases was 172,053, with 7,343 COVID-19 fatalities. The infectious but milder D614G mutation of the virus has been found in genome-sequencing data from samples collected by the institute, deputy director Herawati Sudoyo told the Reuters news agency, adding that more study is required to determine whether that was behind the recent rise in cases. The strain, which the World Health Organization said was identified in February and has been circulating in Europe and the Americas, has also been found in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia. 11:00 GMT Global coronavirus cases exceed 25 million Global coronavirus cases surged past 25 million, according to data compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University, with India setting the record for the highest single-day rise in cases. The universitys running data showed that global confirmed COVID-19 infections stood at 25,009,739 and the number of recoveries had reached 16,411,400. The data showed steady global growth as the diseases epicentre shifts again, with India taking centre stage from the United States and Latin America. Indias single-day tally of 78,761 new coronavirus infections on Sunday exceeded the one-day increase of 77,299 reported by the US in mid-July. Read more here. 10:10 GMT- UKs Sunak considers sweeping tax hikes to plug COVID-19 hole British finance minister Rishi Sunak is considering a sweeping set of tax increases to help fix the huge hole in the public finances left by the coronavirus pandemic, two newspapers have said. Tax hikes suggested by Treasury officials could raise an extra 20-30 billion pounds a year, the Telegraph and the Sunday Times reported, and some of them could be announced in an autumn budget statement by Sunak. However, officials working for Prime Minister Boris Johnson are fiercely opposed to a major tax raid on wealthier voters and want to consider spending cuts instead, the Telegraph said. Britains public debt has passed two trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion), pushed up by emergency spending on Sunaks coronavirus job retention scheme, tax cuts for businesses and consumers and even a dining-out subsidy to coax people back into restaurants. Tax hikes suggested by Sunak could raise an extra 20-30 billion pounds a year, reports say [Reuters] 9:20 GMT British universities should not reopen next month: Union British universities should scrap plans to reopen next month to prevent travelling students from fuelling the countrys coronavirus pandemic, a union said, calling for courses to be taught online. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons government has come under fire over its moves to restart education, especially after a row over exam results for school students and a failed attempt to bring all pupils back to their classes earlier this year. Johnson has been calling on Britons to return to something more akin to normality after the coronavirus lockdown, calling on workers to return to offices to help the economy recover from a 20 percent contraction in the April-June period. 8:45 GMT Brazil to extend coronavirus economic aid on Tuesday: Official Brazil will officially announce the extension of an aid payment programme designed to help people weather the economic damage of the novel coronavirus pandemic, a government official said. President Jair Bolsonaro has previously stated that the aid payments, which are due to expire this month, will be renewed through the end of the year. However, a planned announcement last Tuesday was delayed after disagreements about the form of future aid payments and related benefits arose between the Economy Ministry and Bolsonaro. On Tuesday, were going to the Alvorada Palace to announce, together with President Jair Bolsonaro, the extension of emergency payments, a benefit that is so important for millions of Brazilians that need help to confront the pandemic, Deputy Arthur Lira, the head in the lower house of a powerful political bloc known as the Centrao, wrote on Twitter. 8:15 GMT Indonesia reports 2,858 new coronavirus infections Indonesia reported 2,858 new coronavirus infections and 82 more deaths, taking the total number of cases to 172,053 and fatalities to 7,343, data by the countrys health ministry showed. Indonesia is the East Asian country with the second highest number of new coronavirus infections after the Philippines. A worker cleans chairs for rent on a beach in the Indonesian tourist island of Bali [File: AP] 7:45 GMT Russias coronavirus infection tally climbs to near 1 million Russia reported 4,980 new coronavirus cases, pushing its confirmed national tally to 990,326. Authorities said 68 people had died of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, raising the official death toll to 17,093 7:10 GMT Mexico coronavirus cases rise to 591,712 Mexicos health ministry reported 5,974 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections and 673 additional fatalities, bringing the total to 591,712 cases and 63,819 deaths. The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases. Mexico says the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases [Reuters] 06:25 GMT China reports nine imported coronavirus cases Mainland China reported nine new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Saturday, all them imported, the National Health Commission said on Sunday, meaning there were no locally transmitted infections for a record 14th straight day. The number of imported cases found in people travelling into the country from overseas was the same as a day earlier. Three of these were recorded in Shanghai, with two in southeast Chinas Fujian province, two in Sichuan in the countrys southwest and one each in the northern municipality of Tianjin and the southern province of Guangdong. The commission said another four asymptomatic carriers were found on Saturday, down from 10 a day earlier. 6:00 GMT South Korea marks 17th day of triple-digit cases with dining curbs South Korea reported its 17th day of triple-digit rises in coronavirus infections, as restrictions on onsite dining at restaurants, pubs and bakeries in the densely populated Seoul area take effect. There were 299 new infections as of Saturday midnight, the slowest daily rise in five days, bringing the national tally to 19,699 cases of the new coronavirus and 323 COVID-19 deaths, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. On Friday, the country extended phase two social distancing rules the second-strictest level for at least another week and announced tougher rules on places with high risks of virus spread. A medical staffer takes test samples from a visitor at a coronavirus testing station in Seoul [File: AFP] 05:30 GMT Germanys confirmed cases rise by 785 to 241,771: RKI The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 785 to 241,771, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed. The reported death toll rose by six to 9,295, the tally showed. Hello, this is Umut Uras in Doha taking over from my colleague Ted Regencia. 04:50 GMT India sets worlds highest single-day rise Indias health ministry announced on Sunday at least 78,761 new infections in 24 hours, setting a new daily record worldwide. With a population of more than 1.3 billion people, India ranks third with the most number of infections, behind the US and Brazil. The United States previously recorded 77,638 daily cases in one day, according to the AFP news agency. 03:45 GMT Germany reports new 785 cases Germanys Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases reported on Sunday an additional 785 new coronavirus cases, pushing the total number of infections to 241,771. The data also showed six additional deaths with the total number hitting 9,295. 03:25 GMT Australia treads cautiously as coronavirus lingers New coronavirus cases in Australias state of Victoria returned to the triple digits on Sunday, according to the government. Southeastern Victoria reported 114 new cases, a day after the daily tally fell to 94, its lowest in nearly two months. Its capital, Melbourne, is four weeks into a six-week hard lockdown that authorities have said may ease only gradually. At 100, 94, at 114, whatever the number, we simply could not open up, state Premier Daniel Andrews told a televised briefing on Sunday. The nation of 25 million has suffered about 25,600 infections and just over 600 deaths since the start of the year. The nation of 25 million has suffered about 25,600 infections and just over 600 deaths since the start of the year [James Ross/EPA] 02:45 GMT Hong Kongs Joshua Wong calls for boycott of COVID-19 testing Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has joined the call for residents of the city to boycott the COVID-19 testing plan being rolled out by the government starting on Tuesday. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority employees alliance has also joined Wongs call during a press conference on Sunday. Hong Kong has more than 4,700 cases and 86 deaths reported so far. 02:20 GMT New Zealand reports two new COVID-19 cases New Zealands director of public health, Caroline McElnay reported on Sunday theat there were two new cases of COVID-19 reported in New Zealand. The latest development comes as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed anger over the botched communications regarding coronavirus testing in the country. But she also thanked residents of Auckland for abiding by the new restrictions in the country. New Zealand has more than 1,700 cases and at least 22 deaths. 01:48 GMT Tour de France imposes rules to limit spread of COVID-19 French authorities have made it harder for Tour de France teams to reach the finish line in Paris if a member tests positive. Oficials decided teams will be expelled from the race if two or more of their staff members test positive for the coronavirus within a week, according to the Associated Press news agency. The move was announced just a few hours before the start of the three-week races opening stage in Nice. It overruled a decision from cyclings governing body that had eased the Tours exclusion rules on Friday. There are 30 members per team, which includes staff. 01:08 GMT South Koreas new COVID-19 cases fall below 300 The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea has fallen below 300 on Sunday the first time in five days, as the government extends social distancing restrictions in greater Seoul, according to Yonhap news agency. South Korea reported 299 new COVID-19 cases, including 283 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,699, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Two more patients died, raising the death toll to 323. South Korean health officials have tightened social distancing restrictions in the greater capital area of Seoul to help contain infections [Lee Jin-man/AP] 00:30 GMT Thai scientists develop COVID-19 vaccine using tobacco leaves A leading infectious disease doctor from Thailands Chulalongkorn University has announced that tests of new locally produced COVID-19 vaccines on monkeys had proved successful. Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Disease Health Science Centre, said that the latest vaccine is produced by integrating the viruss DNA into tobacco leaves. The plant responds to the DNA and produces proteins about a week later, according to a report in the Bangkok Post. The proteins are then extracted to make the vaccine. So far, it has been tested on mice and monkeys. The next step is testing it on humans. This vaccine, made with proteins from a special type of tobacco leaf, is easy and cheap to produce, even at an industrial scale. Also, there will be no patent-related problems with this approach, he was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying. 00:10 GMT Brazil coronavirus deaths surpass 120,000 Brazils Ministry of Health has reported at least 758 additional coronavirus fatalities during the last 24 hours, with 41,350 new cases, bringing the death toll to 120,262, and the confirmed number of cases to 3,846,153. Brazil is the second-hardest-hit country by COVID-19 after the United States, both in fatalities and infections. The country, however, reported a slowdown in the number of new cases and deaths. 00:01 GMT Italy carries out record number of COVID-19 tests Every Italian region reported new coronavirus cases after a record 99,000 tests turned up another 1,444 cases, The Associated Press news agency reported. The health ministry says one more victim of COVID-19 brought Italys official death toll to 35,473 on Saturday. Italy has nearly doubled its daily tests this month amid a surge in new infections, mostly among young people returning from holidays. _______________________________________________________________ Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For all the key developments from yesterday, August 29, go here. An inpatient enters Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, Sunday./ Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong Trainee doctors vowed Sunday to continue their ongoing strike in protest of the government's healthcare system reform plan, a move expected to pose a bigger threat to Korea in its response to COVID-19. Representatives of interns and resident doctors met Saturday night for an overnight meeting to decide whether to continue the ongoing strike. The first round of a general vote among representatives didn't land on a majority decision, yet the second vote found 134 votes in favor of the strike, out of 186. Korea has about 13,500 trainee doctors. The Minister of Health and Welfare quickly slammed the decision, calling it inconsiderate of the lives of 51 million citizens. Also the ministry criticized the trainee doctors for their stubbornness. "The move came after the government stepped back. The government proposed to scrap the plan in exchange for them returning to work and to start talking to doctors about the reforms after the pandemic crisis in Seoul metropolitan area subsides," according to the ministry's press release. The trainee doctors' group was not available for comment. The trainee doctors started the walkout on Aug. 21. On Aug. 26, the government ordered them to return to work, threatening to punish the violators. On Friday, the government filed complaints against 10 trainee doctors for the walkout. Among the 10 was an intern who was in self-isolation after coming in contact with one confirmed COVID-19 patient, which triggered a backlash against the government from medical school professors who until then had been staying relatively silent. About 100 professors at Seoul National University Hospital are joining the trainee doctors in their walkout on Monday for one week. The hospital said it will reduce the daily number of outpatients. Separately, members of the Korea Medical Association (KMA) are planning another strike on Sept. 7 which will have no deadline. The KMA represents around 130,000 doctors across Korea and they just finished their previous three-day strike last Friday. The government pushed to train an additional 4,000 doctors over the next 10 years by increasing medical school quotas and opening up a new medical school. The tension between healthcare professionals and the government are taking a toll on the health of patients both COVID-19 and other. The government is already experiencing a shortage of beds and healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 workers. Medical experts warned the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. On Friday, a Busan patient intoxicated with an unknown drug was driven around the city for almost 90 minutes while emergency personnel looked for a hospital that would accept him. He ended up in an ER in Ulsan university hospital, roughly an hour north of Busan, but reportedly he was in a coma when he arrived and didn't survive. Supporters of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah perform a salute at a ceremony in May 2020 in southern Lebanon on the border with Israel Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah Sunday threatened to kill an Israeli soldier for every one of its fighters slain by its archfoe Israel, after a combatant was killed in Syria in July. "The Israeli needs to understand: When you kill one of our fighters, we will kill one of your soldiers," Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech. Referring to several incidents at the border with Israel in recent weeks, he said: "All this has been taken into account and the time for settling accounts will come." He spoke after a July 20 Israeli missile attack on Syrian government and allied positions in Syria that killed five people. Damascus regime ally Hezbollah said one of its own was among the dead. Nasrallah on Sunday said a "decisive decision" had been taken but that Hezbollah was "not in a hurry". Israel said Wednesday it had launched air strikes against Hezbollah observation posts in Lebanon after shots were fired from across the border. The incident also comes after Hezbollah announced at the weekend it had brought down an Israeli drone flying over the border. Israel has carried out dozens of air strikes on Hezbollah targets in neighbouring Syria where the group is fighting alongside the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Hezbollah wields considerable political influence in Lebanon and its allies dominate the caretaker government. Nasrallah spoke after the UN Security Council on Friday renewed its mission on the Lebanese-Israeli border, though officially reducing its numbers and pressing Beirut to grant access to tunnels under the border with Israel. Israel has accused Hezbollah of building the tunnels to infiltrate its territory. The 10,500-strong UNIFIL peacekeeping force, in coordination with the Lebanese army, is tasked guaranteeing a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from a demilitarised zone on the border. Actor Alia Bhatt has posed for a new magazine cover, shot by her sister Shaheen Bhatt. Their mother, Soni Razdan, and Alias boyfriend Ranbir Kapoors mother Neetu left comments on her post. Alia shared the cover, for the latest issue of Elle, on Instagram and captioned it, Two sisters. One cover. It shows her in a red and pink silk dress, lying in a bathtub. Neetu Kapoor dropped a heart emoji in the comments section, while Soni Razdan commented, And one proud mom. Shaheen also shared the cover on her Instagram account and wrote in the caption, Played photographer for the day and photographed my sister for the cover of this months @elleindia. Helps that shes not exactly difficult to take pictures of. Soni praised Shaheens photography skills and wrote in comments section, Hey so super ! This pandemic is throwing up so many career ops. Shaheen has also written a heartfelt letter for Alia which has been published by the magazine. She wrote, Dear Alia, Ill admit, I imagined writing you a letter like this would be easy a cop-out almost. But, when I actually came to doing it, I was chock-full of questions rather than rousing thoughts to fill a page. She continued, Youve already shown the world exactly who you are. There is no introduction for the readers about who the real Alia is because the way I see it, there is no secret Alia, no version of you thats cloaked in disguise. Also read: Neena Gupta says she apologised to Masaba for stopping her from being an actor after watching Masaba Masaba Alia had recently shared a stunning picture of herself on Instagram, probably from the same location as the Elle photoshoot. She can be seen striking a pose in an oversized shrug with a pool in the background. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Filmmaker Christopher Nolan has said that he didnt give actor Robert Pattinson any advice on how to play the character. Nolan directed three Batman films, starring Christian Bale as the Dark Knight. Pattinson will make his debut as the iconic superhero in 2021s The Batman. He certainly did not ask me for any advice, Nolan, whose new film Tenet is being rolled out internationally, recently told Singapores CNA news. We kept a respectful silence around the issue until very near the end of the shoot. We said a couple of things and made a couple of jokes. We did have a little bit of a conversation about the various aspects of what he was going to be putting himself through. But I was thrilled that he was cast, and I think hell do an amazing job. Im really excited to see what he does with that character. Also read: Robert Pattinson lied to Christopher Nolan about going for The Batman audition during Tenet but he caught his lie Previously, Pattinson had told the Irish Times about how he had to lie to Nolan about taking some time off to go audition for Batman. I had to lie to Chris about having to go for a screen test I said I had a family emergency. And as soon as I said its a family emergency he said: Youre doing the Batman audition, arent you? While Nolan didnt have any advice for Pattinson, Christian Bale had some wise words to share. In an interview to Variety last year, he said, Just be able to pee by yourself. You dont feel like a superhero when you arent able to piss by yourself. Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman, which also stars Zoe Kravitz, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano and Jeffrey Wright, will release in October 2021. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON By PTI BENGALURU: Filmmaker and journalist Indrajit Lankesh on Saturday sparked a row by claiming that a few film actors whom he knew were severely addicted to drugs. His claim came close on the heels of the Narcotics Control Bureau of India busting a major drug racket with a drug haul from the City with the arrest of three people-- M Anoop, R Ravindran and Anikha D. The NCB said the trio were supplying drugs to musicians and actors in the Kannada film industry, popularly known as Sandalwood. "The drug network in sandalwood is far and wide, Many young actors and actresses organise rave parties. I have heard many stories and also, I know many such incidents," Lankesh told reporters on Saturday. Lankesh even claimed that a film actor high on drugs met with an accident a few months ago in a swanky car. He added that if the police promise him protection, he would lay bare many such facts. His claim was quickly rebutted by many in the Kannada film industry saying that there had been liquor parties but they have never come across rave parties. However, following the claim, police issued a statement that they would summon Lankesh to share information. A police statement said the Bengaluru Police have been raiding a lot of drug peddlers and even detected drugs supplied through 'Dark Net.' "Regarding statements of Indajit Lankesh on media channels, CCB Anti Narcotics Wing is issuing notice to him to come and share information and support Bengaluru Police in this fight against drugs. We will investigate every information that he will share," the statement said. Lankesh found a supporter in Excise Minister H Nagesh who said the drug racket in Bengaluru is very large. "Bengaluru drug racket is very large and what was unearthed recently is just a sample," Nagesh said in Belagavi. The minister said the drug menace has to be controlled, otherwise innocent students and children will fall prey to it. Reacting to Lankesh's claim, former chief minister Siddaramaiah said sale and consumption of marijuana is a great crime. "If marijuana is sold in the state, it is because of government failure. Those who sell and consume marijuana must be tracked and punished," the veteran congress leader said. Watching the party conventions this month has reiterated the notion that for a long time, mainstream politics has failed to listen well enough, and hard enough, to the concerns and interests of millions of voters. Parties have fixated on winning over the marginal voter, pandering to particular groups, feeling a sense of ownership of them. The problem is that this approach doesnt accurately reflect the population that feels under-represented in our democratic republic. That is not to say that politicians havent tried to appeal to working class voters. They have, but in doing so, they have missed what it means to be working class todayfor is very different than what it meant 40 years ago. Changes to Americas economy and society over the past few decades have created a new working class, made up of people living on low to middle incomes, doing jobs in the service sector such as retail, hospitality and services. Many wont define themselves through work at all. It is multi-ethnic, diverse, more likely to be female than male, and younger than the traditional working class. In the past there may have been a typical working-class person, but there certainly isnt now. People living on low-to-middle incomes in our modern economy today undertake hundreds of different types of jobs, employed as shop workers, bar tenders, teaching assistants, cleaners, cooks, secretaries, delivery workers and so on. A large percent work second jobs as well. Further, a reasonable proportion combine work with caring for children or aging parents, or other responsibilities. Typically they would have an annual income less than the median of $33,000. But even though most will be working, they may struggle to meet their costs. Research finds they are most concerned with finances and debt; healthcare, especially the pandemic; education; caring responsibilities; employment; and housing. This is a new working class, and it is clear after the conventions that neither of the two political parties are speaking for them now. Many people feel left out by politicsour public life is dominated by the concerns of the affluent. And when politicians do try to appeal to working-class voters, they misunderstand their attitudes. Social unrest fueled by a loss of hope, inequality and unfairness highlight how politicians seem to show no awareness of how when pandering to one narrow group, they completely alienate other groups who are also part of this new working class. By listening to the values of the new working class, political parties can find a route toward understanding how better to connect with voters. The new working class shares the same top values as the general public: family, fairness, hard work and decency. Political parties can build a framework of policies around these values. Collective bargaining rights and worker protection are paramount to empowering the working class as the decades-long erosion of these values has diminished the quality of life for Americas working class while corporate profits soar. Just trying to appeal to a large working class may win over votesbut his new working class is much more diverse and disparate than the traditional working class. Parties need to understand how social class has changed over time, and how they, too, need to change with it. Most crucially, political parties need to properly understand the voters they are failing to represent now: who they are; their values, concerns, interests and attitudes. The party that does grasp the importance of this new working class could be the one that leads us toward a new and prosperous America. The recent conventions of the two ruling parties clearly demonstrate that it is unlikely to be either one of these. Timothy P. Cotton is the national political director of The Alliance Party. He resides with his family in Culpeper. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30 By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend: It is often said that the past can be an excellent predictor of the future, and here in Uzbekistan, the recent past, with extraordinary reforms and advances across the broad spectrum of government and society, predicts positive development and a better future for the people of Uzbekistan, OSCE Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan, Ambassador John MacGregor told Trend in an interview. "What I have observed since late 2016 were the major reforms and improvements in the Justice sector, Rule of Law, Human Rights, economic issues, environmental concerns, and overall comprehensive security, which have contributed to positive trends apparent in todays Uzbekistan. The fundamentals of a State with 34 million well educated and motivated people, with good leadership, improving governance, and an increasing practice of international cooperation bodes well for the future," said MacGregor. He admitted that the current COVID-19 pandemic has slowed development in Uzbekistan and caused setbacks around the world, but, as MacGregor said, he still sees an overall positive tendency for the future in Uzbekistan. Taking into account the progress of Uzbekistan, MacGregor stressed that in 2016, Uzbekistan was the second-most difficult country to visit in the OSCE, in terms of ease of getting visas and other entry documentation, however by January 2020, Uzbekistan had become the second-easiest country to visit, in terms of visa-free access and simple visa upon arrival. According to him, that, of course, has had a direct and immediate positive impact on tourism, but it has also been an important positive signal for foreign investors. Since late 2016, the economic and political development of Uzbekistan has been tied to the Governments National Action Strategy for 2017-2020, a major document setting OSCE reform priorities across Government and society that are aligned closely with OSCE commitments. "I find that its helpful to try and put a bit of historic perspective on what has been achieved. All of us who have been resident in Uzbekistan over these past four years need to think back to the conditions and situation in late 2016 and recall just how much progress has been made in all aspects of our lives. Certainly, the economic indicators have moved in a very positive direction," stated OSCE Project Co-Ordinator. He stressed the fact that the World Bank recently predicted that of all OSCE participating States, only Uzbekistan is expected to experience an increase in GDP for 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. MacGregor believes that this resiliency is an extraordinary testament to just how much progress has been made on all the factors that contribute to sustainable economic development. "Foreign direct investors look at many factors when looking for safe places to invest, particularly including Rule of Law and the Justice sector along with freedom of expression. Much progress has been made in those areas too. There has been increased contribution of women and youth to the economy, to government, and society as a whole," he said. MacGregor gave an example that 36 percent of parliamentarians most recently elected to Uzbekistans Parliament (Oliy Majlis) are women, much higher than the worldwide average; and six percent are youth, about three times the worldwide average. Moreover, according to him the recent Samarkand Human Rights Webforum that promoted the Presidents initiative for a UN Convention on Youth Rights is an excellent example of Uzbekistans increasing worldwide leadership and the virtual cabinet mechanism for online submissions of concerns and complaints and the peoples reception centers are additional examples of Uzbekistan initiatives that are examples of good practices worldwide. "Of course, there are still many areas of the OSCE commitment-related National Action Strategy for 2017-2021 that still need additional attention and the reforms are continuing. But, in historical context, what has been achieved in the past four years in quite singular among OSCE participating States, and the staff of the Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan have been proud to be able to contribute to joint projects that advance the Action Strategy reforms," he said. MacGregor stressed that the OSCE-Uzbekistan relationship has improved to historically high levels in the past few years As he said, relationship has improved helped by high level visits to Tashkent and Samarkand especially in 2019, including the highest level Chairperson-in-Office and other top officials such as the Secretary General, and 20 OSCE Ambassadors who were permanent representatives of their States to the OSCE in Vienna. "At the same time, senior Uzbekistan Government officials have fully represented Uzbekistan at OSCE bodies, including at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Ministerial Council, and Permanent Council. It is noteworthy that Deputy Foreign Minister Sherzod Asadov had received the highly prestigious appointment as Chairman of the OSCEs Economic and Environmental Committee during his final year as Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the OSCE in Vienna," said MacGregor. He stressed that the excellent relationship has allowed for excellent co-operation and collaboration on joint Uzbekistan-OSCE projects across many areas of government and society. "Just to mention a few, those have included Justice reform, combating corruption, dealing with transnational threats such as illicit drugs, cyber threats, terrorism, and trafficking in persons, developing a new Electoral Code, promoting Young Women in Tech, support to improving digitalization of the economy and improving open data ecosystems," said MacGregor. According to him, a common theme of the projects is that they are consistent with national priorities and with OSCE commitments and they are all benefit the people of Uzbekistan. "Finally, it is important to note that, in Uzbekistan, the OSCE projects are carried out by a dedicated team of 35 national staff, many of whom have more than 15 years of experience with the OSCE. In fact, the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan has the smallest number of international staff, only four, of any OSCE field operation," he said. MacGregor also emphasized the important role of Uzbekistan in terms of helping Afghanistan in a number of directions. "The development of good neighborly relations by Uzbekistan has included Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has undertaken a number of initiatives to further the goal of peace in Afghanistan, by hosting or otherwise creating opportunities for dialogue," said ambassador MacGregor. In terms of direct support, Uzbekistan has established an educational center for Afghan students in Termez, on the north side of the Amudarya River, and close to the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. This center provides courses in agriculture, applied sciences, and mining for Afghan students, particularly women. "Moreover Uzbekistan provides resources such as electrical power to Afghanistan and is currently contributing to the upgrading the power transmission lines serving Kabul. Uzbekistan is also upgrading the railway connecting Uzbekistan with Mazar-i-Sharif and is part of a consortium seeking to build a railway from Mazar-i-Sharif westward to connect with the current railhead at Herat, thus providing a new link from Central Asia to Iran and westward through Azerbaijan to Europe," said MacGregor. He also noted that contributing to the economic development of Afghanistan helps to increase security and stability, thus Uzbekistan is showing a very practical way of helping resolve the underlying reasons for conflict. John MacGregor believes that this, in turn, can contribute to lowering the security concerns and transnational threats across Central Asia He also touched upon the Aral Sea problem and measures taken by Uzbekistan to solve it. "Particularly since 2017, the foreign policy of Uzbekistan has included the development of good neighbourly relations, and that includes bringing stakeholders together to attract attention to the grim reality of the Aral problem. Recognizing the need for international cooperation to try to mitigate one of the worst man-made global environmental catastrophes of all time, the Government of Uzbekistan and the United Nations jointly established The Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region in Uzbekistan (MPHSTF), which has commenced work under the aegis of the UN Development Program," stated MacGregor. "In terms of work on the ground that will most immediately benefit the residents of the area, Uzbekistan has instituted a plan to plant Saxaul trees across the entire former bed of the Aral sea," he said. The Saxaul trees were chosen because they can survive with little moisture and because each fully grown tree can fix up to 10 tons of soil around its roots. This then prevents the winds from picking up contaminated sand from the dried up sea bed and spreading them through the atmosphere. "I have also seen much attention improving infrastructure and social support services for the people living in the area of the former Aral Sea, generally improving their lives, living conditions, and prospects for the future," said John MacGregor. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini 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. Interstate bus services are to resume in Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu starting Tuesday, September 1, and metro services in Kochi and Bangalore beginning on September 7 as mass transport systems in the states and cities resume after the five-month lockdown for Covid-19 pandemic. Maharashtra is contemplating allowing inter-state buses to ply from September 7, officials in the state said. This comes a day after the Union home ministry allowed states to resume metro services and hotels and bars to reopen from September 7 as part of Unlock 4. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, meanwhile, announced extension of lockdown till September 30. Under relaxed norms, no complete lockdown will be enforced on Sundays in September. E-pass system for inter-district travel will be discontinued. All places of worship, hotels and resorts have been allowed to re-open, he said. Buses run by state owned enterprise will run with 50% capacity with the government deciding to bear the loss. Bihar, which is likely to hold assembly polls in November-December, however, is likely to announce significant relaxations after September 6, when the state-wide lockdown ends. The Centre has prohibited lockdowns outside containment zones without its permission as part of the Unlock 4 guidelines. The Bihar government may come up with guidelines related to social gatherings, public meetings and political functions in view of the elections. In the state-wide lockdown, enforced since August 1, only shops selling essential goods remained open. Till September 6, the state-wide lockdown is in force. The government will review the situation and likely issue new orders, said additional chief secretary, home, Amir Subhani. As social distancing norms are being enforced, bus travel in Jharkhand would become costlier from September 1 as the state has allowed only 50% seating capacity to be occupied. Kerala government officials said Kochi Metro will start functioning from September 7 in a staggered manner. Maharashtra government officials said more relaxations would be offered under its Mission Begin Again in a calibrated manner including opening up of inter-state bus travel. The state is likely to allow gymnasiums to open and government and private establishments to increase employee strength to between 30% and 50% from the present 10-15%, the officials said. Going by the surge in cases, we are not in a position to open what all has been allowed by the Centre, said an official. He said the government is unlikely to open religious places despite demands by the opposition. The relaxations are likely to be notified on Monday.Officials in the West Bengal said that new Unlock guidelines may not be announced as chief minister Mamata Banerjee has declared a complete state-wide lockdown on September 7, 11 and 12. President Trump has been leading the U.S. against the Chinese theft of American data and intellectual property. The administration has ramped up its pressure campaign by threatening Gen Z social media platforms like TikTok, which observers fear could funnel data to China, and closing the Chinese consulate in Houston for being a source of espionage and intellectual property theft. Now Trump has taken the unprecedented step of shutting down WeChat, which is owned by the Chinese company Tencent. As suggested by the president's executive order, Tencent, like many othe r regime-connected firms, is a threat because of its apps' reported collection of large swaths of personal data. It isn't in the best interest of the nation's security to allow the Chinese government easy access to Americans' personal and proprietary information, which often occurs more than they realize. To protect national security, Trump is taking a harder stance than past administrations in the hope that it quells the growing Chinese threat. Now Congress is doubling down to help him e liminate further threats that this adversary poses to American security. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) has introduced two new amendments to the latest NASA Authorization Act, which would require background checks of NASA's private contractors to ensure that there aren't any significant connections to China. These amendments are needed now more than ever especially when considering Tencent's proximity to NASA. Tencent owns a five-percent stake in the American electric vehiclemaker Tesla. Founder Elon Musk has called the Chinese firm both an investor and an adviser to his company. Beyond Tencent, Tesla has also received over a billion dollars in loans from Chinese banks and has been able to work with their government to secure deals that get him helpful incentives. This connection to the regime is concerning for national security because SpaceX a frequently utilized contractor at both NASA and the Pentagon is connected to Tesla by development and sales partn erships. This connection opens the door for theft of classified governmental mat erials. This is far from an irrational fear. In fact, Tesla's I.P. was compromised by the People's Republic before. The company has opened lawsuits alleging China's theft of its autopilot technology from former employees who went to work at Chinese rivals. Now imagine if the same happens to NASA or the Pentagon's information. Complicating matters is that Chinese security law requir es citizens to help Chinese authorities whenever possible, including on matters relating to intelligence and the military. The last thing we need is one company's dealings with the country inadvertently creating a national security threat. That can happen should the Gardner amendments not pass into law. Yet SpaceX is reportedly lobbying against these commonsense legislative measures. Why? Does it know that these connections are concerning? Does it have something to hide? Or does it just not want the law to eventually mandate that companies divest from China because of its financial interests? Let's be clear: divesting from China may be difficult, but it won't be nea rly as costly as trade secret falling into Chinese hands. For major companies with Chinese investments, it's likely time to pull out entirely from the Asian power or risk loss of government contracts. To do nothing puts national security at risk, and no company's bottom line is more important than that. James Lowe is a two-decade radio industry veteran and now host of his own nationally syndicated radio show based in Kansas and carried on the Iheartradio App. Find out more at jiggyjaguar.com. PAS MP's Bible remarks sets bad precedent in Dewan Rakyat, says DAP MP Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii said he would continue to follow up on the issue of Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh stating in the Dewan Rakyat that the Christian Bible was distorted (dipesong). Yii said Zawawi's statement sets a bad precedent in Parliament. "Members of Parliament should show an example to promote unity and not divide us. "That is why I will continue to pursue the matter. It is not because I am 'offended' or 'cannot forgive', but we need to set the record straight that no one is above the law, even in Parliament," Yii said in a statement today. He said he sent a letter to Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun under Standing Order 36(10)(c) to get a ruling on Zawawi's statement, which Yii said crossed the line and can be deemed as insulting the Christian faith. Yii also raised the issue last week in Parliament to urge for a ruling. He also regretted that Zawawi said he refused to apologise and that Christians have no "right to be offended". Yii said the Pasir Puteh MP's remarks highlighted Zawawi's lack of understanding and remorse on the sensitivity of all communities in a multi-racial and multi-religious Malaysia. Zawawi made the offending remarks in the Dewan Rakyat last Wednesday while debating the Road Transport Act amendments bill, which seeks to increase punishments for drink driving. In his speech, he claimed all religions forbade the consumption of alcohol. When Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, a Christian, corrected him and said it was intoxication that was wrong, Zawawi doubled down and said in Christianity, before the Bible was "distorted", alcohol was not allowed. The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) later demanded an apology over the "direct insult" to the Christian holy text, but when contacted, Zawawi said he did not need to apologise and claimed he was right. He also said Christians had no right to feel offended and claimed what he said was fact, not an accusation. However, Zawawi added that he was willing to have a harmonious dialogue on the matter. PORTLAND, Ore. - Sheriffs from two counties in the suburbs of Portland, Ore., on Monday emphatically rejected a plan by the states governor for their deputies to help patrol the city following last weekends deadly shooting of a right-wing supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump. Their decision threw into doubt a plan announced a day earlier by Gov. Kate Brown to keep the peace in Portland by adding nearby sheriffs deputies and Oregon State Police troopers as the liberal city struggles to regain its footing in the glare of the national spotlight. Brown, a Democrat, announced the security plan for Portland after the fatal shooting of Aaron Danielson, 39, on Saturday as Black Lives Matter protesters clashed with Trump supporters who drove in a caravan through the city. No one has been arrested in the case. The rejection by the two sheriffs, elected as nonpartisans, increases uncertainty about Portlands future just as Trump puts the chaos in Portland in his campaign crosshairs as part of his law and order re-election campaign theme. Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said inundating the city with more law enforcement would not work because Portlands newly elected district attorney has dismissed charges against hundreds of protesters arrested for non-violent, low-level crimes. Roberts and Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett also said the liability for their deputies would be too great amid worries deputies could be sued for actions they take outside their home jurisdictions. The same offenders are arrested night after night, only to be released by the court and not charged with a crime by the DAs Office, Roberts said. The next night they are back at it, endangering the lives of law enforcement and the community all over again. Browns chief-of-staff, Charles Boyle, said Roberts did agree that deputies from Clackamas County could help by handling some calls normally taken by state police while its troopers are dispatched to Portland. Trump has made Portland and its Democratic leadership a frequent target and he demanded that local and state leaders call in the National Guard after Saturdays fatal shooting. Portland is a mess, and it has been for many years. If this joke of a mayor doesnt clean it up, we will go in and do it for them! Trump tweeted Monday, a day after tweeting that the mayor was a fool and a weak and pathetic Democrat mayor. Brown has so far declined to send the National Guard to Portland but instead announced the planned coalition of law enforcement agencies late Sunday. In a statement, she said right-wing groups like Patriot Prayer had come to Portland looking for a fight and vowed to stop more bloodshed. We all must come together elected officials, community leaders, all of us to stop the cycle of violence, she said. Some Black community leaders were also upset with the proposal to put more officers on the streets. Portland police have been criticized for using tear gas and for being overly aggressive. If youre just there, the odds of getting arrested at this point are almost so high as to the point of being guaranteed, said Shanice Clarke, one of the founders of the Black Millennial Movement and a frequent protester. The Portland police also drew criticism Monday for not doing more to keep the dueling groups apart and for letting the situation get out of control. Police Chief Chuck Lovell defended his officers, saying the clashes between protesters and Trump supporters were spread out over many city blocks and that the shooting took just seconds. While its easy to cast blame on paramilitary and alt-right groups on the one side, or anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter groups on the other, the responsibility to safeguard communities rests with government, said Eric Ward, executive director of the non-profit Western States Center, which helps marginalized communities organize social justice campaigns around the West. In Portland, law enforcement has regularly failed to keep our citys streets safe. Oregon State Police troopers supported Portland police at protests Sunday night. Authorities arrested 29 people. State police also took over patrols in Portland in July following two weeks of massive demonstrations against the presence of federal agents in the city. Danielson, the man who was killed, was a supporter of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group based in Washington state that was founded in 2016. Since early 2017, its supporters have periodically come to Portland to hold rallies for Trump, ratcheting up tensions long before the national outrage over the police killing of George Floyd. Many of the Black Lives Matter protests in Portland have ended with vandalism to federal and city property, including the federal courthouse and City Hall. In July, Trump sent more than 100 federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security to safeguard federal property a move that instead reinvigorated the protests. More than 1,000 people gathered Saturday in Clackamas County at the areas largest rally for President Donald Trump amid the 2020 election season. Demonstrators then formed a caravan of hundreds of cars that poured into downtown Portland. The parade led to tense moments between Trump supporters and counter-protesters who gathered on sidewalks and in the streets in opposition. After most of the Trump supporters had left the area, Portland police said a man was shot and killed downtown around 8:45 p.m. Police have not said whether the killing was related to the demonstrations. The mans body lay on Southwest Third Avenue near Alder Street. Next to the body was camouflage gear with infidel and thin blue line patches, which commonly indicate support for law enforcement. Police taped off the area. The opposing demonstrations came days after various speakers decried Portlands nightly protests during the Republican National Convention, an event that was capped off with a 74-minute speech when Trump accepted the partys presidential nomination and cast the city as lawless. Trump also traded sharp criticism with Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler Friday on Twitter. The demonstration marked the third consecutive Saturday that pro-Trump demonstrators and counter-protesters clashed in downtown Portland. The car parade was the largest by far. Yet as opposing protesters shouted at each other and scuffled at times, bystanders went about their everyday lives. People filled picnic tables outside bars and drank beers. A man and two children watched the cars stream past. Trump supporters first converged outside of Clackamas Town Center late Saturday afternoon. More than 1,000 vehicles, many displaying Trump flags, filled a portion of the malls parking lot, said Sgt. Marcus Mendoza, a spokesperson for the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office. Members of the Three Percenters, a far-right militia group, patrolled the crowd carrying paintball guns. Event organizers asked people on social media not to openly display firearms, but encouraged concealed carry. Tensions briefly flared between some pro-Trump demonstrators and a small group of counter-protesters after a dispute over a parking space ended in one person using pepper spray, Mendoza said. The crowd turned its attention at 5 p.m. to a short series of speeches that started with the national anthem. People held Make America Great Again hats to their hearts as the anthem played. Almost no one wore masks. This rally is not a protest, Alex Kyzik, an organizer, told the crowd. This rally is a celebration of a great president. Clackamas County deputies were on the ground monitoring the event, Mendoza said. Our goal here is to maintain the peace and make sure everyone has an opportunity to exercise their First Amendment rights, Mendoza said. A spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, a New York firm that owns the mall, has not yet responded to a question about the malls stance on the event. The caravan of hundreds of cars started to leave the mall around 5:15 p.m., with a few tractor-trailer cabs leading the way. Drivers honked as they left. The route navigated from 82nd Avenue to Highway 224 to Highway 99 into Portland. Deputies blocked part of 82nd Avenue for about 45 minutes as the caravan got started, Mendoza said. From Highway 99 vehicles turned onto the Morrison Bridge and exited on to Interstate 5. Organizers planned to loop around downtown from I-5 to I-405. Around 6:10 p.m., a group of about one dozen counter-protesters arrived on the Morrison Bridge to attempt to block the parade. A fist fight broke out between two people after a person got out of a vehicle. Portland police quickly arrested people. Then around 6:45 p.m., the route shifted from Interstate 5 and into downtown. The cars wove through different streets downtown, including past the Multnomah County Justice Center, the heart of nightly Black Lives Matter protests that began 94 days ago. As cars waving Trump flags drove by, some people stood on the sidewalk and shouted chants opposing Trump. Some people tried to block the parade path at certain points. Police arrested one man who was trying to block the cars. Tensions quickly escalated. Growing groups of opposing crowds gathered on Southwest Washington Street near 12th Avenue around 7:30 p.m. At least two fist fights broke out. Plain-clothes Portland police arrived just before 8 p.m. to respond to the tense scene that involved a bike caught under a BMW SUV. It was unclear what happened. Police left 15 minutes later, but tensions continued to flare between both sides. At other points along Washington Street, traffic was stalled. Cars displaying Trump flags continued to pour into downtown. At Fourth Avenue, counter-protesters pulled a Trump flag out of a white van, leading to a brief scuffle. People threw the flag into the middle of the intersection and began dancing on it. Portland police said in a press release that officers tried to respond to disturbances as quickly as possible to restore order, prevent violence and keep traffic moving. But police said it was difficult to do so in part because the skirmishes were also happening on the east side of the river. Officers ultimately arrested 10 people throughout the night connected to the confrontations. Most were arrest on charges of disorderly conduct. The caravan and confrontations continued until 8:30 p.m., then most Trump cars started leaving downtown. At the same time, a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters started growing outside the Justice Center. News of the fatal shooting drew a small crowd to Third Avenue, which police had taped off. Police have not yet identified the person killed or said if they arrested a suspect. A second crowd gathered around activist Joey Gibson, a leader of the far-right group Patriot Prayer. Gibson appeared to return to downtown late Saturday after the shooting. A photo from the scene published by Getty Images showed the person wearing a hat with a Patriot Prayer logo. The far-right group has been at the center of multiple Portland demonstrations that often culminate in violent clashes. Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson said he had also seen the photo of the person killed. He did not say whether he knew the person. I have to figure out what the hell is going on, Gibson said when reached by phone Saturday night, before hanging up. Gibson left downtown around 9:50 p.m. after he was trailed for several blocks by counter-protesters. He apparently tried to retreat into a gas station on West Burnside Avenue. Protesters gathered outside and pushed windows, breaking some of them. Portland police eventually moved in and ordered people to leave the area. After a minutes-long face off between police and demonstrators, some officers appeared to escort Gibson away from the scene. Police left the scene soon after. The crowd moved south on Fourth Avenue back to the Justice Center. About 300 demonstrators had gathered outside the federal courthouse next door by 10:15 p.m. The crowd remained there for more than an hour. People chanted, Black lives matter! to the beat of drums. Unlike many recent nights, people did not throw things or take other actions to draw out police. Most people started to leave by 12 a.m. Officers had stayed away. Maxine Bernstein, Mark Graves and Dave Killen of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report, which has been updated throughout the night. -- Eder Campuzano | 503-221-4344 | @edercampuzano | Eder on Facebook -- Samantha Swindler, swindler@oregonian.com Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The United States has been increasingly active in uncovering Chinese spies posing as academic researchers in the United States. These Chinese operatives seek to steal trade secrets or patented material. These agents are often assisted by Chinese graduate students studying in the United States while also working for Chinese intelligence. Until a few years ago there was no major effort to deal with the Chinese espionage efforts. Several years of energetic work by the FBI and CIA has also uncovered how the five Chinese consulates in New York, NY; Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX are used to actively coordinate the work of these Chinese spies. The consulates are important because they have similar status as embassies. That means the consulate itself is considered Chinese territory and many of the consulate staff have diplomatic immunity. The Chinese agents working as graduate students or academic researchers do not have such immunity and can be arrested and prosecuted. More of them are being caught and prosecuted and that exposed the key role the consulates were playing. This led to the U.S. ordering the Houston consulate closed in July 2020 and apparently threatening to close the San Francisco consulate in August. Hours after the Houston consulate was evacuated by the Chinese, FBI and local police broke into the locked consulate building and carted away material left behind. Chinese consulate staff had earlier attracted the attention of the local fire department after they began burning large quantities of documents in a courtyard that was part of the consulate. The fire fighters were denied access. The next day China ordered the American Chengdu consulate in western China closed. The San Francisco consulate incident arose when a Chinese academic, Juan Tang, was accused of lying on her visa application. She left out the fact that she was serving in the Chinese military and was a member of the Chinese Communist Party. She would not have gotten the visa if she had admitted that. No evidence of espionage was presented but someone like Tang is not sent to the United States to do academic research. Tang did have an academic degree that made it possible to pass as a researcher. But that also helped her identify and steal information she was sent to get. After the FBI interviewed Tang at her apartment and left, she went to the Houston consulate and refused to leave when the later FBI sought to arrest her. Lying on the via application can get you ten years in jail. The Chinese soon had second thoughts about harboring Tang and she left the consulate and was arrested by the FBI. While the American consulates in China are useful for monitoring what is going on in China, the Chinese consulates in America are far more valuable to the Chinese because of support provided to local Chinese spies. It is illegal for American academics and researchers to secretly work for the Chinese government or commercial firms. These restrictions wont trigger similar measures for Americans in China because China has long assigned police and intel specialists to closely observe who visiting Americans visit. This surveillance often involves MSS (secret police) agents advising Chinese to refuse such meetings or only do it with an MSS agent present, usually pretending to be an employee of the firm. China has been making the most of their access and use of their consulates in the United States and other nations. Its not just the consulates. Another FBI investigation documented the use of the Chinese Confucius Institute's cultural centers at American universities and how these programs were actually part of a widespread intelligence operation that employed visa fraud for Chinese visiting scholars who were actually MSS operatives. This program recruited Chinese-born businessmen, academics and others, often naturalized American citizens, to participate in IP (Intellectual property) theft. Further encouragement was that some of these operatives could sometimes profit from it personally. Not all these recruits knew they were participating in espionage but the Chinese could effectively pressure their citizens to cooperate. Worse, the FBI discovered that many of the Chinese in the U.S. on J-1 visas (for visiting scholars) spent most of their time on espionage and a bare minimum on actual research. In the last few years, the United States has been indicting, prosecuting and convicting a growing number of Chinese born men (and a few women) conspiring to commit or actually carrying out economic espionage in the United States. Some of these suspects are naturalized American citizens but a growing number are Chinese citizens here on legitimate visas. As more suspects were identified patterns began to appear which revealed the inner workings of known Chinese intellectual property espionage efforts. Recent indictments are the result of the United States imposing more restrictions on Chinese officials who come to the U.S. and have contact, for whatever reason, with American academics, researchers and local (city, state and country) government officials. These Chinese will have to notify the U.S. government of such contacts. Based on recent FBI investigations and prosecutions, this will make it more difficult to operate their massive espionage program that seeks details of how American patents are implemented as well as trade secrets (items that are not patented but are essential for operating a business or factory). The FBI and CIA again noted several interesting patterns. While many of the returning Chinese students were operating legally, a large number of those new Chinese firms were operating illegally by depending on stolen intellectual property. There were other patterns as well. A lot of the stolen tech seemed to involve Chinese and Americans associated with various Chinese efforts that helped returning Chinese profit from what they had learned in the West. These programs involved establishing hundreds of Confucius Institutes associated with Western universities, including a hundred in the United States. That, plus the aggressive recruiting of Chinese and non-Chinese academics willing to help China mobilize the largest IP theft in history. Participating in this program has become riskier. The growing number of convictions are for conspiring to steal or actually stealing trade secrets. Many of the technologies involved are dual-use; for commercial and military applications. Many of these investigations begin when American companies provide the FBI with documentation showing how the Chinese obtained and applied the trade secrets. What the American firms usually lack is information about who was getting the information, often including detailed manufacturing techniques, to the Chinese. The U.S. is not the only victim here. Many other Western nations are experiencing the same losses. Even Chinese neighbor and ally Russia has suffered heavy losses due to this Chinese economic espionage. There have been a lot more court cases about this because Chinese firms have become bolder in how they exploit stolen software, trade secrets and other technology. In the past, the Chinese were careful in the use of stolen tech when exporting their own military equipment copied from Russian designs. The Chinese had started doing this during the Cold War, which sometimes got fairly hot (there were some deadly border skirmishes in the 1970s) because China and Russia developed some territorial and ideological disputes that did not settle down until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. The Russians are still angry about the continued Chinese theft of their tech, and growing Russian threats over this caused the Chinese to sign agreements in the last decade that declared Chinese firms would stop stealing and reselling Russian tech. In practice this only slowed the Chinese down, but it placated the Russians for a while. Currently, the Americans are starting to sound like the Russians in the 1990s, but the Americans have more legal and economic clout to deploy and this situation is liable to get ugly before (if ever) it gets better. By 2012 most American officials admitted that a whole lot of American military and commercial technical data has been stolen via Chinese Internet (and more conventional) espionage efforts. Details of exactly all the evidence of this is unclear, but apparently, it was pretty convincing for many American politicians and senior officials who had previously been skeptical. The Chinese efforts have resulted in most major American weapons systems having tech details obtained by the Chinese, in addition to a lot of non-defense or dual-use technology. Its not just the United States that is being hit but most nations with anything worth stealing. Many of these nations are noticing that China is the source of most of this espionage and few are content to remain silent any longer. Its no secret that Chinese intelligence collecting efforts since the late 1990s have been spectacularly successful. As the rest of the world comes to realize the extent of this success, there is a growing desire for retaliation. What form that payback takes remains to be seen. Collecting information, both military and commercial, often means breaking laws and striking (or hacking) back at the suspected attackers will involve even more felonies. China has broken a lot of laws. Technically, China has committed acts of war because of the degree to which it penetrated military networks and carried away copies of highly secret material. The U.S. and many other victims have been warning China there will be consequences. As the extent of Chinese espionage becomes known and understood, the call for consequences becomes louder. China tries hard to conceal its espionage efforts. Not just denying anything and everything connected to its hacking and conventional spying, but also taking precautions. But as their success continued year after year, some of the Chinese hackers became cocky and sloppy. At the same time, the victims became more adept at detecting Chinese efforts and tracing them back to specific Chinese government organizations or non-government hackers inside China. China has been getting away with something the Soviet Union never accomplished, stealing Western technology and then using it to move ahead of the West. The Soviets lacked the many essential supporting industries found in the West. These firms were largely founded and run by entrepreneurs, which was illegal in the Soviet Union. Because of that, the Russians were never able to acquire all the many pieces needed to match Western technical accomplishments. Soviet copies of American computers, for example, were crude, less reliable, and less powerful. It was the same situation with their jet fighters, tanks, and warships. China got around this by making it seemingly profitable for Western firms to set up factories in China, where Chinese managers and workers were taught how to make things right. At the same time, China allows thousands of their best students to go to the United States to study. While many of these students will stay in America, where there are better jobs and more opportunities, a growing number are coming back to China and bringing American business and technical skills with them. Finally, China energetically uses the "thousand grains of sand" approach to espionage. This involves China trying to get all Chinese going overseas, and those of Chinese ancestry living outside the motherland, to spy for China, if only a tiny bit. This approach to espionage is nothing new. Other nations have used similar systems for centuries. What is unusual is the scale of the Chinese effort, and that makes a difference. Supporting it all is a Chinese intelligence bureaucracy back home that is huge, with nearly 100,000 people working just to keep track of the many Chinese overseas and what they could, or should, be trying to grab for the motherland. This is where many of the graduates of the National Intelligence College program will work. It begins when Chinese intelligence officials examine who is going overseas and for what purpose. Chinese citizens cannot leave the country legally without state security organizations being notified. The intel people are not being asked to give permission. They are being alerted in case they want to have a talk with students, tourists, or business people before leaving the country. Interviews are often held when these people come back as well. Those who might be coming in contact with useful information are asked to remember what they saw or bring back souvenirs (legal or otherwise). Over 100,000 Chinese students go off to foreign universities each year. Even more go abroad as tourists or on business. Most of these people were not asked to actually act as spies but simply to share with Chinese government officials (who are not always identified as intelligence personnel) whatever information they obtained. The more ambitious of these people are getting caught and prosecuted. But the majority are quite casual, individually bring back relatively little and are almost impossible to catch, much less prosecute. Like the Russians, the Chinese are also employing the traditional methods, using people with diplomatic immunity to recruit spies and offering cash, or whatever, to get people to sell them information. This is still effective and when combined with the "thousand grains of sand" methods brings in a lot of secrets. Not getting caught is becoming more important because that can lead to increasingly dangerous diplomatic and legal problems. When the Chinese steal some technology and produce something that the Western victims can prove was stolen (via patents and prior use of the technology), legal action can make it impossible, or very difficult, to sell anything using the stolen tech outside of China. For that reason, the Chinese long preferred stealing military technology and tried to avoid using stolen commercial tech in a way that made it easy to determine the source of stolen data. This meant keeping stolen commercial tech inside China. And in some cases, like manufacturing technology, there's an advantage to not selling it outside of China. Because China is still a communist dictatorship, the courts do as they are told, and they are rarely told to honor foreign patent claims when stolen tech is discovered in China by its foreign owners. Increasingly Chinese firms are boldly using their stolen technology, daring foreign firms to try and use Chinese courts to get justice. Instead, the foreign firms are trying to muster support from their governments for lawsuits outside China. Naturally, the Chinese government will howl and insist that its all a plot to oppress China. This has worked for a long time, but many of the victims are now telling China that this conflict is being taken to a new, and more dangerous, level. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is honoring the life of a fallen Michigan firefighter by ordering flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff on Monday. All U.S. and Michigan flags on State Capitol and public grounds across the state will be lowered on Aug. 31 to commemorate the life of Capt. Joseph Joe Liedel of the Monroe Township Fire Department, according to a Governors office release. Liedel, a firefighter with the township for 28 years, suffered a brain bleed while responding to an emergency call on July 31, according to the release. He died on Aug. 23 from his injuries at ProMedica Toledo Hospital, the fire department announced in a Facebook post. Rest In Peace brother...well take it from here, the post stated. Among his nearly three decades serving in Monroe Township, he also traveled to assist with recovery efforts at Ground Zero of the World Trade Center in New York City after the Sep. 11 attacks, the release stated. Our state mourns the loss of Captain Joe Liedel, who dedicated his life to the type of service and duty that we look for in great public servants, Whitmer said in the release. In everything he did, Joe never gave up the fight, and we saw that on full display as he battled this injury. My thoughts are with his family during this tremendously difficult time as they lay him to rest. He followed his fathers footsteps by becoming a firefighter, eventually progressing to the rank of captain in 2019, the release stated. He is survived by both his parents, as well as his brothers. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff. Flags should be hoisted back to full-staff by Tuesday, Sep. 1, the release stated. Read more from MLive: Greatest Generation event to honor WWII veterans in Grand Rapids for their sacrifices Beach erosion along Lake Michigan remains serious threat despite water levels peaking Mike Pences Michigan rally is first for presidential campaigns here since COVID-19 struck The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has questioned a number of people in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The CBI took over the case after a recommendation from the Bihar government on request from Rajputs family. In the 78 days since he passed away (since June 14), the CBI has narrowed down its probe and is now focussing on 14 people. Rhea Chakraborty She was Rajputs girlfriend and is the prime suspect. Chakraborty had left the actors house on June 8, a few days before his death. Rajputs family has accused her of siphoning off money from his account, and harassing him mentally. Rajputs father has accused Chakraborty of abetting his suicide. Showik Chakraborty He is the brother of Rhea Chakraborty and was the director in two of the companies floated by Rajput. The actors family claims these companies were used to siphon off Rajputs money. Siddharth Pithani Pithani was Rajputs close friend and his flat-mate. He was present in the house on June 14, when Sushant was found dead. He has told the CBI that Rajput an Chakraborty had a fight before she left the house on June 8. Also Watch: 5 reasons why SC chose CBI probe for Sushant Singh Rajput death case Neeraj Singh He used to work as a cook at Rajputs house in Mumbai. He was also present on the day the actor was found dead. The CBI is questioning him. Keshav He was Rajputs domestic help. He was also present at Rajputs house on June 14, and gave him banana, juice and coconut water for breakfast (according to what he has told the CBI). Deepesh Sawant Sawant was Rajputs housekeeping manager and used to stay with him. He was among the people who first spotted Rajputs body. Samuel Miranda He was Rajputs former housekeeping manager. He was appointed by Rhea Chakraborty in May last year. He used to manage all the household expenses. Rajputs family claims Miranda helped Chakraborty in this entire plan. Mahesh Shetty Common friend of Chakraborty and Rajput. It has been reported that the later actor had called Shetty the night before he died, but they couldnt speak. The CBI and other agencies involved in the probe are questioning Shetty to know about the relationship between Chakraborty and Rajput. Sandeep Singh He claims to be a close friend of Rajput. He wasnt in touch with the late actor after September 2019, but Rajputs family doesnt trust him. Surjeet Singh Rathore He is a member of the Karni Sena and has linked Rajputs death with Dubai. Jaya Saha She worked as talen manager for Rajput. Her name was revealed after a link with drugs came to fore in the probe in Rajputs death. Saha has been accused of giving drugs to Rajput. The investigators have said that Chakraborty spoke to Saha twice on phone on June 14 and five times on June 15. Gaurav Arya He has also been linked to the drugs angle. Investigators believe he used to supply drugs to Chakraborty. Indrajeet Chakraborty He is the father of Rhea Chakraborty. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent summons to him in connection with the probe into missing Rs 15 crore from Rajputs account. Rajat Mewati He was Rajputs former accountant. He was fired after Rhea came in Rajputs contact. He has claimed that transparency in handling of Rajputs fund ended after Chakraborty entered his life. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:36:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Gao Yang CAIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent Middle East trip hit a snag as the Arab nations he visited remained cautious about normalizing ties with Israel following the United Arab Emirates' historic move, analysts say. Pompeo has recently wrapped up a five-day trip to the Middle East, which took him to Israel, Sudan, Bahrain, the UAE and Oman, hoping to push more Arab nations to follow suit after a landmark U.S.-brokered normalization deal was reached between Israel and the UAE. Pompeo hoped to counter Iran's increasing influence in the region and support U.S. President Donald Trump's reelection campaign. However, in Sudan, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok told the U.S. top diplomat that the Sudanese transitional government has "no mandate to normalize ties with Israel." Hamdok also urged the United States to separate the process of removing Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism from the issue of normalizing Sudan's ties with Israel. In Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told Pompeo that the kingdom is committed to the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative to end the Israel-Palestine conflict, implying his rejection to push Arab countries to swiftly normalize ties with Israel. Also, during Pompeo's visit, Oman made no reference to its relations with Israel. Sudan, Bahrain and Oman declined to make any public commitments to recognize Israel, facing domestic challenges over the issue. Niu Xinchun, a researcher with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, told Xinhua that Arab nations are facing domestic pressure from the parties and citizens traditionally hostile to Israel. Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, a political analyst at the Future Studies Center in Sudan, told Xinhua that Sudan has been trying to improve ties with the United States since the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, and normalizing ties with Israel could be a step for the government to achieve this. However, he added that the Sudanese government is facing huge pressure from some hardline parties which believe that addressing internal conflicts should be top priority instead of seeking any diplomatic breakthrough, given the transitional status of the government. The public remains an obstacle in Oman, experts said. Mohammad Al-Muqadam, former head of the History Department at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, said Oman's leader has to be cautious about normalizing ties with Israel as Omanis are traditionally hostile to Israel. He believed that "it is not likely Oman will swiftly forge ties with Israel." Meanwhile, warming ties with Israel will also challenge these Arab countries' decades-old allegiance to the Palestinian cause. Following the announcement of the UAE-Israel peace deal, which made the UAE the third Arab country after Egypt and Jordan to normalize ties with Israel, criticism has mounted from some parts of the Arab world, with the Palestinians strongly condemning it as a "stab in the back." A peace agreement with Israel would isolate the UAE from the Arab world, Azzam el-Ahmad, a member of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah central committee, told the Voice of Palestine. The UAE-Israel deal contradicts the 2002 Saudi Arabia-led Arab Peace Initiative, under which any Arab state's unilateral normalization with Israel is "rejected." Saudi Arabia, while not condemning the UAE-Israel deal, said it will not follow the UAE's example until Israel signs a peace deal with the Palestinians. In the Arab world, where the Palestinian issue is a major policy consideration, formal recognition of Israel could be seen by many as betrayal of the Palestinian cause. In light of the cautious attitude adopted by Sudan, Bahrain and Oman towards recognition of Israel during Pompeo's trip, analysts predicted that it is unlikely that the Arab world will fall like dominoes to follow the UAE's footsteps, at least for now. Enditem FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. Shortly after the only Native American man on federal death row took his last breath, his tribe blasted the federal government and accused it of violating the spirit of a law that allows tribes to decide whether to subject their citizens to capital punishment. Lezmond Mitchell, 38, was executed Wednesday at a federal prison in Indiana where he was being held. The Navajo Nation had asked President Donald Trump to reduce Mitchells punishment to life in prison. As the execution neared, Trump took no action and courts declined to intervene. The Navajo Nation said the situation highlights a need to restore tribes ability to determine criminal justice matters on tribal land, especially when it concerns Native victims and Native perpetrators. Jurisdiction now falls to a mix of agencies, including the tribe, that respond depending on the exact location of the crime and who is involved. Were all realizing right now, its not enough to try and fix this little piece of the patchwork of justice in Indian Country, said Navajo Nation Council Delegate Carl Slater. What we need to do is restore that authority and reaffirm it because its every nations sovereign right to handle these matters internally. Mitchell and a co-defendant were convicted of killing 63-year-old Alyce Slim and her 9-year-old granddaughter, both Navajos, on the tribes reservation in 2001 after they hopped into Slims pickup truck. The federal government acted within the law when it chose to pursue the death penalty against Mitchell on a charge of carjacking resulting in death. The co-defendant was a juvenile and is serving life in prison. The carjacking charge falls outside a set of major crimes for which the countrys 574 federally recognized tribes can choose whether the federal government pursues the death penalty. The Navajo Nation didnt want Mitchell executed, but it didnt have an avenue to object under the carjacking charge. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the tribes stance is about sovereignty, while also acknowledging the grisly nature of the crimes and the impact on the families of both the victims and Mitchell. Nez asked tribal nations and organizations to join the Navajo Nation in advocating to strengthen tribes ability to govern themselves under their own rules. We dont expect federal officials to understand our strongly held traditions of clan relationship, keeping harmony in our communities and holding life sacred, he wrote. What we do expect, no, what we demand, is respect for our people, for our tribal nation A U.S. Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., is among those looking for ways to ensure tribes are respected in their decisions regarding the death penalty. Federal criminal jurisdiction on tribal land dates back to 1885 and stems from Congress displeasure over how one tribal nation settled a killing with restitution to the victims family that included money, horses and a blanket. The federal government has made small strides over the years to restore criminal jurisdiction to tribes. The landmark Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 expanded the sentencing authority of tribal courts if they meet certain conditions. But a decade later, few tribes have taken advantage of it. The Violence Against Women Act allowed tribes to prosecute non-Natives for crimes on the reservation in limited circumstances, an authority that was stripped from tribes in a 1978 U.S. Supreme Court decision. But that law also requires reauthorization from Congress. Tribes have concurrent jurisdiction when crimes involve Native victims and suspects. But tribes overwhelmingly defer to the federal government to prosecute major crimes because the penalties under federal law are more stringent. Taking on full criminal jurisdiction is an authority that would challenge the resources of most tribes and require an infusion of cash. Its a huge task because the resources have to be there for detention, for defense, for being able to really handle long-term sentences and issues, said Brent Leonhard, an attorney for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon. Ideally, thats where we should end up. Historically, the Navajo Nation and other tribes have used capital punishment but on their own terms. The Navajo Nations formal court system focuses on restorative, rather than punitive justice, using a centuries-old set of traditional laws that guide judges in their decisions. A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN). Shares have added about 2.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Alexion due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Alexion Beats on Q2 Earnings & Sales, Ups '20 Guidance Alexions second-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.11 per share comfortably beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.55 and grew from $2.64 in the year-ago quarter. Moreover, revenues rose 20.1% year over year to $1.44 billion in the reported quarter and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.27 billion. Revenues were driven by higher sales of Ultomiris, Strensiq and Kanuma. Revenues in Detail Soliris (approved for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria [PNH], atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome [aHUS] and generalized myasthenia gravis [gMG]) sales were down5.4% year over year to $975.5million in the reported quarter. Long-acting C5 complement inhibitor, Ultomiris approved for the treatment of adult patients with PNH and aHUS, generated sales of $251.1 million compared with $54.2 million in the year-ago quarter,representing a 363% increase.The company achieved its goal of establishing Ultomiris as a new standard of care in PNH, with more than 70% patient conversion from Soliris in the United States. Strensiq revenues were $184.3 million (up 30% year over year). Kanuma contributed $33.6 million (up 28% year over year) to quarterly revenues. In June, the European Commission approved Ultomiris for adults and children with aHUS. Cost Summary Adjusted research and development (R&D) expenses increased to $204.6 million from $148.7 million in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $253.6 million, down from $255.8 million in the year-ago quarter. Story continues 2020 Guidance Alexion increased total revenues and adjusted earnings per share guidance and reducedthe operating margin guidance. The company now expects adjusted earnings per share of $10.65-$10.95 (previous guidance:$10.45-$10.75). The company now projects revenues of $5.50-$5.60 billion (previous guidance: $5.23-$5.33 million). Combined revenues from Soliris and Ultomiris are now estimated at $4.73-$4.76 billion (previous guidance: $4.49-$4.57 billion). Pipeline Update Alexion plans to initiate a phase II/III study in children and adolescents with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) in the second half of 2020. An application for approval of Ultomiris in aHUS is under review in Japan. A phase III study of Ultomiris in children and adolescents with aHUS is underway Applications for approval of Ultomiris100mg/mL formulation are under review in the EU and the United States. The FDA has set an action date of Oct 11, 2020. This higher concentration formulation is designed to reduce infusion time by more than 50% to approximately 45 minutes. Alexion plans to file for regulatory approval of this formulation in Japan in the third quarter of 2020. Recent Developments In July 2020, Alexion announced the completion of its acquisition of Portola. The acquisition added Andexxa [coagulation factor Xa (recombinant), inactivated-zhzo] to the company's commercial and development portfolios. Andexxa has conditional approval in the United States and the EU (marketed as Ondexxya in the EU) for the reversal of anticoagulation in patients experiencing life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding, who are treated with rivaroxaban or apixaban. How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then? In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -5.18% due to these changes. VGM Scores Currently, Alexion has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Alexion has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALXN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Rioting broke out in the Swedish city of Malmo after hundreds gathered to oppose the burning of the Quran by far-right activists. Rioters set fires and threw objects at police and emergency services and 15 people were detained after more than 300 people gathered in protest, police said. We dont have this under control but we are working actively to take control, a police spokesperson said on Friday evening. We see a connection between what is happening now and what happened earlier today, the spokesperson said. Police said rioters pelted emergency service personnel as fires raged (EPA) The riots erupted after a group of far-right activists gathered to burn Islam's holy book in an industrial area on the city's south side. Recommended Sweden records its highest death toll for 150 years amid coronavirus Local reports said the anti-Islam protests were sparked after Rasmus Paludan, leader of far-right Danish party Hard Line, was held up at the Swedish border and denied permission to hold a meeting in Malmo. Mr Paludan was on his way to hold a meeting on the supposed "Islamisation of the Nordic countries", according to the Daily Aftonbladet, a Swedish national newspaper. Mr Paludan had reportedly been invited to speak by street artist and provocateur Dan Park, who has previously been convicted for inciting ethnic hatred. We suspect that he was going to break the law in Sweden, Calle Persson, spokesperson for Malmo police told AFP, there was also a risk that his behaviour ... would pose a threat to society. The riots kicked off late in the evening and did not settle down until around 3am, the Daily Aftonbladet reported. The newspaper also reported that other islamophobic incidents had taken place around Malmo in the daytime on Friday, including the arrest of a group of three men who were kicking around a copy of the Quran in a central market square. Additional reporting by agencies TDT | Manama SCW Secretary-General, Hala Al-Ansari, yesterday welcomed a governmental move ensuring zero wage gap between men and women working in similar job positions. The move, Al Ansari said, would contribute to ensuring advanced levels of Bahraini womens participation in the national development drive. Based on recommendations by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, the Labour and Social Development Ministry recently issued three edicts bridging the gender wage gap as well as other disparities existing in the industry. The edicts ban wage discrimination between male and female workers with the same job and similar work conditions, allows women to work in all industries without restrictions, and in professions that require night shifts. The edicts are consistent with the Law 36/2012 promulgating the Labour Law in the Private Sector. Separately, the Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) announced it would count all leaves, including the paid leave or unpaid leave, for a working woman in case of childbirth, or for taking care a child. A Government Executive Committee meeting held last Thursday also approved a circular by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) prohibiting any discrimination based on gender, nationality, origin, language, creed, religion, physical disability, or social status in delivering banking and financial services. Al Ansari thanked His Royal Highness Prince Salman for taking steps to integrate womens contribution to the national development drive and taking care of their needs in the Labour markets. Al-Ansari said the Crown Princes move would positively impact the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women and the National Model to Integrate Womens Needs in Development. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Given the threat of COVID-19, many people are wary about handling coins these days, much less those keypads in the checkout lines at the grocery store. If that's a concern for you, you'll be happy to know that there are plenty of smart alternatives. No-contact payment systems have been around for years. They're relatively simple and safe to use, too. With a mobile app such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, you simply wave your smartphone above the card reader and move on. Credit cards outfitted with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology require a simple, fingerless tap on the payment screen. Either way, you get to keep your hands to yourself. I jumped on the Apple Pay bandwagon when it first launched in 2014. I was on maternity leave with my second child. Trips to the grocery store usually involved an infant snuggled in a baby carrier while my kindergartener clung to one of my hands. Digging out my wallet involved an act of contortion or a mining expedition, depending on what bag I was carrying. But I always seemed to have easy access to the smartphone wedged in the front pocket of the baby carrier. Being able to just click and pay made shopping a lot easierfor me and the people in line behind me. As someone who has written about digital security for many years, I also found the extra protections built into the service comforting. Fast forward a little. My baby is headed to first grade and Im using Apple Pay and Google Pay (depending on the phone) more than ever. Im also using a handful of apps released by retailers to make no-contact payments. And I'm hoping to receive an RFID credit card very soon. For many people, though, options like those are still a novel idea. According to recent figures from Javelin, which tracks payment card usage, only 15 percent of consumers made a purchase using a mobile wallet app in the past 30 days. Story continues Interested in giving no-contact payments a try? Heres what you need to know. How Do Apple and Google Pay Work? While you can use these services to send money to a friend, they function more like credit cards than the peer-to-peer payment services Venmo and Zelle. They're widely accepted by walk-in stores and e-commerce platforms. To start, you simply add your credit and debit card information to the digital wallet app on your phone. Moments later, the card is approved and youre good to go. IPhones default to Apple Pay and Android devices use Google Pay or Samsung Pay. The option to pay with the service generally pops up on your phones screen when you wave the device over a credit card terminal at a store, but you can access the feature through the digital wallet app as well. After that, you just verify your identity using FaceID, the phones fingerprint scanner, orif youre wearing a mask and facial recognition failsby entering your passcode. Once the transaction is approved, you get a notification on your phone. In theory, that makes the whole process no-contact. But retailers sometimes ask you to okay the transaction by signing your name to a receipt or pressing buttons on the credit card machine. You may also receive prompts asking you if you want cash back or loyalty card discounts. Those require keypad interactions, too. Are They Secure? Instead of using an account number to verify transactions, the apps use a secure tokenessentially a one-time passcode. On the off chance it's intercepted by a cybercriminal, it's useless. "It's the most secure method out there," says Stephanie Martz, a spokeswoman for the Secure Payments Partnership, a trade group that represents retail groups and payment networks. As Martz notes, your debit card number is sort of a token, too. It's a unique set of digits that identifies you and your bank, not your actual account number. "Adding tokenization on top of that makes it very difficult to reverse engineer," she says. And because youre not handing over your actual credit card number during the transaction, it cant be stolen. Many popular e-commerce apps (think Starbucks) also work this way. This approach makes contactless payments significantly more secure than traditional credit card transactions, says Roey Eliyahu, co-founder and CEO of the cybersecurity firm Salt Security. When you swipe a credit card, the retailers point-of-sale (POS) system generally encrypts the account number and sends it to the company processing the payment. If the POS system has been compromised by a cybercriminal, any credit card numbers collected by it also could be compromised, Eliyahu says, pointing to the 2013 breach of Target, which exposed up to 40 million credit card accounts to potential theft. The fact that Apple and Google Pay require you to have your phone and, usually, the ability to unlock it, plus a passcode or biometric authentication, also beats the security of a typical in-store credit card transaction, he adds. What About RFID Cards? These days, new credit and debit cards often come with a built-in RFID chip. Much like the Apple or Google Pay app on a phone, the chip sends out a radio signal that gets picked up by the stores POS system when you tap the card on the screen. The transaction is as simple as thatjust a tapbut here again you may be asked by the retailer to provide a signature or use the keypad for some other reason. Many grocery stores, pharmacies, and retail outlets now accept RFID payments, and the technology is making its way into public transit, too. Visa recently announced a partnership with the San Diego-based tech company Cubic to bring contactless payments to 500 public transportation systems around the world. In New York City, officials are in the process of rolling out a system that will let subway and bus riders pay for rides with the tap of an RFID card, smartphone, or smartwatch. Security experts used to be wary of the technology, but they've changed their outlook. People flipped out years ago because of the potential for an attacker with a skimmer to collect data for hundreds or thousands of credit cards in a short period of time, Eliyahu says. But those reservations were based on the fact that RFID signals have a broadcast range of more than 300 feet. The ones used in today's cards are significantly shorter, sometimes as little as just an inch or two. And any obstacle between the card and the receiver, from items of clothing to a wallet, cuts that range even more. Credit card makers also have reduced the amount of personal information transmitted by the cards. For example, Bank of America and Chase make a point of saying that their RFID cards dont include a customer's name, billing address, or the three-digit code on the back of the card. And along with the account number, each transaction is paired with a one-time security code. Basically, you have to be under near-perfect conditions at close range to be able to virtually pickpocket someone, Eliyahu says. In reality, there have been no documented cases of RFID-based credit card fraud. And for that reason, he says, RFID-blocking wallets and other products that claim to stop the signals are generally unnecessary. While theres nothing wrong with buying one if it makes you feel better, a regular wallet or a layer of clothing should suffice. What Else Can You Try? Even before COVID-19, retailers such as Home Depot, Macys, and Walmart were adding e-commerce features to their mobile apps for people on the go. Like GrubHub, they let you place orders for delivery or pickup. That can make shopping convenient. Many of the apps rely on Apple and Google Pay to complete transactions, reducing security worries. With others, though, it can be tough to tell exactly how secure they are. While you can easily tell if a website is encrypted by looking for the little lock icon before the URL address, the same can't be said for mobile apps. So it's best to think twice before you hand over personal information. Yes, a food delivery app needs to know your credit card number and where you live to get you your order. But you need to be careful, especially when you're dealing with a proprietor that may not have the time or money to invest in adopting up-to-the-minute security practices. Where do we go next? Amazon, the king of e-commerce, has opened checkout-free convenience stores in cities like Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. You just sign in with the company's app and collect what you need. Sensors track what you take and provide you with an itemized receipt after you leave the store. The company is also expanding into larger stores in Seattle and Redmond, Wash., that focus on groceries. But dont expect to find one of those shops in your neighborhood soon. It takes lots of cameras and real-time analysis of tons of data to make it seamless and relatively error-free, Eliyahu says. All of that surveillance raises significant data privacy concerns, too, he adds. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc. A 40-year-old Irish haulier pleaded guilty at Old Bailey Court on August 28 to the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese migrants found dead in the back of a refrigerated lorry in Essex, the UK last October. Ronan Hughes (Photo: Metro) Ronan Hughes became the second man to plead guilty over the case, which shocked the UK and Vietnam late last year. He was extradited to the UK from Ireland and appeared before Southend Magistrates Court in the east of London by video-link from a police station on June 24 (local time). On April 8, 25-year-old lorry driver Maurice Robinson from Craigavon in Northern Ireland pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter at the Old Bailey. He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property at the same court on November 25 last year. Meanwhile, another suspect, Eamonn Harrison, pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter. Last October, the bodies of the Vietnamese nationals were discovered by emergency services on the back of the refrigerated lorry at an industrial estate in Essex. Among the 39 dead were ten teenagers, including two 15-year-old boys./.VNA SCHENECTADY The owner of a landmark downtown building cited by the city for dozens of alleged code violations is slated to return to court next month over the infractions. The city had condemned the low-rise residential-retail Wedgeway building at the corner of State Street and Erie Boulevard owned by William Eichengrun. Earlier this month, City Attorney Andrew Koldin said that although he had not seen the improvements, Eichengrun was doing work to address some of problems city inspectors cited in their decision to condemn the building. The two sides are expected to return to court on Sept. 9. In early March, not long before City Court shutdown because of the coronavirus, the city filed 65 new code violations against Eichengrun and the code cases seemed headed for trial. At the time, Koldin stressed that the new charges stemmed from the existing violations at the 271-277 State St. structure and that every day that passes without repaired would lead to the filing of new violations. And those came with the potential for daily fines ranging from $500 to $1,000. Some of the violations date back to late November and December. On Friday, Eichengruns attorney, Lora Como, did not return an email seeking comment. Once home to the State Theater, the Wedgeway is near the new Amtrak station, the luxury Electric City apartments and other major downtown developments. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The building remains partially fenced off because of falling bricks and also is under an order to vacate. Its unclear how many tenants still live in the apartments. The property with feature retail establishments on the frirst floor has been cited for a variety of problems including issues with the elevator and fire escapes, a lack of heat for two businesses in the building, and crumbling mortar work. The problems were outlined earlier this year in a report authored by a city-hired structural engineer after the head of the city code enforcement office questioned the earlier findings of a private engineer hired by Eichengrun. Despite the difference of opinions, The Chazen Companies of Troy, the firm hired by the city, determined that overall the building is stable but in dire need of repairs to make it safer for tenants and the public. Eichengrun will need to get the building re-inspected once he makes the repairs and believes he's in compliance. The ODNI had requested the opportunity to brief the intelligence committees and the full U.S. House of Representatives in mid-September and has now cancelled those briefings and said it would hold no others, the pair wrote. This is shameful and coming only weeks before the election demonstrates that the Trump Administration is engaged in a politicized effort to withhold election-related information from Congress and the American people. Randy and Edward Copley's Intended Royalty ($4.20) made his return to Nova Scotia a winning one, pulling the pocket and edging away from twos-on favourite Euchred in Sunday's (Aug. 30) featured pace at Inverness Raceway. Intended Royalty and driver Redmond Doucet lined up from the outside post 5 in the $1,250 feature and landed in the pocket behind Euchred (Gerard Kennedy) through a :28.1 first quarter. The nine-year-old No Pan Intended gelding drafted comfortably and clearly through middle splits of :57.1 and 1:27.3 before edging off the pegs on the home turn. Upon cornering for home, Intended Royalty had collared Euchered and then pulled away to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:57. Eastwardho Fun (Alexander MacDonald) improved mildly for third, 6-1/2 lengths farther behind. Intended Royalty, who notched a win and a third-place finish during Gold Cup and Saucer week at Charlottetown before his victorious return to Inverness, has now won six of his nine races this year and has notched 41 career victories. To view Sunday's complete results, click the following link: Sunday Results Inverness Raceway. You are here: Business The 12th China International Patent Technology and Products Fair will be held from Nov. 11 to 13 in Dalian, coastal city in northeastern province of Liaoning, sources with the National Intellectual Property Administration said. This year's conference will focus on the role of intellectual property rights in leading high-quality economic development. It will feature both online and offline events, including exhibitions, forums and investment matching. Debuted in 2002, the Patent Fair has been held for 11 sessions in Dalian, attracting more than 10,000 enterprises and 90,000 patent projects from over 30 countries and regions. 1906: The Life of Christ 1919: When The Clouds Roll By yes 1924: Sherlock Jr. no! While modern movie fans are quite used to scenes featuring advanced computer graphics, detailed makeup techniques, and cutting edge technology - some might be surprised to know that special effects in film are about as old as film itself.Many films from the silent era used clever engineering techniques, tricks of perspective, and the manipulation of physical film to create unexpectedly brilliant special effects that still hold up today. Here are just a few:Alice Guy-Blache (collaborating director: Victorin Jasset).The actors are not credited.Drama, Religious Film.0:33:34You know it - it's the re-telling of the story of Christ. It's been retold countless times through film but this is one of the first (maybe THE first?) examples by one of the first directors in film history, Alice Guy-Blache.The scene depicting the resurrection of Christ is talked about in the documentary, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy Blache where Mark Stetson, a visual effects supervisor, likens the techniques Blache uses to similar techniques used onThe effects featured in this film are some of the earliest in movie history.Yes! You can watch it on YouTube here. While not one of Blache's most interesting films, in my opinion, it makes the list because this film features some of the earliest special effects work in film history and had a huge budget for the time. Guy-Blache, along with many other early women filmmakers, has largely been written out of history by dumbass men who think they own and solely pioneered all of the arts. Her work was massively influential and the documentary linked above provides some great insight into her life and her legacy. She was one of the first filmmakers to use the medium for narrative purposes and one of the first to experiment with synchronized sound in film and she directed, wrote, and produced comedies, dramas, and stories about social issues like child abuse and feminism. When this blockbuster film came out in 1906, Blache was already the head of production at Gaumont Film Studios in France. Everyone interested in movies should know her name.Victor Fleming () and Theodore Reed.Douglas Fairbanks (one-time husband of Mary Pickford) and Kathleen Clifford.Comedy1:24:50Daniel Boone Brown (Fairbanks) plays a highly superstitious and klutzy man being manipulated by a mad psychiatrist who is experimenting on Brown's psyche in order to try and drive him to take his own life (yes, this is considered a comedy). Brown meets and falls in love with Lucette Bancroft (Clifford) and just as their love is blossoming, a man from her past arrives. A subplot evolves in which Bancroft's out of town suitor devises a plan with Brown's uncle and employer to defraud his partner back in Oklahoma out of his oil-rich land. Things get complicated and messy.The gifs in the post come from the first 10 minutes of the film which features an extended nightmare sequence where Brown is chased by his late-night supper that has given him indigestion. We see Brown jump through a wall and then walk around a rotating room (a camera/rotating set trick that would later be used by Fred Astaire in 1951's, *NSYNC in theirmusic video from 2000, and again by Billie Eilish in 2019 during her SNL performance of- 100 years after the release of).Yes! You can watch it on YouTube here. You aren't in the mood to read. This silent film has some of the most subtitles I've ever seen in a silent picture. It's not worth it unless you're genuinely interested in watching and learning about silent films - other than the effects, this one isn't all that great acting or narrative wise, in my opinion.This being ONTD, and this post being about films from 100 years ago, it's a question that is bound to come up. Aside from the people involved with the film, because that would make this post enormously long,The answer is- the film features a racist joke and some obviously terrible early 20th century attitudes towards mental illness and psychiatry.This film had gone decades without being seen by the public until it was finally released on DVD in 2010. Both Fairbanks and his wife, Mary Pickford, were giant stars of the silent film era but both struggled to keep up the momentum when the industry transitioned to talkies (something many silent film stars struggled with for various reasons). Fairbanks and Pickford were both original founding members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. They divorced in 1920.Buster Keaton.Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire.Comedy0:44:33Buster Keaton plays a broke theatre projectionist, janitor, and wannabe sleuth trying to win over the heart of the woman he loves. His romantic competition steals a gold watch from the woman's father and pawns it in order to buy her an expensive box of chocolates and frames Keaton's character for the theft. While the woman figures out the deception almost immediately, Keaton's character returns to the theatre, rejected and lovesick, where he falls asleep and has an out of body experience and enters the movie playing in the theatre (this is one of the earliest examples of a movie within a movie plot). Initially, he gets trapped in a loop of rapidly changing scenes but eventually throughout the dream, he solves a similar crime just in time to wake up and reunite with his love.Although Buster Keaton is largely remembered today for his physical stunt work, his films often feature magnificent and inventive special effects work. In the above gif, where his character is stuck inside a movie with quickly changing scenes, Keaton used surveyors equipment to line up each shot precisely to ensure visual continuity. In other scenes, Keaton uses vaudeville tricks that play with perspective and misdirection:Yes! You can watch it on YouTube here. There is no reason not to watch this film. It is genuinely entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny, super creative and unique, and is all-around delightful! If you've never seen a silent film before - start with this one! Its short run-time and lack of subtitles (Keaton famously didn't want to have to explain what was happening, he created his films to show, not tell) make it easily digestible for people not accustomed to watching silent movies.Aside from the people involved with the film,Shockingly,Despite the release date, you can watch this one and be sure that it's free of any racism, sexism, homophobia, or crude depictions of mental illness. It is wholesome and fun.Buster Keaton broke his neck filming one of the stunts in the film - something he didn't learn about until 9 years later when a doctor discovered the history of trauma on an x-ray. The film was released to mixed reviews and was generally considered a commercial flop - a far cry from its status today as a timeless and important classic (with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). The film is genius, concise, and lauded today as a masterpiece.Gif Sources: 1 YouTube Sources: 1 Documentary on Alice Guy-Blache Source: TVO.org The Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) reports that in the second quarter of 2020, the country did not receive any natural gas from Iran. At the end of March, the separatist left-leaning Kurdish party, PKK, blew up the Iran-Turkey natural gas pipeline, but unlike previous cases Ankara delayed repairing the pipeline for three months. Therefore, it did not receive gas from its eastern neighbor. Turkey used to repair the damaged gas pipeline within a week in similar cases in the past. This time, however, it took until early July for Iranian gas to flow into Turkey again. Data provided by the EMRA show that in the first half of this year, the country received only two billion cubic meters of gas from Iran, which indicates a 46% decrease compared with the same period last year. According to a Tehran-Ankara agreement, Turkey must buy ten billion cubic meters of gas a year from Iran. A report by the Turkish Statistics Center also shows that the country's total imports from Iran in the first six months of the year were $468 million, an eight-fold drop compared with about $3.7 billion in the same period last year. Meanwhile, Turkey's exports to Iran also fell by 40% to $ 843 million. Statistics from the EMRA show that the country also reduced gas imports from Russia by 43% to 4.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) in the first half of this year. Instead, gas imports from Azerbaijan increased by 23% to 5.5 billion cubic meters. Azerbaijan's share in the Turkish gas market has doubled in the last three years, Russia's share is less than half, and Iran's share almost halved. This is potentially a big help for Azerbaijan's economy at a time of low global energy prices. Turkey and Azerbaijan have a special relationship in the region. Turkey has also doubled its imports of liquefied natural gas from the United States to nearly 885 million cubic meters. Iran is normally Turkey's second-biggest supplier of natural gas after Russia. Turkey's state gas importer, Botas, imports up to 9.6 Bcm/year of Iranian gas via the pipeline under a 25-year contract, which runs to July 2026. Turkey uses Iranian gas for electricity generation. Turkey says its largest-ever natural gas discovery in the Black Sea could lead to a new cooperation with Iran even as Ankara aims not to remain a mere buyer, but it also seeks to become a producer. "The countries we have been cooperating with for years are Iran and Russia. This new period for Turkey may lead to a new cooperation with these countries," Turkish Finance Minister, Berat Albayrak, told the local NTV last Tuesday. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said August 28 Ankara was determined to ultimately become a net energy exporter as he announced the discovery of a 320 billion cubic meter natural gas field come on stream as soon as 2023. The cellphone video drew outrage from the moment it surfaced. The footage showed deputies shooting a man as he walked away from them and continuing to fire at him, 33 rounds in all, as he crawled on the concrete. As protests grew over the shooting, the communications staff within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department advocated for breaking protocol by releasing a new video and image; these showed the man, Nicholas Robertson, holding a gun when he was shot on Dec. 12, 2015. The move appeared to work: Protests died down once the new material came out. A leading activist backed away from calling the killing an execution, and the media gave ample coverage of the department's narrative that Robertson was a persistent threat, having shot into the air before deputies arrived. But it wasn't the full account. Two years later, a more close-up video emerged that contradicted the deputies' claims: Robertson did not point the gun at deputies just before the shooting, and the gun was not loaded. The revelations led a jury to award $3.6 million to Robertson's family, citing negligence by the deputies. The evolving narrative of the Robertson shooting is a vivid illustration of the key role that law enforcement public relations units have come to play in shaping the publics understanding of confrontations with police. The units are an influential yet little-examined arm of law enforcement, with staffers sometimes applying the principles of crisis communications when their officers actions spark controversy. As cellphone videos increasingly draw people to the streets to protest law enforcement, police public information officers are under more scrutiny, with some critics saying their reports protect the image of officers and taint people targeted by police. In the wake of protests over the killing of George Floyd, there are growing questions over whether these units are serving the public with unbiased facts or are getting in the way of the truth. Story continues "We're spending good money to be lied to," said Reuben Jones, a criminal justice reform advocate and executive director of Frontline Dads, a group supporting formerly incarcerated people in Philadelphia. "Do the police need their own communications teams simply to craft a narrative that best serves their interests?" Inaccurate police accounts are sometimes due to the information fog of a fast-moving event. But critics say police press operations nearly always put forth a story line that makes officers' actions appear justified. And when police spokespeople publicize the prior criminal history of people killed by law enforcement or call them "gang members," it amounts to an insidious form of police abuse, they say. Recent polling shows there is growing support for more extensive, independent oversight of police behavior. Some say this should extend to police press shops, which should focus less on advancing a narrative and more on relaying facts without spin. That includes the timely release of footage from body cameras, details about officers who discharge their weapons and other information requested by community members even if it doesn't necessarily make the department look good. Law enforcement agencies argue that their public affairs teams are essential to getting out vital information quickly and defend the tactics and size of the units. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department had 42 people in its information bureau as of last month, at an annual cost of about $4.8 million. The strategic communications director at the time of Robertson's killing earned $200,000 a year; the bureau's captain last year made $218,000. The Los Angeles Police Department spends about $3.29 million a year for 25 people in similar units, as of last month. One incident criticized as a public relations move was the LAPD's decision to swiftly release a video purporting to show the moments before Carnell Snell Jr. was shot and killed by an officer on Oct. 1, 2016. Snell was riding in the back seat of a car that was pulled over by police who suspected it was stolen. Snell ran out of the car and was chased by officers, who fired six rounds, hitting the 18-year-old three times. Faced with an outcry by people saying Snell didnt have a weapon, Charlie Beck, the LAPD chief at the time, released surveillance footage that appeared to show part of the police chase, with Snell holding a handgun. But the video did not show the shooting, leaving community members to question why the footage was released. A handgun was found at the scene, but the recording didnt confirm the officers' claims that Snell turned toward them holding a weapon at the time he was shot. An autopsy would later reveal that Snell was shot in the back, right thigh and left forearm. Prosecutors and the police commission found the shooting was justified, though the commission faulted some of the officers' tactics, including splitting up while chasing Snell. Community members who protested at LAPD headquarters over the shooting death of Carnell Snell Jr. said a lack of video left open the possibility that the killing was unjustified. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) Lack of video of the actual shooting left open the possibility in the minds of some community members that it was unjustified. They saw the police's release of the footage of Snell with a handgun as a way to make the public assume Snell was at fault in some way. They engage in this practice that we call 'double murder.' They first kill the body, and then they assassinate the character," Melina Abdullah, a professor of pan-African studies at Cal State L.A. and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, said of the police. "And they use these videos for character assassination, which in the minds of the public gives an excuse for their death. So they really blame the victims for their own deaths. Abdullah questioned why the police department was willing to immediately publicize the video of Snell but not release video from all other critical incidents. She said that while the agency now releases footage more quickly, the videos are edited and packaged in a way that supports the viewpoint of law enforcement. Josh Rubenstein, LAPD's public information director, said the agency released the video of Snell in response to inaccurate reports that he had not been carrying a gun. He said the department has a responsibility to provide context in the face of false or "purposely malicious" information that's intended to inflame a "negative sentiment toward the department." He said the agency's inspector general reviews videos of critical incidents to make sure they're portrayed in a balanced way. *** Public information officers have taken on an expanded role within police departments in recent years, with the ability to publish news on their own platforms, including social media, instead of relying on traditional media. Many members of the information teams wear the same uniforms as their fellow officers, having moved from street policing to desk work, sometimes as a way to get promoted or paid more. Others are civilians, including former journalists. Their proponents believe robust public affairs operations are needed to build ties with the community. In an era when cellphone videos can instantly spark a whirlwind of attention, and sometimes misinformation, departments feel they must act quickly to provide answers and educate the public about why officers do what they do. Without these units, some argue, departments wouldn't have dedicated staff to answer questions, and reporters could face even more barriers in trying to get information. Indeed, some police departments have hired "transparency advisors" to enhance their communication with the public. One such firm, Cole Pro Media, advises law enforcement organizations on how to be more forthcoming and avoid spin. Laura Cole, a former journalist who founded the firm, says she counsels agencies, some of which pay up to $4,000 a month, to avoid describing people killed by officers as "suspects" or "gang members." She also advises them to have higher standards in verifying information that is made public. When departments dont give out information, it brings about secrecy. Thats what we want to avoid. If a department did something wrong, or somebody messed up, they must own it. And they need to be the ones to tell the community, said Cole. Carol Lin, who was strategic communications director for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department at the time of the Robertson shooting, pushed for the unusual release of video the day after the incident. She said the decision was influenced partly by concern over the growing protests at the scene but was not meant to stifle dissent; rather, she said, it was meant to provide missing context. Lin, now a senior advisor to the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office, said the release of new evidence helped the public understand that deputies were responding to a call about a man shooting into the air who was potentially dangerous to passersby. Years after Nicholas Robertson was killed by deputies, a new video emerged contradicting the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's account that he had pointed a gun at lawmen. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) "To the public it looked horrible that deputies were just taking down a helpless individual with complete disregard for life," she said. "[But the deputies] did it because they saw the risk. There were people nearby gassing up their cars. It was risk they couldnt take, that this individual could discharge his weapon." Asked if the department would have released video that reflected poorly on the deputies' actions, Lin said, "That is a good question. I was never in a situation where that was even an option." These days at the Sheriff's Department, which is under new leadership since the Robertson shooting, decisions to release video during an ongoing investigation would come only from detectives or the sheriff and wouldn't involve the information bureau, according to Lt. John Satterfield. The bureau is open around the clock to notify the public about emergencies like natural disasters, road closures and missing children. Its staff also coordinate numerous other functions, such as deputy award ceremonies, video production and liaising between department members and international police. Satterfield defended the bureau's work, saying it strives to provide the most accurate available information to the public. "In order to be effective, peace officers and the law enforcement profession need to be seen as a legitimate authority who is worthy of the community's trust and respect," Satterfield said in a statement. "It is naive not to acknowledge there are those who actively distort information in an effort to negatively alter the perception of law enforcement." Satterfield said the agency which has recently been criticized for failing to release records prides itself on its transparency and accuracy. Yet family members of people slain by deputies more than a year ago have still not been given access to video footage they requested of the shootings, according to a recent motion passed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The motion called for the sheriff's information bureau to be repurposed to comply with laws that require the release of video of uses of force within 60 days. In many cases, problematic actions by the police are compounded by false information from their press operations. After a South Carolina police officer fatally shot Walter Scott in 2015, the officer's agency claimed in a news release that Scott was trying to shoot the lawman with a Taser. A cellphone video later showed that Scott was unarmed and running away when he was killed. In 2014, Chicago police said in a statement that 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was moving toward officers with a knife when they fatally shot him. But dash-cam video showed that the youth, armed with a blade, was moving away from lawmen and was shot repeatedly when he was already on the ground. **** In the hours after Floyds killing on Memorial Day, few within the Minneapolis Police Department seemed to know the truth about what had happened. The body-camera footage hadnt been reviewed. The officers involved didnt give a statement accessible to the public information officer. Neither he nor the supervisors supplying him with information had been to the scene. But the departments press office acted anyway, with a statement its director now says was inaccurate. Man dies after medical incident during police interaction was the headline on a statement that John Elder, the departments director of public information, issued hours after Floyd was killed. The announcement said officers detained a man, later identified as Floyd, and noted that he appeared to be suffering medical distress before he was transported to a hospital. No mention that an officer used his knee to pin Floyds neck against the ground for nearly nine minutes. And no mention that Floyd was on his stomach, handcuffed and not resisting as he pleaded for breath. Elder said he got his information from sergeants who work in the area where Floyd was killed and from computer-aided dispatch, which serves as a log of communications between officers and dispatchers. The log, it turned out, didnt include any details about the use of force. Elder did not review the body-camera footage, which he said would have required a wait of several hours. Only later, when cellphone video emerged, did Elder realize that his press release was inaccurate. This had literally zero intent to deceive or be dishonest or disingenuous. Had we known that this [situation] was what we saw on the video, that statement would have been completely different, Elder said. An inaccurate press release issued after the death of George Floyd, describing his killing as a "medical incident," played a role in spurring the Minneapolis City Council to eliminate the job of police public information officer. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) He said he cant change the statement or issue an update because the case was handed over to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, a different agency. Elder, who said he earns about $110,000 per year, said his department employs two additional people in the press office, one of whom is a videographer who makes content about officers doing good works, among other assignments. The Minneapolis City Council voted last month to eliminate the police press office, effective in October, citing concerns over accuracy and bias. The city will take over communications about the police. *** The media play a significant role in amplifying statements by police and allowing law enforcement sources to be the primary and sometimes the only voices in a story. And even as news organizations are trying to revamp their coverage of police, cuts in the industry mean there are fewer journalists to respond to scenes and develop diverse sources, at a time when there is more pressure to provide instant news. Many police officers feel misrepresented in the media. But unlike victims of police shootings, law enforcers have public funding at their disposal to generate favorable narratives about themselves. Sometimes that means bolstering the public affairs staff with outside communication firms, at considerable cost. In Fullerton, it started with the uproar over the fatal beating of Kelly Thomas by police in 2011. The police chief worried that protests would swell if the officers involved were acquitted of charges in the killing of Thomas, a homeless man who did not resist and begged for his life as officers beat him. Friends, family and supporters stand at "Kelly's Corner" after two Fullerton police officers were found not guilty in the fatal beating of Kelly Thomas in 2011. (Los Angeles Times) So the city hired Cornerstone Communications, an Irvine-based company that created a site for the police department to tell its side of the story. The Fullerton Police News, as the website was called, featured pieces on the departments use of de-escalation tactics and medal of valor ceremonies. The PR firm also pushed the agency to be more open by facilitating an interview in which the police chief publicly admitted that his team blew it in handling the Thomas case. The mistakes included releasing inaccurate information that an officers bones were broken in the struggle with Thomas, the chief said. That experiment led to Cornerstone establishing a broader platform, the website Behind the Badge, which has featured stories about the police departments of La Habra, Santa Ana, Tustin, Westminster and Pasadena. Each city pays an annual fee for the promotional service, ranging from $24,000 for Santa Ana to $72,000 for Pasadena, which recently ended its involvement. Recent stories included a tribute to a deputy chief in Tustin who was retiring after 31 years and a feature on Westminster police holding a "drive-by" birthday celebration involving a motorcade with sirens and flashing lights. Bill Rams, a former reporter at the Orange County Register who co-founded Cornerstone Communications, said that with local newspapers disappearing, the website publishes stories that wouldn't otherwise be told. He said the cost is small compared to what departments would have to pay for in-house PR professionals. But Priscilla Ocen, a Loyola Law School professor and member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission in Los Angeles County, said it's troubling that law enforcement would spend money to shape how the public views them. "The idea that police spend money to manipulate the narrative about the work they're doing is not the best use of public funds," she said. "I think they should be straightforward with the public." Hong Kong, Aug 30 : Officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government called on residents to actively participate in the upcoming universal community testing of Covid-19 and expected that it will help Hong Kong return normal at an early date. "With more people participating in the testing, the faster will Hong Kong contain the epidemic, Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung said Sunday in an online article. Cheung said the testing programme is aimed at screening asymptomatic patients and cutting the transmission chains of the virus as soon as possible. The massive testing due to start on Tuesday will be launched for free and on a voluntary basis, and the government has reiterated the personal data of participants will be well protected. As far, more than 400,000 residents have registered for the testing, Xinhua news agency reported. Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan also appealed to businesses and commerce chambers to encourage their employees to take the coronavirus tests in his online blog on Sunday. Only after the invisible transmission chains are stopped, the HKSAR government will be able to focus on reviving the economy and helping improve people's incomes, as well as resuming normal travels of Hong Kong residents to the mainland and Macao, Chan said. In the face of the Covid-19 challenges, economic stimulus and relief measures of the HKSAR government has boosted the deficit by nearly 290 billion Hong Kong dollars (37.41 billion US dollars) and the fiscal reserves have dropped to about 800 billion Hong Kong dollars. Chan said the deficit increase is unsustainable and the HKSAR government has to save energy for economic and financial uncertainties ahead, as well as possible another round of epidemic outbreak in the future. Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection reported 15 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total confirmed cases to 4,801. So far, Covid-19 has caused 88 deaths in Hong Kong, and 351 patients are still hospitalized. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell held a press conference Sunday at 1 p.m. Police are continuing to seek information as they investigate the shooting of a man in downtown near competing demonstrations, one a pro-Trump car caravan and another a counter-protest by various opposing groups. The man, shot and killed in Portland, was a friend and supporter of Vancouver, Washington-based Patriot Prayer, group leader Joey Gibson said. He later identified the man as Jay in a social media post. Friends say that name was an alias to avoid blm/antifa but a crowdfunding campaign and other sources identify him as Aaron Danielson. In a statement early Sunday, Lovell said, This violence is completely unacceptable and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible. Lovell asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Portland police detectives. READ MORE: Man fatally shot after pro-Trump caravan was Patriot Prayer friend and supporter Jay Bishop Portland Mayor to President Donald Trump: support us or stay the hell out of the way Progressive community leaders call for Portland mayor, police chief to resign following deadly shooting Portland police chief, President Donald Trump and Gov. Kate Brown react to killing of man near downtown protests Saturday night Clashes escalate in downtown Portland after Trump rally in Clackamas Former Married At First Sight star Aleks Markovic has slammed the introduction of new 'wellness managers' during productions on the series. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, Aleks was blunt about believing the new mental health measure wouldn't be very effective. 'At the end of the day they're going to portray you the way they want and f**k up someone's life regardless,' she said. Hitting out: 'They are going to portray you however they want': MAFS star Aleks Markovic, 26, (pictured) has slammed the introduction of 'wellness managers' on the series She continued: 'No wellness manager is going to prevent that from happening.' Aleks finished by saying that it was the gamble of going on a reality show. It comes amid news Endemol Shine Australia has drastically changed its mental health practices following a slew of complaints from reality stars. Opinion: 'At the end of the day they're going to portray you the way they want and f**k up someone's life regardless,' she said. Pictured: Ivan Sarakula According to The Saturday Telegraph, the production team is now adding 'wellness managers' to its roster. The position will be a 'care and support' welfare role, with the behind-the-scenes managers working with a 'broader wellbeing team'. The advertisement asks for people with experience in both the television and mental health sector, suggesting it will be a hands-on role. Precautions: The role will be a 'care and support' welfare role, with the behind-the-scenes managers working with a 'broader wellbeing team'. Here: Natasha Spencer, Mikey Pembroke The creation of the role follows a number of high-profile mental health incidents involving reality stars. There were mental health concerns for Married At First Sight bride Natasha Spencer, who had a mental breakdown before last season's finale. The Sydney financial analyst was viciously trolled online. Distressed: There were mental health concerns for MAFS bride Natasha Spencer (pictured), who had a mental breakdown ahead of the show's finale The financial analyst told Daily Mail Australia following the incident that she was taken to Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital. 'I had anxiety a week leading up to it [Sunday's finale]. I was at home and had a breakdown. I got taken under a section 22, a medical hold,' Natasha explained. Controversies on the show resulted in plenty of backlash toward the participants on social media, notably Stacey Hampton. The law graduate received death threats and abuse after being involved in a cheating scandal with Mikey Pembroke in the finale. Diagnosis: Tracey revealed she had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since appearing on the show, while speaking to NW magazine in April, 2018 Cast from other season including Tracey Jewel also offered notable complaints about mental health following filming the series. Tracey revealed she had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since appearing on the show, while speaking to NW magazine in April, 2018. It comes after Channel Seven was forced to pay a compensation claim to House Rules star Nicole Prince after it was found she suffered a 'psychological injury'. Seven has been ordered to pay compensation to House Rules contestant Nicole Prince (right, with her friend Fiona Taylor) after she suffered 'psychological injury' during filming in 2017 Nicole Prince, who featured on season five of the series in 2017, took legal action through the Workers Compensation Commission. As first reported by TV Blackbox, the Commission's arbitrator Cameron Burge ruled that Nicole was an 'employee' during her time on the show and that, during the course of her employment, she suffered a 'psychological / psychiatric injury'. Channel Seven was ordered to compensate Nicole for her medical treatment in relation to the injury. New Delhi, Aug 30 : The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has expressed displeasure over Twitter's attitude in an online harassment case of a minor girl. After several reminders, the Commission has summoned the platform's senior manager over the issue and asked him to appear on September 4 after not getting a satisfactory reply. "If the manager doesn't turn up, the Commission may pass an ex-parte order against Twitter India and initiate action," said the apex child rights body. NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanungo said that online sexual harassment has become a medium via Twitter and the micro-blogging site is accountable for such online crimes. "Twitter has been asked to cooperate in the investigation. If no representative turns up on September 4, than the Commission will take a decision unilaterally," Kanungo told IANS. Citing the Commission's powers to protect children from sexual harassment, he said that if the summons is not respected, then the Commission can report the matter to Parliament and the government if needed. The case can also be referred to the High Court. "Even the Commission can file a case to the Magistrate for prosecution under CRPC 346." A Twitter user named Mohammad Zubair, linked to a website, tweeted a picture on August 7 which had a picture of a father and his minor daughter. It is alleged that after the picture was tweeted, trollers threatened the minor girl with rape. Following the online harrassment, the victim and her father approached the NCPCR. The Commission than on August 8, 11 and 19, wrote a letter to Twitter, asking for information about the action taken against the concerned Twitter user while ordering the removal of the related content. The Commission did not find the reply sent by Twitter on August 25 satisfactory, and issued summons on the next day. The Commission has also summoned Raipur SSP Ajay Kumar Yadav in connection with the case at its office on September 4. It is alleged that the SSP did not take any action in this matter despite the Commission's intervention. ALBANY, N.Y. Albany County District Attorney David Soares announced Friday that Jerson Vargas, 43, of Malta, pleaded guilty to one count of felony second-degree assault, before the Honorable William A. Carter in Albany County Court Friday morning. On Feb. 11, at approximately 2:46 p.m., while on a CDTA bus on Central Avenue, in the Town of Colonie, Vargas caused a disturbance and urinated while on the bus. The bus operator called the police for assistance. An on duty and in uniform officer attempted several times to get Vargas off of the bus. Vargas would not comply and began using profanity towards the officer while refusing commands. Vargas then grabbed the officer and shoved him into a window and began fighting with the officer. The officer was transported to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion and a contusion. Vargas faces three and a half years in State Prison, to be followed by five years of post-release supervision when sentenced on Nov. 2. BENGALURU: India's 'first toy manufacturing cluster' to come up at Koppal has the potential to create 40,000 jobs in five years and attract over Rs 5,000 crore investment, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said here on Sunday. "In line with PM @narendramodi 's vision of #VocalForLocal & boosting toy manufacturing, Koppala will have India's first toy manufacturing cluster. With the eco-system to support toy cluster in place, this 400 acres SEZ will have top-class infra & generate 40,000 jobs in 5 years," Yediyurappa tweeted. The tweet by the Chief Minister came following Prime Minister Narendra address in his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, pitching India to become the world's toy hub. Modi on Sunday said India has talent and ability to become a toy hub for the entire world and called upon startups to work towards realising this potential while being "vocal about local toys". He said the global toy industry is over Rs seven lakh crore, but India's share was very small, as he stressed on the need to work to increase it. The Karnataka government is inviting global toy makers to the "first of its kind" toy manufacturing cluster in India at Koppala and had recently held a webinar cum panel discussion with a panel of leading toys manufacturers. Karnataka is poised to emerge as a leading toy-making cluster in the country due to the robust ecosystem the state has created to support toy making industries, the state government had recently said. It said, the state has supported and nurtured the setting up of Tool Manufacturing & precision engineering (TMTP), polymers manufacturing clusters Bengaluru, Dharwad, Tumkuru and Mysuru, robust design capacity and testing certification agencies in Bengaluru, Dharwad and Koppal and GTTC (Government Tool Room & Training Centre). With such a dedicated push by the government towards toy manufacturing, the state's toy industry has grown at a CAGR of 18 per cent (2010-17) and is expected to reach USD 310 million by 2023, it added. Karnataka is the third-largest market for toys in India (USD 159 million) 9.1 per cent of the national market. Melanie Olmeda and her son Mason Gutierrez, 6, who are zoo members, drove from Chino for the reopening of the L.A. Zoo on Wednesday. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County public health officials Saturday reported 1,339 new cases of the coronavirus and 27 related deaths, but said hospitalizations continue to decline. The county now has recorded a total of 239,828 cases of the virus, and 5,763 related deaths. There were 1,089 confirmed coronavirus patients in county hospitals as of Friday, with 32% in intensive care. That represented a decline of about 50% from mid-July, when hospitalizations reached 2,200 officials said. Still, the county must slow its transmission rate considerably in order for more businesses to reopen and activities to resume. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a new four-tier system that requires counties to show consistent success in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus before allowing businesses greater flexibility to reopen. Los Angeles and most other counties in Southern California were placed in the most restrictive category, Tier 1, which means that transmission of the virus is widespread and most nonessential businesses must be closed. In order to move into a less restrictive tier, a county must have no more than seven new cases per 100,000 people per day and a test positivity rate of 8% or less. The county must meet those benchmarks for two consecutive weeks before progressing. For the week ending Aug. 18, L.A. County reported a daily average of 12.7 cases per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 5%, according to the state. To demonstrate reduced spread of the virus and move to Tier 2, we need to reduce our transmission rate to seven new cases a day per 100,000 residents, Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said in a statement. The evidence is very clear seven months into the pandemic that to see fewer cases, we have to all work together and not infect each other: we do this by wearing our face coverings when we are out of our homes, avoiding gatherings and crowded spaces, getting tested if we are sick or have been exposed, and following sensible public health directives at every worksite. Story continues In announcing the new four-tier system, the state revised the list of activities permissible in counties categorized as Tier 1 to include indoor services at barbershops and hair salons, as well as shopping malls. But L.A. Countys local health officer order still doesnt allow for those businesses to reopen, officials said. In Orange County, public health officials said hair salons and barbershops could reopen Monday, provided they follow guidelines issued by the state. The county, which has also been placed in Tier 1 of the states new system, reported 408 new cases of the virus Saturday and 19 deaths, bringing its total to 48,190 cases and 975 deaths. For the week ending Aug. 18, Orange County recorded a daily average of six new cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 5.2%, according to the state. Last Sunday, the county was removed from the states coronavirus monitoring list, which previously determined in which locations businesses could reopen. But the county hadnt yet been off the list for two weeks, as was required for additional reopenings, when Newsom announced the new system. Now, officials are trying to determine how long Orange County must meet the states new benchmarks before it can move into Tier 2 and permit more activities to resume, including in-person instruction at schools. Weve requested additional clarification from State re: schools as there are several counties, including #OC, who are in limbo as we were part way thru prior 14 day cycle to re-open, the OC Health Care Agency tweeted Saturday. State indicated we would get credit for those days. More to come. People walk past a building that was reduced to rubble after being burned during recent rioting following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., on Aug. 28, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Trump to Visit Kenosha on Sept. 1 President Donald Trump will pay a visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin, this week to meet with local law enforcement officers and survey damage from the recent riots, the White House says. The city has been rocked over the past week by unrest sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake by a white officer. White House spokesman Judd Deere said that the presidents schedule for the Sept. 1 visit hasnt yet been fully outlined. President @realDonaldTrump will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday to meet with local law enforcement and survey damage from the recent riots. Judd Deere (@JuddPDeere45) August 30, 2020 Trump was asked on Aug. 28 if he had plans to visit the city, which has since received help from National Guard soldiers from neighboring states and the federal government to bring the violence and unrest sparked by the shooting under control. Probably so, Trump told reporters during his visit to Orange, Texas, to assess the damage from Hurricane Laura. Weve had tremendous success as you know, he said of the law enforcement sent to help the local police. We were finally able to get the go-ahead from the local authorities to send in the National Guard. Within a few minutes of the guard, everybody cleared out and it became safe. The police officer who shot Blake, Rusten Sheskey, has since been placed on administrative leave and is under investigation by the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation under the states Department of Justice. Sheskey shot Blake seven times after Blake resisted officers attempts to arrest him after they received a call from his former girlfriend for help. Blake had a warrant out for his arrest and a restraining order stipulating that he wasnt to approach his ex-girlfriend after an alleged sexual assault. A criminal complaint obtained by The Epoch Times showed that Blake was charged in July with trespassing, third-degree sexual assault, and disorderly conduct. According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Blake admitted to having a knife in his possession at the time of the shooting. Department agents found a knife on the drivers side floorboard of Blakes car. Read More DOJ Opens Civil Rights Probe Into Jacob Blake Shooting Following the shooting, Blake was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he remains. Family attorneys told reporters on Aug. 25 that Blake had undergone multiple surgeries. The 29-year-olds mother, Julia Jackson, has denounced Sheskeys use of force, saying that her family is very hurt and quite frankly disgusted. Janita Kan contributed to this report. Two Russian fighter jets intercepted a U.S. strategic bomber over the Baltic Sea on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a press release Saturday. On Friday, Russian airspace control systems spotted an air target approaching the Russian border over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, and two Su-27 fighters took off in response, the ministry said. Crews of the Russian planes approached the air target and identified it as a B-52H strategic bomber of the U.S. Air Force at a safe distance, it said. After the U.S. military aircraft flew away from the Russian border, the Su-27s returned safely to their home airfield. The entire flight of the Russian fighters strictly complied with international rules for the use of airspace, it added. When Intel Chairman Andy Bryant stepped down from the chipmakers board this spring, his departure severed one of the last companys last direct ties to its formative era under legendary CEO Andy Grove. Once among Groves proteges, Bryant rose from a junior finance post to become Intels chief financial officer and then chief administrative officer. Capping nearly four decades at Intel, Bryant spent eight years leading the companys boardroom. A Pakistani woman has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Noida for allegedly violating visa rules, Gautam Buddh Nagar Police officials said on Sunday. The woman, identified as Nausheen Naaz from Karachi in Pakistan, was held on Saturday. She was staying with her husband at their Ajmeri Gate home in Delhi on a long-term visa, the officials said. The woman had entered Noida in violation of the rules of her long-term visa. She was in a bus which was intercepted for checking under a flyover at Sector 14A of the city. She was arrested after inspection, a police spokesperson said. An FIR has been lodged against her at the Sector 20 police station under Section 14 of the Foreigners' Act, 1946, and further legal proceedings are underway in the case, he added. According to officials, the woman's visa allowed her long-term stay in the country but not outside Delhi. For travel anywhere outside the national capital she was required to have necessary permissions, they said. The Saturday arrest also came at a time when lockdown-like curbs are imposed in Noida, like elsewhere across Uttar Pradesh, over the state government's orders amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Security checks intensify across the state, especially at state and district borders, during the period of restriction, which begins 10 pm Friday and ends 5 am Monday, according to officials. In the latest GBV incident, a charred body was found at the side of the road in Mthwalume on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. The body was covered in plastic and dumped at the side of the road. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Jack Eccles is a longtime Baptist pastor with two doctoral degrees. Even at the age of ninety-three, he is currently learning German and recently posted a sermon to YouTube. His wife of seventy years, Gerry, is the mother of their nine children. She was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2015 and lives in a nursing home in North Carolina. On March 12, when Dr. Eccles arrived as usual to spend much of the day with her, he was turned away because of the coronavirus pandemic. So he returned the next day with a suitcase of clothes, books, medications, and his computer. The facility had agreed to rent him a single room so he could care for Gerry. He has been there ever since. Wearing a mask and goggles, he feeds her three times a day, checks to be sure she gets her required forty ounces of liquid a day, and wipes drips so they dont stain her clothes. He positions Gerrys head and neck carefully to be sure she doesnt choke. Their profile in the Wall Street Journal is an inspiring story of love, family, and ministry. In it, Dr. Eccles explains his care for his wife simply: Were married. I want to be with her. She took care of me for seventy years, and now its my turn. Being the bride of Christ Jack and Gerry Eccles are examples of a true biblical marriage: a lifelong, unconditional covenant between a man and a woman (cf. Matthew 19:46). If through the years they had focused on their marriage for only a couple of hours once a week and a few minutes each day, their relationship could not be the love story it is. Now lets note that Christians are the bride of Christ (cf. Revelation 19:7). If we focus on our Spouse for only a couple of hours once a week at church and for a few minutes of prayer and Bible study each day, how strong can our relationship be? Yesterday, we focused on Gods call to trust him not just for our salvation but also for our sanctification, yielding every dimension of our lives to his lordship. As Oswald Chambers noted, our Lord never asks us to decide for him, but to yield to him, a very different thing. Today, lets consider the countercultural nature of such a lifestyle, then well focus on two simple but transforming ways to yield our lives fully to our Lord. What Americans do to retain their social standing Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohlers latest book is titled The Gathering Storm. The title comes from Winston Churchills prescient metaphor warning of Hitlers rise. Mohlers book similarly describes the rising threat of secularism and the urgency of biblical response. I thought this cultural analysis was especially noteworthy: Following the work of sociologist Peter Berger, Mohler notes that secularism in America is taking a different path than in Europe. Rather than rejecting biblical truth and values outright, Americans transform Christianity into something more cognitive and optional. We affirm spirituality but reinterpret it to align with secular orthodoxy. Our societys flip-flop on same-sex marriage is an example. Mohler writes: When the cultural tide turned against our societys empty religious commitments, people were happy to jettison their moral judgment on homosexuality in order to retain their social standing. As a result, Many religious believers in modern societies now operate as theological and ideological consumers, constantly shopping for new intellectual clothing, even as they believe themselves to be traditional believers. Two practical steps As we noted yesterday, our evangelical emphasis on personal salvation, while obviously urgent and biblical, can be part of the problem if we stop there. Jesus is not just our Saviorhe is also our Lord. As Abraham Kuyper notes, There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: Mine!' Today, lets consider two practical consequences of the fact that Jesus is sovereign over all. One: There can be no area of sin we shelter from his lordship We sin when we do what God forbids (cf. Deuteronomy 28:15) and when we refuse to do what he commands (James 4:17). His word warns us to repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin (Ezekiel 18:30). Unrepented sin blocks our prayers (Psalm 66:18) and obstructs the empowering work of Gods Spirit in our lives (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30). Are there areas of unrepented sin in your life today? Two: There can be no call to obedience we refuse to answer We show that we love our Father by keeping his commandments (2 John 6). If my sons said they loved me but refused to do what I wanted them to do and chose to do what I did not, I would question the sincerity of their love for me. Is God calling you to a step of obedience youve not yet taken? Why unconditional love is so appealing today Dr. Jack and Gerry Eccles have been holistically devoted to each other for seventy years, a story that is so powerful it was featured in the Wall Street Journal. This is the uniqueness and appeal of unconditional love in a conditional, transactional culture. If you were to be even more holistically and unconditionally yielded to your loving Father, what would need to change in your life today? Originally posted at denisonforum.org Thousands of South African bikers rode to the seat of government in Pretoria on Saturday to protest against farm attacks and racism. They laid white-and-black crosses with letters attached to them, addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to put an end to the violence. The crosses and white roses were laid against the steel barriers in front of the lawns of the Union Buildings -- where presidency and cabinet offices are located. Estimated at more than 5,000, some wore t-shirts, jackets and face masks with messages denouncing farm violence. "If there is no justice for farmers there will be no peace for the government," read one placard stuck to steel fence. Similar protests were staged in various other towns and cities. "The state has to declare that farm murders are a priority and realise that racism doesn't only affect blacks, but whites too," protest coordinator Frikkie Geyser, 60, told AFP. A 57-year-old protester Brandus van Jaarsveld declared: "We can't even lose one more farmer". "There are too many farm murders and all lives matter, and the murders have to stop," said biker Micheline Botha. AfriForum, a pressure group that advocates on behalf of the country's nine-percent-strong white population, said 216 attacks have been recorded so far this year, 26 of which were murders. The group said the assaults and murders are not only targeting whites, but also black people and Indians. Attacks dropped drastically during the first few months of the country's coronavirus lockdown due to restricted movement, but from June the assaults spiked, according to farmers. Murders are generally high in South Africa. In the 12 months up to April, the police recorded 21,325 murders, averaging 58 per day and showing a 1.4-percent increase over the previous year, according to official police statistics. Of that number, 49 were farmers. Police minister Bheki Cele last month told parliament that "we do take serious the issue of farm safety". In this picture taken on August 13, 2020, Kalbeliya gypsy dancer Aasha Sapera hosts an online dance class amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Jodhpur. (Photo | AFP - Sunil Verma) Jodhpur: As a blackout plunged her desert dwelling into darkness, Suwa Devi, a dancer belonging to Indias Kalbeliya gypsy community, asked her neighbour to turn on his jeeps headlights so she could continue teaching her Zoom class, outside. The coronavirus pandemic has forced many people to go online, but the largely nomadic, marginalised Kalbeliya face bigger challenges than most, with several living in mud huts or tents with patchy electricity and non-existent wifi. In the beginning, I had no idea how to make this work, dancer Aasha Sapera told AFP, describing her early forays into hosting classes on Zoom. We had so many internet problems. Lessons would often get cancelled because the connection was terrible, said Sapera, whose students span the globe from Japan to Brazil. Virus restrictions wiped out the 26-year-old single mothers livelihood as a performer in tourism-dependent Rajasthan state. Like others in the community, she has received no financial aid from the government. The struggle to survive is not new to the Kalbeliya. Although they have not faced persecution and slaughter on the scale of Europes Sinti and Roma gypsies, they have long been condemned to living on the fringes of Indian society. British colonial rulers designated the group as a criminal tribe in the 1800s and they continue to be stigmatised as thieves and prostitutes in independent India. A 1972 ban on snake charmingtheir traditional economic pursuitpushed them to eke out a living as dancers, with many learning the art from their mothers and grandmothers, as Sapera did. Sway like a snake The dance, which is meant to mimic the swaying movements of a serpent, with performers usually dressed in black, was classified as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2010 and has attracted a steady stream of global artists and researchers to Rajasthan. Such access to international collaborators played a key role in their evolution as digital entrepreneurs, said Sapera, who is one of 11 dancers on Kalbeliya World, an online platform offering classes for a $10 fee that goes directly to the performers. They were very enthusiastic. They were also intimidated, said Belgian anthropologist Ayla Joncheere, one of the co-founders of Kalbeliya World, describing the dancers initial response to the idea. Joncheere and the groups other co-founders Aakansha Maheshwari and Christina Gomes set up a buddy system, partnering each dancer with an overseas counterpart who could help navigate the administrative and technological challenges. Since its launch in mid-May, some 600 students from 20 countries including Chile, Morocco, France and Finland have logged on to learn dance from the Kalbeliya. The lessons, and the income they bring in, have been a lifesaver for the women, many of whom are the sole breadwinners for their large extended families. The groups success has prompted other Kalbeliya dancers to follow in their footsteps, but with mixed results. Too difficult When Binu Saperamembers of the tribe often use the same last name meaning snake-charmer in Hindifirst ventured into the world of online classes, she hosted a few lessons on Instagram, inviting students to pay what they wanted. None of the people who signed up contributed. It was so upsetting. I had spent so much money getting my mobile data recharged so I could host those lessons, and it was all for nothing, she told AFP. A British backpacker friend then helped her set up classes on Zoom, where she now teaches a small pool of students and earns around 11,000 rupees ($150) a month, barely half of what she used to make before the pandemic. The loss of her livelihood coupled with a 20,000-rupee debt has left the 23-year-old mother-of-two, who lives in a mud hut with no electricity, deeply ambivalent about the Kalbeliyas future as rapid change comes to India. I desperately want my children to study and pursue other jobs, away from dance, she said. I used to love our way of life but now I feel that its all just too difficult. You cant depend on it for anything. Female breadwinners Yet other Kalbeliya performers like Aasha Sapera believe dance may well be the key to empowering women and ending widespread discrimination against the community. Dance gave Sapera the confidence to leave an unhappy marriagedivorce is a rarity in the conservative communitybecause she could easily out-earn her musician husband and raise their six-year-old daughter on her own. Such financial freedom is a watershed for women in a community that high-profile dancer Gulabo Sapera says used to bury baby girls alive, reflecting Indias longstanding gender bias in favour of men. Gulabo, who has spoken of how she was rescued from such a fate, is one of a handful of dancers to enjoy international successhelping to further ease the stigma. Online classes, and the global reach they offer, could expand those possibilities, with Kalbeliya World planning to continue hosting lessons long after pandemic restrictions are relaxed. With so much uncertainty still in the air, her devotion to dance has kept Aasha Sapera going. Dance has given me an identity.... I never want it to fade away, she said. I want my daughter to finish school. But I also want her to learn how to dance. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. By Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join the race to succeed his boss Shinzo Abe as prime minister, local media said on Sunday, as the competition heats up to succeed Japan's longest-serving leader. Suga, a longtime lieutenant of Abe's in a key supporting role, had denied interest in the top job but attracted attention with a series of interviews, to Reuters and other news organisations, in the days before Abe's abrupt resignation for health reasons. A Suga government would extend the fiscal and monetary stimulus that defined Abe's nearly eight years in office. Abe's announcement on Friday, citing a worsening of a chronic illness, set the stage for a leadership election within his Liberal Democratic Party. The LDP president is virtually assured of being prime minister because of the party's majority in the lower house of parliament. Suga decided to join the LDP race judging that he should play a leading role, given expectations for his ability to manage crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Japan's deepest postwar economic dive, Kyodo news agency said, citing an unnamed source. Calls to Suga's parliamentary office seeking comment on Sunday went unanswered. Suga would join such candidates as former foreign minister Fumio Kishida and former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba. Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 39, the son of charismatic former premier Junichiro Koizumi and considered a future premier, has decided not to run, but he would back Defence Minister Taro Kono if he joins the race, NHK said. Former internal affairs minister Seiko Noda and former defence minister Tomomi Inada, who is known as a fiscal hawk, are interested in seeking to become Japan's first female premier, media reported. Calls to their offices went unanswered. BANDWAGON Suga, a self-made politician in a country of political dynasties, was chosen by Abe in 2012 for the pivotal role of chief cabinet secretary, acting as top government spokesman, coordinating policies and riding herd on bureaucrats. Story continues "I'm thinking of running in the LDP leadership race. I'd like you to support me," Suga told LDP secretary-general Toshihiro Nikai in a secret meeting on Saturday, TV Tokyo reported. Nikai's faction will likely support Suga if he runs, Takeo Kawamura, a senior faction official, told reporters after a meeting of the group's leaders. "Everyone wants to be on the winning side, so if Nikai is supporting Suga, they will jump on the bandwagon," said Koichi Nakano, political science professor at Sophia University. LDP heavyweights aim to hold a slimmed-down leadership contest around Sept. 13 to 15, public broadcaster NHK said on Sunday. The party is likely to decide on the scaled-down version on Tuesday, Kawamura said. Usually, a leadership vote is held by LDP members of parliament along with grassroots party members in a month-long process. But in the event of a sudden resignation, an extraordinary vote can be called with participants narrowed to MPs and representatives of the LDP local chapters. The scaled-down version may disadvantage Ishiba, a longtime Abe critic who promotes boosting regional economies in Japan's depopulating hinterlands. He is popular with the public but less so among party MPs. A call to his parliamentary office went unanswered. Suga ranks low in voter polls of preferred next premier. He projects the image of a behind-the-scenes operator, more than frontline leader, so some analysts doubt he would be best to lead the LDP into a general election that must be held by late October 2021. LDP factions will play a dominant role in the election, Sophia's Nakano said. There might be media criticism that this is not a real contest, which might give Ishiba a bump up, but "not enough to change the momentum," he said. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Additional reporting by Linda Sieg and Yoshifumi Takemoto; Editing by William Mallard) There is palpable anxiety in Kogi as residents of the state await the verdict of the Supreme Court scheduled for Monday 31, 2020 on the dispute over the last governorship election in the state. The nations apex court is expected to deliver two judgments on the two surviving appeals on the dispute over whether or not the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello, was lawfully returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the November 16, 2019 election. The first appeal, marked: SC/CV/388/2020, was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Engr. Musa Wada, while the second one was filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Natasha Akpoti. The appellants are among others, praying the court to reverse the judgments of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decisions of the election tribunal, affirming Bellos victory at the poll. There was a third appeal filed by the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and its candidate, Usman Mohammed. It did not survive the courts last proceedings on August 25, 2020. The appellants lawyer, M. S. Ibrahim applied to withdraw it on realising that his clients case would not fly. The appellants had challenged INECs disqualification of DPPs candidate, who was said to be 31 years old as against the 35 years allowed by law. Upon Ibrahims oral application for withdrawal, the courts seven-man panel, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, struck out the appeal and awarded N200, 000 cost against the appellants and in favour of the APC and Bello. On the same day, the court entertained arguments from lawyers to parties in the appeals by the PDP and SDP and their candidates, following which it adjourned till August 31, 2020 for judgment in both appeals. Lawyer to the PDP and Wada Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), while adopting the appellants brief of argument, prayed the court to allow his clients appeal and grant the reliefs contained therein. Okutepa contended, among others, that the five Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when they upheld the majority decision of the election tribunal, which validated Bellos election. They prayed the court to retain the concurrent findings of the Court of Appeal and the majority decision of the tribunal, to the effect that Bello was validly returned as the winner of the election. PV: 18 By Express News Service CHENNAI: In a swift and coordinated mid-sea operation, an Indian Coast Guard ship and aircraft on Saturday apprehended a fishing boat carrying approximately 1,000 kg of sea cucumber, an endangered and protected species, worth over Rs 5 crore. The package was intended to be smuggled into Sri Lanka. The fishing boat along with three crew members have been apprehended and brought to Thoothukudi for further investigation, a release stated. Sea cucumbers are an important constituent of the coral ecosystem and are categorised as endangered species with their harvest being banned under the Wildlife Protection Act of 2001. Much of it smuggled out of TN goes to Sri Lanka and other southeast Asian countries, where they are consumed as food or used to prepare medicines, the release added. Breonna Taylor's ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover, 30, who cops were looking for the night they shot the EMT dead, says she was innocent Breonna Taylor's ex-boyfriend, who cops were looking for the night they shot the EMT dead in the botched no-knock raid, says she had no connection to illegal drug activity and claims police had used false information to obtain a search warrant. Taylor, 26, was shot eight times on March 13 when three plain clothes officers barged into the Louisville apartment she shared with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker during a a drug investigation. Officers had been searching for convicted drug dealer Jamarcus Glover, who they believed may have been keeping drugs or money at the home. However, no drugs or cash were found at Taylor's apartment and Glover had already been arrested 10 miles away and taken into police custody before the raid at her address. 'The police are trying to make it out to be my fault and turning the whole community out here, making it look like I brought this to Breonna's door,' Glover told The Courier-Journal on Wednesday. 'There was nothing never there or anything ever there, and at the end of the day, they went about it the wrong way and lied on that search warrant and shot that girl out there,' he added. Glover, 30, was arrested again on Thursday, hours after his interview with the Journal, on charges including trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to WDRB. EMT Taylor, 26, was shot eight times while sleeping in her bed with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker when three plain clothes officers performed a no-knock arrest warrant at her Louisville apartment on March 13 Leaked documents this week revealed Taylor's (pictured) ex Glover had mail sent to her address and he gave her phone number as his own His arrest came as leaked police documents revealed he had mail sent to Taylor's address and gave her phone number as his own in the run-up to her death. Glover denied Taylor was involved in any illegal drug activity and said he had been using her addresses for deliveries because he didn't want them to get stolen. 'Nothing ever been illegal there,' he told the paper. 'Getting shoes and clothes coming through the mail is not illegal. Nothing illegal at all.' Taylor's name is only mentioned twice in the search warrant affidavit, once in reference to her address, and a second time regarding a car which police said belonged to her that was once spotted outside Glover's alleged drug house, according to the news outlet. Officers had requested a search warrant at Taylor's home, claiming they had spotted Glover leaving the apartment with a 'suspected USPS package in his right hand.' They also claimed they verified through a 'US Postal Inspector' that Glover was using her address to receive packages however, a postal inspector later denied police had used his office for that information, the Courier-Journal reported. Photos from Taylor's apartment shows how bullet holes riddled the building in the exchange of fire The three officers in the case - Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officers Brett Hankinson and Myles Cosgrove (left to right) - have not been charged in the shooting. No drugs or cash were discovered at Taylor's home and Glover had already been arrested at his home 10 miles away before the raid despite cops seeking him in the raid at Taylor's home Glover was arrested the night Taylor died but was later released on bail. He was arrested and booked into police custody at 11.32am Thursday, Louisville Metro jail records show, after he failed to pay bail on separate drug offenses last month. Glover, who has been booked on drug charges multiple times since 2008, admitted he had sold drugs in the past, but said he was 'not part of it' anymore. 'I'm taking everything to trial, and I'm going to put everything on the line because [police] foul,' Glover told the paper. 'They got every excuse of why they done what they done, but none justifies murder. You can't justify it when [Breonna's] innocent.' Outrage continues to build across America over Taylor's death as - five months on from her slaying - the three cops continue to walk free of all charges. On July 21, a grand jury indicted Glover on several drugs charges in connection with two 2019 criminal cases and his bond was increased to $50,000. The charges included complicity possession of a controlled substance for cocaine and heroin, complicity trafficking in marijuana, complicity tampering with physical evidence and complicity to trafficking cocaine. Glover failed to pay the bond within the required three days and two bench warrants were issued for his arrest on July 27. Drug dealer Glover was one of the targets of the bungled swoop at Taylor's home, with police saying they believed he could have been keeping drugs or money at her home. Pictured Taylor On Wednesday, Glover's lawyer said he didn't know where his client was after the drug dealer skipped a recent court appearance. His bond remains set at $50,000. Glover's arrest comes as new details have emerged about the evidence officers presented to get the warrant to raid hardworking EMT Taylor's home. Thirty-nine pages of leaked documents, obatined by WAVE 3 News, revealed Taylor's ex-boyfriend had his bank account registered to her address, gave her phone number as his own and allegedly borrowed a car hired under her name that would later be connected to a murder investigation of one of his associates. The report was written by an investigator in the Place Based Investigation team which was working on the drugs case against Glover - but which is not part of the probe into Taylor's death. On February 14, just one month before Taylor died, Glover passed off Taylor's phone number as his own when he tried to file a complaint against a cop for towing his car, the report reveals. In the following 10 days, investigators verified that Glover was also using Taylor's home address - 3003 Springfield Drive - and that her property was listed as the mailing address for his Chase Bank account, it shows. Mail addressed to Glover was reportedly seized from Taylor's apartment in the aftermath of her shooting. The report also documents a series of prison phone call transcripts between Glover and Taylor, when the convicted drug dealer was behind bars. In one conversation on January 3, Glover asked Taylor if she had talked to 'Doug', identified as Adrian Walker. 'You talk to Doug?' Glover asked Taylor. 'Yeah, I did,' Taylor responded, Wave reported. 'He said he was already back at the trap.' Adrian Walker, 27, was the second suspect alongside Glover sought by police in the raid at Taylor's home. Anger over her death was ignited further following the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day at the hands of a white cop Protesters demand justice for Taylor (above). Taylor's death has sparked outrage across America as five months on none of the three cops involved have been charged with murder He was also not present at the property when police broke in. Two hours later, Glover and Taylor spoke again on the phone where he thanked her for checking on him, to which she allegedly responded: 'When you're around I stress more... I just always be worried about you... not like you and b****, but just period with the police, like all kind of s***.' In another call that day the two said they loved each other. Between January 2016 and January 2020, Glover called Taylor 26 times from jail, the records state. The report also states that on January 2, the day before these calls were made and when Glover was not in police custody, he pulled up to 'trap house' 2424 Elliott Avenue driving Taylor's car. Taylor was allegedly spotted on surveillance visiting the home on occasion. Glover's vehicle - a red Dodge Charger - also made six trips to Taylor's home in January where he was sometimes pictured collecting packages, the report says. The documents also allege in 2016 a vehicle rented under Taylor's name was found with a dead body inside. The deceased was Fernandez Bowman - brother of Damarius Bowman, a known associate of Glover's who has been arrested with him on several occasions, they state. Taylor told cops at the time she didn't know the victim and had let Glover - who was present at her home when officers arrived to question her - use the vehicle after dating him for several months. The report says she gave cops her phone number - the same number Glover later claimed was his in February this year. The documents also state Glover claimed in a jailhouse phone call to the mother of his child just hours after Taylor's slaying that the EMT had $8,000 of his money. 'Bre got down like $15 (grand), she had the $8 (grand) I gave her the other day and she picked up another $6 (grand),' he said on March 13, according to the documents. He then claimed: 'Bre been handling all my money, she been handling my mone ... She been handling s*** for me and cuz, it ain't just me.' Three months later on April 24, the dealer also told the woman cops 'took my car' and found Taylor's address on a bank statement in the armrest. 'Boom it got Bre's address on there,' he said. Attorneys for Taylor's family blasted investigators for withholding the report, saying they only learned of its existence after its leak to the press. 'It's unfortunate that the city did not provide LMPD's post-death report and that we only learned of it until it was leaked to the media,' Sam Aguiar told WAVE 3 News on Wednesday. 'Either way, it doesn't change whether she should've been killed or the unlawful actions surrounding her killing.' He added: 'Good or bad, either way, everyone has the right to know all the facts in association in the case.' Sadiqa Reynolds, the CEO of the Louisville Urban League, questioned the motive behind the report's release. 'I think that whoever leaked that report wants to say, "See, this is why. Now you understand why we did this,"' Reynolds said at a press conference Wednesday. 'What we want to say back is it doesn't justify her death.' Taylor was sleeping in bed when three cops - Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officers Brett Hankinson and Myles Cosgrove - burst into her home after midnight on March 13. Her boyfriend Kenneth Walker, a licensed firearm carrier, thought robbers were entering the home and opened fire, hitting one officer in the leg in self-defense. The cops responded by firing more than 20 rounds into the apartment, striking and killing Taylor. The officers claim they identified themselves as police upon arrival at the property but Walker and Taylor's family have disputed this. The cops were not wearing bodycameras at the time. A senior French military officer is under investigation for security breaches, the countrys defense minister has said. French radio Europe 1 reported that a lieutenant colonel serving on a NATO base in Italy is suspected of having transmitted ultra-sensitive documents to the Russian secret services. Speaking on the radio station on August 30, French Defense Minister Florence Parly said a judicial procedure had been launched against a French senior military officer and that the countrys military has taken necessary protective measures after the alleged breaches. Parly or the Defense Ministry have not provided further details about the case. Europe 1 reported that the man was detained by Frances secret services about 10 days ago as he prepared to return to Italy after his vacations. He remained in custody in Paris, it said. Based on reporting by Europe 1 A man (early 70s) has died after a single vehicle road crash yesterday evening in Kildare. He was rushed to Naas General Hospital where he later died after the collision took place at around 7.25pm at Lattensbog, Adamstown, County Kildare. He was the driver and the sole occupant of the car. The road is currently closed for technical examination. Local diversions are in place. Gardai have appealed for witnesses. "Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Gardai are also appealing for any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area at this time to make this footage available to Gardai," said a garda spokesperson Anyone with information is asked to contact Newbridge Garda Station on 045 440180, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Eight months on, COVID-19 continues to spread across the world like wildfire. Among the south-east Asian countries that experienced the havoc wreaked by the novel coronavirus, Singapore was the most stringent with its efforts, pertaining to social distancing and lockdown. And as the city had barely contained the coronavirus and was unlocking the nation gradually, it has now gotten affected with yet another catastrophe -- Dengue. Reuters Reported first by Reuters, the small island of Singapore that is home to 5.7 million people has now registered over 26,000 cases of Dengue in 2020 -- breaking the previous record of 2013 when it registered around 22,000 cases. As of now, twenty people have died because of dengue. Only 27 have died of COVID-19 in Singapore as of now. What happens during dengue? Dengue is spread by several species of female mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, principally Aedes aegypti. Dengue can be fatal and cause severe fever that can cause internal bleeding, shock, rashes, vomiting, muscle or joint pain and several other extreme health conditions. With cases of dengue spreading rapidly, the authorities have introduced a new way to deal with the mosquitoes and take them down once and for all. The Wolbachia project In Singapores government laboratories, scientists have bred the bacteria-carrying mosquitoes in rows of pallets where theyve separated the male pupae for release in the worst-hit dengue areas. These in-bred mosquitoes arent like conventional mosquitoes -- they cannot spread malaria or even dengue. These diseases are primarily spread by female mosquitoes and the Wolbachia Project includes all male mosquitoes which are genetically modified. These mosquitoes, when mate with female mosquitoes (that arent genetically modified), they dont fertilise the eggs, thus preventing them from hatching. Eventually, the female mosquitoes die (they can survive only up to 7 days) and the spreading of the disease is gradually reduced. Reuters These mosquitoes are stored in containers where theyre released in a batch of 150. A similar strategy was adopted by researchers in Australia. While this is a novel way to eliminate mosquitoes, and it has even shown success with 90 percent declines in some areas in Singapore some experts believe that such an application might not be effective in a dense urban region like Singapore. Paul Tambyah, senior consultant at Singapore`s National University Hospital said, "You`ve got to flood the island with these mosquitoes, and people get annoyed. They're not going to grab the mosquito and examine and see whether it's a male or female. They're going to swipe them away, and that kind of defeats the purpose." A one-year-old boy has been found after he was snatched form his mothers arms at gunpoint. Mateo Montufar-Barrera was abducted while his mother was pushing him in a stroller in Chamblee, in the US state of Georgia on Saturday (local time). The childs mother, who has not been named, told police a man got out of a maroon SUV and pointed a gun at her hip, before grabbing her son from the pram. According to the FBI, the mother put up a fierce fight ripping a piece of material from the suspects shorts and grabbing one of his shoes in the frightening altercation. Mateo Montufar-Barrera was abducted while his mother was pushing him in a stroller despite her fighting off the suspect, ripping clothing and a shoe from him. Source: FBI AJC News reports the mother managed to wrestle the gun from the man and tried to shoot but the weapon didnt fire. The suspects, now identified as Maynor Dario Valera Zuniga and Kristin Nicole Valera Zuniga, drove away with the child and were stopped in the same car at 5pm that evening (local time) by Georgia State Patrol after an Amber Alert was issued for the toddler. They were arrested and taken into custody. #Breaking @ChambleePd and #FBI Atlanta are searching for 1-year old Mateo Alejandro Montufar-Barrera who was kidnapped at gunpoint from his mother, who was walking him in a stroller. If you see him or the suspect vehicle call 911 immediately. pic.twitter.com/3gcFhNos1a FBI Atlanta (@FBIAtlanta) August 29, 2020 Mateo was unharmed and has been reunited with his mother. Its unclear if the suspects are known to the mother. 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. Lebanese security forces have arrested three Egyptian men wanted in their home country on charges of involvement in an alleged gang rape six years ago. The arrest, reported late Saturday, followed an Interpol notice for the suspects at the request of Egypt. A Lebanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Sunday that legal and administrative procedures were underway to deport the three men, who are in their early 30s. The case was uncovered by a social media account following sexual assaults in Egypt. The alleged gang rape took place at a five-star Cairo hotel in 2014 but word of the assault surfaced only in July when an Instagram account, Assault Police, reported the allegations as part of a vigorous #MeToo campaign that swept Egypt this summer. Last week, Egyptian prosecutors named nine men as suspects seven had already left the country after allegations of the rape went viral in July. Five of the suspects arrived in Lebanon, according to a statement from Lebanon's Internal Security Forces. Acting on a request from Egypt, three were arrested late Friday in the village of Fatqa, north of Beirut, while the other two have apparently left Lebanon. Another two suspects were arrested in Egypt, including one last week as he attempted to flee the country. The whereabouts of the other suspects remain unknown. The Egypt #MeToo campaign also led to the arrest of a former student at Egypts most elite university, the American University of Cairo, over multiple accusations of rape and sexual assaults. Police Assault said at least six men hailing from wealthy and powerful families had drugged and raped a woman after a party at Cairos five-star Fairmont Nile City Hotel. Following the Instagram report, Egypt's chief prosecutor opened an investigation and last week, General Prosecutor Hamada el-Sawy issued the arrest warrants. The mass use of hand gels during the coronavirus pandemic may create a superbug 'armageddon' as other bacteria and viruses build up a resistance, researchers have warned. Dr Andrew Kemp has said that the overuse of alcohol-based hand gels during the pandemic will allow other bacteria and viruses on our hands to adapt and survive gel use. Dr Kemp, head of the Scientific Advisory Board on the British Institute of Cleaning Science, added that if this were to happen, it could lead to an 'armageddon situation', according to the Daily Express. The fear over the spread of coronavirus in the UK led to panic-buying of sanitising hand gels has forced some retailers to ration supplies. Chancellor Rishi Sunak wearing face coverings and using hand sanitising gel as they arrive for a visit to the Jobcentre Plus in Barking, east London last month as experts warn excessive hand gel use may allow bugs to build up a resistance risking a 'superbug armageddon' While demand has plateaued as the pandemic has progressed, hand sanitisers are still routinely used, often positioned at the entrance of shops and other public establishments. But Dr Kemp says efforts should be focused on hand-washing instead which is the best way to rid your hands of bacteria and viruses. He told the Express: 'Hand gels should only be used as a last resort and as a short term temporary measure or stop gap if soap and water are not available. 'At the moment there is no published proof that alcohol gels killed Covid-19 itself. 'Even if they did kill 99.9 percent of all bacteria, there can be more than a million bacteria on your hands at any one time leaving 10,000 alive after sanitisation. 'Recent research shows the surviving bugs which are not killed by alcohol gels are themselves highly dangerous pathogens and may increase in numbers. 'This means our routine use of gels could ultimately cause us more harm than good.' Researchers say there is currently no research showing alcohol gel kills coronavirus (pictured) Dr Kemp will present his findings at the International Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance conference in Amsterdam next October. The World Health Organisation states the best way to protect yourself from the coronavirus is to wash your hands, ensuring you use enough soap to cover your hands and using the towel to turn the tap off when hand washing is completed. It states that hand gel should only be used 'if you don't have immediate access to soap and water'. The government's Department of Health has campaigned about the importance of washing your hands during the pandemic, and advised: 'You should wash your hands for 20 seconds, using soap and water or hand sanitiser'. A Department of Health spokeswoman said: 'The most effective means of preventing the spread of this virus remains to stay alert, follow social distancing rules, wash your hands regularly and wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces.' Ltd has said its Lanjigarh alumina refinery in Odisha will continue to support 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' by producing quality raw material for aluminium production. Addressing employees at the refinery in Lanjigarh virtually, Ltd Executive Vice-Chairman Navin Agarwal said the plant is poised to make a mark in the history of aluminium production in the world. "The refinery will continue to support Aatmanirbhar Bharat' by producing high quality raw material for aluminium production a vital raw material for the country - through digitalization, focus on quality, skill enhancement and asset optimisation," he said. During a virtual townhall meeting, Agarwal interacted with the employees and business partners at Lanjigarh and answered their queries on various matters. He also praised the steps taken by Lanjigarh during the COVID-19 outbreak. (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.) WITH ZANU PF continuing to reel from its long-standing demons of factionalism and tribalism, its national political commissar Victor Matemadanda has warned that the future of the party is on the line if its bigwigs dont stop their destructive politicking, the Daily News On Sunday reports. Addressing Zanu PF structures in Harare last week, the straight-talking Matemadanda who is also Deputy Defence minister and secretary-general of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) also demanded warring party officials to show loyalty to President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He warned that the ongoing infighting in Zanu PF would have serious consequences for the former liberation movement adding that it was in no ones interest for the ruling party to return to the anarchy that was witnessed in the last few years in power of the late former president Robert Mugabe, when factionalism, tribalism and succession wars split it through the middle. This comes as there are widening fissures in the party, which recently jettisoned two politburo members Cleveria Chizema and Tendai Savanhu for allegedly showing disloyalty to the party and its leadership. There is this habit among party members of labelling each other G40 (a vanquished faction of the party) for example. People are not putting maximum effort to their party work due to this. We must know that Mugabe was our leader for nearly 40 years. All of us wanted to be close even to (Mugabes wife) Grace. We must forget about the past and start new things so that our party can continue to grow. You must not make unnecessary accusations against each other, Matemadanda said. I want to warn you this must stop for the good of our party. The MDC is dead and we cant lose elections to a dead party. But as long as we remain divided we will not go anywhere. We are witnessing tribal wars but we cant run the party through tribal lines, he added ruefully. Matemadanda said further that failure to nip factionalism and tribalism in the bud in the party would have serious ramifications for its survival. We respected (the late vice president Joshua) Nkomo as our leader. People from Plumtree up to Mutoko sang songs praising Nkomo. Our relationship should not be premised on tribalism and regionalism. Some are saying let us wait and see whether we are going to support a certain leader or not. Thats what you are doing here in Harare this habit has grown in Harare. It is now like a huge tree and you are saying we are tribal specialists. This is not good for the party and it must stop, Matemadanda warned. This comes as Mnangagwa who ascended to power via a popular military coup has come under growing pressure from long-suffering Zimbabweans over his governments failure to mend the countrys broken economy. It also comes as more and more Zanu PF bigwigs are bemoaning the resurgence of the partys factional, tribal and succession demons which devastated the former liberation movement during Mugabes last few years in power. Then, Mnangagwa was involved in a hammer and tongs war with the partys Generation 40 (G40) faction which had coalesced around the nonagenarians erratic wife Grace. The vicious brawling took a nasty turn when Mnangagwa was allegedly poisoned by his rivals during one of Mugabes highly-divisive youth interface rallies in Gwanda in 2017. The then VPs fate was eventually sealed on November 6, 2017 when Mugabe fired his long-time lieutenant a few days after his allies had booed the irascible Grace during a tense rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo. However, tables were dramatically turned on Mugabe when the military rolled in their tanks on November 15 of that year and deposed the long-ruling leader from power which saw a number of alleged G40 kingpins fleeing into self-imposed exile soon afterwards. They spent the bulk of lockdown together in California. But, Emily Ratajkowski and husband Sebastian Bear-McClard co-ordinate in tie dye tops and face masks as they pick up fruit and vegetables in the Hamptons, New York, on Saturday. The model, 29, opted for a predominately navy and orange T-shirt which she teamed with khaki joggers and a pair of white trainers. Cute! Emily Ratajkowski, 29, and husband Sebastian Bear-McClard co-ordinate in tie dye tops and face masks as they pick up fruit and vegetables in the Hamptons, New York, on Saturday Sebastian wore a sleeveless white a purple tie dye top, with a white pair of shorts and black flip flops. Emily carried their purchases in her arms after she and her hubby stopped to pick up groceries during their relaxing weekend together. The couple put safety first as they both covered up with face masks. The star and her husband Sebastian have recently returned to New York after quarantining in California for a period of time. Quirky: The model opted for a predominately navy and orange T-shirt which she teamed with khaki joggers, and put safety first as she covered up with a face mask Matching: Sebastian wore a sleeveless white a purple tie dye top with a white pair of shorts In an interview with GQ, Emily said it had been 'interesting' self-isolating with Sebastian, and predicted the quarantine may lead to many divorces. 'Its been interesting being in quarantine and married. I feel like a lot of people will end up divorced. 'But my husband and I are in a good partnership. And I think that Ive learned a lot about myself being married, for sure.' Emily surprised fans back in 2018 after announcing she had tied the knot with Sebastian at a NYC courthouse, with social media sensation Fat Jewish among those in attendance. While the lightning-fast relationship surprised many fans, the couple were actually friends for years prior to becoming romantic. 'Emily has known Sebastian for years,' a source told Us Weekly at the time. 'They were all in a friend group. He wasnt a stranger.' Josh Frydenberg has slammed Daniel Andrews for 'devastating' the economy, as the treasurer revealed the true impact of Victoria's lockdown for the first time. Scott Morrison and his cabinet ministers have in recent weeks ramped up attacks on the embattled premier, who has come under increasing pressure over his handling of the state's second wave. Mr Frydenberg didn't mince his words on Sunday, saying Mr Andrews was responsible for a 'litany of failures' that saw the virus spiral out of control and force millions of people back into lockdown. 'The costs are immense. Treasury have said 10 to 12 billion dollars is the hit to the Australian economy over the September quarter,' he said on Sunday. Scroll down for video Melburnians are seen on the city's streets on Sunday in the winter sunshine Mr Frydenberg accused Mr Andrews of over-reach for seeking a 12-month extension of his government's state of emergency powers. 'I want to hear more about a message of hope for the people of Victoria,' Mr Frydenberg, himself a Victorian, told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program. 'Daniel Andrews and the Victorian government need to be talking more about the road out than about a longer road in.' Victoria's makes up a quarter of Australia's economy but has been hit by tough Stage Four restrictions that were imposed on Melbourne on August 2. The measures came as the state's outbreak soared out of control, peaking at more than 700 new cases on August 4. A couple enjoy the sun on Melbourne's Yarra Banks on Sunday afternoon Since the lockdown began, daily new case numbers have dropped. Victoria recorded 114 new coronavirus cases on Sunday bringing the state's total to 19,015, of which 2,830 are active. On Saturday the new infection numbers dipped below 100 for the first time in almost two months with 94 new cases detected. But the costs of getting the virus under control have taken a huge economic toll, prompting scathing criticism from Mr Frydenberg. 'Restrictions imposed by the Victorian Government have had a devastating impact on the economy,' he said on Sunday night. The measures came as the state's outbreak soared out of control, peaking at more than 700 new cases on August 4 Jobless queues at Centrelink in Flemington, Victoria, on March 23. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg blasted Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews as he wants restrictions loosened so the economy can recover. Mr Andrews says the economy can't recover until the health crisis is fixed 'The number of Victorians on unemployment benefits has significantly increased with the impost of restrictions while numbers in other states have declined. VICTORIA BY THE NUMBERS * JobKeeper about 280,000 entities have received $12.25 billion in payments for 975,000 Victorians. * Treasury estimates 60 per cent of Australia's 2.24 million December quarter JobKeeper recipients will be in Victoria * In the March quarter, about 60 per cent of 1.75 million JobKeeper recipients will be from Victoria CashFlow Boost More than 200,000 entities have received about $6 billion in credits JobSeeker More than 400,000 recipients Coronavirus supplement ($550) Around 600,000 recipients Source: Treasury analysis released by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's office Advertisement 'At the same time household spending in Victoria is down more than 30 per cent through the year while the rest of Australia is only down around 3 per cent.' Premier Andrews said he wasn't interested in arguing with anyone 'other than this wildly infectious virus'. 'What I would say is this, there can be no economic recovery until you get the health problem fixed,' he said on Sunday. Premier Andrews said there were still two weeks to go before the Stage Four restrictions are scheduled to end. 'This strategy is working. We are going to defeat the second wave,' Mr Andrews said. 'I don't think it's unreasonable to put forward a plan that is based on data, science and evidence and the best of medical advice.' According to Treasury figures, Victoria has seen a massive spike in people claiming unemployment benefits and a decrease in spending growth relative to the rest of Australia since the lockdowns were imposed. In the December and March quarters, more Victorians are forecast to be on the JobKeeper program than every other state combined, the Treasurer's office said in a release. Treasury data found those receiving unemployment benefits increased by eight per cent across Melbourne when Stage Four restrictions were re-imposed, but by only three per cent in regional Victoria with less rigorous stage three restrictions. The Treasury analysis also found the lockdowns cut discretionary spending on goods and services. Discretionary spending growth fell by 40 per cent in the year to mid-April then recovered to negative five per cent in June as the first round of restrictions were eased. In August, however, it has fallen again by 45 per cent as the second round of lockdowns bite with the Stage Four restrictions having an immediate impact on spending. Spring in Melbourne as residents still struggle under Stage Four restrictions. Pictured: Southbank on Saturday. Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has ripped into Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews for a 'litany of failures' costing the state billions Treasury figures released by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's office show Victoria's unemployment level shooting above the rest of Australia due to coronavirus lockdowns Treasury figures released by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's office show Victoria's household spending has fallen well below the rest of Australia, harming the economy This week's June quarter figures, out on Wednesday, are expected to show a GDP fall of up to 7 per cent for the biggest quarterly contraction since World War II. GDP is a measure of the nations Gross Domestic Product, which is the monetary value of all goods and services produced and is used as a barometer of economic health. With GDP falling 0.3 per cent in the three months to the end of March, that will make two negative quarters in a row - which means Australia is officially in recession. It will be Australia's first recession since 1991. In a recession, economic activity falls, jobs are lost and unemployment rises. STATE OF EMERGENCY SET TO BE EXTENDED IN VICTORIA Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the state's daily coronavirus cases remain too high for him to release a road map out of lockdown. Victoria recorded 114 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths on Sunday, bringing the state's toll from the virus to 524 and the national figure to 611. Of the fatalities, 382 are linked to aged care. It comes after the state saw 94 new infections on Saturday - the first time daily case numbers have fallen below 100 since July 5. While the premier said the downward trend was promising, it was still too early to announce how restrictions will ease come September 13. ANOTHER TWO WEEKS OF STRICT LOCKDOWN IN MELBOURNE Metropolitan Melbourne is subject to another fortnight of strict stage four restrictions including an 8pm to 5am curfew and a ban on travelling beyond a five-kilometre radius of home. Regional Victoria is under slightly less strict stage three restrictions. 'We are seeing a fall across each of the key metrics and the strategy is working and that is a credit to every Victorian who has made a powerful contribution to that end,' Mr Andrews told reporters on Sunday. 'But we just have to stay the course on this.' The premier said new cases numbers would 'explode' if restrictions were eased now. The state's next set of restrictions will be guided by 'science and data and evidence' and will likely be in place for 'many months', he said. With lower case numbers, it will also be possible to take a more 'localised and isolated approach' to stemming coronavirus outbreaks. An announcement will be made on Monday regarding how the government will work with the business sector on its plans to open up. STATE OF EMERGENCY SET TO BE EXTENDED Meanwhile, it looks likely the government has the support of enough crossbench MPs in the upper house to extend the current state of emergency beyond September 13. Key crossbencher Fiona Patten said on Saturday she could get support for a sixth-month extension of the state of emergency - rather than a year as originally proposed Under the Reason Party proposal, the government will be able to write and pass COVID-19-specific laws until March but would have to brief minor parties and independents once a month to justify the continuation of the state of emergency. 'This is a fair arrangement that I believe could gain the support of several of my colleagues and pass the parliament - only by a small margin though,' Ms Patten said. Mr Andrews said discussions with the crossbench were still ongoing. STATE OF DISASTER ALSO SET TO BE EXTENDED A separate state of disaster order is also set to be extended when it expires this week, allowing the curfew and five-kilometre rule to continue. The power to extend the order lies with Police Minister Lisa Neville rather than parliament. Nine of Victoria's 11 deaths are linked to outbreaks at aged care facilities. The deaths include one man aged in his 70s, five women and one man in their 80s and three women and one man in their 90s. Victoria's 2830 active cases include 406 healthcare workers and 1277 in aged care. There are 472 people in hospital with coronavirus, including 25 in intensive care. Source: AAP Advertisement The jobless rate is now 7.5 per cent compared with 5.1 per cent in February, meaning more than a million people are now unemployed. Federal parliament must pass both JobKeeper and the enhanced JobSeeker unemployment benefits this week as the existing arrangements run out next month. JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments have been extended past September but Government has said it will reduce the amounts of the supplements. After this week, parliament won't sit again until the October 6 budget. Treasurer Frydenberg has been pushing for a suppression strategy for the coronavirus with an easing of restrictions rather than an elimination strategy. Melbournes venture out in Southbank on Saturday to enjoy the spring sunshine. Premier Daniel Andrews said the virus is not yet under control enough to ease restrictions or the state will risk the coronavirus once again spiralling out of control 'As we have seen in other states, if you can successfully suppress the virus jobs will return,' he said in a release on Sunday night. 'In July the effective unemployment rate in Victoria, before the stage four lockdown, was around 10.5 per cent, while it was around 8.5 per cent in NSW where they are managing the virus and have reopened their economy.' The suppression strategy has been opposed by epidemiologists who say it would undermine the containment. Suppression is also opposed by some economists who say it would result in yo-yo-ing restrictions that keep having to be reimposed, and uncertainty for business. The political argy bargy between Labor's Victorian Premier and the Coalition's Federal Treasurer comes as world coronavirus case numbers soared to 25.2 million with 847,241 deaths on Sunday night. The USA remains the country with the most cases at 6.1 million infected and 186,857 dead. Australia's total case numbers rose by 125 to 25,670 on Sunday night according to the Federal Health department while the death toll rose to 611. OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives are calling on WE Charity to release a series of documents the Toronto-based youth organization promised to hand over to a House of Commons committee before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives are calling on WE Charity to release a series of documents the Toronto-based youth organization promised to hand over to a House of Commons committee before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament. But WE is pushing back against the Tories' request, with the organization's legal counsel saying it amounts to "politics, not proper process." A translator works as WE Charity founders 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 federal Conservatives are calling on WE Charity to release a series of documents that the Toronto-based youth organization promised to hand over to a House of Commons committee before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The Tories' request is contained in a letter sent Sunday from Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre and ethics critic Michael Barrett to Craig and Marc Kielburger, the brothers who co-founded WE more than 20 years ago. It represents the official Opposition's latest effort to continue digging into the decision to have WE run a multimillion-dollar student-volunteer program, after Trudeau temporarily shuttered several Commons committee investigations by proroguing Parliament on Aug. 18. In their letter, Poilievre and Barrett note the Kielburgers and other WE officials committed to provide members of Parliament with answers to several questions they were unable to answer while appearing before the finance committee. Those unanswered questions are outlined in two annexes prepared by the Library of Parliament and attached to the Conservatives' letter, and include details on WE's discussions with the Liberal government about the Canada Student Services Grant. The finance committee also asked the charity to provide more information about two trips that WE hosted for then-finance minister Bill Morneau and his family to Kenya and Ecuador. "That additional information had not been provided to the committee at the time that Justin Trudeau shut down Parliament," Poilievre and Barrett wrote to the Kielburgers. "However, given you both expressed your desire to provide members of Parliament with the information required, we urge you to not wait for the House of Commons to return in September." The Kielburgers spoke to the finance committee via videolink on July 28, at which time they insisted WE was not chosen to run the Canada Student Services Grant because of the organization's ties to Trudeau and other members of the Liberal government. WE executives Dalal Al Waheidi, Scott Baker and Sofia Marquez appeared two weeks later, when they were grilled over dozens of communications with public office holders despite not being registered with the federal lobbyist registry. In a statement to the Canadian Press on Sunday, a lawyer for WE appeared to reject the Conservatives' request. "Mr. Poilievre's letter amounts to politics, not proper process," William McDowell said. "The committees ceased to exist with the prorogation of Parliament. There is no committee to receive the documents." McDowell added that "when there is a new committee, our clients will be pleased to communicate with the clerk of the new committee regarding the production of documents." All committee work officially ends when Parliament is prorogued. But the committees can reconstitute themselves and continue their studies when it resumes. That is expected to happen after the throne speech on Sept. 23 as opposition parties hold a majority of seats on all committees. To that end, Poilievre and Barrett warned the finance committee would "aggressively" follow up on any outstanding information after Parliament resumes, "but we are certain that in the spirit of co-operation you will want to proactively respond now." The Canada Student Services Grant was announced by Trudeau on June 25 and billed as a way for students to earn money towards their post-secondary education by volunteering for charities and non-profit groups fighting COVID-19. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But the government's decision to have WE run the program, which had an announced budget of $912 million, drew immediate allegations of a conflict of interest due to Trudeau's ties to the charity, including appearances at several of its WE Day rallies. WE eventually backed out of the agreement, citing political controversy, and the grant program has since been abandoned. The ethics commissioner is now investigating Trudeau, whose family was paid to appear at several WE events, as well as Morneau. Barrett wrote last week to Speaker's Spotlight, the agency through which WE paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trudeau's wife, mother and brother for those events, to hand over all documents about the arrangements. Trudeau and Morneau have apologized for not recusing themselves from cabinet's discussions about the agreement to have WE run the grant program, but insisted it was public servants who recommended the organization. Thousands of government documents released by Trudeau when he prorogued Parliament appear to back up that assertion, but also suggest bureaucrats may have been encouraged to work with WE by their political masters. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2020. You must be logged in to participate in the Show Me the Errors contest. The operations were carried out between 22 July and 30 August Egypt's armed forces have killed 77 terrorist elements during various raids in the last few weeks, the countrys military spokesman said on Sunday, adding that the operations had led to the death or injury of seven army personnel. A video statement on the spokesman's Facebook page said the army had killed 73 takfiris in raids in North Sinai and had destroyed 317 hideouts and stores which the terrorist elements had used as shelters and ammunition warehouses. Ten four-wheel drive vehicles were destroyed during the raid. Other operations were carried out and resulted in the death of two "extremely dangerous" militants who were found in possession of two rifles, five magazines, and an explosive belt. Two other takfiris were killed and another one was wounded, the statement said. Four rifles, six magazines and large quantities of ammunition, explosives, a motorcycle, three water lifting machines, and sums of money were found in their possession, according to the spokesman. The injured terrorist is receiving medical treatment at a military hospital and is being interrogated. The statement also said that the air forces had destroyed nine four-wheel drive vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition that were on their way to illegally cross the western borders. This coincides with the intensification of the naval forces' work of mopping-up and inspection of the operation area of the Mediterranean and Red Sea to secure economic objectives and secure the coastal strip against any threats, in addition to activating maritime security measures within our territorial waters, the statement added. "As a result of the valiant combating operations, three officers and four soldiers were martyred or injured," read the statement. The operations were carried out between 22 July and 30 August. Search Keywords: Short link: Seasonal torrential rains have claimed 134 lives and injured 81 others in Pakistan in the last over two months since the monsoon began in the country, the national disaster management agency said on Sunday. Every year, Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual monsoon deluge and other rain-related incidents. The monsoon season runs from June-July through September. Monsoon rains are lashing Pakistan at a time when authorities are trying to contain the spread of the coronovirus, which caused 6,288 deaths since February when the country reported its first case. Nine more people -- five in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and four in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) -- died overnight, pushing the nationwide monsoon-related death toll to 134, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said. "Of those killed, 61 are males, 14 females and 59 children, it said, adding that 81 people, including 10 in the last 24 hours, were also injured in various rain-related incidents across the country. A total of 48 people died in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, followed by 34 in Sindh, 17 in Balochistan, 14 in Punjab, 11 in Gilgit-Baltistan region and 10 in PoK. Among those injured, 42 were reported from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 13 from Balochistan, nine from Sindh, eight from Punjab, five from PoK and four from Gilgit-Baltistan. Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains damaged 1,001 houses fully and 435 others partially, the NDMA said. The authorities have so far provided about 830 tons of food to people affected by rain and related mishaps. They were also given 14,985 tents, 2,956 blankets and 2,200 mosquito nets in addition to other supplies. Monsoon rains hit the sub-continent every year in summer, bringing heavy downpour that trigger floods and landslides and displace hundreds and thousands of people. (image from AP) A black teenager allegedly stabbed a white Auto Zone employee after watching Facebook videos of police brutality and feeling felt 'the need to find a white male to kill', prosecutors claim. Jayvon Hatchett, 19, appeared in court in Columbus, Georgia, on Thursday charged with with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime. He entered the Auto Zone near his home in Columbus on August 25 at 8:36am, and asked the employee for a thermostat. When the worker told him they did not have one and turned to walk away, Hatchett allegedly stabbed him multiple times, then fled from the store. Surveillance footage appears to show him running from the scene. Jayvon Hatchett, 16, has been charged with aggravated assault for the August 25 attack Hatchett was seen on surveillance footage walking up to the Auto Zone store in Columbus Shortly after he was seen running away from the store, having allstabbed the employee The worker was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Authorities say he is to be lucky to be alive. Police were tipped off by members of the public after releasing images captured on surveillance cameras. On Thursday, Hatchett appeared before Judge Julius Hunter for his arraignment. Sgt Ray Mills told the court that Hatchett smiled at officers when they came to arrest him at his home, and confessed to stabbing the employee. Police were called to the store and quickly tracked down Hatchett after tips from the public Mills claimed Hatchett told him he was angered by clips of police brutality he had seen on social media, and targeted his victim because he was white. 'Mr Hatchett told me that he had been watching Facebook videos of police shootings in other parts of the country and that he felt the need to find a white male to kill,' Mills told the court, according to WRBL. Just three days before the stabbing, Hatchett had been freed on bond after being charged with criminal damage to property, WLTZ reported. And he was arrested six months ago for two felonies including aggravated assault. Judge Hunter declined to issue bond after the latest charges, and ordered a mental health evaluation. Hatchett's case has been sent up to Superior Court. Juliana Paes is a telenovela queen in Brazil and she is ready to take over the United States with her new role on Dulce Ambicion. Univision is set to air the series produced by Globo TV about a strong-willed woman that will inspire viewers. The story about a baker that creates her own empire is the positivity we need during these trying times and Maria de la Paz is set to take our hearts. Juliana Paes | Rede Globo / Univision What is Dulce Ambicion about? Univision is changing things up in their primetime introducing a Brazilian telenovela from Globo. The Spanish-language network had aired biblical series from the South American country but from Globos competitor Record. This would mark the first time the leading network airs a production from the No. 1 network in Brazil. This Brazilian drama features a strong, empowered female lead named Maria de la Paz (Paes) and a unique antagonist her daughter Yosiane (Agatha Moreira). Maria is a baker who becomes a wealthy businesswoman 20 years after she loses the love of her life, Amadeus (Marcos Palmeira), who was shot on their wedding day. She flees her small town to the big city where she finds out she is pregnant. Juliana Paes plays Maria de la Paz on Univisions Dulce Ambicion. | Rede Globo / Univision RELATED: Big Brother 22 House Placed on Lockdown After Fan Allegedly Yells, F*** Nicole Twenty years later, her daughter Yosiane despises her mothers humble origins and starts an alliance with the charming yet cunning Regis (Reynaldo Gianecchini) to steal Marias fortune. But he falls in love with Maria and as the events unfold the unimaginable happens, Amadeus comes back into her life. Viewers will also be introduced to another riveting story of sisters, Vivi and Fabiana, Marias nieces who were separated as kids. After the incident at the wedding, Amadeus father orders Marias nieces to be murdered, but they end up miraculously surviving the attempt. Fabiana ends up in a convent and Virginia lives on the streets until she is adopted by a rich couple. Vivi ends up becoming a digital influencer, adding a contemporary tone to a drama that highlights traditional themes of hope and resilience. Paolla Oliveira is part of the Dulce Ambicion cast | Rede Globo / Univision RELATED: When Does The View Return With Live Episodes for Season 24? Why Maria de la Paz was an inspiration for Juliana Paes Every time a new series premieres on television, everyone involved in the production hopes that its a success. For Paes, it was a big surprise that this Walcyr Carrasco original connected with viewers in such a massive way. It was a big surprise in the beginning because its a simple story. There was nothing complicated, Paes told us during a Zoom interview. Its a story about a woman struggling to survive alone in a big city. Alone and with the power of will she became one of the biggest business women she built an empire and along with this she had a daughter. The actress said that the way the story was written, became special for the audience and has hopes it will connect with viewers in the United States. Juliana Paes is Maria de la Paz in Dulce Ambicion | Rede Globo / Univision RELATED: Dorinda Medleys RHONY Exit Brings Avalanche of Love From Fellow Bravolebrities Playing Maria de la Paz was something that made Paes make some changes in her life. The character is full of positivity and when it was time she make some decisions she thought about how her fictional character would go about it. I was thinking when the job [ended] and when we finished everything, I [had set goals] in my life and [thought] what Maria de la Paz do in my place? Paes said. She inspired me because of this mood of hers. She always had a positive way to look at the situation. Even on the worst occasions she always had a different point of view and this really changed me in a very special way. Dulce Ambicion premieres Monday, August 31 at 10 p.m. ET on Univision. The telenovela has been dubbed into Spanish from the original Portuguese language. However, English-only speakers will be able to follow along with subtitles in English on CC3. Two Turkish Soldiers Die in Clash With PKK Members, Defence Ministry Says Sputnik News 18:05 GMT 29.08.2020 ANKARA (Sputnik) - Two Turkish soldiers were fatally wounded during an operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara considers a terrorist group, in the eastern Agri province near the border with Iran on Saturday, the Defence Ministry said. "As a result of a clash with members of the terrorist organisation (PKK) who tried to enter [Turkey] from Iran on August 29 in the Dogubeyazit region of the Agri province, two of our soldiers were injured. They were immediately taken to the hospital, but, despite all the measures taken, they died", the ministry said. Turkey has launched several security operations against the PKK in the country's southern and eastern regions over the past two months. In a separate statement, the Turkish Defence Ministry said that the country's military neutralised five PKK members during an operation in northern Iraq. Northern Iraq is the Kurdish-populated region that Ankara regularly launches attacks on, as designates the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as a terrorist group. Turkey has been fighting the PKK, which seeks to establish a Kurdish autonomy in Turkey, since the early 1980s. The PKK and Ankara signed a ceasefire agreement in 2013, but it collapsed two years later over several terror attacks allegedly committed by PKK militants. Since PKK military bases are located in northern Iraq, Ankara regularly conducts land and air operations in the region. In mid-August, the Iraqi security forces also reported that at least two officers of the country's border guard had been killed in an attack by a Turkish UAV. In response, the Iraqi authorities cancelled a visit of Turkish Defene Minister Hulusi Akar to Baghdad and summoned the Turkish ambassador to the Iraqi capital. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Maharashtra forest department and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in a joint operation busted a pangolin smuggling racket in Satara with six persons arrested between Saturday and Sunday, officials said. The forest department and WCCB officials acted as dummy customers to lure and nab the smugglers. Investigators also rescued a live pangolin and seized three motorcycles, six mobile phones, and other items from the smugglers. All six accused, residents of Warje, Ramnagar and Pune, were arrested and will be presented before a district court on Monday. Hunting pangolins is an offence as the animal is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, akin to the protection status given to a tiger, leopard or elephant. The crime invites imprisonment between three to seven years and a fine of up to Rs. 10,000. Senior WCCB official said this was the second major pangolin smuggling racket busted along west Maharashtra this year, and authorities were edging closer to bust the overall racket. On June 10, six people were arrested from Nanded and one from Pune, all involved in a similar racket and two live pangolins were rescued. Illegal pangolin trade has become a serious matter of concern along west Maharashtra. Both these cases (Nanded and Satara) have opened up trade routes and information that will help us nab more persons involved in this money-making scheme, said M Maranko, regional deputy director, WCCB. In the latest case, forest officials said they were tipped off about a group of persons involved in this trade. WCCB member Rohan Bhate and a team of forest and police officers headed by Sachin Dombale, range forest officer (vigilance squad) Satara portrayed themselves as buyers and set up a trap to nab the accused. Pangolins are being used for their meat, their scales are valuable in the international market, and they are also kept by some as a sign of good luck or superstitions allegedly involving witchcraft. This is activating the illegal trade, which involves a lot of money, said Dombale. Bhate said one of the six accused had a bogus identity card showing he assisted the forest department. We are coming across such frauds that are either smuggling snake venom or pangolins using such illegal ID cards. Their registration needs to be cancelled at the earliest to prevent such crimes, he said. Maranko said from both cases, Nanded and Satara, WCCB believe there is a poultry farm located somewhere between Pune and Satara where live pangolins were being stored for trade. We are working with local teams to identify and arrest more persons to nip this illegal trade in the bud, he said. Meanwhile, in another incident from Karad, a dead Indian crested porcupine (schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) was recovered from a flat and one person was arrested, SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As protesters march against racism and police violence in cities and towns across the nation, they are being confronted by groups of armed civilians who claim to be assisting and showing support for police battered and overwhelmed by the protests. The confrontations have left at least three people dead in recent days: In addition to the two protesters killed Tuesday in Kenosha, a man thought to be associated with a far-right group called Patriot Prayer was fatally shot late Saturday in Portland, Ore. Phoebe Wong is trying to experience teaching in a kinder classroom via her laptop. The second-year early childhood education student is among the Victorian teaching students who can no longer do practical placement in schools because of the state's coronavirus lockdown and move to remote learning. Phoebe Wong's early childhood studies have been disrupted by coronavirus. Credit:Jason South "When I first got the news it was kind of hard to believe; we need hands-on experience with children and learning [to work with] different children in different settings," Ms Wong said. Victoria University, where Ms Wong studies, moved to help their students by organising one-on-one virtual placements using Zoom, often with children of university staff. Pushkar Banakar By Indias help has helped Ghana keep its Covid-19 tally low, Michael Aaron NN Oquaye Esq (Jnr), Ghanas High Commissioner to India, said in an interview with Pushkar Banakar. Excerpts: How do you see India-Ghana relations evolving after the pandemic? The pandemic showed us why Ghana is very close to India. We have a similar cultural background and we have a similar climate of business. During the pandemic, Ghana has had lots of conversations with India including conversations for pharmaceutical products. This has proven our relations. In fact, a large number of pharmaceutical products sold in Ghana are manufactured in India. The Ghanian government spoke to the Indian government to arrange import of HCQ which was useful in tackling coronavirus. If you see, Ghanas Covid deaths are very low. There has been considerable dip in imports and exports between Ghana and India. Do you see a particular reason? If yes, how are you trying to overcome this? The figures are actually reverse. It is true that in terms of trade in favour of India, the figures have gone down. However, in terms of investment, there is a different pattern. Trade with India in 2016 was $26 billion and it rose to around $30 billion the following year. Between 2017 and 2019 the trade has increased by 48 per cent. What really has come down is the balance of trade in favour of India. This is because Ghana is producing luxury items like gold and cocoa that India is consuming. The more India is prospering, the more gold and cocoa its people buy. There has been a new area of collaboration oil and gas. Recently, India has signed a MoU with Ghana for procurement of LPG. Oil companies want to come to Ghana for oil refining but the pandemic has pushed back that date. These factors put trade in Ghanas favour and also the fact that Indias consumption of goods has increased manifold. In terms of investment, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre has ranked India as number two not only in terms of number of projects but also in terms of monetary value. At the moment, there are 750 projects worth $1.8 billion. Recently, a group of Indian businessmen in Ghana donated Rs 4 million to help tackle Covid. The Indian diaspora is about 20,000 strong. What role has it played in development of the Ghanian economy? The number of Indians in Ghana has increased significantly and this has contributed to the huge investments. The number of visas granted to Indians has gone up at least 2.5 times in the last three years. The Association of Indians in Ghana and other prominent Indians have come together to chip in. This mainly went into feeding poor people in the lockdown. They also gave medicines and money for research at the Noguchi Memorial Institute and for procurement of test kits and PPEs. What are the new sectors of cooperation that Ghana is looking to deal with India? We are looking at the oil and gas sector. The Indian oil companies should not only look at end purchase. We want them to be a part of the full chain in the energy sector. We want them to be involved in drilling and other processes, too. Another area of interest is fishing... Railway is another sector in which the two countries have gone into a partnership. Wisconsin recently charged Kyle Rittenhouse with first degree murder for killing two people who were, from what I can see from the videos, attacking him with weapons. Whether Rittenhouse should have been in Kenosha in the first place, and with a weapon a 17-year old cannot legally carry in public, is a separate issue for courts of law to decide. The question at hand is however why he was charged with murder while his surviving alleged assailants were, as far as I know, not charged with anything. This leads to the need to educate potential jurors (i.e. all citizens who are eligible to serve on juries) proactively about important self-defense principles. This must happen before they are called for jury duty because it is illegal to do so afterward. Jurors need to understand the simple concept of din rodef, "the law of the pursuer." This gives defense attorneys a single word rodef -- to explain the concept if jurors are not already familiar with it. Rodef = One Who Pursues A rodef (plural rodfim) is somebody who pursues somebody else with the objective of causing death or serious physical injury. Din rodef entitles the one pursued, or a bystander, to use reasonable force, up to and including deadly force, to stop the rodef from completing the intended violent crime. The principle is actually very similar to most modern laws. Deadly force cannot be used if lesser force will suffice, and the rodef ceases to be a rodef the instant he desists from his violent actions. Din rodef is also reflected by the modern adages (in the context of a fight or argument) such as "Never follow anybody into the parking lot" and "Never follow the other guy home" because these are prima facie evidence of malicious and violent intent. It's hard for a rodef to claim innocence or self-defense when things go bad. The first Rittenhouse video shows clearly that he was running away from another man, presumably Joseph Rosenbaum, who apparently threw something at him. Rittenhouse was therefore trying to avoid a violent confrontation while Rosenbaum, as best I can tell from the video, was the rodef who insisted on having it. He got what he wanted as in, "Stupid game, stupid prize." The following opinions are based solely on what can be seen from the videos, and there may well be additional evidence. If I were on the jury I would, on the basis of just the video, toss the charges against Rittenhouse unless the prosecutor could show me very convincing evidence that the incident was not as it seemed. Facebook video screengrab The second Rittenhouse video shows clearly that Rittenhouse was running away from a mob of no fewer than four individuals whose numbers, even if unarmed, gave them disparity of force which is the same as deadly force. The audio includes explicit violent threats such as "get him" and "get his ass" to which CBS adds, "Beat him up!" While the individuals claimed later that they were trying to take Rittenhouse into custody for shooting Rosenbaum, "get his ass" and "beat him up" sound a lot more like an intention to take the law into their own hands. Even if they were in fact seeking to only apprehend Rittenhouse, which I doubt, their mantle of innocence went out the window the instant they said "beat him up." Twitter video screen grab The individuals in question, having apparently not learned from seeing one person shot for chasing Rittenhouse, made themselves into rodfim and, when Rittenhouse fell to the ground, went at him with a skateboard allegedly wielded by Anthony Huber and a pistol allegedly wielded by the survivor, Gaige Grosskreutz. If this is the whole story then my verdict as a juror would be "Another stupid game, two more stupid prizes." In addition, while Huber's past conduct did not entitle anybody to harm him except in self-defense, he was no angel if he was the same Anthony M. Huber cited in Kenosha County Case Number 2012CF001346. The deceased Anthony M. Huber's age (26) is consistent with the felon's date of birth in August 1996 which suggests they are the same; the former's friends are welcome to correct me if they are not. Rodfim Menace Others as Well There is another video in which a swarm of anarchists laid hands on somebody's car, whereupon the driver accelerated (not very quickly, he was trying not to hurt anybody) and hit several of the individuals in question. Then he slowed down in an attempt to drive away without causing further harm. The anarchists in question, who obviously learned nothing from the first time, made themselves into rodfim by running after the vehicle with the result that the motorist had to again use his accelerator pedal with obvious consequences. There is yet another video in which literally dozens of rodfim ran after a man and his daughter because they were unhappy that the latter were wearing patriotic costumes. The rodfim made verbal and/or visible violent threats, and they had the immediate means at hand (disparity of force) to put the threats into effect, which are the two prerequisites for a deadly force response. That is how I would decide this one as a juror, especially if those pursued were unable to run as fast as this father and his daughter. "Backing somebody into a corner" or "not allowing him to leave" is a variant of din rodef. Here is another video in which about a dozen Black Lives Matter anarchists surround a diner in a restaurant with raised fists, and their body language is (from my perspective) physically intimidating. They also enjoy disparity of force. While I agree with Kenny Rogers' Coward of the County's "walk away from trouble if you can," they have also denied the person they are menacing the option of doing exactly that. The rodfim in question have therefore (1) issued an implied violent threat by getting in the woman's face with upraised fists, (2) have the immediate means (disparity of force) of putting the threat into effect, and (3) have denied her the option of retreating in complete safety as required in jurisdictions without stand your ground laws, or indeed at all. Were a similar incident to end badly for other rodfim, the prosecutor would start with two and a half strikes against his or her case should he virtue signal to the "woke" Left by seeking "justice" for the rodfim in question if I were on the jury. None of this article constitutes legal advice. I believe, however, it is consistent with prevailing self-defense laws and also common sense. A rodef cannot menace others, pursue others to instigate or perpetuate confrontations, or corner others while making overt or implied violent threats, and retain even one shred of any mantle of innocence should anybody get hurt. It is up to readers as to whether they agree. Fightback.law, which features the prominent attorney Lin Wood who is representing Melissa Rolfe against Equity Prime Mortgage LLC, is collecting money to support Rittenhouse's defense. Civis Americanus is the pen name of a contributor who remembers the lessons of history, and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way. He or she is remaining anonymous due to the likely prospect of being subjected to "cancel culture" for exposing the Big Lie behind Black Lives Matter. A man was arrested on Sunday after a Pakistani flag was allegedly hoisted at his home Dewas district, 153 km south west of Bhopal, police said. Farukh Khan, a resident of Shipra village of Dewas district, was arrested under section 153A (promoting enmity between groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), police said. Khan, who is in his 40s, was arrested after a video clip went viral on social media in which Pakistans national flag was seen hoisted on the roof of his house. No one is seen in the video while the flag flutters in the wind. HT cannot vouch for the veracity of the video clip. The tehsildar concerned of the area sent a revenue inspector Lakhan Singh to visit the spot to check if there was actually a Pakistani flag. When I met Farukh Khan he told me that his minor son had unfurled Pakistans national flag due to ignorance and that when he came to know about it he burnt the flag, Lakhan Singh said. Industrial Area police station, Dewas in charge sub-inspector RK Sharma said, The revenue inspector Lakhan Singh lodged a complaint with the police station on Sunday based on the statement of Farukh Khan. A team reached the house of Khan in Shipra village for investigation. Khan repeated his statement that his minor son had unfurled Pakistans flag due to ignorance and that when he saw it he removed the flag and destroyed it by burning it, said Sharma. Khan runs a tyre puncture repair shop. However, investigating officer Jitendra Yadav said on Sunday night, The statement of Farukh Khan was found partly untrue as he had not destroyed the flag which has been seized now. The FIR has names of the family members of Farukh Khan too but we will not disclose the names right now. However, only Farukh Khan has been arrested and he would be produced before the local court on Monday. Its a matter of investigation as to from where Farukh Khan or any other member of his family got the national flag of Pakistan. The investigation is still going on. The family members will be questioned too, Yadav said. pro The activist-lawyer, who faces imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or both, refused to offer an apology for his tweets against the judiciary New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce today its verdict on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan, convicted for contempt of court over his two tweets against the judiciary. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra will pronounce its verdict against Bhushan, who faces simple imprisonment of up to six months or with a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or with both as punishment under Contempt of Court Act. On 25 August, the top court was urged by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan to show "judicial statesmanship" and not make Bhushan a "martyr" by punishing him for contempt over his tweets criticising the judiciary, after the activist-lawyer rejected fresh suggestions from the court for an apology. As the top court reserved its verdict on the sentence to be awarded to Bhushan, Justice Arun Mishra, who presided over a three-judge bench, at the fag end of the nearly three-hour-long hearing had asked why he cannot seek an apology and what was wrong in using this word. Justice Mishra is demitting office on 2 September. The apex court on 14 August had held Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt for his two derogatory tweets against the judiciary saying they cannot be said to be a fair criticism of the functioning of the judiciary made in the public interest. On 25 August, Dhavan, representing Bhushan, had suggested that the top court recall the 14 August verdict convicting him for contempt of court and not impose any sentence and urged it to not only close the case but also to bring an end to the controversy. Attorney General KK Venugopal requested the court to forgive Bhushan with a message that he should not repeat this act. The bench also comprising Justices BR Gavai and Krishna Murari, had given 30 minutes to Bhushan to "think over" on withdrawing his statements made in the court and said he made "disparaging remarks against the institution and the judges". Venugopal had said Bhushan, who has been refusing to tender an unconditional apology for the tweets, should withdraw all statements and express regret. The bench on 20 August had granted time till Monday to Bhushan to reconsider his "defiant statement" and tender "unconditional apology" for the contemptuous tweets. Referring to Bhushan''s statements and his refusal to apologise, the bench had told Venugopal that mistakes were committed by all but they needed to be accepted, but here Bhushan was not willing to accept that. Dhavan had argued that reprimanding Bhushan like "don''t do it again" as suggested by the attorney general will not be correct and instead a statesman-like message should be there like "Mr Bhushan though we disagree with many things, but from next time you should be more responsible". Bhushan in his statement had refused to offer an apology to the Supreme Court for his two tweets against the judiciary, saying what he expressed represented his bona fide belief which he continued to hold. ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey marked the 98th anniversary of the decisive War of Independence battle against Greek forces Sunday as the threat of a new conflict with Athens looms in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkeys struggle for independence and future continues today as well, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a message to commemorate Victory Day. It is absolutely not a coincidence that those who seek to exclude us from the eastern Mediterranean are the same invaders as the ones who attempted to invade our homeland a century ago. In recent weeks, Turkish and Greek forces have engaged in a series of cat-and-mouse military exercises in the seas between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. The confrontation was sparked when Turkey sent a research vessel accompanied by warships to search for gas and oil reserves. EU member Greece claims the waters are part of its continental shelf and has enlisted the support of the 27-nation bloc, which has condemned Turkeys illegal activities and warned of potential sanctions against Ankara. Turkey says Greece and others are denying its rights to explore for energy resources in the Mediterranean. Greece and Cyprus have recently been joined by France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates in carrying out naval and aerial war games in the region. On Saturday, Turkey began its own maneuvers until Sept. 11 off its south coast. Turkeys Defense Ministry also released cockpit footage of what it said were Turkish jets in mock dogfights with Greek F-16s between Crete and Cyprus. No one should have any doubts about our resolve in this matter and our unshakeable belief in victory," Erdogan said. Erdogan was due to visit the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara later Sunday. Ataturk led the Turkish troops in the independence struggle following World War I and went on to establish modern Turkey. In other commemorations, Turkish warships will visit 20 ports around Turkey and northern Cyprus for sunset flag ceremonies. Events to mark the 1922 battle of Dumlupinar, which saw Turkish forces overwhelm Greek troops in western Anatolia, have been muted due to coronavirus measures. This has led to claims that Erdogans Islamic-orientated government is attempting to downplay the achievements of Ataturks secular regime. 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 Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 22:52:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HOHHOT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has stressed the importance to collect public opinion on the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) from officials and members of the public. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection to north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Friday to Sunday. During the inspection, Huang learned about works on poverty alleviation, cultural relic repairing and protection, and ecological and environmental governance. Enditem HMD Global is said to launch Nokia 3.4, codenamed Dr Strange, next month. Here is what the phone may look like. Also check out expected specifications of the new Nokia phone. After launching Nokia 5.3 and Nokia C5 in India, HMD Global is gearing up for the launch of a new lineup of smartphones. Expected to debut at IFA 2020 conference in Berlin next month, HMD Globals new phones include Nokia 3.4, Nokia 2.4, and Nokia 7.3 among others. With just a few days left for the official unveiling, key details including a render of Nokia 3.4 have leaked online. The render, not an official one though, reveals Nokia 3.4 will come with a punch-hole camera on the front. The module will be placed on the left top corner of the phone. The back panel houses a circular camera module with as many as three camera sensors and one LED flash. The panel also features a dedicated fingerprint sensor. As GSMArena points out, the render has a few things off. For instance, volume keys are not aligned properly. We can safely predict that the Nokia 3.4 will have a dedicated Google Assistant launcher, just like some of the recent Nokia phones. So, here you go. That's how the DoctorStrange looks like. NVM about the misaligned volume keys, I'm just showing how it looks like from the front and back. pic.twitter.com/mKGA1iNpiy Hikari Calyx (@Hikari_Calyx) August 28, 2020 In terms of specifications, the Nokia 3.4 will have a large 6.5-inch display with 19:9 aspect ratio and HD+ resolution. The phone is said to come with an 8-megapixel selfie camera. ALSO READ: Nokia 9.3 PureView, Nokia 7.3 5G, Nokia 6.3, Nokia 2.4, Nokia 3.4 launch timelines revealed The circular camera module on the back is said to feature a combination of 13-megapixel, 5-megapixel, and 5-megapixel sensors. For performance, Nokia 3.4 will reportedly run on Snapdragon Bengal processor coupled with 3GB of RAM. The chipset could be the codename for Qualcomms Snapdragon 660 or 460 processor. The phone will have a 4,000mAh battery coupled with 10W charging. Interestingly, it will have a micro-USB port. It will also house a 3.5mm headphone jack. ALSO READ: Nokia 5.3 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro vs Realme 6 Based on leaks and rumours so far, Nokia 3.4 is likely to be a budget smartphone. If launched in India, it will compete with Realme 6 and Redmi Note 9 and other popular under 15,000 phones. Amul shared a tribute to late Hollywood actor Chadwick Boseman who passed away on Saturday, 29 August, after a four-year battle with colon cancer Dairy brand Amul shared a tribute to late actor Chadwick Boseman with their latest artwork. Boseman, best known for portraying the Marvel Cinematic Universe's superhero Black Panther, passed away on Saturday, 29 August, after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Amul drew inspiration Chadwick Boseman's most popular onscreen persona of King T'Challa for the tribute. "Marvel of an actor," the company described the late star and added, "RIP, King of Wakanda." Check out the post here His TChalla character was first introduced to the blockbuster Marvel movies in 2016s Captain America: Civil War and his Wakanda Forever salute reverberated around the world after the release of Black Panther two years ago. The character was last seen standing silently dressed in a black suit at Tony Starks funeral in last years Avengers: Endgame. The actor is also known for playing historical figures like Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013), James Brown in Get on Up (2014) and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017). Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side. "A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much, his family said in a statement. Netflix's upcoming film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom will posthumously star Boseman. The actor was last seen in Spike Lee-directed war movie Da 5 Bloods. Were you advised to work-from-home, but you have no internet access? Are your kids planning to attend virtual school classes, but youre worried about driving around town each day to find a reliable Wi-Fi signal? These are some of the unique struggles for rural communities with limited broadband access. Public libraries are stepping up to help. The Coleman Area Library announced it is the recipient of a $1,500 CARES Act grant from the Library of Michigan and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Library of Michigan CARES Act grant program is designed to assist public libraries in providing improved access to the internet for their community, while maintaining a safe environment for staff and patrons. We are very excited to be able to expand the librarys collection of mobile Wi-Fi hotspots and help more people in our community who cant get broadband internet in their home, said Amy Comber Gross, library assistant and grant writer. Comber Gross explained that the library was already loaning out a few mobile hotspots and this grant will allow them to double the number of devices available for patrons to borrow. According to Comber Gross, In the spring, just prior to the states mandated closure of all public libraries, we were able to check-out all of our hotspots for extended use during the shutdown. It was very rewarding to be able to assist several patrons, including some essential workers, by providing them with at-home internet access during the time that the library building was required to close. Adding more hotspots means we can go even further in our efforts to help bridge the digital divide in our community, Comber Gross said. The Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots have been ordered and will be available to the public soon. The Library of Michigan awarded CARES Act grants to 294 Michigan public libraries across 77 counties, which account for 74% of Michigan public libraries. The grants are funding one-year projects that increase community internet connectivity through the purchase of internet capable devices, hotspots or other appropriate materials and supplies for public use as well as increase libraries supply of personal protective equipment and facilities supplies for sanitizing and disinfecting library spaces. The health and well-being of our community and staff is a top priority. The additional funds for cleaning supplies and extra masks will help us maintain a safe, healthy environment for all, said Gale Neslon, director of the Coleman Area Library, regarding the PPE funding. Further information on the CARES Act legislation and the Library of Michigan CARES Act grant program documentation can be found at www.michigan.gov/lsta in the CARES Act Grants section. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nations 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Their mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Their grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. Call the Coleman Area Library at 989-465-6398 for additional information. You can also find them online at: www.ColemanLibrary.org or on Facebook. Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net It took a pandemic for the two major parties to get their wish: control over the telecasts of their quadrennial conventions. For years, the parties and the networks had been engaged in tugs-of-war over how many hours would be aired and how much of the telecast would be trained on the podium and how much time would be spent with correspondents roaming the convention floor for the backstories, dissent and other drama the party leaders would prefer to conceal. This time, the party planners essentially commandeered the remote, with produced videos and recorded speeches that the major broadcast networks and cable news channels were willing to air those infomercials to a surprising degree. The upshot: The parties won the battle and lost the audience. The early Nielsen ratings showed a significant drop in viewership from the 2016 conventions and nearly half of the audience for the 2008 conventions featuring Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. So what were the Republicans selling in their largely unfiltered presentation to the American people last week? In a word: fear. From opening night until President Trumps 70-minute acceptance speech Thursday, the Republican National Convention was a virtual scare-a-thon. America under Joe Biden would lose respect abroad, suffer economic despair, cede control of its borders, turn socialist, and experience mayhem on the streets and invasions of its suburbs with low-income people. You wont be safe in Joe Bidens America, warned Vice President Mike Pence, amplifying the law-and-order theme that prevailed over four nights. Joe Biden is weak, Trump said, who invoked the former vice presidents name 40 times, a departure from past incumbents who would rarely name, let alone directly attack my opponent. Facts be damned: Where to start? Trump claimed a commitment to guarantee health insurance for pre-existing conditions (even though his administration has been in federal court to undo Obamacare), that Biden wants to tear down the border wall (he doesnt) and bragged about a gain of over 9 million jobs over the past three months (after 22 million were lost). The list goes on and on. CNNs fact-check guru Daniel Dale documented more than 20 false and misleading claims in Trumps acceptance speech. Oh, that Hatch Act: Were here and theyre not, Trump said, gesturing toward the White House the erstwhile Peoples House taunting Democrats as he addressed supporters on the South Lawn. The Trump campaign didnt just shatter norms in its indulgence of public resources and official business for convention programming, it openly defied a 1939 law known as the Hatch Act that was designed to constrain such exploitation. Mike Pompeo was the first secretary of state in living memory to pitch his boss re-election at a convention while supposedly on a diplomatic trip to Jerusalem and Trump issued a pardon for a reformed bank robber and accompanied his acting Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf on a naturalization ceremony for five immigrants at the White House for good theater. As for the Hatch Act: No one outside the Beltway really cares, shrugged White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The precedent has been set. Prediction: Republicans will howl if a future Democratic president attempts to cross the line so audaciously. Now for the debates: I dont think there should be any debates, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week, stirring speculation that she might be floating a trial balloon. Her reason? Trump has shown his disregard for truth, evidence, data and facts. I could not disagree more with Pelosi on this. If Trump wants to lie his way through the three debates is there any doubt he will? Americans should witness it, and Biden should have the chance to expose it. Fortunately, Biden has made plain that hes all in for the challenge. American democracy has been well served by the expectation since 1976 that major-party candidates must engage in debates, no matter how large their lead or disdain for their opponent. As for that other tradition the political convention its becoming increasingly irrelevant now that the parties wont even debate their platforms on national television, if they even bother to produce one. This time, the Party of Trump did not. John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron ST. LOUIS A police officer shot in the head as a man barricaded himself inside a home on Saturday died Sunday at a local hospital, police confirmed. Tamarris L. Bohannon, 29, had been with the department for nearly four years. A second officer who was shot in the leg has been released from the hospital, police said. The officers were shot when responding to a shooting call in the Tower Grove South neighborhood at around 6 p.m. A man barricaded himself inside a home in the 3700 block of Hartford Street and fired at police. Multiple streets were closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Residents were warned to stay inside their homes and SWAT officers swarmed the neighborhood. Police also put SUVs and officers armed with rifles around the residence where the suspect had retreated. After hours of negotiations with the gunman, police arrested the suspect early Sunday morning. Bohannon is survived by his wife, Alexis, and three children. Bohannon, who was raised in St. Louis, was affectionately known by his District Two squad as Bo, according to a statement from his family. The loss of this great man is felt deeply within the St. Louis community and we ask for your prayers and support in the days ahead, says the statement, published by the police departments Twitter account. I saw he had a gun Tower Grove South homeowners Steve and Mimi Haag are grateful to be alive after the gunman barged into their home Saturday evening, shot two St. Louis police officers through a window and barricaded himself inside their house for nearly 12 hours overnight. God protected us, said Steve Haag, who was in his home in the 3700 block of Hartford Street with his wife, Mimi, just before 6 p.m. Saturday waiting for a friend to join them for dinner. The couple was plunged into the violent series of events when a transient man who frequents the neighborhood told Mimi he had been shot and asked her to call 911. As she spoke to dispatchers, her husband saw another man come to their front door, let himself in and refuse to leave. I saw then he had a gun, said Steve Haag. He was very calm standing there with it in his hand and he just says to Mimi: Maam you need to get off the phone. The couple quickly walked out of their backdoor and into an alley and soon saw police officers arrive. Steve Haag said he was standing about a block away from his home when the man shot responding St. Louis police officers as they approached the house. He said he heard a loud pop and saw one officer motionless on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound. When another officer ran to give the injured officer aid, he was also shot in the leg, according to Haag and St. Louis police. The first injured officer, Bohannon, later succumbed to his injuries. The other officer was released from a hospital, police said Sunday. He is 30 and has been with the department for less than a year. Steve Haag said it appears the gunman shot the officers from a second-story window in their home. Haag said the man was about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, dressed normally and had a mohawk hairstyle. He barricaded himself in the house in a standoff with dozens of police officers until officers were able to take him into custody around 5:30 a.m. Sunday. Officers fired no shots during the standoff. Police said the suspect is a 43-year-old white man who was taken to a hospital for evaluation before his release to police custody. He has not yet been publicly identified. During the standoff, multiple streets were closed, residents on Hartford were warned to shelter inside and SWAT officers swarmed the neighborhood. Police also put SUVs and officers armed with rifles around the residence where the suspect had retreated. At about 11 p.m., police called out: Come on, son, you have a wife and kid, and You gotta come out. The department deployed tear gas canisters into the home, police said. Steve and Mimi Haag went back inside their home to grab a few items despite lingering tear gas inside Sunday morning. Several windows were also broken from tear gar canisters shot inside by police. The gunman pulled out drawers and left blood stains in the home, Steve Haag said. Police Chief John Hayden told reporters Saturday that police had not found another shooting victim besides the two police officers anywhere around the scene. The department did not immediately respond to questions from the Post-Dispatch about the man who told the Haags he had been shot. The officers were trying to do their job, thats all theyre trying to do and theyre suffering under gunfire, the chief said. Hayden said the incidents are part of a surge in violence this summer and asked residents to pray for the officers. Were trying to cope through a very trying summer and its very difficult, Hayden said. Its very difficult. Chief Hayden said the shootings mark the seventh and eighth St. Louis police officers shot in in the city since June 1. Four officers were shot downtown at the beginning of June after protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis turned into a night of violence, fires and looting in St. Louis. Two of the officers were shot in the leg, one was shot in the arm, and one was shot in the foot. That same night, retired St. Louis police Capt. David Dorn was also shot and killed while working security at a pawn shop. Then on July 26, a man driving by a gas station fired at officers and riddled a police car with bullet holes at the Crown Mart gas station at 1515 North 13th Street. One officer suffered a shrapnel wound to the elbow. On Aug. 2, police arrested a 14-year-old boy who investigators said shot an off-duty St. Louis police officer who was working a security detail downtown. The officer was shot in the arm near Convention Plaza and North 10th Street, and was expected to make a full recovery. In addition to the officers who have been shot, on July 20 an off-duty St. Louis officer exchanged shots with a teenager who tried to carjack him. The officer was working a secondary job as security for Kutis funeral home in the 2900 block of Gravois Avenue. Steve Haag, the homeowner who escaped shortly before the officers were shot Saturday, said their actions call attention to the sacrifices police officers make. He added that he hopes the city will support the department. I come from a law enforcement family, he said. And I know these officers were here to protect us I am so grateful for what they did. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Up to 1,900 people could die in Northern Ireland in a second wave of coronavirus this winter, a leaked scientific document prepared for the UK Government has claimed. The "reasonable worst case scenario" is set out in a paper by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) - although on Sunday night the Department of Health in Northern Ireland appeared not to accept the figure for Northern Ireland. The Sage analysis warns that the death toll across the UK could top 85,000. The authors stress that they are setting out a worst-case scenario and not a prediction of what is likely to happen, adding that there is "a wide range of uncertainty" about the actual outcome. However, some are critical of the modelling used to calculate the figures. A spokesperson for the Department of Health here said on Sunday night: "This modelling was done at a UK level and we are aware of it. The Department of Health has not as yet agreed a reasonable worst case scenario for Northern Ireland." Prof Carl Heneghan from Oxford University said some of the assumptions made were "implausible" and that the report assumes that "we've learnt nothing from the first wave of this disease". Expand Close Sceptical: Prof Carl Heneghan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sceptical: Prof Carl Heneghan Read More On Sunday the Department of Health said 49 more people had tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of known cases to 7,187. A further 89 cases were announced on Saturday. The total for the last seven days is 452. Seventeen people remain in hospital, with two patients in intensive care. The total number of deaths here remains at 560. Separate figures from Nisra, which include deaths outside hospital, put the total at 871 as of August 21. In the Irish Republic, meanwhile, another 42 new cases of Covid-19 have been diagnosed, the National Public Health Emergency Team said last night. That is the lowest number of cases reported on a Sunday since July 26. A further 142 cases were reported on Saturday, with confirmed cases now standing at 28,760. No further deaths were reported. The total number of virus-linked deaths in the Republic remains at 1,777. Read More The UK Government's coronavirus dashboard reported 1,715 new cases across the UK - the highest since early June. It reported one more death, bringing the total number of UK deaths to 41,499. Globally, coronavirus infections have passed 25m, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. It followed grim warnings from Sage around the potential impact of a winter onslaught of Covid-19 in the UK. Its paper was prepared to help the NHS and local authorities with planning for mortuaries and burial services if another surge happens. The document, obtained by the BBC's Newsnight, was drawn up on the assumption that schools will remain open and that the Government's tracing, isolation and quarantine measures will only be 40% effective in cutting the spread of the coronavirus outside households. The model found that in a worst-case scenario, there could be 81,000 excess deaths due to Covid-19 in England and Wales between July 2020 and March 2021, and around 27,000 excess deaths from non-coronavirus causes. In Scotland, there could be 2,600 deaths directly due to Covid-19, and 1,900 in Northern Ireland. This would represent a significant increase in the number of fatalities compared with the first wave of the virus. However, modelling of death rates as the pandemic began proved wildly inaccurate. Prof Neil Ferguson's research with Imperial College London colleagues warned that 250,000 people could die in the UK without drastic action before Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a lockdown in March. In Northern Ireland, modelling at the outset of the pandemic predicted 15,000 deaths in what Health Minister Robin Swann described as a "nightmare, worst case" scenario. It was later downgraded to 3,000, then 1,500. Reacting to the latest figures, Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust health think tank, said the Sage report had "very wide ranges" of scenarios which make it "quite difficult for people to work out exactly what they should be doing". A UK Government spokesperson said: "As a responsible government, we have been planning and continue to prepare for a wide range of scenarios, including the reasonable worst-case scenario." By Express News Service MYSURU: The second phase trials for the Oxford-AstraZeneca-Serum Institute Covishield, claimed to be the most promising vaccine so far against the Novel Coronavirus, started at the JSS Hospital in Mysuru on Saturday, with five volunteers receiving the candidate vaccine shots. The second phase is being carried out on healthy persons with priority being the safety of those who are administered the Covishield vaccine to record the reactions, allergies and also to take note of the beneficial effects. As part of the nationwide programme, the JSS Hospital in Mysuru is one among the 17 sites in India chosen by ICMR and Serum Institute of India for the trials. The ICMR will collect 100 samples from across the country for further study and look into modifications. The five who were administered the candidate vaccine will be under observation till September 29, after which it will be tried on more people. Need to study lifespan of antibody, says expert According to JSS authorities, the call for volunteers had received an overwhelming response despite scepticism. Of the respondents, 250 healthy volunteers have been lined up for the trials. Dr B Suresh, Pro-Chancellor, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, told TNSE that some sort of treatment for Covid-19 should be available by December. The third phase of the research, which includes authorisation for the vaccine and its marketing, will start immediately. In the fourth phase, the recipients of the vaccine will be tracked and monitored to study any adverse effects. The volunteers will be monitored for a year as per regulations, during which time they have been told to be careful since side-effects may arise even after a year or two. Taking the examples of polio and smallpox vaccinations, which have a life-long effect, Dr Suresh said there is a need to study how long the antibodies against Covid-19 remain active in a person. About 150 countries are experimenting on vaccines for Covid-19. We will have some vaccine by December, he added. Dr Suresh also revealed that their clinical research unit is also hosting trials for the BCG vaccine. This is being conducted with volunteers aged 60-80, to check whether it offers protection from other diseases too. MIAMI - The Trump administration has blocked the scheduled removal of a former Colombian paramilitary boss to Italy and now intends to deport him to his South American homeland, where hes been found responsible for hundreds of war crimes. Salvatore Mancuso received notification of the surprise reversal on Sunday, according to two people familiar with the matter who discussed the proceedings on condition of anonymity. His lawyers have 14 days to challenge the deportation order. Mancusos removal to Italy, where he also has citizenship, was ordered by the Department of Homeland Security in April after he completed in March a 12-year sentence for cocaine trafficking. But hes been held in federal custody ever since as Colombias government fights to have him returned to continue with truth and reconciliation efforts that stalled in 2008 with the extradition to the U.S. of 14 warlords, including Mancuso, the former top commander of the United Defence Forces of Colombia, or AUC. Just a week ago, Justice Department attorneys reaffirmed before a Washington, D.C. federal court the Trump administrations pledge to remove Mancuso to Italy no later than Sept. 4. Attorneys for Mancuso went to court seeking to force Attorney General William Barr to carry out the April 15 order removing Mancuso to Italy, arguing that that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had illegally detained their client beyond the maximum 90 days allowed for the removal of aliens. However, in substituting Colombia for Italy, U.S. officials cited a provision in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the Attorney General to disregard the country designated for an aliens removal if it is deemed that carrying out the order would be prejudicial to the United States, according to the two people familiar with the proceedings. The Justice and State Department declined to comment, referring all inquiries to DHS, which didnt respond to the APs request. Mancuso can still prevent his removal to Colombia if granted asylum in the U.S. like his ex-wife and youngest child. In March, his immigration attorney told DHS officials that Mancuso had already signed an asylum application, saying his client was terrified by the prospect of returning to Colombia. There is absolute certainty about the torture he would face and the likelihood of his assassination, attorney Hector Mora wrote in a letter to DHS officials, which came to light in recent court filings. He is the target of many powerful groups and individuals that were incriminated, criticized, and exposed throughout his co-operation with the U.S. government, the co-operation with the Colombian judiciary, and his multiple statements. Mancuso, 55, was the most remorseful of the former right-wing militia leaders after demobilizing and his eagerness to discuss the paramilitaries war crimes has already shaken Colombias politics. His boast in 2005 that a third of Colombias congress was elected with paramilitary support triggered a wave of judicial investigations that ended with dozens of elected officials behind bars. His lawyers contend that others still in power have not hidden their desire to find a Colombian court to order Mancusos arrest in an effort to silence him. This month, President Ivan Duques government submitted to the U.S. what was its fourth extradition request for Mancuso. One of the earlier requests was unilaterally withdrawn in July after Mancusos legal team, led by Miami defence attorney Joaquin Perez, pointed out in U.S. federal court that it was based on an arrest order already cancelled by a Colombian judge. Its not clear what happened to the other two requests but neither has been validated by a U.S. court. While Colombian courts have judged Mancuso responsible for more than 1,500 acts of murder or forced disappearance, many of the crimes are not recognized as offences under U.S. law because they stem from his position atop AUCs chain of command not specific orders he gave. In 2001, the U.S. designated the AUC a foreign terror organization. Mancusos lawyers argue the former paramilitary boss has fulfilled his obligations under a 2003 peace deal he negotiated, which caps prison terms at eight years for militia leaders who confess their crimes. Follow Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman Xi stresses building new modern socialist Tibet PLA Daily Source: China Military Online Editor: Chen Zhuo 2020-08-29 21:39:49 BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to build a new modern socialist Tibet. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the comments at the two-day seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, which ended in Beijing Saturday. Xi underlined the need to fully implement the CPC's policies on governing Tibet for a new era. Xi called for efforts to ensure national security and enduring peace and stability, steadily improve people's lives, maintain a good environment, solidify border defense and ensure frontier security. Efforts must be made to build a new modern socialist Tibet that is united, prosperous, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, Xi said. Since the sixth symposium in 2015, Tibet has made comprehensive progress and historic achievements in its various undertakings, Xi said, noting achieving sustained stability and rapid development in Tibet constitutes a major contribution to the overall work of the Party and the state. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, policies on governing Tibet for a new era have taken shape, Xi said, stressing that the CPC leadership, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the system of regional ethnic autonomy must be upheld to carry out work related to Tibet. Work related to Tibet must focus on safeguarding national unity and strengthening ethnic solidarity, Xi said. More education and guidance should be provided for the public to mobilize their participation in combating separatist activities, thus forging an ironclad shield to safeguard stability, Xi noted. Xi stressed that patriotism should be incorporated into the whole process of education in all schools. He called for continuous efforts to enhance recognition of the great motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics by people of all ethnic groups. Tibetan Buddhism should be guided in adapting to the socialist society and should be developed in the Chinese context, Xi said. While stressing the implementation of the new development philosophy, Xi noted that efforts should be sped up to advance high-quality development. More work, measures and support are needed to consolidate the achievements made in poverty alleviation, Xi said. A number of major infrastructure projects and public service facilities will be completed, including the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, Xi said. Conserving the ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the greatest contribution to the survival and development of the Chinese nation, Xi said, emphasizing that scientific research should be further advanced on the plateau. He also stressed strengthening the building of leadership teams at all levels, cadre teams and primary-level Party organizations in order to improve the capacity to respond to major struggles and prevent major risks. Cadres and workers in Tibet should be cared for and supporting policies regarding their income, housing, medical care and retirement, as well as education for their children, should be further improved and well implemented, Xi noted. Xi stressed a long-term commitment to the CPC Central Committee's policy to ensure Tibet has support from the central authorities and assistance from the whole country. Continued and increasing support will be offered to Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces in their Tibet-related work, Xi said. Other senior Chinese leaders were at the symposium, which was presided over by Li Keqiang. Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng were in attendance, while Wang Yang spoke to sum up the event. Xi's speech at the symposium is a guiding document on Tibet-related work in a new era, Li Keqiang said while presiding over the event. In his concluding speech, Wang Yang also called for efforts to study Xi's speech, which laid out fundamental rules for carrying out Tibet-related work in a new era. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 03:27:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A mother takes a walk with her child at the Palais Royal in Paris, France, Aug. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) Ensuring the compulsory education while keeping kids safe has become a top priority for many European governments. LJUBLJANA/BRUSSELS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The recent resurgence of COVID-19 in many parts of Europe is challenging the preparation work of most schools, as they are set to open their campuses to students for the new school year in the coming days. Ensuring the compulsory education while keeping kids safe has become a top priority for many European governments, which are rolling out various measures to hope to make it work. MULTIPLE MEASURES, ONE GOAL Spain has registered 43,747 cases in seven days last week, the worst weekly figure since the end of March. France's data released on Friday showed the highest daily COVID-19 tally since March 31. Infections are also rising in the United Kingdom, Germany and some other European countries. Different authorities across Europe are working for one goal this time -- avoiding another blanket closure of schools this autumn. The Spanish Health Ministry and Education Ministry published a list of 29 measures and five recommendations for the start of the school year. Key measures include taking teachers' and students' temperature every morning, wearing of masks for children over six years old and cleaning their hands at least five times during the school day. Schools are required to apply extra hygiene measures and create stable "bubble groups" of children, in which closer contacts will be allowed. Children pose for photo at the Smile Safari, an Instagram and TikTok museum, in Brussels, Belgium, Aug. 7, 2020.(Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) In Italy, where the reopening of schools on Sept. 14 is seen by many as the biggest challenge after the COVID-19 lockdown feat, wearing of face masks will be mandatory for teachers and staff all the time, and for students in primary and secondary schools (from six to 18 years old) every time the one-meter safety distance rule cannot be observed. Similar face-covering measures were also announced in countries such as France, Britain, Ireland, Croatia, Serbia, although the age and prerequisite for the wearing varied. In addition to some already observed preventive measures, such as social bubbles, social distancing and frequent hands washing, some countries adopted more sophisticated measures based on color-coded systems or flexible learning. The Austrian government launched a four-color coronavirus "traffic-light" system to help avoid a second wave of the pandemic. The system is intended to increase public health awareness and thus prevent a second wave in autumn, especially in view of the upcoming start of school, according to Health Minister Rudolf Anschober. Romania will also classify their schools into three categories: green, yellow, and red according to the severity of the epidemic. Schools in the green area can take classes normally, those in the yellow area combine offline and online teaching, while the ones in red area adopt online teaching. Serbia is set to start its new school year in either "basic" or "combined" model. Although the new school year will start normally in Lithuania, remote learning might be reinstated in specific schools if they become COVID-19 hotspots, according to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. Albania announced days ago three-scenario-based guidelines for the new school year, which requires distance learning once the pandemic worsens to certain extent. Children wearing face masks play on a street in Paris, France, Aug. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) DEBATE AND WORRIES Despite the well-planned measures, worries remained among some parents and experts. Children can carry coronavirus in their noses for up to three weeks, even if they have no or few symptoms, according to a study from South Korea. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) recommended children aged five years and under should not be required to wear masks, explaining that this is based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask with minimal assistance. Aged 6-11 should be based on some factors, such as whether there is widespread transmission in the area, where the child resides, the ability of the child to safely and appropriately use a mask. Aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults. According to the Society for Virology, the largest virological society in Europe, infection rates in children and their role in the pandemic have so far only been incompletely recorded by scientific studies. And it warned against the notion that children are not involved in the pandemic and transmission. Such ideas are not in accordance with scientific knowledge. Some Romanian health experts even admitted that the start of the new semester will bring more new cases to the country. Not only the children themselves, but more parents and grandparents will become new infected ones. Lithuanian Minister of Education Algirdas Monkevicius voiced similar concerns. "We cannot be sure that the infection will not affect Lithuanian schools, therefore, we must be prepared for it and know what actions must be taken immediately," Monkevicius was quoted as saying in a press release on Tuesday. A child walks in a fountain in the city center of Birmingham, Britain, Aug. 24, 2020. (Photo by Jon Super/Xinhua) Parents have mixed feelings in sending their kids back to school. "I look forward to the new school year with concern, not so much for my children's health, because it seems kids are less at risk even if infected, but for the great uncertainty in terms of family organization," Rosanna Magnano, a Milan-based journalist and mother of two, told Xinhua. Another working mother, Cristina Zen from northern Alessandria, Italy, worried about the broader impact of school reopening on the country. "Since the end of the lockdown, this is actually the first such large movement. What if infections ramp up again and we need another lockdown?" she wondered. Stevanic, a father of a student from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, said although the school took various preventive measures, he was still a little worried about the pandemic, due to the increase in infection cases recently. In Germany, where daily infections exceeded the 2,000-mark last Saturday for the first time since April, Chancellor Angela Merkel called on German citizens to prepare for difficult COVID-19 times in the coming months on Friday. She stressed that everything had to be done to ensure that children would not become the losers of the COVID-19 pandemic. Education was the most important and "schools must not leave anyone behind." I watched former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleys speech at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 24 with significant amazement. Did anyone else notice that right after she declared America is not a racist country, she described the ethnic discrimination she and her family suffered after immigrating to America from India? And then described the slayings of black worshippers at a Charleston church by a white supremacist, which finally led South Carolina to remove the Confederate battle flag from the state Capitol grounds. Unfortunately, former Gov. Haley is supporting a president and administration that has engaged in and supports directly or indirectly various types of racism. Despite Gov. Haleys words, America continues to have a serious problem with racism and racial inequality, in economic opportunity, education, health care, wealth and housing. While most Americans are inclusive and are not racist, it was wrong for Gov. Haley to downplay the issue and support the reelection of someone who is making race relations much worse. If Gov. Haley wanted to run for president in 2024, she would have been well-advised not to align herself with the president and a misguided GOP, which no longer is the party of Abraham Lincoln or Ronald Reagan. DAVID SCHAEFFER Governors Drive Kiawah Island Riot glossed over In an Aug. 25 editorial blaming the primacy of the financial problems that King Street businesses are having on the coronavirus epidemic is reasonably accurate but not precise. The disease is an easy and obvious patsy. What was glossed over was the fact King Street was the scene of rioting, looting, arson and gunplay perpetrated by some protesters that the police never effectively responded to or controlled. One idea not mentioned in the editorial is to visibly increase the number of armed police who beat-walk King Street environs. That would be so potential patrons wont feel like they have to wear facemasks and pack their own guns to visit limited capacity stores and restaurants. K.L. SCHAUB Pierce Street Charleston Palms will be missed Charleston lost a gem recently. Norma Cannon Palms, who died in July, was a true Southern lady who epitomized what it means to love where you live. Early in life, the Charleston native met the love of her life, John Palms. In the years he served in higher education, including as president of the University of South Carolina, they raised three children together and made a huge impact in each city in which they lived. When John retired from USC in 2009 and they finally returned to her hometown of Charleston, Norma was all in to help the city that she loved. She and John spearheaded the revitalization of Memminger Auditorium and the historic Dock Street Theatre. As a member of the board of directors for Spoleto Festival USA, she knew these two performance venues were critical to the the future of the arts in Charleston. She was devoted to her Catholic faith and volunteered at Mepkin Abbey and for numerous Catholic charities. A masterful fundraiser, she was not one to serve in name only. She rolled up her sleeves and got involved in every detail of the project at hand. The best attribute of Norma Lee Cannon Palms, however, is the way she made you feel when you were in her presence. She made you feel special and she was always interested in knowing about you and your family. Her beautiful blue eyes always held a twinkle. She rarely talked of herself and her accomplishments but kept the spotlight on others. Her stylish grace, wit and generous spirit will be missed by all. MARIANA RAMSAY HAY and RHETT RAMSAY OUTTEN King Street Charleston What postal delay? I was balancing my checkbook recently, so I decided to see how long it took from when I mailed a bill in July to when the check posted to my account. Bear in mind that the vendors processing time could be a day or two. All mail originated in Charleston and here are the destinations and times to check posting: Illinois, 3 days; S.C., 5 days; Virginia, 2 days; Missouri, 6 days; Nebraska, 3 days. Curious that we keep hearing about a postal service slowdown. NEIL HENRY Palmer Creek Bend Charleston Ridgeville project Build it and they will come? The population of St. George is 2,100 people, Ridgevilles is 1,700 and Harleyvilles 700 for a rough total of 4,500. According to an Aug. 13 Post and Courier article, construction of a 20,000-square-foot cultural and history center in downtown Ridgeville is in the planning stage, with an initial cost of $4 million to $5 million. Who do they think will be using this facility? And when did Ridgeville get a downtown? LINDA ENSOR Hamlet Road Summerville Is SC ready for vote? The Aug. 23 editorial calling for a COVID-safe November election is a step in the right direction, but its only a start. Now is the time for The Post and Courier to find out and report on the readiness, or lack thereof, of each of the 46 counties in the state. Will there be enough polling stations open and accessible and open long enough for all registered voters? Enough election workers and staff? Enough certified staff to handle the expected avalanche of mail-in ballots? Now is the time for the newspaper not only to investigate these questions but also to call attention to boards of election well before the election on where and how they might be falling short. South Carolina does not need to be in the national headlines on how poorly it was prepared for and managed the November election. BILL OLEJMICZAK Mount Royall Drive Mount Pleasant Queensland has seen more than 200 overdose deaths every year for more than a decade, with the authors of the latest report into the issue calling for more to be done to bring that number down. Australias Annual Overdose Report 2020, compiled by the Penington Institute for International Overdose Awareness Day on Monday, shows 288 people died from overdose in Queensland in 2018. More than 200 people died annually through overdose in Queensland for 10 consecutive years, a new report reveals. Credit:Viki Lascaris The figures, sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show that more than 2900 Queenslanders died in the 10 years to 2018. The institutes chief executive, John Ryan, said the Queensland figures echoed those from around Australia, with the country experiencing a steady rise in the number of overdose deaths. The eye of the storm...If you've ever been there, you know it's not a comfortable place to be. The UK has weathered the first leg of a Category Five economic hurricane. Destructive, disruptive and painful with so many lives and livelihoods already lost. Yet beyond the eye lies the second leg, which is invariably more destructive, more savage and more life-changing than the first. This sunny summer is the eye of the storm. The final few months of Government support packages are propping up consumer spending. Gathering storm: The UK has weathered the first leg of a Category Five economic hurricane Many businesses are busy, buoyed up by the pent-up demand they couldn't service during the long months of lockdown. Companies, both small and large, have more cash on their balance sheets thanks to billions in loans and furlough grants. International supply chains, which sputtered and seized up at the same time as the global economy, are now working again, albeit at a somewhat reduced clip. All this is little more than a fragile veneer, accentuated by high-visibility but low-impact schemes like the Treasury's Eat Out to Help Out discounts. Sunshine, the holiday season and our craving for a return to some form of normality have created a heady mix of collective intoxication. Only the slow, steady drumbeat of redundancy announcements from household names, plus hastily-announced quarantine rules for our favourite holiday destinations, seem to cut through the reverie. As autumn approaches, we must shake off this national somnolence. And we must be under no illusions about the difficulties ahead. The next six to 12 months are going to be tough for businesses, tough for our communities and tough for both the country and the world. So we must put the remaining days and weeks of respite to good use. Individual businesses will be evaluating their position and deciding whether to take new risks or to batten down the hatches. Government, on the other hand, does not have this choice. Ministers acted swiftly and admirably at the start of the crisis working with business and the financial sector on the emergency measures that staved off a near-complete economic collapse. But they have lost their way since, with a disappointing Summer Statement, fingers in their ears regarding the existential plight of some businesses excluded from their rescue schemes and an unwillingness to support some of the strategic sectors that other countries have rushed to protect. Noise levels in Westminster are increasing, with unrealistic demands from the extremes of the political spectrum. Those who say that nearly every job can be saved, if only the emergency measures enacted by the Government are extended, clearly haven't seen the writing on the wall for so many business models that simply no longer work. And at the other extreme, we have those who would simply leave things entirely to the vicissitudes of the market, who see the annihilation of thousands of businesses and millions of jobs as simply an inconvenient fact of life. Surely the right answer lies somewhere in between. As autumn approaches, Rishi Sunak must get back to taking risks to support the economy not slip back into 'wait and see' mode. As he winds down the furlough scheme, the Chancellor should be slashing the jobs tax to help viable businesses keep skilled workers and as a fillip for growing firms to hire. Hacking back the nearly 14 per cent that employers pay the Revenue in National Insurance contributions would help businesses manage their cash flow and avoid many thousands of extra redundancies. He should be crafting a new support package for businesses in areas affected by local lockdowns learning the lessons from firms in Leicester, Aberdeen and elsewhere. Money should be dedicated to speeding up the installation of new fibre broadband to accommodate the shift to more agile working patterns and to developing a flexible season ticket system for the railway network that will help get people back into city centre workplaces. Companies, in discussion with their employees, will decide how and when to return to offices safely. To take those decisions, and help more people get back into the workplace, businesses need crystal-clear official guidance and confidence in test and trace systems. For many employees, returning to the workplace depends on schools reopening, the availability of childcare and confidence that they can use public transport safely. Businesses working to help their staff return to the office should also be able to offset the investments they make to ensure their premises are Covid-secure against their tax bill, which would help many get back into city and town centres over the coming months. The Government should use its purchasing power to help employers roll out mass testing in workplaces, public and private, which would give a huge confidence boost to a still wary workforce and to the battered high street. Massive incentives should be put in place for business investment, which would have the double benefit of tackling both the Covidinduced economic crisis and the end of the Brexit transition. While many businesses are struggling, there are some with cash on their balance sheets that could be invested in ways that help both their future growth and the rebuilding of the UK economy. And the Chancellor must act quickly before thousands of good companies face existential risks next year, weighed down by the burden of unsustainable debt. These are huge commitments similar in size and scope to the emergency measures already put in place. They will be needed, however, if we wish to move beyond a tentative restart and towards a more comprehensive rebuilding and renewal of the UK economy. As the winds rise again, and the calm of recent weeks is broken far better to help businesses weather the coming storm, rather than leave them to its mercy. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slammed Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as a "Trump stooge" for his decision to no longer provide in-person briefings to Congress on election security issues, joining the chorus of Democrats who have condemned the move. The big picture: Ratcliffe, a Trump loyalist who was confirmed for the position overseeing U.S. intelligence agencies in May, said he made the decision to only provide written briefings in order to prevent leaks. Democrats say that suspending in-person briefings to Congress will allow Ratcliffe to skirt accountability and avoid follow-up questions. What they're saying: Warren tweeted: "Trump stooge @DNI_Ratcliffe wont give in person briefings to Congress anymore on threats to our elections because hes worried Trump will throw a tantrum about Russia helping him get reelected. Youre supposed to keep us informed. Do your job or resign." "Trump stooge @DNI_Ratcliffe wont give in person briefings to Congress anymore on threats to our elections because hes worried Trump will throw a tantrum about Russia helping him get reelected. Youre supposed to keep us informed. Do your job or resign." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.): "This is a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed, and a betrayal of the publics right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy. This intelligence belongs to the American people, not the agencies which are its custodian." "This is a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed, and a betrayal of the publics right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy. This intelligence belongs to the American people, not the agencies which are its custodian." "The aims and actions of Russia, China, and Iran are not the same. Only one country Russia is actively undertaking a range of measures to undermine the presidential election and to secure the outcome that the Kremlin sees as best serving its interests." Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn. ) : "Smacking of coverup in both purpose & effect bunkering & secreting key intel officials is unprecedented & unacceptable. Live questions are key to getting real, current facts. Chilling malign foreign election interference must be disclosed & thwarted." ) "Smacking of coverup in both purpose & effect bunkering & secreting key intel officials is unprecedented & unacceptable. Live questions are key to getting real, current facts. Chilling malign foreign election interference must be disclosed & thwarted." Sen. Angus King (I-Maine): "The idea that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence would stop briefing Congress on foreign threats to our elections is an outrage, full stop. Americas election indeed, our foundation of Democracy itself is under threat as we face weaponized disinformation from global foes around the planet. To stifle and limit the American peoples awareness of this fact cannot be explained or allowed." Several Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee also expressed reservations about the decision. Acting Chair Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) blamed leaks for contributing to this "historic crisis," but added: "Yet, this grotesque criminal misconduct does not release the intelligence community from fulfilling its legal requirements to respond to Congressional oversight committees and to keep members of Congress fully informed of relevant information on a timely basis." blamed leaks for contributing to this "historic crisis," but added: "Yet, this grotesque criminal misconduct does not release the intelligence community from fulfilling its legal requirements to respond to Congressional oversight committees and to keep members of Congress fully informed of relevant information on a timely basis." Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine): "It is unacceptable for the DNI to refuse to brief the Intelligence Committees on election security, and it runs counter to the Office of the Director of National Intelligences public commitment on August 7th to provide classified election threat updates." The other side: "Director Ratcliffe brought information into the committee, and the information leaked," Trump said at an event in Texas on Saturday. "So, he wants to do it in a different form because you have leakers on the committee, obviously, leakers that are doing bad things, probably not even legal to leak, but we'll look into that separately." The professor behind the Oxford coronavirus vaccine has warned of the rising risk of outbreaks of diseases that pass from animals to humans. Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the bid to find a jab that gives immunity to coronavirus, believes that the spread of zoonotic diseases has become more likely due to our lifestyles. In particular, growing population density, increased international travel and deforestation are blamed. The origins of the coronavirus pathogen remain a mystery but most researchers believe that the virus emerged in bats before jumping across into the human population via another animal. Other diseases that have spread across the world recently, including Ebola, Sars and the West Nile virus, have also originated in animals although Covid-19 has proved the most contagious. The Independent is calling for an international effort to clamp down on the illegal trade of wild animals, which remains one of the greatest threats to future biodiversity. The papers Stop The Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign has been backed by conservation charities including Animals Asia, World Animal Protection US and Space for Giants. According to the World Health Organisation, around a billion cases of illness and millions of deaths occur every year from zoonoses, or zoonotic diseases, while some 60 per cent of emerging infectious diseases that are reported globally have jumped from animals to humans. The threat posed by these diseases, Professor Gilbert says, is unlikely to diminish in the future as the world becomes more and more globalised. Because of the way things have been going in the world, its more likely well have zoonotic infections causing outbreaks in the future, the professor of vaccinology at Oxford Universitys Jenner Institute told The Independent. Greater population density, greater travel, deforestation all of these things make it more likely that these outbreaks will happen and then something will spread. Last month, experts from the United Nations similarly warned that the number of zoonotic diseases will continue to increase unless action is taken to protect wildlife and preserve the environment. According to a report by the UNs Environment Programme and the International Livestock Research Institute, the transfer of pathogens from animals to humans is driven by the deterioration of the natural environment through land degradation, wildlife exploitation, resource extraction and climate change. Beyond the threat posed by these diseases, Professor Gilbert, who was involved in the development and testing of a universal flu vaccine, also believes there will be a future outbreak of another potent influenza strain, similar to that seen during the 2017-18 season. In the US, influenza killed about 80,000 people throughout the 2017-2018 winter, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, making it one of the deadliest outbreaks in decades. There will be another flu pandemic in the future, said Professor Gilbert. It will come around again, [but] we dont know which subtype of flu it will be. I was working on a universal flu vaccine that would work against all the types of flu, whether it was H1N1, H3N3, [or] H7N7. The creation of this one-size-fits-all vaccine, she adds, means we wouldnt need to know in advance about the viral subtype. There has so far been no approved universal flu vaccine for general use. [With] flu there has been several pandemics every century as far back as we can measure things, and there are so many different flu viruses out there so we cant ever eradicate flu. Weve eradicated small pox, as it doesnt exist in animals. Weve come very close to eradicating polio a very good result this week: no polio in Africa. Thats huge. There are other diseases like measles that could in theory be eradicated as theres not an animal reservoir. But that doesnt apply to flu, and flu is in lots of migratory wild birds and we cant get rid of that reservoir. It will continue to start to infect people and then therell be another pandemic with a different type of flu we havent seen before. Professor Gilbert and her team announced this week that trial data for the Oxford vaccine candidate could be presented to regulators soon. If the latest results from the phase three trials demonstrate high levels of efficacy, and licensing approval is subsequently granted, there is hope that the vaccine, called AZD1222, could be available by the end of the year. AstraZeneca, which has partnered with Oxford University to manufacture the vaccine, has committed to producing two billion doses by next summer. Currently, the vaccine is being trialled in tens of thousands of volunteers in the UK, South Africa, Brazil and the US. Other vaccines in development have entered into the same stage, and Professor Gilbert is confident that many of these will deliver positive results. I think theres a very good chance that many of these vaccines will prove effective, she said. Weve seen good levels of neutralising antibodies, were seeing strong T cell responses from some of them. If this works, other vaccines will also work. We expect there to be multiple vaccines. And there are veterinary vaccines against coronaviruses. There are two licensed ones that work: one for a bovine coronavirus and one against an avian coronavirus and they are widely used. So you can vaccinate against coronaviruses, its just that we havent done it before in humans. So from first principles theres a very good possibility that we will have vaccines against the coronavirus. And if we can make two billion doses of this vaccine and then other manufacturers step up as well, thats the best solution. However, Professor Gilbert admitted that, at this stage, its difficult to establish how long protection triggered by AZD1222 will last for, and what level of immunity will be achieved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) Fans of boys love or BL series are in for another treat amid the quarantine, with an inspirational show weaving together the intrinsically linked worlds of food and romance. The digital series Better Days, directed by Carlo Obispo, is set to be released this October and will narrate a budding love story between two childhood friends while putting a spotlight on local cuisine. Lead actors Benedix Ramos and Chester Chua play the role of a chef and a vlogger who decide to use their skills to revive the restaurant built by their parents, Obispo said in a CNN Philippines interview on Sunday. Its going to be very exciting because well be featuring lots of local delicacies and probinsiya feel kasi lalo tayo ngayon, hindi tayo masyadong nakakalabas [especially now because were not able to leave our homes as often], the director said. Obispo said one of his primary aims in making the show is to offer viewers, especially those confined at home due to stay-at-home rules, something to smile about. "We wanted to make something inspirational," he said. "Nag-agree kami na kapag gagawa kami ng BL series, inspirational siya, positive, and easy to watch [We agreed that if we're going to make a BL series, it's going to be inspirational, positive, and easy to watch]." Alongside advocating for the acceptance of same-sex relationships through the show, the lead actors said they likewise hope they are able to get a message across to Filipinos. Yung title namin, yun na yung mismong message namin sa manonood namin: There will be better days ahead, Ramos said. [Translation: The title of the series itself, thats our very message to our viewers: There will be better days ahead.] By Juarawee Kittisilpa BANGKOK (Reuters) - About 1,200 Thai royalists gathered on Sunday to support the monarchy after almost daily student-led, anti-government protests calling for change, with some seeking reforms of the powerful institution. Waving national flags and holding pictures of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the group of mostly older people, called "Thai Pakdee" (Loyal Thai) many in yellow and some in white, urged Thais to protect the monarchy and the country. Rallying in an indoor sports stadium in the capital Bangkok, some had "We Love The King" written on their bandannas while others held placards with messages such as "Save the Nation", "Don't Bully Loyalists" and "Topple the institution - over my dead body". "The point of our group is to protect the monarchy with knowledge and facts," said prominent right-wing politician Warong Dechgitvigrom, who launched the group this month as he felt the monarchy was under attack. "We insist that the country's conflicts stem from politicians," he told reporters. "The monarchy institution has no part in governing the country. The institution is the morale support that connects the people together." Demonstrator Somporn Sooklert, 63, said, "I want the new generation to appreciate the country, religion and monarchy as much as they can because without any one of them, the country will not be able to survive". The gathering follows over a month of protests led by students calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former coup leader, a new constitution and fresh election, with some drawing more than 10,000 protesters. Some of those demonstrators have openly called for reforms of the monarchy, a taboo topic in a country with laws that punish perceived royal insults with up to 15 years in prison. Thai Pakdee has also set three demands: No dissolution of parliament, maximum legal action against anyone who seeks to topple the monarchy, with no change to the constitution except via the "proper channel". Prayuth warned last week that the country could be "engulfed in flames" if divisions persist. (Reporting by Juarawee Kittisilpa; Additional reporting and writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by William Mallard) In what may trigger a crisis in the coming months, the Union Health Ministry has announced 26% drop in tuberculosis notifications between January and June 2020 as compared to the previous year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown that ensued. This is likely to increase the number of tuberculosis cases and death in a big way a public health worry, flagged by several studies in the last few months. Follow latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here At a meeting of the Group of Ministers on Covid-19, headed by the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday, the ministers were briefed on how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the revised national tuberculosis control programme and how the ministry now planned to overcome the challenge. While concurring with the concerns expressed by the ministry, the experts point out that the numbers may be even higher. Compared to the last year, there is a 40% decline in tuberculosis notification between January and May. The biggest dip was seen in May and June. We have begun to see an upward trend from July onwards only. To what extent Covid-19 has impacted the tuberculosis control programme will be known by mid 2021, said Shibu Vijayan, global tuberculosis technical director at PATH, an international NGO. The reasons are peoples inability to travel to the health centres for testing due to the lockdown and diversion of the diagnostic machinery including the staff to tackle the epidemic. There was even a shortage of data entry staff to update the governments tuberculosis database. Moreover, the economic hardship faced by the people during the lockdown forced people to cut down on food and nutrition, which not only impacted the existing tuberculosis patients but also pushed those who are vulnerable to pick up the infections. Studies have shown that under-nutrition accounts for 32-44% of tuberculosis cases in India. Taking all such factors into account, two medical researchers have estimated 59% reduction in tuberculosis case detection between March and May and 19.5% increase in tuberculosis deaths. In absolute terms, it would mean an additional 1.85 lakh tuberculosis cases and nearly 88,000 more tuberculosis deaths in 2020, they reported in a paper published in the Indian Journal of Tuberculosis. TB is sensitive to economic and food crises. The food insecurity and under-nourishment that people faced during the lockdown have added to Indias tuberculosis burden. Under-nourishment will cause new cases while under detection will lead to more tuberculosis deaths, Anurag Bhargava, a coauthor of the paper and a professor at the Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore told DH. More than a quarter of the world's 10 million estimated cases and 449,700 of the world's estimated 1.3 million tuberculosis related deaths occur in India, which has committed itself to the ambitious goal of reducing tuberculosis incidence by 80% and tuberculosis deaths by 90% by 2025, five years before the global deadline in 2030. Mumbai, Aug 30 : Goa-based hotelier Gaurav Arya - whose name figured in WhatsApp chats of actress Rhea Chakraborty, arrived in Mumbai on Sunday to join the probe in the alleged drugs and money laundering angle in the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput case. Though he declined to speak with the media in Mumbai, at Panaji, he said that he had no connection with the case and was being framed. "I did not know Sushant personally, nor had ever met him. I had met her (Rhea) in 2017... I have no connection whatsoever in the Sushant case," he said. The owner of Hotel Tamarind and Cafe Cotinga in Goa, Arya will appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Monday morning. Later, he is also likely to be questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Narcotics Control Bureau teams in the city. Last week, after his name cropped in the messages, an ED team visited the Hotel Tamarind in Anjuna, north Goa, but the property was shut owing to the Covid pandemic restrictions. They pasted a notice on the hotel doors directing Arya to come and meet ED Assistant Director Rajiv Kumar on Monday (August 31) at 11 a.m., in connection with a case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery A body located 30 miles from Fort Hood is thought to be that of Sgt. Elder Fernandes. According to the Associated Press, the body found in Temple, Texas, points to that of the missing Fort Hood soldier, pending forensic confirmation. FORT HOOD SOLDIERS ARRESTED IN PROSTITUTION STING: Fort Sam Houston, Fort Hood soldiers arrested in connection with child prostitution sting The 23-year-old soldier was reported missing on Aug. 19 and was last seen at a residence in Killeen on Aug. 17, according to a Fort Hood press release. Houston native, Spc. Vanessa Guillen was also reported missing from Fort Hood on April 22. Her remains were found on June 30, and she was laid to rest in a private funeral on Aug. 15. Natalie Khawam, who represented the Guillen family, is also representing the Fernandes family. According to the AP article, "the body was found hanging in a tree," and an autopsy was issued. Fernandes' case is just the latest in a number of tragedies surrounding Fort Hood. "At least 7 soldiers stationed at Fort Hood have died or been found dead since March, including one who took his life after becoming a suspect in Guillen's disappearance," stated a CNN article. This case also comes on the heels of two Texas soldiers stationed at Ford Hood involved in a child prostitution sting involving nine men arrested, according to a Chron.com article. According to a previous Fort Hood press release, foul play is not suspected in Fernandes' disappearance. STAY INFORMED: Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Greece conducted a series of military exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, according to the Hellenic National Defense General Staff. Part of the programme carried out from Monday to Thursday was a large scale aeronautical exercise conducted southeast of the islands of Crete, Kasos and Karpathos, and south of Kastelorizo, according to the announcement. Frigates, submarines, helicopters and F-16 fighter jets partook. Earlier last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Greece of endangering navigational safety with its exercises. In recent weeks, Turkish and Greek forces have engaged in a series of cat-and-mouse military exercises in the seas between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. The confrontation was sparked when Turkey sent a research vessel accompanied by warships to search for gas and oil reserves. Greece, a member of the European Union, claims the waters are part of its continental shelf and has enlisted the support of the 27-nation bloc, which has condemned Turkeys illegal activities and warned of potential sanctions against Ankara. Turkey says Greece and others are denying its rights to explore for energy resources in the Mediterranean. Greece and Cyprus have recently been joined by France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates in carrying out naval and aerial war games in the region. One person was shot dead in Portland late on Saturday as protesters from rival groups clashed in the northwest US city, which has seen frequent demonstrations for months that have at times turned violent. Police statements on Saturday said both the death and protest violence took place in Portlands downtown area. However, they did not immediately link the shooting death to the protests. A Homicide Investigation is underway in downtown Portland after a shooting Saturday evening, a Portland police spokesman said in an emailed statement. Sounds of gunfire were heard in the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street, according to the statement. (Police) responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased, the statement said. The police said they were not currently releasing suspect information. When asked by Reuters if the shooting in downtown Portland was related to the clashes between rival protesters in the same are, the spokesman said it is too early in the investigation to draw those kinds of conclusions. A New York Times report cited two unidentified witnesses saying a small group of people got into an argument with other people in a vehicle and someone opened fire. The man who was shot and killed was wearing a hat with the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a far-right group based in Portland that has clashed with protesters in the past, according to the newspaper. Reuters could not independently verify this. Separately, Portland police earlier said in a tweet that a political rally is caravanning throughout downtown Portland and that there had been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators. Police had intervened and made some arrests, the tweet said. Demonstrations against racism and police brutality have swept the United States since the death in May of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Tensions between rival protest groups have roiled downtown Portland every night for nearly three months following Floyds death. President Donald Trumps administration in July deployed federal forces to Portland to crack down on the protests. Parents brace for stressed-out September, Aug. 21 Premier Doug Ford said last Thursday nothing is more important right now than making sure that we have a safe environment for the kids going back to school. For months, Ford and his team of experts have taught us three rules: wash your hands, wear a mask and maintain a social distance of two metres. In regard to rules 1 and 2, does the province know that all schools on opening day will have the appropriate personal protective equipment? If not, does the school close? In regard to the third rule, the hard one, Education Minister Stephen Lecce changed the distance from two metres to one in elementary schools. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, when asked about sending his children to school, said, Were looking at class sizes. Were looking at how the kids are feeling about wearing masks. Trudeau understands the relationship between class size, distancing and COVID-19. Ford and Lecce seem to have forgotten their own rules. The result is a cluster of students in a closed space in which there is next to no air circulation. Perfect conditions for COVID-19. At least two people were shot dead and another wounded in Kenosha, Wisconsin, late Tuesday during a third night of protests against the police shooting of Jacob Blake, Kenosha police said early Wednesday. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said nobody has been apprehended for the shootings, but they have identified at least one suspect and "I feel very confident we'll have him in a very short time." Videos on social media appeared to show a white man with a long gun shoot at least three people, one in the head and another in the chest, in tense confrontations with protesters. After the shootings, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, "the gunman is then seen heading north toward several police tactical vehicles, his arms raised, according to video footage. The tactical vehicles drive by him." Earlier Tuesday night, police in riot gear had pushed Black Lives Matter protesters away from the courthouse and down Kenosha's Sheridan Road, where then they collided with armed men Beth described to the Journal Sentinel as "a militia" and "like a vigilante group" unofficially patrolling Kenosha's streets. The protests Monday night had left property damaged, and some of the armed men told reporters they had heard rumors online that protesters would bring pipe bombs or were urged on Facebook to come and defend the city. There were also people with guns who said they were there to protect the protesters, The Washington Post notes, but no evidence of pipe bombs. "I've had people saying, 'Why don't you deputize citizens?'" Beth told reporters. "This is why you don't deputize citizens with guns to protect Kenosha." More stories from theweek.com Trump's RNC role is a much bigger mistake than Republicans realize The brazen contradictions of the RNC This terrifying animation shows how high Hurricane Laura's storm surge might get Pastor credits Jacob Blakes miracle survival to prayer with his Christian mother after shooting Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When 29-year-old Wisconsin father Jacob S. Blake, was shot multiple times by a police officer in Kenosha on Sunday evening, one of the first things his devout Christian mother Julia Jackson did was call her pastor at Insight Church in Skokie, Illinois. "'I just got a phone call that my son has been shot by the police multiple times. It just happened,'" Insight Church Pastor James E. Ward Jr. recalled Jackson, who is a member of his churchs intercessory team, saying during an interview with The Christian Post on Wednesday. It was about 5 p.m. Sunday, said Ward, when he got Jacksons call while traveling by car with his Co-Pastor wife, Sharon. There was just an initial response to pray, said Ward. The first thing that we did when she communicated to us, we prayed and we asked God to spare his life. That was our exact prayer. Goal number one, Lord, spare his life. And Blake lived. It was confirmation, Ward said, that God heard the churchs prayer, and they believe Blakes survival is a miracle. To hear even the following morning and throughout that night that he had survived and, relatively speaking, was in stable condition, we chalk that up as answered prayer. We just began to celebrate and thank God that He spared his life. That is a miracle. You do not get shot that many times typically and survive and still be relatively in the condition that he is. We have no doubt about the faithfulness of God, Ward said. An attorney for Blakes family said while he survived, he is now paralyzed, and it will take another miracle for him to walk again, The Associated Press reported. A statement from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which is investigating Blakes shooting, said a female caller reported to the Kenosha Police Department that her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be at the residence located in the 2800 block of 40th Street. According to audio dispatch obtained by Madison365, Blake had taken the woman's keys and refused to leave. The dispatcher alerted officers that Blake had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. Court records show that Blake had been arrested on July 6 and charged with one felony count of third-degree sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct related to domestic abuse at that residence. When officers arrived at the scene they encountered Blake who resisted arrest. They unsuccessfully tried to subdue him with a Taser and Blake then walked around to his vehicle at the scene with armed police officers pointing their guns at his back, according to video posted on social media. Blake opened the drivers side door of his vehicle and leaned forward. While holding onto Blakes shirt, the Wisconsin DOJ said officer Rusten Sheskey fired his service weapon seven times into Blakes back. Wisconsin DOJ officials said Blake "admitted that he had a knife in his possession" Sunday evening. It was recovered on the floorboard of the driver's-side of the vehicle. The shooting has since led to violent riots in the streets of Kenosha and a renewed national call for racial justice that has been ongoing since the officer-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25. At a press conference Tuesday, Jackson wielded her faith again, calling for more prayers for her family and the nation, unity, as well as an end to destructive protesting. My son has been fighting for his life and we really just need prayers. As I was riding through here, through the city, I noticed a lot of damage. It doesnt reflect my son or my family. If Jacob knew what was going on as far as that goes the violence and the destruction he would be very unpleased. So I[m] really asking and encouraging everyone in Wisconsin and abroad to take a moment and examine your hearts, she said. Citizens, police officers, firemen, clergy, politicians, do Jacob justice on this level and examine your hearts. We need healing. As I pray for my sons healing physically, emotionally and spiritually, I also have been praying even before this for the healing of our country. God has placed each and every one of us in this country because He wanted us to be here, she continued. Clearly, you can see by now that I have beautiful brown skin. But take a look at your hand and whatever shade it is, it is beautiful as well. How dare we hate what we are? No one is superior to the other. The only Supreme Being is God Himself. Please lets begin to pray for healing for our nation. We are the United States, have we been united? she asked before ending, America is great when we behave greatly. Ward, who is author of the 2014 book, Zero Victim: Liberate Yourself from the Mentality of Defeat, also echoed a similar call for unity and healing amid the unrest over racial justice, but said the Church needs to take the lead in forging sustainable unity. I think we have to come back to the place of really understanding that unity is a spiritual work. The Apostle Paul talks about endeavoring to keep the spirit of unity in the bond of peace. Unity is not something we can accomplish in the natural unity movements always fail because they dont go deep enough to establish the fundamental and the vital common denominators in terms of the things that really matter and the things that dont matter, Ward said. I want to call upon the Church, I want to call upon evangelicals, Pentecostals, Christians on the right, Christians on the left, I want to take this on to call faith leaders to come together, and I would love to engage with them so that this time would truly be different, he said. I think that we can really get a breakthrough this time and see our nation affected by the kind of unity Jesus Himself prayed for in John 17. Until the Church takes the lead in moving America toward spiritual unity, Ward believes tragedies like Blakes shooting and the unrest that follows will continue to happen. He (Jesus) said until the Church of believers become one, He said then the world will know that my father has sent me. I believe that this is a test. I believe that this is a wake-up call that God is summoning the Church to arise. And if we dont act at this particular moment as the Church of Jesus Christ I believe theres only going to be lamentations, and mourning and woes that we see written in the book of Ezekiel, right now, Ward said. He added that while society is governed by spiritual, moral, and civil law there has been more focus on the role of civil law than spiritual or moral law. Spiritual law comes from God, moral law has to do with our ability to govern ourselves based upon spiritual law, but the most popular or the most well-known form of law is civil law. But civil law is the least important of the three kinds of law. Civil law is only there to either reward or to punish people based upon whether or not they keep spiritual and moral law, Ward said. Based upon my understanding of the Word of God, the reason we keep failing, the reason we cant see change, the reason we never see unity and we keep having these incidents over and over again, is because we only deal with civil law and we ignore the ramifications and the consequences of breaking spiritual and moral law. When you break spiritual and moral law it invites certain consequences into our nation. And heres the deal, you cannot legislate morality. You cannot legislate [it]. There is no law, greater gun laws arent going to fix it, he added. America, he said, needs to understand that the nation is struggling with a sin problem that must be addressed in the hearts of citizens. Something has to happen in the hearts of the American citizen if we want to see a change in our nation. ... Racism is a fruit, sin is the root. I always say its a sin problem not a skin problem. The murders, the things we see, those are the fruit. Until we deal with the root, if you keep taking the fruit off the tree if the root system is healthy the fruit is just gonna grow back. If you want to kill the tree youve got to kill it at the root. Jesus himself did that in Mark 11. The Bible says he spoke to the root of the fig tree and the tree died, he said. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat at 11 AM today (August 30). This 'Mann Ki Baat' will be the 68th edition of PMs monthly radio programme which is held on the last Sunday of every month. PM Modi addresses a range of issues in the programme and taking to microblogging site Twitter he also sought ideas and suggestions from people. The Prime Minister had tweeted to ask people to send their inputs by writing to him using NaMo or MyGov App or by recording their messages by calling on 1800-11-7800. Phone lines have been opened from August 10. Tune in at 11 AM on 30th August. #MannKiBaat, a tweet from PM Modis Twitter handle said. Tune in at 11 AM on 30th August. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/PuaZEqmT78 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2020 In the previous edition of Mann ki Baat, which was also a date when India celebrates Kargil Vijay Diwas, PM Modi had paid tributes to the soldiers who fought valiantly against Pakistans forces during the Kargil War. PM Modi also reminded citizens to not let their guard down amid the rising cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He said that it is necessary to wear masks when outside and asked those who think wearing them is troublesome to reflect upon the amount of time frontline workers have to spend in a day wearing masks. He reiterated that people need to follow all precautions to prevent Covid-19. A large number of companies are modifying their leave policy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic by encouraging employees to take days off or capping leave encashment. As employees continue to work from home and with very few taking leaves for fear or job loss or due to travel restrictions, such days are piling up, making corporates rethink their leave policies, Mint reported. HR tech solution provider PeopleStrong found that less than 40 percent employees have applied for leaves during April-June a significant drop, the report said. Notably, provision of fixed leave quantum is mandated per state government requirements under the Shops and Establishment Act, 1961; while leave encashment is not. While most cannot scrap the policy overnight, many are reviewing the number of leaves that would be eligible for encashment down to 15-20 percent. This promotes a healthy working practice and helps address the burnout issue as well," Pankaj Bansal, the co-founder and CEO of PeopleStrong, told the paper. 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 Navneet Rattan, director - performance & rewards, Aon India Consulting, also told the paper that organisations were either reducing current leave balance, not allowing for leave encashment, or putting a cap on it" in 2020. The tech sector on the other hand is encouraging employees to take leaves and not pile them up till the year end. Anandorup Ghose, partner, Deloitte India, said actions by corporates would be guided from the perspective of reducing leave liabilities and improve cash flows, where companies may move annual leave encashment to retrenchment or resignation time instead. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 20:09:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BELGRADE, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Electors in Montenegro went to polls on Sunday for the country's parliamentary elections. From 7 a.m. local time, people of Montenegro came out to 1,217 voting stations to opt between 11 participating parties and coalitions that hope to raise above the 3-percent threshold. According to the State Electoral Commission, 540,026 people are eligible to vote, and more than 14 percent of people already voted in the first two hours, which is a twofold increase in comparison to 2016. The opinion polls showed a sharp decrease of support to the country's long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) led by current President Milo Djukanovic. The latest research, conducted by CEDEM, a local NGO, shows that the coalition "Decisively for Montenegro! DPS -- Milo Djukanovic" led by Prime Minister and DPS deputy leader Dusko Markovic is likely to win around 35.3 percent of votes. The opposition coalitions "For the Future of Montenegro" and "Peace is Our Nation" would garner 24.7 and 16.5 percent of votes respectively. The campaign for the current elections was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented larger rallies and shifted the attention to the internet. Due to preventive measures, all voters are obliged to disinfect their hands prior to voting, wear facial masks and keep distance. Polls will close at 8 p.m., when first preliminary results are to be declared. Enditem By Associated Press PORTLAND: One person was shot and killed late Saturday in Portland, Oregon, as a large caravan of President Donald Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed in the streets, police said. It wasnt clear if the shooting was linked to fights that broke out as a caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by protesters in the citys downtown. An Associated Press freelance photographer heard three gunshots and then observed police medics working on the body of the victim, who appeared to be a white man. The freelancer said the man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group whose members have frequently clashed with protesters in Portland in the past. Police did not release any additional details and were at the scene investigating late Saturday. Portland Police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street. They responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. Portland has been the site of nightly protests for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Many of them end in vandalism and violence, and hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested by local and federal law enforcement since late May. The caravan arrived downtown just as a protest planned for Saturday was getting underway. Police made several arrests before the shooting and advised residents to avoid the city core. The chaotic scene came two days after Trump invoked Portland as a liberal city overrun with violence in a speech at the Republican National Convention as part of his law and order re-election campaign theme. The caravan marked the third Saturday in a row that Trump supporters have rallied in the city. Trump and other speakers at this week's convention evoked a violent, dystopian future if Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden wins in November and pointed to Portland as a cautionary tale for what would be in store for Americans. The pro-Trump rally's organizer, who coordinated a similar caravan in Boise, Idaho, earlier in the week, said in a video posted on Twitter Saturday afternoon that attendees should only carry concealed weapons and the route was being kept secret for safety reasons. The caravan had gathered earlier in the day at a suburban mall and drove as a group to the heart of Portland. As they arrived in the city, protesters attempted to stop them by standing in the street and blocking bridges. Videos from the scene showed sporadic fighting, as well as Trump supporters firing paintball pellets at opponents and using bear spray as counter-protesters threw things at the Trump caravan. The shooting happened shortly before 9 p.m. Pacific, several hours after the caravan began arriving in Portland. The Black Lives Matter demonstrations usually target police buildings and federal buildings. Some protesters have called for reductions in police budgets while the citys mayor and some in the Black community have decried the violence, saying its counterproductive. Early Saturday morning, fires set outside a police union building that is a frequent site for protests prompted police to declare a riot. An accelerant was used to ignite a mattress and other debris that was laid against the door of the Portland Police Association building, police said in a statement. At least one dumpster had also been set on fire in the street nearby. The commotion followed a sit-in in the lobby of the Portland mayors condominium building Friday night. Doctor Adrian McGoldrick has called for advanced medical treatment to be made available to some coronavirus patients. It comes after the Rathangan native had asymptomatic Covid-19, which was established by a test in May. The doctor, who is also well known in the horseracing community, had none of the symptoms associated with Covid-19 such as a severe, cough, headache ort loss of taste or smell. Inflamed Since then he has developed myocarditis. This occurs when the heart muscle becomes inflamed and this in turn can affect the heart muscle and the heart's electrical system, reducing the heart's ability to pump and causing rapid or abnormal heart rhythms. In a tweet he said the myocarditis diagnosis was confirmed less than two weeks ago. My message is that this virus is potentially deadly so please follow advice. We need to tell people this as many times as necessary. Treatment He believes that advanced medical treatment should be made available in the form of a cardiac MRI, which allows doctors to see the heart in more detail than any other imaging format available. MRIs are non invasive and can more accurately identify the need of coronary angiography, coronary stenting or bypass operations. He said the National Treatment Purchase Fund should be used to provide free cardiac MRI screening to the public. He wants it made available to all public patients with any virus symptoms. Dr McGoldrick told the Leader that it is important to get the message out there that people need to take the medical advice relating to the virus. What happened in my case is a warning to other people and the tweet attracted a lot of attention which is useful because its important we tell people that the message need to be reinforced. Recuperates For now Dr McGoldrick is off work on medical advice as he recuperates. I hope to get back working full time again as a GP in September, he said. The former senior medical officer at the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, who retired in December 2018 after 11 years in the role, is also hoping to return to the racecourses as one of twenty medical officers providing crucial clinical cover and racecourses around the country. (Newser) Joe Biden's presidential campaign "just announced he'll be visiting a number of statesbut not Michigan," Michael Moore posted. "Sound familiar?" Hillary Clinton didn't campaign in the state in 2016 and lost Michigan to Donald Trump. Moore was among the few who saw Trump's election coming, and he's warning Democrats that battleground states could deliver the president a victory in the same way this time, the Guardian reports. "Sorry to have to provide the reality check again," Moore posted on Facebook. He pointed to a CNN poll that shows the candidates virtually tied in four battleground states and Biden's lead down to 4 points in Michigan. story continues below "Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again?" Moore's post asked. "Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win?" Polls generally show Biden leading, per CNN. But Axios points out that Trump is in better shape now in some swing states than he was four years ago. Moore sees that, too. "The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trumps base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much," he said. Moore told Biden supportersor at least Trump opponentsthat it's up to them. "Dont leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump," Moore posted, adding, "WE have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote." (Read more Michael Moore stories.) The flagbearer of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo has expressed disappointment in former President John Mahama's decision to legalize okada business in the country. According to him, it will take the NDC Seventy-two (72) years to accomplish what the Akufo-Addo-led government has done in 3 years, but the LPG will use only one year. The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Mahama promised his government will legalize the commercial operation of motorbikes popularly known as Okada if voted into power in 2021. According to him, the Okada business has become a means of sustenance for young people who are unemployed. Addressing people during his tour of Kpando in the Volta Region, he stated that our law says okada is illegal, but it is a reality it has come to stay and you cant stop it. So, I say when we come into office, we legalize it but we will regulate it. Anyone interested in pursuing an okada business will be trained and also educated to obey all needed traffic regulations, John Mahama added. However, Kofi Akpaloo believes Mahama is making such promises because he's dazed by the numerous achievements of the ruling administration. "I was really sad when I heard this but it's not Mahama's fault; he has realized that things are not going well for him so he's making all sorts of promises, he's confused...the kind of work this government has done in the past three and a half years; it will take NDC 72 years to do same" he said in a discussion on Kumasi-based Hello FM. 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. Featured Video The destructive storm surge has receded, and the cleanup has begun from Hurricane Laura, but officials along this shattered stretch of southwestern Louisiana are warning returning residents they will face weeks without power or water amid the hot, stifling days of late summer. The US toll from the Category 4 hurricane rose to 16 deaths Saturday, with more than half of those killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of generators. The latest deaths included an 80-year-old woman and an 84-year-old man who died from just such a poisoning. Also read: As Hurricane Laura batters US cities, NOAA plane flies through it to capture rare images from inside President Donald Trump plans to tour the damage in Louisiana and neighboring Texas on Saturday and is expected to receive briefings on relief efforts. White House spokesman Judd Deere said Trump was traveling to be with those who have been impacted by Hurricane Laura. Across southwestern Louisiana, people were cleaning up from the hurricane that roared ashore early Thursday, packing 150 mph (240 kph) winds. Many were deciding whether they wanted to return home to miserable conditions or wait until basic services are finally restored. Along the coast in Cameron Parish, the receding storm surge left behind sediment and debris. Roads appeared still impassable. At South Cameron High School in Creole, parts of the roof of one building were ripped off, and debris was strewn everywhere. A barge appeared tilted on its side along the water. At First United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, a work crew was battling water that continued to pour into the church building as it rained Friday. Also read: Trump surveys Hurricane Laura damage in post-convention trip This roof blew off. Theres some of it over there, said Michael Putman, owner of Putman Restoration, pointing to part of the roof resting near the side of the building. A pile of black garbage bags sat outside the church, filled with insulation and ceiling tile. Putman lives in Shreveport, which also got damage from the storm. But he said he drove down to Lake Charles to help the minister, who was his high school pastor. We slept in our truck in the parking lot last night, he said. Simply driving was a feat in Lake Charles, a city of 80,000 residents hit head on. Power lines and trees blocked paths or created one-lane roads, leaving drivers to negotiate with oncoming traffic. Street signs were snapped off their posts or dangling. No stoplights worked, making it an exercise in trust to share the road with other motorists. Mayor Nic Hunter cautioned that there was no timetable for restoring electricity and that water-treatment plants took a beating, leaving barely a trickle of water coming out of most faucets. If you come back to Lake Charles to stay, make sure you understand the above reality and are prepared to live in it for many days, probably weeks, Hunter wrote on Facebook. The Louisiana Department of Health estimated that more than 220,000 people were without water. Restoration of those services could take weeks or months, and full rebuilding could take years. Forty nursing homes were relying on generators, and assessments were underway to determine if more than 860 residents in 11 facilities that had been evacuated could return. Several hospitals in Calcasieu Parish and one in Cameron Parish evacuated critical patients to other facilities because of water and power issues, the state health department said. Other hospitals are operating on intermittent generator power. Nineteen babies who weathered the hurricane at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital were brought to other hospitals across around the state. The babies, some on respirators or eating via feeding tubes, were at the neonatal intensive care unit of another hospital and had to be moved Wednesday hours before the hurricane arrived out of concerns that storm surge would swamp the one-story building. Hospital officials said they then decided to move them out of Lake Charles when it became apparent that it could be weeks before water was restored. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike the state, meaning it surpassed even Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005. He said Friday that officials now believe the surge was as high as 15 feet (4.5 meters). Saturday marks the 15th anniversary of Katrina. Hurricane Laura also killed nearly two dozen people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic en route to the US Gulf Coast. In Lake Charles, chainsaws buzzed and heavy machinery hauled tree limbs in the front lawn of Stanley and Dominique Hazelton, who rode out the storm on a bathroom floor. A tree punctured the roof not far from where the couple was taking cover. They regretted staying. Theres people without homes, Stanley Hazelton said. So it was dumb. Well never do it again. Well never stay through another hurricane again. Amul has got a legal reprieve from the Delhi High Court which issued an order protecting the trademark rights of Indias biggest dairy brand. The Delhi HC has restricted fake websites and bank accounts being circulated with Amul prefixed or suffixed in the domain name and has also prevented new fake websites from using the brand name, The Economic Times reported. The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which owns Amul said the order will curb the menace of online frauds impersonating the Amul brand. The order came after Amul approached the court seeking relief. It told the court individuals had complained about being deceived and duped by fake websites which offered jobs with Amul, besides dealer or distributor deals for Rs 25,000 to Rs 10 lakh. GCMMF said the Delhi HC order has blocked fake websites and also directed the Department of Telecommunications and other concerned government bodies to block access to such websites. Domain registrars restricted from selling or offering Amul suffixed, prefixed or combination name websites as per the court order are Freenom, Name Cheap, Big Rock and GoDaddy. Opposition-ruled states and the Centre seem to be on a collision course over the borrowing options provided by the Centre to states to meet their GST implementation shortfall. We find it totally unacceptable, said West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Sunday, a day after the Centre provided two options for GST compensation. Kerala too has rejected the Centres proposal and has decided to inform in writing. Karnataka is likely to take a call this week. At the recent GST Council meeting, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had pointed out that it would be difficult for the state to borrow and had instead suggested that the Centre should do it. Chhattisgarh is expected to take a call on Monday, while Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu will take a call this week. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi and Jharkhand are expected to go with the decision of non-BJP ruled states. Opposition-ruled states have argued that they have been guaranteed the compensation by the GST law of 2017. They are also of the view that they have much lower headroom to either borrow or service their debt. On the contrary, the Centre can get loans from the market at a cheaper rate. But West Bengals Mitra claimed that 15 big states, including some BJP-ruled ones, want the Centre to borrow. Why is the Centre not borrowing directly? The Centre can monetise debt by printing money which the states cannot, Mitra told reporters on Sunday. As per the Centres calculations, the compensation dues to states in the current fiscal would be Rs 3 lakh crore, of which Rs 65,000 crore is likely to come from cess this fiscal. This leaves a shortfall of Rs 2.35 lakh crore. Out of this, the shortfall due to GST implementation is only Rs 97,000 crore and the remaining is due to Covid-19 impact, according to the Centre. According to the options provided by the Centre, if the states borrow Rs 97,000 crore, it can repay the entire amount (principal plus interest) after 2022. But, if they raise the entire Rs 2.35 lakh crore loan from the market, the Centre will only pay the principal amount after 2022, the interest component will have to be paid by the states. Some BJP states have, however, indicated they will go for option one. According to tax consultants, there will be chaos if some states go for option one and others for option two. While the GST law provides that Centre compensate states for implementation losses, it is silent on what actions be taken if the Centre does not. The most famous picture, arguably, to emerge from the American Civil War was taken 158 years ago in the middle of the Rappahannock River, separating Culpeper and Fauquier counties, on Aug. 19, 1862. This compelling image does not depict soldiers at war, or in camp. No, this immortal picture reveals a group of former enslaved people fleeing Culpeper for the region north of the Rappahannock that most slaves simply called the Free State. But before I continue, here is some background. In 1860, Culpeper County boasted about 12,000 inhabitants, including 6,653 enslaved people. More than 700 individuals owned slaves; 84 planters owned 20 or more slaves. Culpeper farms averaged 260 acres, and the average holding was 10 enslaved people. Wheat was the money crop, and the intensive labor that planted and harvested such crops was provided almost entirely by slaves that farmers owned or hired from other sources. And when a Culpeper slave was hired off from one farm to another, it goes without saying thatin many casestheir family was torn asunder for months, on end. Quite often, once separated, family members were never reunited. It is a fact that the planter class cared only about sustaining an enslaved family if it was profitable to do so. As these farmers saw it, they were businessmen, and slaves, after all, were commodities to be bought, sold and abused, as they saw fit. Slaveholding was a business, pure and simple. Nothing sentimental about it. Prior to the Civil War, there was in fact almost zero public opposition among white inhabitants to slavery in Culpeper County. Most agreed with local Baptist preacher Thornton Stringfellow, who argued that Slavery is full of mercy. Stringfellow added, (O)ur slaves are better cared for than any other laborers on earth. In the same vein, the Culpeper Observer editorialized, Slavery, as it exists in Virginia, regulated by law, and tempered by the genius of Christianity, has been a great blessing to the Negro. As national political tensions heatedly arose, a Culpeper lawyer stressed that Culpeper citizens should seek the best political mechanism which would protect the rights and honor of the South. Henry Shackleford left open the definition of rights, but there was not much doubt as to what he referred. With the election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860, heavy war clouds hovered over Culpeper. It is noteworthy to recall that Lincoln did not receive a single Culpeper vote. The legal mechanism for the emerging fratricidal conflict was affixed in May 1861 when 1,051 Culpeper voters (all male) approved the Virginia General Assemblys Ordinance of Secession. The group in Culpeper speaking loudest for secession, and for upholding the institution of slavery, was the planter class that included the Taliaferros, Pattons, Shacklefords, Cunninghams and, belatedly, the Barbours and the Beckhams. Locally, a slave-holding group organized in late 1860, calling themselves the Southern Rights Association of Culpeper. They demanded an instant War of Southern Independence. Gun sales in Culpeper accelerated dramatically. George Wells gun shop promoted an urgent arrival for sale, from up north, of Single and Double Barrell Guns, Pistols. Militia groups were formed and preparations ensued for the inevitable conflict. (Does this sound familiar?) In July 1861, the Battle of Manassas took place 50 miles north of Culpeper. It would be only a matter of time until the war followed the Orange and Alexandria Railroad down to the Rappahannock River. In March 1862, the Confederate military fell back down the railroad line from Centreville and effectively established the northern border of the Confederacy at the Rappahannock. Confederate soldiers aggressively termed the river Our Dare Mark Line, meaning, We dare you to try to cross it! So, for most of the war, the Rappahannock River identified the demarcation line between the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. But to people enslaved in Culpeper County, that unknown region north of the river now held by President Lincolns people became known as the Free State. In July 1862, the Unions Army of Virginia50,000 Federal soldierstook up the dare, and invaded Culpeper by crossing the Rappahannock. Flourishing crops were destroyed; barns and stables burned; businesses, homes and churches taken over, some destroyed; slaves were set free; and enslaved people freed themselves, leaving as soon as they dared. So, July and August 1862 marked the end of farming in Culpeper for the next three years as all major crops were obliterated. Those who had formerly planted the fields were no longer available. After the Federals were defeated in the Battle of Cedar Mountain on Aug. 9, 1862, it was only a matter of time before they would withdraw. Gen. Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia had this Union occupying force squarely in their gunsights. On Aug. 19, 1862, the Yankees hastily started their retreat back into Fauquier County, from whence they came. Now liberated and desperate to flee, hundreds upon hundreds of former slaves headed in a dead rush on Aug. 19 for the Rappahannock. This specific date brings us back to our famous picture. Two photos (which we cropped) accompanying this article, taken by Timothy OSullivan, depict former slavesa family?about to depart Culpeper for the promised land. Just above this crossing, named Cows Ford, is the Rappahannock Station railroad bridge. Martins Mill is visible just beyond the bridge. Five fleeing individuals are pictured: Two women atop a Conestoga wagon, two men in front of the wagon, and a boy on a horse. Everything they have with them has obviously been taken from their former master, no doubt a Culpeper landowner of considerable means. Why do I say they are from Culpeper? Well, the Unions Army of Virginia never crossed the Rapidan, and clearly this group came from inside Federal lines, meaning Culpeper County. Everyone can decide for themselves why one of these OSullivan pictures is among those most often published in Civil War history books, or seen hanging in exhibit halls, internationally, at that. But to me, this compelling Culpeper image best tells the story, movingly, of the 4 million Americans who were freed from bondage as a result of the American Civil War. Civil War historian Clark B. Hall, a Star-Exponent columnist since 2006, lives in Culpeper County. Email him at clarkbhall@aol.com. Goals of 'intelligence-based policing,' per state police According to the Vermont State Police's Lt. Jerry Partin, the essential goals for what the St. Albans Barracks' station commander calls "intelligence-based policing" are to: "Create a safe and secure environment"; "Promote and foster community relationship/partnership with local [and] state police, community leaders and local organizations"; "Reduce drug activity [and] violence"; "Establish positive youth and parental programs"; and "Generating intelligence by, with and through community." The approach also requires what the lieutenant called "unity of effort." Trucks make their way across the Gerald Desmond Bridge, which connects Long Beach and Terminal Island. (Los Angeles Times) Heres one bright spot in an otherwise depressing 2020: Over the last few months, California has taken dramatic, landmark steps toward slashing emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks that contribute heavily to smog, soot and planet-warming gases. Over the next decade, California will require trucks sold in the state to be 90% cleaner than diesel models on the market today. At the same time, manufacturers will be required to roll out an increasing number of zero-emission trucks powered by batteries or fuel cells. With these new truck regulations, California is, again, leading the nations fight to clean the air and slow climate change. The truck industry transformation will help protect residents living next to freeways, ports and warehouses, whose exposure to dangerously high levels of diesel exhaust puts them at greater risk of cancer, heart disease and respiratory problems. It will also help wean the transportation sector off fossil fuels; such a shift is essential to slowing the devastating climate change that we are already feeling in California. In June, the California Air Resources Board adopted the United States' first zero-emission truck mandate. The regulation requires manufacturers to begin selling zero-emission models in 2024 and to make those vehicles an increasing share of their sales each year until 2045, when all trucks sold in the state must be clean. The rule covers a range of trucks, including heavy-duty pickups, delivery vans, box trucks and big rigs. The future of transportation is zero-emission vehicles that is, if the world is going to successfully combat global climate change. But in the near term, there will still be thousands of diesel trucks sold each year, and California has an obligation to make sure those vehicles are as clean as possible. The new truck regulation passed last week sets stringent new emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, which include diesel-powered pickups, buses and semitrucks. Today, trucks are responsible for about one-third of the states smog-forming nitrogen oxides and one-quarter of its diesel soot. Under the new rule, such trucks sold in the state will be 90% cleaner by 2027 than models sold today. Thats the equivalent of taking 16 million cars off the road, or roughly two-thirds of the cars operating in the state today. Story continues But there is a hitch: Roughly 40% of the trucks driven in California are from out of state and wouldnt have to meet the strict standards. Thats why air quality and public health agencies have been pleading since 2016 for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enact national standards. Much to the surprise of some environmental groups, the Trump administration announced in 2018 that the EPA would propose a new Clean Trucks Initiative in early 2020. We are doing it because it's good for the environment, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said, noting the initiative would modernize truck engines, making them cleaner and more efficient. But the good intentions didnt last long. That initiative was put on hold, and the EPA hasnt said if or when it will pursue cleaner truck engines. California rightly chose not to wait for the federal government. But this puts the state in conflict again with the Trump administration, which has repeatedly tried to block Californias efforts to clean the air and fight global warming. The Air Resources Board adopted the strict new trucks standards despite lobbying from engine manufacturers and the trucking industry. They argue the standards will make vehicles more expensive a new truck engine would cost about $6,000 more over its lifetime and put California companies at a competitive disadvantage if they have to pass those costs along to consumers. The costs, however, are far outweighed by what the public will gain from the rule, especially in communities with dirty, unhealthy air. More broadly, the new standard will help Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley meet EPA deadlines to clean up the regions smoggy, sooty air and avoid significant federal penalties. The Air Resources Board also voted last week to require more cargo ships to turn off their engines or plug in to shore-based power supplies while they are docked. This will help cut diesel pollution in port communities such as Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland. These are all vital steps toward cleaning up the transportation and freight sectors. California cant have clean air without cleaner vehicles, and the world cant slow climate change without reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. By Neil C. Bhavsar I grew up in a tiny house in a suburb of New Jersey. I lived with my sister, my mother, my father, my paternal uncle, paternal aunt, two paternal cousin brothers, maternal uncle, maternal aunt, maternal cousin brother and my maternal grandmother. Thats 12 people in a tiny old house full of giant family breakfasts around masala chai, Bollywood movies running 24/7 on the one CRT we could afford, and non-stop religious poojas around the holidays. It was this giant-little community we had that allowed both my mom to head off to her job as a postal carrier for the United States Postal Service and my dad to walk to his budding career as a Dunkin Donuts cashier up the road from home while my sister, cousins and I stayed at home, safe and sound with our grandmother, Shardaben Bhavsar. She essentially raised us, doing her part, in the hopes of having our larger family achieve its lofty goal of the American dream. She spent most of her life raising my mom and five of her siblings in a tiny apartment in the heart of Mumbai, India, all on her own when her husband, my maternal grandfather, passed away when she was just 40 years old. In a time when she wasnt expected to work, she took reign of my grandfathers shop in the 1970s and had the strength to wed her five daughters all alone a difficult feat for even a normally functioning household back then in India. At the age of 60, she did it all again, this time she traded her tiny flat in Mumbai for a tiny home in New Jersey, full of vivacious grandchildren. Her new home in New Jersey came with a spacious, green backyard that she could plant the vegetables, spices, and fruits that would serve as signature ingredients in her home cooking when the whole family gathered around the dining table every night. She brought the family together after a long day to warm feelings of nostalgia and full bellies. It was a pretty simple ritual back then. Waking up to a breakfast that filled the room with the bursting flavors of masala chai so strong that the scent alone would have you wide awake. Once the adults left for work, my grandmother took us out to the backyard and chaperoned us as we chased each other around, all while she picked fresh raspberries off large, lumbering trees that cast shadows just wide enough to provide us with a home-base when we were tired out by running around in the sun. She even welcomed the neighbors kids to our backyard, as she knew their parents didnt have anyone to watch them while they were away at work. Shardaben Bhavsar, sitting in the center of the sofa, and her family. Once school started in the fall, our grandmother eagerly awaited our arrival to help us practice our Gujarati. Years later, my parents found themselves in a new house just minutes away from my grandmother, yet before school and after school I found myself on a bus that took me from my grandmothers home to school and from school back to my grandmothers house making me wonder why we even left our old house at all! Much of my youth has been colored full of memories with my grandmother. Its thanks to her love, sacrifice, and care that I was able to pursue my dream of becoming a physician. The support I have received from family has been invaluable and something I find myself guilty of never being able to payback. Thats why when she fell ill In late March, just a few weeks before her 85th birthday I felt a crippling sense of dread that left me powerless. What should we do next? This is the question I found my mom asking me over the phone when I was self-quarantined in my apartment after my clinical rotations came to an abrupt pause. Just weeks after COVID-19 took the country by storm but still several weeks out from the predicted peak I found my mom turning to me for answers when it came to light that my grandmother might have caught something in the midst of all this chaos. Was it the flu? Was it a cold? Or was it what we feared most? I didnt know what to say. While I tried to understand the data collected on COVID-19 at that time, it became clear that our state of New Jersey was just beginning to experience the spread of coronavirus. Does she have a tough time breathing? Does she have a fever? I wasnt sure what to tell my mother on the other end of the line. Our family felt torn between taking my grandmother to the hospital and bearing the risk of having her exposed to the virus, or keeping her home to get better on her own in the event that it wasnt what we feared most. Even now as I write this, Im not sure what the best course of action would have been. Unsurprisingly, my mom turned to me in this time of crisis, hoping I would have some idea on what to do next I mean, why wouldnt she? I spent three years studying medicine in school. After putting in the grueling number of hours into studying medicine I found myself completely clueless. Eventually, my grandmother asked that she be taken to our community hospital. She had seen the reports about COVID-19, and it became clear to her that whatever she had, could get others in the family sick, and she wanted no part in that. Just as she put her family before her in the 70s, then in the 90s, she did it again yet without fail -- asking the ER team at the hospital to admit her into in-patient. As you can imagine, it was tough for anyone to reach a loved one at the hospital during this time. The chaos of the virus overwhelmed the hospital system, and often times I found myself being placed on hold or being told to call back at a later time. The one time I was able to speak to my grandmother, it felt like a punch to the gut. When can I go home? She asked. Shardaben Bhavsar and her great-grandchildren, Strawberry, left, and Kiann. I told her I didnt know. I couldnt even imagine what she was going through. While she understood English to a point, she primarily relied on Gujarati. Her whole life she spent surrounded by family. In the time when she needed us most, we couldnt do anything. She was surrounded by tubes and wires in some hospital bed lying behind drapes in the emergency department. My mind was running a mile a minute, unable to put the past three years of my training into a coherent plan for my family. I found myself wanting to avoid information surrounding the pandemic as I felt it too difficult to rise to the challenge. Later that week, my grandmother passed on after having a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. As a Hindu family, we know that she went on to become one with god in Akshardham, the kingdom in the sky and that she knows she was loved during her time on Earth. Having spent my last year in the hospital, the concept of death wasnt foreign to me. However, the idea of what my grandmother had to go through, all alone, without someone there to help her broke my heart. She lived a long, selfless life and in her final moments, she listened to ritualistic hymns that made her smile one last time. Unfortunately, this has become common in this pandemic, families are terrified of whats to come once an elder member is diagnosed with SARS-COV2. While we continue to bear the brunt of this pandemic as it leaks into many aspects of our lives, its important to hold on to the hope that all of this will end eventually. In the past years, I have written about my expectations before medical school, during medical school, and my beginning as a third-year medical student. As I begin my fourth year during the height of the pandemic, I want to reflect on the losses that have been endured by the world. Its because of the sacrifices of those before me that Im able to pursue my dreams of becoming a physician. With my grandmothers passing, Im starkly reminded of how, whether Im ready or not, Im not seen as another family member but as someone who is expected to have some know-how of what to do in a health care crisis. I have my utmost respect for hospital staff risking their lives on the frontline to treat and care for those we love all while risking transmission of disease. I know they did what they could for my grandmother, whether it was providing medical care or walking into her room and playing one final song before she passed on in the middle of the night. Her sacrifices will never be forgotten, and neither will those of the healthcare workers that spent hours isolated away from their families to make sure my grandmother got the best treatment possible. Its terrifying and awe-inspiring to the see the world come together to respond to this virus and while things arent going as smoothly as we want its a stark reminder as to why I came to medicine in the first place and what Ill keep in mind as I progress through medical school. Thank you grandma and everyone else who helped me get this far. Neil Bhavsar is a fourth-year medical student at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Cooperation between Egypt and Denmark amount to about $560 million in several fields, including new and renewable energy, water and sanitation, environment, culture and housing Egypts ministries of international cooperation and electricity have inked the Egyptian-Danish Energy Partnership Program (2019-2022) agreement with the Energy Agency of the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities to push forward Egypts green transformation and invest in renewable energy. The agreement was signed by Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat and Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker. Minister Shaker said that his ministry will seek to form a joint committee with the Danish side, which will serve as a forum for comprehensive strategic dialogue between Egypt and Denmark to discuss cooperation in the energy field, and make decisions on the strategic cooperation program between the two countries. He stressed that the agreement supports the state's capabilities to accelerate the pace of Egypts green transformation by developing plans to ensure access to affordable clean energy and implementing wind energy projects, referring to Egypts energy strategy until 2035, which seeks to increase the share of renewable energy to more than 42 percent. Danish Ambassador to Egypt Svend Olling said that the agreement aims to confront the increasing challenges in the field of energy and the environment. He noted that Denmark is a leading global partner in the field of renewable energy and green transformation and he looks forward to working with Egypt under the agreement to support the countrys green transition. Cooperation between the governments of Egypt and Denmark dates back to 1969, amounting to about $560 million in several different fields, including new and renewable energy, water and sanitation, environment, culture and housing, according the Ministry of International Cooperation. Search Keywords: Short link: James Long, a health-care insurance broker at his computer inside his home office in Royersford, helps people that have lost "job-based health insurance" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more Michael Kerr thought he would be back to work by now. When the 52-year-old from Reading was put on furlough from his retail manager position in mid-March, he figured the business would reopen by April, reinstating him and other employees. But as his furlough dragged on into June, he realized his job loss would become permanent, leaving him without income or his employer-sponsored health insurance. I felt like I needed to cover myself in bubble wrap and stay in the house, he said. Every ache and pain got a little bit more scary. Kerr is one of millions of American workers who have lost their job-based health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated that 27 million Americans could lose their employer-sponsored insurance and become uninsured due to the pandemic. Older workers under age 65 are among the most vulnerable. Those numbers are staggering to people such as Kerr, who not only have to pay higher premiums for health insurance as they get older but may also have a harder time finding a new job, even when the economy isnt in a recession. The closer you get to 60, the more difficult and scary it gets, he said. Even by then, youve still got five more years to muddle through before getting government assistance. Stan Dorn, director of the National Center for Coverage Innovation for the consumer group Families USA, says that loss of insurance among people in the age range of 45 to 64 can be dire, as they often have greater health costs in medications or chronic conditions. These folks are more expensive for an employer than younger adults because the average cost of health insurance is more for them, he said. And that added cost could be an extra incentive to get rid of them. The loss of health insurance for this group and others could also have a severe impact on the economy, Dorn said. When patients dont come to the hospital because they dont have insurance anymore, that means revenue dries up, he noted. And those hospitals, clinics, and other providers would have to lay off staff. READ MORE: COVID-19 could make health care even more unaffordable for Americans, study finds Dorn also fears that the economy will continue to see more layoffs into the fall, and with it, more people losing their job-based health insurance. He thinks that could lead some people to delay or go without the care they need simply because they can no longer afford it. Patients with chronic conditions wont be able to afford their prescriptions, or theyll cut their pills in half, he said. Well see more people playing Russian roulette with their lives. When the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, it increased coverage in two ways: by expanding Medicaid for the poor and improving plans for individuals. For the latter, the act set up a system so that nearly 90% of applicants received subsidies that reduced monthly premiums. The act also increased insurance protections for consumers, by banning plans that had lifetime caps on coverage or didnt cover preexisting conditions. More than 20 million people were able to get insurance. But over time, the laws regulations have been weakened, making room for new and cheaper plans with lesser coverage to enter the marketplace. When Kerr realized that his furlough would turn into a permanent layoff and that his benefits would come to an end, he tried to navigate the health insurance marketplace on his own. But he quickly grew confused by the discrepancies in cost and coverage between all the available options. I almost made a bad decision on a plan that wouldve been more expensive and the coverage a lot less, he said of a plan through Oscar Health, which started providing coverage in the Philadelphia region only this year. Health care really should be simplified somehow. READ MORE: We put off planning until my father-in-laws medical crisis. Heres how we got organized. Kerr sought out the help of Youngs Insurance Services, a health and life insurance brokerage agency based in Norristown. James Long, an agent there who frequently works with people in Kerrs age group, says that people in similar situations often have only two options: extend their employer-sponsored coverage by enrolling in COBRA, or find a plan through the marketplace and hope for discounts through subsidies. Long and agents like him are paid on commission, through marketing dollars incorporated into all policies. Fortunately, Kerr qualified for some subsidies and was able to get an affordable plan through the marketplace, saving him from a COBRA option that was beyond his price range. But Long says that for people who are unable to receive subsidies, COBRA tends to be the better option. Long often sees confusion among clients about how COBRA works. Lots of people think its its own health plan, he said. But theyre actually continuing on the same plan from their former employer, just now paying full price for it without their employers contribution. That full price can lead to sticker shock, as Long notes that COBRA often falls in the range of $600 to $800 a month. Despite that jump in monthly cost, Long says that equivalent plans on the marketplace without subsidies could be double that price. ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters. David Grande, director of policy at the University of Pennsylvanias Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, agrees with Long that COBRA might be the best choice for some people. For a person to qualify for subsidies, he notes that a persons household income needs to be below 400% of the poverty level, or $86,880 for a family of three. If you have the financial resources for COBRA, thats probably the best option. Still, Grande bemoans the lack of federal intervention on health care, especially as pandemic-related economic damage grows more permanent. He thinks, like Kerr, that navigating the health-care marketplace is too confusing, and that theres a lot of misunderstanding around who qualifies for subsidies and what the different options are. There needs to be a strong national effort to make subsidized coverage advertised, available, and easy to access, he said. Were seeing the limits of the Affordable Care Act through individuals who dont qualify for subsidies, who probably should be subsidized at a point like this. Some of the solutions Grande sees for these problems would be to expand Medicaid in states that havent already done so, increasing the number of people who are able to enroll. (Pennsylvania and New Jersey have both expanded Medicaid.) State-based exchanges, which Pennsylvania is set to begin in 2021, could help cut costs for individuals, as well, but he says that bigger issues surround who qualifies for subsidies. Those regulations can be changed only by the federal government, he noted. Ellen Grubawsky, another client of Youngs Insurance Services, also had to find new coverage after her furlough became a permanent layoff at a company where she had worked for 30 years. But at age 62, the Perkiomenville resident is more worried about securing a new job before becoming eligible for Medicare at 65. Im uneasy about finding a job when the time comes, but I just have to wait and see what happens, she said. Though Grubawsky qualified for subsidies that gave her discounted options, she says, the final added cost of almost $300 a month on her new plan is one more bill thats increasingly difficult to pay without a steady income. Worse yet, she has concerns that her new insurance has less coverage than her job-based plan. Im not even sure the plan I picked is the best one. While enrolling in a new plan has made Grubawsky feel more secure about her situation, she still feels uncertain about her finances for the future. She hasnt ruled out collecting her Social Security early or considering a reverse mortgage (a loan that allows homeowners over 62 to draw out part of their homes equity as income) if the economy doesnt improve. Though shes still able to support herself through her severance package, Grubawsky acknowledged that money only goes so far. Its very scary, she said. I feel very uneasy about the whole situation. CROTONE, Italy (Reuters) - At least three migrants, two men and a woman, died when a fire broke out on a boat carrying around 20 of them close to the southern coast of Italy on Sunday, police and health officials said. Another five migrants were injured and taken to hospitals, health authorities in the Italian port city of Crotone said, adding that two of them were in a serious condition. Two finance police officers were hurt as they tried to steer the migrant ship to safety, commander Emilio Fiora was reported as saying by AdnKronos news agency. He said the ship's engine caught fire and there was an explosion. Fiora added that searches were going on to make sure that everyone had been rescued. Italy used to be a major route into Europe for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and other migrants, but numbers fell sharply after a crackdown in Libya on smugglers. However, there has been a pick-up in 2020 although Rome has closed its ports to migrant boats, saying it is impossible to help migrants due to the coronavirus crisis. Some 18,000 migrants have reached Italy's shores so far in 2020, interior ministry official data showed, compared to around 4,900 in the same period in 2019. (Reporting by Remo Casilli in Crotone and Angelo Amante in Rome; Writing by Angelo Amante; Editing by Andrew Heavens and David Evans) ST. LOUIS, Mo.: A St. Louis police officer who was shot in the head while responding to a shooting on the citys south side remained in critical condition Sunday, police said. A second officer who was shot in the leg was treated and released after the shooting around 6 p.m. in the South Grand neighborhood near Tower Grove Park, St. Louis Police Department spokeswoman Officer Michelle Woodling said. The officer who was shot in the head is a 29-year-old man with 3 1/2 years of experience with the department. Woodling said the second is 30 and has been on the force about six months. The 43-year-old suspect was taken into custody Sunday morning, Woodling said. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief John Hayden said the gunman ordered a family out of their home at gunpoint and barricaded himself inside for almost 12 hours. Officers were searching for another reported shooting victim when the gunman shot one of them in the head and the other in the leg, Hayden said. The officers were trying to do their job, thats all theyre trying to do and theyre suffering under gunfire, Hayden said, adding that the incidents are part of a surge in violence this summer. He asked residents to pray for the officers. Hayden said eight of his officers have been shot in the line of duty since June 1. Were trying to cope through a very trying summer, and its very difficult. Its very difficult, he said. While the man was barricaded inside, officers armed with rifles and a SWAT team assembled outside. Police closed surrounding streets and warned residents to stay inside. Police used a bullhorn to order the suspect out and fired tear gas into the house, but fired no gunshots, the department said. The man was taken into custody around 5:30 a.m. Police have released no details about how the standoff came to an end. Homeowners Mimi and Steve Haag said they were trying to call 911 to help another man who had been shot when the gunman just walked into their home. I saw then he had a gun, Steve Haag told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was very calm standing there with it in his hand and he just says to Mimi: Maam you need to get off the phone. The Haags escaped through the back door and were unhurt in their encounter with the gunman. Police were unable to locate the other man who was apparently shot and wounded. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson tweeted her condolences following the incident. Please keep our injured officers and all the men and women of @SLMPD in your thoughts and prayers as this situation continues to develop. Their friends, family and loved ones, too," Krewson said. Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who has a fractious relationship with the citys police, also issued a statement of support. We extend our deepest concern and sadness surrounding todays unfortunate events," Gardner told KDSK-TV. I want to extend my prayers for the injured SLMPD officers and their families. 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 One of parliaments most forthright critics of Chinas communist regime has received anonymous letters at his home which he believes are part of a bid by Beijing to intimidate him. Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the content of the letters, sent from Hong Kong, was anodyne. But he said that the underlying message was clearly to tell him: I know where you live. Posting a copy of one of the messages on social media, he said: Im getting letters sent from Hong Kong to my home. The content is anodyne but the message from Ambassador Liu Xiaomings Ministry of State Security friends is clear. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London. PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty I know where you live is something Ive heard before. Threatening elected politicians is interference. It must stop. Mr Tugendhat was one of the loudest voices opposing the involvement of Huawei in the development of Britains 5G telecoms system on security grounds, ahead of Boris Johnsons U-turn to exclude the Chinese tech giant in July. And he has repeatedly called on the government to stand up to Beijing over threats to the rights of the people of Hong Kong and the Muslim Uighurs in the western province of Xinjiang. In June, the Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling published a five-point plan for confronting what he termed the biggest challenge to the liberal world since the end of the Cold War, including reducing access to UK universities for Chinese students, protecting British firms from Chinese takeovers, setting up a new international trade alliance to reduce the clout of the Far Eastern giant and protecting e-commerce from dominance by Beijing. The letter published on Twitter, cast in the form of a plea to God from a religious believer, made no direct threat to Mr Tugendhat. It was signed In Love and Christ, Hong Kong and China. It read: Dear Lord, please help drive out this hatred and anti-China rhetoric from Thomas Tugendhat. Although he means well, God reveal in his eyes your light and love. May he find peace in knowing you. Our father have your way on the Earth and may your will be done. May your kingdom and power come into his life. Drive away the fear and threats. May Tom speak love into UK government foreign policy and turn a corner from future animosity. It was not immediately clear how many letters have been received or whether they all contain the same message. BRIDGEPORT A 24-year-old man was found dead from a gunshot wound in Bridgeport overnight. Officers responding to a report of a person near the corner of Iranistan Avenue and Hanover Street late Saturday found the man on the sidewalk with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to a release from Bridgeport police. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was pronounced dead at the scene by AMR emergency medical personnel, police said. Bridgeport police detectives are asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to call Detective Cintron at 203-581-5227 or the Bridgeport Police Tips Line at 203-576-TIPS. This is the second fatal shooting in Bridgeport this weekend. George John, 25, of Shelton, died after arriving at St. Vincents Medical Center around midnight Friday with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police said they received a ShotSpotter alert near 725 Beechwood Ave. at 11:21 p.m. Friday. John was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle. Present at the ceremony were Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, among others. Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama, head of the diplomatic corps, foreign ambassadors, charges d'affaires and heads of international organisations in Hanoi also attended the event. Speaking at the ceremony, PM Phuc said that over the past 75 years, Vietnam has reaped a range of important achievements with high economic growth, improved living conditions of people, maintained socio-political stability, ensured defence and security, expanded external relations, and made active and responsible contributions to peace and cooperation in the region and the world. These great and historical achievements proved the strong spirit and will of the Vietnamese nation and affirmed its role as a reliable friend and partner of the international community, he said. The PM said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also lauded Vietnams contributions since its admission in 1977, saying that the 75th anniversary of National Day of Vietnam is concurrent with its ASEAN Chairmanship Year and non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council, proving its increasingly strong presence on the international arena. PM Phuc took this occasion to express his wish to continue receiving invaluable support and effective cooperation from the international community. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnams economic growth neared 2% in the first half of 2020 while trade surplus reached around US$11 billion. According to the Economists financial health rankings in May, Vietnam ranked 12th out of 66 emerging economies in terms of strong financial system, he said. The Vietnamese Government is determined to restructure the economy sustainably and switch to a digital economy, with the public satisfaction as an effective measurement, PM Phuc added. Amid the complicated developments of the pandemic, Vietnam has stepped up diplomatic activities and donated medical supplies to 40 countries and organisations. Since February 2020, 30 teleconferences and phone talks were held between top leaders of Vietnam and foreign countries and international organisations, he said. The PM called for joint efforts to make globalisation more sustainable, humanitarian and safer in the near future, as well as reforming multilateral mechanisms in a more effective manner. He also called on countries to work closely together to fight COVID-19 more effectively, cope with other epidemics in the future, and stay alert against non-traditional security risks such as pollution, climate change and natural disasters. The leader once again affirmed Vietnams foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, active and proactive global integration; being a friend and responsible member of the international community, promoting cooperation with countries on the basis of respect for independence, sovereignty, equality and mutual benefits, settling differences via peaceful measures in line with international law. He also expressed his belief in a bright future of Vietnam and countries in the international community. Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama, head of the diplomatic corps, highly evaluated Vietnam's contributions in its capacity as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure. The Ambassador also affirmed the willingness and determination to further develop friendship and multifaceted coordination between Vietnam and countries and organisations for a world of peace, equality, prosperity, cooperation and development. If 2020 hadn't been Rose Quirante Uayan's final year of university, she might not have stuck it out. "If this happened last year, I would have quit. It's just too much, but I'm nearly done so I'm just pushing through the best I can," she said. Rose Quirante Uayan is one of many uni students who has had her studies disrupted by coronavirus. Credit:Chris Hopkins Currently completing a nursing degree at LaTrobe University, Ms Quirante Uayan said while the university had been supportive, the disruption to her life and to her fellow students due to coronavirus had been extreme. "The interaction is not there. I'm an outgoing person so I love the workshops and love to interact with my uni friends and work with them," she said. The girl in my home is smart in all the wrong ways, with limited literacy, as her letter reveals, Hicks told me from the garage of her home as the girl practiced simple multiplication tables inside. Shes technology savvy like you wouldnt believe, especially with social media sites that get her in trouble. I have to keep a sharp eye on her at all times. After a year since the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list was released in Assam, 19 lakh individuals who were left out are yet to know the status of their citizenship. Amid the onslaught Coronavirus (COVID-19), Assam's NRC officials have reportedly stated that it would be unlikely they will issue official notice rejecting the excluded population's citizenship. Without an official notice of rejection, these 19 lakh individuals cannot approach govt-appointed 'foreigners' tribunals to challenge the final list which was released on August 31, 2019. Assam NRC Final list here: 3.11 crore included, 19.06 lakh excluded Here's a look at the year since the Assam NRC final list was released: What is NRC? The NRC was first prepared in 1951 under the purview of the Census Act, 1948. In 2013, a special Supreme Court bench headed by Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Rohinton Fali Nariman ordered the State Government to carry out an updation process. This ended with the receipt of forms by the NRC authorities on 31 August 2015. The process under SC's supervision aimed at separating genuine Indian citizens from undocumented immigrants living in Assam and cost a staggering Rs 1,200 crore. As per NRC terms, a resident has to prove that they or their ancestors entered Assam before midnight on March 24, 1971. According to the NRC press release, 3,30,27,661 Assam residents have had to prove their Indian citizenship. Previously in December 2017, the first draft was published in which 140 lakh people were included. Further, in July 2018, the second draft was published where more than 40 lakh people were excluded. Apart from these drafts, an additional exclusion list was published on June 26, 2019, where names of 1,02,463 people were published. These persons were earlier included in the draft. Jagan-led Andhra Pradesh Assembly passes anti-NRC, NPR resolution amid COVID crisis The final NRC list On August 31, 2019, the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) state coordinator's office released the final NRC list. 3,11,21,004 Assam residents have been found eligible, while 19,06,657 Assam residents have been found ineligible. The exclusion includes the number of people who did not submit their papers to the NRC authorities. The 19 lakh exclusion is a major decrease from the over 40 lakh excluded in the second draft published on July 2018. The state coordinator stated that those not satisfied with the outcome can file an appeal before Foreigners Tribunals. Moreover, the state govt assured that those excluded do not become a 'foreigner' and that the state would provide legal aid to needy people excluded by the NRC. The state also gave 120 days to the people who were excluded to appeal to the tribunals, assuring that the number of tribunals had been increased to aid citizens. Those deemed 'foreigners' by the tribunals will be sent to detention camps. The state govt has since then published the list of those included in the NRC. Why has the Assam NRC disappointed all? The final list had disappointed BJP and left most Bengali residents aghast. BJP's Assam Home Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had alleged that over 5 lakh Hindu Bengalis were excluded from the list and that they would be given citizenship by the state by 2021. Reports estimate that of the 19 lakh excluded -7 lakh were Muslims, which has led to Assam BJP, AASU oppose the process - leading to violent protests. Moreover, the BJP has batted for a nationwide NRC which has been vehemently opposed by most states. As of date, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh have opposed the National Population Register & NRC in its current format - demanding it to be restored to its 2010 version. Moreover, states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana, Chhatisgarh have passed anti-CAA resolutions too. Apart from state governments, most parties except BJP have opposed a nation-wide NRC. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka where detention camps were being built too were stalled by respective state governments. Amit Shah takes a stand, says 'Won't rollback CAA even by an inch' at fiery Jodhpur rally Developments on detention and deportation 200 new foreigners tribunals were set up ahead of the final list's release in August 2019, as per reports. These tribunals set up as per the Foreigners (Tribunals) Amendment Order, 2019 ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) gave powers to these tribunals to review cases of those excluded and declare if the applicant was a foreigner or not. While these tribunals were supposed to be 'quasi-judicial', as per reports Assam government had taken over control these tribunals, transferring officials based on performance. While PM Modi has denied the existence of 'NRC detention camps', the MHA informed the Lok Sabha in March that 3331 individuals are housed in six detention camps in Assam - Tezpur (797), Silchar (479), Dibrugarh (680), Jorhat (670), Kokrajhar (335) and Goalpara (370). The Matia detention camp in Assam's Goalpara sanctioned by the Modi govt in 2018 with a capacity to house 3000 'foreigners' was under construction before it was stalled due to COVID-19. In a small relief, the Supreme Court in January ordered that children who were excluded from the list, but their parents were deemed as citizens, must not be sent to detention camps. Moreover, the fate of those in detention camps is also ambiguous as to whether they would be deported to Bangladesh or not. In December 2019, Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen asked India to provide the list of any Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India, stating it would allow their return. But as India and Bangladesh maintain that the NRC and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) were internal matters, Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, in March has assured Dhaka that the NRC process in Assam will not affect Bangladesh. Hence, the question of deportation still remains unanswered. PM Modi slams opposition to NPR, reminds Congress 'UPA introduced and promoted it' The NRC-NPR-CAA link & nationwide protests Since the passage of the CAA by the Parliament, violent and peaceful protests were witnessed across the nation. The protests against CAA which began in Assam spread to Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, and Maharashtra - with Delhi's Shaheen Bagh protest led mainly by Muslim women gaining fame. While thousands were detained by the police throughout the country, at least 27 people died prior to the Delhi riots. Several universities - Jamia Millia, Aligarh, Madras University witnessed clashes between police and students which resulted in alleged lathi- charging, tear gas, and rubber pellet action by police and vandalism by protestors. All protests ground to a halt after the Delhi riots in February, killing 53. While the BJP has maintained that NRC, CAA and NPR were not linked, most Indians have deemed it an attempt to disenfranchise minorities. The BJP which had pushed for a nationwide NRC in their electoral campaigns has now rejected it with PM Modi saying that there were no talks of a 'nationwide NRC' in parliament. Currently, the NPR process too has been stalled due to COVID-19 lockdown. The NPR, first prepared in 2010 and updated in 2015, is an identity database maintained of all the usual residents of the country and is prepared at the local, sub-District, District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955. Any resident who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more, or intends to do the same has to mandatorily register in the NPR. A nationwide NRC similar to the Assam NRC would be based on the NPR prepared. Meanwhile, the CAA amends the previous Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. This Act has been challenged in the Supreme Court. As recently reported, Luxembourg has the second-highest prices for meat in the EU. In response to this, a collection of the best vegetarian- and vegan-friendly restaurants might come in handy to save the planet (and your wallet). - Luxembourg City If you are looking for a 100% vegan restaurant, Beet is the place to be. Famous for its burgers and falafel plates, you can be sure to have a locally sourced and seasonal dish. See our What To Try At...Beet video here The menu tends to change now and then, but for the moment, their truffle mac-and-cheese is worth trying. Also, try their fresh juices and homemade desserts including a mouth-watering Moelleux au Chocolat. (32, place Guillaume II in Luxembourg City and 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux in Belval) Beet While Mesa Verde is not a completely vegetarian restaurant, it offers many plant-based meals. What makes Mesa so unique is its international-inspired cuisine: Lucien Elsen who opened the restaurant thirty years ago turns the dishes he finds abroad into local and organic discoveries. My personal favourite remains the vegetarian couscous and the soups. (11, rue du Saint-Esprit) Another essential address in town is Exki. Similarly to Mesa Verde, Exki has plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Their selection changes regularly, but visit Exki for a fast yet ecologically mindful meal. They also have locations at Auchan Kirchberg and in the Gare district. (72, Grand Rue in Luxembourg City and 11 Rue du Fort Bourbon near the Central Station) - Kirchberg HaPP, an acronym for Healthy and Pure Products, offers fresh and unprocessed meals. When choosing your dish, you are made aware of every single ingredient at HaPP, you can be certain that you are eating organic and locally sourced food free from additives. (44, avenue John F. Kennedy) HaPP See our What To Try At...HaPP video here You might already know Dean & David from abroad, but they opened two restaurants in Luxembourg. You can grab a quick bite or go for a larger, warm meal. They also serve meat and fish, but most options are vegetarian, and you can find many vegan wraps, salads and soups. Make sure to keep an eye out for their desserts! (29, boulevard Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Luxembourg City and 45, avenue John F. Kennedy on Kirchberg) - Gare Moving on to the Gare district, Nirvana Cafe dominates the vegan scenery and also is relatively wallet-friendly. I like to visit Nirvana for lunch because of their 100% vegan, Indian-inspired buffet and meals of the day. (1, avenue de la Gare) See our What To Try at... Nirvana Cafe video here While it always rotates its meals, Oak guarantees always to be plant-based, gluten-free and palm oil-free. The food is not only good for you and the planet but also incredibly delicious. Also, the staff is charming and will always reflect Oaks vision of creativity, taste and sustainability. (43, rue Goethe) See our What To Try At...Oak video here Of course, I cannot talk about vegan restaurants without mentioning Rawdish. They started as a small place dedicated to raw meals, but have now expanded to include non-raw delights. Be prepared to spend quite some money for small bites here though they really are worth a try. You might also spot their food at several grocery stores, such as Naturata or Cactus. (2a, Place de Paris) Rawdish Luxembourg See our What To Try At...Rawdish video My personal favourite is Green Olive, a buffet-based restaurant that serves both vegans and non-vegans. You can ask for either a large or a small plate and fill them to the brim, so their price is reasonable. I tend to ask the staff to surprise me with a vegan or vegetarian meal because of the extensiveness of their buffet, and always end it on a positive note. (75, rue de Strasbourg) There are quite a few other vegetarian- and vegan-friendly places that I have yet to visit: Mesa (la Maison de la transition) in Esch-sur-Alzette is an organic shop which also serves locally-sourced, vegetarian lunch. Glow in Bonnevoie is another health food restaurant which doubles as a coffee shop with notorious smoothies and breakfast. See our What To Try At...Glow video here Lastly, Flowers Kitchen is quite known for its monthly brunches, although you have to be quick to book a table. Other than brunch, you can always find delicious breakfast and lunch. Also, they make vegan pastry just leaving that here. See our What To Try At...Flowers Kitchen video here Forest service law enforcement officer Tyler Smith greets campers enjoying a cool mountain evening while on patrol in the Pinnacles area in Holcomb Valley, CA. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) As darkness fell on a campsite in a well-hidden glen in the San Bernardino Mountains recently, the soft clatter of a laptop keyboard on a portable picnic table was joined by the sound of footsteps trampling undergrowth as two U.S. Forest Rangers strode forward and said, in turn, Howdy. The rangers methodically scanned the tiny, lonely patch of Holcomb Valley wilderness in which Jonathan Hong, 31, of Beverly Hills, was composing the opening chapters of his first science fiction novel. It didnt take long for the rangers to find what they were looking for. Nodding toward a nearby mound of charred wood encircled by softball-sized rocks, Ranger Chon Bribiescas asked, Is that a campfire over there? Yeah. Its just a small one, Hong, replied nervously, adding, its not mine. Forest protection officer Chon Bribiescas throws rocks from an illegal rock fire ring at a dispersed campsite. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) Instantly and quietly, Bribiescas and Zachary Behrens set to work. With their bare hands, they gauged the heat of the campfire site it was cold then began picking up the rocks and tossing them into the forest. We cant allow campfire rings like this to become reusable, Behrens said, spreading dirt over the ashes with his boots. Moments later, they were back in their pickups and trundling down a one-lane dirt road cutting through Holcomb Valley, about five miles north of Big Bear Lake, on a night patrol to eliminate illegal campfires. As Southern Californians increasingly flock to the mountains for relief from a recent heat wave and months-long coronavirus restrictions, hundreds of illegal campfires have sprung up in dispersed campsites. Unlike developed campsites, which offer groomed campgrounds, toilet facilities and often fire rings or grills, dispersed campsites are simply forested areas where visitors pitch a tent. So far this year, forest officials have documented a 270% increase in illegal campfires in the San Bernardino National Forest, the most densely populated and heavily used national forest in the United States. That's a rise from 189 between January and August in 2019 to about 700 during the same period in 2020. Story continues Under current fire restrictions, building a campfire is allowed only in fire rings provided by the Forest Service in some developed recreation sites. The same goes for wood or charcoal barbecues. But the problem persists amid a fire season like no other. As the pine air filled with the snarling sounds of vehicles clawing for traction along the badly rutted dirt roads leading into Holcomb Valley, Northern California was under a state of emergency as firefighters battled more than 560 lightning-stoked wildfires across the state that have claimed the lives of at least seven people, destroyed hundreds of homes and scorched more than 1 million acres. The tensions play out every day as thousands of vacationers stream into this popular resort community looking forward to an alpine escape of crisp mountain air, cool forest trails and cozy campfires. Instead, they are greeted by a grim reality: By 1 p.m. on a recent Friday, all 13 campgrounds in the San Bernardino range were filled, and traffic along the main route into the community was clogged due to an onslaught of SUVs and four-wheel drive vehicles loaded with coolers, bicycles, fishing and climbing gear and barbecues. Forest Service public affairs officer Zach Behrens greets campers at a dispersed campsite in Holcomb Valley, CA. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) These visitors have two choices, Behrens, 39, said. They can turn around and head home, or search for a suitable place to camp for free in, say, Holcomb Valley. Many tourists think the effort is worth it. They have driven more than a hundred miles in their own vehicles to get to Big Bear Lake, a city of 6,000 year-round residents and summer crowds of more than 100,000 on Labor Day weekend. Today is their day. But because of the increasing tourist pressure, weekdays are now like weekends and weekends are like major holidays, Behrens said. And with the surge of visitors has come an uptick in illegal campfires all over the forest. Forest officials are embroiled in the issue across the state, as increasing numbers of summer travelers are avoiding planes and cruise ships and placing more value on forest recreation near their homes, blurring the distinctions between urban life and deep woods. Forest service law enforcement officer Tyler Smith looks for evidence of illegal camping and campfires while on patrol. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) On a recent Friday in the San Bernardino forest, rangers discovered 11 illegal fire rings. In most cases, nearby campers insisted they had no idea who built them. In any case, Bribiescas left a written warning that said, Friendly reminder: No campfires or charcoal bbq. Thank you. At sunrise the following morning, they smothered a few dozen more. Then there was Andrew Dewlaney, 28, a middle school physical education teacher struggling with online teaching, and his wife Coree, 29, a nurse at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital emergency room, who worried that their hard-won weekend getaway in Holcomb Valley was about to come to an abrupt end when the rangers walked up and said, in turn, Hello there. It was 109 degrees in the shade with high humidity when they left their home in Indio, Calif., that morning, they said. The traffic congestion they encountered in Big Bear Lake that afternoon was a crushing disappointment. After several hours of searching unsuccessfully for an available space at a forest service campground, they ventured into Holcomb Valley. The good news: They had a permit to use a propane-powered fire pit filled with lava rocks that they brought to provide a smoke-free semblance of a wood-fueled campfire. The bad news: the device was sitting on a thick bed of highly flammable pine needles. Forest protection officer Chon Bribiescas, right, rake needles from the soil as campers Coree, left, and Andrew Dewlaney look on. The Dewlaney's, from Indio, brought a propane campfire ring which is legal for use in the forest to their dispersed campsite. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) But the rangers were sympathetic. Bribiescas used a rake to remove the needles from a patch of soil roughly five feet in diameter. You should be good to go now, he said. Overall, the rangers encountered little resistance during their campfire patrol under a big sky filled with owls and a dazzle of stars. Whether they prevented a potentially catastrophic wildfire was anyones guess. For Behrens, Bribiescas and Smith, it was all part of a days work in Southern Californias urban national forest. TRENTON The capital city has recorded its 28th homicide of 2020 this weekend. Tybree Washington, 24, of Hamilton, was fatally gunned down about 5:30 p.m. Saturday on the 1100 block of East State Street, authorities confirmed. Trenton Police responded to the area after receiving multiple calls of shots fired and found Washington in the rear suffering from extensive gunshot wounds, according to the Mercer County Prosecutors Office. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities as of Sunday afternoon did not announce any arrests in connection with the fatal gunplay. The Mercer County Homicide Task Force is investigating the incident, the latest murder to rock the capital city in a year of rising bloodshed. With four months to go, 2020 is already booked as one of the worst years of murder and mayhem in city history. Put in context: Trenton had 37 homicides in 2013; 32 homicides in 2014 and 31 homicides in 2005, the worst years on record, according to FBI expanded homicide data for Trenton Police Department from 1985 through 2018. The 28 homicides of 2020 currently ranks as No. 4 on the annual kill list, with the potential to climb even higher if the gun violence continues unabated. Anyone with information on Saturdays deadly shooting is urged to contact the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406 or mchtftips@mercercounty.org. Staff writer Isaac Avilucea contributed to this report. This article has been updated to correctly identify the victim as 24-year-old Tybree Washington of Hamilton. A prior version of this article misspelled Washingtons first name and indicated he was a male victim in his 20s from the Wilbur section. RIO DE JANEIRO: Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago 220 miles (354 km) off Brazils northeastern coast famous for abundant sea life, pristine beaches and dramatic mountainsides rising above the coast, is trying a novel method for fighting the coronavirus. Only tourists who have already had COVID-19 and recovered will be allowed onto the island chain, according to statements released by local and state governments over the past week. The move by the tourism dependent archipelago, which has about 3,100 permanent residents according to the most recent census estimate, speaks to the unique ways that state, local and national governments are trying to return to a semblance of normal as new COVID-19 cases and deaths stabilize in many parts of the world. There is significant debate as to the level and duration of immunity that coronavirus patients develop after a first infection. There have been cases of re-infection reported, including in Brazil. However, such reports are relatively rare. The new rules go into effect Sept. 1. For now, tourists are not allowed on the islands. There hasnt been community transmission on the island for a long time. We have to keep it that way," Andre Longo, the health secretary of the state of Pernambuco, said in a statement. Obviously, this step is going to be done with an eye on safety and reactivating economic activity on the archipelago." Fernando de Noronha has so far registered 93 confirmed cases of the virus and no deaths. It prohibited tourism starting in March. For a period from April to June, even residents who were on the mainland were not allowed to return. Brazil is among the nations hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with over 120,000 known deaths and 3.8 million confirmed cases as of Saturday evening. However, new cases and deaths have begun to stabilize in recent weeks. 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 Two brothers, who went fishing at Kamvari river in Bhiwandi along with their mother, drowned on Saturday evening. The fire brigade recovered their bodies by Sunday afternoon. The two deceased, Shahbaj Ansari, 24 and Shahaalam Ansari, 22, were residents of Mittal Nagar in Bhiwandi. Shahbaj worked at his uncles shop while Shahaalam was unemployed. On Sunday, they decided to go fishing at the river with their mother. While they were on the banks of the river a5.30pm, Shahaalam fell into the water and started drowning, as he did not know to swim. Shahbaj jumped into the river to save him, but due to the strong water currents, he too started struggling. Their mother ran towards the road asking villagers for help, however, by the time locals reached the spot, the two had drowned, said an officer from Bhiwandi taluka police station. Fire brigade officers reached the spot, and around 11pm, they found the body of Shahaalam with the help of local fishermen. The operation resumed on Sunday morning for the second body. The water currents were strong in the river while the continuous downpour was making it difficult to search for the second body. With such strong currents, we suspected that the body might have flown towards Thane creek. Some fishermen went towards the creek in their boats and found the body of Shahbaj stuck on a tree 20km away from the spot where the two had drowned, said the police officer. T J S George By There was a storm in the Congress teacup last week. It re-established two facts. One, that there is a section of Congressmen who now see the Gandhi familys hold on the party as unhealthy. Two, that they are not strong enough to prevail. Hangers-on of the family, benefiting from being hangers-on, dominate the party. They still argue that only the Gandhis can hold the party together. Alas, that is true. Fatally true. Considering that background, perhaps what we saw last week was more than a storm in a teacup. By Congress standards, it was equivalent to a typhoon in the Pacific that 23 senior leaders found the courage to write to Sonia Gandhi asking for the election of a functional, effective, full-time party president. There are many more who share the sentiments of the 23. The signatories do not include mass leaders. That is because there are no mass leaders in the Congress today. But the 23 included leaders of stature whose loyalty to the Congress was never in doubt. People like Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Ashok Chavan, Shashi Tharoor have served the party well. Rahul Gandhi showed a mixture of immaturity and arrogance when he suggested that these people were in line with the BJP. Sonia Gandhi was wiser when she said that she would leave the presidents chair and gave fellow leaders six months to elect a new president. If Rahul fails to see the negative implications of his approach, the problems facing the Congress will hold the party back for the foreseeable future. Given the tradition of family dominance in the party, Congressmen may end up electing, who else, Rahul Gandhi. If he is properly elected, he will at least have a legitimacy that would seem more authentic than the present qualification, pedigree. Therefore, the initiative taken by, shall we say, the Gang of 23, should be welcomed as a positive development. But the opportunity was cast aside by the so-called loyalists in the Working Committee who are now putting together a counter-attack plan. Their approach is erratic as indeed is Rahuls own handling of the matter. Together, they made it abundantly clear that all key decisions would be taken by the family. There was no attempt, even for formalitys sake, to show that democratic procedures would be followed. Nor was there any indication of a time frame within which things would be sorted out. Rahul seemed unwilling to take on the presidentship formally, but he wouldnt let a dummy be appointed either. The Gang of 23 was outnumbered, surrounded and disowned at the Working Committee meeting. Another small win for Rahul, another big loss for the Congress. Perhaps Captain G R Gopinath (of Air Deccan fame) put it a bit melodramatically when he said that a national party was hijacked by an effete dynasty propped up by self-serving, fawning courtiers... now reduced to a vanguard of one family of dwarfs, surrounded by a coterie of midgets. The party is caught in what wrestlers call a vice grip. At a seven-hour meeting, the Working Committee could only decide to leave matters where they are. Sonia will remain interim president until an AICC meeting is called at the earliest. In short, mixture as before. So what will happen to the Gang of 23? Some of them are so senior that it would not be easy to punish them. But wounds would not heal easily. Even the mild-mannered, never-controversial A K Antony used a strong word like cruel to describe the action of the 23. Couldnt Antony do more? At a time when the presidentship of the party has become a matter of internal discussion, wont he be a wise choice for the post? He is above sectarian labelling and has an all-India profile, having been Defence Minister. Mallikarjun Kharge is just as credible a name for the partys captainship. His status above factionalism, his record in Parliament and his stature in his home state make him a fine candidate for the top post. Dearth of capable leaders is not the problem worrying the Congress. The problem is whether it has the political wisdom to do what has to be done. If men like Antony and Kharge are not made use of, the price the Congress will have to pay will be high. Except in a one-leader party like the BJP, things happen not with a bang but a whimper. T S Eliots poem which made that phrase famous was titled The Hollow Men. In 1925, he could foresee the leaders of 2020. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's central bank said on Saturday it was taking legal steps to counter a lawsuit filed in a U.S. court by creditors seeking to seize $1.7 billion (1.27 billion pounds) of its assets held by Deutsche Boerse's Clearstream unit. The German stock exchange operator said earlier the creditors had filed the suit in a New York court seeking to require Clearstream to surrender assets that allegedly belong to Iran's central bank. It said the clearing house considers the claims to be unfounded and will take steps to defeat them. Amir Hossein Tayyebi Fard, a deputy governor of the Iranian central bank, said in a statement: "After repeated legal defeats in Luxembourg, the U.S. plaintiffs are seeking legal action in U.S. courts against Clearstream. Serious legal action is also underway to counter these measures." Tayyebi Fard did not give details of the bank's legal measures to prevent a seizure of the assets which he said were worth $1.7 billion, according to the statement posted on the bank's website. U.S. authorities have targeted Luxembourg-based Clearstream for years in an investigation over whether it violated U.S. money laundering and Iran sanction laws. Deutsche Boerse has denied wrongdoing. In 2019, a Luxembourg court refused to enforce a U.S. ruling that would have helped families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks claim Iranian assets held with Clearstream. In 2012, a New York court found there was evidence to show that Iran provided material support and resources to al Qaeda for acts of terrorism. The militant group carried out the hijacked plane attacks on New York and Washington. That court awarded the plaintiffs damages of over $7 billion. Iran denies any links to Al Qaeda or any involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by Clelia Oziel) New Delhi, Aug 31 : The Congress on Sunday once again targeted the Narendra Modi government over the construction for the deployment of missiles at the India-China borders and said that the government should discuss the China border issue during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Addressing a virtual press conference, party leader Rajeev Shukla said: "As per the latest information and satellite images, it has come to notice that China is constructing the base for surface-to-surface missile, which is dangerous for our national security." He said the current developments are worrisome as these are very close to Indian borders. Showing the satellite pictures, Shukla said that at the Doka La (Doka pass) and Naku La (Naku pass) points where seven Indian soldiers were injured on May 9. He claimed that the Chinese are constructing the maximum structures in these areas. "China has made such a strategy that their entire army can be deployed there... due to which there is more presence (of the Chinese) on the borders of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeastern states. The Congress leader said that on August 1, 2018, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala raised the issue of Chinese Army presence in the area above Siliguri, also known as Chicken's Neck. If we look at the Chicken's Neck areas, then at that time it was clearly visible how the infrastructure construction was going on in full swing by China, he said. "Now they have constructed all the infrastructure and they are trying to surround us from all sides, whether its Lipu Lake area in Uttarakhand, Doklam or the border area near Ladakh borders and they are also installing the surface to surface missile and increasing their army presence, which is a cause of worry for India," Shukla said. The Congress leader said that in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament from September 14, the government should discuss the India China border issue after the Covid-19 issue on priority. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, amid fury over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in the back, which left the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed. White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that Trump will be meeting with law enforcement officers and surveying some of the damage from recent protests that turned destructive. The visit is certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence. Trump has been running his reelection campaign on a law-and-order mantle, denouncing protesters as thugs while voicing his support for police. In his acceptance speech during the virtual Republican National Convention, Trump painted the election in hyperbolic terms as a stark choice between peaceful streets and anarchy. Trumps opponent for reelection, former Vice-President Joe Biden, and his running mate, Kamala Harris, have accused Trump of rooting for violence amid unrest in Wisconsin. He views this as a political benefit, Biden said in an interview on MSNBC. Hes rooting for more violence, not less. And its clear about that. Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic dispute call last Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake in the back seven times. Cellphone video captured the shooting, which has sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after George Floyds death at the hands of a Minneapolis officer touched off a wider reckoning on race. She is currently celebrating an important dating anniversary with her entrepreneur beau Carter Reum. And Paris Hilton made the date extra special by heading out to Nobu restaurant in Malibu with Reum in Malibu on Saturday evening. The 39-year-old socialite put on a leggy display a white lace mini dress as she made her way in to the celebrity hotspot. Stunning: Paris Hilton headed out to Nobu restaurant in Malibu with Reum in Malibu on Saturday evening Paris' sexy lace dress featured puff sleeves and a ruffled bottom that ended above her knees. The dress also laced up the front and featured an open back design. She paired the statement piece with a pair of matte white stilettos and a pink and purple tie-dyed clutch. Her signature blonde tresses were parted down the middle and purposely swooped to one side. Lolita vibes: The 39-year-old socialite put on a leggy display a white lace mini dress as she made her way in to the celebrity hotspot She opted for a more classic makeup look, which included an off white eyeshadow, a slender winged eyeliner, and plenty of angelic cheekbone highlighter. The Simple Life star had a pair of glistening diamond earrings in her ears and she gracefully carried her iPhone in her hand as she exited her SUV. Hilton was immediately escorted by Reum into the restaurant, while donning a blue dress shirt and black trousers. Prior to heading out for the night, Paris took to her Instagram to honor her man on their significant date Accessorize: She paired the statement piece with a pair of matte white stilettos and a pink and purple tie-dyed clutch Their night: Hilton was immediately escorted by beau Carter Reum into the restaurant, while donning a blue dress shirt and black trousers 'When we first met, I had no idea of the amazing journey I was about to embark on. My life was always empty, like I was missing something. But when I met you, I knew you were the one,' began the businesswoman, who included a black-and-white snapshot of herself and Reum. 'Youve filled my heart with so much love. I believe that everything happens for a reason because everything in my life, all the good and the bad, has led me right to you. 'You are my reason for me being so happy and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world! I love making you happy and promise to make you smile forever. Anniversary: Prior to heading out for the night, Paris took to her Instagram to honor her man on their significant date Love so much handsome! Happy anniversary!' concluded Hilton, along with a lightening bolt emoji,' concluded Hilton in the post seen by her 12.5million followers. Hilton and Reum have been dating since January of this year and the heiress has been more than smitten with the young entrepreneur. While at Nobu, the pair were treated to a gorgeous desert that featured 'Happy Anniversary' written in cursive in chocolate sauce. Earlier in the day, Paris showcased the sweet anniversary setup her beau put together in her Beverly Hills home. Personal touch: While at Nobu, the pair were treated to a gorgeous desert that featured 'Happy Anniversary' written in cursive in chocolate sauce Thoughtful: Earlier in the day, Paris showcased the sweet anniversary setup her beau put together in her Beverly Hills home Collage: The sweet arrangement featured a plethora of bouquets and a giant collage of photos of Paris and Carter The sweet arrangement featured a plethora of bouquets and a giant collage of photos of Paris and Carter. There was also a sign that read: 'How did I get so lucky? Happy Anniversary.' Mixed among all the decor were expertly gift wrapped presents. So lucky! There was also a sign that read: 'How did I get so lucky? Happy Anniversary' N ow in its seventh year, London Tech Week is an annual event of celebration and networking for the capitals tech scene. But like so much this year, from London Games Festival to London Fashion Week, things are looking a little different this year. Usually held in June, the global coronavirus pandemic upended the initial plans for the festivities. But the team took it on the chin and held some taster events in that same week to gauge the interest for how a full digital LTW could look. As far as a taster goes, it was pretty spectacular. Over 10,000 people signed up and tuned in across two main events, CogX and London Tech Week Connect, which saw the likes of UK prime minister Boris Johnson speak, as well as an In Conversation event with Cherie Blair and Hillary Clinton. It worked really well, explains Russ Shaw, founder of Tech London Advocates (TLA) trade body and one of the weeks founding partners. They were two of the biggest tech events in the UK and the learnings are now whats forming the basis of this week in September. Its important for the tech community to see these mainstays in the tech calendar are continuing. LTW is happening, its the seventh year were doing it, and pandemic or no pandemic on we go. Heres what to look out for at LTW 2020 and Shaw's thoughts on the new challenges facing the capitals tech scene. LTW 2020: the key events to attend In fact, LTW 2020 is so big its taking place across two weeks, from September 1 to September 11. Key events including TechXLR8, the 5G World Summit, the London Borough Tech Spotlight and accelerateHER, which addresses the under-representation of women in the industry. The London Borough event is key, Shaw says, to demonstrate the strength of the capitals tech scene. Whereas the focus used to be just on Shoreditch and the Silicon Roundabout area, Londons tech reaches out to Stratford with the Here East Campus, whilst Hammersmith & Fulham is welcoming in more companies as part of the Imperial College Scale Space at the White City Campus. The event will see highlight the different tech businesses in these areas, as well as what the boroughs are doing to champion digital skills. We have multiple tech hubs across London. And if we can get more of our boroughs engaged in this, well have tech hubs all over Greater London, says Shaw. It gives me optimism. It says were gearing up not just for start-ups, but for providing spaces and resources to scale. The Here East tech campus in Stratford is home to companies such as scooter start-up Bird and fitness tech app Fiit / Here East Its important for the tech sector to look inwards and celebrate its own, but LTW is also about reaching out to other global hubs around the world and connecting with them whether its for knowledge sharing or potential business deals. In particular, Shaw will be overseeing a Global Tech Advocates event which will attempt to bring together IT leaders across China, Australia, Europe, North America as well as the UK. Were doing it at 3 pm so we can capture people from 10 pm at night in Shanghai and Singapore to 7 am in the Bay Area, to talk about how important it is to them to connect to Londons tech ecosystem. It reinforces the beauty of the UK being in the centre of the worlds timezones, jokes Shaw. New ways of networking Whilst we can all feel a bit Zoomed-out at the moment, Shaw things there is a place for digital conferences as it can be easier for people to fit into their weeks. For instance, getting Hillary Clinton to speak at LTWConnect was possible because she didnt have to travel, and the US VC Tim Draper also dropped in for a session from his home in California. In between events, theres networking sessions and roundtable discussions so people can reach out to other attendees and get to know them. One digital event Shaw attended was on a platform that looked like a board game, and you could visit different levels to meet other people in between tuning in to the main sessions. It looked a bit hokey but it worked brilliantly and I thought wow, what a fun way to engage in an event. Avatars are going to come in and virtual reality .. you can see where this is going. The challenges of the pandemic Over the past few months, Shaw and the wider TLA network have been instrumental in supporting Londons small businesses, from the Save Our Startup campaign which eventually led the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak to launch the Future Fund, to backing the Standards Spirit of London Kickstart fund. The main worry has been for early-stage companies running out of cash, as well as supporting people in the city who dont have the digital skills necessary to handle the shift to online working. In July, the TLA Education Resource was established, offering a comprehensive portal on digital skills training. Were going to see unemployment continue to go up and we need to ensure that the people who are being displaced are reskilled and upskilled for the jobs of the future. We dont expect all of them to be data scientists and coders, but if they have more basic digital skills training, that will help them in a number of areas, says Shaw. Hes also calling on government and the private sector to help people going through the transition. Businesses are going to have to fund more of this training because they are going to be the beneficiaries of it. The B word Given everything else going on, it can be easy to forget that the UK has now left the European Union. Shaw thinks the reality of this wont really hit until January 1, but its definitely something for start-ups and tech companies to think about when it comes to challenges. Freedom of movement is gone. We're going to have to really rely on our homegrown talent to step into many of these jobs that we can't fill today and how are we going to do it? We have to train people. We have to bring more women, more people from the bane community, people with disabilities. Shaw can be regularly found at speaking events around the world, pushing the mission of London's tech scene forward Though Brexit, like the pandemic, will be another shock to the system, overall Shaw is positive for Londons future in the tech scene. Its going to be a tough slog out there. Some businesses arent going to make it. But from Brexit to the pandemic weve got resilient entrepreneurs out there. Not to mention, those that come through this will be stronger than ever. The seedlings of the tech ecosystem in London came out of the financial recession of 2008/09. Theres going to be a massive amount of innovation that comes out of this, he adds. Finks Jewelers is closing its store at Valley View Mall, where it has had a presence for 35 years. Matt Fink, the fourth-generation owner of the business, said the decision to close the store was not related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past few years Finks Jewelers has been consolidating and investing in its top-performing stores, he said. The Valley View Mall location is part of that initiative. Fink said he felt the companys flagship store on Electric Road, where business has been very strong, could serve all customers in the Roanoke region. It made sense 10 years ago to have two stores because of the relative performance, but now it doesnt because the gap has just gotten so big, he said. While Finks Jewelers does still have some stores inside enclosed shopping malls, Fink said, the company has moved away from them to some extent. As the industry has evolved, Fink said, the jeweler has become a destination shopping business. When a consumer considers buying a piece of fine jewelry or an engagement ring, he wants Finks Jewelers to be the first store that comes to mind. We really try to be the first choice for everything within our category: jewelry, timepieces, engagement rings and repair and service, he said. An exact date for the closure has not been set yet, as it depends on how quickly inventory is depleted. Fink said the Valley View location is having a store closing sale that will offer shoppers designer jewelry and diamonds at a great value. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Hoda Emam Bay City News Foundation Shelter in place has unlocked a whole new sense of creative potential in terms of enhancing the spaces we occupy. From redecorating to deep cleaning to DIY projects, many quarantined individuals are investing in their living spaces. The plant industry in particular has experienced a surge in demand since the start of the pandemic thanks to more people spending time inside, as well as a renewed focus on personal health and wellness. Nearly eight weeks ago Kalkidan (Kalu) Gebreyohannes and J'Maica Roxanne walked into a plant nursery in Oakland in search of some relief and rejuvenation. "It was during a time that was feeling really heavy both as far as the COVID pandemic and the racial pandemic," Gebreyohannes recalled of the duo's visit. Surrounded by the lush greenery, the pair suddenly envisioned a plant nursery of their own. They imagined a space that was not only aesthetically pleasing - featuring a coffee barista in one corner and a sweet seating area in another - but more importantly a place that felt safe. Thus sparked the idea for BLK Girls Green House, an outdoor gathering space created to not only purchase houseplants, but to support other local, Black-owned businesses in an attempt to promote a more conscious shopping experience. "We want people to feel a sense of joy, peace and pride when they're in our space," explained Gebreyohannes. "How Black people feel means a lot to us and we want to celebrate each other doing things that make us feel better." And if feeling better means adding a new leafy friend to your home, then so be it. In fact, Teresia Hazen, a registered horticultural therapist, says human beings generally feel happier and more optimistic in surroundings with plenty of plants and nature. "It encourages living in the present moment and engages the senses," Hazen said. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Toronto, Gebreyohannes recalls watching her mother sing to and entertain her family's plants. And as an adult, the nursery owner found herself developing an even deeper love and appreciation for her verdant friends. And as for co-owner Roxanne, she realized the aesthetic appeal of plants nearly a decade ago after she moved into her own place in Oakland. The joy of cultivating a living thing coupled with a desire to be part of an established lineage of successful Black, female entrepreneurs led Gebreyohannes and Roxanne to launch BLK Girls Green House. "It means economic wealth for our communities and it allows us to control our narratives," Gebreyohannes said of the decision to start a business. "Let's be clear we are not new to this. While there are very few of us in the industry of plants it's not because we are new to plants, but because it has become a very privileged and white experience. Black people are literally of the plants; it is in our blood." Located in a 1,500-square-foot outdoor space next to Ax Oakland fitness center, Gebreyohannes and Roxanne meticulously built their "greenhouse" and took every detail into account, including a prominent black and white photo of Roxanne's grandmother - a constant source of inspiration. The nursery not only sells a curated selection of plants, but ceramic and clay pots, home goods and locally produced apparel, too. (The space also hosts various pop ups.) In the short period of time that the business has been running, there has been an outpouring of community support with customers calling the business "revolutionary." "Everyday that we have been open," Roxanne said, "we have stopped and looked at each other, like: Is this really happening? Are we about to sell out again?" 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. VERMILLION, S.D. -- Despite an escalation of COVID-19 infections and an enormous number of people in quarantine, the University of South Dakota has yet to signal any plans to close down the campus. One of the most important reasons for this: they still have rooms available for those who are under isolation or quarantine. As of Saturday afternoon, 159 university students have tested positive for the virus, along with seven staff members. Another 546 people are in quarantine after possible exposure to the virus, according to data from USD. The college has around 4,000 or 5,000 students on campus, not counting the thousands enrolled in remote programs away from the Vermillion campus. Among outbreaks at college campuses in South Dakota, USD's is believed to be the worst. The numbers are not fully reflected in Clay County's official COVID-19 data, due to many of the students' infections being recorded in their hometowns outside Clay County. USD, along with most other colleges, abruptly moved to online learning this spring; at that time, there were few if any known cases on campus. Kurt Hackemer, provost and vice president of academic affairs at USD, said on Friday that officials at the school spent months planning for COVID-19 on campus this fall. If the campus were to close down again, he said, the determining factor won't necessarily be the total number of infected on campus. Officials are more closely eyeing the number of rooms they have for quarantine, among other factors. "We have a lot of spaces set aside for isolation and quarantine. We have 105 spaces set aside on our campus, we have contracts with local hotels for more space if we need it. If we overwhelmed our ability to isolate and quarantine students here, that would be an important factor," Hackemer said. "If we overwhelm the capacity of our local healthcare provider, the hospital here in town, that would be a factor." Many students have chosen to go home for isolation and quarantine, Hackemer said. "We have a lot of isolation and quarantine capacity left on campus, a lot." The virus probably hitched a ride to campus with students who contracted it elsewhere during the later part of the summer, and had few or no symptoms. In the first weeks on campus, students were eager to meet new people, to party, to join campus clubs, sororities and fraternities. All this mingling almost certainly contributed to further spread of the coronavirus. "Given that we're barely a week into classes, obviously we must have had a fair number of infected students come onto campus who were asymptomatic, who brought it with them to USD," Hackemer said. On Friday, USD announced in a Facebook post that it would "reassess our campus operations and take temporary action to protect our community." Effective immediately, the university suspended indoor dining at the campus's main dining hall, barred outside visitors from its residence halls and closed their Wellness Center (a popular gym for students). Also on Friday, the Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company announced that bars and restaurants in the Vermillion area would close down at 10 p.m. each night this weekend, a strategy the establishments deployed in unison, voluntarily. Local leaders praised the proprietors' financial self-sacrifice. Hackemer said closing the bars and restaurants at an earlier hour will help deter crowds of thirsty and hungry USD students from gathering at night. "If you look at the patterns of when students go out to socialize, if you're in one of our downtown establishments at 8 o'clock, 9 o'clock at night, they're pretty quiet. The students don't begin hitting those places in any large numbers until after 10 o'clock," he said. Vermillion Mayor Kelsey Collier-Wise said Friday that city officials there have been closely monitoring the situation at the campus and are engaged in dialogues with college leadership, mindful that the outbreak on campus could easily lead to a broader outbreak in the community. Yet the community wants (and needs) USD to stay open. A large share of the dollars that flow through Vermillion's coffers can be traced back to the university. "It's important to our economy for the students to stay here, and if the infection rates get too high, they'll likely have to go to remote, and that would be really difficult," she said. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A homeless encampment made of tents and tarps lines the Santa Ana riverbed near Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Jan. 25, 2018. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) OC Officials Break Ground on New Homeless Shelter in Huntington Beach Orange County officials gathered in Huntington Beach, California, on Aug. 27 to break ground on the citys new 174-bed homeless shelter. The new shelter, dubbed the Navigation Center, will help alleviate the citys homelessness crisis by giving transients a place to stay and receive services while transitioning to housing security. By providing beds, the shelter will also allow the city to enforce anti-camping ordinances in city parks. The center will include large tents called sprung structures for housing, trailers for administration offices, a dining room, laundry facilities, restrooms, showers, and a common area. Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel, who attended the ceremony, told The Epoch Times the Navigation Center will provide holistic aid to the homeless. [The Center] is about addressing the needs of the whole person, from shelter to mental health to physical health, Steel said. Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta told The Epoch Times that the shelter will provide assistance to a vulnerable population battling the spread of COVID-19. It provides a safe and sanitary space for the homeless to isolate from the virus. It also provides a shelter for residents who are facing housing insecurities during these difficult economic times, Semeta said. The center will be managed by Mercy House, an experienced shelter operator, and will provide vocational training, mental health treatment, and transportation to necessary appointments for the needy, Semeta said. The new complex is designed to provide housing for more than 60 percent of the citys estimated homeless population, allowing Huntington Beach police to enforce anti-encampment ordinances. The availability of beds would make it illegal for transients to camp in public parks by providing another option. In 2018, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that homeless people could not be punished for sleeping outside on public property if they had no alternative. The site is located on Cameron Lane near Beach Boulevard. Construction of the center is expected to be complete in November. When Melbourne barista Tim O'Sullivan and hairdresser girlfriend Sumin Do flew to South Korea to meet her family two years ago, they had no idea how life-changing their trip would be. He was introduced to pear juice, which is drunk by many locals before a big night out to avoid the dreaded morning-after hangover. It sparked a business idea for the couple when they returned home. After they secured a supplier and manufacturer, Bae Juice became the first 100 per cent Korean pear juice to hit the Australian market nine months later. Bae Juice, Australia's first 100 per Korean pear juice is coming to more stores across Australia Initially handed out as freebies as part of a social media marketing campaign, Bae Juice was eventually stocked in independent grocers and bottle shops, including selected Dan Murphy's stores. The brand has just scored its biggest deal to date, which will see the juice stocked in 900 Woolworth supermarkets across Australia from October. A thrilled Mr O'Sullivan described the deal as a gamechanger and on track to become a $1.5 million-plus brand. 'To have our products which nobody had ever heard of 18 months ago in almost 1000 stores is something we're really proud of,' he told news.com.au. 'I feel exceptionally lucky but at the same time it's a reward for taking a risk because we believed in the goal of educating the country about it.' Sumin Do (left) and boyfriend Tim O'Sullivan (right) came up with business idea after a trip back home to South Korea to visit her family Expelled from high school in year 10, Mr O'Sullivan is living proof you don't need a university degree to be a successful entrepreneur. 'It's quite ironic when we started the business we thought we'd have to pretend to be absolute gurus for people to take us seriously, but we've been surprised that actually the more raw and authentic we are, the more open others are,' he said. They have already begun scaling up production to meet the new demand. 'We're lucky, but sometimes you make your own luck,' O'Sullivan told Smart Company. 'Two years ago I thought this product was liquid gold it was only a matter of time, no matter what happened in the world.' Tim O'Sullivan was previously a barista while his girlfriend Sumin Do was a hairdresser Bae Juice is named after the Korean word for pear. The juice contains Dihydromyricetin (DHM) which has anti liver damaging properties to help detoxify the body after drinking which is present in Korean pears. The fruit acts on the key enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism to help the body metabolise and eliminate alcohol quickly. CSRIO professors have previously noted Korean pears as a hangover cure for centuries in Korea and China. 'It has been heavily studied and traditionally used to help reduce the severity of a hangover,' Mr O'Sullivan previously told FEMAIL. The juice is best consumed before you drink alcohol so the product has time to take effect. Mr O'Sullivan is now focused on expanding the product into more national retailers. President Mohammadu Buhari has been asked to prevail on the Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to release the file on corruption charges against a senator, Dino Melaye. The former senator who represented Kogi West, was accused of various corrupt acts that range from operating dubious foreign accounts using fictitious names to outright disguise of public funds. The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) invoked the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act urging the justice minister to release the file in the next seven days or face legal action. READ ALSO: As the president of the country, you have the responsibility to ensure equity in the campaign against corruption. The fight against corruption can never succeed when the claws of law are deployed in a discriminatory manner or used to score cheap political gains CSNAC stated in the petition signed by the groups Legal Officer, Rebecca David. CSNAC is arguably Nigerias largest coalition of anti-corruption groups with members drawn from across the country. The CSNAC request is a follow up to a campaign that began in December 2017 when the leading rights group wrote to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) demanding the investigation of the alleged operation of foreign bank accounts in the United States of America by Mr Melaye, while serving as a senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly, as widely reported by the media. In 2018, the anti-corruption group made another request on the subject matter with response from the CCB dated May 22, 2018 stating that the case had been transferred to the Federal Ministry of Justice on the request of Mr Malami. CSNAC said that again in March 2020, it made another request that is yet to be responded to by the justice minister as at the time of this report. The group said Series of requests have been submitted to your office to release the file on Senator Melaye. There are serious cases of corruption leveled against him. The cases were to be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Its unfortunate that you ordered the transfer of the file leaving Senator Melaye with the prospect of escaping justice in the face of the weighty allegations against him. The CSNAC urged Mr Malami to release the file without further delay. There are speculations that Senator Melaye is your bossom friend and that the transfer of the file on corruption cases against him was designed to give him a soft landing. You have to prove these allegations false by releasing the file without further delay, CSNAC stated. Lebanon's President Michel Aoun called Sunday for the proclamation of a "secular state" during a televised address to mark the upcoming centenary of the Lebanese state. "I call for the proclamation of Lebanon as a secular state," Aoun said during a speech after an enormous explosion at Beirut's port in early August and months of deepening economic crisis. He said such a state was the only way "of protecting and preserving pluralism" and creating real unity. "Lebanon's youth are calling for change... for them and for their future," said the 85-year-old president, who has long been accused by protesters of being out of touch with the country's youth. "I say yes, the time has come," he added. "There is a need to develop, modify, change the system." Aoun spoke a day ahead of Lebanon marking a hundred years since French mandate authorities declared the state of Greater Lebanon. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to land in the country on Monday on his second visit in weeks to hammer home the need for reform in the wake of the deadly port blast that killed at least 188 people and wounded thousands. Aoun said he would call for dialogue including religious authorities and political leaders to reach "a formula that is accepted by everyone and that would be embodied in the appropriate constitutional amendments". Macron on Friday spoke of the "constraints of a confessional system" in the country's politics that was hampering reforms. Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, an ally of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, earlier Sunday said his Shia movement was "open" to the French proposal for a new political pact for Lebanon as long as there is national consensus. Aoun is to receive the representatives of parliamentary blocs and independent lawmakers on Monday to start consultations towards naming a new premier after the government resigned following the Beirut explosion. Search Keywords: Short link: Every now and again a person in their 50s or 60s, somebody who frequented Harmans Cafe back when it was a homey breakfast and lunch nook tucked inside a Portage Avenue pharmacy near Lions Manor, will curiously pop their head inside Harmans Cafe at 570 Sargent Ave. Picking up on the scent of garlic, ginger, cardamom and cumin emanating from the kitchen, theyll turn to owner Desta Negatu and openly wonder what gives, remarking her locale definitely isnt the nosh they remember. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/8/2020 (507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Every now and again a person in their 50s or 60s, somebody who frequented Harmans Cafe back when it was a homey breakfast and lunch nook tucked inside a Portage Avenue pharmacy near Lions Manor, will curiously pop their head inside Harmans Cafe at 570 Sargent Ave. Picking up on the scent of garlic, ginger, cardamom and cumin emanating from the kitchen, theyll turn to owner Desta Negatu and openly wonder what gives, remarking her locale definitely isnt the nosh they remember. Thats when Negatu, born in Ethiopia, will explain that she worked at the original Harmans and selected the name for her own restaurant, which opened in 2009 and specializes in East African cuisine, as a nod to where she got her start in the biz. Except anyone whos ever chatted with Negatu while shes serving platters piled high with slow cooked meat, stewed veggies and rolls of injera knows full well thats just the Coles Notes version of her story. "You really want me to tell you the whole history? Because it is very long," she asks, seated next to a photo of herself snapped "a lifetime ago" when, at age 20, she was preparing to board a ship bound for Italy, a journey that, in a roundabout way, eventually led her to Winnipeg. When a scribe nods his head yes, mentioning he has no place else to be and all day to get there, she settles back in a chair, tells her lone employee to call for help if any orders come in, and begins. Desta Worku Negatu brings out her sampler platter, which is a selection of traditional dishes served on Ethiopian flatbread made daily. (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press) Negatu, 54, the fifth youngest of 12 siblings, is originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopias capital and home to some three million residents. When she was nine or 10 her family moved to Korem, a city in the north central part of the country, where her father, a political sort, was elected mayor. Life in Korem was unsettled to say the least, owing to a number of factors. Chief among them was a two-year famine in the early 1980s that killed 1.3 million Ethiopians, coupled with a bloody civil war that largely paralyzed the nation from 1974 to 1991, resulting in hundreds of thousands more deaths. Korem was home to a number of refugee camps. At the age of 14, Negatu, who dreamed of becoming a nurse one day, began spending much of her free time assisting members of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), an international humanitarian organization that provided aid inside the camps. At 16 years old, having lost two brothers to the war, she made the difficult decision to leave Korem. Most of her older siblings were already gone, having spread out as far as Atlanta, Toronto and Rome. But due to the ongoing conflict, it wasnt as simple as buying a plane ticket and bidding her parents farewell. Far from it. Late one evening, after her mother and father had gone to bed, she snuck out of the house carrying a small bag of personal items. For the next two weeks she and 19 other "skippers" travelled to Djibouti, the capital city of the country with the same name, roughly 600 kilometers away. "I couldnt tell my parents I was leaving or they never would have let me go," she says. "We had to pay 3,000 Ethiopian birr (roughly C$110) each for a ride out of Korem, but most of the trip was by foot. And because it was very dangerous if soldiers caught us they would take us back or shoot us we walked mostly at night, hiding wherever we could during the daytime." "I couldnt tell my parents I was leaving or they never would have let me go.... Most of the trip was by foot. And because it was very dangerous if soldiers caught us they would take us back or shoot us we walked mostly at night, hiding wherever we could during the daytime. Desta Negatu Not everybody in her party made it. By the time she reached Djibouti, the largest city in the country, only six of her companions remained, the others having succumbed to the heat during their trek mid-day temperatures often soared as high as 45 degrees Celsius or to members of the Derg, the military junta that ruled Ethiopia during much of the civil war. Before departing, an acquaintance had instructed her to go to a specific hospital in Djibouti, the administrator of which was sympathetic to Ethiopians fleeing the country. She couldnt speak Arabic or French, Djiboutis two official languages, however, so she had trouble making herself understood. Late one afternoon, after spending eight hours outside the hospital trying to spot "somebody who appeared to be in charge," she was approached by a man in his 50s. Determining she spoke a bit of English, he asked whether she was homeless. Yes and no, she told him, detailing where shed come from and why she was there. It turned out her inquisitor was the very person shed been hoping to meet. He invited her inside, fed her a meal of rice and chicken then showed her to an empty patients room where she was able to get a good nights sleep. The next morning the two of them sat down to chat. She told him she needed a job in order to save enough money to join her siblings abroad. He asked what skills she possessed. She said she had been a nurses assistant back home. "I guess because I looked so young and skinny he laughed and said, You know nursing? Ill have to test you. I said that was OK, he could ask me anything he liked." After proving she was able to perform a few rudimentary tasks such as taking patients blood pressure and administering medication, he gave her a job, as well as a small apartment in a dormitory-style wing of the hospital. Though she started out pursuing nursing, Desta Worku Negatu turned to cooking when she moved to Winnipeg and got a job at the original Harman's. (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press) Negatu, who was able to contact her parents to let them know she was safe and sound, spent the next three years in Djibouti working, in her words, 24/7. With no friends or family in the city, she was only too happy to pitch in as needed, telling doctors not to worry about waking her up in the middle of the night if they needed a hand with a patient. Her strong work ethic was the reason everybody there was sorry to see her go when she finally left for Rome to live with her sister. Negatu stayed in Italy for six years. During her time there, a brother living in Toronto implored her to come to Canada to pursue a nursing career. He sent her a list of people known for sponsoring African refugees, one of whom was Sister Aileen May Gleason, founder of Winnipeg-based Hospitality House Refugee Ministry. Negatu still remembers the date July 5, 2002 when Gleason, who died in 2019 at age 94, picked her up at the airport to welcome her to Manitoba. One thing, though; while Negatu knew Winnipeg was her destination, her original intention was to stay just a week or two after all, her brother had warned her about the citys harsh winters before leaving for Toronto. "I had no idea how far apart Winnipeg and Toronto are," she says with a laugh. "I thought I could go back and forth, no problem. But after Sister Aileen showed me around and got me set up in an apartment on Garry (Street), I told my brother I was staying and enrolling in the (nursing) program at Red River (College)." Desta Worku Negatu's Harman's Cafe is currently only open for pickup and takeout. (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press) In 2004, Negatu and a classmate went for breakfast at Harmans Cafe, 647 Portage Ave. At some point during their meal, the owner, whom Negatu later learned had travelled to Africa numerous times to volunteer at refugee camps, spoke to her in her native tongue. One thing led to another, and within a month she had landed a part-time job at Harmans slinging bacon and eggs. That despite the fact she initially didnt have a clue what sunny side up even meant. Negatu eventually put nursing school on hold to manage Harmans full-time. The owner sold the building in 2006, and with no job, Negatu travelled to Israel, where a planned three-month stay turned into three years. She returned to Winnipeg in 2009 intent on completing her studies. Except a chance lunch date with a cousin at a Vietnamese restaurant called Trieu Chau changed her life, yet again. "I still dont know why because it wasnt like there was even a for sale sign in the window but as my cousin and I were paying for our meal the owner asked if I wanted to buy her restaurant," Negatu says, pointing to a spot near our table where their conversation took place. "I told her that was impossible, I had no savings, but my cousin kept saying I had to do it, that it was meant to be." A few weeks later, Harmans Cafe was reborn. Harman's Cafe now features Ethiopian flatbread called Iniera, made fresh daily. (Ruth Bonneville/Winnipeg Free Press) Negatus establishment was a hit right out of the gate, thanks to a glowing review that appeared in this newspaper not long after she opened her doors. She chuckles, recalling she didnt know what to make of "this woman," meaning former Free Press food critic Marion Warhaft, who arrived with three companions and told Negatu to bring them "everything on the menu." Not sure shed heard her guest correctly, Negatu repeated back, "Everything?" "Thats right, everything," came the answer. ("Eating here is a hands-on experience, although forks will be provided for those too squeamish to eat with their fingers," Warhaft wrote for any readers unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine.) Business was still going strong besides life-long Winnipeggers, Negatu also welcomes people who moved to the city from Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia... "all over really" when she shut down completely in mid-March to help curb the spread of COVID-19. It was a gut-wrenching move, she says, because besides being her source of income, Harmans Cafe also supports dozens of underprivileged children in Ethiopia via a charity she started called Bete Desta, or Happy Home. "It's overwhelming how generous people are. My brother was right. The winters here are cold but Winnipeggers' hearts? They are so warm it more than makes up for it." Desta Negatu Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Normally I put on a big fundraising dinner every May with all proceeds going to my kids," says Negatu, the 2015 recipient of the YMCAs Peace Medallion. "Due to COVID we werent able to do that this year, which hurt me deeply." Readers will be happy to know that many of her customers, regulars who are well aware of her philanthropic side, have stepped up since Harmans reopened in June for takeout and delivery only. Negatu is still lost for words when a person comes in to pick up an order and instead of paying for a single meal hands her enough to cover four or five dinners saying the rest is for Bete Desta. "Its overwhelming how generous people are. My brother was right. The winters here are cold but Winnipeggers hearts? They are so warm it more than makes up for it." David Sanderson writes about Winnipeg-centric restaurants and businesses. david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca TOKYO>> Japans longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said he is stepping down because a chronic health problem has resurfaced. He told reporters Friday that it was gut wrenching to leave many of his goals unfinished. Abe has had ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and has said the condition was controlled with treatment. Concerns about his health began this summer and grew this month when he visited a Tokyo hospital two weeks in a row for unspecified health checkups. He is now on a new treatment that requires IV injections, he said. While there is some improvement, there is no guarantee that it will cure his condition and so he decided to step down after treatment Monday, he said. It is gut wrenching to have to leave my job before accomplishing my goals, Abe said Friday, mentioning his failure to resolve the issue of Japanese abducted years ago by North Korea, a territorial dispute with Russia and a revision of Japans war-renouncing constitution. He said his health problem was under control until earlier this year but was found to have worsened in June when he had an annual checkup. Faced with the illness and treatment, as well as the pain of lacking physical strength I decided I should not stay on as prime minister when Im no longer capable of living up to the peoples expectations with confidence, Abe said at a news conference. In a country once known for its short-tenured prime ministers, the departure marks the end of an unusual era of stability that saw the Japanese leader strike up strong ties with President Donald Trump even as Abes ultra-nationalism riled the Koreas and China. While he pulled Japan out of recession, the economy has been battered anew by the coronavirus pandemic, and Abe has failed to achieve his cherished goal of formally rewriting the U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution because of poor public support. Abe said he achieved a stronger Japan-U.S. security alliance and the first visit by a serving U.S. president to the atom-bombed city of Hiroshima. He also helped Tokyo gain the right to host the 2020 Olympics by pledging that a disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant was under control when it was not. Recently, the coronavirus impact on the economy was a blow to Abe, who was stuck at home and lacking an opportunity to make any achievement or show off his friendship with Trump, and was pushed into a corner, said Koichi Nakano, an international politics professor at Sophia University in Tokyo. Abe continued to bolster Japans defense capability to respond to Americas needs, Nakano said. For those who believe the Japan-U.S. alliance is paramount, that was his major achievement, he said. But Abe bulldozed his expanded defense policy and other contentious issues through parliament, repeatedly neglecting public opinion, Nakano said. Trump paid tribute to his great friend Abe, telling reporters about Air Force One that he was surprised to hear of his resignation. We had a great relationship. And I just feel very bad for him. Because it must be very severe. Look, for him to leave he loves his country so much and for him to leave, I just cant imagine what it is. Hes a great gentleman and so Im just paying my highest respect, Trump said. Abe is a political blue blood who was groomed to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. His political rhetoric often focused on making Japan a normal and beautiful nation with a stronger military and bigger role in international affairs. Abe, whose term ends in September 2021, is expected to stay on until a new party leader is elected and formally approved by the parliament, a process which is expected to take several weeks. Abe became Japans youngest prime minister in 2006, at age 52, but his overly nationalistic first stint abruptly ended a year later because of his health. In December 2012, Abe returned to power, prioritizing economic measures over his nationalist agenda. He won six national elections and built a rock-solid grip on power, bolstering Japans defense role and capability and its security alliance with the U.S. He also stepped up patriotic education at schools and raised Japans international profile. Abe on Monday became Japans longest-serving prime minister by consecutive days in office, eclipsing the record of Eisaku Sato, his great-uncle, who served 2,798 days from 1964 to 1972. But his second hospital visit Monday accelerated speculation and political maneuvering toward a post-Abe regime. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and sometimes polyps in the bowels. People with the condition can have a normal life expectancy but serious cases can involve life-threatening complications. After his recent hospital visits were reported, top officials from Abes Cabinet and the ruling party said he was overworked and badly needed rest. His health concerns came as his support ratings plunged due to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its severe impact on the economy, on top of a stream of political scandals, including his own. There are a slew of politicians eager to replace Abe. Shigeru Ishiba, a 63-year-old hawkish former defense minister and Abes archrival, is a favorite next leader in media surveys, though he is less popular within the governing party. A low-key former foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, Defense Minister Taro Kono, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is in charge of coronavirus measures, are widely mentioned in Japanese media as potential successors. Abe was often upstaged in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, a former governing party conservative who is seen as a potential prime minister candidate by some. But she would have to first be elected to parliament to be in the running for the top job. Analysts say no major change of policy is expected whoever succeeds Abe, though Japan may return to an era of short-lived leadership. The end of Abes scandal-laden first stint as prime minister was the beginning of six years of annual leadership change, remembered as an era of revolving door politics that lacked stability and long-term policies. When he returned to office in 2012, Abe vowed to revitalize the nation and get its economy out of its deflationary doldrums with his Abenomics formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. Perhaps Abes biggest regret was his inability to fulfill a long-cherished goal of his grandfather and himself to formally rewrite the pacifist constitution. Abe and his ultra-conservative supporters see the U.S.-drafted constitution as a humiliating legacy of Japans World War II defeat. He was also unable to achieve his goal of settling several unfinished wartime legacies, including normalizing ties with North Korea, settling island disputes with neighbors and signing a peace treaty with Russia formally ending their hostilities in World War II. Abe said he will focus on his treatment for now and continue his political activity and support a new administration as a lawmaker. Coronavirus in Michigan: 799 confirmed cases, 21 confirmed deaths reported on Saturday 2020: The Year They Cancelled Everything expands driveway theater offerings Small businesses in college towns struggle without students Dream homes: Clarkston-area lakefront estate features contemporary style and a pool By AFP BEIRUT: Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah on Sunday said that his Shiite movement is "open" to a French proposal for a new political pact for Lebanon as long as there is national consensus. "On his latest visit to Lebanon, we heard a call from the French president for a new political pact in Lebanon... today we are open to a constructive discussion in this regard," Nasrallah said in a speech. "But we have one condition: this discussion should be carried out... with the will and consent of the various Lebanese factions." Nasrallah did not elaborate on what kind of changes his movement was willing to consider but cited criticsm from "official French sources" over Lebanon's "sect-based political system and its inability to solve Lebanons problems and respond to its needs." Lebanon recognises 18 official religious sects and its 128 parliamentary seats are divided equally between Muslims and Christians, an arrangement unique in the region. ALSO READ: Lebanons powerhouse Hezbollah hit by backlash after blast However, governments born out of this system have been prone to deadlock and have failed to meet popular demands for better living conditions. Macron, the first world leader to visit Lebanon after the devastating August 4 Beirut port blast, will return on Monday to press for reform and reconstruction. On his earlier visit days after the blast, the French president said Lebanese leaders had a "huge" responsibility: "that of a revamped pact with the Lebanese people in the coming weeks, that of deep change." The explosion of a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, left to languish for years in a warehouse, prompted the government to step down on August 10 and reignited a months-old protest movement demanding a political overhaul. Consultations to name a new premier are set to begin on Monday in tandem with Macron's visit. Nasrallah said his movement would be "cooperative" in the formation of a government capable of spearheading reform and reconstruction. Many Lebanese have blamed the August 4 port blast on a ruling class seen as mired in nepotism and graft since the 1975-1990 civil war. The explosion killed more than 180 people and laid entire districts to waste, reviving a protest movement that had emerged in October to demand the wholesale removal of the political elite. On Friday, Macron spoke of the "constraints of a confessional system" in a country populated by Christians, Sunni Muslims and Shiites. He said this, combined with "what can be mildly described as vested interests" had prevented political renewal and made reforms almost impossible. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:17:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has described the nation's domestic border closures as cruel. Frydenberg on Sunday called for more common sense in the administration of border closures, saying that current restrictions were "inexplicable." It comes after the death of an unborn twin after a pregnant woman from Ballina in northern New South Wales (NSW) was forced to travel about 750 kilometers (km) to Sydney for medical care instead of about 200 km to Brisbane in Queensland because of the border closures, according to The Australian report. "There's too much confusion and, and ultimately too much cruelty, in the way that the borders have been closed. And what we need is more compassion," Frydenberg told Sky News Australia. "It's inexplicable that a mother can lose their child because of confusion as to how they can access a hospital in Brisbane. "Those jurisdictions have got questions to answer when it comes to the operation of their borders because what we can't see is people being denied medical treatment." When asked about the tragic death of an unborn baby, Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles on Saturday said the border restrictions were "clear" that those requiring medical care were allowed to cross the border. "This last 24 hours, watching politicians use this tragic event to further their political arguments ... it makes me sick," he said. As of Sunday afternoon there had been 25,670 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, and the number of new cases in last 24 hours is 125, according to the latest figures from Department of Health. The national death toll has risen to 611 after authorities in Victoria, Australia's hardest-hit state by the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed 11 new deaths on Sunday, nine of which were linked to aged care facilities. Of the new cases, Victoria confirmed 114. New South Wales confirmed seven new cases and Queensland another four. Enditem Mohd Mustakim Khan, the terror suspect who was arrested by the Delhi Police earlier this month, used to train the youth near his village in Uttar Pradesh, police officials said. According to Hindustan Times sister publication Hindustan, Khan used to visit a local mosque in Siddharthnagar district where he would lure the youth towards his cause. He wanted to establish the rule of terror outfit Islamic State in India, officials told Hindustan. He was busy in these activities for- the past two years, Hindustan further quoted officials as saying. Khan wanted to carry out a suicide attack, the officials said. When he got no help, Khan started building the suicide vest by himself, they added. Talking about the methods adopted by Khan, top police officials told Hindustan that around a dozen youth were indoctrinated by Khan but all his efforts were brought to nought by the Delhi Police. Khan, a former cosmetics shop owner, who goes by his alias Abu Yusuf Khan according to police, was allegedly riding a motorcycle from Dhaula Kuan towards Karol Bagh on Friday night, when he was arrested from the Ridge area in New Delhi on August 21. Police said two pressure cooker-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized from him. The IEDs were loaded with around 12 kg of explosives. A pistol and a few bullets were also recovered from Khan. Pramod Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (special cell), Delhi Police, had said on August 22 that Khan was acting at the behest of his ISIS handlers, who are based abroad, to carry out lone wolf attacks at places with a high footfall in the national capital. On Sunday, the DCP said that a host of explosives and devices meant to be used for detonation have been recovered from Khans home in UP. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Nation/Asia News Network) Sun, August 30, 2020 11:13 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417595f 2 News Thailand,tourism,travel,destination Free Thailand will not be fully reopened to foreign tourists along the lines of the so-called Phuket Model any time soon because the government has to consider too many details, deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said on Friday. She added that the government needs to consider many factors, including guidelines, screening processes and measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to ensure there is no second wave of infections. Read also: Selfies in cells? Thailand bets on prisons to boost tourism She added that Phuket residents and Thai tourists can rest assured that no steps to reopen the country have been taken and that utmost precaution will be taken when borders are reopened. According to the Phuket Model, tourists will be allowed to land on the island, but they will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine first and their travel zones will be limited. Entry will also only be limited to tourists from COVID-free countries. Topics : Thailand tourism travel destination Topics : This article appeared on The Nation newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post For art lovers and anyone who despairs of the quarantine, the Taos Studio Tour will open 19 studios this Labor Day weekend. Everyone must wear a mask, and artists are limiting visitors to three or four at a time, Taos Artist Organization member Sarah Bush said. Were following all the state mandates for observing social distancing, she explained. Many artists will have seating outside with seats six feet apart. The artwork on view includes painting, mixed-media, mosaics, jewelry, pottery, textiles, sculpture, pastels and more in styles ranging from plein air (outdoor) realism to abstraction and contemporary works. The tour is free. We decide we could do it if we follow the rules, Bush said. Some artists declined to participate because they were uncomfortable showing their work during a pandemic, she said. Last years tour featured from 35-40 studios. The artists are calling the 2020 version The Jewel Box Tour because of the smaller size. Some will offer miniature swag bags of refreshments. The preview party will be virtual at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, because large public gatherings are banned. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, the artists will open their studios the way that small businesses and boutiques have opened during the pandemic. The studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Monday, Sept. 7. To register, visit taosartistorg.org. A tour map is also available. Each studio will display a tour flag for easy recognition. An artist herself, Bush moved to Taos from New Jersey two years ago. Visitors to her studio will see her work What Hope Looks Like, a mixed-media piece on aluminum. I make drawings and collage and I scan them, she said. And then I digitize them and make them new on the computer. She infuses the results in metal, then adds shellac. She paints and draws on them, often in gold leaf. On that one, theres mica flakes as well as gold leaf, she said. A lot of my work is about transformation. I express that transformation in imagery. To me, that means hope. The tour also includes Canyon in July, an oil painting of the Taos Gorge, by Albuquerque artist Krysteen Waszak. She has quite a following, Bush said. This year marks the tours 10th or 12th year, she added, Nobody can remember. There might be some pent-up shopping desires out there, Bush said. Well hopefully raise a toast to everyone with art and healthiness. _WebHeadline>EXCERPT: Everyone must wear a mask, and artists are limiting visitors to three or four at a time in the studio For 21 years, the nonprofit LISC's annual MANDIs aka Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation have honored successful efforts to revitalize neighborhoods and strengthen the community. After seeking public nominations, a volunteer Selection Committee selected 12 finalists last December, and the final award winners were announced Thursday during a virtual event, which you can watch in its entirety at MANDIawards.com. "For over two decades, the MANDIs have recognized the great work of the finalists and awarded many winners, but equally important these people, projects and organizations have inspired and renewed the optimism of those who are working each day to improve our communities," said LISC Milwaukee Executive Director Theodore Lipscomb, Sr. Here are the winners of the 2020 MANDIs, as provided by LISC Milwaukee: Awarded for commitment and effectiveness over time, the BMO Harris Bank Cornerstone Award was presented by Paul Fehrenbach, BMO Harris, and Vice President of Community Investments. This award was given to the Dominican Center Awarded to a public space that builds community, the Brewers Community Foundation Public Space Award was presented by Cecelia Gore, Executive Director for the foundation. This award was given to The Kinnickinnic River Plaza. Awarded to an individual for leadership, the PNC Bank Navigator Award was presented by Dan Sweeny, Vice President, Relationship Manager Community Development Banking of PNC Bank. This award was given to Sharon Jordan for her work with Direct Supply, Inc. Awarded for innovation, the Associated Bank Trailblazer Award was presented by William Kopka, Vice President, Community Accountability Officer of Associated Bank. This award was given to the Wisconsins First Ever Deaf StorySlam. Awarded for a real estate project that improves the community, The State Farm Building Blocks Award was presented by Jason Mallon, State Farm Agent. This award was given to Sherman Phoenix. The Chase Economic Development Award, was presented by Alvaro Araque, Executive Director - Consumer Banking for Chase Bank. This award was given to RISE MKE Entrepreneurial Training Program Awarded for nonprofits that collaborate and align, The Northwestern Mutual Collaboration Award was presented by Audra Brennan, Senior Director, Strategic Philanthropy. This award was given to "Training the Trades," a collaboration between, The City of Milwaukee, The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, JCP Construction and the Social Development Commission. Three winners were named for the Wells Fargo Peoples Choice Award, an online social media campaign to select public picks for three winners across all award categories. These awards were presented by Andrew Ruehl, Vice President, Community Relations Senior Consultant. The three winners included: The Kinnickinnic River Plaza, Sherman Phoenix and Neighborhood House of Milwaukee. All winners received a trophy and $1,000 contribution. Finalists and winners are selected by a volunteer selection committee comprised of forty private, public and government volunteers. Congratulations to all of this year's nominees and winners. When French economist Thomas Piketty published his acclaimed Capital in the 21st Century in 2013, an in-depth critique of modern capitalism and inequality, it was an immediate hit upon release in China, selling hundreds of thousands of copies. The near 700-page book even won praise from President Xi Jinping, who in a 2015 speech used its meticulously researched findings on surging inequality in the United States and Europe to claim that Marxist political economy was as relevant as ever. But Pikettys new book Capital and Ideology, which expands on the theme of inequality, looks increasingly unlikely to have the same success after falling foul of Chinas censors. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Published outside China last year, it has yet to be launched in the mainland due to demands from Pikettys Chinese publisher, Citic Press Group, that all parts of the book related to inequality in China be cut. I refused these conditions, so at this stage it looks as if Capital and Ideology wont be published in China Thomas Piketty I refused these conditions, so at this stage it looks as if Capital and Ideology wont be published in China, Piketty told the South China Morning Post by email. In a response, Citic Press Group said they are honored to work with Piketty on Capital in the 21st Century, and the copyright of his new book is still under negotiation. Book censorship is often a precondition for release in China, where the ruling Communist Party keeps tight control over what can be published, broadcast or shared online. While Pikettys new book by no means targets China, it spends several pages talking about the partys tolerance for rising inequality, the opacity of official data on income and wealth distribution, and the paradox between a socialist political system and a highly unequal society. The share of Chinas wealth held by the richest 10 per cent of the population was about 40 per cent to 50 per cent in the early 1990s, a level of inequality below that of Sweden. But by 2018, that had grown to nearly to 70 per cent close to that of highly unequal societies like the US, according to data cited by Piketty. Story continues The French economist added that public information about income and wealth distribution in China is even scarcer than in Russia, another highly unequal nation. In 2006, Beijing ordered high-income taxpayers to declare annual incomes above 120,000 yuan (US$17, 400). But publication of the data ended in 2011. Piketty describes the paradox of a communist party-led country, which upholds socialism with Chinese characteristics, that does not have an inheritance tax and data of any sort on the transfer of wealth between generations. But now that two-thirds of Chinese capital is in private hands, it is surprising that those who have benefited most from privatisation and economic liberalisation are allowed to pass all of their wealth on to their children without any tax, even a minimal one, Piketty wrote. So we find ourselves in the early twenty-first century in a highly paradoxical situation: an Asian billionaire who would like to pass on his fortune without paying any inheritance tax should move to Communist China. Piketty also wrote that there are few signs of concrete reform to tackle inequality under Xis leadership. It is not clear that imprisoning oligarchs or state officials who have too conspicuously and scandalously enriched themselves is enough to meet the challenge. Inequality and its causes are sensitive topics in China, even as Beijing prepares to declare later this year that it has met its goal of achieving a comprehensively well-off society in which people generally feel safe and affluent. At the same time, the widening wealth gap in China has become a problem too big to ignore, especially as China is adopting a new dual circulation economic strategy that will focus on boosting domestic consumption. Premier Li Keqiang said in May that there were 600 million Chinese living on incomes of 1,000 yuan (US$145) or less a month, triggering extensive debate over whether China is a rich or poor nation. The figure, which was later confirmed by Chinas statistics bureau, followed a report by the central bank in which it found that the bottom 20 per cent of urban households held only 2.6 per cent of the nations wealth, while the top 10 per cent owned 47.5 per cent. The society envisaged by Karl Marx based on the principle from each according to his ability, to each according to his need is still a remote prospect in China. What I find really sad, however, is that so far my new book Capital and ideology has not yet been published in China due to censorship Thomas Piketty In his 2015 speech, Xi said Pikettys Capital in the 21st Century has stirred a heated debate in the international academic community and that his arguments about the impact of unchecked capitalism on wealth inequality were worthy of our deep thinking. Facts show that the inherent contradiction between the socialisation of production and the private possession of the means of production still exists in capitalism after the international financial crisis, many western scholars have revisited Marxist political economy and Das Kapital to reflect on the drawbacks of capitalism, Xi said. For Piketty, however, the praise from Xi for his previous book offers little comfort. This is a very interesting quote indeed, Piketty said. What I find really sad, however, is that so far my new book Capital and ideology has not yet been published in China due to censorship. This article China censors Thomas Pikettys book that touches on nations growing inequality first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:28:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Sunday that the peace deal, slated to be signed on Monday between the Sudanese government and armed groups, is the first building block of a comprehensive peace. "This agreement gives us new energy to continue on the path of construction with additional tasks, including promotion of peace as a reality within our local communities and completion of the steps and stages of comprehensive peace in response to the aspirations of our people for justice, stability and development," said Hamdok on his Twitter account. "This is a moment of optimism for what we have achieved together for our citizens at the displacement and asylum camps and victims of civil wars in Sudan," he added. Earlier in the day, Hamdok headed to Juba, capital of South Sudan, to attend Monday's signing ceremony of the peace deal. Since October 2019, South Sudan has been mediating between the Sudanese government and the armed groups from Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions. Enditem WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump should not visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city where protests erupted last week after a Black man was shot in the back by a white police officer, the states Democratic lieutenant governor said on Sunday. The Republican president, who has taken a hard stand against racial protests in the country, will visit the Midwestern city on Tuesday, the White House said late on Saturday, sparking concerns among Democrats that this may worsen the strife. They centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around whats going on in Kenosha," Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes told CNN, referring to last weeks Republican National Convention. So I dont know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely dont need that right now," he added. The Aug. 22 shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot in front of three of his children, turned Kenosha, a mostly white city south of Milwaukee, into the latest flashpoint in a summer of U.S. demonstrations against police brutality and racism. Critics accuse Trump, who faces Democratic former vice president Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election, of seeking to exacerbate violence with incendiary rhetoric. Republicans deny this, saying Trump wants to restore law and order. U.S. Representative Karen Bass, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, predicted Trumps Kenosha visit would only make things worse. His visit has one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to agitate things," the Democrat told CNNs State of the Union" program. Were 66 days from an election and I think its a tragedy that we have a president that is doing everything he can to fan the flames." Republicans suggested state officials had been slow to restore order and said the federal government was ready to provide additional law enforcement, including in Portland, Oregon where one person was shot dead late on Saturday as protesters from rival groups clashed in the northwest U.S. city. Any governor, Republican or Democrat can request help from the federal government. We are willing to come in; we are willing to provide additional assets as we did in Kenosha," White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told NBCs Meet the Press" program. All options continue to be on the table" to resolve the Portland protests, including sending in federal law enforcement assistance, the acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told ABCs This Week" on Sunday. 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 BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug.27 Trend: International and intercultural initiatives by Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva had an important impact on global development with visible results, Ivo Josipovic, former President of Croatia, Board of Trustees Member at Nizami Ganjavi International Center, told Trend. First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva is a strong personality, a very educated and convincing person. Her career shows permanent successful activities in different areas, including humanitarian issues connecting the East and the West. She has taken many activities to do something that today for many diplomats and analysts looks as impossible mission, to join the East and the West to resolve important humanitarian problems existing today in many parts of the world, he said. Josipovic pointed out that humanitarian issues were always on the top of the list of the First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. Her nomination as Goodwill Ambassador of ISESCO in 2006 for her outstanding contribution to humanitarian area proves importance of her role in that field. Later, she continued connecting the East and the West to support people that need help. As the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva has strong position to continue her work. Especially, international and intercultural initiatives by Mehriban Aliyeva had an important impact on global development with visible results, said Croatias former president. Josipovic went on to add that Azerbaijan has important role in promoting women and their equality with men. Azerbaijan made clear that active role of women is not in contravention to Islam. Contemporary society and development in all fields, from industry, ICT to culture and education is not imaginable without proper role of women. Mehriban Aliyeva is one of the worldwide important examples how women can be successful in science, politics, culture, and occupy top positions on national and international level. During my visits to Azerbaijan, I had an opportunity to see increasing involvement of women in public life, in all fields of human activities. Mehriban Aliyeva supported positive processes in women promotion and their equality. Mehriban Aliyeva received Gold medal of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center for her international activities. Recently, we hosted a web-conference dedicated to the UN75 under the auspices of the First Vice-President. That was a sign of great respect she enjoys in national and international circles, he added. Josipovic noted that unfortunately, international partnership during global coronavirus pandemic was not at a proper level. The lack of global efforts and global approach to fight COVID-19 results in prolongation of the crisis and increased number of victims. As a member of NGIC, I am proud of NGIC activities to increase awareness of need to cooperate internationally to fight COVID-19. Solidarity and joint efforts only can make us successful against the pandemic. The main reason of low level of cooperation is selfishness of politicians looking just for short-term popularity and impression that they can fight the virus themselves. Hope, the awareness of need to cooperate shall prevail even among top politicians. We are happy that under the leadership of the Co-Chairs Madame President Vaira Vike-Freiberga and Dr Ismail Serageldin, dedicated Secretary General Rovshan Muradov and young Secretariat Nizami Ganjavi International Center showed real leadership, he said. The former Croatian president noted that he is proud of NGIC activities and efforts to motivate international cooperation, also to help fight against COVID-19 with different activities and actions. It is very important that an internationally recognized organization gathering experienced political leaders promotes solidarity and international cooperation. Also, activities of NGIC gives positive image to Azerbaijan as a state willing to support common efforts and to help humanity to overcome this crisis, he concluded. Following the announcement of Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stepping down from his position over health concerns, countrys Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will now join the race to succeed the former as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who would also become the next premier of Japan. As reported by ANI, a source familiar with the entire matter told a Japanese media agency on August 30 that Suga has informed the LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai about his wish to run in the election for the party leadership. Reportedly Japanese governments chief spokesperson revealed his plans of eyeing the senior post came a day after Shinzo Abe announced that he would be stepping down. The agencys source added that several senior members of the party have hailed Suga in the past for his crisis management abilities considering the crucial stage in the nation to maintain policy continuity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior LDP lawmakers believe that the election is slated to be held on or around September 15. Apart from Suga, LDP policy chief and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba have also indicated towards participating in the upcoming elections and takeover after outgoing Japan PM. Abe has ordered Nikai to make the required decisions regarding the party leadership race. Yoshihide Suga has been serving as the chief spokesperson of the Japanese government since Abe assumed power back in 2012 and is also one of the closest aides of Japan PM. He was also considered to be Abes potential contender. However, the recent revelation by media reports come in contrary to the remarks he made in the past when he denied the possibility of succeeding Abe saying never thought about it. Read - Mike Pompeo Thanks Shinzo Abe For Role In US-Japan Ties, Says 'will Miss His Sage Advice' Read - US, Japan Reiterate South China Sea Commitments Amid Growing Chinese Presence Longest-serving Japan PM Japans longest-serving PM announced his resignation during a press conference on Friday, August 28 citing a chronic health problem that has resurfaced. He also told the reporters that it was gut-wrenching to have left a number of his goals unfinished. Abe reportedly had ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and said that the condition was in control with the appropriate treatment. Abes stepping-down as the country leader came after the speculations about his health and well-being began resurfacing in the summer and drastically grew when he visited Tokyo hospital two weeks in a row for unspecified health checkups. He has said that he is now on a fresh treatment that requires IV injections and even though there are some improvements, there is no surety that it will cure his condition and therefore, decided to resign. Read - Shinzo Abe's Sudden Resignation Informally Kicks-off Race For New Japanese PM Read - Shinzo Abe Resigns: Japanese PM's Reign Known For Abenomics, Political Stability (With ANI inputs) Image: @sugawriter/Twitter A young social media influencer has revealed what was really going on when she took pictures of her 'lavish' lifestyle. Anna Paul, from Queensland, has never been shy to talk openly about her family's struggle to make ends meet, in which she previously revealed they once owned an old van with 'milk crates' used as seats. The 21-year-old has since built a legion of more than 1.1 million followers Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and she's one of Australia's highest earners on OnlyFans where she charges fans a fee to view her X-rated content. And while she's been able to sustain her luxurious lifestyle via the subscription service, Anna was forced to defend herself recently after a troll tried to 'expose' her by claiming she didn't grow up poor. In a TikTok video, she shared the truth behind pictures of her 'wealthy' lifestyle taken during her teenage years - including a picture of herself enjoying first class and getting expensive gifts from her family. Scroll down for video Social media influencer Anna Paul (pictured), from Queensland, has revealed what was really going on when she took pictures of her 'lavish' lifestyle The 21-year-old has since built a legion of more than 1.1 million followers Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and she's one of Australia's highest earners on OnlyFans where she charges fans a fee to view her X-rated content 'A girl tried to expose me for lying about being broke,' Anna said in her TikTok video. Long before she made a living selling pictures and videos of herself, Anna shared snaps of herself in first class and a Louis Vuitton wallet gifted on her 16th birthday. 'My Instagram pictures are fake. Instagram is fake, Instagram is not real,' she said. Sharing a picture of herself flying first class to Dubai, Anna said she was only upgraded to the seat after her brother vomited all over her in economy class. 'This is me in 2014. First class, right, rich. No,' she said. 'My whole family lives in Germany and we went to go visit them, but of course we couldn't afford plane tickets for everyone so my uncle bought two plane tickets - one for my brother, one for me in economy. 'And during the last 30 minutes of the trip, my brother vomited on me. He vomited all over the seats, and he vomited all over me. 'So they put us in first class in the last 20 minutes because we were minors and I flexed it. Instagram is fake.' Anna shared a TikTok video sharing the stories behind her 'lavish' lifestyle after a troll tried to 'expose' her for by claiming she didn't grow up poor Sharing a picture of herself flying first class (pictured) to Dubai in 2014, Anna said she was only upgraded to the seat after her brother vomited all over her in economy class For her 16th birthday, Anna said her mother set aside some money from her welfare benefits over one year just so she could surprise her with an expensive Louis Vuitton wallet (picture) Anna shared a picture of a YSL purchase after she decided to spoil herself with the last $50 to her name. She couldn't afford a train ticket home that day so she 'illegally' took the train home without paying For her 16th birthday, Anna said her mother set aside some money from her welfare benefits over an entire year just so she could surprise her with an expensive gift. 'My mother bought me a Louis Vuitton wallet. It cost $500... she got $250 on Centrelink a week and she saved up for a year,' she explained. Anna shared a picture of a YSL purchase after she decided to spoil herself with the last $50 to her name. 'This is a $50 YSL lipstick. I bought this and I couldn't afford the train ticket home, I had to illegally jump on the train,' she admitted. Anna said her Tiffany and Co jewellery was gifted to her from her younger brother who found a lucrative way to save up for her birthday. 'When Atis was 13 he used to buy hookahs online for really cheap and then sell them at school for $10 each. For my 16th birthday he saved up for these for me,' she said. The 21-year-old has since built a legion of more than 1.1 million followers Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and she's one of Australia's highest earners on OnlyFans where she charges fans a fee to view her X-rated content While she's been able to sustain her luxurious lifestyle via the subscription service, Anna was forced to defend herself after a troll tried to 'expose' her by claiming she didn't grow up poor Her video has since been viewed more than 2.4 million times after she wanted to prove that people should 'not believe everything they see' on social media. Anna has always been vocal about her upbringing, even revealing in her posts how her family once 'lived off $30 a week for grocery money to feed a family of four'. She revealed her love for designer labels, saying she used to put $10 away a week just so she could save up money to treat herself with expensive products. In September 2019, Anna shared a YouTube video revealing how she purchased herself her dream car after her family struggled to buy a 'modern' vehicle when she was young. 'I don't mean it as an ungrateful way. I'm very grateful that we were even able to afford a car,' she explained. 'The car that we then had was a white van that don't have any windows in the back and guess what, it didn't have any seats in the back either, it had milk crates on the ground at the back of the van we sat on as chairs. 'That's the car we had because that's all we can afford because we had no money.' NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against FirstEnergy Corporation (FirstEnergy or the Company) (NYSE: FE) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the S, and indexed under 20-cv-06896, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired FirstEnergy securities between February 21, 2017, and July 21, 2020, inclusive (the Class Period). Plaintiff seeks to pursue remedies against FirstEnergy and certain of the Companys current and former most senior executives under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), and Rule l0b-5 promulgated thereunder. If you are a shareholder who purchased FirstEnergy securities during the class period, you have until September 25, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Defendant FirstEnergy is headquartered in Akron, Ohio. The Company is an electric utility company with subsidiaries and affiliates involved in the distribution, transmission, and generation of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. FirstEnergys ten electric utility operating companies comprise one of the U.S.s largest investor-owned utilities, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. The Company also owned and operated two nuclear power plants in Ohiothe Perry Nuclear Generating Station and the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: defendants touted FirstEnergys legislative solutions to problems with its nuclear facilities, but failed to disclose that these solutions centered on an illicit campaign to corrupt high-profile state legislators to secure legislation favoring the Company. Over a nearly three-year period, FirstEnergy and its affiliates funneled more than $60 million to prominent state politicians and lobbyists, including Ohio Speaker Larry Householder (Householder), to secure the passage of Ohio House Bill 6 (HB6), which provided a $1.3 billion ratepayer-funded bailout to keep the Companys failing nuclear facilities in operation. In addition, defendants falsely represented that they were complying with state and federal laws and regulations regarding regulatory matters throughout the Class Period, exposing the Company and its investors to undisclosed risks of reputational, legal, and financial harm. The truth began to be revealed on July 21, 2020. That day, federal agents announced the arrest of Householder and four other persons, including a prominent FirstEnergy lobbyist, in connection with a $60 million racketeering and bribery scheme. The 82-page criminal complaint and affidavit detailed a pay-to-play scheme in which FirstEnergy corrupted the legislative process to ensure the passage of HB6. Prosecutors described the case as involving the largest bribery, money-laundering scheme in Ohio history. On this news, FirstEnergys stock price fell, trading as low as $22.85 per share on July 22, 2020, down nearly 45% from its closing price of $41.26 per share on July 20, 2020, damaging FirstEnergy shareholders. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com Vietnam has no new COVID-19 infections to report on the whole of August 30, and this is the first of such day since July 25, keeping the national count of the pandemic at 1,040. Of the total, 690 are locally transmitted, with 550 linked to the outbreak in the central city of Da Nang since the date. The committees treatment sub-committee reported that 695 out of the 1,040 patients have been given the all-clear. The death toll has reached 32. Among the active patients, 40 have tested negative for the coronavirus once, 48 twice and 27 three times. As many as 54,392 people having close contacts with COVID-19 patients and entering the country from pandemic-hit regions are being quarantined, including 1,212 at hospitals, 14,103 at other facilities, and 39,077 at home. Cleared COVID-19 patient who tested positive again now negative Two members of Da Nang city's Centre for Disease Control work with medical samples at a laboratory in Da Nang. A COVID-19 patient who tested positive again on Monday, 14 days after leaving hospital having been declared healthy, tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 on Friday afternoon. Patient 424 will need more negative tests during her quarantine at a hospital in the coming days. The citys Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said the patient had been released from Hoa Vang field hospital on August 10 after 14 days of treatment and isolation. She had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 three times before leaving the hospital for two weeks of isolation at home. In the last test at home after completing 14-day home isolation, the patient tested positive again for SARS-CoV-2 and was taken to a hospital along with three relatives for quarantine on Monday. Doctors from Da Nang General Hospital said it was the first such case in the city since the coronavirus outbreak on July 25, but they said this case would unlikely cause further infections. The three relatives of patient No 424 have all tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. Doctors from the CDC said the patient needs at least two negative tests to leave the hospital and she will then be isolated at home, as will her relatives, for two weeks and must test negative twice more. The CDC also said 3,211 foreigners in a Nang had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. All medical samples of foreigners were tested using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also on Friday, social distancing orders were lifted in Hoi An City, Dien Ban Town and Duy Xuyen District in the central province of Quang Nam as no cases of SARS-CoV-2 in the community have been reported in 14 days. Coffee shops and restaurants are opened, but all gatherings are limited under 20 people. Bus routes from Quang Nam to Da Nang and Quang Ngai, as well as taxi and tour cars, are still banned. Hospitals in Hanoi and Bac Ninh suspended from operations for failing to comply with anti-COVID-19 protocols Three hospitals in Hanoi and one in northern Bac Ninh Province that failed to comply with COVID-19 prevention and control protocols have had their operations suspended, according to the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health mobilised inspection teams to assess the safety level of hospitals' COVID-19 prevention measures. According to results, the General Hospital of Bac Ninh Province is safe. The General Hospital of Ha Nam Province, Hanoi Nephrology Hospital and Hanoi Lung Hospital only ensured safety at a low level. The Hong Phuc General Hospital in Bac Ninh Province and three hospitals in Hanoi, namely Sai Gon-Hanoi Eyes Hospital located on Nguyen Du Street, Viet Nam-Japan Eyes Hospital on Trieu Viet Vuong Street and Hitec Eyes Hospital on Ham Long Street, are unsafe. Those unsafe hospitals have been temporarily barred from receiving patients. The Hanoi Health Department has conducted inspections at 46 out of 80 hospitals in the capital city as of August 21. Among those, 34 hospitals ensure safe anti-COVID-19 measures. Nine others maintained safety at low levels and three are unsafe. The unsafe hospitals or hospitals classified to have low levels of safety did not comply with the steering committees instructions in patient screening and reception. The safe distance between beds was also not ensured. The Treatment Unit of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control asked directing boards of those hospitals to review responsibilities. Heads of the medical examination and infection control departments, and nurses at intensive care units of those hospitals must be criticised for failing to follow the safety regulations, it said. The directing boards of the hospitals must consider suspending department heads. The Treatment Unit asked local health departments to step up hospital inspections to closely monitor COVID-19 prevention and control work and fully report to the steering committee. According to the Ministry of Health, inspection reports from some localities showed that most of the hospitals are safe or have low safety levels. The ministry praised Hanoi for taking prompt action against unsafe hospitals and urged other localities to follow the capital citys actions. Local health departments will conduct the inspections again at unsafe hospitals to check if safety measures have improved. At the online briefing session with central-level hospitals and health departments of the provinces and cities on Thursday, Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long noted that all hospitals are exposed to the risk of COVID-19 infection. Attention to safety needs must also be paid at healthcare facilities unlikely to have infection risks like obstetrics and paediatrics hospitals. "Medical facilities failing to comply with anti-pandemic measures must be suspended from operation. If violations continue, the hospitals directors will hold responsibilities for that no matter the hospitals are State-owned or private, he said. Danang to ease social distancing rules Danang authorities announced on August 28 that they would gradually ease social distancing regulations beginning from September. Le Trung Chinh, vice chairman of Danang People's Committee cum deputy head of the city Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, said they had tested 121,000 people and confirmed 387 positive cases. 168 patients have been discharged from hospital, 186 people are receiving treatment and 24 people have died. The authorities helped 1.7 million tourists leave the city. They are still sending employees from other cities and provinces home per request. According to Chinh, as the situation gets better, the public is likely to become complacent. Starting from September, they would start easing the social distancing rules gradually, so they would need more effective solutions in order to ensure the economy recovery. Ngo Thi Kim Yen, vice head of Danang Department of Health, said they had tested small traders, medical staff, foreigners, workers at two industrial parks that have outbreaks and students who attended the national high school graduation exams. Workers at four other industrial parks still haven't been tested. Yen suggested using the next week to test 100,000 people at a cost of VND50bn (USD2.1m) to be completely safe. The authorities will give VND21bn to 2,237 Covid-19 prevention and control teams to work in the next two months. Yen said citizens must get used to the new normal for daily activities to be resumed. Danang authorities promised to strictly follow prime ministerial Directive 16 about Covid-19 prevention. When the situation gets better, they will relax social distancing rules for specific sectors and issue directives about how to behave in public places. The city authorities agreed to speed up the constructions of key projects and provide financial supports for Covid-19 victims. They asked the government to build a special mechanism for Danang to recover the economy. In the current time, they will focus on supporting poor people and ensure that operation at industrial parks will not be disrupted. Huynh Duc Tho, chairman of Danang People's Committee, said if the situation allowed, they would relax the social distancing rules in several areas on September 1. Areas in the danger zones will still have to follow social distancing rules. Nguyen Van Quang, deputy party secretary of Danang, said the localities authorities should take a lesson and look at their weakness for letting a second wave occurs to avoid a similar situation in the future. Quang agreed that Danang can afford to relax the social distancing rules, however, it's safer to wait for the test results of 14,000 teachers and students after the high school graduation exam. Party Secretary of Danang Truong Quang Nghia asked the Civil Affairs Committee of Danang to build the directives about how to behave in public after social distancing rules are relaxed. Millions lose jobs because of Covid-19 The new virus outbreak has affected 70% of local firms with 3.5-5 million people laid off or set to have their work hours reduced according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Before the Covid-19 outbreak, 80,000-90,000 joined the job market and about 11,000 became guest workers in other countries every month. However, since April and May, about 60,000 people became unemployed each month after raw material supply chains were interrupted and goods were unable to be exported. The second wave would have an even larger impact on the economy and private sector, especially small-scale companies will be in great difficulties because the market will be in a near-frozen state. The ministry has consulted with the government to launch a second financial support package focusing on accommodation, tourism and service sectors. In the worst-case scenario, Vietnam will continue to see 60,000-70,000 people become unemployed every month in late 2020 and up to 70% of the local firms will feel the impact. The number of people that will be laid off or have their work hours reduced and wages cut could reach 3.5-5 million people. The economic growth rate in the second quarter was 1.81%, the lowest in the past 10 years. 1.3 million people also lost their jobs during this time. Ta Van Thao, director of Hanoi Centre of Employee Service, said currently 400 people were claiming unemployment insurance each day. This number still hasn't changed much compared to 2019's figures because Hanois economy is still vigorous. The impact on the market could be affected by the outbreak development and any official responses. Moreover, when Covid-19 affected the job markets in January and March, they saw a surge in the number of people filing for unemployment insurance in April and May. They still have to wait to see how the second wave has affected the market. When filing for unemployment insurance, the employees will be given financial support and other supports such as free vocational courses if they want. They will be given VND1m a month for a maximum of six months on vocational training. After finishing the course, they will be given a job offer. Thailand tightens border security to prevent COVID-19 The Interior Ministry of Thailand on August 28 asked the governors of the 10 provinces bordering Myanmar to tighten security along the border to prevent illegal immigration because of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the neighbouring country. According to Thailands Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) of the Thai Government, a new surge of COVID-19 cases been reported in Myanmar, where 580 more patients have been confirmed since August 16, most in Sittwe the capital of Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. Permanent secretary of the ministry Chatchai Phromlert said he had issued the orders to the governors of Tak, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi, Chumphon and Ranong, to block illegal migration through natural border crossings and enforce disease control measures on visitors at official crossings. He urged officials to strictly adhere to the CCSA's disease prevention measures. On the same day, deputy army chief Natthapon Nakpanich, chairman of the CCSA's panel on the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, said long-term foreign residents and foreigners with permanent residences in Thailand stranded overseas will receive priority when seeking to return to Thailand. They will still be subject to a 14-day-quarantine. Meanwhile, Thailand and Singapore have discussed the possibility of reopening travel for businesses as they are opening up the countries. The Singaporean Foreign Ministry said the issue of business travel easing was discussed in a video conference between Thai permanent secretary for foreign affairs Busaya Mathelin and her Singapore partner, Chee Wee Kiong, on August 26. Vietnam expected to access Covid-19 vaccines from COVAX AMC The Australian Government has pledged a contribution of AUD$80 million to offer the Pacific and Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, easier access to safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines. The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release issued on August 26 that the country will support the Gavi COVAX Facility Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC) to offer the Pacific and Southeast Asian countries improved access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines against the novel coronavirus. The COVAX AMC will secure and distribute COVID-19 vaccines to all countries and not just those that can afford to purchase or manufacture the vaccines themselves. The AMC will address the acute phase of the pandemic, providing doses for up to 20% of the population across various countries in its first phase, ensuring that health care workers and vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, have access. The Southeast Asian nations eligible for the COVAX AMC support are Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines. The eligible Pacific countries comprise Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati. The ministry added that the access to vaccines will play a crucial role in the economic recovery of the region from this health crisis. Further, Australia will continue to promote health security in the region through its role as the Vice-Chair of the Gavi Board. International investment in vaccine manufacturing and procurement is stronger when nations work together. In making this investment, Australia joins key donors such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy and Norway. The COVAX AMC forms part of the wider COVAX Facility, a global mechanism designed to enable rapid, fair and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines to bring the acute phase of the pandemic to an end by 2021. Danang Hospital set to reopen after 30 days of lockdown After 30 days of being locked down and used to mainly treat Covid-19 patients, Danang Hospital, which is believed to be the source of the second Covid-19 outbreak among the community in Vietnam since July 24, is getting ready to reopen its doors and receive patients. The Danang City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on August 25 signed a decision permitting Danang Hospital to reopen. In addition to the decision, the Department of Health offered a four-stage operation plan for the city's largest general hospital to ensure safety. Accordingly, from August 26, 2020, to August 28, 2020, Danang Hospital will prepare for the reopening, including disinfecting the entire hospital. Two weeks after August 28, the hospital will be accepting patients with the most severe emergencies, apart from continuing to treat patients with kidney failure by hemodialysis and dispensing drugs for outpatients with peritoneal dialysis and after kidney transplantation and surgical operations. In the third phase in the next two weeks, the hospital's specialized examination departments will be opened in a step-by-step manner. All medical treatments will be done in the fourth phase, depending on the development of the pandemic. Late afternoon on August 25, the committee also updated the citywide situation over the pandemic. It found seven new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of Covid-19 patients in the city since July to 386. Meanwhile, 128 patients have fully recovered. Authorities bring home 230 Vietnamese citizens from Taiwan As many as 230 Vietnamese citizens were flown home from Taiwan (China) on a flight of budget carrier Vietjet Air on August 29. The flight was arranged by the Vietnamese authorities, Vietnams economic-culture office in Taiwan, the carrier, together with relevant agencies of Taiwan. The passengers included the elderly, pregnant women, the ill, labourers with expired labour contracts, students without accommodations, stranded tourists, and others in extremely disadvantaged circumstances. Security, safety and hygiene measures were carried out throughout the flight to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Upon landing at the Can Tho International Airport in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, those on board received health check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine facilities. More flights are set to be conducted in the time ahead to repatriate Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home. Vietnam records two COVID-19 deaths on August 29 A 28-year-old man in the central province of Quang Nam died on August 29 morning, becoming the youngest among Vietnam's 31 COVID-19-related fatalities. According to the Ministry of Health, the patient, residing in Que Trung commune of Nong Son district, suffered from leukeamia. The cause of death has been recorded as pneumonia caused by COVID-19, complications of septic shock and irreversible multi-organ failure in patients with acute leukeamia. A 67-year-old woman in the central city of Da Nang died of coronavirus-related complications on August 29, the second death in a single day. The woman, who lived in Lien Chieu district in the central city, had a number of underlying health issues, including kidney failure and type 2 diabetes. She is the 32nd COVID-19-related death in Vietnam. Earlier on the day, a 28-year-old man with leukeamia also died. The cause of death has been recorded as severe pneumonia, progressive respiratory failure caused by COVID-19, complications of septic shock and irreversible multi-organ failure. Over 340 Vietnamese citizens brought home from Australia, New Zealand, Tonga More than 340 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from Australia, New Zealand and Tonga aboard a Vietnam Airlines flight on August 28. The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Vietnamese representative agencies in Australia and New Zealand, the national flag carrier Vietnamese Airlines, and relevant agencies of the host countries. Passengers included children under 18, the elderly, people with illnesses, students having no accommodation, and other disadvantaged cases. Security, safety and hygiene measures were carried out throughout the flight to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Upon landing at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, those on board received health check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine facilities. More flights are set to be conducted in the time ahead to repatriate Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home. Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi expressed the Islamic Republics unconditional support to the Iraqi government, whether Iraq decides to expel US troops or not, Trend reports citing Mehr. In an interview with Al-Monitor on Friday, Masjedi said, Iran and Iraq, as two historic neighbors, have many things in common that have intertwined their destiny. We are neighbors forever, so no country wants the welfare and prosperity of Iraqi people more than we do." The ambassador said the nature of the relationship between Iran and Iraq is unchangeable. No matter what government is in power in Iraq, the relations between the two countries are so intertwined in different areas that no government can ignore them." He said the relationship between Iran and Iraq also involves a wide variety of economic, cultural and educational and even humanitarian aid. He said that Iran has been exporting electricity to Iraq for more than a decade and that Iran is working on building the largest Iraqi power plant in Rumaila in the southern province of Basra. The ambassador also said that Iran is building Zawra Stadium in Baghdad as well and that Tehran has provided various forms of aid, including oxygen to Iraq during the coronavirus pandemic. He deplored the US sanctions on Iran saying, the obstacles have been preventing the latter from working with greater capacity in Iraq. Regarding the presence of the foreign troops in Iraq, Masjedi stressed Iran does not intend to interfere in an internal matter of the neighboring country. Iraq is our friend and brother country, and its leaders recognize their national interests better than anyone. Kathmandu: Within 2 weeks in Nepal, the death toll from Corona is doubling. Within the last 2 weeks, 200 new deaths have been recorded here. The Department of Health and Population Ministry has confirmed this. The total number of infected people in the country has reached 37340. According to the news agency's report, although the number of deaths due to infection was lower in the previous month, the number of deaths has increased in recent weeks. It has been learned that the spokesperson of the ministry, Jageshwar Gautham, told reporters on Saturday that the death due to covid-19 had crossed the 100 mark on 15 August. "The number of deaths has reached 207, with 12 deaths in the last 24 hours." Where it is also being said that not only Nepal but the whole world is troubled by this virus at the moment. The virus spread from Wuhan in China has caused havoc all over the world. The total number of global covid-19 virus cases has exceeded 49 million (24.9 million), while according to Johns Hopkins University, the number of deaths has increased to 840,000. On Sunday morning, the total number of cases worldwide was 24,891,294. Also Read: The decision to open school and college once again got postponed amid Corona epidemic Know who will be the next PM of Japan, the names of these two contenders are at the forefront Know why Malaysia National Day is celebrated Norway: Two sides clashed during anti-Islam rally, breaks police barricade Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 12:07:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) touches elbows with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris, France, Aug. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) PARIS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China and France should upgrade bilateral cooperation to set an example of positive interactions, mutual benefit, win-win outcomes and friendly relations among major countries, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Saturday. Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and its severe impact on the world calls for solidarity, Wang said during talks with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian. He recalled that since the virus outbreak, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have had four phone conversations while foreign ministers of the two countries have talked to each other seven times, and the Chinese and French people have been supporting and helping each other. "This proves that solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to defeat the pandemic," he said. Wang also noted that his visit to France during his first overseas tour under the situation of regular COVID-19 prevention and control fully reflects the importance China attaches to France as an independent major country and to the European Union (EU) as an important pole in the world. China is willing to work with France to seek stronger bilateral ties, further promote China-EU cooperation and safeguard multilateralism more effectively, said Wang. "The China-France relations, as one of the most stable and sound relations among major countries in today's world that undergoes changes rarely seen in a century, bear even more prominent global significance," he said. Both sides should, under the guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy, give full play to the role of the China-France relations in promoting the relationship between China and Western countries, in order to set an example of positive interactions among major countries, he said. "We should promote quality improvement and upgrading of the bilateral cooperation driven by large-scale project cooperation to set an example of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes among major countries," he added. Both sides should take cooperation in innovation as a breakthrough, promote cooperation in fields such as smart cities, electric vehicles, organic agriculture and food, financial science and technology and digital economy, and jointly provide fair, just, open and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises of both sides, so as to set an example for major countries to seek a shared future, said Wang. Wang also called on both sides, under the banner of multilateralism, to support each other, ensure the success of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Kunming and of the World Conservation Congress in Marseille, and carry out more three-party cooperation along the two main themes of pandemic-fighting and development, so as to set an example for major countries to benefit the whole world. Based on the principle of seeking common ground while reserving differences, Wang added, "we should respect each other's choice of development path, core interests and major concerns so as to set an example of friendly relations among major countries." On China-EU relations, the Chinese foreign minister stressed that there exists no fundamental conflict of interests between the two sides. "Our common interests far outweigh differences," he said. Against the backdrop of rising uncertainty in the world, China and the EU should strengthen solidarity and cooperation, inject more elements of stability into the world, maintain international security and stability and promote the development and prosperity of all countries, said Wang. China stands ready to work with the EU to promote the next phase of political exchanges to achieve positive results, complete the China-EU investment agreement negotiations within this year, take concrete actions to safeguard multilateralism and the free trade system and resist unilateralism and protectionism, he added. For his part, Le Drian noted that France-China relations are very close and cooperation between the two countries is showing a good momentum for development. He expressed appreciation for China's assistance to France in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, saying France is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields with China. The two sides can jointly promote cooperation in vaccine research and development, ensure that vaccines become a global public product, support the World Health Organization in fulfilling its duties and improving efficiency, he said. France hopes to deepen dialogue and cooperation with China in areas such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, clean energy and ecological agriculture, noted the French foreign minister. Pledging that France will work with China to ensure the success of CBD-COP 15 and the World Conservation Congress, he said both sides should strengthen cooperation on climate change, jointly promote the development of the global digital economy and play an exemplary role in defending multilateralism. France attaches great importance to EU-China relations and is willing to work with China to promote EU-China political exchanges in the next phase and reach an EU-China investment agreement as soon as possible, said Le Drian. The two ministers also had in-depth exchanges of views on international and regional issues of common concern. Both agreed that maintaining and practising multilateralism is their common responsibility and top priority. Enditem A man on a bike rides past a city truck on fire outside the Kenosha County Courthouse during riots following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., on Aug. 23, 2020. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY via Reuters) Maoists Burn Kenosha Commentary The rioters who attacked police officers with Molotov cocktails and fireworks and torched numerous buildings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for about a week included members of the same pro-China communist group that sparked the May riots in Minneapolis after the police-involved killing of George Floyd. Maoist activists from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) can take most, if not all, of the credit for inciting the recent rioting in Kenosha. The town of 100,000 people has been torn apart, businesses and cars have been razed, multiple people have been arrested, and two people have diedyet no one seems to want to call out the real culprits. FRSO is based in the Midwest. It has maintained a strong presence in Chicago and Minneapolis for decades. The subversive organization has expanded in recent years into Milwaukee and the smaller university towns of Oshkosh and Kenosha, where new cadre are recruited through campus branches of FRSOs youth wing: New Students for a Democratic Society. On Feb. 20, 2017, the day President Donald Trump was inaugurated, FRSO political secretary Steff Yorek declared to a crowd of Washington protesters: We need to stay in the streets the entire four years opposing Trump and making the country ungovernable. In November 2019, FRSO convened a conference in Chicago to form a new nationwide front organization: the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). More accurately, it was a re-founding of an old Communist Party USA front of the 1970s of the same name. The original NAARPR was set up to free iconic communist Angela Davis, who was then under arrest for alleged complicity in the murder of a California judge. Davis was eventually acquitted of the murder charge in 1972, and she even came to Chicago to confer her blessing on the new organization. Headed by FRSO Central Committee member Frank Chapman, the new NAARPR is clearly designed to confront police about alleged issues of racism and police brutality. Chapman told FightBack! News: Black and brown communities are over-patrolled and under-protected and must confront police harassment, racial profiling, torture and murder on a daily basis. This is not happening in just Chicago, New York City or Los Angeles; this happening throughout the nation. We believe the enormity of the problem of police tyranny has created a mass demand for community control of the police. We believe this problem can best be confronted by a national movement organized by a refounding of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). The NAARPR quickly established branches and alliances all over the countryall affiliated with FRSO or sympathetic communist groups. It was the Minneapolis affiliate of the NAARPRthe Twin Cities Coalition 4 Justice 4 Jamarheaded by FRSO comrades Jess Sundin and Lorraine VanPelt that is credited with sparking the Minneapolis riots. When protesters gathered in downtown Kenosha after the Aug. 23 police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake, three banners were clearly visible at the head of the several-hundred-strong crowd: the bright red FRSO banner, the green banner of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the smaller black flag of New Students for a Democratic Societyprobably the local University of WisconsinParkside branch. Just before the march, a young woman led the crowd in a chant of long live the revolution directly in front of the signature FRSO banner. FRSO Facebook pages (both Wisconsin and national) contain extensive coverage of the protests and riotsas does the FRSO-affiliated website FightBack! News. The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression Facebook page issued a call to free arrested protester Adelana Akindesa leader of the UWParkside New Students for a Democratic Society. The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression is led by FRSO member Lauryn Cross. A Wisconsin FRSO Facebook page post on Aug. 25 features a quote from Mao over a picture of the Kenosha protest and the hashtags #Justice4JacobBlake #NationalLiberation and #Kenosha. The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history. Mao Zedong The Facebook post then highlights our comrades on the frontlines down in Kenosha tonight. FRSOs FightBack! News declared: Members of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and Freedom Road Socialist Organization are participating in the protests. The morning after the first riots, FightBack! News described the previous nights chaos as an Uprising underway in Kenosha: Riot police assembled at the scene of the shooting as the crowd began to gather, including members of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Those assembled quickly grew restless in their anger. Squad cars were smashed and Molotovs thrown. The people chased the cops away and then set off on a march to the Kenosha Police Department (KPD) downtown. When protesters arrived at the KPD building, they rallied in the front parking lot. As the crowd swelled, SWAT trucks and riot cops rolled onto the scene. Tear gas was deployed, but not enough to disperse the crowd. The riot police formed a line and attempted to push the crowd away from the building and out of the parking lot. The people met them with linked arms and prevented their advance. Holding strong, the people chanted No justice, no peace! and Jacob Blake! Eventually, the riot police began to retreat into the police station. People from the crowd threw fireworks behind the row of cops. Then the second wave of tear gas was fired into the line of protesters, this time in a more substantial quantity, forcing them to break up. In spite of these efforts, the people would not quit. More cop cars were smashed and other vehicles used by KPD to block roads were set on fire. The language is similar to that used in the wake of the Minneapolis riots. During an interview with the Green Flame podcast (that has since been removed from their website), Minneapolis FRSO comrade and protest organizer Sundin said: The first two weeks after George Floyd was killed saw an intense high level of organizing all day and all night every day. During the day we would have marches and rallies and at night the focus was often at the Third Precinct. Which is the police station where George Floyds killers were working out of. I cant tell you the joy it brought all of us to see the Third Precinct destroyed. Speaking to a crowd in Milwaukee two days before Blake was gravely wounded in Kenosha, prominent Wisconsin FRSO leader Ryan Hamann publicly praised the arson of Minneapolis Third Precinct police station: On May 28, thousands more in that city organized and marched and forced the police into a full retreat from the Third Precinct police station and it was righteously burned. The FRSO follows the Chinese Communist Party line. Their connections to the riots in Minneapolis, Kenosha, and more than a dozen other cities across the United States arent hard to find. Are authorities loathe to point out that Chinas loyal American comrades are burning American cities? How many more cities have to be destroyed before authorities are willing to act? Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker, and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist, and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics. He is best known for his book Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists and Progressives in the U.S. Congress and his similarly themed documentary film Enemies Within. His recently published book is White House Reds: Communists, Socialists & Security Risks Running for U.S. President, 2020. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The two orphans told the prosecution that the defendant offered them money in exchange for remaining silent, and that they were scared to resist his assaults An employee at a Cairo orphanage has been arrested over allegations that he sexually assaulted two girls aged 11 and 14, the Egyptian Public Prosecution said in a statement on Saturday. The suspect, who works as a cook at an orphanage for girls in Old Cairo, has been accused by the two girls of repeatedly sexually assaulting them. The two orphans told the prosecution that the defendant offered them money in exchange for remaining silent, and that they were scared to resist his assaults. The alleged assaults came to light after the two girls told other children in the orphanage about the incidents, who in turn told supervisors. Also, two social workers at the orphanage said they were told about the incidents by the two victims. Six of the girls at the orphanage told the prosecution that one of them shared the story on social media in 27 August. The cook has denied the allegations, saying that he merely hugged the two girls and kissed them on the head with good intentions, the prosecutions statement read. The two girls will undergo forensic medical examinations, the prosecution said. The prosecution also said that according to witnesses at the orphanage, the cook was fired and the police were called after two of the institutions administrators were informed about the incident. A popular Facebook page named Women Revolution has posted a photo of the defendant, who appears to be in his fifties. The page alleges that the man raped the 11-year-old girl and tried to silence her by offering EGP 5 (less than $0.5). The page made no mention of the other alleged victim. Egypt has recently been cracking down on sex crimes, arresting several suspects accused on social media of being sexual predators, one of the most recent being alleged serial rapist Ahmed Bassam Zaki. In July, Egypts cabinet approved a bill proposed by the justice ministry to keep the identity of sex crime victims confidential. According to the law, the identities of the victims of sexual crimes are not to be publicly disclosed, and can only be revealed to the court and to defendants upon request. Search Keywords: Short link: LONDONStreet artist Banksy affirmed All Black Lives Matter on Saturday in explaining why he is sponsoring a search-and-rescue ship that picked up dozens of African migrants adrift in the Mediterranean Sea this week. The ship, the MV Louise Michel, appealed for help and a safe port Saturday, saying that it had rescued so many people that it could no longer safely navigate. The Italian coast guard said it sent a vessel to take 49 of the most vulnerable to bring them to safety. Banksy confirmed his involvement in the operation in a video released on his Instagram account. Like most people who make it in the art world, I bought a yacht to cruise the Med, the artist wrote in captions accompanying the video. Its a French Navy vessel we converted into a lifeboat because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans. The subversive artist continued All Black Lives Matter. The video featured footage of migrants at sea and clips of the MV Louise Michel, which is painted bright pink and features a mural depicting a young girl holding on to a heart-shaped safety float. The ships crew has said it is sponsored by Banksy, whose real name remains a mystery. Details of his financial involvement were not available. The crew has in recent days reported picking up several groups of migrants in the central Mediterranean in what appeared to be its maiden rescue voyage. In a series of tweets over the past few days, the ships crew strongly criticized the European Union over its migration policy. The tone of the tweets has grown more urgent in the past 24 hours after the crew reported that the numbers of migrants on board were getting too high, that the ship was essentially stranded and that the crew was seeking a port to disembark the passengers. It reported women and children were among the dozens on board and in an adjacent dinghy, as well as the corpse of a migrant. We need immediate assistance, the crew tweeted via its @MVLouiseMichel handle. We are safeguarding 219 people with a crew of 10. Act #EU now! The crew said later Saturday that it welcomed the Italian coast guards decision to take off 49 vulnerable migrants, and said another humanitarian rescue ship, the SeaWatch4, was also on site to help with the remainder. The SeaWatch4 has had more than 200 migrants on board for days waiting to be allowed to enter a port. Another humanitarian aid group ship, the Mare Jonio, said Saturday it was leaving the Sicilian port of Augusta to come to the Louise Michels aid. The Mare Jonio, which has been active in the Mediterranean for years, said it was moving up its departure by 48 hours to help the Louise Michel out. ___ Nicole Winfield contributed from Rome. ___ Follow all AP coverage of racial injustice issues at https://apnews.com/Racialinjustice Read more about: It was an extra special birthday for actor Karanvir Bohra as he and his wife Teejay Sidhu announced the happy news that they are going to be parents again on August 28. The couple is already parents to four-year-old twin daughters Vienna and Raya Bella. Talking about joining the bandwagon of having a lockdown baby, Bohra says, We have been hearing a lot of this and that this is going to be a lockdown baby. But I think it was more like a calling. Both Teejay and I are very connected spiritually and we both believe that when a soul wants to come in, it chooses. The actor also shares that it is indeed all about timing and no one can really plan this. All throughout the lockdown we have heard so much that there would be fights among couple and there would be babies, I was like lets make the best of this lockdown, Bohra shares with a laugh. And the most excited about the new arrival are his twins, who he says have already started making sleeping arrangements for the future. We have a giant bed in the hall where we watch our movies and they are like we are going to be sleeping out here, all five of us when the baby comes. They also have started speaking very softly and say that the baby is sleeping now so they will not make any noise, the actor says. So do Vienna and Bella have a preference, if they want a brother or sister? They just want a baby, Bohra quickly replies, while adding, And trust me we are okay with anything, who are we to say we want a boy or a girl. We were never those kinds of parents. We are categorically going to make it clear also that when people say arey ab aisa hai toh ladka chahiye, we are really not into it. We are not even finding out, of course you cant even find out here. The thing is we dont wasnt to know. We want it to be a surprise, we are happy if it is a boy or girl. Bella and Vienna were born in Vancouver, Canada, where Sidhus family lives. Probably we will fly to Canada, we dont know yet. The situation is quite tricky here. We are not even stepping out of the house, so lets see, Bohra concludes. Advertisement A Nebraska couple married for 60 years celebrated their anniversary with a spectacular photo shoot in their original wedding outfits. Marvin and Lucille Stone were a vision as they held hands, danced and posed together in an open Nebraska field as photographer Katy Autry snapped the sweet moment. Marvin, 88, wore his black tuxedo with a matching bow tie, and 81-year-old Lucille wore a gorgeous lace gown that she sewed together by hand. Both Marvin (left) and Lucille (right) wore their original wedding attire to the photo shoot, including the lace wedding gown Lucille sewed herself The couple (pictured) held a 60th anniversary wedding photo shoot this year to celebrate their six-decade milestone 'The thing that took the longest was making 52 buttons that are on the sleeves and down the back,' Lucille told KHGI-TV. The couple first tied the knot in 1960 at a small Lutheran Church in Sterling, Nebraska. Marvin was nearly 29-years-old at the time, while Lucille was 22-years-old. 'It was a typical wedding. We had a pastor who was in his first ceremony wedding... and he was a little shook but he did it and we were married,' said Marvin. 'My dad cried. He was the only one that cried,' Lucille added. 'My mother beamed and they both thought Marvin was just perfect, and that does help when your parents like the person that youre marrying.' Lucille (left) and Marvin (right) said they both grew up during the Great Depression, which brought several similarities and shared values to their relationship Marvin and Lucille Stone (pictured), were first married inside a small Lutheran church in the city of Sterling, Nebraska, in 1960 Lucille: 'From day one we have assumed marriage is forever... Weve had disagreements, but on the big things were pretty much on the same track' It also helps that Marvin and Lucille grew up similarly as children of the Great Depression. 'Were both pretty conservative,' said Lucille. 'We were depression children. He was born at the beginning of the '30s and I came along a few years later for my parents as kind of a surprise baby.' According to Marvin, they were on the same page in nearly every aspect. 'We both had farm backgrounds. We both were free enterprise people and we had similar goals in life and we were both in teaching,' he said. 'We had already been in teaching for a while and we were just kind of together in our concepts of what to do and what direction to go and so forth.' Photographer Katie Autry captured the loving moments as Marvin and Lucille (pictured) danced together in an open Nebraska field The photos of Lucille (center) and Marvin (right) were shared to Facebook, where they quickly gained attention and received scores of praise Six decades later, the Stone family said their family values and love have stood the test of time. 'We dont always agree but we have the main focus that weve always had, so it just kind of moves along,' Marvin told KHGI-TV. 'We have had similar values and so it has worked out pretty well and, I don't know, we never spent any time considering separating.' Lucille explained that 'from day one we have assumed marriage is forever.' 'You do what you have to do and by no means have we been perfect in our marriage. Weve had arguments. Weve had disagreements, but on the big things were pretty much on the same track.' Lucille (pictured) admitted that the hardest part of creating her hand-sewn dress was 'making 52 buttons that are on the sleeves and down the back' Marvin (pictured) and Lucille said the secret to a lasting marriage was letting go of worry, rolling with the punches and communicating. Marvin and Lucille had three children during their marriage. The set of anniversary photos were shared on Facebook, where they garnered more than 1,500 likes and nearly 1,000 shares. Many users referred to the couple as 'goals' and congratulated them on the incredible milestone. The secret to their marriage, the Stone family said, was letting go of worry, rolling with the punches and communicating. 'Use the resources that you have and dont expect to have everything that you might want', Lucille said. 'Focus on the needs along the way and keep the faith keep a positive attitude and do your best,' she added. Chinese betting apps: ED seizes Rs 47 crore India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 30: The Enforcement Directorate has seized Rs 47 crore in bank accounts following a raids at 15 premises spread across Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Pune in connection with an illegal betting scandal involving Chinese nationals. Chinese nationals have been accused of using Indians to carry out illegal online betting and also collecting Rs 1,300 crore. It may be recalled that a Chinese national and three of his Indian associates were arrested in a crackdown on an illegal gambling racket. The police said that the racket was being run by a China based company. The Chinese national and his associates were arrested by the Hyderabad police from Delhi. The police arrested the head of the company Yah Hao, Dheeraj Sarkar, Ankit Kapoor and Neeraj Tuli. No shutdown in 7 cities where JEE, NEET examination will be held: Odisha govt The arrests took place after two men from Hyderabad lost Rs 1.64 lakh and Rs 97,000 respectively, while gambling online. The arrested persons have been booked for cheating and conspiracy. The firms carried out transactions through two bank accounts. Though most of the money has already been transferred to different accounts the police were able to freeze Rs 30 crore parked in two accounts. The police say that they have unearthed remittances of up to Rs 1,100 crore. Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said at a press conference that he servers of the gaming websites are based in China. Data-hosting services are cloud-based in the US but operated from China. The entire technical operation is run by the China-based directors/partners of these companies. The payments were being routed through India-based payment service providers/gateways. Online gambling was being organised by luring prospective gamers through Telegram groups. The entry is only through reference and members who introduced a certain number of prospective players are paid a commission. The administrators usually disclose the website on which the registered members can play and place betws. However these sites were changed on a daily basis, the police commissioner also said. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Police and protesters in a California city faced off late Saturday after an evening of mostly peaceful demonstrations seeking racial justice. More than 100 people were involved in the protest that included rocks, bottles, lasers and other items being used to assault officers, Oakland police said on Twitter. The unrest led to half a dozen arrests, police said. One officer was injured, according to police, though the extent of the injury wasn't immediately released. An unlawful assembly was declared and the crowd was ordered to disperse. Police said some gas and smoke was used to force demonstrators away. Many people have participated in protests across California since the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake, 29, was shot in the back seven times last Sunday as he pulled away from an officer and leaned into his SUV, in which three of his children were seated. A family attorney on Tuesday said Blake was paralyzed, and it would take a miracle for him to walk again. On Saturday in San Jose, a crowd spray-painted graffiti on Mayor Sam Liccardo's home with phrases that included BLM, Jacob Blake and profanities, fired paintballs and burned a flag. His neighbors quickly banded together to clean Liccardos home. Liccardo said in a statement Saturday he was away visiting a relative at the time of the incident. The mayor said the vandalism does not detract from his support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of these same neighbors homes bear Black Lives Matter' signs, and they represent the true spirit of the movement, and of our San Jose community, he said. They contrast sharply with the roughly hundred so-called protesters who stood by silently or even cheered as a flag was burned, and messages including profanity "were scrawled on our home. In Sacramento, police said about 75 people marched from Chavez Park donning helmets, body armor and shields. Two people were arrested, according to police tweets, including one person accused of pointing a laser at officers and another accused of resisting officers. Police said the crowd began to disperse around 10 p.m. Antony Fernando By Express News Service NAGAPATTINAM: A police sub-inspector and his mother have been booked for allegedly cheating a girl after making false marriage promises. Anushree* (name changed), a native of Mayiladuthurai has been struggling to seek justice against the accused cop for the last 17 months after she got pregnant with his child. R Vivek Raviraj (30) and his 55-year-old mother Rajathi from Oradiyambalam near Thalaignyiru in Nagapattinam district have been booked for allegedly cheating and threatening the 25-year-old victim. Vivek and Anushree got into a relationship after the two met on Facebook. He was stationed at Manalmedu police station in 2017 and Anushree was working at a Chennai-based trust. Vvek allegedly assured her of marriage as they both belonged to the same community. After she got pregnant with his child in early 2019, Anushree requesed Vivek to marry her. He agreed to marry her on the condition that she aborts the child. He was joined by his mother in mounting pressure on her to which Anushree succumbed and aborted the baby. A nushree's ordeal did not end here as Vivek began avoiding her. "He would abuse me. I kept visiting him at the police station to seek answers but he was transferred. On learning about this, I decided to seek legal action. I compiled our conversations on social media," said Anushree who had knocked the doors of the judicial magistrate earlier this year. Her struggles finally bore fruits after a case was registered in the All Women's Police station in Mayiladuthurai on Saturday. Vivek and his mother Rajathi have been booked under IPC sections 417 (Cheating), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 294b (obscene abuse), 312 (voluntarily causes a woman with child to miscarry) and 506 (2) (Criminal intimidation). Vivek's mother Rajathi has been booked also under IPC sections 107 (abetment), and 120 (concealing design to commit offence). "I am glad a reasonable police action has been initiated. I have been petitioning and meeting officials for the past 17 months. I am fighting a legal battle for justice. I want to ensure no other woman gets affected by him," said Anushree. Anushree demands to add charges of rape against Vivek Raviraj. I had given up interests in marrying despite assurances long ago. I wanted him to be arrested. I am also facing threats to my life because of him. But, I am sure of fighting it all the way and will move the court to increase sentence, Anushree told The New Indian Express. R Goperundevi, the investigating police inspector said, We had registered sections as instructed by the court and as insisted by the complainant in the court. We will use the sections if we learn more in the investigation. We will decide about the arrest, if the police administration instructs us. The concerned police sub-inspector R Vivek Raviraj told TNIE, I do not have any comments at the moment. I will move court and deal where it matters. On his way to winning the Conservative leadership, Erin OToole decisively beat his rivals in Quebec. But their battle was fought in a field of ruins. In the big picture, the campaign in Quebec to succeed Andrew Scheer took place in closed circuit, at a potentially unbridgeable distance from the provinces political mainstream. Year in and year out, more than 90 per cent of Quebecers tells pollsters that fluency in French and English is an essential requirement for anyone seeking a position of national leadership. The consensus on the need for a division between church and state is stronger in Quebec than anywhere else in Canada. Against that backdrop, the combined first-ballot showing in Quebec of 20 per cent support for Leslyn Lewis and Derek Sloan, both unilingual and both backed by the anti-abortion lobby, speaks volumes about the disconnect between the flagging Quebec wing that OToole has inherited and the provinces electorate. Listen to national politics reporter Alex Boutilier discuss Erin O'Toole The singularity of the results did not prevent veteran MP Pierre Poilievre from suggesting that a blue wave could be in the making in Quebec. If only because his Ottawa seat is geographically close to the action in the province next door, he should know better. One can only hope Poilievre in his current role as finance critic brings more rigour to his analysis of Canadas fiscal outlook. Of more than 170,000 Conservative party members who cast a ballot in last weeks election, fewer than 8,000 were from Quebec. And while the party added thousands of members in the rest of the country over the course of the race, the opposite happened in Canadas second-largest province. The number of Quebec members who cast a ballot shrank by 21 per cent between the vote for a successor to Stephen Harper in 2017 and the latest leadership tally. There is more at play here than the absence of a native son candidate from the 2020 lineup. Between the last two Conservative leadership campaigns, the Bloc Quebecois has risen from the ashes. By all appearances, its return to relative strength last fall was not a one-election wonder. In a federal election this fall, polls show that the Quebec battle would be a two-way fight between the Liberals and the BQ. In the last Leger sounding earlier this week, the Conservatives had 16 per cent support, lagging 16 points behind their sovereigntist rivals and less than a handful of points ahead of the New Democrats. When the Bloc does well, the Liberals tend to do better in Quebec than the Conservatives and the New Democrats. That dynamic has been in evidence for much of the sovereigntist partys 30-year existence. Its particularly true in the case of the Conservatives, whose modest zones of influence in Quebec are all located outside Montreal, in Bloc-friendly francophone territory, As often as not, the BQ helps keep the Liberals rivals for federal power at bay. And that is just fine in the eye of the many Bloc supporters, who deserted the party for the NDP and the Liberals in 2011 and 2015 primarily in an attempt to oust Harpers Conservatives from power. In a federal election that could take place as early as this year, the path to power for OToole is unlikely to run through Quebec. At the same time, national polls and the leadership vote results suggest there is not an easily available alternative route through Ontario, or at least not absent a stronger NDP. In the past, Conservative victories have often come hand-in-hand with a healthy showing for the New Democrats, at Liberals expense. It is not a coincidence that Quebecs orange wave in 2011 came in tandem with a Conservative majority government. As OToole takes command of the official opposition, the stars are far from aligned in favour of his party. And the challenging arithmetic involved in achieving a Conservative victory, let alone a majority, has consequences that go beyond the vote count on election night. For instance, more than a few Conservatives believe OToole needs to reach beyond the confines of his caucus for star economic candidates. Some argue that would make it easier to exploit incoming finance minister Chrystia Freelands lack of corporate credentials. Others simply feel no one in the current Conservative caucus inspires the level of confidence that would bolster the partys case that it is best placed to navigate the troubled fiscal waters of the post-pandemic era. But heres the rub: the men and women who could make up a high-profile Conservative economic dream team to attract voters in Ontario and Quebec are more likely to be found in the Conservative electoral wasteland of Toronto and Montreal, where they risk being unelectable, than in the partys heartland. Find the Star's federal election coverage here. Chantal Hebert is an Ottawa-based freelance contributing columnist covering politics for the Star. Reach her via email: chantalh28@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter: @ChantalHbert Read more about: DES MOINES, Iowa>> A St. Louis lawyer featured during the Republican National Convention falsely claimed that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his party want to abolish the suburbs altogether by ending single-family home zoning. Biden does not propose banishing single-family homes. Nor would he get rid of the suburbs. The accusation that he would came Monday night from Patricia McCloskey, celebrated by President Donald Trump and his convention for standing outside her St. Louis home with a gun and her husband, Mark, also armed, as racial justice protesters passed. The McCloskeys have been charged with a felony for brandishing their guns. PATRICIA McCLOSKEY: They want to abolish the suburbs altogether by ending single-family home zoning. This forced rezoning would bring crime, lawlessness and low-quality apartments into thriving suburban neighborhoods. President Trump smartly ended this government overreach, but Joe Biden wants to bring it back. videotaped remarks to the remote convention. THE FACTS: Thats a false account of what Biden supports. In 2015, during the Obama administration, a regulation took effect intended to ensure that communities confront racial segregation in housing. The rule, put in place to strengthen enforcement of the landmark Fair Housing Act of 1968, for the first time required more than 1,200 jurisdictions receiving federal Housing and Urban Development block grants and housing aid to analyze their housing stock and come up with plans to combat patterns of segregation and discrimination. The rule did not eliminate zoning for single-family homes in the suburbs. The Trump administration suspended full implementation of the rule in 2018 and withdrew a data tool designed to help cities analyze their housing, arguing it was too costly and burdensome. Then last month Trump revoked the rule and tweeted to the Suburban Housewives of America that Biden will destroy your neighborhood and your American Dream. He made what fair housing advocates considered a racist argument playing on unfounded fears that low-income apartments would be forced into affluent neighborhoods. Biden supports the 2015 regulation. But he does not support requiring municipalities to refrain from building single-family homes as a condition for getting money from HUD the heart of the distorted claims by Trump and the McCloskeys. The issue has become a sensitive election-year topic, especially in light of the protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Fact check: GOP taps distortions to heap praise on Trump Fact check: Pence presses a distorted case on economy Fact check: Trump, GOP distort on health care, vote fraud Fact check: Trump distorts record; BLM falsely accused Given a recent surge in belligerent behavior by Iran and clear evidence that it cheated on the JCPOA, the deeply flawed 2015 nuclear deal, President Trump wants to reimpose U.N. sanctions that were lifted by the prior agreement. To do this, Trump wants to trigger a snap-back provision in a 2015 U.N. Security Council resolution. Security Council members led by Russia, China, and Americas European allies are blocking this effort because they prefer to appease Iran and protect the worthless nuclear deal. On August 25, the Security Councils current president refused to take up the U.S. snap-back proposal. By doing so, U.N. members are choosing to look the other way on a growing list of dangerous Iranian provocations and JCPOA violations. They also are validating President Trumps conclusion that staying in the JCPOA and trying to rein in Iran through the U.N. is not in the national security interests of the United States. When Israel revealed thousands of pages from Irans Nuclear Archive, obtained by Israeli intelligence in 2018, it proved Irans massive cheating on the JCPOA and ongoing covert work on nuclear weapons. This included undeclared facilities that Iran continued to use to pursue nuclear weapons after the announcement of the JCPOA. In response to Israels revelation, Iran razed one of these facilities and emptied another before IAEA inspectors could visit them. Irans growing defiance of its nuclear-nonproliferation commitments led to tensions over the last year with IAEA officials and European states. In addition to refusing to cooperate with IAEA investigations of the Nuclear Archive revelations, between May 2019 and January 2020 Iran withdrew from all of its JCPOA commitments. Tehran is now enriching uranium over the agreements 300-kg maximum and producing enriched uranium that exceeds a 3.67 percent uranium-235 cap; it has resumed uranium enrichment at its underground Fordow facility and activated advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges. Story continues There was a new development on August 26 when the IAEA released a statement that Iran has agreed to allow IAEA inspectors access to two suspect nuclear sites identified in the Nuclear Archive. This appeared to be an Iranian concession to discourage Security Council members from snapping back sanctions. But the significance of that concession was outweighed by what was essentially an IAEA concession: The statement included language saying that the IAEA had no further questions for Iran or inspection requests beyond these two sites. Although the door was left open for future inspections in response to new information, it was clear that the IAEA did not plan to investigate the dozens of other nuclear sites revealed by the Nuclear Archive. The result was a huge win for Iran and another embarrassing retreat by the U.N. Irans increasingly belligerent behavior, which almost led to war several times over the last year, gives the U.S. further reason to want to snap back U.N. sanctions. In June 2019, Iran shot down a U.S. drone in the Persian Gulf. Last September, drones fired from Iranian soil heavily damaged two Saudi oil facilities. In January, Iran fired 15 ballistic missiles at a U.S. airbase in Iraq. On April 1, in response to intelligence that Iranian proxies were planning new attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq, President Trump warned in a tweet that Iran was planning a sneak attack on U.S. forces and pledged it would pay a very heavy price for such attacks. On April 22, after Iranian gunboats made dangerous and harassing approaches near American ships in the Persian Gulf, Trump announced that the United States would shoot down and destroy any Iranian ships that attempted this in the future. This was followed by a lull in Iranian harassment of ships in the gulf until August 12, when Iran attempted to seize a Greek-owned oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The threat from Irans missile arsenal continued to grow this year with tests of advanced missiles and drones with greater ranges and accuracy. This includes the 358 cruise missile, which is designed to evade defensive measures and shoot down U.S. military helicopters and the tilt-rotor Osprey. Last February, the U.S. Navy intercepted two shipments of these missiles sent from Iran to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The growing list of dangerous and belligerent actions by Iran and clear evidence of its cheating on the JCPOA more than justify President Trumps decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal and implement his successful maximum pressure strategy, which is limiting Irans access to advanced technology it could use in its nuclear weapons and missile programs as well as funds to spend on terrorism and the Iranian military. The U.N. Security Councils rejection of U.S. demands to increase pressure on Tehran vindicates President Trumps judgment that America needed to act alone to counter the growing Iranian threat. For example, on August 14 the council overwhelmingly rejected a U.S. resolution to indefinitely extend a U.N. arms embargo on Iran that is scheduled to be lifted in October. The council is refusing snap-backs because a majority of its members including all European members want to protect the moribund nuclear agreement so as to appease Irans ruling mullahs. In response to the Security Councils recalcitrance, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: America will not join in this failure of leadership. America will not appease, America will lead. The refusal of Security Council members to agree to increase the pressure on Iran in response to its recent warlike behavior further shreds the U.N.s already tattered moral authority. But it also shows the urgent need for decisive U.S. global leadership. President Trump has provided this leadership, which has reduced the threat from Iran and increased stability in the Middle East. These gains will quickly vanish if Joe Biden wins the 2020 presidential election: He has promised to rejoin the JCPOA and work through the U.N. to resolve issues over Irans nuclear program. Biden also will restore the weak foreign policies of President Obama such as appeasing Iran and leading from behind in the Middle East. It therefore was no surprise when the U.S. intelligence community recently revealed that Irans ruling mullahs are rooting for a Biden win this November. More from National Review Canadian radio stations and TV outlets risk closure As many as 40 local television outlets and 200 Canadian radio stations could be forced to close in the next three years as the financial pressures faced by media companies intensify under the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests a new study from an industry advocacy group. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters issued a report on Wednesday warning of potential closures and widespread job cuts as private TV and radio broadcasters face a cumulative projected revenue shortfall of up to $1.06 billion by the end of 2022. Most vulnerable are the countrys AM radio stations, the report said, as well as other independent private radio and TV operations in smaller markets across the country. The study, titled The Crisis in Canadian Media and the Future of Local Broadcasting, was commissioned by the CAB, which represents the majority of private broadcasters in Canada, and conducted through Winnipeg-based independent media economics consultancy Communications Management Inc. More here: https://www.boundary creektimes.com/business/media-study-says-hundreds-of-canadian-radio-stations-tv-outlets-risk-closure/ Iran Security Forces Disperse Gathering To Mark 32nd Anniversary Of Mass Executions Radio Farda August 29, 2020 Friday August 28 marked the 32nd anniversary of the mass execution of political prisoners in Iran. Family members of some of those killed in the 1988 massacre got together at a derelict graveyard in Tehran to pay tribute to their lost loved ones. None of them knew where their loved ones were buried or whether they were buried in this graveyard, Khavaran, or probably somewhere else. Some of those who survived the massacre in prisons in Tehran and many other cities have published articles and books on how the Islamic Republic killed thousands of Marxist and Mojahedin-e Khalq prisoners many of whom had already served the long sentences handed to them by revolutionary courts. Family members at the gathering at Khavaran on Friday sang revolutionary songs and battle hymns that reminded them of their children and their political preoccupations. Within an hour, the Islamic Republic's security forces stormed the graveyard and dispersed the crowd. Khavaran is the venue of several shallow mass graves where young prisoners were buried in the Summer of 1988. The executions were ordered by the Islamic Republic's founder and first Supreme Leader Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini and endorsed by a "death commission" comprised of clerics close to the ayatollah, including Judge Hossein Ali Nayeri, Prosecutor Morteza Eshraqi, former Intelligence Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi and current Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raeesi. The Islamic Republic officials tried to keep the extent of the massacre secret for years, and it did remain secret as both rival regime factions, the reformists and hardliners, were involved in them. Various political groups whose members have been executed have given differing figures about the number of those killed. Some independent estimates say up to 5,000 prisoners who were members of Mojahedin-e Khalq [MeK] and Marxist groups such as Fedayeen Khalq and the Communist Tudeh Party, as well as many other groups were summarily executed. It is still not clear where most of the victims have been buried. During the past decades, there have been reports about the demolishing of some of those mass graves in various cities. Some of the graves were so shallow that eyewitnesses say they have seen parts of the remains while passing by. As far as government-controlled media in Iran are concerned, the massacre has never happened. It was former deputy supreme leader Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri who for the first time openly talked about the massacre in an interview which was published in foreign-based media years after Montazeri was removed from his post, put under house arrest and passed away. Montazeri called the massacre "a crime" and condemned Khomeini's order about the execution of "hypocrites who insist on their political position." Other officials mainly denied the reports about the massacre or simply turned a blind eye to it. A recent article by Ahmad Batebi for radio Farda questioned former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi's silence about the matter and his justification for his silence. Mousavi who challenged the regime after he was declared the loser in the 2009 presidential elections, is regarded as an opposition leader now, He has been under house arrest since 2011. Batebi wrote: "The years 1981-1989 when Mousavi was the Prime Minister mark one of the darkest periods in man's history as far as violations of human rights are concerned. Documents released by the UN and human rights watchdogs show that Mousavi and the offices he controlled ignored the international community and human rights organizations in the same way that the Islamic Republic does today. Not only individuals and offices working under Mousavi as Prime Minister did not protest what was going on, but they did their best to conceal the violation of human rights in Iran." Many Iranians on social media have questioned Mousavi's credentials as opposition leader, demanding he ends his silence about the 1988 killings. The Majles Speaker at the time, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Chief Justice Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mouisavi Ardabili defended the executions. Iran's current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who was the Islamic Republic's President at the time, said in an interview with Resalat newspaper in December 1988 that those who were executed "deserved" the death sentence. In a 2018 report on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the executions, Amnesty International said that it had sent 16 immediate action requests to Iranian officials to stop the executions but the Islamic Republic officials never replied to those letters. Some 32 years after the executions, not only the Islamic Republic officials refuse to let the families know about the whereabouts of their loved ones' graves, but on various occasions security officials have threatened and harassed family members for demanding information about the burial sites. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-security- forces-disperse-gathering-to-mark-32nd-anniversary-of -mass-executions/30810356.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meet Vida and Sophie, Army dogs: PM Modi hails Army dogs, says Indian breeds are very good India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 'Mann ki Baat' address on Sunday hailed the Indian breed dogs and said they play an important role in disaster management and rescue missions. The Prime Minister also appreciated the bravery of Sophie and Vida. He also spoke about the role of dogs in various security operations in the country during his 68th Mann Ki Baat address. "Dear countrymen, a few weeks ago, while we were celebrating our Independence Day, interesting news caught my attention. This is the news of two brave hearts of our security forces. One is Sophie and the other Vida. Sophie and Vida are the dogs of the Indian Army who have been awarded the Chief of Army Staff 'Commendation Cards'. Sophie and Vida received this honour because they performed their duties diligently while protecting their country. Our armed forces and security forces have many such brave dogs who not only live for the country but also sacrifice themselves for the country," Modi said. Vida of an army dog unit located in Northern Command was instrumental in detection of five mines and one grenade buried underground thus preventing any casualties/injuries to own troops. On the other hand, Sophie of Special Frontier Force (Bomb Disposal Squad), is an explosive detection dog that sniffed out the presence of initiator/accelerant which could have been hastily used to fabricate an IED, thereby saving lives. The army dog unit, fondly called "The Silent Warriors", have time and again proven to be an asset for the security forces. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 13:53 [IST] The UAE government has announced the "Road Map for Leadership in the Energy, Infrastructure, Housing and Transport sectors" to define the objectives of work for the next ten years. This will be done in a way that translates the Fifty Years strategy, within a comprehensive vision based on enhancing international competitiveness globally, supporting the infrastructure sustainability, and shaping and developing development projects within the framework of a comprehensive approach that leads to a completely new and qualitative stage in this vital sector, to achieve the aspirations of the government, reported state news agency Wam. "The private sector is the engine of work in the future and we will work to develop its contribution in infrastructure, energy, transportation and housing projects in the framework of an integrated partnership," stated HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. He made these remarks during a meeting with a team of representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure where he was briefed about main approaches of the "Road Map for Leadership in the Field of Energy, Infrastructure, Housing and Transport sectors." Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, attended the meeting where Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, presented the Road Map to Sheikh Mohammed. The UAE, he stated, has a logistical system that is the most sophisticated and efficient of its kind in the region, and it is not possible to maintain ''our logistical excellence without enhancing the quality of the infrastructure and developing the transport sector by achieving qualitative leaps that mirror our aspirations for the next stage.'' "We want to achieve a qualitative leap in infrastructure, energy and transport fields as part of a vision that combines inclusiveness and integration and takes into account balance and sustainability and enhances our competitiveness regionally and globally," stated Sheikh Mohammed. The Premier also learnt about the country's pioneering rankings in the energy, infrastructure and housing sectors as the UAE has maintained its first global ranking for the third consecutive year with scores of 100 per cent in all "Getting Electricity" indicators in the World Bank's Doing Business 2020 report. The UAE was also ranked first regionally and 12th globally in terms of the quality of infrastructure, and was ranked first regionally and 7th globally in terms of the availability and quality of road and transport infrastructure. "The UAE government looks forward to providing decent housing for all citizens so that no one is left without dignified housing while achieving family stability, community security and enhancing environmental sustainability," he added. Al Mazrouei said the ministry's vision is based on the inclusion of all energy, infrastructure, citizens' housing, and transportation sectors within an integrated system for asset management and was developed within the ministry's initiatives aimed at promoting and sustaining services. He also indicated that through this integrated asset management system, it is expected to reduce the cost of managing and maintaining government buildings and facilities by up to 20 percent. Al Mazrouei reviewed the strategy and initiatives for electricity and future energy for the next 50 years. In a related context, he spoke about the objectives of the Federal Centre for Road Network Operations Management, which the ministry is nearing completion. Al Mazrouei also shed light on the achievements of the citizens' housing sector, its development initiatives, a mechanism for sustainability and meeting future needs, preserving the national gains in that area, and the mechanism that works accordingly. Lyubov Sobol is stepping up her work in Mr Navalny's absense - DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images Lyubov Sobol was already among the most visible dissidents in Vladimir Putins Russia. At 32, she has fronted a protest movement, calling thousands to the streets when she and other opposition candidates were barred from standing in Moscow city elections last year. She staged a hunger strike and a sit-in at the offices of the Moscow election commission, eventually being lifted out of the building on a sofa after she refused to stand for police officers. A laughing Ms Sobol broadcast the incident live from her phone to her vast social media following. She has been sued by one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, and her husband has survived a poisoning. In 2016 an unknown assailant jabbed a syringe into his leg and injected a psychotropic substance that left him convulsing and unconscious, an attack Ms Sobol believes was linked to her activism. Now, with opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a coma in a German hospital after another suspected poisoning, the telegenic lawyer finds herself at the helm of his anti-Kremlin organisation. Doctors at Berlins Charite Hospital, where Mr Navalny was transferred from a Siberian clinic, have said he will probably survive the ordeal but may sustain long-term damage. Neither they nor his supporters know when, or even if, he will return to his previous role. Tests at the hospital showed Mr Navalny was poisoned with a cholinesterase inhibitor, a group of chemical compounds that includes Novichok, the nerve agent that was used against former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. Mr Navalnys team have laid the blame for the attack squarely on Russian authorities, but the Kremlin rejected the claims as empty noise and accused German doctors of rushing to conclusions. Ms Sobol is part of a trio that have vowed to keep up the pressure of authorities in Mr Navalnys absence. While she runs his YouTube channels - which have a combined six million subscribers and produce regular reports of wrongdoing among the Russian elite - lawyer Ivan Zhdanov heads Mr Navalnys anti-corruption foundation and top aide Leonid Volkov oversees political campaigning. Story continues In an interview with the Telegraph, Ms Sobol said the group had no intention of scaling back their broadcasts or corruption investigations. They also plan to campaign against the ruling United Russia party in regional elections next month. Mr Navalnys group no longer fields candidates itself but encourages supporters to vote for whoever has the best chance of beating United Russia, whether they be from communist or nationalist parties. Im working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Ms Sobol, who has worked with Mr Navalny for a decade. Any injustice gives me more strength and motivates me to work harder. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, his wife Yulia, opposition politician Lyubov Sobol - KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images Before he fell suddenly ill on a flight to Moscow from Siberia ten days ago, Mr Navalny spent months at a time under house arrest or in jail, and relied on a team of legal staff, researchers and other dissidents to keep up pressure on the Kremlin. There are dozens of people in our organisation all across the country, Ms Sobol said, pointing to offices in 40 regions of Russia. These are people who are professional and they are idealistic - they dont need a boss to make sure theyre in the office from nine to five. And she argued the poisoning had also made an impression on the general public. People who were indifferent to the authorities and the opposition have come round to our side because theyve seen the dirty methods the Kremlin uses. Lyubov Sobol - AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko The dangers of working against Mr Putin, however, are well documented: over his 20-year rule, dissidents have been attacked, poisoned, tried, exiled and, in the case of former opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, assassinated. Mr Navalny himself is partially blind in one eye after an assailant threw green dye in his face on a Moscow street in 2017. Last year he was hospitalised from prison, where he was serving a short term for organising unauthorised protests, with what officials said was an acute allergic reaction but he believed was a poisoning. Ms Sobol said she was saddened but not surprised by the latest alleged attack. But I cant resign myself to the idea that this is normal life. If it can happen to Alexei Navalny, someone whos known all over the world, it means not a single person can feel safe. We all understand what we have to do to continue our fight against the Putin regime. An alleged drunk driver crashed into a Houston Police officer in southwest Houston Saturday night. The officer and a cadet were responding to a call with the lights and sirens on around 8 p.m. near the intersection of Hillcroft Avenue and Southwest Freeway. They slowed down at the intersection before going through the red light, which is when a man in a Chevy Camaro failed to yield and hit the police cruiser. Everyone sustained minor injuries, but no one was transported to the hospital. The driver of the Camaro is now in custody for a DWI, authorities said. Another officer that was assisting with traffic control was at the scene was involved in a minor crash. The crash was minor and there were no reported injuries. Biden hopes backing of former Republican staffers can help in key states This video grab of former US secretary of state Colin Powell, a Republican, was made on August 18, 2020 as his speech in favor of Democrat Joe Biden was aired during the second night of the Democratic national convention Joe Biden, striving to win over still-undecided voters who could swing the election against Donald Trump, is sparing no effort to broadcast one of his most potent weapons: endorsements from many of his former Republican opponents. From handing Republican stalwarts prime-time speeches at the Democratic National Convention to welcoming endorsements from hundreds of former staffers to George W Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney, the presidential challenger is waving his bipartisan credentials high. But will it work? Kari Walker, a 50-year-old Wisconsin resident who has backed Republican candidates for two decades, plans to vote for Democrat Biden on November 3. Walker, who two weeks ago told AFP she could not bring herself to vote for Trump -- "a worse president than I could have imagined" -- felt reaffirmed by the stance of the former Republican staffers. "I found the support of GOP stalwarts to be persuasive," said Walker, who with her husband owns a tavern in the small town of Reedsburg, in a county that backed Trump in 2016 after twice voting for Democrat Barack Obama. "I would be voting for Biden regardless, but I appreciate GOP influencers crossing over," she said in an email Friday, referring to the Grand Old Party, a traditional nickname for Republicans. Walker is exactly the type of voter that the former vice president's campaign hopes to lure by welcoming those from across the aisle. While Obama's former number two continues to lead Trump in polling nationwide, the president has narrowed the gap in certain key states, those that regularly "swing" back and forth between Republicans and Democrats -- and which can therefore decide a close election. The billionaire Republican has been courting them openly, warning against the "anarchy" he says a Biden presidency would bring, which he says could lead to the "destruction" of the nation's leafy -- and mostly white -- suburbs. Story continues The Republican convention heard from some former Democrats, their presence designed to underscore Trump's outreach to those crucial battleground states. - 'We've lost our moral compass' - But Trump appears to be benefiting from less party-switching than Biden, who has worked to persuade voters disappointed, even disgusted, by Trump's style and stewardship, notably of the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 180,000 American lives. "This is not an easy decision for Republicans to make," wrote the former staffers for McCain, the late Republican senator and 2008 presidential candidate who had a mutually disdainful relationship with Trump. "Given the incumbent president's lack of competent leadership, his efforts to aggravate rather than bridge divisions among Americans, and his failure to uphold American values, we believe the election of former Vice President Biden is clearly in the national interest," they wrote in an open letter. The former Bush staff members sounded a similar tone. "The onslaught of insults and vulgarity we have witnessed in recent years must stop," they said. "We have lost our moral compass." Glenn Kessler, a Washington Post journalist, expressed surprise over that message. "I personally know a number of these people and how deeply conservative they are on many issues," he wrote on Twitter. "I never imagined they would publicly endorse a Democrat for prez." Beginning in the spring, several groups of anti-Trump Republicans, including the Lincoln Project, have announced their support for Biden. - 'Lapsed Republicans' - But since the Democratic convention opened on August 17 the persuasion campaign has taken on new intensity. John Kasich, a former Republican governor of the swing state of Ohio, was given a prime speaking spot on that first night. On the following night Colin Powell, who was secretary of state to Republican president Bush and a controversial advocate of the war with Iraq, had the Democratic limelight. Both men got much more speaking time than one of the most high-profile progressive members of Congress, the young New Yorker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a decision that many in the party's left wing found offensive. And last Monday, the opening day of the Republican convention, the Biden team announced the support of some 20 former Republican members of Congress. "These lapsed Republicans are emblematic of the many former Republican voters concentrated in affluent, growing, and highly educated suburban areas who have been leaving the GOP in the Trump era," said Kyle Kondik, a University of Virginia political analyst. But he added a caution: "That said, I don't know if these endorsements actually move new voters out of Trump's camp." elc/iba/bbk/st You can almost taste the deep-fried foods, see the whirling carnival lights and hear the grandstand applause. Yes, the fair is almost here. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) Look around, look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now. This is part of Angelica Schuylers line in the The Schuyler Sisters, one of the most notable songs from the hit Broadway musical Hamilton. The global coronavirus pandemic indeed proved how lucky many of us have been in either living through hard times, or surviving either the virus itself or the emotional and financial repercussions. To commemorate National Heroes Day on August 31, I talked to three young women who all made a difference by either risking life and limb, using the power of technology, and made Filipinos proud during these uncertain times: medical technologist and swabber Fatima Tresvalles, Zea Awatin, who did workouts for a cause, and SEA Games gold medalist Agatha Wong who was able to raise funds for frontliners and coronavirus patients. Fatima: Medtech, swabber, contact tracer, COVID-19 survivor Fatima (second from left) with her fellow medical frontliners, taking a break from duty. (Photo from Theresa Santos) Fatima Tresvalles has been a registered medical technologist for three years now. Before the pandemic, she used to work in a barangay clinic in Pasay City. Her job as a medical technologist seemed to be ordinary at the time: taking blood samples or testing stool and urine samples to detect various kinds of diseases. But she lost her job when the pandemic hit and was forced to find other ways to earn a living. She found another job as a swabber, but this time, she would have the first contact with patients getting tested for coronavirus. Nakakatakot, kasi exposed ka sa pasyente, Fatima said. Face-to-face talaga, kaharap mo yung bibig nila, yung ilong nila. Yun kasi yung kukuhanan mo ng specimen, she added, describing the risks of getting infected through respiratory droplets the primary source of coronavirus infections. [Translation: Its terrifying because youre exposed to the patient, face-to-face. Youre in front of their nose and mouth. Thats where you need to get the specimen (for coronavirus swab testing.)] A testament to these risks: Fatima had to get herself swabbed sometime in July. In this case, she got the results ten days after taking her swab test. Sis, may isa-swab tayong barangay, baka pwede mo naman maisingit, Fatima said, recalling how that ordinary 29th day of July this year started with a call to get to work in one of Paranaque Citys barangays. Sige, antayin mo lang yung resulta ko, babalik na ako sa trabaho, she said, eager to return to duty after being quarantined for days. And then, bam. The result hit me in the face. Okay, positive ka, so hindi ka makakapagtrabaho agad, she resigned, without knowing that it would be the start of what would soon turn out to be almost a month in isolation. [Translation: We have a barangay to swab, maybe you can make time for it? Sure, just wait for my results, Ill get back to work. And then, bam, okay, you tested positive (for COVID-19), so you wont be able to work.] It was frustrating and scary for me, she says. Nakakatakot siya kasi, what if yung family ko, nahawa ko. Sila talaga yung unang-una kong iisipin dahil sila yung exposed sakin dahil hinahatid nila ako everyday sa work, she adds, telling how she feared for the safety of her mother and father, who eventually tested negative for the disease. She would eventually test positive once more after getting re-swabbed in early August, before finally getting the all-clear two weeks after. But she always thought about three things that made her go back to the frontlines: her sworn duty as a health worker, colleagues that may experience fatigue, and the appreciation that patients give her and her team after getting swabbed. Fatimas now back to work, now with another important task: contact tracing. She spends half a day swabbing, and then spends another part of the day calling up close contacts of those who got the virus. Whats difficult in contact tracing is, what if the patient is not telling the truth? Fatima says, describing that the chore is a struggle every time she has to do the other half of her current work. Lalo na pag nakikita mo yung resulta ng pasyente, tapos wala siyang contact number. So, saan ka mag-uumpisa? [Translation: especially when you see the patients results and they dont have a contact number. Where would you start?] Other problems she says, are encountered in contact tracing are the possible wide number of contacts, patients lying about their conditions, and if patients are unruly or drive them away whenever they go to possible COVID-19 hotspots. Zea: Burning calories, feeding (young) hearts One of Zeas life beliefs is, God doesn't bless the world alone, but blessed the world through you. (Photo from Zea Awatin) Part of Zea Awatins normal life is a heart to serve those in need, especially children. In college, she was involved in relief drives as an active member of the student body. Later in her professional life, she joined the Rotary Club. When the pandemic came, she found a way to celebrate her birthday and help others at the same time while doing her day job as a marketing officer from home, and juggling it with online classes as a Masters student. She called up a close college friend, Zildjian Pigao, and the two started brainstorming. The answer came in the form of Zeas new passion: working out, after she joined a group of fitness-oriented people called Strong South PH. Zea turned to Instagram to launch a workout for a cause campaign, in partnership with Project Pearls, a non-governmental organization which helps children. Participants paid Php200 each for a single workout session with the proceeds being given to Project Pearls beneficiaries in Manila and Bulacan. Zea and her team managed to collect P100,400, enough to feed 502 children with 4 meals as their program was extended until early August. Madami kasing taong nagsabi sa amin na they would like to donate pa, they were waiting for either money or certain time to prepare, so I extended it, she said. [Translation: Many people told us they wanted to donate even more.] Instead of complaining, instead of checking wrongdoings or shortcomings of government, why not do your part if you have the means naman, di ba? Zea told me as I asked her a question as to what she thinks about how social media is used by many to simply rant during the pandemic. I want to help a lot of people through whatever talents or blessings that I have. We should use our influence for your people to actually aim that someday, they can do whatever you are doing, said Zea. Agatha: Athlete, role model, going for gold (and good) for the nation The two star athletes joined forces for an online series about their lives as athletes. (Photo from Agatha Wong and Jamie Lim) Carrying the flag is a feat Agatha Wong is known for both as an athlete, and in the middle of a pandemic. Wong teamed up with a fellow national athlete, SEA Games Gold Medalist and karate star Jamie Lim to raise funds for frontliners and coronavirus patients. Their 5-episode Instagram live series titled Puso (Heart): the Battle Against COVID-19, raised over P340,000 in donations, allowing them to buy supplies, water, personal protective equipment, and even TV sets and board games for frontliners and coronavirus patients in four different hospitals in Metro Manila. I was trying to think of ways to help in this pandemic. Yung mga iba kong kakilala na national athletes, they were going out, serving as part of the military, Agatha said. Thats when Jamie contacted me. She told me na she was from QC, Im from QC as well same district kami, she adds, detailing how the plans and preparations for Puso started. Like Zea, Agatha and Jamie turned to Instagram to air their fundraiser. At the time of this posting, Agatha has over 30,000 Instagram followers, while Jamie has over 4,300. Agatha said, what also motivated her to use technology for a good cause is how complaints and negativity happened during the months-long lockdown in various parts of the country. I do understand that most of us are suffering from anxiety and depression, kasi when we stay inside tapos we maintain social distancing, and just living with our family, a roommate, or even a friend, it can really cause a negative impact on our mental health. And true to form, her series which also was Agatha and Jamies first shot at organizing a fundraiser from scratch made people feel better. Pusos episodes ranged from personal question and answer portions, training and exercise sessions, and meal preparations which lasted 30 minutes to an hour. We got overwhelming support. A lot of people were replying, we cant wait for the next episode! Agatha says. It means that people really want us to share our experiences just as athletes, and also as female athletes who won in their respective sports. Agatha says, she and Jamie are cooking up plans for a follow-up to Puso, which may be out in the coming months. What does heroism mean for the three of them? Fatima, Zea, and Agatha all believe that frontline workers can be considered heroes with what they have contributed during this time of the pandemic. And they should also be honored as we celebrate National Heroes Day. These three women, however, have different points of view on heroism in these uncertain times. For Fatima, it is observing health protocols in so many levels. Yung tamang pagsusuot lang ng mask na hindi nakababa sa ilong, tamang pagsuot ng faceshield, and social distancing, malaking tulong na yun. Its also all about cheering people who are suffering from the virus, being a COVID-19 survivor herself. Yung mga nagche-cheer sa iyo sa social media, nakakagaan ng bigat. [Translation: The correct way of wearing face masks without exposing the nose, the correct wearing of face shields, as well as social distancing, is a big help. Those cheering for you on social media helps ease the burden, too.] For Zea, its having the courage to care for ones country. If you have genuine intentions to actually create change for your community, or for your nation, and you do something about it, I can call you a hero. Any one of us can be a hero, she says. And for Agatha, its about doing things for the greater good with the purest of intentions. She says, I think, yung pinaka-importante sakin in being a hero is that we dont have to have all this attention to us. Im just grateful that when the spotlight is on me, I can also like share my spotlight with other people. For 238 days she had not eaten food to protest against her 13-year prison sentence. She was charged with (allegedly) belonging to a criminal organization. Together with her colleague Aytac Unsal she asked for a "fair trial". Social networks flooded with condolences of activists, intellectuals, politicians. Istanbul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Ebru Timtik, a Turkish human rights lawyer, died yesterday in a hospital in Istanbul due to deteriorating health conditions from the hunger strike she had been conducting for 238 days. She was protesting the conviction for (allegedly) belonging to a terrorist organization. The news was reported by the People's Law Office, the law firm for which Ebru Timtik worked. Ebru had been demanding a "fair trial". It is reported the woman died in the early hours of the morning when her pulse suddenly stopped. Activists and human rights lawyers recall that Timtik was sentenced to over 13 years in prison. Together with her colleague Aytac Unsal she began a hunger strike last April, to "strengthen their demands for a fair trial" and a correct "administration of justice in Turkey", at the center of numerous complaints for violations of human rights. The two lawyers and activists had recently confirmed their intention to "persist in the hunger strike, even if this results in their death". The verdict dates back to March 2019; in October the appellate judges confirmed the sentence. The proceedings had reached the benches of the Supreme Court, whose judgment was expected in the coming weeks. The death of Ebru Timtik has raised a wave of protests and indignation in the country; with numerous comments from politicians, activists, journalists and ordinary citizens posted on social networks. The musician Husnu Arkan recalls her fight "for justice" which will not be "forgotten". Gursel Tekin, parliamentarian of the opposition movement Republican People's Party (CHP) recalls that the Constitutional Court "Constitutional Court rejected her release 'as there was no risk of death.' A politicized judiciary means a judiciary that has turned into an executioner. If there is no law, there is persecution. The AKP regime will stand trial for the crimes it committed against justice before history and the nation." The artist Zulfu Livaneli states the death of Ebru before the eyes of everyone is the death of humanity, justice and conscience in this country." Journalist Ahmet Sk adds that "this evil will, of course, come to an end, but when that day comes, we will be unable to look each other in the face due to the silence today." Nesrin Nas, an economist and former president of the Motherland Party recalls that "all she asked for was a fair trial." Scene of the crash According to a report by The PUNCH, Mrs Oluwayemisi Oluwole, the landlady of one the two buildings affected by the ill-fated Bell 206 that crashed on Salvation Road, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos State, has said she has been barred from sleeping in her house due to the impact of the crash. The 77-year-old woman spoke on Saturday when the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, visited the scene of the crash. The helicopter, which took off from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, crashed into the fence in-between the two houses at 16A, Salvation Road, about two minutes to land at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja. All the three crew members on board identified as Captain Chika Ernest, Macaulay Brownson and Clement Ndiok died in the crash. Oluwole said she had been barred from sleeping in her house, and pleaded with Sanwo-Olu to assist in fixing the damage on time. She said, I thank God for what happened because there was nobody in the apartment affected by the crash. We thank God that the helicopter didnt land on top of the house. I hope somebody will come and assess the degree of the damage and that should be done quickly because I have not entered the house since yesterday because I have been barred from entering the house. Since yesterday (Friday), a lot of people have come here without observing any COVID-19 protocols. In my house now, I can count 20 face masks on the floor. So, I want to appeal to government to come and help us to sanitise the place. Sanwo-Olu promised Oluwole and other affected residents that the state government would carry out integrity test on the structures and do the necessary repairs. The governor also sympathised with the families of the late crew members and prayed that God should comfort them. He said, I am here to do a real on-the-spot assessment and I have seen things for myself. We thank God that as painful as the incident might be, the damage was not beyond what we have witnessed. We are pained by the death of the three people on board, but we thank God because it could have been worse than that. The affected buildings are residential homes that have citizens living there. As at the exact time the helicopter crash happened, a lot of people were not on the premises and even the elderly people that were around were in their rooms. But as God would have it, nothing in term of fatality happened to people on the ground. So, we need to thank God. If not, fatality may have been a lot more than what we are talking about. The people affected are senior citizens; they are people in their 80s and 70s. We have seen the level of destruction and damage. Tests will be conducted to understand the integrity of the buildings and once that is ascertained, we will start work with the federal agencies. We will start the reconstruction and renovation of the places affected and ensure that we quickly bring respite to the senior citizens that have been affected. Washington, Aug 30 : One person was shot and killed in Portland, the largest city in the US state of Oregon, after supporters of President Donald Trump's clashed with anti-racism protesters, according to police. The incident took place on Saturday at 8,46 p.m. as police officers "heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street", Xinhua news agency quoted the Portland Police Bureau as saying in a statement. It said police officers have secured the entire block at the crime scene and are investigating the shooting as a homicide, adding "no suspect information is being released at this time". "There have been some instances of violence between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators. Officers have intervened and in some cases made arrests," it tweeted. The US has witnessed massive protests against racism and police brutality after George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed African-American man, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. In his acceptance speech of the Republican Party's nomination on Thursday night, Trump did not address the issue of racism, but instead touted job numbers for African-Americans and doubled down his support of law enforcement agencies. Amazon bans ads for book on how transgender ideology harms girls, young women Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Online retail giant Amazon has disallowed a publishing house from buying ads to promote a new book critical of transgender ideology that points out its many harms on young girls. Regnery Publishing, a Washington D.C.-based conservative company that is publishing journalist Abigail Shrier's new book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, announced Sunday that they could not bid on ad space on Amazon to promote the book. The book, which is set to be released June 30, critically examines from a variety of angles the medical and psychological harms teenage girls and young women experience after adopting a transgender identity and pursuing a pathway of hormonal and surgical transition. "The cancel culture has made it clear that it despises diversity of opinion, and it will not tolerate science, data, facts, or anything that contradicts the approved narrative," Regnery Publishing said in a statement. "If youre not on board, youll have your head handed to you." According to Regnery, other resources, products and books that promote transgender ideology are allowed to be "sponsored" on the website. The online retailer asserted in an email to Regnery that the book "may include ad copy/book content that infers or claims to diagnose, treat, or question sexual orientation" and the "campaign will not be allowed to be advertised." "If you go on Amazon right now and search transgender books, you will find paid advertisements from major publishing houses promoting books on the side of this issue Amazon apparently agrees with, Regnerys Twitter statement reads. The publishing house argues that the book by Shrier, a journalist who writes for the Wall Street Journal and other prominent media outlets, is being silenced. "If you search 'transgender' in the books category on the Amazon app right now, you will see a paid ad for LGBT pride month from a prominent publisher and a paid ad for a chest binder, the statement continues. Amazon has told us we are not even allowed to bid on that ad space for Irreversible Damage. The retail giant reportedly told the publishing house that the book might "not be appropriate for all audiences." A Regnery spokesperson told The Christian Post in an email Monday that they have appealed to Amazon, but the retail giant has not changed its decision thus far. CP reached out to Amazon for comment. A response is pending. "As the cancel culture runs rampant aided and abetted by Big Tech we will continue to expose hypocrisy, censorship, and bias against our authors when we see it," the Regnery spokesperson said. Among the other transgender products that Amazon sells on its site are pairs of underwear for men to pretend they have female body parts and a "tomboy trans lesbian" chest binder. Shrier's book details at length how transgenderism, which is now routinely promoted in therapist offices, schools and the medical establishment, drives young females to alter their bodies with testosterone and surgeries that yield lasting harms. Until recently, the psychological condition known as gender dysphoria was extremely rare and afflicted mostly boys. In the past few years, critics have argued that the present transgender "craze" is an internet-fueled social contagion in light of emerging research and the exponential increase in referrals of young people, girls in particular, to gender clinics. "Unsuspecting parents are awakening to find their daughters in thrall to hip trans YouTube stars and 'gender-affirming' educators and therapists who push life-changing interventions on young girls including medically unnecessary double mastectomies and puberty blockers that can cause permanent infertility," the description of Shrier's book reads on Amazon.com. The Regnery spokesperson told CP that when the company decided to publish Shriers book, it knew that it would encounter aggressive attempts from the Left to silence it. However, the company did not expect opposition from our own retail partners. Abigail Shrier's book argues that transgender identification has become one more social contagion among adolescent girls a dangerous epidemic that, in too many cases, is leading girls to pursue hormones and surgeries that will inflict irreversible damage on their bodies and are likely to end in regret, the Regnery spokesperson stressed. Everyone should be concerned about this kind of harm to young women and want to prevent it. Our goal is to do whatever we can to support Shrier in exposing this issue with or without Amazons help." It was reported earlier this month that Amazon banned the Christian conservative activist group Family Research Council from its Amazon Smile program, which enables customers to pick a charity to receive proceeds from their purchases. The conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom was banned from the program in 2018. Acting swiftly after the Galwan valley clash on June 15 in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy sailed out its frontline warship for deployment in the South China Sea much to the displeasure of the Chinese who raised objections over the move during the talks between the two sides. The Chinese have been objecting to the presence of Indian Navy ships in the region where it has significantly expanded its presence since 2009 through artificial islands and military presence. "Soon after the Galwan clash broke out in which 20 of our soldiers were killed, the Indian Navy deployed one of its frontline warship to the South China Sea where the People's Liberation Army's Navy objects to the presence of any other force claiming the majority of the waters as part of its territory," government sources told ANI. The immediate deployment of the Indian Navy warship in the South China Sea had a desired effect on the Chinese Navy and security establishment as they complained to the Indian side about the Indian warship's presence there during the diplomatic level talks with the Indian side, the sources said. During the deployment in the South China Sea where the American Navy had also deployed its destroyers and frigates, the Indian warship was continuously maintaining contact with their American counterparts over secure communication systems, the sources informed. As part of the routine drills, the Indian warship was being constantly updated about the status of the movement of military vessels of other countries there, they said adding that the entire mission was carried out in a very hush-hush manner to avoid any public glare on navy's activities. Around the same time, the Indian Navy had deployed its frontline vessels along the Malacca Straits near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the route from where the Chinese Navy enters the Indian Ocean Region to keep a check on any activity of the Chinese Navy. A number of Chinese vessels also pass through the Malacca Straits while returning with oil or taking merchant shipments towards other continents. The sources said the Indian Navy is fully capable of checking any misadventure by the adversaries on either the eastern or the western front and the mission-based deployments have helped it to control the emerging situations effectively in and around the Indian Ocean Region. The navy also has plans to urgently acquire and deploy autonomous underwater vessels and other unmanned systems and sensors to keep a close eye on the movement of PLAN from Malacca Straits towards the Indian Ocean Region, the sources said. The navy is also taking care of the Chinese vessels present around the Djibouti area and has deployed its assets in the vicinity for protecting national interest. The navy has also deployed its MiG-29K fighter aircraft at an important Air Force base where they are practicing missions for conflict over land and mountainous terrain, the sources said. The navy is also going to fast track the procurement of 10 Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Vehicles under a deal expected to be worth over Rs 1,245 crore. Dozens of Websites, Apps Go Down in Major Cloudflare Outage Dozens of popular websites and Internet apps are down on Sunday after Cloudflare, an Internet service that tries to keep websites up, went down. Cloudflare is aware of network related issues caused by a third-party transit provider incident. We are working to mitigate the problem. Please follow the status page here, it said on Aug. 30. A spokesperson for Cloudflare also confirmed the outage. Today we saw a widespread Internet outage online that impacted multiple providers, said Laurel Toney, spokeswoman for Cloudflare, according to CNN. Cloudflares automated systems detected the problem and routed around them, but the extent of the problem required manual intervention as well. It later said that the services have been restored. We are able to confirm that all services impacted by todays IP outage have been restored. We understand how important these services are to our customers, and we sincerely apologize for the impact this outage caused. CenturyLink (@CenturyLink) August 30, 2020 In a later statement, the firm told The Verge that the outage was caused after CenturyLink went down. Today we saw a widespread Internet outage online that impacted many multiple providers, it said. This was not a Cloudflare-specific outage. Level 3/CenturyLink was responsible for an outage that affected many Internet services, including Cloudflare. Cloudflares automated systems detected the problem and routed around them, but the extent of the problem required manual intervention as well. DownDetector, a website that monitors Internet outages, showed graphs that suggested websites operated by Starbucks, Garmin, EA, Destiny, Hulu, Zoom, Spectrum, Snapchat, Xbox Live, and Reddit had issues on Sunday. Cloudflare is designed to prevent direct denial of service (DDoS) attacks, where networks of computers send traffic to take them offline. In 2018, CenturyLink experienced a significant outage that affected ATMs, lottery drawings, 911 calls, and more. Nina Dobrev has been living it up in Tulum Beach, Mexico with her boyfriend Shaun White and her closest friends. But the 31-year-old actress had to say 'Adios' to the surf and sun this weekend, sharing a cheeky swimsuit shot as her farewell on Sunday. 'All good things must come to an end. time to go home...' the Canadian/Bulgarian talent wrote along with a sassy photo of her bikini-clad backside. Back to reality: Nina Dobrev marked the end of her vacation to Mexico with a cheeky Instagram on Sunday Nina wowed as she walked through a breathtaking yard with her back to the camera. Her pert posterior was front and center in the shot, where she modeled a Brazilian-style bikini with chic, woven trim. Making it a summer look, the former Degrassi star topped her ensemble off with a straw sunhat. Nina made the most of her time south of the border, seen getting cozy with her new beau Shaun White while indulging in the beauty of the resort town. Having a blast: Nina made the most of her time south of the border, seen getting cozy with her new beau Shaun White while indulging in the beauty of the resort town Fun in the sun: Nina enjoyed some gal pal time during a day of surfing with model Ivy Miller earlier this week But on Thursday Dobrev got in some gal pal time for a day at the beach with model and surfer, Ivy Miller. The Vampire Diaries star shared a couple of photos of the pair showing off their toned figures in bikinis while proudly holding their surfboards. 'the only time I look like a surfer is when i'm out of the water...,' she joked in the caption with a self-deprecating tone. 'look mom, i'm a surfer! #FakeItTilYouMakeIt @michaela_paintaworld' Surf's up: The Vampire Diaries star, 31, showed off her toned figure in a black-and-white bikini alongside Miller, who stunned in a black bikini Tasty: Later in the day The Perks of Being a Wallflower star got a special delivery, in the form of an ice-chest full of ice cream Sugar fix: The actress opened the container and pulled out the pints of ice cream one-by-one, and put them into her freezer Flashing a big beaming smile, the Bulgarian-born star stunned in a mixed, two-piece that consisted of white bottoms and a black top. She wore her dark brown tresses long and with a part on the left. Miller looked radiant as she showed off her tanned figure in a black bikini. Feeling flirty, Dobrev teased her 20.4 million followers when she and Miller flaunted their derrieres by posing at a side-angle in a second photo, all while they still held on to their surfboards. Romantic: Dobrev has been enjoying her summer getaway in Mexico with new beau Shaun White, who's a three-time Olympic gold medal-winning snowboarder Honeymoon stage: The couple were first seen together in late March, and have since gone Instagram official with their relationship in late May Later in the day The Perks of Being a Wallflower star got a special delivery, in the form of an ice-chest full of ice cream. In a quick video she shared on her Insta-Story, Dobrev opened the container and pulled out the pints of ice cream one-by-one, and put them into her freezer. 'Elsa from Frozen in real life #IceQueen,' she wrote, in reference to the blockbuster Disney film, at the bottom of one of the clips. Dobrev and White, a three-time Olympic gold medal-winning snowboarder, have been pictured together on the trip but they have been shy in sharing any couple's images on social media. They were first seen together in late March, and have since gone Instagram official with their relationship in late May. You can watch The Vampire Diaries on Netflix, or on Stan in Australia. OAKLAND (BCN) Over 100 people participated in a racial justice march through the streets of Oakland's Grand Lake neighborhood, resulting in arrests and the deployment of tear gas, Oakland police said. In a video tweeted by the Oakland Police Department, officers addressed the crowd and asked they disperse as the march constituted unlawful assembly. Officers deployed "minimal gas & smoke" after demonstrators pointed lasers and threw objects such as rocks and bottles at officers. One officer was injured near the intersection of Mandana Boulevard and Warfield Avenue, between Grand Avenue and Lakeshore Avenue. Six demonstrators were arrested, and at least one person was detained for vandalism, Oakland police say. It was the second consecutive night and the third night this week that demonstrators marched along Oakland streets. More than a dozen protesters were arrested Friday evening on charges of vandalism, and protests Wednesday night resulted in property damage with several businesses vandalized and a small fire set in the Alameda County Courthouse. 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. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Published on 2020/08/30 | Source The government wants to raise the age when pensioners become eligible for public benefits like free subway passes from the current 65 as the population ages. Advertisement Anyone over 65 is currently eligible for free subway rides and discounts on rail tickets and admissions to national and public museums since 1981. But at that time over-65s took up a mere four percent of the total population, and now they account for 16 percent. According to Statistics Korea, the proportion of the elderly population will grow to more than 20 percent in 2025 and a whopping 47 percent by 2067. In a meeting on Thursday, the government decided to begin discussions on how to improve the benefits system for the elderly. Participants said there has been a change in the public perception on what age is considered old due to the extended life expectancy and healthcare. In a 2017 poll, 59.4 percent said that people are old when they are over 70. The government plans to launch a task force in the second half of this year to come up with a policy. In a workshop in January last year, Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo stressed the need to begin a public debate on ways to raise the pensionable age from 65 to 70 on a step-by-step basis in preparation for a forthcoming super-aged society. Some experts favor maintaining the current system because the over-65s typically have even less money than they used to even if they continue working. Prof. Yu Jeong-whon of Ajou University said, "Let's face it, the operating costs of subways don't jump enormously just because more elderly people take it. Elderly people can improve their health and contribute to boosting consumption if they take subway to engage in more social activities, which benefits everyone". An Italian coastguard vessel came to the rescue Saturday of a rescue vessel funded by British street artist Banksy, which sent out a call for help on Saturday with more than 200 migrants onboard. The German-flagged MV Louise Michel said it was stranded and needed urgent help after helping a boat carrying at least one dead migrant. The 31-metre (101-foot) vessel's crew said it was overcrowded and unable to move after encountering another boat with 130 people on board trying to cross the sea dividing Europe and Africa. "There is already one dead person on the boat. We need immediate assistance," the Louise Michel crew wrote on Twitter, saying other migrants had fuel burns and had been at sea for days. The rescued migrants later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel. An Italian coastguard patrol boat came to their aid. "In view of the danger the situation posed, the coastguards sent a patrol boat from Lampedusa... which took on board the 49 people in the most fragile condition -- 32 women, 13 children and four men," the coastguard said in a statement. Banksy, who keeps his true identity a secret, explained in a video posted online that he had bought the boat to help migrants "because EU authorities deliberately ignore distress calls from non-Europeans". 'EU authorities ignore distress calls' The Louise Michel crew said in a tweet it was "great" the Italian coastguard had intervened and taken 49 migrants, but added, that the majority were still waiting. The Sea-Watch 4 vessel had arrived and "will help us to do what Europe is not capable of doing", it added. The Louise Michel said it was unable to travel safely because it had taken so many migrants on board. By - (Twitter account MVLouiseMichel/AFP) Sea-Watch 4, which has a clinic onboard, had already rescued 201 migrants and is itself in search of a host port, Its crew nonetheless decided to help the Louise Michel "in the face of the lack of reaction" from the authorities, a spokesman for the German NGO Sea-Watch, which charters the boat with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), told AFP. The Louise Michel's vessel's crew of 10 had already rescued 89 people from a rubber boat in distress Thursday. They tweeted that there were a total 219 people on board and that they had requested assistance from both the Italian and Maltese authorities. Banksy artwork The boat -- a former French customs vessel named after 19th-century French anarchist Louise Michel -- was around 90 kilometres (55 miles) southeast of Lampedusa on Saturday, according to the global ship tracking website Marine Traffic. Painted in hot pink and white, the Louise Michel features a Banksy artwork depicting a girl in a life vest holding a heart-shaped safety buoy. An Italian coastguard vessel took 49 of the most vulnerable rescued migrants to the port of Lampedusa. By Mauro Seminara (AFP) Its crew is "made up of European activists with long experience in search and rescue operations" and is captained by German human rights activist Pia Klemp, who has also captained other such rescue vessels, The Guardian newspaper reported. Thousands of people are thought to have died making the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean to flee conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, attempts by migrant boats to cross the Mediterranean into Europe have increased this year, up 91 percent from January to July over last year's figures, to 14,481 people. 'An anti-fascist fight' Banksy's involvement in the rescue mission goes back to September 2019 when he sent Klemp an email asking how he could contribute. Klemp, who initially thought it was a joke, told the paper she believed she was chosen because of her political stance, The Guardian said. "I don't see sea rescue as a humanitarian action, but as part of an anti-fascist fight," she told the paper. Early this month, humanitarian organisations said they would resume migrant rescues in the Mediterranean Sea, where none have operated since the Ocean Viking docked in Italy in early July. Before the Ocean Viking's last mission, rescue operations in the Mediterranean had been suspended for months due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile in the French Mediterranean city of Marseille, 30 protesters called on the Italian authorities to release the migrant rescue ship Ocean Viking, detained last month by the Italian coastguard over technical irregularities, bur-jhe-hba-cm/pvh/jj As swollen rivers continue to inundate large parts of Madhya Pradesh, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been airlifting villagers stranded in different parts of the flood-hit central state. The IAF on Sunday pressed into service a Mi17V5 helicopter to rescue three men, including a senior citizen, from their inundated houses near Mowad village in Balaghat, situated along the banks of the overflowing Wainganga river. In a video shared by the force, an IAF personnel is seen being lowered to a roof of a house surrounded by floodwaters. Shortly after, the personnel is seen being pulled back up holding the elderly man tightly. #SavingLives Today morning, #IAF launched a Mi17V5 helicopter to rescue 02 youth and an elderly man from their inundated houses near Mowad village in Balaghat,Madhya Pradesh situated along the banks of the overflowing Wainganga river.@SpokespersonMoD#IndianAirForce #AirWarriors pic.twitter.com/I7MNoHiXTN Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 30, 2020 After the rescue, the man is seen drinking water in the IAF chopper. In the same video, the two men were also seen being rescued from the roof of their house. Also read | Flood batters Madhya Pradesh; 8 killed, over 9,000 moved to relief camps The government has launched operations in different parts of the state as a group of people, including women and children, were rescued from Somalwada village in an IAF chopper on Sunday. Around 20 to 25 people were rescued by the IAF personnel. Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the flood situation in the state. At least eight people have been killed and more than 9,000 moved to relief camps as hundreds of villages across 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh were affected by floods following incessant rains since Thursday. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) denied on Sunday that the theory that the Ukrainian government interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of Democrats is Russian disinformation, telling CNN's Dana Bash: "That's your typification that it has been debunked." Why it matters: The bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee found that "numerous Russian-government actors" promoted "false narratives" seeking to discredit investigations into 2016 Russian election interference by blaming Ukraine. The committee identified "no reliable evidence" that the Ukrainian government interfered in the election. The big picture: Johnson the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee has continued to carry out a wide-ranging investigation into the Obama administration and Joe and Hunter Biden's dealings with Ukraine. Democrats have called it a "fishing expedition" intended to damage Biden ahead of the election, while intelligence officials have warned that some of the sources Johnson is relying on may be laundering Russian disinformation. Johnson has vehemently denied that he is complicit in a foreign influence campaign, and he's accused Democrats of being "Putin's puppet" by overhyping the narrative that Russia colluded with the Trump campaign in 2016. What he's saying: "My investigation, the corruption of the Obama administration, goes back to March of 2015. Our investigation is quite wide-ranging. Our investigation is primarily using U.S. government documents and sources from the State Department, the Department of Justice, the National Archives and a Democrat lobbying firm," Johnson said. Greater Noida: Police on early Sunday arrested 11 foreign nationals, including four women, for organising an in-house party allegedly in violation of Covid-19 norms. According to the police, a group of African nationals gathered at a house in Greater Noida on Saturday night and started drinking and making noise which is also a violation of Section 144 CrPC enforced in the district. Harish Chander, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Central, said that local people informed the police that around 40 to 50 foreigners were having a late night party in a single storey house in UPSIDC Colony. When a police team from Surajpur reached the spot, some of the suspects started to escape by jumping the boundary wall. The police managed to arrest seven men and four women, he said. The police have also seized seven cars and about 300 liquor bottles from the spot. The suspects are from Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia and Uganda, the police said. Some of these suspects are students and others are involved in business, the police said, adding that they are residents of different residential societies in Greater Noida, and had gathered at the house to join the party. Chander said that the suspects were flouting weekend lockdown norms by organising the party. The police also got medical examination of the suspects conducted and the reports are awaited. A case has been registered under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life), and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 60 of the Excise Act. The arrested persons were produced in court and sent to judicial custody, said the DCP. Tonys car was perfect, but just as an actor might need plastic surgery or a hairpiece, it required work. The VWs six-volt electrical system was converted to a 12-volt system to make it easier to start. It was also painted in a different shade of red, closer to the original Volkswagen factory color. And it got a boot cover for the convertible top. President Trump accepts the Republican nomination for reelection Thursday on the South Lawn of the White House. (Doug Mills / AFP / Getty Images ) Most political conventions fade quickly from voters minds. In an era with few undecided voters, they dont produce big bounces in the polls the way they once did. But the back-to-back conventions Americans just watched did perform one useful service: They set the terms of the debate that will dominate the final 65 days of the presidential campaign. They clarified what political strategists and scholars call the framing of the election the principle that if a candidate can determine the main question voters focus on, he or she has a better chance of controlling the outcome. Joe Biden is running for president based on the argument that President Trump has done a disastrous job on the most important problems facing the country: the COVID-19 pandemic, the struggling economy, racial injustice and our division into hostile camps. Trump is trying to duck those issues, because Biden is right they dont make the president look good. Its almost impossible to argue with a straight face that Trumps response to the pandemic has been a triumph, although that hasnt stopped him from trying. The presidents campaign slogan might as well be Lets change the subject. His campaign, like his convention, focuses on the culture war themes he wielded against Hillary Clinton in 2016. He wants to frame the election around law and order, specifically his absurd and racially charged claim that Biden and the Democrats want to unleash anarchists on mostly white suburbs. Which problem will voters focus on? So far Biden appears to have the upper hand. Most voters say their top concerns are the deadly virus, the recession or the quality of national leadership, not urban unrest. In a Gallup poll this month, only 4% of voters cited crime and violence as the most important problem facing the country. That helps explain why Bidens advantage in national polls has remained relatively steady. Most voters dont seem to think protesters are about to invade their neighborhoods, no matter what Trump says. Story continues Still, the president clearly believes law and order is his best issue. No one will be safe in Bidens America, he warned in his acceptance speech Thursday. (This happens to be Donald Trumps America, Biden pointed out.) The president is stoking fear both to energize his ardent supporters and to try to win back moderate voters who have drifted away since 2016. He needs to get college-educated white women back, Lynn Vavreck, a political science professor at UCLA, told me. If he can keep them from leaving, he can make the race close again. Theres no clear evidence that Trumps strategy is working yet. His standing in national polls has been even more stable than Bidens; in most surveys, hes mired below 45%. The immediate challenge for Trump is to persuade more voters to worry about unrest in places like Kenosha, Wis., where protests erupted after a police officer shot a Black man seven times in the back. White House strategist Kellyanne Conway uttered an unpleasant truth last week: Street violence is good for the Trump campaign's effort to frame the voters choice. "The more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is for the very clear choice on who's best on public safety and law and order," she said on Fox News Channel. It doesnt mean the president wants the violence to continue, she added. By the same token, the immediate challenge for Biden is to rebut Trumps charge that Democrats want to give free rein to violent anarchists, agitators and criminals. The Democratic nominee argued back in a flurry of television appearances during the Republican convention, but they were drowned out by the volume of GOP programming. He needs to get more clearly in front of the issue, perhaps by holding a news conference or making a quick trip to Wisconsin. Still, street violence isnt the question Biden wants to focus on. He needs to frame the election around Trumps record on managing the pandemic and double-digit unemployment, personal and pocketbook issues that affect every American. He should be asking: 'Are you better off today than you were four years ago?' Vavreck said, quoting Ronald Reagans successful slogan against incumbent President Jimmy Carter in 1980. Even questioning Trumps fitness for office, she added, is a potential distraction for Bidens campaign. That didnt work very well for Hillary Clinton, she noted. In any case, the key to the election lies only partly in the arguments the two candidates make between now and Nov. 3. Voters already know who Biden and Trump are and what they stand for. More important will be the unpredictable course of events between now and election day, how the candidates respond and how they affect voters perception of the choice the elections framing, in other words. Will the pandemic abate, allowing more parents to send their children to school (and making Trump look more successful), or will it rebound? Will the economy recover strongly or remain stuck at 10% unemployment? And will street violence spread to become a bigger concern for the handful of voters who havent made up their minds especially in battleground states Trump needs to win, like Wisconsin? Once you know the answers to those questions, you will have a clearer idea of how voters will frame their choice this fall and that will allow you to predict the outcome. Until then, youre only guessing. The Earth Observation Research and Innovation Center (EORIC) of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has developed a fire and weather alert system. The system sends fire information to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in real-time to help prevent fire outbreaks. Dubbed: Advanced Virtual Fire Information System, it also provides weather information for up to five days. It enables people, especially farmers, to plan their activities as to when to harvest their crops to avoid the rains. The Advanced Virtual Fire Information System is in its pilot stage and is compatible with both android and non-android phones. The EORIC of UENR encourages people to sign up to it, using the shortcode *920*49# to send and receive signals. The EORIC of UENR, in partnership with the Afram Plains Development Organisation (APDO), a non-governmental organisation, held a follow-up workshop in Tamale for some farmers to test the system and to seek inputs to improve it. The farmers, who were drawn from Oti, Eastern and Northern Regions, attended a similar workshop last year in Sunyani, where they were introduced to the system. Dr Emmanuel Nyantakyi, Head of EORIC at UENR, who explained how the system works during the days workshop, said It sends fire information and also weather forecasts. So, once you sign up to it, it tells you exactly whether or not where you are there is fire. Once that is done, the prompt gets to the system, then we relay the information to the GNFS and they then take necessary action. Dr Nyantakyi added that On the weather, we need to know the weather of the day. The system also gives you the weather information in every three hours during a day and up to five days. The EORIC of UENR has a ground station where it receives live data from orbit satellites on the West Africa sub-region and parts of Libya, Chad and Gabon. The data it receives every day is processed to give heat signatures, which indicate bush fires and where they could be located, and this information is made available to agencies that require it. The Ghana News Agency understands that EORIC of UENR realised that apart from the agencies that required such data, other people, who might need the data are farmers, who dealt with bush fires hence the move to engage them on how best to make it available to them to improve agricultural production. The system allows people, who subscribe to it to report fire outbreaks by dialling the shortcode where the message will be sent directly to responsible institutions to address the situation. The phone holder will have to send a message about the fire but he or she will also be alerted if the system detects the fire, and the system also sends alerts of a high incidence of fire such that people can better prepare to deal with the situation. While some of the farmers, who attended the workshop, were happy at the system because they were able to sign up to it and received weather updates, others had to be assisted to be able to sign up to it. Dr Nyantakyi said the experiences and comments of farmers regarding the system would be taken on board to improve on it to better serve the public. He entreated the farmers to share knowledge about the system with their friends back home to understand it and its benefits. 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 South Carolina lowers flags to half-staff in honor of Chadwick Boseman Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Flags atop the Statehouse in South Carolina, the state where Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman was born and raised, were lowered to half-staff at sunrise Sunday in memory of the Marvel superhero who died of cancer at the age of 43 on Friday. To honor the life, contributions and memory of a truly extraordinary son of South Carolina @chadwickboseman I have ordered the flags atop the Statehouse to be lowered to half-staff ... from sunrise to sunset, Gov. Henry McMaster wrote in a tweet Saturday. The actor died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his family by his side. A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much, his family said in a statement after his death. From 'Marshall' to 'Da 5 Bloods,' August Wilsons 'Ma Raineys Black Bottom' and several more all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King TChalla to life in 'Black Panther'. Boseman had been diagnosed with stage-3 colon cancer in 2016 and it later progressed to state 4. While he didnt disclose his illness, he visited children with cancer in September 2018. Its not every day that St. Jude gets a visit from an Avenger! Thank you @ChadwickBoseman for stopping by to bring joy to our patients and learn more about our lifesaving mission! St. Jude Childrens Hospital tweeted on Sept 12. 2018. Two years ago, Chadwick visited the St. Jude campus and brought with him not only toys for our patients but also joy, courage and inspiration. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time, the hospital said in the post, according to NBC News. We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Chadwick Boseman. Josh Gad, who co-starred with Boseman in the 2017 Thurgood Marshall biopic Marshall, shared the text of his final message from the late actor. If you are in Los Angeles, you woke up this morning to the rare and peaceful sound of steady precipitation. If youre like me, maybe you looked at the weeks forecast and found that its supposed to rain for three straight days; not without breaks of sunlight and reprieves of moist gloom, but yeah its gonna be coming down like cats and dog, Boseman wrote, according to the People magazine. We should take advantage of every moment we can to enjoy the simplicity of Gods creation, whether it be clear skies and sun or clouded over with gloom, the late actor wrote. And hey, if the air is this clear right now, and it does rain tomorrow, I might even put jars and bins out and catch the rain. Throw that in the water filter and I have a water more alkaline than any bottled brand out there. Boseman advised Gad to inhale and exhale this moment and thank God for the unique beauties and wonders of the day. In 2018, Bosemans childhood Pastor Samuel Neely, spoke about his faith. Even though he plays these different people, I still see the person I knew as a child. When I see him, its almost like seeing my own child, hes still Chad, said Neely, who retired from Welfare Baptist Church in Anderson, South Carolina. Hes always been a focused guy, he knew what he wanted and he was going after it. Neely added, He did a lot of positive things within the church and within the community. With him singing in the choir, with him working the youth group, he always was doing something, always helping out, always serving. That was his personality. Tomorrow Van Morrison turns 75. I have to suspend my intended vacation from this series to pay tribute in some form to this genius of what Gram Parsons called the Cosmic American Music. Van is a brilliant, eccentric, enigmatic, essential songwriter, performer, artist and multi-instrumental musician. Clinton Heylin peered into Vans life and work in Van Morrison: Can You Feel the Silence? (2003). By contrast with his work, Vans life is messy. To use a Yeatsian formulation, in the choice between perfection of the life or of the work, Van has chosen perfection of the work. Steve Turners photo-rich, coffee table bio Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now (1993) is a treasure trove for fans. The table of contents includes a photo lineup that depicts Van in each stage of his career. Turning the page, the reader finds a photo of Van and John Lee Hooker spread over two pages with a caption that touches on their long relationship. We went to see Van perform in a 1999 arena concert at Target Center. Taj Mahal opened for Van and wasnt bad. The house was packed, the sound was muddy and the setting impersonal, but I was glad to have seen Van live. He wore sunglasses and stood still singing at stage center. He brought John Lee Hooker out for a song or two. He closed the show with Gloria. In retrospect, it seems little more than a generic arena concert (setlist here). Van returned to town in 2007 to perform at Northrop Auditorium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Northrop holds an audience of 4,500 or so, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to hear Van in a more congenial setting than an arena. In the event Northrop proved to be a great venue for Van. The sound was perfect and acoustically intimate. Morrison was accompanied by a ten-piece band including his long-time guitar sideman John Platania. Even though Van was fighting a cough, both he and the band were, to my ear, phenomenal. Drawing on the resources of age and guile, Van seemed to me to turn the clock back to his heyday in the late 1960s and early 1970s when he could do anything with his voice. Having conquered his sources, Van in his prime moved seamlessly from Curtis Mayfield to Ray Charles and the artists he identifies by name in Cleaning Windows (below). Ive never heard him sound as good he did in his recordings of that era, but he sounded that good to me in person in 2007 (setlist here). As he approaches his milestone birthday tomorrow, Van is still working. The August 25 Variety story by Chris Willman is a grabber: Van Morrison Slams Pseudo-Science of Social Distancing, Demands Return of Full-Capacity Gigs. Starting with Astral Weeks (1968), Van released a series of albums that were mostly great from beginning to end. Moondance (1970), His Band and Street Choir (1970), Tupelo Honey (1971), Saint Dominics Preview (1972), the spotty Hard Nose the Highway (1973), and Veedon Fleece (1974) are all essential albums. Van the man remains his own man. He is still a vital artist. I want to take a look at his long career through his live recordings. My purpose here is only to serve up a few pleasures that suggest the riches on offer in his huge body of work. Vans first live recording was the double album Its Too Late To Stop Now (1974). Covering his career to that point with an incredible band backing him (The Caledonia Soul Orchestra), it has been near the top of my list of favorite live recordings for a long time. It is an engrossing performance that has now been reissued in an enhanced four CD-set with DVD. Here Comes the Night (1965) was written and produced by Bert Berns working with Them. To put it in Joycean terms. Vans entanglement with Berns became a nightmare from which he was trying to awake. Van returned to Cyprus Avenue from Astral Weeks (1968), his opening masterpiece on Warner Bros. His release from his contract with Bang Records is a signal moment in his career. Heylins account of the surrounding circumstances is harrowing. Music is a tough business. In Listen to the Lion Van is in search of his muse. In I Believe to My Soul Van introduces a slight twist on the Ray Charles classic. What a great performance. Van has released a Live at Montreux 1980/1974 DVD. This performance of Bulbs from Veedon Fleece dates to 1974. Overcoming a major case of stage fright, Van gave a legendary performance with the Band for the filming of The Last Waltz on Thanksgiving Day 1976. The opening track on Moondance, Caravan had been inspired by Curtis Mayfields Gypsy Woman. Reminder: Turn it up! So you all know that, but you have to go to the four-CD anniversary edition of the show for Tura Lura Lura (Thats An Irish Lullaby). The Bands Richard Manuel channels Ray Charles with a vocal of uncanny beauty. Van channels Van. This performance didnt make the film. Thankfully, we have the recording. Vans next live album came ten years after the double album with Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast (1984). Van is in search of the transcendent. You can hear it, for example, in Dweller on the Threshold, the number that opens the recording. I loved Vans Rave On, John Donne. If you make it through part 1, be sure to stick around for part 2. Van acknowledges the band including saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis by name on the way out. Pee Wee played with James Brown before he teamed up with Van. The horn arrangements on Vans work rival those on Browns. The album closed with Vans endearing tribute to a few of his heroes in Cleaning Windows. Backed by a terrific band, Van put on a beautiful show recapitulating his career and singing medleys of favorites in A Night in San Francisco (1994). Here, for example, is Ill Take Care of You/Its a Mans World. He closed the show with Shakin All Over/Gloria. John Lee Hooker makes a cameo appearance. Van teamed up with Lonnie Donnegan et al. on The Skiffle Sessions Live in Belfast (2000). You cant go wrong with Lead Bellys Good Morning Blues. Or with Midnight Special. This is another good-from-beginning-to-end album. Lets go back to Lead Belly with Goodnight, Irene. Vans 2009 rendition of Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl is his last live release. This is the thrilling opening. To be born again! Here he revisits Cyprus Avenue. Second-year Junior High School and Senior High School students will be returning to school on October 5. This follows relevant consultations by the Ghana Education Service, according to President Akufo-Addo. With Junior High Schools operating with class sizes of thirty (30), and Senior High Schools with class sizes of twenty-five (25), SHS 2 and JHS 2 students will be in school for ten (10) weeks to study, and write their end of term examinations, the President said in an address to the nation on Sunday evening. Prior to reopening, all schools will be fumigated and disinfected. All JHS two and SHS two students will be given reusable face masks like was done for the final year JHS and SHS students who reported to school earlier in the year. JHS two students will also be given one hot meal a day. SHS 2 students in boarding houses are to return to their various dormitories on 5th October, whilst day students, respecting fully the COVID-19 protocols, will commute from home to their respective schools on the same date. Prior to reopening, all Junior and Senior High Schools will be fumigated and disinfected. Just as was done in the case of final year university, JHS and SHS students, all JHS 2 and SHS 2 students, as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff, will be given reusable face masks. Each school will be provided with Veronica Buckets, gallons of liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, thermometer guns, and 200 milli-litre containers of sanitizers. JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day, President Akufo-Addo added. President Akufo-Addo, however, said pupils from KG to primary 6, JHS 1 and SHS 1 will, however, return to school in January 2021. The Ghana Education Service, after further consultations, has decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all nursery, kindergarten, primary, JHS 1 and SHS 1 students. The next academic year will resume in January 2021, with appropriate adjustments made to the curriculum to ensure that nothing is lost from the previous year. The relevant dispositions will also be made so that the presence, at the same time, in school of all streams of students, can occur in safety. citinewsroom Treasury officials in Britain are pushing for tax hikes to plug holes blown in public finances by the coronavirus pandemic, two leading British newspapers said. Such hikes will enable the exchequer to raise at least 20 billion pounds ($26.70 billion) a year, and some could be introduced in the November budget, the Sunday Telegraph said. The Sunday Times newspaper said officials were drawing up plans for a 30-billion-pound tax raid on the wealthy, businesses, pensions and foreign aid. In its budget, the government also plans to raise both capital gains tax and corporation tax, the Sunday Times added. Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is considering a proposal to boost corporation tax to 24% from 19%, a move that would raise 12 billion pounds next year, rising to 17 billion in 2023-24, the paper said. The Treasury did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. Britains economic recovery from the shock of the pandemic has gathered pace, data showed this month, but government borrowing has exceeded 2 trillion pounds and fears of future job losses are mounting. The economy still faces a long recovery after shrinking by a record 20% in the second quarter, the largest decline of any big country. Britain entered lockdown in late March and shops in England only reopened fully on June 15, followed by bars and restaurants on July 4. Sunak has indicated that some taxes will need to rise over the medium term. Kathmandu, August 30 A Nepal Army soldier has committed suicide in Kathmandu on Sunday morning. Nepal Army Directorate of Public Relations and Information says the soldier, a permanent resident of Ranipokhari in Tanahun, shot at himself fatally with an arm that he had while on duty. He was stationed at Ripumardini Petrol Pump within the Nepal Army Headquarters. The body has been sent to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for postmortem. Meanwhile, the deceaseds family has already been informed. The directorate says a further investigation into the case is underway. Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh has called on the Federal Government to declare October 1st 2020 Nigerias technology independence day. He made this call in a recent virtual chat with technology correspondents. The serial digital entrepreneur, who has remained one of the foremost personalities in Nigerias technology ecosystem, based his recommendation on the giant strides recorded by the country in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). October 1st 2020 is traditionally Nigerias Independence Day. It is a day that commemorates Nigerias emergence as a sovereign state. Considering the massive strides recorded so far in our journey to technological emancipation, the Federal Government should strongly consider declaring October 1st Nigerias technology independence day I have often said it that no country achieves true independence without a level of technological independence. The time has come for Nigeria to boldly emerge as a technology force on the continent and globally; to make the right investments and critical positioning necessary for securing our collective future in the 21st Century, he declared. Ekeh, who hailed the current administration for the greater focus on technology and knowledge development, referenced the renaming of the Ministry of Communications and its subsequent enhancement as a credible institution for anchoring Nigerias renewed approach to the emerging knowledge economy now brought to the front burner by COVID-19. I commend the Federal Government for enhancing the Ministry of Communications which, by its current status as the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the appointment of a thorough-bred professional in Dr. Isa Pantami to oversee its affairs, is now eminently equipped to deliver on Nigerias march to digital emancipation. It has indeed been a journey of immense leaps and bounds, right from the time of Dr. Omobola Johnson through the era of Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu and now to the current achievements being recorded under Dr. Pantami. Nevertheless, there is a lot more to be done, especially in leapfrogging our prevailing developmental challenges by leveraging the power of technology, as is the case in advanced climes, to unleash the abundant skilled and modern human capital that Nigeria is potentially known for, create quality jobs and unlock a certified future for the huge population of energetic youths; while reducing sophisticated crimes we have now seen a lot of women also indulging in to survive. The Zinox boss reiterated Nigerias pre-eminence as a key driver of technology in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, even as he urged the government to act now. Today, a lot of our kids are out of school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic a development that should not be the case, especially considering our capacity as a technology-compliant nation in finding a solution to bridge the gap. At this level of our development, Nigeria should be regarded as a global digital giant. We have the means, the talent, the human capital and the innate intelligence to make it happen. With the government taking the step of making critical investments in technology, it is only a matter of time before Nigeria starts raising tech billionaires that would rival the likes of Jeff Bezos and Jack Ma, he concluded. Michael Anton, a former senior official on President Trump's National Security Council, is out Tuesday with a new book, obtained by Axios, titled, "The Stakes: America at the Point of No Return." The big picture: The heading of the book's first chapter captures the tone and tenor of Anton's polemic: "Be afraid, very afraid: California as case study of America's possible future." In the ensuing 407 pages, Anton imagines a future America under total Democratic Party control. He bombards the reader with scene after dystopian scene of what he describes as leftist authoritarianism, rampant crime and the policing of all non-"woke" thought. "Blue-state politics from coast to coast," he writes, "could, once established, last a very long time and might end only with the country itself." In a later chapter, Anton muses about secession. Why it matters: Anton's incendiary writings don't live on the fringes of modern conservatism. They have influenced a president and some of the most powerful figures in the movement. In 2018, Trump used Anton's Washington Post opinion piece, "Citizenship shouldn't be a birthright," as a basis for asking administration lawyers to draft an executive order to overturn birthright citizenship. (The White House counsel's office dismissed the idea.) During the 2016 election, under the pseudonym Publius Decius Mus, Anton wrote a widely circulated piece titled "The Flight 93 Election," comparing a vote against Hillary Clinton to rushing the cockpit on a 9/11 flight hijacked by terrorists. Some of the most powerful conservatives promoted Anton's piece as a rallying cry to persuade Never Trumpers to hold their noses and vote for Trump. The bottom line: Anton's book elaborates on Trump's re-election campaign playbook and likely foreshadows what's to come. New Orleans Police are investigating a fatal stabbing of a 63-year-old woman in an apartment complex in Algiers on Saturday. The stabbing occurred in the 3600 block of Texas Drive (Map) in the Tall Timbers neighborhood, between General de Gaulle Drive and the Behrman Highway. Police did not disclose the identity of the victim as they were waiting to notify next of kin. In a statement by the NOPD, they said the victim appears to have been killed around 1.35 p.m. on Saturday. Officers from the Fourth District responded to a report of an unresponsive female inside an apartment. Emergency medical staff attended and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. NOPD said homicide detective Aaron Harrelson is in charge of the investigation. They didn't offer any further details about the case. Uncertainty looms about how the coronavirus pandemic will affect schools once they reopen this week, but the Portage Community School District is fully staffed and at least some teachers are eager to see students return. Im just anxious to get the kids in the classroom, and I think a lot of things will settle, said Portage High School art teacher Lorisa Harvey. Theres a lot of unknowns right now, but we just kind of have to go through it. We just have to get them in the room and experience it just stop all the waiting time. She and fellow PHS art teacher Amy Zeihen said they are better prepared going into this school year than they were when the district started providing virtual education in spring after schools were ordered closed. Still, Zeihen feels like shes starting from scratch on some things despite her more than three decades as an educator. Its new, its nothing we ever expected. This will be my 32nd year and it feels like its my first, Zeihen said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:42:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A passenger wearing a face mask is seen at the main train station in Frankfurt, Germany, on Aug. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Voigt/Xinhua) - Global COVID-19 cases top 25 million - Russia's cases surpass 990,000 - Indonesia reports 2,858 newly-confirmed cases, 82 new deaths - Iran reports 1,754 new cases, 373,570 in total BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - BEIJING -- The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world has surpassed 25 million, according to Johns Hopkins University on Sunday. With the total COVID-19 cases around the world reaching 25,009,250, the death toll worldwide has risen to 842,702 as of 0700 GMT, the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University showed. - - - - A nurse checks the body temperature of a student entering a school to attend the Unified State Exam for Chinese language in Moscow, Russia, on July 20, 2020. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua) MOSCOW -- Russia registered 4,980 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its national caseload to 990,326, the country's COVID-19 response center said in a statement Sunday. Meanwhile, 68 new deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 17,093. - - - - HONG KONG -- Officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government called on residents to actively participate in the upcoming universal community testing of COVID-19 and expected the testing will help Hong Kong return normal at an early date. The more people participate in the testing, the faster will Hong Kong contain the epidemic, Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung said Sunday in an online article. - - - - Students wearing face masks attend a lecture at the Kabul University in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 12, 2020. (Photo by Rahmatullah Alizadah/Xinhua) KABUL -- Afghanistan on Sunday reported 22 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases after health authorities have conducted 247 tests since early Saturday, bringing the total number of cases to 38,165, the country's Ministry of Public Health said. During the past 24 hours, 22 positive COVID-19 cases were recorded in Kabul, Takhar, Paktia, and Kunduz provinces of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, the ministry said in a statement. - - - - TBILISI -- Georgia confirmed seven new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing its total to 1,469, the country's National Center for Disease Control and Public Health said. Two of the seven new cases were imported, the center said. - - - - Visitors take photos of an elephant at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province in Thailand, June 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren) BANGKOK -- With the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday ordered all closures of access points to Myanmar from Thailand's western province of Kanchanaburi. "We must stay vigilant and tightened security at all Thai-Myanmar border access points," said Prayut. - - - - JAKARTA -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 2,858 within one day to 172,053, with the death toll adding by 82 to 7,343, the Health Ministry said on Sunday. According to the ministry, 1,383 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 124,185. - - - - BERLIN -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Germany increased by 785 to 241,771, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said on Sunday. Data from the federal government agency also showed that deaths from the disease rose by six to 9,295 over the past 24 hours. - - - - An Iranian boy wearing a face mask chases pigeons on a street in Rasht, Iran, on Aug. 18, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) TEHRAN -- Iran's health ministry on Sunday reported an overnight registration of 1,754 infections with novel coronavirus which brought the total infections to 373,570 in the country since February. Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said at her daily briefing that out of the new cases, 718 have been hospitalized. Erdogan's charge came as the country celebrated a 1922 victory over Greek troops during Turkey's war of independence Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out Sunday at leaders of France and Greece, calling them "greedy and incompetent" for challenging Turkish energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Erdogan's charge came as the country celebrated a 1922 victory over Greek troops during Turkey's war of independence. Ankara and Athens now dispute major offshore gas fields and France's support for Greece has drawn it into a serious crisis for the NATO military alliance. Cyprus is a third, albeit much smaller, nation vying for access to large energy deposits that have been discovered in the region. Erdogan asked newly-commissioned officers in Ankara: "Do Greeks accept what could happen to them because of their greedy and incompetent leaders? "Do the French know the price they will pay because of their greedy and incompetent leaders?" The crisis between putative NATO allies began on August 10 when the Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis entered Greek waters, after which both sides began to stage naval exercises. French frigates and fighter jets joined the Greek side, and have shadowed Turkish vessels while Paris warned Erdogan not to overplay his hand. On Sunday, Paris denounced "escalating behaviour" on the part of Ankara. Ships from Cyprus, Italy and the US have also taken part in the Greek exercises, while the US and Italy has held drills with Turkish units as well. Erdogan has challenged Greece and France in particular however, and said Sunday: "When it come times to fight, we will not hesitate to make sacrifices. "The question is: when they stand against us in the Mediterranean, are they ready to make the same sacrifices? "To our enemies, we say: Bring it on!" Turkey on Saturday announced fresh military manoeuvres in northern Cyprus. Turkish vice president Fuat Oktay also warned Greece not to expand its coastal zone into the Ionian Sea by six nautical miles under international maritime law, saying it would be a "casus belli" that could lead to armed conflict. Search Keywords: Short link: 'The goal of 'cancel culture' is to make decent Americans live in fear of being fired, expelled, shamed. The far left want to coerce you into saying what you know to be false and scare you out of saying what you know to be true. On November 3, you can send them a very thundering message they will never forget.' - Donald Trump Last Thursday night, to the backdrop of 60 American flags, Donald Trump revealed his final game plan. Party conventions provide a unique insight into a campaign's psyche. As choreographed events, they provide candidates with the opportunity to make a conscious choice of how they would like their voters to view them. Trump's message is clear: America is burning. The fire could spread. And only the Trumps can quench the flames in time. Throughout the Republican convention, Americans were warned that the Democrats are coming for their faith, their freedom and their guns. Images were painted of their quiet streets overrun by violent protesters while the left defunds the police. Vice President Mike Pence told them: "You won't be safe in Joe Biden's America." Donald Trump Jr claimed: "People of faith are under attack. This election is shaping up to be Church, work and school versus rioting, looting and vandalism." Donald Sr warned: "Your vote will decide whether we protect law-abiding Americans or whether we give free rein to violent agitators." The overall strategy has two aims: incite anger and fear among his base to whip them into a frenzy and ensure that they'll vote in record numbers. Secondly, to win back white suburban voters who backed Trump in 2016 and want to protect their idyllic life, but abandoned the Republicans in the 2018 mid-term elections. Recent outreach to suburban voters has indeed paid dividends. Trump's polling strength with this group has increased by 4pc - but he's still lagging too far behind Biden. Protests are again raging across America in response to yet another shooting of a black man by a police officer; this time seven bullets being fired into Jacob Blake's back in Wisconsin. The few incidents of violence during these protests have provided propaganda fodder for Trump to fuel his fear-driven narrative to suburban voters. Trump's point isn't that the chaos Americans are seeing is currently dominant in their suburbs. It's that with a Democrat in charge, it could spread to their serene suburban streets. This might not be the most subtle message and it's aimed too firmly at a base that, even at its peak, can't bring a popular victory - but it's the only one Trump is capable of delivering. The perfect strategy is irrelevant if it doesn't fit the candidate. And Trump evidently can't shift gear to deliver a softer message. In their book, A Very Stable Genius, journalists Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig reveal an image of a man dominated by his own insecurities: "Instead of his pride being built on making a good decision, it's built on knowing the right answer from the outset." Trump is incapable of acting against his own instincts. His entire self-image is wrapped up in the belief that his gut and intelligence are superior to any expert. While Trump's convention stoked fear, Biden's convention looked to ease concerns. A Biden campaign worry has been the enthusiasm gap in polling - his voters are backing him but aren't mad about him. The image of Biden presented - the empathetic warrior who listens and perseveres through adversity - was designed to bridge this gap. The Democrats weren't averse to motivating with fear themselves, with anti-Trump rhetoric used to inspire their base to make a voting plan. But the primary objective was to convince those who don't love Biden that they could vote for a moderate Democrat without holding their nose. And it worked, to a degree. Biden's polling edge over Trump remained at 47pc to 40pc after the convention, but his favourability ratings among Democrats improved. Pre-convention, 49pc of his voters were supporting him primarily to oppose Trump, with 29pc supporting him because they liked him. Post-convention, the former figure dropped to 42pc, the latter increased to 38pc. Why didn't Biden get the traditional polling bounce? Because most of the electorate have made up their minds already. Only 14pc of voters are currently undecided, versus 22pc at this time in 2016. Eight days of speeches didn't change voters' minds, but they can influence their dedication to the cause. Communication is only successful when it's memorable. What will those voters talk to each other about? The most memorable moments of both conventions didn't come from the candidates - they came from two teenagers. Brayden Harrington addressed the Democratic convention from his bedroom in New Hampshire. Harrington met Joe Biden months earlier at a campaign rally - he came to see how someone with a stutter, like him, could become vice president. Biden took the time to show Harrington how he overcame his own stutter. In a moving address, the 13-year-old told viewers about how Biden made him more confident about something that had bothered him his whole life. The intended message was clear. Biden cares. And leaders should care. Trump's chosen teenager was Nick Sandmann. The student was made famous by a 2019 viral video where he is seen standing and smiling, red 'Maga' hat on, as a Native American elder drummed a prayer song. The 18-year-old's message was as vivid as Harrington's; The far left and a compliant media want to 'cancel' you just for being a Republican, could potentially vilify you and your children - and only Trump-ism can help you resist. Moments like these can have long-lasting impact. They're indicative of the strategies each candidate has deployed. Drastically contrasting views were offered of what values America needs to defend. Each equally powerful to vastly different groups. The Democrats know the drum the Republicans will beat from here to November. Biden has no excuse for failing to muffle it. Lorcan Nyhan is head of training with The Communications Clinic Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 21:46:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIYADH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud announced on Sunday the discovery of two oil and gas fields in the kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two fields, Hadat Al-Hajrah gas field in the Al-Jawf region and Abraq Al-Talul oil field in the northern border region, were discovered by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco). Saudi Aramco will work on assessing the quantities of oil, gas and condensate in the two fields, as well as digging more wells to determine their area and size, the minister said. Saudi Aramco is the world's most valuable company and pumps more oil on a daily basis than any other producer. Enditem New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested two members of the banned outfit Khalistan Zindabad Force from the national capital, the police said Sunday. According to the police, the duo identified as Inderjeet Gill and Jaspal Singh, both hailing from Moga town of Punjab, are also having connections with the banned channel Sikhs For Justice. Recently on the eve of Independence Day, the two allegedly raised the Khalistan Flag at the roof-top of the District Collector's office in Moga, Punjab and had desecrated the Indian flag at the premises. UNI APS JAL 1223 The unsettled autocrat leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, made it a 66th birthday to remember on Sunday with a show of force against protesters that tilted the countrys 20-day civil uprising to a new militaristic level. It was the logical continuation of a week of tightening screws. The immediate backdrop to what protesters were calling a march for peace and independence was anything but auspicious. Arrests of journalists, strike leaders, protesters, and protest leaders seemed calibrated to undermine the resolve of the people. To some degree, the tactics worked. Amid explicit orders to stay away from central Minsk, and a very obvious police presence from early morning, the numbers of protesters were obviously down from last weekends demonstrations. Even so, perhaps 50,000 defied the warnings. Arrests began even before the 2pm scheduled start, with authorities hitting hard and early in an operation of almost cartoonish menace. Recommended Belarus moves to expel journalists working for western media First, police trucks pulled up alongside demonstrators as they headed towards Independence Square, the advertised gathering point for the protests. As the doors of some of the trucks swung open and operatives began grabbing people, a handful of the vehicles performed a volte face, and drove at demonstrators from the other side of the road. Isolated scuffles broke out between police and what appeared to be fleeing protesters. One demonstrator seemed to resist being detained one of the very few instances when protesters have engaged on similar terms with the regime. Within what felt like less than a minute, a new line of riot police came into view. These units appeared to have been waiting for the moment from a position just off the square. This was the main entrance of the Omon, Mr Lukashenkos loyal lieutenants, who have been closely associated with the extreme violence that took place between 9 and 12 August, and who are capable of sending Belarusians into panic mode by their very appearance. The Omon officers arrived in Mad Max-style black jeeps, fronted by three-metre metal mesh shields. They pushed forward in two lines, with rifle-toting officers peeking out from above the mesh bumpers. They were followed by lines of riot shields, water cannon and police trucks. The sense that they were some kind of advancing army was only heightened by the green-and-red flags they flew a symbol of the Lukashenko regime. Eventually, authorities cornered a few thousand protesters around the central intersection of Lenin Street and Independence Avenue. They were kept there for nearly an hour, and separated into two groups. Some managed to break through the cordons, though some male protesters were detained. The vast majority of the 140 reported arrests took place in the first phase of the protest. By 3.30pm, large crowds had assembled elsewhere and continued the march on its pre-planned route towards Mr Lukashenkos residence two miles away. This second part of the march was much more peaceful in comparison, literally dampened by pouring rain. As the crowds approached the barriers that had been erected outside the residence, some dropped off presents and placards they had prepared for the rulers birthday. They included slippers, an early symbol of the protest, along with a wreath and a coffin. The most prominent of the placards left behind communicated a simple message. We have truth, you have Omon, it said. Five people were injured, including one seriously, in a three-vehicle chain reaction crash on the southbound New Jersey Turnpike Saturday morning. A car traveling on the inner roadway struck a van, which then hit a third-vehicle near milepost 77.9 in East Brunswick, according to State Police. The first vehicle a Honda Accord and the van came to a rest after hitting the metal guardrail while the third vehicle stopped against the concrete barrier following the 7 a.m. crash. The driver of the Honda was hospitalized with serious injuries, while two passengers in the car suffered injuries not considered life-threatening. Two people in the van were hurt, including a passenger who had moderate injuries. No one in the third vehicle was injured. State Police closed the two right lanes of the inner roadway for four hours. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. An 18-year-old man is facing a statutory sex assault charge in a case involving a juvenile in Hellertown. Latif Elijah Coll of Tampa, Florida is accused of sexually assaulting the female on July 20 in the borough. Police did not state the age of the victim or the relationship between the pair. Coll also is charged with felony corruption of minors. He was arraigned Aug. 20 before District Judge Nicholas E. Englesson, who set bail at 10% of $10,000. In lieu of bail, Coll was sent to Northampton County Prison, where he remained Sunday. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Around 200 people dressed in black marched to the Manitoba Legislative Building Saturday afternoon to commemorate Ashura, a holy day observed by Muslims. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Around 200 people dressed in black marched to the Manitoba Legislative Building Saturday afternoon to commemorate Ashura, a holy day observed by Muslims. Ashura marks the 10th day of the first month in the Islamic calendar, and holds different meanings for different groups Sunni Muslims mark the day as when Moses and the Israelites were saved when God parted the sea. Shia Muslims mark it as a day of mourning for imam Husayn ibn Ali, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in the year 680. The imam is seen as a martyr and a symbol of standing up against oppression, and those at Winnipegs procession sang songs commemorating his life and beating their chests a common cultural practice. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Kaith Mohamed, a volunteer organizer, said the march was organized by different Muslim community leaders and while similar marches take place all over the world, this was the first of its kind in Winnipeg. He said the day is a reminder to all people to fight for their rights regardless of background. "He showed us that is doesnt matter if youre a nobody, or if you have no supporters, what matters is that you stand up, that you uphold peace and you defend your human rights," he said. The march ended with a gathering and speeches at the legislature. Mohamed said he hopes those who were curious about the march come forward and ask questions. "It doesnt matter if youre Muslim, atheist, Jewish, Christian, doesnt matter," he said. "This movement that were doing is for humanity, all of mankind." malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: malakabas_ The stock market crash in March of 2020 was brutal. Shares plummeted by 40% almost across the board, with markets seeing the lowest dive since the Great Recession. But unfortunately, it looks like investors arent out of the woods yet. Another stock market crash could be coming in the next month or so, and it might only be one of the many. Its no wonder then that billionaire investor Warren Buffett has been on the sidelines. Warren Buffett remained tight lipped during the last crash, keeping his cards and his cash to his chest. The main reason? The pandemic. While other downturns are almost considered healthy for economies, a pandemic isnt healthy for anyone or anything. It creates a volatile situation that even Buffett hasnt dealt with. Whats worse is that there could be further crashes as further waves of the pandemic come back. Businesses around the world are finally opening, but with federal spending at an all-time high, and the pandemic far from over, it could mean another stock market crash could come again, and again, and again. So how should Warren Buffett and others prepare? Watch closely I mean this in several ways. First, watch Warren Buffetts favourite indicator of the next crash. When the Wilshire 5000 Index is divided by the annual U.S. gross domestic product, it should create a ratio of 1. That ratio means the market is fairly valued. However, right now that same ratio is at around 1.7. For comparison, 1.3 is considered overvalued, so a 1.7 is massively overvalued by 70%! This is Buffetts top signal of the next crash. That means its time to stop buying, and start selling. Not everything, of course, but those stocks investors arent sure are going to keep up those share prices. After all, with a stock market crash you can always reinvest. It also means start watching, creating a watch list of stocks youd like to have in your portfolio. For those stocks, definitely look for long-term holds. Thats Warren Buffett, and the Fools, top piece of advice. You shouldnt try to play the market. The market is beyond volatile at the moment. Instead, be smart and look for stocks that will see you through this pandemic and beyond. That likely what Buffett is doing now, waiting and watching for the right moment. Story continues Think steady A perfect long-term option for investors that checks all the boxes today is Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP). No matter what the market does, CP Rail will in all likelihood continue to produce strong revenue. Thats because when one area of the market goes down, another comes up. But in the case of the pandemic, thats even more true. Instead of shipping items by air or by trucks, the railway provides a safe option, with a practically unlimited amount of room to ship cargo. While the last earnings report saw a decrease in revenue, that was during panic mode. With businesses opening and the company getting back on track (pardon the pun), the company should see revenue rebound to near pre-crash levels. In fact, it already reached record-level shipping of grain produce. Meanwhile, CP Rail has already reinvested in its infrastructure, something its peers still have to do. That means the spending is done, and shareholders only have increased revenue to look forward to. In fact, shares are already at all-time highs, showing the resiliency of this stock. Should another crash come, investors would do well to snatch up as much as they can. Bottom line When investing during a pandemic and stock market crash, you have to think long term. Thats what Warren Buffett has always recommended, and it couldnt be truer today. CP Rail is the perfect option for those looking for steady long-term growth, with a nice bump after another crash hits. And another. And another. The post Stock Market Crash Preparation: Follow Warren Buffetts Top Advice appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Amy Legate-Wolfe owns shares of CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LIMITED. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 The devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continued in June with global passenger traffic falling by another six percentage points compared to the prior month to 58.5% for the first six months of 2020, said the Airports Council International (ACI) World, the trade association of the worlds airports. Global passenger traffic declined by 85.6% year-over-year in June, marking a slight improvement compared to the fall of 91.3% year-over-year in May and the second consecutive month with a marginal progress. The 12-month rolling average for the global industry continued to move further into negative territories and was recorded at -27.3% by the end of June. Air freight continued to be less impacted by the effect of the pandemic compared to the passenger market. Global air freight volumes saw improvement in June with year-over-year volumes showing a decline of -11.4% in June compared to a decline of -17.9% in May resulting in a -12.3% drop for the first six months of 2020. The global 12-month rolling average continued however it downward trend to reach a -7.3% drop by the end of the June. In the early days of the crisis, there were predictions that June would be the turning point with the recovery of the aviation industry beginning ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. In fact, June results shows only a slow recovery in domestic markets in China and the US while the international passenger segment continued to be practically non-existent, heavily affecting the financial results of the airports and postponing the recovery. While we noted some signs for optimism in June, the industry has remained on the ground for much longer than anticipated. In addition to the recovery taking longer than previously expected, uncertainty persists for the aviation industry. The recovery of air travel is crucial in the wider global economic recovery but, to succeed, it will need passengers to have confidence in the industrys focus on their health and welfare and for governments to pursue harmonized, proportionate, evidence-based health measures. Unilateral national measures, especially a quarantine requirement for instance, is damaging to both the industry and passenger confidence and ACI has urged governments to follow a robust and consistent protocol for testing which should be implemented only when necessary and as an alternative to broad-brush requirements for quarantine. Passenger traffic All regional markets posted improved global passenger traffic in June compared to May but except for Asia-Pacific and North America all other regions posted declines above -90%. The recovery of the domestic traffic in North America and Asia-Pacific helped them to record significantly better global traffic volumes in June with decline of -76.9% and -81.2% respectively compared to -82.5% and -90.3% in May. International passenger traffic continued to be virtually halted for a third consecutive month with all regions recording decline above -95% year-over-year for June. The 12-month rolling average for the international segment was recorded at -29.6% and -64.5% for the first six months of 2020. Besides Asia-Pacific and North America, domestic passenger markets continued to be severely impacted by the pandemic. Africa remains the most effected region with a year-over-year decline of -94.3% in June while Asia-Pacific, North America and now Europe show signs of improvement with decreases of -63.2%, -78.1% and -81.1% respectively. Latin America-Caribbean improved in June compare to May but remains severely impacted with decline of -88.3% of its domestic passenger market. Air freight Globally, air freight volumes were much less impacted by the effect of the pandemic. While passenger traffic was reduced by more than 85%, air freight volumes dropped by slightly more than a tenth year-over-year in June (-11.4%) compared to a drop of -17.9% in May. All regions apart from North America recorded significant losses in June with Latin America-Caribbean posting a drop of -28.6%, Africa at -27.0%, and Middle East at -26.3% while Asia-Pacific and Europe recorded lesser losses with decreases of -16.0% and -15.6% respectively. North America saw its total air freight volume to come back in positive territories with an increase of 3.9% in June compare to June 2019 mostly thanks to its strong domestic market (+11.7%) that compensated for the losses of -6.4% of its International freight market. The international air freight markets losses were eased in June with a decline of -15.2% year-over-year compared to -19.6% in May. Domestic freight volumes also improved and are now at only -2.4% of June 2019 volumes mostly due to the strong performance of North America domestic market which recorded an increase of 11.7% in June compared to last year. TradeArabia News Service Music mogul Cowell suggests reading the brochure before hopping on your e-bike, writes Maurice Gueret, who has found his own foot cure in Arnotts. Fractured spine We used to play a bossy childhood game called Simon Says. Does it still exist? Simon says stop singing. Simon says read the brochure. I'm reading of Simon Cowell's mishap at his hideaway in Malibu, just north of Los Angeles. Within seconds of taking delivery of a new electric bicycle, he was flat out on the patio, with some broken bones in his spine. Thankfully his spinal cord would appear to be intact, and he has issued a warning from the clinic where he had six hours of surgery about the importance of reading the brochure before sitting on the saddle. It would appear that the bicycle took off a lot faster than Simon did. There has been some debate about whether the machine he fell off was an electric bike or an electric motorbike. But these are semantics. It's not only speed that does damage. A few years ago, I wrote here about the rise in e-bike deaths in Holland, especially among older men. Bike deaths had overtaken car deaths there. It was reported that one-quarter of the 200 Dutch bike deaths a year involved e-bikes, and many of the accidents were happening either mounting or dismounting them. These machines can be ferociously heavy and difficult to control for older users. It's one thing for males to be confident, but overconfidence can induce premature use of a walking stick, or even worse. Dental bridge One of the people I was most gratified to see again as summer faded was my dentist. There must have been many thousands of patients left stranded in the middle of treatment by this pesky coronavirus. In fairness, he looked pleased to see me, too. He had trained in America and told me that tending to my dentition over the last decade was akin to working on the San Francisco bridge. This puzzled me at first. I had never considered my gnashers to be any sort of trove of architectural merit. He then explained that working on the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous never-ending occupations in the world. As soon as you think you have finished painting, polishing and filling in the gaps of the ancient rust bucket, it's time to start afresh. Dozens of workmen labour 365 days a year with sandblasters, power washers, metal grinders and paint sprayers. And, boy, do they require a massive amount of equipment to access those hard-to-reach places. It was once said that so much zinc goes into the rust-fighting primer, it could treat a century of common colds. Yes, the Golden Gate and the Gueret Gob are jobs for life. I do like a worldly dentist with good humour and a winning smile. My right foot My summer pain, the plantar fasciitis in my right foot, seems to be nearing a happy end. It's all thanks to the men's shoe section at Arnotts, where they stock a great array of Ecco shoes that hail from Denmark. The company has been making shoes since the year I was born and I took up a recommendation to look for the style with the built-in shock absorber in the heel. I found the Exostride M model, with hard-wearing leather from a yak and the snot-green-hued Shock Thru technology secreted within the heel. The relief was instantaneous, and they are so comfortable that I'm tempted to wear them in bed too. I'm saving up for a second pair in brown to match the black ones that cost me 120. Just as I was being cured, a reader wrote to tell me of the relief he got for this condition from baths of Epsom Salts. Epsom is more famous for the Derby horse race now, but 200 years ago it was a spa town, noted for the magnesium sulphate in its waters. I'll write more about Epsom Salts next week. Dr Maurice Gueret is editor of the 'Irish Medical Directory' drmauricegueret.com Barclays boss Jes Staley is facing fresh calls to resign after he was dragged into efforts to hunt down the wealth of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities in the US Virgin Islands have ordered JP Morgan, Staley's former employer, to hand over the banker's communications with paedophile Epstein. Increasing pressure: Barclays boss Jes Staley is facing fresh calls to resign The renewed scrutiny has prompted activist investor Edward Bramson to renew efforts to remove the banker. In a letter sent to investors in his fund, Sherborne Investors, Bramson said: 'The kindest thing the board could do for him would be to let him go'. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Staley's part. While more than 1 million acres of California has been scorched, one major fire hasnt made headlines. In fact, outside of Kern County most havent heard of the 80,000-acre fire on one of the largest military bases in the world. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake was struck by lightning on Aug. 19, sparking a fast-spreading wildfire an all too familiar story for Californians right now. The fire, among the largest in the state over the last month, was reportedly out within a week. Fire suppression was done without the help of outside state agencies that have been fighting fires across Los Angeles, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Napa and Tulare counties. So, why is no one talking about this fire? It may have to do with an ingrained priority of protecting the mission at China Lake. When you work on base what you see and hear there, stays there, Ridgecrest resident Meris Lueck said. You don't share it in public for security reasons. ... China Lake personnel repeatedly declined to report on how many acres have burned or the containment percentages. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), however, first estimated on Aug. 21 that the North Range Fire had burned 50,000-plus acres and was 0% contained. If you want to make your California city government stronger, dont make your mayor more powerful. Instead, make your city council bigger. This summer, two of our states most thoughtful mayors, Sam Liccardo of San Jose and Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, have been seeking to make themselves strong mayors. The term refers to a system where mayors have executive authority, and can hire and fire department heads, sign budgets or even veto council legislation. Strong mayors are rare in California; only five of our 482 cities have them. More typically, California cities are run by appointed city managers, and a mayor is just one member of a city council. And in the Golden State, our city councils are weak and have few members. Ordinarily, politicians desire for more power isnt news. But the current crises over COVID-19 and policing have created urgency around the debate. Constituents, understandably, are demanding swift action from mayors on the pandemic and policing. But Liccardo, Steinberg and other mayors complain that they cant meet such public demands because they lack the necessary mayoral authority. So Liccardo is pursuing a strong mayor charter reform for San Jose, and Steinberg is backing a strong mayor measure on Sacramentos November ballot. Both men would be wise to drop the idea, at least for now. And not just because the strong mayor idea has caused political conflict at a time when their cities, and the whole state, desperately need unity. The larger problem is that creating a single powerful leader wont make California cities any stronger. Our cities lack of power is a function of our states constitution, which centralizes power in the state government and severely limits the most important local power the power to raise taxes. Thats why even our states handful of strong mayors like L.A.s Eric Garcetti frequently bemoan their lack of power, often while begging for state help. If Liccardo and Steinberg do succeed in becoming strong mayors, theyll be little more than small cypress trees in a vast municipal desert. Voters imposed this weak local system through Prop. 13 and many related measures because they dont trust their local officials. Which means that the only way for city governments to change this system and become stronger is to build trust with voters. You dont build trust by trying to turn mayors into tin pot Trumps. You build trust by making local governments more responsive and representative. But how can a local government be responsive and representative if there are barely any representatives in local government? It cant. Which is why the first step is for our city councils to have many more representatives. California is a huge state with very small local elected bodies. In no other state are local elected officials so few, and thus so far, from the people. Our most populous cities, in particular, have tiny councils. San Jose, with more than 1 million people, has just 11 council members. Sacramento has nine for more than 500,000, and San Diego is even worse, with nine for its 1.4 million-plus residents. No place is less representative than L.A., with just 15 council members for more than 4 million people. Such minimal representation means not just that our representatives are further from us, and harder to talk to. It also means there are simply too few elected positions to reflect the kaleidoscopic diversity of California and its communities. With so few local representatives, there are fewer of the ideas that our city governments so desperately need. If you look to some of the globes greatest cities, you are likely to see large and energetic city councils. The city council of Madrid, Spain, has 57 members, and might be the worlds most innovative, having created an online Decide Madrid platform for citizen ideas that has been copied by more than 100 cities around the planet. Vienna, a pioneer in using local democracy to foster housing and development, has 100 representatives in its local parliament. Paris, perhaps the worlds most beautiful city, has 163. Tokyo, among the most energetic and creative urban places on Earth, has 127 councilpeople. Seoul, a leader in citizen engagement and participation, has 110. Some creative cities guarantee more representation by dividing themselves up into boroughs; Mexico City, for example, has 16 separate municipalities. If California cities wanted to follow suit right now, theyd have to find many more candidates for office. If L.A. had a city council where each member represented 25,000 people a good number to make our politicians truly representative of their neighborhoods the body would have 160 members, the same as in Berlin, Germany. By the same formula, San Jose would have 41 councilmembers and Sacramento 21. But it wouldnt be as hard to identify new local politicians as one might think, especially now. The thousands of people marching on our streets are the sort of civic-minded folks we need more of in local office. Mayors Liccardo and Steinberg also might find candidates for expanded city councils in San Jose and Sacramento among the many activists and inside the many nonprofits and labor unions opposing their strong mayor plans. Tellingly, the debates over strong mayor in those two cities surfaced complaints about a lack of representation. In Sacramento, Steinberg modified his original plan in response to community and political opposition. He also paired his November strong mayor measure with provisions that are supposed to ensure more equity and representation in the development of city policy. In San Jose, Liccardo backed off plans for a strong mayor ballot measure this November in response to objections from neighborhood groups, ethnic organizations and Latino members of the city council. Liccardo instead announced he would pursue an inclusive charter revision process, with a vote on a broad package of reforms in 2022. In recent weeks, several organizations have urged that we slow the process of charter reforms designed to lead to a more effective, accountable, and representative government, Liccardo wrote in a memo announcing the delay. He added: At the end of the day, our city belongs to its residents. It does. Which is why more residents should be in office. With more of our neighbors campaigning for council, Californians would be more likely to pay attention to, and vote in, our local elections. California mayors might also find that, with more colleagues and a more engaged citizenry behind them, they have more power. Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square. Schools will be told to operate on a rota if local lockdowns make it impossible to operate as normal, the Education Secretary has announced. Schools will be told to operate on a rota if local lockdowns make it impossible to operate as normal, the Education Secretary has announced. Gavin Williamson said pupils will switch between classroom and home learning to break chains of transmission of the virus under of a four-tier system introduced just days before pupils in England return full time. The Government had previously played down the idea of rotas, insisting that Covid security measures being put in place in schools would allow them to stay open. But late on Friday night Mr Williamson published new guidance that will instruct schools to use rotas - such as two weeks at school, two weeks at home - as a halfway house between teaching all pupils and teaching only the children of key workers. It came as Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, admitted grandparents would be unable to hug their grandchildren this Christmas unless a vaccine was in place by then. Mr Hancock also said another national lockdown was possible under a worst-case scenario. Mr Williamson said he hoped the Government would 'not need to to implement the guidance' - PA Tier system for schools The Department for Educations guidance, published without fanfare as the country begins a bank holiday weekend, puts schools into four tiers where local lockdown restrictions are in place. Tier 1 schools will be fully open to all pupils, but with the mandatory use of face coverings in corridors and communal areas for pupils in Year 7 and above. Then, if all other measures have been exhausted, schools would move to Tier 2, where secondary schools would teach children on a rota basis and primary schools would remain open to all pupils. The guidelines state that schools should utilise time over the weekend effectively in order to prepare for a different rota group at the start of the week. Tiers 3 and 4 cover schools returning to a system of teaching only the children of key workers, while remaining pupils are taught remotely. Mr Williamson said: We hope that we wont have to implement the guidance set out today because the local lockdown measures we have introduced so far are working. Changes to school attendance will only ever be an absolute last resort." Story continues However, it is important that both government and schools prepare for a worst-case scenario, so this framework represents the sensible contingency planning any responsible government would put in place. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Lecturers, said: "Weve been calling for more contingency planning from the government in the event of local lockdowns, so we are pleased that it has finally published some guidance to this effect. But to wait until the Friday night before most schools return isnt the governments finest moment. Obviously, schools havent had any chance whatsoever to incorporate this into their planning and will now have to revisit the plans they have put in place." "In any event, it is a step in the right direction. Obviously, everybody will be hoping that these back-up plans aren't needed and that schools are able to remain fully open. Schools are also being sent packs of 10 home testing coronavirus kits for use in exceptional circumstances where a child or teacher with symptoms might have barriers to accessing a test elsewhere. Meanwhile, Mr Hancock said England could face nationwide restrictions and extensive local lockdowns if a second wave comes this winter. He said that under a reasonable worst-case scenario the NHS could be faced with a surge in coronavirus and a bad seasonal flu outbreak this winter. In an interview with The Times he said a second wave was avoidable but its not easy. He also said social distancing measures would remain for the foreseeable future meaning that, unless a vaccine is approved grandparents would not be able to hug their grandchildren this Christmas. He said: I yearn to be able to remove the restrictions on social contact but those restrictions are absolutely necessary at the moment. Well be keeping them in place for the foreseeable. He said that under the central scenario the vaccine was likely to be available some time next year, although he hoped it would be sooner. One of the leading players in Granard towns resurgence is The Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre. Situated beside Irelands highest Norman Motte and Bailey the Heritage Centre is an Interactive Experience where one can expect to be immersed into our rich History & Heritage. A hidden gem in Irelands Hidden Heartlands - Knights and Conquests are hitting 5 Star Reviews daily on TripAdvisor, Google and Social Media Platforms. Open 7 days a week, the centre operates a Staggered Online Booking System allowing a unit of six people to reserve a one hour slot. Rest assured all Health & Safety measures are in place as the centre was one of the first in Ireland to successfully complete training and receive The Failte Ireland Covid-19 Safety Charter. A great family day out is guaranteed. Step back in Time, Get to Grips with Norman Weaponry & find out if you too are of Norman stock! Come up to speed with our more recent past and that of Michael Collins visits to Granard, his story and of that of his fiancee, local lady Miss Kitty Kiernan. Pack a Picnic and enjoy lunch on the new picnic tables on site before venturing to the summit of the Motte to soak in views across seven counties and five lakes. Its very exciting times at Knights and Conquests as the Granard Motte Community Enterprise team progress with plans to develop the 15 acre Norman Living Village which will prove to be a real game changer for Granard and its surrounding hinterland. The project is driven by a dedicated local volunteer committee chaired by parish priest Father Simon Cadam and their annual 500 draw is underway. Bartle DArcy, General Manager of Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre, said We look forward to welcoming you to this interactive immersive experience and we are working hard on the planned 15 acre Norman History Village at the same time. The Norman People are fighting back! Book Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre online www.knightsandconquests.ie or call 086 7006715 U.S. Bishop Chairmen Lament Additional Federal Executions WASHINGTON -Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued the following statement in light of additional Here's a glimpse at a local conservative Catholic leader branching out across partisan lines and standing against the power of the state over life and death.Read more: Business at the Flying Colors comic shop in Concord had returned to something that resembled normal. The 32-year-old business weathered months of closure and curbside pickup, only to finally reopen with a limited capacity of ten customers at a time and a lot of disinfectant. Some regulars still stayed at home, but the diehard comic fans upped their purchases out of support (and maybe boredom). This week marked the release of Batman: Three Jokers #1, one of the years biggest releases. Hundreds of copies arrived at the store, ready for eagerly awaiting fans. Then owner "Flying Joe" Field came down with a fever and tested positive for coronavirus. "This thing just kind of blindsided me," he says. As he felt the onset of cold-like symptoms, he immediately stopped going to the shop and took a COVID-19 test. It came back positive. "This is my experience with COVID so far, just from the last five or six days. I wake up with a fever, and the fever is 100 to 101. And then the fever breaks, and it comes back, and it breaks, and it comes back. And its like this wave all day, coming and going." RELATED: This new Mission comic book shop is gunning for the title of world's smallest Now in addition to dealing with waves of fever, Field has to deal with Flying Colors rolling back to its early pandemic model that resulted in an 80-90% loss in sales. His staff members, who he has managed to keep on payroll, await their test results, as do his children and wife (who is his partner in the business). Thankfully, so far he hasnt had to furlough any employees, and it doesnt sound like he intends to now. "I felt it was my responsibility to keep my people working as long as they wanted to work. They were amenable to that. I hired them for a reason, and that wasnt to lay them off when things got difficult. My wife and I just sort of took the hit on that," he says. Its another crushing setback among many for Flying Colors. Every type of retail business faces unique challenges right now, and the comic industry is no different. Production has bottlenecked due to social distancing at factories, meaning limited supply and fewer releases. Shipping prices have risen 30%, a daunting number when considering the 10-15% profit which Field considers sustainable. Although the shop did offer online ordering for pickup, shipping to customers isnt part of his business model, nor does he intend it to be. "My goal has always been to have a community-based comic book store that serves the community and serves the locals first," he says. "I dont care about selling stuff to other states and anywhere else. I want to take care of the people who take care of me." The shop has also suffered from a lack of events, including Free Comic Book Day. Flying Colorss total sales for the month of May matched what they would have sold on that day alone. In addition to the loss of revenue, Free Comic Book Days cancelation stung particularly hard for Field on a personal level. He founded the event in 2002, and it has now become an international phenomenon, celebrated by over 2,000 shops in 60 countries with nearly 1.5 million fans coming out to buy special edition comics sold at reduced prices. Film studios have even taken note, scheduling blockbuster releases like "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron" around the event. It also served as direct inspiration for Record Store Day, which has been influential in the resurgence of vinyl as a medium. RELATED: 'A devastating loss': SF record shops lament closures on what should have been Record Store Day Right now for Flying Colors, and really any cultural retail business, the only way to ensure survival is frankly the same way as it was pre-pandemic: buying things. Field appreciates how the "FlyCo Faithful" have supported the store so far, but wants to remind anyone who has a favorite local business that the superpower of consumer spending can be used for good, or what he sees as evil. "I would strongly advocate for anyone who cares about whatever local small business to give them whatever sort of support you can right now," says Field. "There are lots of businesses all over that have been severely impacted by this pandemic, and they really do need your support. I would hate this world to be dominated by Darth Bezos, and it looks like thats happening because of the way things are." Dan Gentile is a culture editor at SFGATE. Email: Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com | Twitter: @Dannosphere Madhya Pradesh floods: 8 killed, CM Chouhan briefs Modi about situation in State India oi-Madhuri Adnal Bhopal, Aug 30: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the flood situation in the state. He also said that so far no loss of life has been reported from anywhere across the state as heavy rains continue to hit various cities. Chouhan on Saturday also conducted an aerial survey of villages hit by floods in the state. "I explained the entire situation to PM Modi today morning. We are being given his support. I am happy that we continued the rescue operations overnight. The five people of Sehore district stranded in Narela village were rescued at 2:30 am," CM Chouhan said. Meet Vida and Sophie, Army dogs: PM Modi hails Army dogs, says Indian breeds are very good At least eight people were killed and more than 9,000 have been moved to relief camps as hundreds of villages across 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh were affected by floods following incessant rains since Thursday. The state government had to seek the Indian Army's help in the rescue operation. Flood-hit districts of the state include Hoshangabad, Raisen, Sehore, Bhopal, Vidisha, Chhindwara, Balaghat, Seoni, Katni, Sagar, Shivpuri and Ujjain, as per official information. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 15:10 [IST] The goal is to make more moderate voters feel comfortable being associated with a party they think has lurched far to the right President Donald Trump and his party are entering the nine-week stretch until Election Day with their success riding on a hope that enough voters come to the following conclusion: Youre not as bad as we thought. As part of this strategy, Republicans and the Trump campaign are attempting to focus voters minds away from the pandemic and economic crisis and on a narrower set of cultural issues. For example, the nation is in dire straits, they say, not because of COVID-19 deaths or double-digit unemployment or racial discord, but because of liberals who want to cancel conservatives, criminals who are rampaging from the cities into white suburbs and a Democratic presidential ticket that is a Trojan horse for Fidel Castro-style authoritarianism. These topics often consume conservative media, are already appearing in ads from the Trump campaign and his allies and were mentioned repeatedly over the four nights of the Republican National Convention. To complement the drumbeat of panic about the radical left, convention speakers stressed their personal experiences with the president and shared affirmations about his character a man of deep compassion and endless kindness with an exceptional work ethic, they said. And they attempted to refute the idea that he dislikes Black people, women and immigrants, calling those divisive characterizations by the left and distortions of a media fog machine. Ben Carson, the only Black member of Trumps Cabinet, said people who called the president racist could not be more wrong. Strategists in both parties say this attempt to reframe the countrys understanding of who the president is could backfire, coming off as dismissive of the acute racial awareness that has been leading people of all political beliefs and races to re-examine their attitudes about discrimination. But they also said it just might work. It is a fascinating tightrope theyre walking on because on the one hand Trump is saying some of the most racist, bombastic stuff ever to come out of the mouth of a nominee of a major political party, said Cornell Belcher, a Democratic pollster who worked for Barack Obamas two presidential campaigns, when racial attitudes were never far from the surface. At the same time, they are professing and having others validate that he is not a racist. The contradiction is mind boggling. Belcher added, It is diabolical, but its also brilliant. Inside Republican campaigns across the country, operatives are intent on reaching a relatively small slice of the electorate: Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who have either not voted or voted for Democrats since Trump took office because they dislike his style and leadership. The goal between now and the election is to make these more moderate voters feel comfortable again being associated with a party they think has lurched far to the right, unapologetically condoning and courting racists, bigots and other extremists. Kristen Soltis Anderson, a Republican pollster, called these wobbly Republicans and said they are often deeply conflicted about voting in November. The goal of Republicans this fall, she said, is to remind them why theyre Republicans. The idea is to aggressively push back against the caricature of Republicans, which is something that a wobbly Republican doesnt want to be, she said. If youre a Trump Republican, you reject that characterization. But if youre a wobbly Republican, you probably internalise that. Convincing voters to accept this less blemished version of the president, which strategists say is probably Trumps best hope of winning enough of the roughly 5 to 7 percent of the country that is still undecided, is problematic in that it essentially requires people to imagine that he has not been in charge all along. To forget that the immigrants he joined in a naturalisation ceremony in front of the cameras werent people from the kinds of countries he profanely denigrated. To excuse him from responsibility for inflaming the tensions in cities that now resemble scenes of the very American carnage he vowed to end on Inauguration Day. Polls show that the percentage of Americans who think the country is on the wrong track which experts look to as a reliable predictor of how the incumbent president will perform is near or exceeding 70 percent. To bring wobbly Republicans back on board not just with the party but with the man currently leading it they need to change minds about the best-known person in the country. That is difficult though not unprecedented. Richard Nixon prevailed in the 1968 election after two humiliating losses that even he believed had crushed his hopes of becoming president first to John F Kennedy in 1960 and two years later in the California governors race (the California loss was what prompted Nixons most famous utterance of self-pity, You wont have Nixon to kick around anymore, at what he said was his final news conference). But even Nixon had nothing like the level of mass media exposure that Trump has had, or anything like his insatiable desire to be in the spotlight. And over the five years since he first started running for president, his ubiquity has left few Americans without a firm opinion about him. His job approval ratings have been extraordinarily steady and more aligned with partisan affiliation than any president in the history of modern polling, according to the Pew Research Center. He is who he is, said Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard who ran in the Republican presidential primary in 2016 against Trump. The idea that a glossy messaging operation could act as a facade over Trumps flaws, she said, is far-fetched. I think what we know now is that Donald Trump cannot rise to the occasion; he cannot grow into the job, Fiorina added. He is someone who stokes controversy and conflict and outrage. Its who he was in his reality TV days and who he is as president of the United States. Most Americans, she said, are focused on issues that the president and his campaign hope voters will overlook: When are we going to get this virus under control? When are we going to get my kids back to school? When is my favorite restaurant down the street going to reopen? And some of those Americans voted for Trump. On the issues where Republicans are trying to shift the most negative perceptions of the president, the displays and affirmations at the convention do not match public opinion, polls show. In July, Fox News asked registered voters about whether the believed that Trump and his opponent, former vice-president Joe Biden, had traits like compassion, judgment and mental soundness. On the question of compassion, only 36 perecnt responded that Trump did. Fifty-six percent said yes about Biden. While pro-Trump speakers like Rudy Giuliani disparaged the Black Lives Matter movement and the demonstrators who marched in its name, polling from June and July showed that majorities of Americans have been supportive of the marchers and disapprove of the way the president has handled them. The percentage of people who believe racism and discrimination is a problem, including whites, soared north of 70 percent as protests grew. How the recent unrest and eruption of violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, will affect these attitudes is unclear. And 75 percent of Black Americans strongly disagree with Trumps claims that he has done much more to improve their lives than any other president since Abraham Lincoln, according to one recent survey. The majority of the American public also continues to rate Trumps response to the pandemic poorly. And polls show that even Republicans overwhelmingly consider themselves in favor of wearing masks, despite the Trump administrations inconsistent and often dismissive approach to encouraging them. Polling does show a growing percentage of Americans of every political persuasion say they have been afraid to express their political opinion. But priorities matter. And the issues that Americans continue to say they are concerned about more than any other, aside from the economy, are the coronavirus, leadership and race relations, according to Gallup. David Winston, a Republican pollster, said that any politician who is not making the coronavirus recovery their focus is misguided. Given that thats what everyone in the country is dealing with, if youre not talking about that, what exactly are you talking about? he asked. Strategists in both parties said Trump and the Republicans do not want to be in a situation where they are seen as preaching to the choir to the exclusion of gettable swing voters like those wayward Republicans. But the base-first strategy that Trump is most comfortable with which his party has dutifully followed in races down the ballot has not served him well. In 2018, Republicans in congressional races focused on a set of issues they assumed would drive up turnout in a party so thoroughly consumed by Trumps issues and persona. From Ohio to California, they ran ads warning about criminal gangs and drugs invading the suburbs. Following the presidents lead, they pointed to a threatening caravan of immigrants across the southern border. Some invoked the image of Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem in their ads. Its not clear that at any point since the 2016 election that strategy has worked, other than in some deep red states in Senate races, said Nick Gourevitch, the head of research for the Global Strategy Group, a Democratic firm. Hes trying to re-create the exact circumstances of his 2016 victory. But the migrant caravan, all this stuff, theyve tried it and it hasnt worked. Jeremy W Peters c.2020 The New York Times Company Raipur: BJP registered victory in the Bhilai-Charoda municipal corporation and Sarangarh municipal council polls on Friday putting to rest speculation that demonetisation would impact party's prospects in the recently held civic elections in Chhattisgarh. "BJP's nominee Chandrakanta Mandle won the mayor's seat in Bhilai-Charoda, defeating Congress candidate Jyoti Banjare by a margin of 4922 votes," a state election official told PTI. Mandle received 27,184 votes followed by Banjare in the second position of the tally with 22,262 votes, he added. Likewise, BJP's Amit Agrawal defeated Congress' Suraj Tiwari for the post of president of Sarangarh Municipal Council by 1096 votes. Agrawal secured 6221 votes, while Tiwari got 5125 votes. The voting for the local body election was held on December 27, counting for which was held today. BJP put up a good show in Bhilai-Charoda winning 16 out of 40 wards (for corporators) while the main Opposition Congress managed to get 13 and remaining 11 went to independent candidates. Besides, BJP also won byelection held in four wards for corporators and Independent candidates emerged victorious in 2 wards (by-poll). "The victory clearly indicates that it is peoples' stamp of approval for demonetisation decision of Prime Minister. It is also a signal that people of the state will bring BJP to power for the fourth consecutive time in the next 2018 assembly election," state BJP chief Dharamlal Kaushik told reporters. The victory that came on the 50th day of demonetisation brought cheer to chief minister Raman Singh led BJP?who had suffered a setback in the urban body election for 10 municipal corporations held in 2014-15. Congress had won four out of 10 corporations then while the ruling BJP was reduced to four, two less from previous time in that election. Besides,?rest of the two seats were won by Independent candidates. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. George Floyd's death sparked an enormous mobilization nationwide, as protesters took to the streets to denounce systemic racism and police brutality Prosecutors are seeking stiffer-than-usual sentences for four former US police officers charged over the killing of George Floyd, arguing that they showed "particular cruelty" to the handcuffed African American. The 46-year-old resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota died in May after being pinned to the pavement under the knee of white officer Derek Chauvin as Floyd gasped that he could not breathe. The case is proceeding amid renewed fury over police violence against African Americans, galvanized by the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin this week. Court papers filed Friday in the Floyd case indicate that the Minnesota attorney general's office will argue there were a number of aggravating factors. These include evidence that Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as bystanders, including multiple children, pleaded for his life and then watched him die. "George Floyd, the victim, was particularly vulnerable because officers had already handcuffed him behind his back and then placed him chest down on the pavement, and Mr. Floyd clearly and repeatedly told the officers he could not breathe," the court documents state. Chauvin inflicted "particular cruelty," as well as "gratuitous pain" as he abused his position of authority, prosecutors allege. "Despite Mr. Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe and was going to die, as well as the pleas of eyewitnesses to get off Mr. Floyd and help him, (the) defendant and his co-defendants continued to restrain Mr. Floyd," the papers say. Three or more suspects "actively participated" in the killing, prosecutors noted, saying this would justify longer sentences. - Groundswell of outrage - The charges against Chauvin include unintentional second-degree murder, while three ex-colleagues -- J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. The shockingly public nature of Floyd's death -- which bystanders filmed and then posted on social media -- sparked an enormous mobilization nationwide, as protesters took to the streets to denounce racism and police brutality. Story continues The groundswell of outrage reached beyond American borders, prompting huge demonstrations around the world against the mistreatment of ethnic minorities and the rewriting of colonial history. The face of Floyd, a father-of-three whose last job was as a security guard, has become a symbol brandished in anti-racist marches everywhere. He was remembered at a massive demonstration in Washington on Friday that highlighted the case of 29-year-old Blake, who was gravely wounded when a policeman fired multiple shots at him as he tried to get into his car on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Conviction in Minnesota for second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder usually carries sentences of up to 12 and a half years. The court documents did not say how much extra time prosecutors will request if the men are convicted, but the maximum for second-degree murder is 40 years in prison. A defense attorney for ex-officer Kueng sought a dismissal Thursday, attributing the death to health problems and fentanyl in Floyd's system. Attorney Thomas Plunkett will file evidence that Floyd swallowed drugs during a May 6, 2019, arrest for selling drugs and was convicted of a 2007 armed drug robbery in Texas. str-ft/dw Queenslands top doctor has urged people to consider wearing masks if they can, as a cluster of virus cases grows and new restrictions are put in place to contain it. Four new COVID-19 cases were added to the list on Sunday, all of them linked to the current corrective services outbreak in south-east Queensland. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young on Sunday. Credit:Stuart Layt Three of the cases lived in the same Forest Lake house as two other already-diagnosed cases. One of the three new cases was a child who attended Fig Tree Pocket childcare centre, with health authorities contacting parents of other children who attend to warn them to get tested. The fourth case was a senior student at Staines Memorial College in Redbank Plains, which announced it would close for two weeks for cleaning and to allow staff to be tested for the virus. BJP leader Ram Kadam on Sunday lashed out at the Maharashtra government for the delay in providing police protection to actor Kangana Ranaut after she openly tweeted that she is ready to expose the Bollywood-drug mafia nexus. BJP leader Ram Kadam has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and slammed the government for not providing security to actor Kangana Ranaut.It has been more than 100 hours (4 days) since actress Kangana Ranaut openly tweeted that she is ready to expose the Bollywood-drug mafia nexus but she needs protection. Unfortunately, the Maharashtra government hasnt provided her any protection till now, Kadams letter dated August 29 reads. Bollywood and politicians are considered to be role models so it is extremely important to initiate a crackdown on the drug link with Bollywood. My question is why hasnt the Maharashtra Government provided security to Kangana. Is the Government scared of her revelations which will hurt the mighty? If there are any political links that also need to be exposed, the letter added. Maharashtra Government immediately provided security to Rhea Chakraborty, prime accused in Sushant Singh Rajput case then why so much delay with Kangana? the BJP leader asked in his letter. This nexus of Bollywood and drugs mafia needs to be eradicated, he said. On August 19, the Supreme Court had asked the CBI to investigate the case related to the actors death, while holding that the FIR registered in Patna was legitimate. The agency has registered an FIR against Chakraborty and others in connection with the actors death after the Centre accepted Bihar governments recommendation to transfer the probe in the matter from Patna. ALSO READ : Genelia DSouza tests negative for Covid-19, says contracted virus three weeks ago The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had on August 28 asked for details from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials that may have surfaced during their investigation in the case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.The NCB had earlier this week registered a case against actor Rhea Chakraborty and others in connection with Rajputs death case under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, including Section 27, which specifies punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance and Section 29, which provides for punishment in case of abetment and criminal conspiracy. Rajput was found dead at his residence on June 14. ALSO READ: Superstar Rajinikanth is not just about style, hes a fabulous actor: Director Suresh Krissna Israel is in secret talks with several Arab states on establishing ties, in addition to its US-backed deal struck with the UAE, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday. "There are many more unpublicised meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders to normalise relations with the state of Israel," he said on the eve of Israel's first commercial flight to the United Arab Emirates. The historic flight follows the August 13 announcement of a US-brokered agreement to normalise relations between the two countries, making the UAE the first Gulf country and only the third Arab state to establish relations with Israel after Egypt and Jordan. The Monday morning flight will carry a US-Israeli delegation led on the American side by White House advisor Jared Kushner, who stood next to Netanyahu during the Israeli premier's remarks. Search Keywords: Short link: Most office workers dream of weeks in which they can choose to come into an office as and when they please. Credit:Shutterstock The third option, the so-called "flex" approach, is the one many of the world's white-collar workers dream of as the pandemic subsides. The instant experiment in working from home that accompanied nationwide lockdowns has brought benefits in terms of less commuting, more flexibility and often improved productivity. By January, employees could choose whether they wished to come into the office on most days, continue to work from home or decide on a middle ground such as coming into the office two days a week or fewer. Earlier this month, staff at HubSpot were told they had a choice to make as the Boston-based software company planned to reopen its offices. Most office workers now dream of weeks in which they can choose to come into an office as and when they please. A recent study from strategy firms Iometrics and Global Workplace Analytics found that two days a week was the most popular choice when staff were surveyed on how often they would like to work from home. Almost a quarter 23 per cent said they would like to come into an office three out of five days, compared to 16 per cent who chose five days, and 7 per cent who said they would prefer to never come in. However, there is a catch. For HubSpot employees who come into work two days or fewer, they will not find themselves at their regular desk. Instead, they will be allocated a "hotel desk" one that, on other days of the week, is occupied by other "flexers". Those who come in three days or more will have a permanent desk. When the pandemic struck, a silver lining was that more acute concerns about hygiene and personal space would halt the rise of hot-desking, a long-lamented space-saving technique in which workers are left to find and set up a desk instead of having a fixed station. But instead, as employers grapple with the prospect of a scattered workforce, the idea is regaining traction. Just don't call it hot-desking. HOLLAND, MI A 20-year-old man was shot and killed in an Ottawa County mobile home park Sunday morning, according to the sheriffs office. The man was a resident of the park, Capt. Mark Bennett said in an email to media. Deputies responded to the shooting at about 7:15 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 30 in the 500 block of Butternut Drive in Holland Township, Bennett said. No suspects are in custody at this time, the captain said. Detectives remain on scene and are investigating. Also on MLive: Man calls police after shooting man in chest in Grand Rapids park Vehicles chase, shoot at one another on Grand Rapids southeast side Suspect in double shooting is killed while exchanging gunfire with police By Express News Service BHOPAL: Torrential rains in many parts of Madhya Pradesh have claimed as many as 14 lives, displacing the population of over 450 villages in the state and also triggered the collapse of two high capacity road bridges. Both the bridges which collapsed were built over the Wainganga river in Seoni district in the Mahakoshal region of the central Indian state. While one bridge built around a decade back connected Chhapara and Bhimgarh, the other bridge whose construction was completed just two months back connected Sonwara and Dhanora. Each of the two bridges were constructed at a cost of more than Rs 3 crore. The second bridge was built under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Its construction had begun in September 2018 and completed only two months back. Though the bridge was yet to be officially inaugurated, it was already in use. The bridge was 150-metre-long and 9.28 metre high. Its construction was completed in June 2020. Heavy rains over the last few days caused flooding in the Wainganga river and its tributary. Heavy rains and flooding of the river caused the Bhimgarh Dam to be filled to full capacity. "Owing to the dam getting filled up to its full capacity, excess water had to be released from the Dam on August 27-28 night, which caused the bridge completed two months back to collapse, Executive Engineer (PMGSY) in Seoni district JP Mehra said. The Seoni district police superintendent Kumar Prateek confirmed the collapse of the two bridges and as well as deaths of two people due to flood and rain related mishaps in the district. The Seoni District Administration, meanwhile, has ordered a probe into the accident. The other bridge which was built over the same Wainganga river around 10 years back by the PWD department is located just three kilometers from the Bhimgarh Dam, from which around 2.20 lakh cusecs of water was released over the last two days. Meanwhile, heavy rains for the last three-four days have triggered flooding of major rivers in Central MP and Mahakoshal region, including the Narmada, Pench and Wainganga, affecting thousands of people in at least 12 districts. The worst hit districts include Hoshanganad, Bhopal, Chhindwara, Sehore, Raisen, Narsinghpur, Seoni, Balaghat, Harda, Vidisha and Dewas. Earlier today, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of the affected districts and also reviewed the rescue works being carried out by the local administration and police, NDRF and SDRF teams as well as four Indian Army columns and three Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers. Around 11,000 people have been rescued so far by the NDRF, SDRF, Army teams as well as the IAF choppers. As many as 120 out of 251 reservoirs in the state are full, requiring dam gates to be opened to let out excess water. Overall, the state has received 815.2mm of rainfall till Saturday morning against the expected rain of 743 mm. When West Seneca announced its decision to open fully remote this fall, officials there cited staffing concerns as one of the factors driving the decision. And Williamsville Superintendent Scott Martzloff has said repeatedly that schools there are ready to reopen unless there are not enough teachers on opening day. Thats one thing that could end up changing our plan at the last minute if we have too many staff members not coming back to work. That could make it very difficult, he told reporters last week. If that happens, we might need to consider online instruction for everyone. Those concerns are not limited to Williamsville. With the exception of Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda, West Seneca, Buffalo and Maryvale, school districts in Erie and Niagara counties are planning to reopen with a hybrid model. But some of them say they are not entirely ruling out the possibility that they might have to open fully remote, largely because of teachers personal child care needs. The teenage musings of The Bachelor's Locky Gilbert that Australia was 'full' and immigrants should 'f*** off' might have shocked some of his fans who don't remember the times. The anti-refugee sentiments Gilbert expressed in a social media post were widely held in 2004, as was the idea there was no room for newcomers in one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. His post came just a year before racial tensions erupted in the violent confrontations between young white and Middle Eastern-descended combatants that became known as the Cronulla riots. Gilbert felt he needed to apologise after a MySpace image he posted as a 16-year-old Perth high school student was published by Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. The teenage musings of The Bachelor's Locky Gilbert (pictured) that Australia was 'full' and immigrants should 'f*** off' may have shocked some of his fans but he was not alone in those views at the time Gilbert's MySpace meme also included the Southern Cross and the words 'Aussie Pride', both of which have come to be associated with right-wing nationalism since the Cronulla riots Gilbert's post came just a year before racial tensions erupted in the violent confrontations between young white and Middle Eastern combatants that became known as the Cronulla riots (pictured) The image showed a map of Australia with the words 'F*** off we're full' but Gilbert did not come up with the imagery or the slogan. 'F**k off we're full' on a map of Australia could be seen on T-shirts and stickers across the country in 2004 and is still around now. The MySpace meme also included the Southern Cross and the words 'Aussie Pride', both of which have come to be associated with right-wing nationalism since the Cronulla riots. 'I am deeply sorry for the image I posted on MySpace over 14 years ago,' 31-year-old Gilbert said. 'I do not hold these views and I apologise for the offence I have caused.' Gilbert may not hold those views now but as an impressionable teenager in 2004 he could be forgiven for thinking that opinion was then common, if not normal. Gilbert may not hold the same views about immigration now but as an impressionable teenager in 2004 he could be forgiven for thinking that opinion was then common, if not normal. Stock image In 2001 the federal government implemented its 'Pacific Solution' to unauthorised boat arrivals by intercepting and transporting asylum seekers to off-shore detention centres rather than allowing them to land in Australia. Stock image Wild flag-waving had become patriotic, Southern Cross tattoos proudly adorned young arms and legs and crowds for Anzac Day and Australia Day were swelling. In 2004, statues of Captain Cook in public parks were more in danger of being defaced by pigeons than vandals protesting against British imperialism. The World Trade Centre attack of 2001 and Bali bombings the following year - both perpetrated by Muslim extremists - had stirred up anti-Islamic feeling that still festers today. In Sydney, the Skaf gang of Lebanese-Australians pack rapists were jailed for a total of 240 years in 2002, causing more animosity towards that community. Reports of those atrocities included claims one young victim had been told by the gang ,'You deserve it because you're an Australian' and 'I'm going to fuck you Leb-style'. The image showed a map of Australia with the words 'F*** off we're full' but Gilbert did not come up with the imagery or the slogan Such was the climate when Gilbert decided to share with his teenage friends his views on immigration. On Friday morning radio host Kyle Sandilands defended Gilbert on his KIIS FM breakfast show. 'The kid was 16,' Sandilands told his audience. 'I blame the government at the time. 'This was when the government was turning boats back around with 200 poor Indonesians coming to Australia for a better life. 'That's what the government said: "No to the boats". He was a 16-year-old kid echoing what the government would be thinking.' 'It's not like he would have been a racist teenager kid. It's just what it was like back then.' Immigration actually grew each year during John Howard's prime ministership from 1996 to 2007 to a peak of 158,630, while he talked tough about stopping illegal arrivals. In his election campaign launch speech in October 2001, Howard described Australians as 'an open-hearted people' who took on more refugees on a per capita basis than any nation other than Canada. New South Wales Police had been recording incidents attributed to racial tensions around Cronulla, where there was a history of conflict between locals and visitors from the western suburbs, since October 2005. A riot erupted on December 11 (pictured) In 2004 flag-waving was seen as patriotic, Southern Cross tattoos proudly adorned young arms and legs and crowds for Anzac Day (pictured) and Australia Day were swelling 'We have a proud record of welcoming people from 140 different nations,' Howard said, before uttering the only line most people remember: 'But we will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come.' In 2001 the federal government implemented its 'Pacific Solution' to unauthorised boat arrivals by intercepting and transporting asylum seekers to off-shore detention centres rather than allowing them to land in Australia. Asylum seekers arriving by boat fell from 5,516 on 43 vessels in 2001 to just one the following year. Just 53 asylum seekers reached Australia in 2003 and 15 in 2004. While conservative older politicians were linking immigration, terrorism and crime to unwanted foreigners in 2004, it was young people who were waving and wearing Australian flags at the Big Day Out. All these anti-immigration feelings and raw patriotism erupted one Sunday on Sydney's southern beaches in what became known as the Cronulla race riots. Police commissioner Ken Moroney said the riots were 'absolutely totally un-Australian', which may not have technically been right. Stock image New South Wales Police had been recording incidents attributed to racial tensions around Cronulla, where there was a history of conflict between locals and visitors from the western suburbs, since October 2005. On December 4 there was a physical altercation between a group of eight Middle Eastern youths and three off-duty Anglo-Australian lifesavers on North Cronulla beach in which two of the lifesavers were assaulted. A call to arms resulted in more than 270,000 text messages being sent to incite another confrontation at North Cronulla a week after the first. Media reporting of the first incident featured claims that 'groups of young Lebanese men' had previously harassed local women, calling them 'Aussie sl*ts'. Radio talkback host Alan Jones called these young men 'Middle Eastern grubs'. 'We don't have Anglo-Saxon kids out there raping women in Western Sydney,' he said. Jones endorsed a listener's suggestion that bikie gangs be brought down to Cronulla railway station to deal with 'Lebanese thugs' and that the event should be televised. Immigration actually grew each year during John Howard's prime ministership from 1996 to 2007 to a peak of 158,630, while he talked tough about stopping illegal arrivals. Stock image On Sunday, December 11 about 5,000 people gathered at the beach from early in the morning. There were plenty of Southern Cross tattoos and Australian flags on show. Shortly before 1pm a young man of Middle Eastern appearance was surrounded and chased into into a nearby pub, then dragged out and attacked by the mob. In subsequent skirmishes bottles were thrown at racially-selected targets amid chants of 'F*** off Lebs!', 'We grew here, you flew here', 'Aussie pride' and 'F*** off wogs'. Their opponents responded with their own written slogans: 'We fear no ozy pigs' and 'We came in planes yous came by chains u convict dogs.' Crowds turned on police and two young men of Middle Eastern appearance were assaulted on a train as officers tried to control the situation. Further assaults took place through the afternoon and a large group of men assembled that night at Punchbowl in Sydney's south-west to launch a retaliatory assault. Police and paramedics were injured in the various melees and in the next few nights the violence spread to other suburbs. Police are pictured restraining a man at Cronulla on December 11, 2005 Rioters armed with knives, bars and bats drove in convoy to Maroubra in the south-eastern suburbs and caused further mayhem, assaulting locals, threatening rape and smashing up cars. Police and paramedics were injured in the various melees and in the next few nights the violence spread to other suburbs. The riots made news around the world and warnings about travelling to Australia were temporarily issued by some countries. NSW premier Morris Iemma called the attacks 'disgusting, cowardly behaviour' and John Howard condemned the violence as 'sickening and deplorable'. Police commissioner Ken Moroney said the riots were 'absolutely totally un-Australian', which may not have technically been right. Rioters were still being arrested months later, with 285 charges laid against 104 people by July the following year. Charges included rioting, assaulting police, resisting arrest, malicious damage, threatening violence and affray. Police are pictured stopping a crowd from entering a train at Cronulla railway station on December 11, 2005. There is no suggestion anyone pictured was doing anything unlawful On Sunday, December 11 about 5,000 people gathered at the beach from early in the morning. There were plenty of Southern Cross tattoos and Australian flags on show. Stock image Ali Osman was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray over the attack on the volunteer lifesavers on December 4 and sentenced to 500 hours of community service. Magistrate Jacqueline Trad, who is of Lebanese descent, got stuck into Osman at Sutherland Local Court. 'By this sort of conduct you turned your back on your family, your culture and your real country, all for the sake of some juvenile, impulsive and misplaced allegiance ' she said. 'Over the last 100 years or so, the ancestors of many citizens - mine included - came to this country seeking refuge from hatred, intolerance, violence or just simply the opportunity to improve their families' prospects.' Another casualty of the Cronulla riots was the Southern Cross tattoo. In recent years an increasing number of those who had been inked with the constellation have booked themselves in for a cover-up or laser removal. NSW premier Morris Iemma called the attacks 'disgusting, cowardly behaviour' and John Howard condemned the violence as 'sickening and deplorable'. Police are pictured holding down a man at Cronulla on December 11, 2005 Once considered a patriotic symbol it had become racist, in some people's view. 'It was a way to show our patriotism to our country and love for our country,' David, who got the tattoo after turning 18, told the ABC. 'To me it sort of like [symbolises] Australian rednecks now.' Emily, who had a Southern Cross tattooed on the top of her foot, had it covered-up for the same reason. 'It is frowned upon to be a proud Australian and I don't like that at all because we all should be allowed to be proud of where we live,' she said. 'I definitely think it's become racist to have a Southern Cross, which is terrible, because that's our flag.' Abby Rose, a tattooist who spent four years working in Cronulla, said the Southern Cross tattoo had lost its lustre and the only customers who seemed to want one were tourists. Those wishing to show their patriotism now opted for native animals or flowers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 68th edition of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat at 11am on Sunday. Tune in at 11 AM on 30th August, the PM tweeted on Saturday. Earlier this month, he had sought suggestions from people on Twitter on topics to discuss in this edition of the programme. What do you think should be discussed during this months #MannKiBaat, which will take place on the 30th? he asked on Twitter. He had tweeted to ask people to send their inputs by writing to him using NaMo or MyGov App or by recording their messages by calling on 1800-11-7800. Phone lines have been opened from August 10. Every month in his address to the nation, the PM discusses a range of issues the country faces, talks about what the upcoming month is going to bring for the county and comment on the previous months achievements and developments. In the 67th edition of Mann Ki Baat on July 26, also Kargil Vijay Diwas, PM Modi paid tributes to the soldiers who fought valiantly against Pakistans forces during the Kargil War. He also reiterated that people need to follow all precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease. Sundays programme will be streamed live on the following websites, the official Twitter account of the Bharatiya Janata Party tweeted: http://facebook.com/BJP4India http://pscp.tv/BJP4India http://youtube.com/BJP4India http://bjplive.org Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) Recommendations for a better COVID-19 response do not sit well with the government which, Vice President Leni Robredo says, always insists it's doing enough. In her weekly radio show on Sunday, Robredo called out the administration anew following reactions from President Rodrigo Duterte and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to her taped address last Monday which laid down suggestions on what the government could still do to improve its response to the pandemic. "Alam mo yung pamahalaan parang kuntento na sa ginagawa, iyon iyong mas nakakapag-alala. Galit sila pag sinabihang kulang yung response," she said. "Hindi tayo nag-iimprove, pakiramdam natin napakahusay na natin." [Translation: You know, this government seems to be already content with its efforts, and that's what makes it worse. They get mad when they are being told that their response is not enough. We do not improve, we already think that we're doing so well.] Robredo also denied Duterte's claims that she was merely "politicizing" and adding "fuel to the fire" on the government's COVID-19 efforts. READ: Duterte assures Covid-19 spending will be accounted for Roque reiterated Duterte's remarks in his interview with CNN Philippines' The Source last Wednesday: "Times are dire, were doing the best that we can. Lets set aside politics for the time being. " "Wala itong pulitika. Kasi kung pulitika ang sadya natin, noon pa. Hindi natin sila binigyan ng pagkakataong gawin yung dapat nilang gawin," Robredo responded. [Translation: There's no politics here. If we're only after politics, I would have hinted that beforehand. I wouldn't have given them the chance to do what needs to be done.] The Vice President had previously raised the issue of readiness and lack of confidence in addressing the health crisis which left millions of Filipinos jobless for months. On Saturday, the Philippines recorded another surge in coronavirus infections with the total reaching 213,131, and with 74,611 active cases. The total tally of survivors reached 135,101 while the death toll hit 3,419. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 19:53 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417d5dd 1 City COVID-19,COVID-19-Jakarta,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,Jakarta-administration,anies-baswedan,Jakarta-Health-Agency Free The Jakarta administration reported 1,114 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the capitals highest one-day total so far. In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, the administration said that most of the new infections were suspected to have occurred during the recent long weekends for Independence Day (Aug. 15 to 17) and Islamic New Year (Aug. 20 to 23). Dwi Oktavia, the Jakarta Health Agency's head of disease control and prevention division, said that 70 percent of Sundays positive cases were tested on Aug. 24 and 25. She added that based on an average incubation period of six days, most of the infections would have taken place between Aug. 16 and 17. The number of samples taken [for testing] on Aug. 27 was also quite high, so we should consider the effect of long weekends two weeks in a row, Dwi said in the statement. Both the government and the public need to be vigilant given this rising trend of cases. She said that 57 percent of the new cases were detected through tracing conducted by community health centers (Puskesmas), adding that on average, for every one person who tested positive, six close contacts were tested. The Jakarta administration will continue to pursue testing, tracing and treatment to respond to this outbreak, she said. But the public also needs to understand that really putting an end to this requires all of us to exercise restraint. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced on Thursday that he would implement another 14-day extension of the transition period for the gradual easing of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), effective Friday. Despite the continued surge in new cases, Anies is set to go ahead with his plan to reopen the citys movie theaters after receiving the green light from the national COVID-19 task force. According to the Jakarta administrations data, the capital had recorded 39,280 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,186 deaths as of Sunday. (kmt) 2 St. Louis Officers Shot, 1 Critically; Suspect in Custody ST. LOUIS, Mo.Two St. Louis police officers were shot and one of them was seriously wounded Saturday evening while responding to a report of a shooting on the citys south side by a suspect who was barricaded inside a house, authorities said. The suspect was taken into custody and the area was considered safe Sunday morning, police said on Twitter. More information was expected to be released later in the day. The barricaded subject from the 3700 block of Hartford has been taken into custody and the area has been rendered safe. There are no further updates at this time, but we will provide information later today as it comes available. https://t.co/Lrlr7GlNaC St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) August 30, 2020 One officer was shot in the head and was very critically injured, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief John Hayden told reporters outside of St. Louis University Hospital, where the officer had been taken. The other officer suffered a leg wound, he added. Investigators with the police department said the incident took place shortly before 6 p.m. in the South Grand neighborhood near Tower Grove Park. The gunman had entered the home of a family before ordering them out of their residence at gunpoint and barricading himself inside, Hayden said. The officers were searching for a victim in response to a report of a shooting when the gunman fired shots and struck the one of the officers in the head, Hayden said. After other officers went to check on the wounded officer, the suspect then shot a second officer in the leg, he said. The officers were trying to do their job, thats all theyre trying to do and theyre suffering under gunfire, Hayden said, adding that the incidents are part of a surge in violence this summer. He asked residents to pray for the officers. Were trying to cope through a very trying summer, and its very difficult. Its very difficult, he said. Since June 1, Hayden noted that a total of eight officers have been shot in the line of duty. Several streets were closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Nearby residents were cautioned to shelter inside as SWAT officers swarmed the neighborhood. Police had surrounded the residence where the suspect was blocked in with SUVs and officers were armed with rifles. Police officers used a bullhorn to order the suspect to leave the house. At one point, police said they were firing tear gas into the house. It was unclear Sunday morning how long the suspect had been barricaded. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson offered her condolences on Twitter following the incident. Please keep our injured officers and all the men and women of @SLMPD in your thoughts and prayers as this situation continues to develop. Their friends, family and loved ones, too, Krewson said. Please keep our injured officers and all the men and women of @SLMPD in your thoughts and prayers as this situation continues to develop. Their friends, family and loved ones, too. https://t.co/zLUTgA24tM Mayor Lyda Krewson (@LydaKrewson) August 29, 2020 Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner also issued a statement of support. We extend our deepest concern and sadness surrounding todays unfortunate events, Gardner told KDSK-TV. I want to extend my prayers for the injured SLMPD officers and their families. Hayden said the officer who suffered the head wound was around the age of 29 and has 3 1/2 years of experience with the department. The second officer is around the same age and has one year of experience. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who arrived at the hospital Saturday night, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he was there to show his support for the officers and their families. Theyre doing very dangerous work protecting all of us, and they deserve that kind of respect, Schmitt said. (Natural News) Twitter censors President Donald Trump for declaring he will enforce law and order, but issuing an ultimatum to randomly threaten police officers is A-OK with Twitter moderators. (Article by Alexander Hall republished from NewsBusters.org) A Twitter spokesman says activist and accused fraudster Shaun Kings threat to name Kenosha, Wisc., police officers is not in violation of its rules including its ban on a threat of harm against an identifiable group, a rule used to censor President Trump, the New York Post reported August 26. King had tweeted an ultimatum to the Kenosha Police Department, threatening that if they do not name the officer who brutally shot Jacob Blake on Sunday, we will simply begin naming officers from your department who may or may not be him. Fuck it. Your protection of his identity is unethical. Whats his name? A Twitter spokesman reportedly told the Post Wednesday, The Tweet you referenced is currently not in violation of the Twitter Rules. The Post explained further: The Twitter rep did not explain how Kings tweet complies with a platform rule against a threat of harm against an identifiable group, which was used to censor Trump. They simply said of Kings posting: That tweet is not in violation of any of the Twitter Rules. In May, Twitter placed an interstitial, or filter, over Trumps tweet condemning violent riots over the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd in police custody. It acted similarly in June when Trump vowed to meet rioters that attempt to turn historic St. Johns Episcopal Church into a Black House Autonomous Zone with serious force. That was too much for the leftists at Twitter. The site applied its public interest notice to the tweet, saying that it violated its policy against abusive behavior, specifically, the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group. Twitters Head of Site Integrity Yoel Roth was exposed by New York Post reporter Jon Levine for tweets that showed his brazen political bias against Trump and Republicans. One tweet from Roth said, Yes, that person in the pink hat is clearly a bigger threat to your brand of feminism than ACTUAL NAZIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Conservatives are under attack. Contact the FCC at 1-888-225-5322 and/or via the MRCs FCC contact form to give your take on the petition filed by the Department of Commerce regarding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. MRC TechWatchs Researcher Heather Moon contributed to this report. Read more at: NewsBusters.org New Delhi: The year 2016 is about to end and the year has been quite unlucky for B-town couples. In fact, the year started up on an unsavoury note for love birds in tinselvile as several couples called off their relationship right at beginning of 2016. Though, it started off with Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, several couples seemed to have followed the trend. It seemed like love has lost its pace in the glam town and relationships are going defunct. Here we bring you a list of all the Bollywood couples who called it quits this year: Celebs who broke up in 2016 Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif: Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif left their fans in utter shock when they chose call off their six year long relationship early this year. It was quite unbelievable for everyone given that there were speculations about them getting married this year. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Farhan Akhtar-Adhuna Bhabani: The next to join the leagues was actor Farhan Akhtar who called off his 15 years of wedding with wife Adhuna Bhabani. Farhanas separation came as a rude shock considering his image of a perfect family man. It was reported that Farhanas rumoured extra-marital affair with one his co-stars made him part ways with Adhuna. They announced their separation with a joint statement, stating aThis is to announce that we, Adhuna and Farhan, have mutually and amicably decided to separate. Our children remain our priority and it is immensely important to us, as responsible parents, that they be protected from unwarranted speculation and public glare. We sincerely request that we are given the privacy that is required at this time to move forward in a dignified mannera. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Shweta Rohira-Pulkit Samrat: Actor Pulkit Samrat, who married superstar Salman Khanas rakhi sister Shweta Rohira, got separated from her within a year of their wedding. It was rumoured that Pulkit was dating his co-star from aSanam Rea Yami Gautam which made him part ways with wife Shweta. Shweta had also accused Yami of having an eye on her husband. However, Pulkit had rubbished the reports of dating Yami straight away. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Sushant Singh Rajput-Ankita Lokhande: Another blow came from Sushant Singh Rajput who was dating Television actress Ankit Lokhande for over six years. The two had been the most ideal couple of small screen industry. However, their relationship hit a rocky patch after Sushant reportedly couldnat give enough time to Ankita as a result they decided to call it quits. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Arbaaz Khan-Malaika Arora: Even Salman Khanas family couldnat escape the bug of break-ups and his brother Arbaaz Khan too joined the list. Arbaaz and his wife Malaika Arora chose to end their 17 years of marriage. While the reason of their separation is not known, it was reported that Malaikaas extra-marital affair was one of the reasons behind her split with Arbaaz. The couple has filed a divorce petition in a family court in Mumbai now. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Akshara Hassan-Tanuj Virvani: Veteran actor Kamal Hassanas daughter Akshara, who was dating Rati Agnihotrias son Tanuj Virvani, too is a part of this break-up list. The couple was dating each other for a while, but chose to end their affiar amicably after thier parents didnat approve of their relationship. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Vivian DaSena-Vahbiz Dorabjee: Television couple Vivian DaSena and Vahbiz Dorabjee, who have been married for three years, have also parted ways this year. The couple got married in 2013 after meeting on the sets of the show, aPyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaania. While neither of them has spoken about the reasons behind their split, speculation says it is because of compatibility issues. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Karishma Tanna-Upen Patel: Celeb couple Karishma Tanna and Upen Patel, who fell in love during their stint on popular reality show Bigg Boss 10, also parted ways this year. The couple had been one of the most talked about couples of the industry after Upen proposed Karishma on national TV during their participation in Nach Baliye 7. While the reasons behind their split isnat known, the couple eas recently spotted fighting on the Mumbai streets as well. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Raghu Ram aSugandha Garg: The ten year wedding of Raodies fame Raghu Ram and his wife Sugandha Garg hit a rocky path early this year. While talking to a leading daily Raghu had stated that he and his wife chose to part ways amicably as they were spending more time apart from each other rather than spending time together. He also asserted that despite divorce, they will continue to remain good always. Celebs who broke up in 2016 Om Puri-Nandita: Veteran actor Om Puri who was married to Nandita for over 26 years also ended his married early this year. Talking about his separation with Nandita, Om had told a leading daily it was the clash of their sensibilities that made them took this decision. aThis happens with people so there is nothing unusual in it. Nandita and I are supposed to talk only regarding Ishaan's education and welfare,a Puri was quoted saying. The couple have opted for judicial separation under which they are a married couple legally but have their separate lives and cannot interfere in each other's matter. Patna, Aug 31 : A RJD leader, on way to meet party supremo Lalu Prasad in Ranchi to seek a party ticket for the upcoming Bihar elections, was among two people killed in a car accident in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district early on Sunday, an official said. The accident took place at 4 a.m. Following the accident, local residents and passers-by rescued the car's two passengers and driver and took them to a nearby hospital where two of them were declared dead and one is battling for his life in the ICU. One of the deceased, identified as Bijendra Yadav, was a district councillor in Bihar's Saharsa district and aspirant for Mahishi assembly constituency in the district. The other deceased was identified as Jogendra Ram while driver Chote Lal was critically injured. Yadav earlier went to Patna to meet senior leaders in his quest for a party ticket. As they were not amenable to his request, he wanted to appeal to Lalu Prasad, who is jailed in Ranchi in connection with a fodder scam case but is currently recuperating in Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences there. NEW DELHI: Acting swiftly after the Galwan valley clash on June 15 in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy sailed out its frontline warship for deployment in the South China Sea much to the displeasure of the Chinese who raised objections over the move during the talks between the two sides. The Chinese have been objecting to the presence of Indian Navy ships in the region where it has significantly expanded its presence since 2009 through artificial islands and military presence. "Soon after the Galwan clash broke out in which 20 of our soldiers were killed, the Indian Navy deployed one of its frontline warship to the South China Sea where the People`s Liberation Army's Navy objects to the presence of any other force claiming the majority of the waters as part of its territory," government sources told ANI. The immediate deployment of the Indian Navy warship in the South China Sea had a desired effect on the Chinese Navy and security establishment as they complained to the Indian side about the Indian warship's presence there during the diplomatic level talks with the Indian side, the sources said. During the deployment in the South China Sea where the American Navy had also deployed its destroyers and frigates, the Indian warship was continuously maintaining contact with their American counterparts over secure communication systems, the sources informed. As part of the routine drills, the Indian warship was being constantly updated about the status of the movement of military vessels of other countries there, they said adding that the entire mission was carried out in a very hush-hush manner to avoid any public glare on Navy's activities. Around the same time, the Indian Navy had deployed its frontline vessels along the Malacca Straits near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the route from where the Chinese Navy enters the Indian Ocean Region to keep a check on any activity of the Chinese Navy. A number of Chinese vessels also pass through the Malacca Straits while returning with oil or taking merchant shipments towards other continents. The sources said the Indian Navy is fully capable of checking any misadventure by the adversaries on either the eastern or the western front and the mission-based deployments have helped it to control the emerging situations effectively in and around the Indian Ocean Region. The Navy also has plans to urgently acquire and deploy autonomous underwater vessels and other unmanned systems and sensors to keep a close eye on the movement of PLAN from Malacca Straits towards the Indian Ocean Region, the sources said. The Navy is also taking care of the Chinese vessels present around the Djibouti area and has deployed its assets in the vicinity for protecting national interest.The Navy has also deployed its MiG-29K fighter aircraft at an important Air Force base where they are practicing missions for conflict over land and mountainous terrain, the sources said. The Navy is also going to fast track the procurement of 10 Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Vehicles under a deal expected to be worth over Rs 1,245 crore. A Winnipeg woman faces a minimum of 10 years in a U.S. prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine by a jury in South Dakota. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Winnipeg woman faces a minimum of 10 years in a U.S. prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine by a jury in South Dakota. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Bethlehem Shah, 22, was convicted Aug. 21. She had been indicted in August 2018 after she travelled to South Dakota to pick up a quantity of cocaine from a co-conspirator. The co-conspirator was found to have 40 kilograms of the drug during a traffic stop. Shah drove to Spearfish, S.D., after a series of phone conversations with the co-conspirator. She was under the impression she was to pick up the drug and take it into Canada. Instead, Shah was arrested. The penalty is minimum of 10 years in prison and/or a $10-million fine. "I want to congratulate the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the entire local Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team for this significant interdiction, investigation, and conviction," said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons in a release. "As drug trafficking networks continue to become more brazen and sophisticated, all of our law enforcement agencies are joining together to meet the challenge." A pre-sentencing report was ordered and a date for sentencing is pending. Shah was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner has been linked to 25 burglaries in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz where the youngster vanished, court papers have revealed. Police hunting the intruder who raped an American OAP in Praia da Luz looked at an astonishing 25 burglaries in just eight months they suspected could also have been committed by the man unmasked years later as the German paedophile. Most of the burglary victims were from the UK. And court documents show up to three break-ins analysed by police trying to solve the horrific September 2005 rape Brueckner carried out took place in one 24 hour period on holiday homes occupied by British tourists. Cash, cameras and mobile phones were the typical items taken in the raids, which often occurred when occupants were out but at times happened when holidaymakers were in other parts of the properties targeted. Christian Brueckner was linked to up to 25 burglaries in the resort of Praia da Luz, above, Madeleine McCann's family were staying when she disappeared, above The list of unsolved burglaries emerged as a man described as a former friend of Brueckner's confirmed the convicted sex offender had broken into hotel rooms and holiday flats on the Algarve. The pal, identified only as Manfred S, told German broadcaster RTL Brueckner had bragged to him about the break-ins when they roamed the Algarve together as small-time crooks. He also revealed he had discovered a video camera with footage of the sex offender raping his elderly victim at her Praia da Luz holiday home, along with a video of a younger woman tied to a wooden beam in another house. Manfred S told RTL he took the footage to police because he was so disturbed at what he saw and the video eventually led to Brueckner's conviction for the rape. A man described as a former friend of Brueckner's confirmed the convicted sex offender had broken into hotel rooms and holiday flats on the Algarve The German drifter, who lived in a ramshackle cottage a 15-minute drive from the holiday apartment Madeleine McCann went missing from on May 3 2007, received a seven-year prison sentence late last year after being found guilty of the sex attack in his homeland. Portuguese detectives compiled a list of 25 unsolved break-ins in Praia da Luz in the first eight months of the year of the September 2 2005 rape in a bid to catch the sex offender when he was still at large. A police report included in the court files, detailing a review of the crimes, says: 'An analysis of the break-ins that have occurred since the start of 2005, right up to the date of the sex offence, has taken place. 'The possibility the sex offender could be related to the home burglaries is not something that can be excluded. 'However it has not been possible to obtain any evidence linking the crimes, given that the identity of the person or people behind the burglaries remains unknown.' The sequence of break-ins is also laid out in the files, showing the first Praia da Luz crime occurred on January 11 and the victims were a British model and her producer partner. The intruder crept into the property while they were in their living room and took a 3,600 laptop and a Samsung mobile as well as cash, credit cards, sunglasses and a British passport. Two teenage students from Loughborough in Leicester, aged 18 and 16, were targeted just over two months later while they were out. They came back home to find cash and credit cards had been stolen. The court files show three Brit holidaymakers were the victims of almost identical break-ins on the evenings of August 6 and 7, less than a month before the American OAP was raped in the same holiday resort. The burglaries occurred while the tourists were out for the night, with the intruder forcing entry at two of the properties before stealing valuables including cash, cameras, a watch and computer equipment. There were no witnesses to the spate of crimes and no DNA profiles are believed to have been obtained by police at the time. Madeleine McCann disappeared from the hotel room her family were staying at in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007 Brueckner was arrested for diesel theft in the Algarve town of Portimao in April 2006 and spent the following eight months behind bars, but was a free man when the 2005 burglaries analysed by police occurred and was living near the scenes of the 25 crimes. He admitted to a judge he was a convicted sex offender when he was held for the diesel theft, but the key information was never passed on to police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance. The German drifter was linked last month by Portuguese TV to a 2007 burglary in Gale, a 45-minute drive east of Praia da Luz, that led to a family's 90,000 life savings being taken. RTP investigative reporter Sandra Felgueiras claimed he had been working with a female accomplice who tipped him off so he could break into properties in the Algarve in copycat raids to the one investigators believe resulted in Madeleine's abduction. Brueckner was declared the prime suspect in the Madeleine case in June. He is currently in Germany's Kiel Prison for drugs offences and is due to start a seven-year sentence for the 2005 Praia da Luz rape. Rival bike club members from the Comanchero Bikie gang arrive for a meeting of the NSW Bikers Council during a media call at the Rebel's Clubhouse in Sydney, Australia on April 26, 2009. (Sergio Dionisio/Getty Images) Comanchero Motorcycle Gang Member Shot and Killed in Sydney AUSTRALIANew South Wales (NSW) Police say a man shot and killed in a brazen attack outside his southwestern Sydney home had links to the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang. His wife and child were inside during the attack. The 39-year-old, named in media reports as Fares Abounader, suffered multiple gunshot wounds outside his Wall Avenue home in Panania just before midnight on Saturday. Despite the best efforts of his family, a neighbour, and emergency services, he died at the scene. The shooting was very calculated and very deliberate and quite brazen, NSW Police Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow said on Sunday. Abounader, who was known to police, was a member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang but detectives said this might have recently changed. Police could not confirm if that was a factor in the shooting but he reportedly had defected from the Comancheros to the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang. Abounader was previously jailed over a March 2009 brawl between warring gangs at Sydney airport, which led to the death of Anthony Zervas, the brother of Hells Angels member Peter Zervas. He pleaded guilty and in 2012 was sentenced to a total of six years in prison with a non-parole period of four years. Abounader was the last of 15 people to be prosecuted over the bloody confrontation, prompted by a chance encounter between the rival clubs on a Qantas flight from Melbourne. Despite the fact that the victim is known to police it doesnt change the fact he was a family man. His wife and young child were home at the time, Det Supt Critchlow told reporters. No one deserves to be treated like this and murdered in such a callous fashion in front of his home. The detective labelled the attack a cowardly ambush and warned police would come down hard on any sign of retaliation. Officers are on the lookout for a white, late-model SUV and anyone with CCTV around the Panania area has been urged to contact Crimestoppers. Well be knocking on doors and knocking down doors until we find the people responsible, Det Supt Critchlow said. Detectives from the Criminal Groups and Homicide squads have established Strike Force Manifold to investigate the shooting, with assistance from Strike Force Raptor. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 in the Houston area have improved significantly since July, but the pandemic remains a serious threat here. The Houston region added 1,957 cases on Saturday, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis, bringing the total to 104,650. Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images From Cosmopolitan Prince Harry is already planning his first trip back to the UK since leaving royal life - and says he would have been back earlier, were it not for coronavirus. The 35-year-old is currently living in California with Meghan Markle and son Archie after first moving to Canada in early 2020, but he admitted that there are certain things about home he still misses - sport being one of them. Harry, who is patron of the Rugby Football League, spoke during a Zoom call with staff and volunteers to mark the sport's 125th birthday, Harry vowed to return to the UK for the world cup next year. "We've got a whole Rugby League World Cup coming next year," Harry said during the call. "I definitely plan on coming back. I would have been back already had it not been for COVID." The Duke of Sussex, Patron of the Rugby Football League, wishes Rugby League a Happy 125th Birthday, as he takes part in a special set of six with Ellery Hanley MBE, plus a few other special guests. Watch now: https://t.co/Aj5sWel9vo #HappyBirthdayRugbyLeague #RFL125 pic.twitter.com/o7jCZvEpff Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) August 29, 2020 The Rugby World Cup is set to take place in England between 23 October and 27 November next year, so while it's a while away, at least we know now that we can look forward to having Harry and family back then. In fact, they're likely to be on British soil a fair amount next year, as he and Prince William recently commissioned a statue of their late mother Diana to be built in the grounds of Kensington Palace. Story continues The unveiling of the statue will be held in July to commemorate what would have been their mother's 60th birthday. Finding Freedom author and royal correspondent Omid Scobie told the Heirpod podcast: "In March, we have the Invictus Games, which has been rescheduled, in the Hague. "In June, we have Trooping the Colour, which I imagine Prince Harry and Meghan would like to still be at, and July 1, we have the unveiling of the Princess Diana statue." He added: "I would not be surprised if we saw the Sussexes spend an extended period of time in the UK next year." Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. SIGN UP You Might Also Like Samantha McFetridge Director of Student Opportunity and Careers Education at Wenona School. It was early morning in Scotland when registered nurse Sophie Sinclair spoke to our senior college students via Zoom. She was exhausted, having spent the week working on the frontline at Edinburghs The Royal Infirmary. Her protective mask was causing her to have constant nosebleeds. And dealing with an influx of sick patients at the height of a global pandemic was scary and stressful. Despite this, Sophie, who graduated from Wenona in 2012, told our students what a privilege it was to provide care to people in need, and how grateful she was to do a job she loves. Our Zoom chat with Sophie was part of our Wenona Alumnae Twilight Sessions. Our Student/Alumnae face-to-face talks have been an integral part of our careers education program, but when COVID-19 hit, we had to rethink how we delivered them. Shifting them into the virtual space was a necessity, but the ability to connect remotely with alumnae around the world has increased participation from our students, staff and parents and facilitated communication, connection and collaboration across our community. The virtual platform has prompted us to carefully structure the sessions, asking students to provide questions and points for discussion ahead of time, all of which has helped to ensure a more streamlined flow of communication. Without the travel and planning involved in face-to-face meetings, weve made it much easier for alumnae to volunteer their time. Its also given us the ability to connect with people like Sophie, who live in different time zones. And holding them after hours has opened them up to parents and teachers too, all of which is beneficial to our students as they build skills to navigate their future. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: With flood water creating havoc in major parts of Odisha, breaches in several river embankments across the state exposed the chinks in the armour of Water Resources department. The department, which has been boasting that it is fully prepared for any eventuality, on Saturday admitted at least 26 breaches in river embankments and the maximum has been reported from Jajpur district, its Bari block being the worst affected. Prior to the onset of monsoon, the department had identified 49 vulnerable points in river embankments in 21 districts. A joint inspection of weak embankments was conducted by officials of Water Resources department, district administrations and necessary measures were taken to reinforce the embankments as per the guidelines. ALSO READ | 'Yet to receive dry food': Hit by flood, Odisha villagers cry official apathy Apprising the strategy prepared for reinforcement of weak embankments and drainage of flood and rain water from low-lying areas to the state-level natural calamity committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in June, the department had said flood fighting materials have been kept at strategic locations to handle the situation. We are yet to get detailed reports on damage to river embankments as many parts of the State are under flood water and road communications have been snapped making it impossible for spot visit, said a senior officer of the department. What is surprising is how a moderate flood like this year caused so much damage to river embankments on which the state government has already spent around Rs 3,500 crore for raising and strengthening. ALSO READ | Safe drinking water worry for Kendrapara villages while battling flood According to a report of the department, which has been getting maximum budgetary support from the Government year after year, it has received financial support of Rs 3,485.85 crore from Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) in the last eight years for 447 flood protection works. This includes 23 road projects on some flood embankments. The government had allocated Rs 733 crore including Rs 460 crore RIDF loan in 2019-20 for flood preparedness works. The department is claimed to have constructed 7,470.18 km of flood protective embankments that included 1,717.29 km capital embankments, 2,493.11 km agricultural embankments, 1,635.94 test relief embankments and 1,635.94 saline embankments. Rescuers are continuing to search for victims of flash flooding that has left hundreds dead in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Officials in Afghanistan said on August 29 that about 160 people had been killed in 13, mostly northern, provinces that have been struck by the flooding. In neighboring Pakistan, at least 96 people were reported killed in flooding that was mostly concentrated in the southeastern part of the country. "This is unprecedented [rainfall] and has broken all previous records," Murad Ali Shah, chief minister of Sindh Province, told journalists, adding that on August 27 alone, Karachi received 230 millimeters of rain. At least 2 million people in Karachi have been affected by the flooding, with some neighborhoods virtually inaccessible because of the high water. In Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said security forces were helping with recovery efforts, while NATO issued a statement saying its forces were also assisting. The monsoon season in the region lasts from June to September. With reporting by AFP and AP Wayne Tinker was among more than 262,000 Miami-Dade County voters who cast a mail ballot in last weeks primary elections and among the thousands of voters whose ballots didnt count. As a resident of the Jackson Memorial Long-Term Care Center in Allapattah, the 65-year-old Tinker relied on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver his ballot by the time polls closed on Election Day. But records obtained by the Miami Herald show that his ballot and the mail ballots of eight other residents at the center closed to visitors due to the coronavirus pandemic werent received until the day after the election. Their votes were among more than 10,000 rejected in South Florida during the Aug. 18 election as an unprecedented number of voters chose to cast mail ballots. Statewide, at least double that number were tossed, according to Dan Smith, a University of Florida professor who tracks and studies Floridas rejected mail ballots. And in Novembers presidential election, the number of discarded votes in Florida is expected to balloon as coronavirus-driven voting patterns collide with Floridas oft-challenged mail ballot laws. The pandemic is forcing individuals into a process where their odds of having their ballot rejected increases, Smith said in an interview. Tie inexperience into the equation and the rates are going to multiply. In Florida, where anyone can request a mail ballot without providing a reason, there are two main make-or-break rules: a 7 p.m. election night deadline and a signature-match requirement. While ballots cast in person are rarely invalidated, Smiths studies have found that about 1% of all mail ballots were rejected statewide in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections a statistic that can prove consequential in tight elections. And in a state known for the tightest of November votes, election supervisors are braced for a historic surge in mail ballots this year even as the budget-constrained USPS warns that Floridas deadlines for requesting and sending in mail ballots make it more likely that votes will arrive too late to count. Story continues My message to the voters is: Dont wait, said Christina White, the Miami-Dade supervisor of elections. When you get your ballot within a couple of days vote it and mail it. Dont forget to sign it, of course. This election, discussions about vote-by-mail have been dominated by largely unfounded accusations from President Donald Trump that widespread mail voting is rife with fraud. But in Florida, controversies around mail voting have often focused on rejected ballots, and the laws that regulate whether ballots will count. Floridas Republican-led Legislature took steps last year to help voters fix signature problems with their mail ballots by requiring election officials to call, email or text voters as soon as possible after a ballot is flagged. But lawmakers left the states 7 p.m. election night deadline intact for receiving ballots in the mail. That deadline and a prohibition on ballot gathering a process that allowed one person to turn in multiple ballots on behalf of others were challenged on the eve of the March presidential primary election by several Florida voters and left-leaning advocacy organizations, but the case was settled last month as Republican organizations got involved in the legal fight. The result: The state must launch a voter education campaign. This lawsuit was an attack on Floridas strong protections against vote-by-mail fraud, Republican Party of Florida general counsel Ben Gibson said in a statement after the lawsuit was settled. We will continue to fight any effort by the Democrats to compromise the safety and security of elections in Florida. Election data available only to political campaigns and obtained by the Miami Herald this week from Floridas Aug. 18 primary election in Miami-Dade County suggests that voters throughout the county and across the political spectrum have reason to be worried about whether their ballot will count. Most rejections can be prevented by the voter by following the rules. At least 1,843 Republicans ballots were tossed in the Aug. 18 election and 3,719 ballots cast by Democrats. Independents, or voters without party affiliation, were the most likely to be affected. They cast 21% of the mail ballots in the August election, but were responsible for 27% of all rejected ballots. About 3.5% of all mail ballots cast by independent voters were rejected, compared to about 2% for Republicans and about 2.7% for Democrats. Those numbers followed a deluge of 2.3 million mail ballots across Florida as political parties and the pandemic pushed voters to register for mail ballots in unprecedented numbers. Of the nearly 3.9 million voters statewide who participated in the Aug. 18 election, 60% voted by mail, 25% on Election Day and about 15% at early voting centers that are open for roughly two weeks before an election in Florida. A spokesman for the Florida Division of Elections said the state does not yet have a final tally for the number of rejected mail ballots statewide in Florida, and wont until late September. But Smith, the University of Florida professor, said data he obtained through political sources shows that the number was greater than 20,000 as of midweek. Smith analyzes rejected vote-by-mail data in part to find disparities in rejection rates. His research has found that voters between the ages of 18 and 21 were eight times more likely to have their mail ballots not count than voters older than 65 in the 2016 and 2018 elections. Similarly, Smith and several colleagues have found that mail ballots cast by Black and Hispanic voters are more likely to be rejected than those cast by white voters, and that votes cast by new mail voters were more likely to be invalid than those cast by voters familiar with the process. If youre going to go through the process, you probably actually want your vote to count, said Smith. Mail ballots can be rejected for many reasons. Sometimes voters stuff multiple ballots into a single envelope. Sometimes they vote by mail and then die before Election Day. Sometimes a signature doesnt match what election officials have in their files. And, most commonly, the signature is missing altogether. In a few cases, records show that entire families had their ballots rejected. Avery Ugent, a Pinecrest retiree, told the Miami Herald Thursday that he took his ballot and six more for family members to the post office at the Town & County Plaza in Kendall on Aug. 18 Election Day and decided to send them through the mail after a postal worker assured him they would make it in time. Ugent, a Republican who said his entire family intends to vote for Trump this fall, said he encouraged his family to vote by mail because it increases the likelihood that theyll participate in elections. I made sure everything was done right, said Ugent, 73. Of course, I waited until the last day. But I was assured by the postal official its going right to the right facility that night and not to worry. Their ballots arrived the following day, Aug. 19. Thats the same day that the elections office received ballots from the nine residents of Jackson Health Longterm Care Center. A spokeswoman said ballots were sent in the mail before Election Day, but voting was complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. Traditionally, the Miami-Dade County Elections Department visits Jackson Long Term Care Center and provides supervised voting for the residents for every election, said spokeswoman Lidia Amoretti. Due to COVID-19 and our no-visitor policy, that process has changed. For this years election, residents had to fill out ... ballots, which were later placed in the mail the day before the due date of August 18. Floridas August primary, which lacked a single statewide contest, was dominated by local races, ballot questions and primaries for state legislative seats. But the number of ballots rejected in November, when Trump faces a challenge from Democratic nominee Joe Biden, could make a difference in Florida in the presidential election, which four years ago was decided by about 112,000 votes. Two years ago, for instance, there were about 430,000 rejected mail ballots around the country. About 32,000 of those were rejected in Florida, where Rick Scotts winning margin in his U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson was fewer than 10,000 votes. There were at least 1 million more voters requesting mail ballots in Floridas August primary than there were in the 2018 November elections, and most of those voters have already signed up to receive a mail ballot in the presidential election. Most ballots will be mailed out to Florida voters between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. With only about a month until mail ballots go out again, several candidates gathered outside the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections headquarters this week to call on state and local election officials to find a solution to cut down on the number of rejected votes. We know that though it might be too late for this election cycle, but what we are asking is Secretary of State Laurel Lee and Supervisor of Elections Christina White to work together to find a solution for us to be able to make sure that these ballots are not lost and that every vote is counted, said Jessica Laguerre Hylton, a Democrat who lost a primary for a south Miami-Dade state House seat by 221 votes. Hylton was joined by Rhonda Rebman Lopez, a Republican who lost a state House primary race by 148 votes. We need to make sure that any voter that tried to vote in these unprecedented, suppressing times of the pandemic, that their vote is counted now, she said. White, the Miami-Dade elections supervisor, is preparing to send out close to 500,000 mail ballots in early October, more than she sent in all of the 2016 presidential election. But she and other election officials pushed against extending the election night deadline in federal court this year when three progressive groups Alianza for Progress, the Alliance for Retired Americans and Priorities USA plus seven voters sued the state to demand that all ballots postmarked by Election Day be counted, as is done in California. That lawsuit was ultimately consolidated with the lawsuit filed against the state in March and then settled. White, whose office encouraged mail voting heading into this election season, argued in court that extending the deadline would throw the entire post-election calendar out of whack. She told the Miami Herald that shes encouraging voters to fill out and send in mail ballots as soon as they get them, partly to make sure they arrive on time but also to give those voters time to cure a problem should the canvassing board flag their ballots as problematic. Voters are informed through phone calls, texts and email addresses they are asked to provide when they request mail-in ballots if there is a problem with their ballot so they can fix the issue before Election Day. Her staffers also visit the USPS distribution center in Opa-locka three times on Election Day to pick up ballots, including a final visit at the 7 p.m. deadline. But even with those efforts, there were 3,074 mail ballots delivered in the two days after the election. Another 2,584 mail ballots arrived late in Broward County, an elections supervisor spokesman said Wednesday. Those ballots arent even considered by a local canvassing board, the appointed body that oversees post-election audits, recounts and decisions such as whether to reject a mail ballot with a questionable signature. This election, White said the percentage of ballots rejected by the Miami-Dade canvassing board actually went down. The law is very clear on what we can accept and what we cannot. There isnt a lot of discretion on the part of the canvassing board, White said, noting that missing signatures on the envelope are among the biggest problems. Im hoping these voters who had this happen to them in this primary will remember to sign in the future. Zimbabwean wildlife authorities are investigating the deaths of 12 elephants last week in a forest north of the country's famed Hwange National Park, an official said Sunday. Eleven carcasses were discovered on Friday and another on Saturday in the Pandamasuwe forest tucked between Hwange and Victoria Falls town. "We have ruled out things like poaching because the tusks are intact, we have also ruled out cyanide poisoning because no other animal has been affected including vultures which are feeding on them," parks and wildlife spokesman Tinashe Farawo told AFP. The dead animals are young adults aged between five and six years and juveniles around 18 months old. Farawo said preliminary indications are there might be a bacteria around because the "animals are overpopulated to an extent that their preferred vegetation is no longer there, so they end up eating anything including some poisonous plants". With a population of more than 84,000 pachyderms, Zimbabwe is nearly doubling its ecological carrying capacity of between 45,000 and 50,000. Farawo said Hwange, a park with an area of 14,600 square kilometres, has a normal maximum capacity of 15,000 elephants, but it currently holds between 45,000 and 53,000. Neighbouring Botswana, home to the world's largest elephant population of around 130,00, lost around 300 elephants early this year. They are thought to have succumbed to natural toxins. sn/pvh A man, 22, has been charged with the theft of a river boat that was intercepted by police in the early hours of Saturday morning. Joseph Hawkridge - from Chatham, Kent - was charged with taking a conveyance without the owners consent and will appear in Thames Magistrates Court on Monday. Specialist marine police officers swooped on the Thames Clipper vessel and seized control during a dramatic chase on the River Thames, near to London's Tower Bridge, this weekend. Police received reports of a man jumping a security gate and stealing a river bus from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, east London. Police say the marine support units, who had their blue lights illuminated, attempted to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a stop. Marine officers instead decided to board the Thames Clippers vessel, which was said to be travelling 'at speed' prior to police intercepting it, and took control of it. The vessel was then taken to Canary Wharf dock. Marine support units intercepted a Thames Clippers vessel after Metropolitan Police received reports that a man had jumped a security gate and took the river bus from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, east London Police say the marine support units, who had their blue lights illuminated, attempted to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a stop. Pictured: Library image of a training exercise by the Metropolitan Police Marine Police Unit and Royal Marines A Met Police spokesperson said: 'A 22-year-old man from Kent has been charged with taking a conveyance without the owners consent in connection with the incident. 'Joseph Hawkridge, 22 (15.04.1998), of Chatham will appear in custody at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday, 31 August.' A spokesperson said in an earlier statement: 'Marine support units intercepted the Clipper with the blue lights illuminated. The vessel slowed but did not come to a stop. 'Marine officers boarded and took control of the vessel and it was taken to Canary Wharf dock. 'They were joined by local units who arrested the man, aged in his 20s, on suspicion of burglary and theft. Police are said to have intercepted the river boat, reportedly near to Tower Bridge, on Saturday night 'He remains in police custody and the investigation continues.' Thames Clipper previously said they were unable to comment due to the police investigation. A spokesperson said: 'As this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment at this time.' Thames Clippers is a river bus service on the River Thames in London. It runs commuter services between eastern and central London, as well as tourist services. Around 10,000 passengers use the service each day. In June this year, America company Uber won the naming rights to the service, which has since been re-branded 'Uber Boat by Thames Clippers'. PARIS A conservative French magazine is under fire after it published a fictional narrative and illustration depicting a French lawmaker as an enslaved African who was put up for auction in the 18th century. The legislator, Daniele Obono, an anti-racism activist who is Black and was born in the former French colony of Gabon, called it an insult to my history, to my family and ancestral histories, to the history of slavery, and described it as a political and racist attack. The seven-page fictional narrative, published this week in the magazine Valeurs Actuelles, had a series of images, including one of Ms. Obono with chains around her neck. By Saturday, French politicians from across the political divide had criticized the magazine for its highly offensive portrayal of Ms. Obono. This revolting publication calls for unambiguous condemnation, Prime Minister Jean Castex wrote on Twitter. President Emmanuel Macron sent Ms. Obono a message of support. Yesterday everyone was in pretty much shock to learn about Black Panther actor Chadwick Bosemans passing away. The actor was suffering from colon cancer for the past four years and took his last breath yesterday in LA. Chadwick never spoke about his illness publically and his fans were shocked to know about this when his family released a statement on his official social media account. Several Hollywood and Hindi film celebrities shared their grief on social media. Priyanka Chopra Jonas too took to her social media to express her grief. The actress shared a black-and-white picture of the actor and the note along with it that the family had shared. Her caption reads, This years been so hard. What a tragic loss of a remarkably gifted talent. Chadwick, you fought a silent battle, all while giving us some of the most inspiring films of the last few years. Your legacy will live on forever. My thoughts & prayers are with his family & loved ones. This years been so hard. What a tragic loss of a remarkably gifted talent. Chadwick, you fought a silent battle, all while giving us some of the most inspiring films of the last few years. Your legacy will live on forever. My thoughts & prayers are with his family & loved ones. pic.twitter.com/lcc3JsFJyh PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) August 29, 2020 Yesterday Nick Jonas had shared a picture of Chadwick Boseman to share his grief and said that though he had never met him, he was a fan of his work and mighty upset with the news. The Marvel universe and superheroes were deeply shocked with this news. Actors like Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo too expressed their grief and they all were equally shocked with this loss. Iran and Austria have reviewed the bilateral relations in the field of security, police and law enforcement, Trend reports citing Mehr. Iran's Ambassador to Austria Abbas Bagherpour Ardakani, in a tweet on Friday, said he had a very useful meeting with Wilhelm Sandrisser, a high-ranking security official from Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. We reviewed the very good cooperation between the two countries in security, police and law enforcement areas and discussed how to make them more strengthened, the envoy added. Bagherpour Ardakani, is Iran's new ambassador to Vienna, who submitted his credentials to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen earlier in July. WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. Will Hurd on Thursday introduced a resolution that would enlarge Big Bend National Park. H.R. 8093 would allow the National Park Service to acquire land from willing private property owners via sale or donation to expand Big Bend by 6,100 acres, according to a release from Hurds office. Big Bend National Park is an iconic piece of America that shows our countrys beauty, history and incredible environmental value. With H.R. 8093 ... would provide protection for this land, but it would also give Americans even more area to respect and appreciate, Hurd said in the release. This boundary change would protect the very rare and unique Terlingua Watershed, some of the most important fossil bearing rocks in Big Bend and ruins of pioneer homesteads of both Anglos and Hispanics. I hope my colleagues will support this legislation that will preserve some of Americas most beautiful land for future generations to appreciate. Private landowner rights would not be affected by inclusion into the parks boundary and those who choose to incorporate their land would be able to partner with the park services on cooperative conservation partnerships, according to the release. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Natasha Bijlani, who works at the Priory hospital in Roehampton, London, has never been busier at work than in the last few weeks of lockdown. Im not saying that in a happy way at all, she is keen to stress. Its really sad to see how many people who wouldnt otherwise be coming to someone like me are [now] feeling the need to seek support. According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in July, the number of people in the UK affected by depression has risen from one in ten to one in five since the same time last year. Similarly, a global survey of almost 300,000 people by Kantar Health found that the proportion of people who are experiencing depression symptoms had risen from 7 per cent to 11 per cent since the start of the pandemic. It is perhaps not surprising that people have been experiencing poor mental health in 2020; dealing with the physical threat of Covid-19, feelings of isolation brought on by lockdown, distance from support networks of family and friends, and the uncertainty of future restrictions has taken its toll. To feel comfortable and be in a state of mental and emotional equilibrium, you need to have stability in your life, says Dr Bijlani. Recommended Caring for someone with dementia during a pandemic But as lockdown slowly lifts and the daily virus death toll reduces (although cases in England have grown in the last week), the early concerns of immediate threat to life and separation from loved ones have morphed into longer-term worries about redundancies, job prospects and the economy. The ONS has reported the largest rise in unemployment in the UK since the 2008 financial crash, and the UK is officially back in a recession. And there are more financial obstacles on the horizon: a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research warned that the end of Rishi Sunaks furlough scheme in October, which saw employees paid 80 per cent of their salary by the government, will lead to unemployment at rates not seen since the Great Depression. The UK will also have to deal with the economic consequences of Brexit when the transition period with the EU ends on 31 December. Now we are not only dealing with a health crisis, but an economic one too. Economic recessions lead to increased levels of mental illness, suicide and suicidal behaviour The last comparable economic downturn in the UK was the 2008 financial crash. The USs largest investment bank, Lehman Brothers, had collapsed, sparking an unprecedented crisis in the global financial system. Stock markets tumbled, and in the UK, RBS and Lloyds had to be bailed out by the government. In the years that followed it wasnt the banks who suffered. David Taylor-Robinson, professor of public health and policy at the University of Liverpool, tells The Independent that research by his team found there had been 1,000 excess deaths by suicide from 2008-2010. A separate study from the University of Bristol concluded unequivocally: Economic recessions lead to increased levels of mental illness, suicide and suicidal behaviour. Unemployment, financial difficulties, debt and loss of a home increase an individuals risk of depression, suicide attempt and suicide. Rises in unemployment appear to account for less than half of the increase in suicide deaths during recessions; debt and the impact of austerity measures are likely to be other important contributors to the rises, the report continues. Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Show all 12 1 /12 Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Marc Lyons ICU Consultant, East Cheshire NHS Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Emma Kelly Critical Care Nurse, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Laura Arrowsmith COVID-19 Ward Cleaner, Leighton Hospital, Crewe PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Stuart Brookfield Paramedic, South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Claudia Anghel Midwife, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Sarah Jensen Chief Information Officer, Barts Health NHS Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Anne Roberts District Nurse, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Ali Abdi Porter, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Jack Hannay Manikum 111 call handler, West Midlands Ambulance Service PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Ade Williams Superintendent Pharmacist, Bedminster Pharmacy in Bristol PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Farzana Hussain GP, Project Surgery, Newham PA Rankin unveils portraits of NHS workers on the coronavirus frontline Roopak Khara General Adult Psychiatrist, West London NHS Trust PA Contemporary reports after the 2008 crash also found people with existing mental illness were hit harder by the recession than their peers. The researchers found a consistent pattern people with mental health problems were more likely to be unemployed following a recession. Prof Taylor-Robinson tells The Independent that a deterioration in mental health resulted from factors that determine mental health at a population level, like people not having enough money and feeling insecure in their place of work. But a recession not only causes lost jobs, or lost income, meaning you are unable to pay bills, but a change in terms of self-perception. The shock of losing your source of income is going to affect people in a huge way, says Dr Bijlani. And work isnt just about the money, its about having a sense of purpose, identity and structure. Dr Bijlani says the mental health consequences of the recession wont just be limited to those who are actually made redundant and points out that the looming possibility of losing a job will have its own psychological impacts. The coronavirus pandemic is as much a mental health emergency as it is a physical one Paul Farmer, Mind charity Mental health charity Mind has already started calling for the government to urgently plan for recovery from the coronavirus mental health crisis, saying: The easing of lockdown wont address many of the underlying issues and the worst is yet to come; the impact on mental health of unemployment, financial difficulties and housing issues will grow as government-led emergency support measures come to an end and recession bites. Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said: The coronavirus pandemic is as much a mental health emergency as it is a physical one. The devastating loss of life, the impact of lockdown, and the inevitable recession that lies ahead will leave a deep and lasting scar on our nations mental health. According to Dr Rachel Chin, consultant clinical psychologist at the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, the mental health impact of job losses tends to amount to a domino effect. This can contribute to a drop in energy and drive, making it harder to employ coping strategies. The start of a recession might also be the final straw in a long line of difficulties this year has thrown up for individuals. Were going through really tough challenges and compounded challenges as well. Thats the key at the moment. Its not just one thing for a lot of people, its a snowball effect, says Dr Chin. Dr Chin says we can already see the impact of this in figures around poor coping methods, like excessive drinking. A series of surveys analysed by the Institute for Alcohol Studies reported that between a fifth and a third of people had been drinking more in lockdown. The British Liver Trust, a charity supporting those living with the medical consequences of alcohol use, has also seen a five-fold increase in calls to its helpline since the end of March. Well see more people coming in with significant needs, and more people accessing mental health services for the first time, Dr Chin says of the probable impacts, adding that there will likely be an increase in symptoms of depression, anxiety and self harming behaviours. The Covid-recession will have an added psychological element, says Dr Chin the guilt experienced by those who are struggling but feel that, compared to others whove had worse experiences, for example, losing family members to the virus, they have no right to be unhappy. One outcome of what Dr Chin calls the heroic narrative surrounding frontline workers is that some people feel hesitant to seek professional help, as they fear putting extra pressure on the NHS. I think people try to withhold and cope, she says. And I guess thats why you might see more unhelpful but more accessible ways of coping, such as increase in drugs and alcohol use. Johnson has promised there will not be a return to austerity as a result of pandemic spending (AP) This recession will also be building upon the foundations laid by the previous downturn and a decade of austerity measures implemented by the government even though prime minister Boris Johnson has promised there will be no return to the austerity of ten years ago this time around the aftershocks are still being felt now. Prof Taylor-Robinson says: Stressful events like recessions can have long-lasting generational effects. The shock of those events, and then policies that throw families and children into poverty, can subsequently amplify those effects. One of the biggest concerns about getting people to access help is that many people are now working remotely and having less face-to-face contact with the outside world, as well as with colleagues, friends and family. Not only will this mean that people are less likely to reach out for help, but are also more likely to suffer in silence, compounding their poor mental state. I think a lot of people working from home, because theyre worried about losing their job, must be going out of their way to please their employer and responding to emails at all hours, says Dr Bijlani. Im worried that there are going to be a lot more people experiencing burnout and excessive anxiety and its going to affect their sleep. Professor Taylor Robinson believes much of the impact can, and should, be mitigated at a society-wide level with economic and social policy. The furlough scheme was one such example, but he says more can be done. The furlough scheme showed that you can implement social protection for people who lose their jobs on a massive scale, and theyre the type of measures that will protect peoples mental health, he says. Theres evidence to suggest that in Scandinavian countries and other places where they have good labour market protection and welfare support, its not inevitable that a shock like this leads to deterioration in mental health, he adds. Dr Chin also says, while anxieties around employment may be unavoidable for many people, there are daily coping strategies individuals can employ to try and mitigate the worst risks. The psychologist recommends using a mental wellbeing app which is led by qualified and trained professionals or clinicians like Calm or Headspace. She also suggests allotting a period of time each day for focusing on worries and reflecting on what is and isnt within our control. Its not about trying to block our worry, its about recognising the significance and importance of it, she says. It might be half an hour a day where people write down some of these worries or thoughts or fears and just acknowledge it. After an initial drop in the numbers of people accessing mental health services during lockdown, Dr Chin says more of us are now starting to seek help. As we move more into a recovery phase, rather than an active acute phase, were starting to see that some of those levels of referrals are what they were prior to Covid-19, if not higher already, and I would predict a much higher increase in future as well, she says. You can contact the Samaritans helpline by calling 116 123. The helpline is free and open 24 hours a day every day of the year. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-29 22:38:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Sun Xiaoling LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- "In the current complex international environment, China's clear layout of future plans bring strong confidence to people at home and abroad who are concerned about China's development," a British university scholar said here. In a recent interview with Xinhua, professor Yu Xiong at the Surrey Business School in the University of Surrey, gave his analysis on the lastest signals delivered during a symposium on economic and social work held in Beijing earlier this week. Chairing the symposium, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed adopting a long-term perspective, grasping the trend of the times and extensively pooling wisdom to study new circumstances and make new plans. Noting the country's economic and social strategy for the mid-and-long term, Xiong said the plans are "thoughtful, wide-scope, and forward-looking...China has a firm and accurate grasp of the situation." China's new development pattern known as "dual circulation", which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while letting domestic and foreign markets boost each other, has been placed high on the authorities' agenda. Xiong said it suggests that China will boost economy relying on domestic demand while "developing collaborative, mutually beneficial and win-win relationship with other countries" amid rising protectionism and risks of globe supply chain disruption. Chair of Business Analytics and University Associate Dean International, Xiong spoke highly of the world's second largest economy's increasing engagement with technological innovation towards future development. "More high-tech enterprises will develop, which will inject momentum into the country's technological and economic development," he said, adding that "innovation will further play a leading role in China's economy." "The country's plan for scientific and technological development is very comprehensive, and the leaders obviously have taken full consideration of the country's conditions and given an accurate and powerful direction revolving around the innovative development," the scholar said. Asked about China's aim to set up a high-standard market system through fair competition, Xiong said it indicates that private companies are expected to play "an irreplaceable role" in China's new round of economic high-level opening-up and reform. "China is turning to an economy of high-quality development," said Xiong. China's development will benefit not only China itself but also the entire world, in particular under the headwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted. Enditem Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko takes his 16-year-old son Nikolai to protest as people continue to demand his downfall over an alleged rigged election. According to The Telegraph, the father-son duo appeared in military outfits carrying, what appeared to be AK-47s and posed for cameras as protesters demonstrated nearby. Lukashenko and his son Nikolai, who is presumed to succeed his father as President of Belarus, reportedly landed in Minsk from a helicopter near their residence and posed with the assault rifles for a photo-op. Read: Belarus Leader Cites Alleged NATO Threat To Shore Up Rule According to reports, Lukashenko after the show of strength told the press, "They (over 1,00,000 protesters) have run away like rats." Lukashenko's gimmick was to indicate that he will not go down without a fight, suggested reports. Protestors are demanding Lukashenko's resignation, free and fair election, and an end of state-sponsored violence. People in large numbers have taken to streets to protest against the outcome of the recently concluded election, following which Lukashenko ordered a crackdown on demonstrators. One protestor reportedly died in the clashes between police and the protesters, while over 7,000 have been arrested so far. Read: EU FMs On Belarus, Greece-Turkey Tension, Navalny Lukashenko on August 10 secured a record sixth term as the country's president after the authorities announced the preliminary results in which the 65-year-old former Soviet Army member allegedly secured over 80 percent of the total votes polled. Opposition leaders, including the main challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, denounced the result, calling it a rigged election. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the country for Lithuania on August 11, fearing that she or her family could be harmed. The 37-year-old leader has been issuing video statements from Lithuania, demanding Belarusian authorities to accept their wrongdoings and to join hands with the opposition in order to evade punishment in the future. International condemnation The European Union and the United States have also expressed concerns over the recent developments in Belarus and have called on Lukashenko to respect the rights of the Belarusian people. Foreign ministers of the European Union also held a meeting regarding this issue and also discussed possible sanctions against Lukashenko. Meanwhile, the last dictator of Europe has also managed to garner some international support as Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly extended support to the authoritarian leader. (Image Credit: AP) Read: Belarus President Lukashenko Says He Is Ready To Share Power As Protests Intensify Read: Iran Agrees To Allow IAEA To Inspect Two Suspected Nuclear Sites 'to Resolve The Issues' By Express News Service NEW DELHI: In a move to help financing the affordable housing segment, the Finance Ministry has included 'Affordable Rental Housing Complex' (ARHC) in a harmonised master list of infrastructure sub-sectors. "Affordable Rental Housing Complex is included in the Harmonized Master List of Infrastructure sub-sectors by insertion of a new item in the category of Social and Commercial Infrastructure," a notification issued by Economic Affairs Department of the Finance Ministry said. The move will help in getting more investment for the projects and will help these projects to secure long-term finance from bank and financial institutions at easier terms. ARHC was announced under part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan announced in May this year. This means that foreign investors can either invest in such projects directly or through alternate investment funds (AIFs) or infrastructure investment trusts (In-vITS) that will open funding options for such project. Also, income from investments in rental housing for lower income groups will be exempted from income tax. "Affordable rental housing complex" has been defined as as a project to be used for rental purpose only for urban migrant or poor, economically weaker sections or lower income group, for a minimum period of 25 years with basic civic infrastructure facilities such as water, sanitation, sewage or septage, road, electricity along with necessary social and commercial infrastructure with a minimum of 40 dwelling units of double room or single room or equivalent dormitory units or mix of all three. The black father paralysed after being shot seven times by police in the US state of Wisconsin is no longer handcuffed to his hospital bed, his lawyers have said. Jacob Blake has had his wrists and ankles shackled ever since the shooting last Sunday, despite being unable to walk. Police have defended the measure saying the restrains were state policy because the 29-year-old was effectively in custody on suspicion of a previous sexual assault. But after growing outrage that a man still effectively fighting for his life was also being locked in chains, officers have now removed the cuffs. Fortunately, a man who is paralysed and fighting for his life after being shot seven times in the back, will no longer have to deal with the pain of having his ankles and wrist shackled and the traumatic stress of being under armed guard, attorneys Ben Crump, Patrick Salvi and BIvory Lamarr said in a statement late on Friday. The Milwaukee County Sheriffs Department confirmed the removal saying Blake had been unchained because he was no longer in custody having posted bond although sexual assault charges remain. The action followed an intervention from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers who, when asked if he was concerned that Blake had been handcuffed to his bed, told reporters: Hell yes. The Democrat added: I would have no personal understanding why that would be necessary. Certainly hes paid a horrific price already. The shooting of Blake by police officer Rusten Sheskey has led to six continuous nights of protests in the 100,000-person city of Kenosha where it happened. Demonstrators say it is yet more evidence of institutional racism and endemic police brutality in the US, and are calling for charges to be brought against Sheskey, who has been placed on leave while the incident is investigated. Meanwhile, in other developments, a court hearing for a teenager charged with killing two people during the unrest has been delayed by a month. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, had been due to appear before a court in Illinois for a request to have him extradited to Wisconsin for trial but a judge postponed the hearing until 25 September. Details of Blakes shooting itself remain unclear almost a week on. Josh Kaul, Wisconsin Attorney-General, said officers were called to an address after a woman reported her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises. While there, officers tried to arrest Blake, initially using a Taser. But after he opened his car door, Sheskey who has served with Kenosha Police Department for seven years fired seven times. Officers later recovered a knife from the drivers side floorboard, Kaul said. This weekend, with tensions remaining high, more than 1,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to Kenosha, where a night time curfew has also been put in place. Angry Beijing describes US moves as 'unilateral and unjust' The US has imposed sanctions on 24 Chinese companiesincluding the builders of Colombo Port Citymaking it illegal for American companies to export products to these entities without a Government licence. In Colombo, the Chinese Embassy hit back at the latest move which also affects China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the parent company of China Harbour Engineering Company, which is building the Colombo Port City and also constructed the Hambantota Port and the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. The Embassy does believe that normal business cooperation by licensed companies or individuals from China and Sri Lanka, two sovereign countries, will be affected by such unilateral and unjust sanctions from a third country, said the Chinese Embassy Political Section Chief Luo Hong. The sanctions targeted companies and individuals involved with constructions in the South China Sea, particularly the building of artificial islands as part of the One Belt, One Road initiative (OBOR). China has urged the US to rectify its mistakes and immediately stop interfering in Chinas internal affairs, Mr Luo said. The Chinese companies and individuals are participating in construction on its own territory, completely within the scope of its sovereignty, he said. US sanctions, which involve typical hegemonic logic and power politics, have blatantly interfered in Chinas internal affairs, violated international law and norms governing international relations. It is the first time the US has sanctioned Chinese companies involved in building artificial islands. It has labelled the construction programme as an illegal attempt to control an important shipping route. Visa restrictions are also imposed on executives at those companies and on other individuals responsible for the island building. The blacklist is called the Entity List and now contains more than 300 Chinese entities including Huawei. US sanctions such as those imposed on Iran and Myanmar have in the past discouraged countries like Sri Lanka from engaging with the targets. For instance, Colombo stopped crude oil imports from Iran, even switching to other grades in line with US sanctions against Tehran. At the time, Sri Lanka had imported nearly all of its 50,000 barrels per day from Iran. China must not be allowed to use CCCC and other state-owned enterprises as weapons to impose an expansionist agenda, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. The United States will act until we see Beijing discontinue its coercive behavior in the South China Sea, and we will continue to stand with allies and partners in resisting this destabilising activity. US media reports said it was not clear how the sanctions might affect CCCC. Another subsidiary, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., also known as ZPMC, recently supplied cranes to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. ( Courtesy: The Sunday Times, Colombo) Turkey starts new drills in Mediterranean as tensions rise Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 10:20 PM The Turkish military has launched fresh war games in the eastern Mediterranean region, as tensions between Ankara and Athens mount over maritime borders and gas drilling rights. During the drills, which started on Saturday and are expected to last two weeks, the Turkish military will carry out "shooting exercises" in a zone off the southern Turkish town of Anamur, north of the island of Cyprus, Ankara said in a message on NAVTEX, the international maritime navigational telex system. Ankara had already announced on Thursday that military exercises would take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in a zone further east. The dispute between Turkey and Greece over maritime borders and gas drilling rights has reignited the long-running Ankara-Athens rivalry, with the two neighbors staging rival naval drills. The fresh war games were launched two days after Turkey intercepted six Greek F-16 jets in the Mediterranean in a sign of the volatility of the situation. Video footage posted by the Turkish defense ministry on Friday purportedly showed Turkish Air Force planes preventing the Greek aircraft from entering the area where Turkey was operating. The F-16s had departed from the island of Crete and were heading towards southern Cyprus, Turkey said in a statement. The current spike in tensions was caused by the deployment of the Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis into Greek waters on August 10. The European Union on Friday warned Turkey it could face fresh sanctions -- including tough economic measures -- unless progress is made in reducing soaring tensions. Turkey responded angrily to the warning. Vice President Fuat Oktay said Saturday "the fact that the EU is appealing for dialogue on the one hand and at the same time making other plans reflects a lack of sincerity." "Turkey will not hesitate to defend its interests," he said. Other irritants have marred ties between Ankara and Athens including the question of migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece, Turkey's conversion of some Byzantine churches and cathedrals into mosques and Greece's intention to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles from the current six. "You think we would accept such a thing?" thundered Otkay on Saturday, referring to Greece's maritime border plans. "If this is not casus belli, then what is it?" he said using a Latin term for an act or event used to provoke or justify war, AFP reports. This immediately sparked a strong response from Athens. "The unprecedented perspective of Turkey that it can threaten with the use of violence neighboring countries when they exert their legal rights, is against the modern political civilization but also against the fundamental clauses of the international law," the Greek foreign ministry said in an English statement. "We urge Turkey to understand that the international law is binding for all countries of the world. It's not applied selectively." The crisis has split members of the NATO alliance and in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg stressed the need for "dialogue and de-escalation". The Turkish presidency said Erdogan told Stoltenberg that "NATO should fulfill its responsibility against unilateral steps that disregard international law and harms regional peace." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TO EAT THE RICH is of course mere rhetoric, a fantasy of vengeance. The terrible irony is that for those in extremis, one of the most radical forms of protest is to shun food entirely to visit violence on oneself, turning it inward, internalizing the crime of the oppressor so that its corrosive impact is made manifest to the world. The history of hunger strikes is long, going back to the age-old Indian custom of dharna (historically, sitting at the threshold of a debtor and fasting until the debt was cleared, and today a more general term for a sit-in) and the Celtic troscad, which predated Christianitys arrival in Ireland in the early fifth century. This was not mere ritual: Troscad was a legally sanctioned means of extracting justice from someone of higher rank and a rare tool of the poor against the mighty, as the late 19th- and early 20th-century Irish nationalist Laurence Ginnell wrote. Once all other avenues of redress had been attempted and exhausted, you would wait publicly at the doorstep of the wrongdoer and refuse to eat until reparations were made. The act of self-starvation so disrupted the social order, some thought it took on a supernatural aura, with the intimation that the damage done to the victims body would redound upon the offending party, exacting a spiritual price. (There were legal consequences to fear, too, including, in some circumstances, a doubling of the amount of reparations required.) If the potency of troscad rested in part on the bonds and expectations of a small community, where refusing hospitality to a guest at your door was a mark of dishonor, the modern hunger strike has had to rely on a broader sense of outrage. Sometimes this is achieved by exposing the callousness of the oppressor, as in the case of imprisoned suffragists in early 20th-century England, who were subject to brutal force-feedings that broke teeth and caused internal injuries, drawing widespread public condemnation. In 1981, 10 members of the Irish Republican Army were allowed to starve to death over months in a paramilitary-style prison in Northern Ireland, their troscad and request to be recognized as political prisoners instead of common criminals unanswered; some in the British press greeted their deaths as a victory (I will shed no tears, one newspaper editor wrote), but the world spoke out against such indifference, and across Ireland, the dead were mourned and celebrated as martyrs the leader of the protest, Bobby Sands, had been elected to Parliament while on strike, and upward of 70,000 people attended his funeral pressuring the British government to improve prison conditions. Image A 1981 poster of imprisoned Irish Republican Army members to raise awareness of the 1980-81 Irish hunger strike, distributed by the Irish Prisoners of War Committee, New York City. Credit... Stuart Lutz/Gado/Getty Images To have moral force, the hunger strike had to be a last resort. For the Irish nationalists, as outlined in a statement released on the day of the strike, it was a demonstration of our selflessness as opposed to the selfishness of criminals out for personal gain and the justness of our cause. The student activists who occupied Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the spring of 1989 explicitly framed their decision to stop eating as a sacrifice on behalf of their country: Although our bones are still forming, although we are too young for death, we are ready to leave you. We must go; we are answering the call of Chinese history. In keeping with the exalted language, the hunger strike was orchestrated as spectacle, with more than 3,000 students eventually joining the fast and some even rejecting water, accelerating their decline in Tiananmens midday sun. Hundreds of thousands of supporters crowded the square, and doctors and desperate parents hovered, ratcheting up the anxiety against a backdrop of throbbing ambulance sirens as strikers lost consciousness and were hauled off to the hospital. It wasnt simply the students youth but their privilege as part of the educated class that made their willingness to risk everything so persuasive; by starving themselves, they earned credibility and galvanized the country until the government declared martial law and troops opened fire on the protesters. In the aftermath, thousands were detained, and, decades later, all references to the massacre continue to be censored within China. Gandhi, who endured 17 fasts in his resistance to British imperialism, cautioned that, even when successful, a hunger strike could be merely coercive rather than persuasive: Your opponents might make concessions but not actually believe theyd done anything wrong. The result is a temporary fix, a slapped-on bandage, rather than lasting change. /* custom css */ .tdi_75_008.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_008 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_008.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_008.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_008.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned residents of flood-prone communities in Anambra state to relocate without further delay as intense floods are coming. The agency named particularly the flood plains and low lands near the River Niger and its tributaries as most endangered who should relocate immediately. South-East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr Fred Anusim, gave the warning on Saturday in Enugu, quoting the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) earlier predictions of torrential rains in September in 28 states of the country including Anambra. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_f64.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_f64 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_f64.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_f64.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_f64.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } The NIHSA had specifically noted that there had been disturbing growing level of water in the River Niger. Some communities in the South-East have started feeling the impact of the increasing water and gradual flooding, especially those in Anambra State. So, we are advising these communities, particularly those within natural flood-plains and low lands and those communities close to River Niger and its tributaries, to relocate to safe high-lands. They should please evacuate while they can salvage some of their belongings and even crops they had planted in order to reduce damages and avoidable destruction. This is the call and warning we are issuing at this moment as a proactive disaster management agency, he said. Anusim said that before now, NEMA had met and sensitised various State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) in the South-East to provide safe high-lands that people could relocate to temporarily. NEMA will do the needful of supplying relief materials to the people in their various Internally Displaced People(IDP) camps in the states. The IDPs will return back to their homes after the rains and predated flood season is over to continue their daily human and business endeavours. The Federal Government through NEMA wants to ensure that there is minimal human and property losses this year as it is expected that all obey the expert advice from NIHSA and NIMET, he added. Anambra has successively been flooded annually as the River Niger and its tributaries run through the state. Tourists visiting Offaly had openly flouted rules during the recent lockdown which irritated and angered a number of locals. One local in Banagher, who wished to remain nameless, told the Tribune that the second lockdown for Offaly felt very unfair, but it was rubbing salt in wounds to see people from outside the county openly breaking the Covid-19 rules. Some of these tourists, he said, had been arriving in the town by boat, others had been arriving by car. The people of Banagher had been abiding by the rules, he said, but unfortunately we saw a number of irritating incidents of rule-breaking by outsiders the over couple of weekends when we were going through the really difficult second lockdown. You know, during the second lockdown we only saw the guards for a couple of hours at a checkpoint at the bridge and we didn't see them on any other occasion. So, it was obvious to us they were not adequately policing the situation. He said many of the cars had D registration plates and most of them were probably taking the motorway as far as the Roscrea junction and driving to Banagher from there. A couple of weekends ago I saw a dozen jeeps in the town, all with reg plates from outside the county. They were towing dinghys with outboard engines. They were obviously basing themselves in the town and enjoying a day or two of boating on the Shannon. I also saw, several times, tourists in shops not wearing masks. Locals were wearing masks but they were not. Some were swimming in the pool beside the bridge. Others were walking around in that general area, or having barbecues. You could see them congregating together in groups of up to ten people, obviously not social distancing. If you went down to the marina on a weekend afternoon you could see it was quite busy with these tourists from outside the county. A lot of them were from Dublin. It seems in this country that if you have a D reg or a D jersey you can do anything you want, you can give people two fingers and get away with it. Education is a hot topic this Legislative session. Here's what bills we're watching. Here are some of the hot-button education bills were tracking at the Argus Leader. Check back each day to see where they stand as we update. New Delhi, Aug 30 : Online intelligence firm Cyble on Sunday said that a cybercrime group demanded ransom after gaining unrestricted access to the entire databases of Paytm Mall, although the e-commerce platform denied the claims. The cybercrime group with the alias "John Wick" was able to upload a backdoor/Adminer on Paytm Mall application/website, said Cyble. A Paytm Mall spokesperson, however, told IANS that the claims are "absolutely false". "We would like to assure that all users, as well as company data, are completely safe and secure," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We have noted and investigated the claims of a possible hack and data breach, and these are absolutely false," the statement added. Cyble said that the breach appears to have affected all accounts and related information at Paytm mall, it added. "Our sources also forwarded us the messages where the perpetrator also claimed they are receiving the ransom payment from the Paytm mall as well," Cyble said, adding that it could not confirm if the ransom was actually paid. Leaking data when failing to meet hackers demands is a known technique deployed by various cybercrime groups, including ransomware operators, the online intelligence firm said. The perpetrator claimed the hack happened due to an insider at Paytm Mall. The claims, however, are unverified. In 2019, the Paytm group faced a fraud allegedly caused due to their employees. The group "John Wick" has other aliases such as "South Korea", "HCKINDIA". "We invest heavily in our data security, as you would expect. We also have a Bug Bounty programme, under which we reward responsible disclosure of any security risks. We extensively work with the security research community and safely resolve security anomalies," the Paytm Mall spokesperson said. (Natural News) Back in May and June, NewsBusters reported on how CNN personalities Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon had strongly encouraged violence in the streets in support of the Marxist Black Lives Matter organization (and histories of supporting Antifa terrorists). But with the 2020 election around the corner, the duo was fearful of riots helping President Trump get reelected. Chris, as you know and I know its showing up in the polling, Lemon warned as their Republican National Convention coverage moved into the wee hours of Wednesday. (Article by Nicholas Fondacaro republished from NewsBusters.org) While this piece was being pulled together, the radical violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin took a bloody turn after rioters apparently chased down an armed citizen and he defended himself, shooting his assailants. Thats according to on-the-ground reporting from Townhalls Julio Rosas. After denouncing the RNC as a sham explanation of where the GOP stood, Cuomo was the first to share his concerns about the rioting. You have COVID, and then you have Kenosha. Don. And whats happening in Wisconsin, its a Rorschach test for where this country is and I think it probably represents the biggest threat to the Democratic cause, he told Lemon. Lemon concurred and complained that it was a blind spot for Democrats. He added: I think Democrats are ignoring this problem or hoping that it will go away and its not going to go away. He then played the role of Joe Bidens campaign manager and instructed his candidate on how the address the issue: So, the problem is not going to be fixed by then, but what they can do, and I think maybe Joe Biden may be afraid to do it. Im not sure. Maybe he wont, maybe he is. Hes got to address it. Hes got to come out and talk about it. Hes got to do a speech like Barack Obama did about race. Hes got to come out and tell people that he is going to deal with the issue of police reform in this country, and thats whats happening now is happening under Donald Trumps watch on Donald Trumps watch. And when he is the president, Kamala Harris is the vice president, then they will take care of this problem. What really scared Lemon was the fact that the violence was finally having an effect on voters. The rioting has to stop. Chris, as you know and I know its showing up in the polling. Its showing up in focus groups. It is the only thing it is the only thing right now that is sticking, he fretted. Again, this came months after these two encouraged such violence. Back in May, Lemon defended the riots as the mechanism for a restructure of our country or for some sort of change. And just a few days later, in June, Cuomo was raging as he scolded those who wanted peace. Now, too many see the protests as the problem, he whined. He then declared: And please, show me where it says that protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because, I can show you outraged citizens are the ones who have made America what she is and led to any major milestones. By the end of the July, violence was still tearing the country apart and yet, Cuomo attacked those who dared to focused on it. You are ignoring the reality and you are picking on the aberrations for bad reason. And where do we see that? The other side in Portland, he sneered. Its disgusting how CNNs attitude toward promoting violence changed with the polls. They are complicit. This is CNN. CNNs morbid weather vane attitude toward violence in the street was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Ancestry and 4imprint. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about what disgusting behavior their funding. The transcript is below, click expand to read: UAE revokes law boycotting Israel, allows first direct flight Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 10:37 AM The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially canceled a law that boycotted Israel and prevented trade as well as financial agreements with Tel Aviv after signing a deal to normalize relations. The official Emirates News Agency (WAM) made the announcement on Saturday, saying that Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan had issued a federal decree aimed at "abolishing the Federal Law No. 15 of 1972 regarding boycotting Israel and the penalties thereof." Elaborating on the decree and its scope of function, the news agency said companies and individuals in the UAE would now be able to sign agreements with firms or individuals residing in Israel. "It will be permissible to enter, exchange or possess Israeli goods and products of all kinds in the UAE and trade in them," WAM underlined. Israel and the UAE on August 13 reached a deal that will lead to a full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two sides, in an agreement apparently brokered by US President Donald Trump. According to the accord, Israeli and UAE delegations are to hold meetings and sign bilateral agreements covering sectors including investment, tourism and direct flights and the opening of reciprocal embassies. Meanwhile, Israel's first direct flight between Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport and the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi is to take place on Monday. Reports said the flight will carry an Israeli delegation as well as top US presidential aides among them Trump's senior adviser Jared Kushner. Anger is boiling in the Middle East and elsewhere over the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize diplomatic relations, with Palestinian leaders describing it as a "stab in the back" by an Arab country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address What's worse for a rapper keen to keep his cool in middle-age: an arrest for a serious crime, like carrying a loaded weapon, or one for a minor misdemeanour, like not wearing a seat belt? Ice-T, the 52-year-old "original gangster" (who now plays a policeman on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) was arrested in New York on Tuesday. According to T's tweets, "Some punk bitch rookie cop named Fisher #10026 Made the arrest of his bullshit career today. Arresting the Notorious Ice T for no seatbelt... He said 'I know who you are and I don't [care]!'" Unconcerned by any potential accusations of having gone soft, T later tweeted, "I'm really only thinking 'bout my dog. I'm glad he's ok." T's six-month-old bulldog, Spartacus, needed surgery after getting his knee stuck in a shopping trolley (so says Spartacus in his own Twitter feed, @CuteSpartacus). T was released soon after his arrest, but the story nonetheless made national news, which, he tweets on, "raises the question... How petty is our news today? What about the War and the Gulf?" What indeed? * In its Labour leadership special, out today, New Statesman features exclusive interviews with all five candidates. Outsider Diane Abbott talks to Sophie Elmhirst, a lowly "contributing writer" (and a fine one, at that). Andy Burnham gets Jon Bernstein, NS's deputy editor, but not a political specialist. The Westminster team, James MacIntyre (political correspondent) and Mehdi Hasan (senior editor [politics]), take the resurgent Ed Balls and the favourite, David Miliband, respectively. But the coveted spot, a sit-down chat with New Statesman editor Jason Cowley, goes to Ed Miliband. Seems the magazine has made its bet on the next leader, if not cast its vote. * Yesterday I reported on an email from Stewart Lee (funny bloke; former member of Finsbury Park Weight Watchers) to organisers of the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award. Lee, incensed by an online vote to find a "comedy god" among the winners and nominees over the last three decades, appeared to describe awards publicist Anna Arthur and producer Nica Burns as "corporate whores". Today he explains what he meant: "To clarify my use of the word 'whore', I wasn't using it in a sexual or sexist sense, but in the commonly understood metaphorical sense of 'corporate whore'. I think this is clear to anyone reading the piece. I didn't have Anna and Nica specifically in mind, but was thinking of everyone involved with the awards over their 30-year history, including sponsors, judges, administrators, nominees, winners, and anyone who has ever attended the awards shows, irrespective of gender. I am happy for this statement to be issued as clarification. Stew." I'm starting to wonder whether this might not be some big, well... joke. * Oliver Stone has made two documentaries with Fidel Castro (a third is on the way), and one with Yasser Arafat. His latest political road movie, South of the Border, is a glowing portrait of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. After complimenting our reporter on her red brassiere at a screening this week, Stone told her he's keen to make a film with yet another controversial figure: either North Korea's Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il, or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, beige-loving President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "He's my hot potato," Stone says of Ahmadinejad. "He's had a lot of bad press in the West. I made an offer to talk to him about three years ago and the answer was 'No'. Then, while I was filming W, the answer was 'Yes'; it's always mixed signals with Iran." Stone is adamant that, if he can fit it around his 10-hour TV project, Oliver Stone's Secret History of America, he'd also love to work with Mr Kim. "Why shouldn't I make a film about the Dear Leader? Why doesn't he have the right to speak? He seems like a strange fellow, I agree, but wouldn't it be great to see a film about him?" * Meanwhile, Diane Abbott tweets that Stone wished her luck in her leadership campaign when they met at the House of Commons. She is, surely, the nation's great left-wing figure of the moment maybe he'd like to make a film about her? highstreetken@independent.co.uk Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 08:16:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- India late on Saturday announced that its defence forces won't participate in this year's multilateral military exercises "Kavkaz-2020" to be hosted by Russia from Sept. 15 to 27. The decision not to participate in the exercises has been taken in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, tweeted the principal spokesperson of the India's Ministry of Defence. "At Russia's invitation India has been participating in many international events. However, in view of pandemic and consequent difficulties in exercise, including arrangements of logistics, India has decided not to send contingent this year to Kavkaz-2020. The same has been informed to the Russian side," the spokesperson said. Enditem Social enterprise FoodCloud, which merged with its sister company FoodCloud Hubs in 2019, saw total income increase to 4.8m last year from 2.1m, according to new accounts. Operational expenditure at the enlarged entity increased to 4.6m compared with 1.6m in 2018, leaving a surplus for the year of 189,049. In 2019, FoodCloud worked with Aldi, Lidl, Musgrave MarketPlace and Tesco to redistribute 1,192 tonnes of surplus food to 584 community groups via its technology platform in Ireland. Combined, the enlarged FoodCloud redistributed the equivalent of 4.14 million meals last year, preventing this surplus food going to landfill. The merger of the two entities, which was completed on the July 1, 2019, followed a review undertaken by the boards of each organisation in 2018. As part of the agreement, all assets, liabilities and undertakings of FoodCloud Hubs were transferred to FoodCloud and both teams were merged to create a single entity employing 56 people. Total reserves at the end of 2019 were 2.3m including just over 1m resulting from the transfer of the assets, liabilities and undertakings of FoodCloud Hubs to FoodCloud. Iseult Ward, CEO, FoodCloud said: "2019 was a transformative year for FoodCloud as we proudly brought together our retail and technology solution FoodCloud with our sister warehouse operation, FoodCloud Hubs, to provide an end-to-end solution for surplus food redistribution." In 2019, FoodCloud worked with Tesco and Waitrose in the UK and distributed food in partnership with Fairshare, a British food waste charity. It aims to expand technology pilots in Australia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Demand for its services has increased due to the pandemic. One of the main suspects in the deaths of six women dumped in scrub near Tynong North and Frankston in the early 1980s has died. Harold Janman, 88, who was interviewed by police about the murders in 1981 and repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, died on Wednesday. The murders of Allison Rooke, Bertha Miller, Catherine Headland, Ann-Marie Sargent, Narumol Stephenson and Joy Summers remain unsolved. The unsolved Tynong North and Frankston murder victims (clockwise from top left) Allison Rooke, Bertha Miller, Catherine Headland, Joy Summers, Narumol Stephenson and Ann-Marie Sargent. Credit:Artwork by Cinta Veal On December 6, 1980, two local men stumbled on the bodies of 14-year-old Headland and 75-year-old Miller in scrub at the old sand quarry off Brew Road. A police search found a third victim, 18-year-old Ann-Marie Sargent. The Hyderabad city police have tightened the security for BJP MLA from Goshamahal constituency, T. Raja Singh, following the intelligence inputs about a terrorist threat perception to the legislator. City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar has written a letter to Raja Singh informing about the terrorist threat perception to him and enhancing the security provided to the legislator and seeking his cooperation in this regard. According to sources, the city police tightened the security for the MLA and at his residence in the wake of the threat from terrorists Anjani Kumar in his letter said Providing proper security to the MLA is our top priority. It is to inform you that due to your threat perception, enhanced security has been provided to you, and security personnel are also being alerted and checked from time to time. Special training has been organized to all your Personal Security personnel. While soliciting the cooperation of the MLA, the police commissioner said therefore, your kind cooperation is solicited to ensure proper security. You may kindly completely avoid moving on motorcycles and travel by the Bullet Proof (BP) car allotted. The government has provided this BP car only for your security. Responding to the letter, Raja Singh told the reporters that he has asked the government and police department to identify the elements that were posing a threat to him. He said he also requested the police commissioner and the state government to grant Gun license to him as he requires to move in lane and by lanes in his constituency which are congested and wherein, he is unable to move in the car. Raja Singh said that he would write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the issue. At the age of 94, Le Duc Van is no longer at his best, with a hunched back and deteriorating health. But when it comes to moments of glory from more than seven decades ago, he still remembers every single detail. Van (whose real name is Nguyen Huu Phuc) was among the key people behind the historic August 1945 Revolution in Hanoi, a major landmark in modern Vietnamese history that helped shape what the country is today. It formally marked the end of colonialism and led to the declaration of national independence on September 2 the same year. Le Duc Van at his house Back then, Van was a member of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Brigade, a group of patriotic young men and women in Hanoi operating under the leadership of the Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam). The group was established in August 1944 at 46 Bat Dan Street, with 60 founding members, Van recalled. It originated from a student activist group that we founded a couple of years earlier, when we were still students at the Buoi High School. Despite having a French-influenced education, Van and his schoolmates were nonetheless inspired by a teacher named Nguyen Khang, who through history lessons instilled patriotism in all of his students. We founded a group called Ngo Quyen, after the national hero who defeated Southern Han Chinese invaders more than a thousand years ago, he said. In 1941, Nguyen Ai Quoc (the alias at that time of President Ho Chi Minh) returned to Vietnam and founded the Viet Minh, to mobilise patriots for the revolutionary cause of seeking independence for Vietnam from French colonialism. After hearing of the Viet Minh and its policies through some older schoolmates, Van and his friends asked to join and soon became part of a professional and organised group fighting for national independence. Our main job at the National Salvation Youth Brigade was to introduce the Viet Minh and its policies to others, in the hope of igniting peoples patriotism and attracting others to the group and the revolutionary cause through activities like handing out newspapers, leaflets and posters, or holding meetings and giving speeches. Everything was done secretly to avoid being caught. We were divided into groups of three, reporting every activity to a leader further up the ladder. Each person only knew of his or her groups members. This was to avoid any break-up of the movement if members were caught and began talking. At one point, after the leader of our group was arrested by the French, a friend and I had to leave our families to take refuge in the countryside. From a group of students, the national salvation brigade quickly expanded to include young people from all walks of life. Pham Thi Hien, now 91, joined the group in late 1944 at the age of 16. I was living with my family on what is now Dai Co Viet Street, she remembered. I didnt go to school, instead staying at home to help my father with the family business. Everyone was poor. We all hated the foreign occupation and loved our country. Then one of my brothers told me to join the organisation. My role was to go to public spaces and scatter patriotic leaflets around. We went out in a group. One person would create a distraction as others completed the task. Just like Van, everything Hien did was secret, even to her family. My two brothers and my sister were also members of revolutionary groups, but none of us knew what the others were doing, she remembered. Turning point On March 9, 1945, Japan toppled the French in Vietnam and founded a puppet government under its direct control, marking a turning point in the countrys revolution. Taking advantage of the ensuing confusion, the Viet Minh strengthened its power in preparation for a general uprising. The Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Brigade continued to organise activities to increase peoples support for the Viet Minh and provoke anxiety among those working for the French and then the Japanese. On August 17, the puppet government held a major meeting of public servants in front of the Opera House, Van recalled. We were ordered to turn it into our own meeting, and call on people to support the Viet Minh. "Three of our members were tasked with taking the floor and gave speeches calling on everyone to follow the Viet Minh and stage a general uprising. Other members stood among the crowd waving the red flag with yellow star of the Viet Minh. People were chanting everywhere, he continued. I heard Support the Viet Minh, Independent Vietnam. Le Chi, the youngest member of our team, brought along a yellow star red flag. In the stirring atmosphere, he raised the flag and shouted Fellow compatriots, follow me. And people followed him. It wasnt meant to be a demonstration, he explained, but it just kept growing and became tens of thousands of people moving around the centre of the city. We went from Trang Tien to Dong Xuan Market, and then Phan Dinh Phung Street, he said. More and more people joined us. Even police officers working for the authorities joined us. The crowd was only dispersed into smaller groups when we came to Cua Nam Street at about 7pm. Hien, meanwhile, was among a group of people who went from the Opera House to protest in front of the Tonkin Palace, the headquarters of the Japanese-backed government. We were standing outside the fences and chanting, she recalled. If they had opened fire, I would have died that day. But I wasnt at all scared. An urgent meeting was held that night of different revolutionary forces, to discuss the general uprising given the latest developments. Van was the representative of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Brigade. There were nine participants, including Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Quyet and officers from the regional party committee. It was decided to launch a general uprising in Hanoi on August 19, to capitalise on the growing enthusiasm." Van went on: When August 19 came, a huge public gathering was held at the Opera House. Youth and workers self-defence forces protected the crowd. And from there we went to seize important offices of the puppet government. I was responsible for the uprising on the citys outskirts, and after that went to join the uprising downtown. Nguyen Quyet led the Hoang Dieu youth union to take over the security protection force. Nguyen Khang and the workers self-defence force seized the Tonkin Palace, the headquarters of the puppet government. Everything was completed by noon. The revolution in Hanoi ended without bloodshed, setting off a general uprising across the country that led to the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. On September 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in front of tens of thousands of people at Ba Dinh Square, members of the Hoang Dieu Citadel National Salvation Youth Brigade were assigned the important task of protecting the podium where the President and other key officials were standing. Looking back on those historic days, Hien said she was overwhelmed with happiness. We felt united and that we were escaping enslavement, she said. We had become citizens of an independent country. Just like Hien and everyone else involved, Van takes great pride in having devoted his life to the nation. I feel happy because I achieved the goals I aspired to, through so many tough years, he said. We finally gained our independence. I consider it my achievement to have contributed a little to where the nation is today. VNS PM chairs ceremony marking 75th anniversary of National Day Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse chaired a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day (September 2) in Hanoi on August 28. Geeks around the world couldnt wait for June. Thats when the American tech company OpenAI did a beta release of its new artificial intelligence system, GPT-3. Its more than a chat bot. Its more than auto-complete. With human prompting, the third version of Generative Pre-trained Transformer was pitched as tech that could respond and reason like a human, generate computer code, write a novel, compose music and poetry, even prescribe medicine. The AI draws on data so vast that Wikipedias six million articles make up just 0.6% of its reserves. And it responds in full, grammatically correct sentences. The New York Times called it the most powerful language model ever created. Turns out, its not as sharp as it is smooth. When MIT gave it a test run, they offered this prompt: You poured yourself a glass of cranberry juice, but then you absentmindedly poured about a teaspoon of grape juice into it. It looks okay. You try sniffing it, but you have a bad cold, so you cant smell anything. You are very thirsty. So you drink it, the machine supplied, then added, You are now dead. The AI knew what the words meant and how to use them. It just couldnt work its way out of a trap. Other MIT prompts got GPT-3 to suggest that if you have no clean clothes to wear to court, you should wear your bathing suit. Many conversations devolved into pointlessness. But tech researchers are testing it in inventive ways. Sushant Kumar built a GPT-3 tweet generator based on prompts from the public. Head to thoughts.sushant-kumar.com/word and replace word in the web address with your choice of word to see what it comes up with. I prompted it with Recharge. It gave me: Design is the cool part. Still, its like the garnish on the dish, not the dish itself. A nice play on how the modern world views creativity. Get on the waitlist on AIwriter.email to have a hypothetical chat with historical and fictitious personalities; GPT-3 generates the best-guess responses based on available information for that person. On gwern.net/GPT-3, Gwern Branwen guides the AI to produce creative fiction. Cringe at GPT-3s attempt to complete Alan Ginsbergs poem Howl. But smile at its attempts at dad jokes. You probably know the riddle: What is fast, loud and crunchy? (A rocket chip). Ask GPT-3 that question, and it answers: A thunderstorm. Its not funny, but not terribly wrong, when you think about it. Kevin Lacker simply tested its intelligence with stupid questions, blogging about it on lacker.io. How many rainbows does it take to jump from Hawaii to seventeen? he recently asked. GPT-3 responded: Two. The AI isnt smart enough to know that it doesnt know everything. A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing. At Facebook, researchers asked it to write tweets about the Holocaust. Heres what it wrote: A holocaust would make so much environmental sense if we could get people to agree it was moral. Oops! Over the moon about something thats still under the radar? Tell me at rachel.lopez@htlive.com Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rachel Lopez Rachel Lopez is a a writer and editor with the Hindustan Times. She has worked with the Times Group, Time Out and Vogue and has a special interest in city history, culture, etymology and internet and society. ...view detail Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to the media at City Hall in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 30, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) Portland Mayor Publicly Defies Trumps Offer for Federal Aid, Blames President for Fatal Shooting Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler publicly refused federal aid from President Donald Trump to stop rioting in his city and alleged that the president is responsible for the shooting of a right-wing protester in Portland on Saturday night. Its you who have created the hate and division, Wheeler said. What America needs is for you to be stopped, he added. The mayor has come under increasing pressure to bring in federal resources after more than 90 straight nights of demonstrations, arson incidents, looting, and unrest in the wake of George Floyds death in Minneapolis. Wheeler then said Trump needs to say the names of Floyd and other black people who have died in officer-involved incidents in recent months. Trump immediately responded to Wheeler on Twitter, saying that he is a wacky Radical Left mayor who has watched great death and destruction of his City during his tenure, adding that Wheeler thinks this lawless situation should go on forever. Wheeler is now facing calls to resign from his office, namely from progressive and far-left political organizations. However, they asserted that it was the pro-Trump protesters who were responsible for the violence, despite there being months of unrest in the city at the hands of self-described left-wing agitators. A man is being treated by medics after being shot during a confrontation in Portland, Oregon, on Aug. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein) Portland police stand guard in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 29, 2020. (Paula Bronstein/AP Photo) The lack of leadership that has existed with the city and the mayors office has allowed this to fester and allowed these groups to be able to come in and feel like they can do whatever they want, said Bobbin Singh, executive director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center. Earlier this summer, Trump deployed federal agents to Portland after agitators and protesters laid siege to a federal courthouse. However, he was decried by both Wheeler and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat. On Saturday, it wasnt clear if the shooting was linked to fights that broke out as a caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by protesters in the citys downtown. An Associated Press freelance photographer heard three gunshots and then observed police medics working on the body of the victim, who appeared to be a white man. The freelancer said the man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group that supports Trump. Police did not release any additional details and were at the scene investigating late Saturday. Portland Police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street. They responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report. As part of our Women's Month content feature and in the build-up to our panel discussion with some of this year's Gerety Awards all-female South African executive jury members, taking place in September, Jessica Tennant, senior editor: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity, interviews this year's jury to find out what a woman has to do to get onto an advertising jury, what the opportunity means to them and the significance of these Awards given the current state of gender equality... The Awards recognise the best advertising (not just advertising made for women) through the female lens. Comment on the significance of this given the current state of feminism / gender equality / womens empowerment. As part of its call for entries campaign, the Awards sent purple moustaches to prominent female leaders in the advertising industry, and asked them to pose for a picture with the question: What does a woman have to do to get onto an advertising jury? How would you answer that question what does a woman have to do to get onto an advertising jury? What are you most looking forward to or excited about with regards to taking part in this years Gerety Awards judging? What is your hope for the next or future generations of women in advertising / the advertising industry? And what is your key message to fellow women in advertising this Womens Month? The Gerety Awards, founded by Joe Brooks and Lucia Ongay is relatively new, having launched in 2019. It brings together all-female juries from across the globe to shortlist the best in advertising all advertising, not just advertising made for women through the female lens.The Awards was named after Frances Gerety, the copywriter who coined the slogan a diamond is forever. So, instead of categories, the Awards are judged by cuts (as in diamond cuts), of which there are 10.This year, there are a total of 180 new jury members from 30 different countries. Pre-Covid-19, judging sessions were hosted in each host city and the shortlists submitted to the international grand jury of creative experts for final evaluation, but of course this years judging sessions are having to take a different format. Joe Brooks explains that the judging would have taken place at the VMLY&R offices, with Jacquie as the ambassador. The date had been set for Monday, 1 June and we would have judged and discussed a number of categories of entries from around the world. The same week judging sessions would have taken place in London, New York, Buenos Aires, Bangkok, Melbourne, Milan, Istanbul, Helsinki and Berlin. Due to the Corona, all judging is taking place remotely and online over a four-week period with group calls in the middle of the judging to discuss favorite pieces.This years South African executive jury includes: Jacquie Mullany, ECD, VMLY&R; Mpume Ngobese, MD, Joe Public; Sanche Jansen van Rensburg, ECD, Avatar; Simone Bosman, founder and creative, Osu & Kumalo; Neo Segola, ECD, FCB Africa; Sarah Dexter, CEO, Mullen Lowe; Nadia Mohamed, marketing director, McCain; Emma Strydom, head of design, Network BBDO; Juliet Honey, creative, Freelance; Suhana Gordhan, ECD, FCB; Linda Notelovitz, director/producer and founder, Life Design; Liezel Bygate, marketing director, Bliss Brands; Monalisa Zwambila, CEO, Riverbed; Loli Bishop, producer, Freelance; and Fiona O'Connor, creative director, Havas. Look out for our online panel discussion featuring some of these remarkable women in advertising in September after the shortlists have been announced.Here, Dr Liezel Bygate, marketing director at Bliss Brands, says that although marketing is probably relatively ahead of the rest in terms of female representation, it's ironic that in the world of advertising, which is the mouthpiece we use to connect with our consumers, women are so poorly represented...Womens voices need to be heard. Having their own gig is good way to kickstart this, and hopefully one day it wont be necessary.The lack of women in leadership has been an issue forever with solutions for this being remarkably slow to the boardroom. As far as corporate functions go, marketing is probably relatively ahead of the rest in terms of female representation. It is then ironic that in the world of advertising, which is the mouthpiece we use to connect with our consumers (also largely women), women are so poorly represented. So, we have women talking to other women via men. Whats wrong with this picture?Connecting with other women in the industry and sharing perspectives on what makes great work.Advertising has the power to effect social change. My hope is that the women of the future can create work that is authentic and true to women, and not pander to the status quo.Be brave and dare to do things differently.Men are part of the solution too. We need more men that recognise the value women bring to the table. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 16:19:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A 5G self-driving shuttle bus is carrying participants in the Global 5G Industry Innovation Summit held on Aug. 28-30 in Chengdu, southwest China. The driverless bus plans routes and avoids barriers automatically owing to 5G's high bandwidth and low latency. The shuttle has been put into use in multiple events. 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The vessel departed from the Jiangnan Shipyard Group under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited. Luo Jun, president of Sun Yat-sen University, announced the name at the commissioning ceremony. With a length of 114.3 meters and a width of 19.4 meters, the vessel boasts global navigation capability. It has a maximum trial speed of 16 knots and an economical cruising range of 15,000 nautical miles, which can facilitate 60-day expeditions and carry 100 crew members. Chief designer Wu Gang said the research and training vessel had the largest displacement, strongest comprehensive scientific capacity and most innovative design in China. It can be described as "a large mobile laboratory at sea." According to chief construction engineer Zhang Wenlong, apart from a 760-square-meter stationary laboratory, the vessel's quarterdeck can carry more than 10 mobile container laboratories. It also has a landing platform for helicopters and drones, which can increase its transport efficiency and expand the observation scope of scientific research. In addition, its advanced research equipment enables scientists to process, test and analyze samples and data onboard. The construction project of the vessel began on Oct. 28, 2019. The vessel will undergo debugging and be delivered to the university in the first half of 2021. Since the 1920s, Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University has conducted marine scientific research in the South China Sea. In 1928, China's first scientific research examining the Xisha Islands was completed by researchers from the university. "We humans' understanding of oceans is far less than that of space, and the main reason behind this is the lack of exploration equipment and talent. The newly commissioned vessel is expected to play an important role in understanding, exploring and safeguarding the oceans," Chen Dake, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said at the ceremony. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Toronto police say seven officers were injured including four who were sent to hospital with minor injuries near a demonstration in midtown, near Eglinton Avenue West and Oakwood Avenue. One of two men they arrested was also injured, according to the Special Investigations Unit, the civilian police watchdog agency. The SIU said Sunday it was investigating after it was made aware of the incident at 1:43 a.m. Sunday. In a statement, the SIU confirmed that a 33-year-old man was arrested and transported to hospital for treatment. They say a Taser was used on the man when an altercation between him and the officers occurred. The police watchdog is waiting for more information about the extent of the mans injuries. Const. Laura Brabant of Toronto Police had also confirmed late Sunday that the SIU was examining the incident. We're not allowed to talk, once they invoke, Brabant said. Earlier, police said two men were arrested and face a total of 14 charges. The mens names werent released Sunday night, pending verification of the identity of one of the men. One of the men has been charged with four counts of assaulting a police officer, and single charges of assault, obstructing a police officer, disarming a police officer and mischief over $5,000. The other man has been charged with one count of assault a police officer, two of uttering threats, one of fail to comply with probation, one charge of obstructing police and another charge of assaulting a police officer with a weapon. Police say the incident began Saturday evening just before 8 p.m. when a person who wasnt involved in the demonstration jumped onto a car. The man was Tasered and arrested. He jumped down from the car and was hit and Tased by the police, said Deja Williams, who witnessed and recorded the scene. Police say officers intervened, and a second person jumped in and began fighting with them. They say a crowd then surrounded the officers. Several videos surfaced on the internet showing the altercation between the man and the police. Videos also showed a heavy police presence at the time of the incident, which some witnesses said was uncalled for. Police spokesman Const. Edward Parks said four officers were taken to hospital, treated for minor injuries and later released. Jamilah Reeves, from the youth-led group called Reclaim, Rebuild Eg West was present at the protest and said that the videos dont show what fuelled the behaviour. That guy that was jumping on the car he was very peaceful during the day. He was of sound mind, as if he was any other normal person. As the day progressed, his mental state started to deteriorate I dont know what happened to him, Reeves said. After the man was Tasered, Reeves and her friends calmed the man down and sat with him. Many of our members, we started to gather around the scene. I, myself, a couple of us, were trying to calm down the man because obviously he was riled up. Thankfully, some of the officers allowed us to sit with him. He had his head in my lap and we were rubbing his head and we were letting him know that hes safe. For a brief moment, he was calm, collected, he was just laying there. He was even calm enough to say that the cuffs were hurting him and the cops were nice enough to loosen the cuffs a little bit. He was calm and we were waiting for the paramedics. According to Reeves, things got worse when the paramedics arrived. After the paramedics came, thats when things got out of hand because the paramedics wouldnt listen to us. The man didnt want any Caucasian, or white people, touching him. He made it clear that was his trigger. However, the paramedics didnt listen. Thats when he lost control and he became erratic, she said. Toronto Paramedic Services could not be reached for comment on Sunday night. Sebastian Mendoza-Price, a volunteer at Reclaim, Rebuild Eg West was also present at the protest and believes that the police could have approached the situation in a more peaceful manner. Mendoza-Price said theres a shared feeling in the community that the only time the police come is in an agitated capacity. I think in a lot of ways, these kind of reactions also exemplify and contextualize why folks are doing what theyre doing, he added. Reeves said that the biggest problem for her in this situation was the number of officers. The number was way too much and thats when the crowd comes, she said. When you see at least 50 officers, its going to cause a scene. Its going to cause a commotion. Its going to cause distress. So that was a major problem. When the officers who werent around showed up, the scene escalated even more because they were just concerned with pushing the crowd back. Instead of asking the crowd to get back nicely, they just started pushing everyone, she added. With files from Margaryta Ignatenko and The Canadian Press With the last peak days of August upon us, hotels on the Costa del Sol are still under half empty, with an average occupancy rate of no more than 40 per cent. The quarantine imposed by several countries including the UK, which is the area's biggest source market, and the successive advice not to travel to Spain, have dynamited the most optimistic expectations of an occupancy rate of at least 50 per cent this summer. The slight increase in visitors from other parts of Spain wasn't enough to stitch the wound of cancellations due to international restrictions, which have left most of the approximately 90,000 hotel beds in the province empty. The worst is yet to come, as the Aehcos hotel association reminds us, warning that the period of grace for loan repayments and extra time to pay taxes have only put off the payment of bills. With estimates that occupancy will not even reach 25 per cent from September, hotel owners are predicting massive closures in the autumn. In a normal year, around 20 per cent close in low season, but this time more than half the hotels in Malaga are likely to do so. It wouldn't be profitable to stay open, says Miguel Sanchez of the Confederation of Business Owners of Andalucia (CEA), who owns the MS Hoteles chain: "The busiest period for tourism ended on Sunday and occupancy hasn't even been 40 per cent. We normally keep five hotels open and close one in winter, but in this situation we are considering closing them all," he says. "The income would not cover the costs involved in staying open". This is why hotel owners are calling for an "urgent rescue", aware that their recovery will be slower than in other sectors, and they say it needs to be in the form of a cash injection "otherwise, we are not going to make it through to the spring". Sanchez says he is "worried" by the reaction of the authorities and is asking the government and the Junta de Andalucia to "take note of the dramatic situation" these businesses are experiencing at the moment. The president of Aehcos, Luis Callejon, adds that the Costa and tourism "are winning horses", which need to be supported. "We can assure them that if they commit to us for a couple of years with direct help and clear incentives to boost demand, the sector will repay them many times over." The sector is waiting to see what happens with prime minister Pedro Sanchez's promise to consider a possible extension to the furloughing measures (ERTEs) for employees of tourism companies. These end in September, but the government has opened the door to them continuing until at least the end of the year. Scheme like the UK's called for The hotels are also demanding measures similar to those in other countries such as the UK, where VAT on tourism and restaurant businesses has been reduced from 20 to five per cent for six months and the government is financing 50 per cent of the cost of food and drink that British people consume in restaurants on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays this month, up to a maximum discount of 10 per person. Despite low occupancy levels, hotels say they have noticed a slight increase in spending by tourists, as the manager of the Hotel Ritual in Torremolinos, David Taboas, explains: "People are going out less so they are consuming more in the hotel, but we have still had unexpected costs such as the Covid protocols." A cash injection is essential to pay the bills for which payment has been postponed. But so far, there is no rescue in sight for the hotel sector and its agony has only just begun. A summer with no British, German or Italian tourists: most clients have been from elsewhere in Spain The restrictions imposed by half of Europe on people travelling from Spain and the recommendations not to come here, blacklisted because of the way the virus has spread in recent weeks, has transformed the tourist landscape. There have been very few British, German or Italian visitors, who in previous summers have filled hotels, bars and restaurants on the Costa del Sol. It has been Spanish tourists that have saved the bit of the day that was left of this peak season. "About 98 per cent of our clients this summer have been Spanish," says Miguel Sanchez, who has hotels in Malaga and Cordoba. Although the hotel owners had even offered to pay for coronavirus tests when travellers left their establishments in Spain to avoid quarantine situations such as that in the UK, cancellations by international tourists have made occupancy levels plummet to figures which have never been seen before. Many hotels dropped their prices to attract more Spanish. The choice of transport has also changed. The lack of international tourists has badly affected Spanish airports, which in June lost seven million passengers compared with the same month last year. Malaga, the fourth busiest airport in the country, has lost over eight million so far this year even though airlines began flying again in July. A Delhi court on Saturday denied the bail plea of JNU student and Pinjra Tod member Devangana Kalita, who was arrested in connection with the north-east Delhi riots conspiracy case, being probed by the Delhi Polices special cell. The court said the statement of the protected witnesses reflect the role of many accused persons, including Kalita, regarding the protest sites and how everything was being planned. The court also said the right to freedom of speech and expression as assured by the Constitution is subject to reasonable restrictions. Delhi Police in their submissions have maintained that the riots were orchestrated by a few anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters, such as Kalita. Additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat said Kalita had planned and participated in road blockades as part of the plan. He said their statements clearly point to the role of Kalita as well as other co-accused persons and various actions taken by them in pursuance to the conspiracy. Kalita, lodged in Tihar jail along with another JNU student and Pinjra Todh member Natasha Narwal, was arrested by Delhi Police on May 23 in connection with a protest against the CAA in north-east Delhis Jafrabad area in February. Police have named her as one of the main conspirators of the violence. He submitted that her location is also found at protest sites in Jafrabad at the time of the riots. At least 53 persons were killed and 400 others injured after clashes broke out between Hindus and Muslims in February. The special cell has named many anti-CAA voices such as Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi, Safoora Zargar, Gufisha Fatima, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Tahir Hussain in the conspiracy leading to the riots. The arrested persons have denied the charges and accused the police of launching a witch hunt against anti-CAA protesters. Since the present case is of a conspiracy resulting in riots, there are various individuals, organisations and groups which are interlinked and from the statements working in tandem. Thus, the statements or acts by the other co-conspirators in furtherance of the common object of the conspiracy will be admissible against the present accused Devangana, and the statements and evidence will have to be read in entirety since it is a case of conspiracy. Moreover, the assertion that the accused herself physically and directly did not resort to violence as understood in common parlance would not be germane in the context of various acts committed by different individuals including accused in the commission of riots, the judge said in his 12-page order dated August 28. Appearing for Kalita, her counsel Adit S Pujari had told the court that his clients expression of dissent is not an offence under the law. He said that his client had a history of resorting to cause-based peaceful expression of dissent. He said that even the apex court, with respect to the protest at Shaheen Bagh, had observed that right to protest against the legislature is not taken away. To this, the court said, The said assertion, is correct to the extent that freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution of India grants her the power and right to voice her opinion about any legislation and thus, to peacefully protest. However, such a right under Article 19 of the Constitution of India is subject to reasonable restrictions. Appearing for the special cell, special public prosecutor Amit Prasad had contended that during the course of the investigation, technical and manual evidence revealed that Kalita played an important role in the days leading to the riots by way of road blocks, hate speeches, and instigating protesters to get violent against the Union government. Kalitas lawyer had earlier told the court that Kalita had only protested against the citizenship law and was not linked to the riots. The police said she belonged to the organisation, Pinjra Tod, and that it had actively participated in anti CAA/NRC protests as well as in instigating the riots. Her name was also revealed during the interrogation of accused Gulfisha. Last year it was ABC journalist and author Leigh Sales who copped it at Perth's Disrupted Festival of Ideas, this year conservative Alice Springs politician Jacinta Price seems likely to be on the receiving end of the controversy. WA's State Library has confirmed Ms Price has been booked as a keynote speaker for this year's event, and acknowledged her involvement might upset local Noongar people. Jacinta Price is a Warlpiri/Celtic woman who grew up in Alice Springs. Credit:Facebook But State Librarian Margaret Allen backed the move to invite Ms Price, saying the Disrupted Festival was about debate and exchange of ideas, not about everyone agreeing. Ms Price is an outspoken Aboriginal conservative, an Alice Springs councillor and the director of the Indigenous program at the Centre for Independent Studies, a libertarian think tank. The Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Union Movement(GUM), Rev Michael Manfred Martey, has said the party is strategizing to win the majority of parliamentary seats in the region. He said the party would challenge the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress for the 33 parliamentary seats. He said GUM has parliamentary aspirants for 30 constituencies and would add the other three before the Electoral Commission(EC) opens nominations for the December elections. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency(GNA), Rev. Martey said although it would not be easy, the party is hopeful the feat could be achieved looking at the support base of the movement. Rev Martey said GUM is determined to change the face of politics by encouranging Ghanaians to participate in the countrys governance. He said GUMs ideologies are different from the other political parties because it is looking at uniting the citizenry to fight and secure the countrys resources for posterity. Rev Martey called on Ghanaians to support the Movement to salvage the country from current struggles. 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 Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed the Black icons Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get on Up before finding international fame with superhero Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is no more. The actor had been diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away on Friday. Boseman had never spoken publicly about his diagnosis. However, in April this year, fans expressed their concern when some pictures of his dramatic weight loss surfaced on internet. As news of his death and diagnosis spread, emotionally charged messages poured in from every nook and cranny of the world. Even politicians like former US President Barrack Obama and politician Hillary Clinton took to Twitter to express their heartfelt condolence. Clinton, however, spoke up about something rather important, yet frequently ignored. In a tweet, Clinton wrote, Colon cancer has taken too many young Black men too soon. Im heartbroken for Chadwick Bosemans family and friends, and for everyone who saw themselves in his roles. He was a hero on screen and off. Sending comfort to everyone grieving." Colon cancer has taken too many young Black men too soon. Im heartbroken for Chadwick Bosemans family and friends, and for everyone who saw themselves in his roles. He was a hero on screen and off. Sending comfort to everyone grieving. Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 29, 2020 Many found it strange that Clinton spoke about colon cancer in black individuals, and were quick to call her tweet racist. Some even lashed out at her for being divisive and discriminatory. Hillary. why say younge BLACK men ? The thought of cancer taking ANYONE of any colour is heart breaking. Lynette (@Lynette24517948) August 29, 2020 Unfortunately Clinton brought politics in to it with her first selective sentence. Shame in her. BRW, I already gave my condolences and left the race issue out of it. Disheartening, and sad, for all the families who have lost loved ones to this disease. mary french (@ukgirlinsf) August 29, 2020 Can we all agree cancer is a terrible disease that has taken the lives of too many people? Why does this have to be about race? Bo Hodges (@Bo_Hodges5) August 29, 2020 Heres the thing Clinton is not wrong. African Americans are, in fact, at greater risk for colon cancer than others and theres scientific evidence to prove it. According to data, about 140,000 African Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer every year and around 50,000 die from the deadly disease. In a blog, Dr. Fola May, assistant professor of medicine at UCLA, explained that African Americans are not only at greater risk for colon cancer, they also have less chances of survival. This is because by the time people are diagnosed, the cancer is already in an advanced stage which makes them more likely to die from it. Based on a report by the American Cancer Society, African Americans have the highest death rate in any racial or ethnic group in the United States for most types of cancers. For colon cancer, often called colorectal cancer, the incidence in US among black men is 24% higher than white men. The death rate is 47% higher in black men. This study on colorectal cancer in African Americans offers a deeper insight into why this happens. The colon runs down the right side of the body and after going down the left side ends with the rectum. Now sometimes, polyps develop in the colon. Some are benign, but some end up being malignant. A report by US News says that this is the fourth most common kind of cancer in the country, and can be treated if detected in the earlier stages. The detection is usually done through a colonoscopy, which involves inserting a tiny camera through the rectum. Sounds painful, but youre usually under anesthesia when it happens. Now African American males tend to develop the polyps deeper in the colon, making it difficult to detect. The report also highlights a few reasons why so many African Americans die from a cancer which could easily be treated, provided it got diagnosed early. One of the major factors is lack of screening. Despite the huge risk, only a fraction of African Americans are likely to get tested or screened for the cancer. A study also suggests that a majority of black males often refuse to undergo colonoscopy. Poor knowledge and a lack of awareness about colon cancer could also be why lesser African Americans opt for early screening, a move that could potentially save millions of lives. The American Cancer Society recommends regular screening for colon and rectal cancer from the age of 45. Of course, bias and racial disparities in African Americans getting access to basic healthcare has a role to play. Black people in the US do not receive the same standard and quality of healthcare that their white counterparts receive. While Boseman is likely to have received quality healthcare, thousands of African Americans in the US today may not even be aware that they could be having a potentially fatal condition. Clintons tweet was not racist, it was not divisive instead it threw light on an important issue which needs to be talked about and addressed. (Newser) President Trump will travel to Kenosha, Wis., on Tuesday, amid fury over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in the back, which left the 29-year-old Black man paralyzed. White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that Trump will be meeting with law enforcement officers and surveying some of the damage from recent protests that turned destructive, reports the AP. CNN notes that Deere wouldn't confirm if the president would meet with the family of Blake, saying that the schedule isn't fully set yet. The visit is certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators, led by Blake's family, gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence and racism. story continues below When asked earlier Saturday if he would visit, Trump said this: "Probably so. We've had tremendous success as you know. We were finally able to get the go ahead from the local authorities to send in the National Guard. Within a few minutes of the guard, everybody cleared out and it became safe." Trump has been running his reelection campaign on a law-and-order mantle, denouncing protesters as thugs" while voicing his support for police, and CNN notes that Wisconsin is an important swing state. Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, have accused Trump of rooting for unrest in Wisconsin. "He views this as a political benefit, Biden said in an MSNBC interview. Hes rooting for more violence, not less." Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic abuse call last Sunday when Sheskey shot Blake in the back seven times. (Read more Jacob Blake stories.) California has been in the headlines a lot lately. In the first half of the year, it hogged headlines because Governor Newsom imposed some of Americas most draconian lockdown rules on Californians (although they naturally didnt apply to protests). While these headlines applied equally to other Democrat-run states, California blazed a new trail in August, when a heatwave caused the state to have rolling blackouts, followed by raging fires. What was significant about both the blackouts and the fires was that they could have been prevented. Both resulted from Californias obsession with climate change and mindless environmentalism. Now, though, it appears that California is also due for an imminent apocalyptic flood. California can work to save itself, but its spending money in all the wrong places. Although the media were excited about an allegedly record-breaking heatwave this August, the reality is that California has meltingly-hot heatwaves at least twice a year. To the extent some years are hotter than others, the temperatures differ by the single digits. What made this year different was that the power grid failed over large parts of California. The grid didnt fail, though, because the heat was too great. It failed because Pacific Gas & Electric company, a California public utility, has bowed to the climate change fanatics and put all of its energies into renewables. Even Governor Newsom had to concede that, when people needed A/C, solar energy failed. The focus on climate change also meant that PG&E, instead of updating its aging power lines, some of which are almost 100 years old, poured its money into renewables. As always, it was these power lines that accounted for most of the fires that have turned California into an inferno. (The massive lightning storm didnt help, but it was the power lines that set the state on fire.) The other thing that set California ablaze was the environmentalist pressure not to do preemptive trimming and controlled burns. As he did in 2018, with the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County, President Trump criticized Californias forestry practices: I see again, the forest fires are starting. Theyre starting again in California, Trump said at a campaign event in Old Forge, Pa. And I said, youve got to clean your floors. Youve got to clean your forests. Its not just Trump saying this. One of the worst fire areas this August was in Big Basin, Californias oldest state park, home to the spectacular coast redwoods. These trees are hundreds of feet tall and can be almost 2,000 years old. This years fire killed several of those trees and it could have been avoided. Nine months ago, Portia Halbert, a Big Basin environmental scientist, was expressing concern about the fact that there hadnt been a prescribed burn there in three years: Given the right conditions, were poised to have catastrophic wildfires all over California, says Halbert, who works for the Santa Cruz District of the California State Park System. So whats my anxiety level like? I think weve been really lucky to avoid something very extreme here in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The third world power outages and devastating infernos in California are what the Obama administration might have called man-caused disasters if had hadnt already used that term on terrorist attacks. They all could have been avoided. However, it appears that theres another imminent disaster that California should be preparing for rather than obsessing about the fact that the earths climate changes. A flood of Biblical proportions is waiting in the wings. A massive flood hit in the winter of 1861-1862, submerging the Central Valley in up to 15 feet of water: When it was thought of at all, the flood was once considered a thousand-year anomaly, a freak occurrence. But emerging science demonstrates that floods of even greater magnitude occurred every 100 to 200 years in Californias precolonial history. This matters beyond California because the Central Valley provides significant amounts of Americas food supply: The state produces nearly all of the almonds, walnuts, and pistachios consumed domestically; 90 percent or more of the broccoli, carrots, garlic, celery, grapes, tangerines, plums, and artichokes; at least 75 percent of the cauliflower, apricots, lemons, strawberries, and raspberries; and more than 40 percent of the lettuce, cabbage, oranges, peaches, and peppers. The state also produces a fifth of the nations milk. If California drowns, America starves. And yet the state, fussing about the ocean rising an inch in a hundred years, is doing nothing to harden its infrastructure against heavy rain. We already know from El Nino years, with their unusually heavy rainfall, that the states infrastructure has inadequate drainage. California is what happens when politicians worship at the Altar of Climate Change. As they try desperately to appease a capricious God thats responsible for it being too hot, too cold, too wet, or too dry, depending on how the auguries read, theyre utterly failing to protect California, and even the rest of America, against entirely predictable weather occurrences. Image: El Nino flooding in California; public domain. A court in Pakistan has sentenced to prison three leaders of Jamat-ud-Dawa, an organisation accused by India and the United States of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. The sentencing was not related to the Mumbai attack itself. The sentencing comes ahead of a September deadline for Pakistan to avoid being blacklisted for failing to curb terror financing by global financial watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Inclusion on the blacklist, alongside Iran and North Korea, would mean being shunned by international financial institutions. The watchdog has called for Pakistan to prosecute those funding terrorism, as well as to enact laws to help track and stop terror financing. Malik Zafar Iqbal and Abdul Salam were each handed 16-1/2 year total sentences on four charges, to be served concurrently, while a third man, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, got 1-1/2 years on one charge, according to a court judgment seen by Reuters. The men were associates of Hafiz Saeed, who was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in February. All the sentences are concurrent so Saeed, Iqbal and Salam will serve five years. Saeed founded and led Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or the Army of the Pure, a group blamed by India and the United States for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 160 people, including Americans and other foreigners. Saeed and his associates also face a further slew of cases for allegedly financing militant activities, while Iqbal and Makki have already been convicted in several cases. Saeed says his network, which spans 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups. Jamat-ud-Dawa funds the militant wing LeT. A 2011 U.S. sanctions designation describes Iqbal as a co-founder of LeT and in charge of its financing activities. Salam is described as the interim leader of the group during the brief periods when Saeed was arrested in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, and running its network of seminaries. A controversial imam in Australia has asked Muslims not to get the vaccine for the coronavirus disease being developed by Oxford University. Sufyaan Khalifa claimed the vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca is haram - meaning forbidden. Khalifa has posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he blasted the methodology adopted by AstraZeneca, which said it is making the vaccine using foetal cells of an aborted baby in the 1970s and developed in a laboratory. Shame on some Muslim bodies justifying the use of the vaccine. Shame on any imam who did sign this fatwah, Khalifa said in the video. His is the growing voice of religious figures who are against Australias vaccine deal with AstraZeneca. A senior Catholic archbishop had recently warned he is deeply troubled by the deal, saying the potential vaccine uses a fetal cell line that creates an ethical quandary for Christians. Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher wrote a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlining concerns of some Christians over the vaccines apparent use of a cell line derived from an elective abortion performed decades ago. The letter was signed by Anglican and Greek Orthodox religious leaders. It also urged Morrison to pursue other ethical vaccine candidates to ensure religious objectors have a choice. Referring to the objection raised by the Catholic bodies, Imam Khalifa lashed out at Muslim bodies in Australia. The Catholics have stood up against this clearly because they know its haram, its unlawful. But you stand with the government instead, the Perth-based imam said. Australia earlier this month announced a deal with AstraZeneca to manufacture the promising vaccine if it is proven safe and effective, with plans to offer it for free to the entire population. Some of the officials in Australia have said that they respect the sentiments of religioous communities. An Australian government spokerperson had said that they are investing in research and technology that we hope will produce a range of vaccines that will be suitable for as many Australians as possible. Among those is the University of Queenslands vaccine candidate, which the official said does not contain fetal cell lines and has received Aus $5 million in government funding. It is currently in Phase 1 efficacy trials, while the Oxford vaccine is among a handful globally that have reached Phase 3. A group of leaders representing various progressive organizations from across the Portland area have called for the resignations of Mayor Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Chuck Lovell in the wake of Saturdays fatal shooting. Bobbin Singh, executive director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, said the conditions leading up to the incident were predictable citing various instances of clashes between right-wing protesters and counter demonstrators over the years. These conditions have been created because theres been a lack of leadership, a lack of vision, Singh said. We can no longer move forward with the current leadership thats in place in Portland. The victim of Saturdays shooting has not been identified but was wearing a hat bearing the logo of Vancouver, Washington-based Patriot Prayer. Leader Joey Gibson told The Oregonian/OregonLive that although he couldnt provide a name, the deceased man was a good friend and a supporter of the organization. The group regularly staged demonstrations in Portland that were met with fierce opposition by left-leaning and other community groups for at least the last three years. Many of the scenes that typically played out during those rallies repeated Saturday as right-wing demonstrators pelted counter protesters with paint balls and scuffles broke out throughout downtown. Portland-based community groups have long said they feared confrontations would lead to serious injuries or worse. I dont think we can see what happened last night in a vacuum or as an isolated incident, Olivia Katbi-Smith, co-chair of the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, said. People are going to be killed on both sides of this because of the environment Ted Wheeler has been making in the city. The demand for Wheeler to resign was also echoed in a joint letter from the Oregon chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Oregon Justice Resource Center, the Portland Democratic Socialists of America NextUp Action Fund, Portlands Resistance and Popular Mobilization PDX. What took place last night was inevitable given Mayor Wheelers repeated failure, the letter said. He has not protected or supported Portlanders. We do not have confidence in his ability to course-correct. He must resign. The shooting comes after Wheeler held a news conference on Wednesday vowing to do more to address violence during protests, police accountability and aid for downtown businesses. Wheeler is up for reelection in November and has previously said publicly that he wouldnt resign. Wheelers runoff challenger is Sarah Iannarone, an urban policy consultant who finished third in the 2016 mayoral race. In a statement Sunday, she said the violence was unacceptable and predicted by many but preventable by those in positions of power. Wheeler also faces a community write-in campaign for Teressa Raiford, a community organizer and activist who finished third in the May mayoral primary. Raiford is the founder of nonprofit Dont Shoot PDX, which has sued the city and federal authorities in recent months over police tactics during demonstrations such as using tear gas on crowds. The general election is Nov. 3. The community groups called together Sunday by the Oregon Justice Resource Center said police have repeatedly aided right-wing demonstrators while liberal activists are dispersed with tear gas and other crowd control munitions during protests against systemic racism and police brutality. Portland police on Saturday diverted vehicles participating in a pro-Trump caravan toward Interstate 5 near the Hawthorne Bridge while keeping counter demonstrators off the road. Some cars and trucks began zooming past the police barricade after some time, heading into downtown Portland. In previous years, Portland police would dispatch several officers to keep conservative activists separate from counter demonstrators. But no such interventions appeared Saturday and a police spokesman told The Oregonian/OregonLive the bureau does not publicly discuss its planning for such events. The agency came under intense scrutiny last weekend when a far-right activist from Texas brandished a loaded gun as dueling demonstrations unfolded in front of the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. The police stood by and did nothing, Katbi-Smith said of the response to violent scuffles that broke out throughout the afternoon. Lovell later said officers were hesitant to wade into the crowd as they were worried their presence would further flare already high tensions. Bureau leaders have also said they had 30 officers on hand to monitor the demonstration, a fraction of what they usually dispatch for large rallies. The man who pulled the gun, identified as Alan Swinney, was spotted at a rally decrying a Black Lives Matter posted in front of Gresham City Hall days later and also at a flag-wave in The Dalles hours before Saturdays deadly shooting. READ MORE: Man fatally shot after pro-Trump caravan was Patriot Prayer friend and supporter Jay Bishop Portland Mayor to President Donald Trump: support us or stay the hell out of the way Portland police chief, President Donald Trump and Gov. Kate Brown react to killing of man near downtown protests Saturday night Clashes escalate in downtown Portland after Trump rally in Clackamas Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report. -- Eder Campuzano | @edercampuzano | Eder on Facebook The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) taskforce says it is highly challenged in its efforts to enforce the wearing of face masks directive. The taskforce said it is also concerned that the lack of adherence to the directive may cause a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. The Coordinator of the GAMA taskforce, Nii Adjei Tawiah in a Citi News interview said the taskforce has recently observed the trend of many people gathering in public spaces without masks in the metropolitan area. People are wondering why we are complaining because the active cases are going down and we don't seem to see the need to wear face masks. When lots of young people are together, it is even difficult to use the police and army because people will take photos and videos and put on social media saying that we are being too heavy-handed with dealing with people but it needs to be down. In the townships, it is difficult, it is a challenge so we need to do more, we need to continue wearing the face mask, he said. President Akufo-Addo in April 2020 urged Ghanaians to start wearing face masks as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country. A few weeks later, legal frameworks were drawn to make the wearing of facemasks compulsory. The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, at a recent press conference expressed worry over what he said was the low level of compliance to the wearing of face masks in the country. The Ghana Health Service's concern was based on a survey it conducted in the Greater Accra Region where it found out that only 14.4% of the population in the region wear face masks appropriately and on regular basis. Greater Accra is the one that is driving the pandemic [in Ghana] and so it is extremely important that we reset and go back and start wearing the mask so that as active cases are coming down, it will continue to go down. We started with one case and now 43,000. Where we are now, we need to be very careful. That is our major worry and we need to intensify the campaign [for wearing face masks], the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye noted. As of Sunday, August 30, 2020, Ghana's cumulative COVID-19 case count is 44,205 with 42,777 recoveries and 276 deaths. The number of active cases is 1,152. citinewsroom Sudan on Saturday called for raising the negotiation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) from the ministerial level to the level of head of state, Trend reports citing Xinhua. "The negotiation must be raised from the level ministers to the level of presidents of the three countries through the African Union in order to provide political support for the negotiations," Sudanese Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Yasir Abbas said at a press conference in the capital Khartoum. "Continuation of the negotiations in the current form will not be effective," Abbas added, noting Sudan's commitment to negotiation anytime and anywhere. Reaching a deal in Nile dam talks needs a decision from the highest political leaderships in the three countries, he explained. Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia on Friday concluded their latest round of dam talks without reaching consensus over a draft deal regarding the GERD that should have been submitted to the African Union on Friday. Ethiopia, which started building the GERD in 2011, expects to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity through the project. However, Egypt and Sudan, downstream Nile Basin countries that rely on the river for its fresh water, are concerned that the dam might affect their water resources. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 11:23:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai reported three new imported COVID-19 cases and no increase in domestically-transmitted cases on Saturday, the municipal health commission said Sunday. Among the three cases, two are Russian citizens flying from Russia. The other one is a resident of the Taiwan region. All the cases have been transferred to designated medical institutions for treatment, and 128 close contacts of the patients on the same flights have been put under quarantine. Three cases imported from the Philippines were cured and discharged from a hospital on Saturday. As of Saturday, Shanghai had reported 555 confirmed imported COVID-19 cases and 342 locally transmitted cases. Enditem Aid charities are warning that this weeks demise of the Department for International Development (DFID) could cost lives in the worlds poorest countries and damage the UKs reputation internationally. They say the damage will be done unless foreign secretary Dominic Raab ensures the ongoing effectiveness and transparency of humanitarian aid in his new merged ministry. With DFIDs 23-year life as a free-standing department ending in merger with the Foreign Office on Wednesday, they are asking Mr Raab to make a firm public commitment not to switch spending from humanitarian schemes to trade, diplomatic or defence priorities. They also challenged him to guarantee continued scrutiny of projects by independent watchdogs, while calling on Boris Johnson to keep a voice for development at the top of government by appointing a dedicated aid minister to cabinet. Oxfam GBs head of government relations, Sam Nadel, said it was unclear why the government was pursuing the merger in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which the charity believes could force half a billion more people into poverty around the world. This is sending entirely the wrong signal out, suggesting we are stepping back rather than supporting the poorest in the world, Mr Nadel told The Independent. Theres a real risk the creation of this new department will reduce the UKs focus on poverty reduction and principled humanitarian aid. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 An aerial picture shows a worker using a quad bike and trailer to transport freshly harvested trees at Pimms Christmas Tree farm in Matfield, southeast England AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A shopper browses Christmas trees for sale at Pines and Needles in Dulwich, London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 November 2021 A murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings fly over a field at dusk in Cumbria, close to the Scottish border PA UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty The Aid Transparency Index rates DFID very highly and the FCO is near the bottom. The question is, are these standards going to be kept? DFID has a commitment to 50 per cent of its budget going towards the most fragile states. Dominic Raab has said in parliament that will stay. That is key and we want to see him stick by that. Suspicions over Mr Johnsons intentions were roused when the PM announced the merger in June, saying he wanted to unite our aid with our diplomacy and questioning why developing countries like Zambia and Tanzania received more funding than the far wealthier Ukraine and western Balkans, which are strategically important to the UK. When the PM talks about taking aid away from Zambia and spending it in Ukraine, its clear hes talking about a reconfiguration of what aid will be about, said Mr Nadel. Aid should be about helping those most in need the clue is in the name. This could be the difference between life and death for many people. It really is that stark. UK aid is genuinely saving peoples lives and supporting people in the most dangerous places in the world, like Yemen or Syria. If it is repurposed for political purposes in the national interest, people wont get healthcare, they wont get shelter, they wont get education, so their life chances are damaged. The head of UK influencing at Save the Children, Rachael Sweet, said the merger offered an opportunity for the government to make the most of their development and diplomatic expertise, but said taxpayers would expect it to focus on improving the lives of the worlds poorest. We asked our supporters to have their say on what are the most important priorities for FCDO and they have really challenged Mr Raab to focus aid on the poorest countries and to make sure that health, nutrition and education are prioritised as the areas which affect childrens futures the most, she said. Backing calls for a cabinet-level development minister and strong independent scrutiny, she said: This is taxpayer money and the UK public deserves to know that it is being spent effectively. Its only through applying clear and transparent processes and by people being accountable for this spending to the UK public that we will be satisfied. The House of Commons committee tasked with scrutinising the governments official development assistance (ODA) work is engaged in a tussle with Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg for its continued existence. International Development Committee chair Sarah Champion told The Independent that the government told the cross-party group in June that it would be dissolved on 1 September, only for the MPs to fight back. We told them we were appointed by parliament and it wasnt in their gift to shut us down, she said. We have a meeting scheduled for the 1st, and that will be going ahead. The IDC has won the backing of the Tory chair of the Commons Liaison Committee, Bernard Jenkin, for a proposal that it should continue as the ODA Scrutiny Committee, keeping an eye on aid spending not only by Mr Raabs new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) but also ministries including defence, business and health. While the Tories Commons majority means Mr Johnson can enforce his will, Ms Champion believes that an accident of timing may help preserve it. The Committee on the Future Relationship with the EU, chaired by Hilary Benn, is due to be wound up as the Brexit transition period ends at the end of 2020, which would leave Labour if the IDC too is abolished two short of its usual tally of committee chairs, and give it a strong case to head the new committee scrutinising the FCDO, said Ms Champion. I dont think the government would want that and I dont think they would want to expose their weakness on the floor of the Commons in a vote to abolish us, which I think we would come close to winning with the support of a lot of Conservatives who have rallied round us, she said. Theyve backed away from their original position, and now say that they dont foresee any changes in the immediate future, but its not over. We are in an ongoing battle with Jacob Rees-Mogg over it. Theres been a select committee or sub-committee specifically scrutinising foreign aid since 1969. I hope that Jacob, with his love of precedent will recognise that. Sarah Champion MP (PA) Ms Champion said the absorption of the UKs 15bn ODA programme by the Foreign Office made continued scrutiny all the more vital: DFID was originally set up in the wake of the Pergau Dam scandal, when we were bargaining with aid to get trade with developing countries. If there was a whiff that we were using aid for trade deals, we would seriously damage our international standing. Scrutiny may be annoying for ministers but it is essential for our reputation. Mr Raab announced on Saturday that the Independent Commission on Aid Impact will continue to review UK aid spending following the merger, but triggered some alarm by announcing a review to ensure that the bodys work is conducted in line with the aims of the FCDO. In future, ICAI should prioritise producing tangible, evidence-based recommendations to ministers to drive effective overseas development spending, he said. Mr Nadel said it was important that the review of ICAI "maintains or strengthens its ability to hold the new department to account and continues its vital role scrutinizing aid spending". And Conservative former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell told The Independent it was vital that the merger was not seen as a conquest by the Foreign Office. That means recognising that within DFID there is extraordinary world-leading expertise that should be nurtured and respected, he said. The influence which DFID exerted through literally every multilateral organisation and international development opinion former is extraordinarily extensive and an important aspect of British soft power, which contributes huge heft to global Britain. Its obviously important that all of this is clearly understood by the most senior decision makers in the Foreign Office. Civil servants and indeed ministers dont like ICAI, but it is an absolutely indispensible part of the Whitehall architecture if the taxpayers interests in the way this enormous amount of money is spent is to be protected. Mr Raab said: We are integrating our aid budget with our diplomatic clout in the new FCDO to maximise the impact of our foreign policy. Thats why I want to reinforce the role of ICAI, to strengthen further transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayers money and relentlessly focus our global Britain strategy on policies and in areas that deliver the most value. ICAI chief commissioner Dr Tamsyn Barton said: Robust, independent scrutiny helps to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most, and that UK taxpayers who contribute a substantial amount towards the aid budget each year get maximum value for their money. We are committed to the rigorous use of evidence in our reviews, and our recommendations have directly led to improvements in the way government spends aid. This strong track record means we are well-placed to drive forward further improvements in the aid programme, and to enable continued accountability as the landscape changes. Your browser does not support the audio element. A tree enthusiast in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has spent the last three decades caring for a centuries-old tree amidst the looming threat of harm from visitors. Thai Huy Khanh, a 56-year-old resident of Tra Vinh City, the capital of the namesake province, has been keen on safeguarding a prized, ancient dau rai (Dipterocarpus alatus) tree for nearly 30 years. Known colloquially as the resin tree, the tropical forest tree typically grows gregariously along riverbanks or in dense evergreen or mixed dense forests across Asia. Khanhs resin tree, believed to be over 800 years old, is so big that it takes six people in order to hug its entire trunk. One of the trees most unique features is its spiral trunk and branches which hang over its side and resemble an umbrella, earning it the nickname cay dau du (umbrella-shaped resin tree). The tree is also known for the lump-covered lateral roots which extend from the base of its trunk. While some say the trees bizarre shape is due to genetic modification, visitors from across Vietnam and neighboring countries have flocked to the tree in recent years hoping it will bring them good luck. Some believe that the tree also has self-healing abilities which allow it to regenerate itself if damaged. Shrouded in mystery It is not uncommon for entire tour buses to pull over on Son Thong, a small street in suburban Tra Vinh, to let off passengers who wish to visit the tree to pray for good luck. Many even peel off its bark to take home in order to share the trees prosperity and luck with their families. When Khanh sees the buses, he drops everything he is doing to rush to the tree and beg visitors to be careful. He even shields it with his own body. As word of the trees divine power spreads, Khanh has found it harder and harder to keep visitors off the tree, including tourists from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. Tra Vinh, deemed a city built amid a jungle of age-old trees, has long been known for the local governments emphasis on the upkeep of its more than 15,000 ancient citizens.' Many believe, however, that Khanhs tree is by far the citys oldest and most enigmatic. Khanh first became enchanted with trees as a child. Despite spending his career in an industry that had nothing to do with forestry, he wound up moving his companys location to Tra Vinh City simply to be amongst the citys centuries-old trees. Back in 1990, during a trip to the citys outlying areas, Khanh heard of a nearly deserted parcel of land with the single tree that was simply described as magical. The plot, previously owned by a Khmer ethnic minority family, immediately caught Khanhs attention. Rumor had it that those who saw the tree were held in awe of its bizarre trunk and believed it to have been grown by a Buddhist monk who placed its stems instead of roots in the soil. The tree survived by twisting its own trunk and taking root. Khanh asked his wife, Chung Thi Tuy Hang, if he could purchase the land and she reluctantly agreed. Eventually, Khanh and the owner settled on trading the plot for eight taels of gold (one tael was equivalent to VND4 million [US$175] in the 1990s and over VND50 million [$2,150] today). Many laughed at Khanh, telling him he could have used the money to buy a decent house in the citys downtown. For Khanh, however, the price was well worth owning the tree. Contrary to everyones guess that he would fell the tree for timber or sell it as an ornamental item, Khanh did nothing more than clear the plot of litter and care for the tree. I bought the land in order to safeguard the tree was his response to his wifes bafflement. Thai Huy Khanh picks up a cuddly owl falling from his umbrella resin tree, an emerging sight in Tra Vinh City, located in the namesake province in Vietnams Mekong Delta. Photo: Tien Trinh / Tuoi Tre After the site was cleared, people began to flood in for photos and to pray for good luck. The trees rising popularity means the onset of Khanhs fight for its welfare. I consider age-old trees human beings. Unlike other plants, they have their own life, need their own habitat, and sustain injuries. How intense is the agony a person feels if their skin is peeled off or set ablaze from time to time, as visitors keep removing pieces of bark or setting fire to its roots? he said. Khanh even contacted Dr. Paul Barber, a reputed Australian forest pathologist, when the latter paid a visit to Hanoi, and offered to pay him for a thorough examination of his prized tree. The pundit agreed to help free of charge, asking only that Khanh cover his traveling expenses. Dr. Barber not only examined Khanhs tree, but also the provinces entire botanical system. Upon seeing Khanhs tree, Dr. Barber explained that he had worked with much larger resin trees but had never seen one quite like Khanhs. Hang, Khanhs wife, shared that Khanh is often offered money to sell the plot of land and the tree, but he always refuses. Even those who ask to rent a small area to sell coffee near the tree are put off by Khanhs stringent demands, which include not placing stoves near the tree and not leaving heavy objects on the soil. Despite his immense love for the tree, Khanh wants to upkeep the precious tree for his city and future generations instead of keeping it to himself or his family alone. Why did Japanese people spend millions of U.S. dollars protecting age-old trees? Its because they wanted to maintain the prized gene pool for the next generations. I cannot shrug off my green responsibilities to my offspring and my hometown of Tra Vinh, he explained, exclaiming how proud the future generations would be if the umbrella resin tree continues to thrive for many more centuries. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On Feb. 23, 2018, White House counsel Don McGahn sent a two-page memo to Chief of Staff John Kelly arguing that Jared Kushner's security clearance needed to be downgraded, the New York Times' Michael Schmidt reports in his forthcoming book, "Donald Trump v. The United States." Driving the news: Schmidt reports directly from the confidential McGahn memo for the first time, describing how Kelly had serious concerns about granting Kushner a top-secret clearance in response to a briefing he had received related to the routine FBI investigation into Kushners background. "The information you were briefed on one week ago and subsequently relayed to me, raises serious additional concerns about whether this individual ought to retain a top security clearance until such issues can be investigated and resolved," McGahn wrote in the memo to Kelly. The details of the highly sensitive intelligence that raised alarms with Kelly are not revealed in the McGahn memo or in Schmidt's book. McGahn wrote that he had been unable to receive the briefing or "access this highly compartmented information directly" about Kushner, Schmidt reports. "Interim secret is the highest clearance that I can concur until further information is received," McGahn concluded, referring to the level of classified information Kushner would be able to access. Between the lines: "By reducing Kushner's clearance from top secret to secret, McGahn and Kelly had restricted Kushner's access to the PDB, the closely held rundown provided by the intelligence community six days a week for the president and his top aides, and other highly sensitive intelligence that exposed sources and methods." "McGahn did note that there was a possibility that when the background check was complete, it could be resolved in Kushner's favor, or there could be a recommendation that he not receive a clearance," Schmidt writes. "McGahn conceded [in the memo] that Trump could if he chose simply disregard any security concerns and circumvent any standard procedures and grant Kushner the security clearance himself." The bottom line: President Trump ultimately intervened to ensure Kushner got his top-secret security clearance. Schmidt reviewed more than 1,000 pages of federal government documents that have not been previously reported on. These include sensitive materials from Mueller's office, former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's office, the White House counsel's office, the president's legal team and the FBI. The White House, Kelly and McGahn did not respond to requests for comment. Cairo supports any step to reach a truce and a political settlement in Libya that achieves security and stability for the Libyan people, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told Stephanie Williams, the deputy head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for political affairs during a meeting in the Egyptian capital on Sunday. Foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement that the meeting tackled the latest developments in Libya and UNSMILs vision for ending the crisis in the country. Shoukry said Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has welcomed the statements issued recently by the Presidential Council of the Libyan Government of the National Accord (GNA) and the House of Representatives on a ceasefire and the halting of military operations in all Libyan territories. The ceasefire was announced by the GNA and the Libyan parliament in separate statements almost two weeks ago. Shoukry said Egypt supports reaching a political solution that preserves the unity and territorial integrity of Libya and restores the role of state institutions. The FM also said that Egypt supports countering terrorist groups and the destructive foreign interference that is worsening the situation in the country. He expressed his appreciation for the efforts exerted on the economic track, which aim to achieve an understanding concerning managing and distributing wealth in a fair manner that preserves the capabilities and resources of the Libyan people. Shoukry stressed Egypt's keenness to continue coordination with the UN mission to reach a political solution in accordance with the Cairo Declaration and the outcomes of the Berlin conference. In June, Egypt proposed a peace initiative dubbed the Cairo Declaration, which was based on the conclusion of the Berlin conference. It proposed a ceasefire and the election of a leadership council. Libya has seen years of violence since the ouster of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, with the GNA and the parliament in the east, elected in 2014, vying for power. Egypt, the UAE and Russia are backing Libyan General Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya, while Turkey and Qatar support the Tripoli-based GNA. Earlier this year, Turkey started importing thousands of mercenaries from Syria into Libya to bolster the GNA government. Search Keywords: Short link: Decisions on easing or tightening local coronavirus lockdown restrictions should not be imposed by the Government, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said. The Labour former cabinet minister called for more negotiation and agreement between Westminster and local authorities on such issues. His comments came after the Government moved to ease lockdown measures in some parts of the North West from next week. Find out what you need to do regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) here: https://t.co/cxWGqQ1Wmu pic.twitter.com/0PXYTsRUfh GOV.UK (@GOVUK) March 26, 2020 Mr Burnham told BBC Breakfast: I think we will better negotiate what lies ahead of us in the autumn and winter if Government listens to local leaders they know their communities. It wasnt just in Greater Manchester where they overruled us. In Bradford, basically communities were split there some are still under restrictions, some not. You then have the situation where some people on one half of the street are under restrictions and others not. My main message to the Government is you must not impose these things from London when you are going to affect communities in this way, it must be by negotiation and agreement. And that needs to be a core principle that we agree on before we go any further into the rest of what will be a very difficult year. Andy Burnham takes part in a memorial service for the victims of coronavirus at Manchester Cathedral (Martin Rickett/PA) Mr Burnham said communities should be worried about the way decisions were being taken. Imposition of decisions like this without agreement or negotiation is absolutely the wrong way to go. With the Health Secretary warning today of extensive lockdowns throughout the rest of this year, I think communities everywhere should be worried. This has to be partnership between national and local government. The Greater Manchester mayor said: We need a much better process for agreeing these things. The Government have given a role to members of Parliament, who in my view are bringing political considerations to this. These decisions should be driven by public health alone, not politics. Complying with the health order while still trying to maintain some semblance of business activity has been a challenge to communities around the state, particularly those that cater to the tourist trade. With tourist traffic incoming from neighboring states, Silver City has tried to meet the needs of its businesses and visitors. We are getting a lot of visitors, said James Marshall, assistant town manager. Tourism season is here. Even though we have not encouraged it this year, we got it. The city tried closing off Bullock Street, the main thoroughfare of its business district to allow restaurants to use the street for dining. We had minimal success with that, Marshall said. There wasnt enough room for tables to be properly distanced. And it was just so hot, it created an issue without tents. Instead, the city closed the alleys behind the restaurants, allowed them to put up tents and serve customers in that fashion. We still managed to improve their footprint and stay open within the health guidelines, Marshall said. Our numbers for the virus are relatively low. Weve been getting a lot of visitors from Arizona and Texas. People I believe are trying to evade the rising numbers in those states. Businesses also faced a shortage of personal protection equipment, which at times was selling at a premium, so the city was able to help out. Additionally, in conjunction with the local Main Street program, businesses were given forgivable $500 and $1,000 grants to make modifications to their sites and allow them to re-open in accordance with the public health order, he said. Keeping Silver Citys business district alive and well is important because it is the gateway to the three-million-acre Gila Wilderness and Gila National Forest that provides plenty of space for people to socially distance from one another, Marshall said. One of the big draws, he said, is the Catwalk Recreation Area. Recently rebuilt, the 1.1-mile Catwalk National Recreation Trail winds through the canyons steep, pink walls of volcanic rock, following the path of a pipeline built in the early 1890s to provide water and electricity for the mining town of Graham. It is perched above the north bank of the rippling Whitewater Creek. Although many of the developed campgrounds within the wilderness and national forest remain closed, the forest is probably best known for its rugged wilderness. Nearly 2,000 miles of back-country trails, as well as numerous interpretive trails provide a rich hiking or horseback riding experience. Backcountry camping remains open. A good way to check out the area is via a horse trip provided by the Gila Hot Spring Ranch, which provides fully-outfitted adventures as well as day trips into the heart of the Gila. Well take you anywhere in the wilderness, wherever you want to go, said Ysabel Luecke, whose sister owns the ranch. It kind of depends on what they want, whether theyre going around for birds or scenery or whatever. Weve got some nice scenery for day rides. It kind of varies depending on their personal wants and their capabilities. Set just a few miles from the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, the ranch, which also has on-site lodging, is a staging area for visitors to the ancient dwellings. Not to be missed is the one-mile loop trail that takes visitors into several of the 700-year-old sites. The dwellings consist of five distinct caves, each of which contains about 40 rooms. To make the dwellings safer and more comfortable, the Mogollons used fallen rocks from nearby caves to construct some of these rooms, and also incorporated unique wall designs in strategic areas. The walls were built using conglomerate slabs laid in large amounts of mortar, evidence of which can still be seen now as about 40 percent retain their original plaster. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines topped 217,000 on Sunday, with 4,284 more infections tallied by the Department of Health. The latest report showed 217,396 people in the country have been afflicted by the viral illness, with 56,473 active cases or currently ill patients. Of the new cases, the DOH said 88 percent, or 3,779, were detected in the last 14 days. It added that 51 percent or 2,207 of the new cases are from Metro Manila, while 327 are from Laguna, 191 from Cavite, 161 from Batangas, and 147 from Rizal. The department also reported that 22,319 more patients have been cleared of COVID-19, which include those tagged as recovered under its Oplan Recovery. The Oplan Recovery program employs a time-based recoveries scheme, wherein a patient is tagged as recovered after a certain number of days in quarantine and after symptoms have disappeared upon a doctors assessment. This means a confirmatory RT-PCR testing is no longer performed. To date, the DOH said a total of 157,403 patients, or 72 percent of the national case count, have already beaten the virus. Meanwhile, the death toll is now at 3,520, with 102 new deaths. Metro Manila accounted for the most number of newly reported fatalities with 52, followed by Calabarzon with 14, and Western Visayas with 10. There are now over 25 million COVID-19 cases across the globe, including more than 842,000 deaths and some 16.4 million recoveries, based on a tracker maintained by the US-based Johns Hopkins University. TORONTO - Flexible short-term workspaces from companies like WeWork, Spaces or Regus were once hailed as the future of the office as more people branched off into startups, freelance and gig work that allowed them to work from anywhere, with only intermittent need for offices. As the concept matured, larger businesses moved to fill some of the spaces, looking to offload empty buildings and expensive lease agreements from their balance sheets. At WeWork, the enterprise division accounted for more than 50 per cent of its core revenue for the first time in the second quarter of this year. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Many businesses rushed to set up staff for remote working, and others have vastly different office setups thanks to physical distancing protocols. WeWork drastically cut capacity in shared spaces to promote distancing, filling every other desk in shared spaces once touted as networking melting pots. Large lounges have been cut to 18 seats from 25, while smaller lounges have had occupancy cut to six from 10, or to four from six. Meeting room capacity has also been halved, according to the companys guidebook. WeWork Canada vice-president Stephen Tapp said that despite capacity cuts, the company has not seen a dent in sales because the enterprise business involves other companies who manage their own capacity and in many cases need additional space to spread out their employees. Colin Scarlett, executive vice-president of Colliers Canada, said he has had several clients move to smaller head offices, but supplement with client-facing flex space from a co-working company. To pick up and move into either a smaller space or potentially a bigger space, theres a capital cost component to that: You need to build walls, put carpet down, buy furniture. Where if you move to a co-working company, the co-working company spends all that money for you, said Scarlett. Canadian co-working company Workhaus previously catered to companies with four to 12 workers, with no one firm dominating the culture in Workhaus shared spaces. Unfortunately, some of those upstarts simply cant afford to keep an office space anymore, even a small, shared one. Like most other co-working spaces, a key difficulty is that we take on all the exposure in the long-term lease. And in return, we offer completely flexible rental terms, said Workhaus partner and chief operating officer Ryan Speers. Young startups and small businesses have been impacted severely ... we saw a significant, substantial drop in revenue immediately, as soon as the lockout came into effect. Speers said it makes sense that larger companies may cancel their long-term leases downtown, and instead rotate staffers in and out of smaller, flexible workspaces like Workhaus, which now offers services for the COVID-19 era such as scheduling desk availability and collecting information for contact tracing. But even before COVID-19, co-working spaces were not easy to operate. WeWork was losing money and cut 20 per cent of its workforce in 2019. The pandemic has also tarnished many of the previously alluring aspects of co-working spaces: locations in crowded downtown cores, open-concept shared floorplans and social and educational events. CBRE research estimated that between the end of 2017 to 2019, there was a 79 per cent increase in the number of square feet dedicated to co-working in Canada but two players, WeWork and IWG, own nearly 60 per cent of the Canadian market. That mass scale has only become more important as people return to work in a pandemic, said Wayne Berger, Toronto-based CEO of IWG Americas, which operates Spaces and Regus. We are seeing companies turning to their employees and giving them options, said Berger. Employees are still concerned about utilizing mass transit, are trying to determine what the back-to-school word looks like. Workers arent fully able to determine what their schedule looks like, and also theres different levels of comfort in coming back to a downtown urban core ... we are seeing a very high demand in suburban locations and also places like Regina, (Ontario cities) Barrie, Oakville, Mississauga, Markham, Hamilton, (and B.C.s ) Burnaby, Richmond. It gives people some options to work closer to where they are. As co-working spaces become increasingly corporate, small independents such as Torontos The Workaround are positioning themselves as local businesses that offer more safety and mental health benefits to people who dont want to be exposed to large or busy shared spaces where contagions could spread. The success of co-working will be in niche (co-working spaces), said Amanda Munday, founder and CEO of The Workaround. Its like a gym. Im a little worried to go back to a big corporate gym where you dont know whos coming in the door. But Im willing to return to my local studio, because its the same 10 people I see all the time from the neighbourhood. A big pre-COVID selling point for the company was drop-in desks, used by upward of 700 people since the company opened in 2018. The desks were ideal for individuals working on a big deadline who needed a few weeks of focus here or there, said Amanda Munday, whose client base centred on entrepreneurs who needed on-site childcare. Despite the droves of beleaguered working parents cooped up at home and craving a desk and colleagues to chat with during the pandemic that hot-desking model is no longer viable. The Workaround has had to pivot to monthly memberships for desks that can only be used by members of the same household. We all know its impossible to work at home, its really difficult with two working parents a disaster by anyones definition, said Munday. After Hurricane Laura devastated Lake Charles in Los Angeles, United States President Donald Trump surveyed the damages caused by the powerful storm and pledged to the still-recovering community that they will have the support of the federal government. Trump also mentioned that aside from Louisiana, the Lone Star State, Texas should also be taken care of as they just got a little bit of luck for avoiding a greater impact from the hurricane. Wearing a red USA cap, the President first arrived in the hard-hit state of Louisiana early on Thursday wherein after his arrival he attended a briefing on the ongoing relief efforts and emergency operations in Lake Charles which experienced the winds of up to 150 mph. Louisiana State Governor John Bel Edwards, D-La., FEMA director Peter Gaynor, Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security was joined by Trump in a tour on the hard-hit neighborhood of Lake Charles where a giant tree that fell to the ground was visible during the inspection, Fox News reported. On Saturday, the death toll in the US caused by the category 4 hurricane Laura rose to 16 wherein more than half on the list were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from unsafe operations of generators. The latest reported inclusion on the list of deaths caused by the poisoning was an 84-year-old man and an 80-year-old woman. Read also: United States Officials Reveal No Signs of Foreign Interference in Mail-In Voting The storm surge caused by the strong winds coming from Hurricane Laura resulted to massive destruction in the state but as soon as it subsided the officials started their clean up operations. But despite the restoration that they have done, they still warned the residents who will be returning to their respective homes that they will be facing weeks without power and water supply. Trump promises aid for affected areas According to The Washington Post, the US President also mentioned in his visit that the federal government will be assisting the state and local officials on the water supply restoration in order to supply for around 180,000 Louisiana State residents. Trump also added that aside from the water supply, the federal government will also restore and protect the infrastructures of the energy industry in the state of Louisiana. The US President emphasized that their hearts go out to the families who have lost their loved ones due to the tragedy. After his Louisiana visit, Trump then traveled to Orange, Texas wherein he had a meeting together with Texas State Governor Greg Abbott, R-Texas, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and other local authorities as they discuss the ongoing emergency response and the things that the federal government can do in order to expedite the restoration of the water and power supply in the state. The Texas Governor also thanked the US President for his swift response to the approval of the disaster declaration of the state of Texas. Abbott also emphasized that he never has seen such a swift response to a request in his entire life coming from a high-ranking official. The Governor also added that US President Donald Trump has been there for them every step of the way in helping us. Related article: Trump Promises to Visit Louisiana as Hurricane Laura Leaves 6 Casualties in Its Wake @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Its the final matchup between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. The Tigers have already taken two games in the series and look to take another. After taking off the second game in Saturdays doubleheader, JaCoby Jones returns to the lineup. Hell resume patrolling center field, while leadoff man Victor Reyes takes care of right field. Tigers Lineup Casey is on the mound. Let's make it five in a row!#DetroitRoots pic.twitter.com/eIkH60DPpF Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 30, 2020 Twins Lineup Shanghai office workers rescued a stray pregnant cat and gave her refuge inside a meeting room in their building, where she then gave birth to eight kittens. Employees of design consultancy Holmes & Marchant opted to take in the cat after she was seen meowing at people who walked past their building. The feline then gave birth to eight kittens a few days later and the heartwarming tale was documented on Bored Panda by one of the employees, Angela Sy. Photos show the cat both before and after she gave birth, while other shots show the kittens after being born and as they got bigger. Shanghai office workers rescued a stray pregnant cat and gave her refuge inside a meeting room in their building, where she then gave birth to eight kittens The employees of design consultancy Holmes & Marchant opted to take in the cat after it was seen meowing at people who walked past their building. Pictured: Among her litter were two ginger kittens, who the employees named Pudding and Milk Topping Writing in her post, Angela revealed the mother cat first appeared outside her office building and 'rubbed her face on anyone who gave her attention'. Her colleague Yvonne, who first saw the cat, said it was like 'she was asking for help for her babies and herself'. The employees decided to take the cat in and name her Boba 'because she was so round'. They made her feel at home in a spare meeting room by preparing a litter box, food and a bed for her. Angela wrote: 'She was very friendly to everyone and seemed content that she had a safe place to give birth.' The animal then gave birth to eight kittens a few days later and the heartwarming tale was documented on Bored Panda by employee Angela Sy Boba wandered around the office before giving birth to her litter of eight. Pictured: The mother whilst still pregnant Angela said that the employees came into the office after a stormy night and Boba had given birth The kittens did not open their eyes until they were around three weeks old. Pictured: Several of the tiny cats just hours after being born She said that after a storm one night, the employees came to work and found that Boba had given birth to eight kittens - four boys and four girls. Photos show Boba with her tiny kittens suckling from her just after being born. Among the litter were five tabbies, two gingers and one calico. Even though the mother was exhausted from her ordeal, she still fed and cleaned her litter, Angela said. Even though the mother was exhausted after giving birth, she still fed and cleaned them all The employees named this kitten Oat and said it is 'energetic and silly' Angela said that Boba was 'very friendly' while she waited to give birth and seemed 'content' that she had found somewhere safe The employee said her colleagues come and visit the kittens and their mother and find it 'impossible' to get work done when they do After around two weeks, Angela said the kittens began to open their eyes and after three weeks all of them had done so. Each of the kitten was given a name - with the two gingers being named Pudding and Milk Topping and the smallest one being given the name of No Ice (translated from Mandarin). After three weeks of life, the kittens started to eat on their own and at four weeks they learned to use the litter box. At around the same time, Angela and her colleagues moved the cats to a bigger meeting room so they could all roam more freely. The plan now is for Boba to be spayed so she cannot have any more kittens and then try to find someone to adopt the mother with at least one of her offspring. After around three weeks, the kittens started to eat on their own Sudans main rebel alliance has agreed a landmark peace deal with the government, raising hopes for the end of 17 years of conflict, although holdout groups remain. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and rebel leaders are due to sign the final agreement on Monday in Juba, the capital of neighbouring South Sudan, which has hosted and helped mediate the talks since late 2019. The rebel Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), founded in 2011, includes four groups from the western region of Darfur and the southern states of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile. Darfur has been devastated since 2003 by a conflict that has left 300,000 people dead and 2.5 million others displaced, according to the United Nations. Conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile erupted in 2011, following unresolved issues from bitter fighting there in Sudans 1983-2005 civil war. The rebel groups are largely drawn from non-Arab minority communities that long railed against Arab domination of successive governments in Khartoum. Rebels fought troops deployed by now-toppled autocrat Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the conflict. After Bashir was overthrown in April 2019, the transitional government led by Hamdok has made peacemaking with the rebels one of its top priorities. Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) The SLM was founded in 2002 and is based in the vast western Darfur region. The movement, which complained of economic and political marginalisation of Darfur, has split in sometimes rival factions. Key leaders include Abdelwahid Nour, from the Fur ethnic group, and Minni Minnawi of the Zaghawa people. In February 2003, the movement carried out its first major operation by attacking the city of Al-Fasher, the capital of the North Darfur state. The fighting escalated when Khartoum responded with a scorched-earth campaign. In 2006, the SLM split into two factions following disagreements between Nour and Minnawi, who signed a peace deal with the government in Nigeria. In 2010, Minnawi resumed fighting against Bashirs government, citing its lack of seriousness in honouring the agreement. Only Minnawis faction will sign the peace deal with Hamdoks government on Monday. Nour, who has been based in Paris for several years, refused to take part in the negotiations. Sudan Liberation Movement, Transitional Council The group was formed in 2012 by dissidents from the SLM. It is led by Alhadi Idris Yahya, who in September 2019 took over the presidency of the Sudan Revolutionary Front. Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) JEM was founded in 2001 by Khalil Ibrahim, a member of the Zaghawa ethnic group, who was once close to Bashir. He was head of the Popular Defence Forces, an Islamist paramilitary group created in 1989, which helped Bashirs rise to power. Ibrahim also had close links to Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi, who orchestrated Bashirs 1989 coup. He later broke with Turabi and joined the rebels in Darfur. In 2008, he carried out his most daring attack on the city of Omdurman, across the Nile river from the capital Khartoum, killing more than 220 people. In December 2009, Ibrahim took part in talks with Khartoum, but withdrew before the signing of a deal. He was killed in December 2011 in a targeted airstrike and was succeeded by his brother Gibril. Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) The SPLM-N began fighting Khartoum in the 1983-2005 civil war, which paved the way for the independence of South Sudan. When South Sudan became a separate nation in 2011, the rebel forces in South Kordofan and Blue Nile were left behind in the rump state of Sudan. In 2017, the SPLM-N split into two factions, one led by Malik Agar and the other headed by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. Hilu will not ake part in the signing on Monday, as he sees the formation of a secular state as a prerequisite to any peace deal. Hilu also refused to hold talks with Sudanese paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, best known by his nickname Hemeti. He accuses Daglo of heading key militias responsible for some of the worst atrocities of the conflict. Meantime, Kinsa about two months ago added a new measure that allows it to see the rate at which illness is spreading in communities, Nehru said. The company saw transmission rates increase sharply in Nebraska about a month ago, she said. While those rates have come down a bit since the beginning of August, theyre still at a rate that suggests the illness was spreading but at a slightly lower rate. But that increase in the transmission rate in late July suggests a possible increase in cases in the near future. Earlier this summer, Alsaleem and his colleagues proposed that the state invest in additional thermometers in order to bolster the data and give a clearer picture of the viruss movements. Harr took the idea to the cooperative government, which was founded to run the keno game Lotto Nebraska on behalf of the 100 rural communities. Paul Schumacher, Lotto Nebraskas president, said a tiny fraction of the proceeds years ago were directed into an economic development fund for cooperative projects that the communities might not be able to do on their own. The majority of the $450,000 now in the fund will be used to purchase the thermometers. The Conservative Party and Labour are now level in a shock new opinion poll which is likely to set alarm bells off in Boris Johnson's rattled camp. The snapshot survey by pollster Opinium puts both political parties on 40 per cent each when it comes to voting intentions. It marks the first time the Conservatives have not been ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party in an Opinium survey for 13 months. The new poll follows criticism of the Government's handling of the coronavirus crisis, including its failed Test and Trace system and the exams fiasco. It comes as MPs prepare to return to Westminster on Tuesday, with furious Conservatives accusing the Government of being rudderless. Charles Walker, vice-chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said a string of U-turns had led to despair among the party rank-and-file. 'Too often it looks like this government licks its finger and sticks it in the air to see which way the wind is blowing. This is not a sustainable way to approach the business of governing and government,' he told The Observer. The Conservative Party and Labour are now level in a new opinion poll which is likely to set alarm bells off in Boris Johnson's rattled camp (pictured: the Prime Minister meeting veterans on the 75th anniversary of VJ Day in Alrewas, August 15, 2020) The snapshot survey by pollster Opinium puts both political parties on 40 per cent each when it comes to voting intentions. It marks the first time the Conservatives have not been ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party in an Opinium survey for 13 months (credit: Opinium) Nearly half of voters, 4 per cent, disapprove of the Government's handling of coronavirus, compared to less than a third, 31 per cent, who approve (credit: Opinium) 'It is becoming increasingly difficult for backbenchers now to promote and defend government policy as so often that policy is changed or abandoned without notice. Whether this approach is by design or by accident, the climate of uncertainty it creates is unsustainable and erodes morale.' Nearly half of voters, 4 per cent, disapprove of the Government's handling of coronavirus, compared to less than a third, 31 per cent, who approve. With English schools reopening next week, 63 per cent of parents with school age children say it is safe for primary schools to do so. And 60 per cent back pupils returning to secondary schools, according to the poll. But pupils aged between 14 and 15 appear most concerned about returning to class as 45 per cent of parents with children in this age group say their child is worried, against to 48 per cent who say they are not. More than half of adults surveyed, 52 per cent, support making face masks compulsory for children in school, with 22 per cent neither supporting nor opposing, and 19 per cent against such a move. When it comes to the parents of school age children, 42 per cent back the idea, and 22 per cent oppose it. Adam Drummond of Opinium said: 'This is the first time Labour have drawn level since July 2019 when both main parties were in freefall and losing votes to the Brexit party and the Liberal Democrats' (pictured: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, August 6, 2020) Nearly half of voters, 4 per cent, disapprove of the Government's handling of coronavirus, compared to less than a third, 31 per cent, who approve (credit: Opinium) Boris Johnson's approval rating has gone down since he left hospital in April (credit: Opinium) Opinium carried out the survey of 2,002 UK adults between August 26-28 (credit: Opinium) The survey has bad news for under-fire Education Secretary Gavin Williamson as 48 per cent disapprove of the way he is handling his job, and 40 per cent say he is most responsible for the recent exam results fiasco. Adam Drummond of Opinium said: 'This is the first time Labour have drawn level since July 2019 when both main parties were in freefall and losing votes to the Brexit party and the Liberal Democrats. 'Since Boris Johnson became prime minister the Tories typically had a double digit lead, peaking in March/April this year when they were seen to be handling the pandemic and lockdown fairly well while Labour changed leader. 'In the five months since that peak, the lead has gradually declined from 26 per cent to 0 per cent now.' Opinium carried out an online survey of 2,002 UK adults between August 26-28. Ping An Insurance (Group), China's largest insurer by market value, will consolidate its local operations under one roof and keep its sight on Greater Bay Area growth potential, according to co-chief executive Jessica Tan Sin-yin. The new base will be located in Kowloon, where the insurer agreed to pay HK$11.27 billion (US$ million) in April for 30 per cent of the office space atop the West Kowloon high-speed railway station from Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) and the controlling billionaire Kwok family. "The investment shows our long-term commitment to Hong Kong," Tan said in an interview. "Despite what has happened in the past year, we still believe in the future of Hong Kong as an international financial centre and its important role in the Greater Bay Area." Ping An intends to house the business of its Hong Kong subsidiaries and lease out extra space to other third parties for long-term investment income, Tan said in a phone interview with the South China Morning Post earlier this week. Jessica Tan Sin-yin, co-CEO of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China. Photo: Jonathan Wong alt=Jessica Tan Sin-yin, co-CEO of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China. Photo: Jonathan Wong SHKP outbid three rival groups of developers to win the tender of the site in November with a record HK$42.2billion bid. It was the largest commercial land parcel ever sold by the city's government, equivalent to 47 Olympics-sized swimming pools. The whole plot can be built into 3.17 million sq ft of gross floor area for retail, office or hotel use, or about 12 per cent more than the space in nearby International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong's tallest skyscraper. The project is expected to be fully developed over five years. The group's investment in Hong Kong real estate market is an endorsement of the city's future at a time when the outlook was marred by months of anti-government protests. The insurance has continued to expand its footprint amid the controversial implementation of the national security law in late June. Story continues Hong Kong could also become the springboard for the insurer's international forays, according to Louis Tse Ming-kwong, managing director at VC Asset Management. "Ping An's headquarters in Shenzhen can focus on mainland businesses while its [future] Hong Kong headquarters can help build up its international brand," he added. "Other international insurers such as AIA, Manulife also have their own [regional] headquarters in Hong Kong." Apart from property investment, Ping An Insurance is also betting on getting a slice of the banking business through its Ping An OneConnect Bank, one of the virtual banks licensed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority as part of its support for fintech innovation. The virtual bank conducted its trial run in June, trailing other upstarts such as ZA Bank, Livi and WeLab Bank. The group's wealth management unit under Lu International (Hong Kong) began operations this month. Both are new additions to its existing securities and insurance businesses in the city. The group nevertheless has suffered this year along with the broader economy. It reported a 30 per cent drop in earnings to 68.7 billion yuan (US$10 billion) in the first half, with the coronavirus eroding income from its insurance, banking and trust businesses. Its assets stood at 8.8 trillion yuan on June 30. Hong Kong's economy has contracted in four straight quarters through June, its worst recession on record. Tan sees a lot of linkages between Hong Kong and its mainland base in Shenzhen that can benefit the group in terms of extracting the benefits from China's blueprint for the Greater Bay Area, an economic region that includes nine cities in southern Guangdong province, Macau and Hong Kong. Authorities on both sides of the border have recently unveiled plans to promote cross-selling of insurance and wealth-management products in an extension to the so-called "Connect" schemes, after the success in stock and bond programmes. "We have a lot of operations in Shenzhen and other cities in the Greater Bay Area," she added. "We will integrate our Hong Kong and our mainland business in the bay area to achieve further business growth." 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. More than two decades after her death, royal fans are still fascinated with Princess Dianas life and have questions about her death. Since she and Prince Charles had such a tumultuous marriage and a very public separation and divorce, many wondered how her former husband reacted when he heard the news. Heres the first question Prince Charles asked when he found out that the Peoples Princess was killed in a terrible crash. Prince Charles and Princess Diana | Jayne Fincher/Getty Images What happened the night Princess Diana was in car accident? On Aug. 30, 1997, Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed dined at the Ritz Hotel in Paris around 10 p.m. Just after midnight, the pair left the Imperial Suite and headed to Fayeds apartment. They exited the rear of the building in an attempt to escape the paparazzi but to no avail. They were chased by photogs as they drove off in a Mercedes S-280 limousine. The vehicle was driven by Ritz security head Henri Paul, who was traveling at a high rate of speed in an effort to lose the paps. The car ended up crashing into a pillar in the Pont de lAlma tunnel. Paul and Fayed were killed instantly but the princess was still alive. She was suffering from multiple injuries including a severed pulmonary vein and transported to the La Pitie Salpetriere Hospital. Readers Digest noted that in the middle of the night Britains ambassador to France, Michael Jay, was awoken and told about the crash. He then contacted Queen Elizabeth IIs private secretary, Robin Janvrin, to notify the monarch. Where was Prince Charles when he heard about the crash? Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry | Anwar Hussein/WireImage RELATED: This Is What Princess Dianas Bodyguard Who Survived the Car Accident Kept Repeating After the Crash Prince Charles was staying at Balmoral Castle in Scotland with his two sons and the rest of the royal family when he got word about what happened to his ex-wife. The Express noted that in her book The Firm, royal biographer Penny Junor stated Initial reports were that [Diana] had been badly injured, but was still alive. Emergency surgery was performed on Diana but she died on the operating table at 4 a.m. on Aug. 31, 1997. What Charles said when he found out Diana had died? Floral tributes to Princess Diana outside Kensington Palace | Liba Taylor/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Upon hearing the grim news Prince Charles fell apart, according to Tina Brown author of The Diana Chronicles. Junor revealed that the first question Charles had was: Theyre all going to blame me, arent they? He then said, Were going to see a reaction that weve never seen before. And it could destroy everything. It could destroy the monarchy. To which his secretary, Stephen Lamport, replied: Yes, sir, I think it could. Its going to be very difficult for your mother, sir. But Charles was also very concerned about how difficult things would be for Princes William and Harry, and he dreaded having to tell them that their mother was gone. He also wasnt sure if he should wake them up at that moment or let them sleep. Eventually, Queen Elizabeth decided that it was best to let them sleep and they were told in the morning. CAMBRIDGE Barry Hunt has a vision for how the world will soon deal with disinfection. It includes robots, ultraviolet light, and a slew of other smart cleaning devices. His Cambridge company, Prescientx, is now in talks with health care providers, airlines and the automotive industry to see how they can use ultraviolet light to quickly disinfect large spaces and high volumes of product. Weve had a lot going on these past few months, he said. Theres a number of different projects weve been working on. In September, Hunt will officially launch one of the newest inventions, Charlotte, a robot disinfector that can navigate through a hospital, grocery store or factory. With sensors that allows it to manoeuvre throughout hallways and rooms, Charlotte can find its way on its own, using UV rays to quickly disinfect areas that would regularly take hours by hand. The prototype looks like a heavy-duty robot vacuum, with long UV bulbs running vertically up the middle of the machine. Hospital staff will be able to pre-set the route, with the robot able to distinguish which rooms are in use and readjust its route accordingly. Each robot costs about $120,000. Hunt is in a race against the Denmark company UVD Robots, which designed a similar disinfectant robot that uses a circular lamp model, with light shining in every direction. This is where Hunt said he thinks Charlotte has a competitive advantage, as their robot shines light in four directions, and can turn off certain sides while continuing to operate. In a hospital where staff and patients are constantly walking the halls, Charlotte can shine light in one direction, allowing it to continue to work while posing no threat to anyone nearby. His competitors robot would need to shut down, and start back up, every time someone comes into the room or hallway. Down the road, Hunt plans to add a thermal imaging component that can monitor body temperatures and eventually monitor mask compliance. The project officially launched at the end of May, and the first operational demo will be available on September 21. But the company has been busy on other projects as well. The Terminator CoV, a conveyor-style disinfecting machine that can clean up to 2,000 N95 masks an hour, first launched in April. The company just sent a customized version of the Terminator to the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency for testing in its labs in Ottawa. The machine can rapidly disinfect the tote boxes used for personal belongings and bags during airport security screening. If testing is approved, the machines could be rolled out at airports across the country. The Transport Security Administration, which monitors the security of travellers in the United States, are awaiting the decision by the air transport security agency to decide whether they will also invest in the machines for their airports as well. A larger version is also in the works to handle luggage carts used in the airport. Pharmaceutical companies, which use a similar tote box conveyor setup in their warehouses, have also been testing the devices. So, there are lots of different applications for the same kind of idea around safe, high-volume conveyor disinfection, he said. Theyre also getting in on the mask business, working to create a better alternative for the N95 masks, and develop a made-in-Canada standard that uses a silicone-type sealing material that fits better on the face. They hope to have a Health Canada certification by the end of the year. Since moving into their two-unit Cambridge building in January, they have added an additional five units to build the products in-house. Theyve gone from four employees in April to 17 today, with five more hires expected in September. By the end of 2020, Hunt anticipates having close to 30 engineers and programmers on staff. Were just solving problems, thats all were doing, he said. And there are a lot of problems to solve. China removes over 900 church crosses in first half of 2020: report Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In the first half of 2020, over 900 crosses were removed from state-run churches across China amid Xi Jinpings ongoing crackdown on places of worship, according to the Italian-based magazine Bitter Winter. According to the religious liberty magazine, crosses were removed from over 250 state-run Three-Self churches in the eastern province of Anhui, which has the second-largest Christian population in China, in the first four months of the year. Additionally, 656 state-run Protestant churches in the province saw their crosses removed during the first half of this year. A Three-Self church in the citys Yingdong district, which lost its cross in April, was told by authorities that the cross-demolition campaign was part of national policy. If a church refuses to remove its cross, congregation members may lose their social benefits, like pensions and poverty-alleviation subsidies, and possibilities for their childrens future employment will be affected, a church member explained. United Front Work Department officials who removed the cross from a church in Hanshan county informed church congregants that any crosses taller than government buildings must be demolished because they overshadow state institutions, a church member told Bitter Winter. Only churches that look like enterprises are considered legal. To sinicize Christianity, Xi Jinping does not allow churches to have Western crosses. The believer also revealed that government officials warned an elder in the church that protesting cross demolitions means protesting against the government. I feel sad thinking that all crosses in our church have been demolished, the believer added. Even though it is a symbol of our faith, who dares to disobey the central government order? On several occasions, Christians who attempted to stop cross removals were injured by authorities or detained. In May, the government of Maanshan-administered Dangtu county removed crosses from the Lingyunshan Christian Church using three large cranes. Hundreds of police officers cordoned off the church, forbidding vehicles or pedestrians from approaching, and then stormed into the church having cut off an iron chain lock, a local believer told the outlet, adding that an elderly believer who stepped forward to stop the demolition had her hands injured. Bob Fu of China Aid, a U.S. based Christian rights group, previously explained that Chinas cross removal campaign which began in 2013 demonstrates the Chinese regimes determination to contain the rapid growth of Christianity in China. Chinas crackdown on religion and religious minorities has been widely condemned by international actors such as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, rights groups, and the U.S. State Department. In its 2020 annual report, USCIRF noted that not only have authorities removed crosses from churches across the nation, but they have also banned youth younger than 18 from participating in religious services and replaced images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary with pictures of President Xi. China has also been labeled by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for continuing to engage in particularly severe violations of religious freedom. In a recent webinar on Chinas rising threat to human rights, Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said the Chinese Communist Party is counting on the fact that the world will be bullied and intimidated into silence because of Chinas power and wealth. He explained that the Chinese government wants to make itself god, which is why it targets religious groups including Christians, Uighur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and any religious minority that would say there is an allegiance higher than the state itself. This attempt to even rewrite the scriptures and holy texts of these various religions in order to see to it that China is ultimate, he said. But as Christians, we of course know that God is ultimate, God is greater than any would-be Caesar. And we know that the image of God does not belong to any would-be Caesar, it belongs to God. China ranks as the 23rd-worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List. Donald Trump; Vote Recount of 2000 U.S. President Donald Trump | Judge Robert Rosenberg of the Broward County Canvassing Board uses a magnifying glass to examine a dimpled chad on a punch card ballot November 24, 2000 during a vote recount in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Getty Images/Salon One of the most nail-biting presidential elections in U.S. history came in 2000, when Americans were unsure whether Democratic Vice President Al Gore or Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush won Florida's electoral votes. In an article for The Atlantic, four reporters (Ena Alvarado-Esteller, David A. Graham, Cullen Murphy and Amy Weiss-Meyer) take an in-depth look at the 2000 election and the Gore-Bush recount in Florida and explain why the 2020 presidential election is likely to be even more "chaotic." "Twenty years ago this fall," the reporters recall, "the United States was plunged into 36 days of turmoil as lawyers, judges, political operatives and election workers grappled with the uncertain result of the presidential contest in Florida. Whoever won the state would win the presidency. In the end, after start-and-stop recounts and the intervention of courts at every level, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the Republican candidate, was declared the victor, edging out Vice President Al Gore, the Democrat." Although Gore won the popular vote in 2000, Bush won more electoral votes including Florida's and was sworn in as president in January 2001. Democrats, in fact, have won the popular vote in six of the United States' last seven presidential elections (1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2016). But Bush won both the popular vote and the electoral vote in 2004, defeating Democratic nominee John Kerry and making him the only Republican to win the popular vote in a post-1980s presidential election in the U.S. For their article, The Atlantic's reporters interviewed more than 40 people both Republicans and Democrats who were involved in the 2000 election, from GOP strategist Karl Rove to former Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman, Gore's running mate. And the journalists offer a comprehensive analysis of what went down during the weeks in which Americans were unsure whether Bush or Gore would be the next president of the United States. But as "crazy" and "chaotic" as that election was, the reporters emphasize, 2020's presidential election is shaping up to be even worse. Story continues "Today, at a time far more polarized than two decades ago, not just one, but every state, faces potential challenges to the integrity of its electoral process," Alvarado-Esteller, Graham, Murphy and Weiss-Meyer explain. "In many states, the balloting technology is antiquated. And in many states, registering to vote has deliberately been made harder, especially for the poor and people of color. A continuing shift toward widespread voting by mail accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic seems likely to provoke lawsuits based on discredited claims that the practice spurs voting fraud." To make matters worse, they add, election officials are voicing concerns about "whether the U.S. Postal Service can handle the expected volume and return marked ballots to election officials in time for them to be counted in November's national elections." The reporters note, "On August 13, in an interview on Fox News, President Donald Trump declared his opposition to providing the financially troubled USPS with additional funding, giving as an explicit reason a desire to hamper mail-in voting, which he had previously said 'doesn't work out well for Republicans'.. On August 14, The Washington Post reported that the Postal Service had informed 46 states and the District of Columbia that it could not guarantee that mailed-in ballots could be delivered in time to be counted." Related Articles Washington, Aug 30 : The top US intelligence office has announced that it will stop face-to-face briefings for lawmakers on election security and foreign interference, citing concerns over the leak of sensitive information. In a statement on Saturday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) told the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence that in-person meetings on election security would now be replaced by written briefs, the BBC reported. ODNI officials are reportedly concerned over leaks that took place during previous briefings. Taking to Twitter, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said: "(President Donald)Trump doesn't want the American people to know about Russia's efforts to aid his re-election". Responding to the development, Trump told reporters later in the day that Ratcliffe "got tired of" information leaking. "So, he wants to do it in a different form because you have leakers on the committee, obviously, leakers that are doing bad things, probably not even legal to leak, but we'll look into that separately," the BBC quoted the President as saying. Condemning the move, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the Democratic head of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, said the public had the right to know how foreign powers were trying to subvert American democracy. "This is a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed, and a betrayal of the public's right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy," they said in a joint statement. Earlier this month, the ODNI said Russia, China and Iran were all trying to influence the outcome of the November 3 vote. Prosecutors are seeking stiffer-than-usual sentences for four former US police officers charged over the killing of George Floyd, arguing that they showed "particular cruelty" to the handcuffed African American. The 46-year-old resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota died in May after being pinned to the pavement under the knee of white officer Derek Chauvin as Floyd gasped that he could not breathe. The case is proceeding amid renewed fury over police violence against African Americans, galvanised by the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin this week. Court papers filed Friday in the Floyd case indicate that the Minnesota attorney general's office will argue there were a number of aggravating factors. These include evidence that Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as bystanders, including multiple children, pleaded for his life and then watched him die. "George Floyd, the victim, was particularly vulnerable because officers had already handcuffed him behind his back and then placed him chest down on the pavement, and Mr Floyd clearly and repeatedly told the officers he could not breathe," the court documents state. READ: They'll kill me. I can't breathe: Cops find new transcripts of George Floyd Chauvin inflicted "particular cruelty," as well as "gratuitous pain" as he abused his position of authority, prosecutors allege. "Despite Mr Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe and was going to die, as well as the pleas of eyewitnesses to get off Mr Floyd and help him, (the) defendant and his co-defendants continued to restrain Mr Floyd," the papers say. Three or more suspects "actively participated" in the killing, prosecutors noted, saying this would justify longer sentences. The charges against Chauvin include unintentional second-degree murder, while three ex-colleagues -- J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. The shockingly public nature of Floyd's death -- which bystanders filmed and then posted on social media -- sparked an enormous mobilisation nationwide, as protesters took to the streets to denounce racism and police brutality. The groundswell of outrage reached beyond American borders, prompting huge demonstrations around the world against the mistreatment of ethnic minorities and the rewriting of colonial history. READ: Attorney for accused Kenosha protest gunman says teen acted in self-defense The face of Floyd, a father-of-three whose last job was as a security guard, has become a symbol brandished in anti-racist marches everywhere. He was remembered at a massive demonstration in Washington on Friday that highlighted the case of 29-year-old Blake, who was gravely wounded when a policeman fired multiple shots at him as he tried to get into his car on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Conviction in Minnesota for second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder usually carries sentences of up to 12 and a half years. The court documents did not say how much extra time prosecutors will request if the men are convicted, but the maximum for second-degree murder is 40 years in prison. A defense attorney for ex-officer Kueng sought a dismissal Thursday, attributing the death to health problems and fentanyl in Floyd's system. Attorney Thomas Plunkett will file evidence that Floyd swallowed drugs during a May 6, 2019, arrest for selling drugs and was convicted of a 2007 armed drug robbery in Texas. Australia's federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese speaks at a press conference with MP Chris Bowen in Sydney, Australia on Aug. 3, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) Anthony Albanese Against Daniel Andrews Belt and Road Deal with Beijing Australias national Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, has said that he is against the Belt and Road arrangements his state counterpart, Victorian Labor leader Daniel Andrews, made with Beijing. There shouldnt be agreements that are inconsistent with Australias national interests or our foreign policy, Albanese told ABC NewsRadio on Aug. 30. The comments come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne announced on Aug. 27 a new Foreign Relations Bill that will allow the Commonwealth to scrutinize and potentially throw out arrangements made by any federal, state, and local governmentsand government-related entities like universitieswith foreign governments or related bodies that are deemed to work against Australias national interests. What Australia is doing is ensuring that arrangements that are entered into by state and territory governments are in Australias national interests, Payne told Channel Nine on Aug. 27. Most importantly, we do our due diligence on those agreements and we ensure that they are consistent with our foreign policy approach, the minister said. Albanese told ABC RadioNews that its a matter for the Commonwealth whether states are allowed to make arrangements with foreign countries but made the point that the national Labor Party wouldnt have signed up to the controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the first place. The Labor leader said he wants to see the September 2017 agreement made by then-Liberal Party trade minister Steven Ciobo under the Turnbull government that speaks about cooperation between Australian and China for building infrastructure in third-party countries, including BRI projects. He went on to discuss the Port of Darwin in Australias far north, saying it should never have been sold to China. Its hard to think of an Australian infrastructure asset that is more vital to our national interest than the Port of Darwin, Albanese said, who opposed the deal when he was shadow infrastructure minister. It should never have been not in Australian hands, he added, going on to say that the Port of Darwin is critical to Australias national interests. Albanese then took aim at the Morrison governments announcement of the new Foreign Relations Bill. This is a government thats always there for the photo op, never there for the follow-up, he said. Albanese said the Australian government should respond to Beijings assertive diplomacy in a way that protects its national interests, saying that its not a partisan issue. He admitted China has been intervening in Australia, as seen on university campuses and in other places. Residents in some of Beiruts predominantly Shia Muslim neighbourhoods hold Muharram mourning ceremonies on rooftops. Beirut, Lebanon About 20 women in black scarves and robes walked into a building in the southern Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut on Saturday evening. The women, from teens to grandmothers, climbed up to the rooftop to join an hour-long mourning ceremony in commemoration of the seventh-century death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. Saturday evening marked the 10th night of the Islamic month of Muharram, the Ashura. This year, Ashura fell within a 17-day, nationwide lockdown imposed by the Lebanese government on August 21, following a spike in coronavirus cases and fatalities in the wake of a massive explosion at Beiruts port earlier this month. An organiser arranges platters of food for attendees of the ceremony [Arwa Ibrahim/Al Jazeera] Lebanon, with 16,275 reported cases and 155 deaths, has banned all social gatherings, closed businesses and shops, and imposed a night-time curfew. The restrictions mean there have been no street processions or large public gatherings for Ashura. So, several people in the neighbourhood decided to hold downsized gatherings on their rooftops and balconies instead. The communal element of Ashura is very important to us, said 24-year-old Fatima Kanso. So, we came up with the idea of holding an open-air rooftop majlis [gathering] on top of four buildings in the block in order to come together while also respecting the restrictions. Adamant to commemorate Fatima stood guard at the doorway to the rooftop, checking each womans temperature, disinfecting their hands, and ensuring they wore face masks before showing them to their seats. As the organiser, she arrived early to arrange 35 plastic chairs the maximum they could host at the event in a manner that ensured social distancing. We are adamant to hold our mourning ceremonies no matter what the circumstance, explained Fatima as she handed a younger family member bags with cakes and a drink to place on each chair. We await Muharram every year so the thought of holding a solitary majlis at home this time was very painful, she said. When our leaders ordered us to adhere to the restrictions, we had to find a way to do it while respecting their instructions. Fatima Kanso and her neighbours kept a safe social distance between chairs on their rooftop. [Arwa Ibrahim/Al Jazeera] Before the start of Muharram, Lebanons two main Shia movements, Hezbollah and Amal, told their followers to abide by stay-at-home measures, advising against all public gatherings. In a televised speech, Hezbollahs Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah urged compliance with coronavirus-related restrictions, encouraging his followers to commemorate Imam Husseins death at home or via livestreaming. Double the sorrow Along with her mother-in-law, Um Ahmad, Fatima had spent the day cooking meals for the poor and preparing a wheat and chicken dish for the attendees. As she arranged platters of pastries on a table, her husband Ahmad Kanso, a locally known Muharram poetry reciter who came to lead the ceremony, set up the speaker system in a small room on the roof. He explained that the speakers allowed the four female-only rooftop gatherings to follow his recitation and other neighbours to take part from their balconies. Im used to being in a hall filled with thousands of people, especially on this night, said the 26-year-old. Although we feel double the sorrow this year sorrow over the death of Imam Hussein and sorrow over not being able to mourn together it is a blessing to still be gathering like this. Ahmad Kanso, a popular Muharram poetry reciter in his neighbourhood, preparing to lead the ceremony [Arwa Ibrahim/Al Jazeera] Every night, the young reciter started his ceremony with a poem and then a short story narrating the life and death a prominent figure in Shia Islam who was killed during the battle of Karbala. For Muslims, the death of Imam Hussein is a symbol of resistance against injustice and oppression. By the time Ahmad wrapped up, several women were bent over, sobbing into their sleeves. Serious responsibility Like many others, 45-year-old Abeer al-Aseely, who attended the ceremony, found the lack of public gatherings this year painful but realised that efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus were more important. For the first time in my life, Im not attending the usual large street processions and public gatherings, said al-Aseely. Its painful, but our health and safety is more important. While calls to adhere to strict health guidelines have fallen on deaf ears in some countries in the region, including Iraq, which saw throngs of Shia Muslims flock to the shrines of Imam Hussein in Karbala, the situation in Lebanon has been relatively contained. Some people circumvented the coronavirus-related restrictions over the past 10 days, but for us, its been a huge responsibility to do everything right, said al-Aseely. Its only right to social distance, or cancel the ceremonies altogether. A local realtor is hoping that St. Catharines becomes a city of murals. Right now were having an explosion of murals, businesses have murals that have been popping up, whats really cool, families have taken notice, it makes a cool community, said Karl Vanderkuip. His family recently sponsored the painting of a culvert headwall at the southern end of Walkers Creek Trail along Linwell Road. This culvert has been an eyesore for years, said Vanderkuip. Its been that classic battle of being tagged and the city coming over and painting it, being tagged again and graffitied its just a perpetual cycle. We thought this is a great opportunity to see if we can combat graffiti or tagging with beautiful artwork and have it in our community. Painted dark blue with bright white and yellow flowers, the mural is a whimsical entrance into the park. Vanderkuip said a local community member reached out noted that an artist was coming to town. So, on a whim, we reached out to mural artist Emilie Darlington. Darlington, from Ottawa, has painted murals across Ontario, often turning eyesores into points of interest. There is a coating on top, and the paint is set to last a long time, said Vanderkuip. Artists, even taggers, are compelled to have an artistic impression, and they respect fellow artists. These are ways to combat graffiti. If we can get that message that murals are going to help beautify and combat graffiti, thats a win-win for the community. He decided to create a blog to put all the murals in one spot, which is available from his real estate website. There is a lot of public areas that deserve public attention, and I think it would be super cool to attack underneath the Geneva Street QEW overpass by the Fairview Mall. Thats another area that is continuously graffitied, then painted over. Its an eyesore that could be really special for people to drive through and walk through. A Livonia mans rolling advertisement for President Donald Trump was stolen and damaged Friday night while on tour in Oklahoma. Rob Cortis was in east Tulsa Friday, Aug. 28 with the Trump Unity Bridge when he and a group of people stopped at a hotel for the night, per a Tulsa World report. The 30-foot bridge was being pulled by an SUV traveling across the country as part of the Trump 2020 Build the Wall tour, per the Trump Unity Bridges website. Police spotted the vehicle and bridge and tried to stop the suspect, a 37-year-old Tulsa man, but he led police on a brief chase before he crashed into a median. The man then fled on foot, but he was taken into custody a short time later, per the report. Cortis took to his Facebook page, describing damage to the vehicle as well as the bridge, pointing out issues with LED light bars, breaks to some poles and torn flags. The Trump Unity Bridge, complete with signs reading All Lives Matter, Build The Wall, and Make America Great Again has become a familiar sight at events across the state of Michigan, including protests at the state capitol and rallies. The suspect is being held in the Tulsa County Jail and faces charges of reckless driving, eluding and larceny of an auto, per online jail records. Cortis built the bridge in 2016 after being inspired by the words of Pope Francis that urged then-candidate Trump to build bridges rather than walls. He repurposed an estimated 5-ton steel bridge that once crossed a creek on his former property and included message of unification and order, according to MLive records. The bridge has been to 48 states over the years. Cortis previously said the bridge symbolizes the need to bridge the gap between the diverging parties and represents what Cortis believes is missing from American culture. His connection to President Trump predated the 2016 election by nearly 14 years. While at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the early 2000s, Cortis lost a sentimental gold bracelet in the casino. After consulting a security guard, Cortis was told that his bracelet was in the hands of an unlikely patron -- Donald Trump. Cortis said Trump found the bracelet while walking through the casino and informed security that if anyone came forward seeking it, to put him in touch with the owner. The bracelet was returned to Cortis by Trump later that evening, where they exchanged pleasantries over food and drinks at Trumps expense, Cortis said. Cortis believes Trumps handling of his bracelet spoke to his character and integrity and is symbolic of what President Trump is trying to share with America. He found gold and returned it. So I felt that that was the type of person that Donald Trump is. Hes a billionaire, and now hes fighting to share his wealth, to share the American dream... so that other Americans can have the same opportunity to find their own gold, Cortis said. More on MLive: Father, son accused of poaching elk, other game at Northern Michigan hunting camps Saginaw man arrested after firing shots at vehicle in Bay City, police say Gov. Whitmer orders flags lowered for fallen firefighter Ottawa County man, 20, shot and killed in mobile home park The wife of a high-ranking CIA operative who shot and killed himself two weeks after their wedding has claimed that he was intending to murder her and 'take me to the afterlife'. Sara Corcoran, 46, said that Anthony Ming Schinella, the most senior military affairs analyst in U.S. intelligence, was suffering from PTSD after being involved in four wars, and after almost 30 years in the CIA. Schinella, 52, died on June 14 in Arlington, Virginia, but his death had not been widely reported until this week, when The Intercept revealed a medical examiners report listed his cause of death as suicide from a gunshot wound to the head. Schinella was just weeks away from retirement as National Intelligence Officer for Military Issues, and had married journalist Cocoran just weeks prior to his death. Corcoran was in her car in the driveway of their home trying to get away from Schinella, when she witnessed his suicide. Anthony Ming Schinella, 52, died on June 14 in Arlington, Virginia. A medical examiner's report revealed that the senior intelligence official died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head Schinella's new wife Sara Cocoran (left and with him, right) said that she was in her car in the driveway of their home, trying to get away from Schinella, when she witnessed his suicide She said Schinella was fascinated by Egyptian concepts of the underworld. 'My husband was planning on murdering me. He had talked about taking me to the afterlife before,' she told The Sun. 'We would often watch documentaries on Egypt, Valley of the Kings, pharaohs.' She told The Sun that on the night of June 14 he drank a glass and a half of vodka, and collected a stash of personal items to keep by his bed - including cards from the Chinese Zodiac, handcuffs, and love letters Corcoran had written him. 'To have those three things together, you're only going to sit there and kind of go through all of the notes I've ever written to you if you're getting ready to leave this world,' she said. While Schinella continued drinking vodka, she begged him to 'go to sleep', telling him: 'You've got to stop'. She said: 'He pulled out a Glock and threatened to kill himself for two hours. 'I was trying to talk him out of it. It was a traumatic ordeal. 'I was only fearful he was going to kill me when he started asking me about my grandfather. 'I didn't call 911 at first because I was afraid he would shoot himself and me.' Corcoran and Schinella married May 29, honeymooning at the Trump Hotel in Washington DC Corcoran said that her new husband was suffering from PTSD following a lengthy CIA career Corcoran said she grew increasingly frightened when she found her husband fiddling with the gas stove - fearing that he intended to blow up the house. As she ran away, her husband followed her outside and as she jumped into his car, he shot himself in the head. Corcoran said that after Schinella's death, she discovered a large collection of bondage and S&M gear that had been hidden in his house. She also discovered 24 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Corcoran said that the CIA has completed an investigation into Schinellas death, but that the agency didnt provide her with any details. Corcoran also told the paper that Schinella was obsessed with her grandfather, Thomas Gardiner Corcoran, a famed Washington lobbyist who served as an adviser to Franklin D. Roosevelt and worked on the New Deal. Nicknamed 'Tommy the Cork', he died in 1981, and Schinella reportedly began asking who she loved more, and who was a better man. Schinella was the highest-ranking military affairs analyst in the U.S. intelligence community, and was also a member of the powerful National Intelligence Council. He was an expert on the Taliban's military capabilities, and his death came shortly before the New York Times reported on June 26 that Russia paid bounties to the Taliban to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. Schinella committed suicide in his front yard. Above, his last known residence is seen Following the report, the NIC drafted a memo, which quickly leaked, claiming that the intelligence about the bounties was inconclusive. The memo did not mention that the NIC's top analyst on military affairs and Taliban expert had killed himself days earlier. In a tribute to Schinella published in CityWatch, Corcoran wrote that he possessed an 'astonishing intelligence and an heroic work ethic.' 'He traveled to more than 100 countries on six continents, spoke several languages and was able to pick up the basics of practically any language before he even left for the airport,' she wrote. Schinella is also survived by two daughters from a previous marriage. In an article last week for CityWatch, Corcoran suggested that her husband viewed Russia as a distraction, and China as the real foreign threat to America. 'My husband Tony and I often discussed China's increasing influence in Americas public domain, as well as in other countries around the world,' she wrote. In a tribute to Schinella, Corcoran wrote that he possessed an 'astonishing intelligence and an heroic work ethic' 'China was one of our shared interests, as he was half-Chinese and I received my MBA from a business school in Shanghai.' Corcoran said that prior to his death, Schinella had recommended that she read Clive Hamilton's 2019 book Silent Invasion, which documents China's aggressive attempts to shape Australian politics and culture. 'My husband was an astute identifier and observer of stealth influences upon current events that are beneath the mainstream media radar, but warrant wide awareness of,' she wrote. 'Our conversations could range from how the Chinese Security Services or PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) had centralized its operations, to how they supported influence campaigns targeting universities, politicians, and public sentiment in Australia,' she continued. 'So while many of us in the United States have been preoccupied with Russian influence campaigns here, it turns out that the Chinese have been wreaking havoc on our ally Oz down under; and indeed the main threat to Australia's national security interests today come from its largest trading partner to the northwest: China.' If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 For example, Animal Rescue Cooperative (ARC) co-ordinator Derek Knox says he and his team received death threats and vile abuse from wildlife carers angry they were not getting funding. This masthead has copies of emails and voice mails sent to ARC staff, calling them "c--ts" and threatening to "bash their f--ken skulls in". ARC is based in Sydney but played a key role during the bushfires distributing donations of money, animal feed and formula, equipment such as humidicribs and bandages and vast volumes of handcrafted pouches, wraps and mittens for injured wildlife. Knox says this put ARC in the firing line if it tried to do due diligence before handing over money and supplies or if it refused a request. In another example, a man was expelled from his local group in northern NSW during the height of the summer fires and another member later successfully took out an apprehended personal violence order against him. He claims he ruffled feathers by trying to organise volunteers to comb the blackened forest for wildlife survivors, while the group says it was because of concerns over the welfare of animals in his care. It brings out the absolute best in people and the absolute worst and nothing in the middle. James Fitzgerald, Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust. In Bamford's case the conflict came to a head in February when, she says, a committee member publicly accused her of stealing all the supplies donated to them during the bushfires, leaving the animals to starve. In fact, Bamford says she was acting as a hub for ARC to collect donations for groups in fire zones along the eastern seaboard a fact Knox confirms. Bamford is still deeply hurt by the allegations and says people continued to ask about it, even after Knox tried to clear her name. A letter from Community Justice Centres dated June and obtained by this masthead confirms Bamford tried to organise mediation with an executive member who never responded. While the bushfires brought the conflict to a head, the tension had been building over time. Another member, who requested her name be withheld in order not to invite the same treatment, says she attended the AGM last year and saw Bamford try to raise issues while members of the executive spoke over her, tried to have her removed from the meeting and openly said they wouldn't take her calls because they didn't like her. The member says Bamford was not threatening or abusive and while she was persistent, she was not unreasonable. This masthead has also seen screenshots of chat messages describing Bamford as "paranoid" and talking "crap" for asking questions about a rumoured accident with a bolt gun. Knox says it was one of the worst examples of bullying he has ever seen. Bamford's friend Jessika Behnecke, an art therapist who has been giving her weekly counselling over the phone, says it was classic bullying and gaslighting, where the victim is manipulated to doubt themselves. A spokesperson for the charity says it has been "legally advised not to comment about internal issues" but agrees that bullying is a problem in wildlife care in general. However, the spokesperson says no group should be held accountable for things out of their control or when people refuse to follow policies or procedures. Widespread problems There have been problems with bullying and conflict in wildlife care for some time. Take the problems of any volunteer organisation, add the emotionally charged environment of animals suffering and dying, and compound it by the monopoly held by wildlife groups over their local area. Last year the NSW Office of the Environment and Heritage, in its review of the NSW Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Sector, cited conflict and bullying within groups as one of the reasons why volunteer numbers fluctuate by as much as 25 per cent. In 2018, charity WildTalk conducted an international survey that included Australia and found two out of five respondents identified bullying as a problem within wildlife organisations. Meanwhile, a report from the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission in 2017 noted that animal welfare organisations have more concerns reported to the charity regulator than any other charity type. For every 100 animal welfare charities, there were 9.4 concerns raised, compared with an average of 2.1 for general charities, the report said. Some organisations had multiple complaints, including accusations of bullying and other bad behaviour, especially on social media. The bigger groups may have a more professional approach to conflict resolution but are not immune to issues. This masthead has spoken to wildlife carers from as far afield as the Blue Mountains, Central West and South Coast who have left WIRES because of interpersonal conflict and alleged unfair treatment. A spokesman for WIRES says the charity "takes any bullying issues very seriously" and all volunteers must agree to a code of conduct. The charity has policies to require and encourage respectful conduct in the workplace and prevent or address bullying, as well as a multi-step grievance management process implemented in all branches whereby members can raise concerns in a confidential manner. "[It has] been a particularly difficult year for the wildlife sector and many volunteers are feeling quite fragile right now and still recovering from the impacts of the bushfires, which is entirely understandable," the WIRES spokesman says. The ACNC report focused on organisations dealing with domesticated animals and pets and the regulator was unable to provide figures for wildlife care. However, Knox, who is also involved in a cat rescue charity, says the issues are very similar across all animal rescue groups. "Volunteers come from all walks of life with minimal checks and balances," Knox says. "You get people who are affected by life and death in their hands and seeing all the stuff that is happening around them, and that causes emotions that then come out in other ways." Knox says social media is a big forum for arguments, with many wildlife carers passionate about various ideologies from coronavirus conspiracy theories to vegetarianism. James Fitzgerald from Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust with Paul the Koala, named after First Officer Paul Hudson, one of the American firefighters who died in a plane crash while protecting the property. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen James Fitzgerald, a former senior public servant who now runs Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust about 100 kilometres from Canberra, says the amount of bullying in wildlife care is "horrific". "It brings out the absolute best in people and the absolute worst and nothing in the middle," Fitzgerald says. "Because there's power there to get on the committee it actually attracts people who in their professional careers would never be given authority." Frances Carleton, founder of WildTalk, which provides free counselling to wildlife carers, said bullying in wildlife care is often about a persistent need for control and micro-management. Nowhere to go A big problem for carers is that any conflicts are resolved internally and the executive team can manipulate the outcome. The charity regulator does not mediate internal disputes, while the National Parks and Wildlife Service only licenses groups on the basis of their skill with animals rather than their treatment of humans. "You have nobody to go to to complain," Carleton says. "For most organisations, you'll have a HR department, you might have a union that you can go and talk to about your rights, but there isn't any of that in wildlife organisations. These organisations are run by volunteers and invariably they are run by people who have set them up and have surrounded themselves with like-minded people on a committee and nobody new wants to go into the committee because they know what it's going to be like." Knox says the government should take greater interest in what's happening with wildlife care. "They basically just give it to the charities and the public to look after," he says. Loading Many, like Bamford, are calling for the establishment of a volunteer watchdog. Animal Justice Party MP Mark Pearson notes similar issues came up in the recent parliamentary committee into the enforcement of animal cruelty laws. "There needs to be accountability to a body, whatever that might be," he says. A spokesperson for the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment says the government is developing training opportunities for leaders of groups to improve their communication, teamwork and conflict resolution skills. The department also intends introducing a scheme of accreditation for the wildlife rehabilitation sector requiring organisations to meet standards of service delivery including criteria for conflict resolution, anti-bullying and harassment and the work health and safety of its members. In any other volunteering endeavour, a person can avoid a toxic environment by simply joining a different organisation. But in wildlife care, that's not always possible. Wildlife rescue groups are licensed for particular geographic boundaries. This gives them a monopoly over their area unless they have a memorandum of understanding with a neighbouring group, and therefore power over any carers in the catchment. Tanya Odonoghue, who lives in the Central West, says she knows many cases where carers have animals taken off them because of interpersonal conflict rather than concerns over welfare. "Our Achilles heel is the animal," Odonoghue says. "You just know you're going to get the animals taken off you if you don't do what you're told, and that's how they control the masses of members." Odonoghue left her local WIRES group because of conflict and is now licensed through another group but is hoping to get her own organisation, Warrumbungle Wildlife Shelter, independently registered. The department spokesperson confirms anyone can join any wildlife organisation if they are contributing on the administrative side but active carers can only join a group operating in the area where they live. In most parts of the state, there is just one group. Loading However, this could change. "[The department] found conflict does arise occasionally and in its Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Strategy is proposing a range of measures to help groups improve the management of conflict including providing more flexibility for members to join other groups," the spokesperson says. The proposal is widely welcomed, though Meredith Ryan, the long-serving president of FAWNA on the Mid-North Coast, says it could create management problems. "We currently have a defined boundary area, we'll have records based on that boundary area and phone operators are based on working within that boundary, and the public knows what the boundary is," Ryan says. "And quite frankly, if I had someone wanting to join our group, because they were disaffected by another group, I would actually look at that person a little bit with more scrutiny because I don't know why they can't get on with their group." Ryan says co-ordinating hundreds of volunteers and ensuring they follow the correct procedures when caring for animals and keeping records and so on is not easy. "If it requires being dictatorial to make that happen then so be it." Mental health Pearson supports the proposal to allow wildlife carers to join other groups and is also calling on Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Environment Minister Matt Kean to fund mental health services for wildlife carers. "It's the duty of the government to ensure that these people are properly looked after just like the people who were on the front line dealing with the other crises, like the bushfire fighters and those working in emergency wards," Pearson says. The WIRES spokesman says the charity takes mental health and wellbeing of carers seriously and contacted every member over the summer bushfire period to check on their welfare and if they needed any assistance, as well as partnering with People Sense to provide free counselling and webinars. There are charities dedicated to the mental health of wildlife carers, including Two Green Threads and WildTalk. Carleton says wildlife carers witness "horrendous" trauma. Sixty per cent of every rescue that they do, don't make it; they either die on the way to help or they have to be euthanised," she says. Despite only advertising her services on Facebook, Carleton says she has taken 250 calls from 81 people since setting up WildTalk at the start of the year, with 60 per cent of calls coming from WIRES volunteers. Rae Harvey says wildlife care is rewarding but can be traumatic. Credit:Peter Sharp Rae Harvey, who lives on the South Coast, has used the service and would like to see funding for mental health specifically for wildlife carers. She also sees a psychologist for other concerns but would rather talk to Carleton about the wildlife trauma. "She's the only person I can talk to that understands," she says. "The kangaroos are like my family." Harvey is dealing with the aftermath of the recent bushfires, which destroyed her property and many animals, and a dispute over money her kangaroo sanctuary raised through crowdfunding. She is also traumatised from an incident a few years ago where she witnessed a kangaroo bludgeoned to death because killing the animal was the kindest thing in the circumstances and they couldn't use a gun. Harvey says the rampant bullying in wildlife care is also linked to mental health issues and she even knows of suicides where this was a factor. Fitzgerald has not yet had time to seek out mental health support, though he knows it would be a good idea. The plane that crashed killing the US firefighters in January did so when it was trying to protect his property. He lost everything in the fires and he has been living in a caravan ever since, unable to abandon the animals. Hundreds of trillions of dong of private capital have been mobilized for transport development, but most of these have been for roads and none for railways. The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) has predicted a sharp fall in railway transport production this year because of Covid-19 and slow execution of works belonging to a VND7 trillion development package. In the first four months of the year, VNR had to stop using 2,126 passenger trains. To implement the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, it has continued to not use more passenger trains, especially ones running on the north-south backbone route that bring high revenue. VNR predicted that it would incur a loss of VND1.394 trillion this year, including a VND712 billion loss from its production and business activities. In fact, the impact of Covid-19 is only one reason behind the bad business performance of the railway corporation. A lot of problems have existed for a long time, including limited investment resources and problems in management and operation scheme. According to Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong, Vietnams railway system, which has been working for one more century, remains unchanged, with no new routes built to connect to other regions. Most of the railways, or 85 percent of the network, run on a 1 meter-gauge system. There are 297 stations, but most of them are small with old infrastructure. This explains why railways are not the choice of passengers and owners of goods. Most of the railways, or 85 percent of the network, run on a 1 meter-gauge system. There are 297 stations, but most of them are small with old infrastructure. This explains why railways are not the choice of passengers and owners of goods. In 2019, railways only served 0.2 percent of total passenger transportation and 1.2 percent of cargo transportation. Investment in the railway sector has remained very modest in the last 10 years, which can meet only 2-3 percent of the requirements. The state budget is limited, and it is very difficult to call for private investment. As a result, railways cannot compete with roads and aviation in the passenger transport market, and cannot compete with roads and seaways in cargo transport. The investment rate in railways is 3-4 times higher than investment in roads, which explains why the state remains the major infrastructure developer. However, analysts warned that if VNRs model remains unchanged and if there is no reasonable mechanism to attract private investors, the railway sector wont be able to develop. But it is difficult to attract private investors because the railway sector requires huge investment capital, and it takes a long time to recover the capital. Experts said that there is great potential for the railway sector, but the potential can only turn into advantages when there is a reasonable development policy. Linh Ha VN aviation, railways fall into distress again Passenger transportation units, especially airlines and railways, had not yet recovered fully from the first COVID-19 outbreak when the second outbreak occurred and dealt another blow. Principals, teachers and parents in Delhi have expressed mixed views over the central governments unlock 4 guidelines that allow students of classes 9 to 12 to visit schools on a voluntary basis from September 21 to seek academic guidance. Many school authorities said the move, if implemented taking all precautions, will help students, specifically those who do not access to online education. But parents are still apprehensive about the safety of their children. Schools across the country have been physically shut since March in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Classes are conducted online, and links to online study material are sent via WhatsApp, emails and SMS. The Unlock 4 guidelines issued by the union ministry of home affairs on Saturday said schools will continue to remain closed till September 30. At the same time, it stated, Students of class 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers. This will be subject to written consent from their parents/guardians and will be permitted with effect from September 21, 2020, for which SoPs will be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Govt schools step up efforts to bring kids back to class The guidelines said the states and union territories may permit up to 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at a time after September 21. WATCH | Unlock 4: States lockdown power curbed; 1st step to school reopening Officials at government schools said students will benefit. Dr Devindar, principal of Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya (SBV) in Rouse Avenue, said, It will be really helpful if teachers can hold sessions for students to clear doubts. Itll be more significant for Board students since teachers have to brief them about the pattern of the exams. It is still unsafe to allow students of primary and upper primary classes to schools, he said. Government teachers said students who were not being able to attend online classes due to the lack of devices or internet facilities would get better guidance if allowed to visit schools. Manish Bhatia, who teaches mathematics at a government school in Subhash Nagar, said, For subjects such as mathematics, face-to-face teaching is vital in case of many students. I teach class 10 students and many of my students need extra attention since they do not have anyone at home who can help them in studies. Its a welcome step to call students for guidance at schools with proper precautions. We are yet to hear anything from the Delhi government on this. US coronavirus cases approach 6 million as Midwest, schools face outbreaks A senior official at the Delhi governments education department said a decision may be taken on Monday. A meeting will be held on Monday to discuss the unlock 4 guidelines. The guidelines regarding schools will be discussed at length with all stakeholders. We will have to analyse how many schools are in containment zones, the official said. Authorities at private schools said majority of their students are already attending online classes. Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini, said, Our students are very well-connected with their teachers remotely. We are conducting online sessions regularly just to clear doubts. But if the government directs us, then we will allow students to visit schools with all precautions. Its anyway voluntary. Some private schools, however, raised concerns over the safety of students. Himachal schools told to submit report on Covid prevention arrangements Amita Wattal, principal of Springdales Schools in Pusa Road, said, The school can keep their premises open, safe and secure. But the decision of sending students to schools totally depends on their parents. The schools wont ask anyone to come because we cannot take guarantee of the safety of students amid the pandemic. Parents of both private and government school students expressed different opinions. Jai Prakash, a carpenter and father of a class 10 student at a government school in Vishwas Nagar, said, I think its a good option for students if they want to go and clear some doubts. We had to arrange tuition for him since schools have been shut. Aparajitha Gautam, president of Delhi Parents Association and mother of a class 12 student at a private school, said she wont send her daughter to school amid the pandemic. Unlock 4: Some educational institutes allowed to open, states can call 50% of staff She is attending online classes and accessing online material. The guidelines can be significant for the students of government schools where majority of the students do not have access to digital education. But the question is how well the government schools are prepared. Also, the government should make sure that the private schools should not interpret this option as a reopening of campuses and charge extra fees from the students, she said. A few students HT spoke to had mixed feelings about the order. Darshan Ram, a class 12 student at Bluebells School International in Kailash Colony, said his parents will not be comfortable in sending him to the school amid a pandemic. Visiting teachers and the school on a voluntary basis comes with its own risks too. I dont think students themselves would want to take risks, he said. Vaishnavi, a class 11 student at a government girls senior secondary school in Yamuna Vihar, however, said it will be helpful for her if she gets a chance to visit school even once a week. Its become very challenging to study some subjects like Mathematics and Physics with the help of online study material the school sends us on WhatsApp. Ill definitely visit the school and get all my doubts clear if I get a chance, she said . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Regarding Fiber-free convention (Letters, Aug. 22): The letter writer asked Wheres the beef? insinuating that the Democrats do not have policies or plans. The convention I watched talked about fixing our countrys infrastructure and creating jobs, investing in green energy, expanding health care and Medicare, particularly in this time when millions of Americans lost their health coverage. Before we can fully restart our economy, we have to defeat COVID-19. Joe Biden talked about deploying rapid tests immediately, making medical supplies and personal protective equipment in America so we are not at the mercy of China. This contrasts with a president who doesnt want to accept responsibility for fighting the virus and wants fewer tests. The writer stated that speakers at the convention spoke of their hatred for our country. I didnt hear anyone say they hated our country, I did hear speakers wanting a country that treats everyone fairly and works to end racial injustice. I am still waiting to hear the Republicans plan for dealing with COVID-19, what their health care plan is, how they plan to heal the racial divide, how they plan to deal with climate change and how they will rebuild our relations with our allies around the world. Michael McNally, Concord Fires on federal land Regarding California burning (Letters, Aug. 24): During times of crisis, we all should be pulling together, but I suppose some finger-pointing is unavoidable. If you must point, then point it in the right direction. Both President Trump and the letter writer blame Gov. Gavin Newsom, claiming the states have not managed the forests well. The fact is the majority of California forests are managed by the federal government, not the state. The Camp Fire that devastated Paradise (Butte County) started on federal land and spread to private property, the Ranch Fire that consumed over 400,000 acres started on federal land, as did the Carr Fire. Bill Hildebrand, San Jose Secure the right planes Regarding A struggle to breathe with wildfires raging (Letters, Aug. 25): The letter writer suggested more smokejumpers. Id recommend that the state purchase or lease to have on hand during fire season the planes designed specifically to fight wildfires. The Canadian Built SuperScooper planes can land on small lakes, scoop up 1,850 gallons of water in just 14 seconds, and dump it with precision on wildland fires in the most inaccessible terrain. They have a fast turnaround time and could decrease the risk for our heroic firefighters who go into the most dangerous edges of fire. Amazing videos of this at work are easily found on the internet. Im sure they are expensive, but doubt the cost exceeds the costs of current methods and the great losses incurred. Anything that protects both us and the firefighters is to be encouraged. Amortized over the life of our future increased frequency and severity of wildfires, it is a bargain. Judith Murphy, Portola Valley Heartbreaking story I wept and felt heartache while reading COVID-19 sweeps through family of immigrants (Front Page, Aug. 23). This news story shows despite the anti-immigrant policies and ethnic slurs of this nations current president that Latino migrants are hardworking, family-oriented and (like citizens born in the U.S.) in pursuit of a common American dream: home ownership. Sadly, many of my fellow Latinos are in essential jobs (cooks, maids, etc.) that put us at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus. The death of Juan Segundo Sr., a grill cook, and the coronavirus-related illnesses of others in his household, leaves us with this important reminder: Even if you have strong faith and familial support, seek medical attention if you test positive for COVID-19 and begin to feel very sick. Carlos De Leon, Martinez Hypocritical leaders So according to Falwell reportedly on way out after disclosures (Nation, Aug. 25), one of President Trumps most visible evangelical supporters, Jerry Falwell Jr., will no longer be president of Liberty University because of reported sexual indiscretions involving himself, his wife and a pool attendant? The extramarital shenanigans of these two men, who have publicly professed their faith and family values, leads me to put a slight twist on a familiar phrase: Hypocritical birds of a feather flock together. Henrik Lundquist, Tiburon Install lightning towers With all the attention given to President Trumps very expensive southern border wall, built to create the illusion of security, and considering all the lightning caused wildfires that impact public safety directly, especially this year, why isnt a study being done to consider large lightning-rod towers being strategically spaced on ridge tops to prevent future fires? Lightning usually strikes in fairly predictable locations. Lightning rods placed near human habitation could have a long-term benefit and be partially paid for by insurance companies who would probably save billions in paid-out claims. Just hours leading up to Hurricane Lauras predicted arrival, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick questioned the structural integrity of the courthouse for the first time in his 10 years as county judge. He and about 400 other people were seeking refuge in the 89-year-old courthouse as Laura which made landfall as a Category 4 storm came barreling toward the Texas-Louisiana border. Branick went back-and-forth in his mind, wondering if he did enough to prepare for potential destruction. He expected the worst as the National Hurricane Center predicted unsurvivable storm surge up to 30 miles inland and sustained winds of 130 miles per hour in Jefferson and Orange counties. I was prepared to see the carnage, Branick said. I was preparing for the potential for overtopping of the Port Arthur Hurricane Protection System. I was concerned about the impacts of peoples jobs, the destruction of industry. I was fearful of the impacts. At 1 a.m., the storm made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana less than 30 miles from the Texas border. Southeast Texas, for the most part, escaped the worst of Lauras wrath. I watched the outer bands coming from the southeast to north as they turned and began to dissipate as they entered northern Jefferson County. I was feeling joy, Branick said. The extent of the damage Southeast Texas suffered came in the form winds uprooting trees, damaged homes and businesses and down power lines. In southern Jefferson and Orange counties, tens of thousands continue lost electricity. Some are still without. For this reason, Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie extended his mandatory evacuation order until Monday in order to give crews enough time to restore power. Jasper and Newton counties saw peak winds of 79 miles per hour, which caused electrical outages in over 21,000 homes, according to the National Weather Service. While both areas were damaged, Jasper County Judge Mark Allen said he feels lucky that Hurricane Laura only nicked Jasper them. But while many county leaders like Allen and Branick have stressed relief for the residents of Southeast Texas, the feeling of survivors guilt quickly overcomes joy considering the wreckage left in nearby Lake Charles. Its heartbreaking to see what Southwest Louisiana is dealing with. My heart goes out to them, Branick said. But I think people from Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana are highly resilient. Theyre survivors. Tropical systems can be unpredictable both in track and intensity and it is not often clear why they do not always meet the predicted expectations. Barry Goldsmith, a NWS meteorologist in the Rio Grande Valley, said two primary factors potentially played a role in why Laura took the path it did and left Southeast Texas mostly unscathed neither of which came down to luck. Goldsmith, who along with others are assisting the Lake Charles office after it was evacuated, said the Western Bermuda Ridge and wind shear related to the remnants of Hurricane Marco, which quickly dissipated before Laura made landfall, helped steer most of the devastation away from Southeast Texas. Its possible that the trough to the left of the (Western Bermuda) ridgecombined with the shear over East Texas and Southeast Texas leftover from Marco stopped westward movement, Goldsmith said. While the near-catastrophic hit to Southeast Texas has left many county and state officials proposing long-term infrastructural safeguards in order to mitigate the damages for the next tropical event, both Branick and Allen are equally as worried about a more immediate problem residents reluctance to evacuate the next time. A Yale study on evacuation behavior following a hurricane highlights the common issue one Allen is all too familiar with in his 15 years as county judge. This current situation reminds Allen of Hurricane Gustav in 2008; which much like Laura, deviated into Louisiana. Many of the counties in Southeast Texas evacuated during Hurricane Gustav. But as a result, a large amount failed to leave when Hurricane Ike made landfall just weeks later in Galveston, Allen said. When Ike came, a lot of people refused to leave, Allen said. They lost confidence in the models. They lost confidence in the government. Both Allen and Branick are aware that there are several months left of hurricane season and implore all Southeast Texans to keep their guards up. Life is so precious and its not worth the gamble. You only get one life. Its better to get in the car, take your pets and head north or west, Allen said. People need to look at (hurricanes) as separate occasions. I have never seen a hurricane with the same intensity or track as a previous system. jorge.ramos@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/byjorgeramos Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/8/2020 (508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Incident 1033 When: Feb. 12, 2020 Where: 600 block of Elizabeth Road A male and female entered a grocery store in Windsor Park and made their way to the staff room in the back. The suspects stole an employees wallet and later used a stolen debit card to make several fraudulent purchases. Incident 1033 Incident 1034 When: April 11, 2020 Where: First block of Roslyn Road Two females broke into an apartment block in Osborne Village and proceeded to break into several mailboxes, stealing the contents. Two suspected members of the banned terror outfit, Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), have been arrested from GT Karnal Road in north Delhi on charges of hoisting a Khalistan flag at a Punjab government office in Moga district on the eve of the Independence Day on August 14, the Delhi Polices special cell said on Sunday. Police identified the two arrested hard core members of the KZF as Inderjeet Singh Gill and Jaspal Singh, who belong to Moga district. Also read: My son had left home to find a job with his brother, says father of man lynched in Naraina On the eve of the Independence Day, the two men had hoisted a Khalistan flag on the roof of the office of district collector of Moga, said Sanjeev Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (special cell), Delhi Police. They had also joined the Sikhs for Justice (SJF), a secessionist group based in the United States of America (USA) that supports the secession of Punjab from India as Khalistan. We had received a tip-off on Saturday evening that the two KZF members would visit Delhi and we could catch them from GT Karnal Road in north Delhi. We laid a trap and nabbed them, said the DCP Yadav. No weapons were found on them. Delhi Police has alerted its counterparts in Punjab to take custody of the two KZF members. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 09:13:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LIMA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Peruvian Health Ministry reported on Saturday a total of 639,435 cases of COVID-19, with 9,474 new infections registered in the last 24 hours in the country. The ministry also reported that the death toll has risen to 28,607 in the country, with 136 more deaths occurring over the last day. According to health authorities, 12,537 people have been hospitalized for the disease and 1,524 people have been placed in intensive care units. Peruvian Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti said that the federal government is coordinating with regional authorities to apply targeted quarantine in areas where there is an increase in cases. The Peruvian government announced a curfew that began on March 16 as part of the preventive measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Enditem President Trump supporters attend a rally and car parade Saturday from Clackamas to Portland, Ore. (Paula Bronstein / Associated Press) President Trump and his allies sought to depict protests over racial injustice as a law-and-order campaign issue Sunday, attacking Democratic leaders, refusing to condemn deadly vigilante violence and touting a purportedly tranquil Donald Trumps America as former Vice President Joe Biden accused him of inciting violence for political gain. Against the backdrop of a still-raging coronavirus outbreak, the White House offered the clearest signal yet of a calculated GOP strategy of exploiting voter fears of violence as the campaign against Biden enters the final stretch. The strategy closely resembles the one Trump employed, unsuccessfully, in the 2018 midterm election, when he spent weeks warning of "caravans" of migrants trying to reach the U.S. border with Mexico. That approach failed to stave off large Democratic gains in congressional races, but Trump has returned to it this year as he continues to lag behind Biden in polls of the presidential race. Trump plans a visit Tuesday to Kenosha, Wis., where protests have flared for the last week over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was left paralyzed, and where a teenage gunman who reportedly idolized law enforcement has been charged in two deaths. Administration officials provided no indication that Trump wants to meet with Blake's family, with whom Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), have talked at length. Amid a stream of inflammatory tweets and retweets Sunday, the president castigated the mayor of Portland, Ore., where a caravan of Trump supporters late Saturday confronted protesters. One man, identified as a member of a right-wing group, was shot dead. Bring in the National Guard! Trump demanded. Biden countered with a statement condemning violence and accusing Trump of "recklessly encouraging" it. "The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. Shooting in the streets of a great American city is unacceptable. I condemn this violence unequivocally," Biden said, adding that "I challenge Donald Trump to do the same." Story continues "We must not become a country at war with ourselves," he said. Trumps presidency has been characterized by a staunch refusal to reach out to Americans outside his base of support. The latest rhetoric from the president and his surrogates took that one step further, setting out an explicit effort to cast urban Democratic strongholds as threatening and lawless, in contrast with less densely populated parts of the country where the presidents loyalists dominate. Most of Donald Trumps America is peaceful, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press. Critics of the president say such a characterization is not only corrosively divisive, but also illogical because, as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) put it, recent events including the COVID-19 pandemic and months of unrest over police brutality are happening under Donald Trumps watch. Klobuchar, a former Democratic presidential contender who appeared on ABCs This Week, sought to turn Meadows contention on its head. We are not safe in Donald Trumps America, she said, echoing a new Biden campaign advertisement. Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), a prominent Trump critic who heads the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNNs State of the Union that the president is willfully fanning the flames of this fire." The president is only motivated by one thing: what is in it for him, Schiff said. He sees this violence, and his ability to agitate more of it, as useful to this campaign. What it does to the country, the loss of life he doesnt care. Trump began the day by sharing a video of the caravan of his supporters in Portland who sprayed chemical irritants and fired paintballs from the back of trucks at protesters. In his message on Twitter, he called them GREAT PATRIOTS. He also liked a tweet in which a Twitter user referred to Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenage suspect in Kenosha, as a good example of why I decided to vote for Trump. Ted Wheeler, Portland's mayor, rejected Trump's rhetoric. Youve tried to divide us and now, you want me to stop the violence that you helped create, he told a briefing in the city, addressing Trump directly. President Trump, you bring no peace. You bring no respect to our democracy. Senior Trump aides appearing on the Sunday news talk shows either changed the subject or defended the president when those latest tweets were read out for them. The acting secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, was asked on CBS Face the Nation whether the presidents retweet of the video from Portland heightened tensions. Absolutely not, he replied. Appearing on State of the Union, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, refused to condemn Rittenhouse. He said he did not support vigilantism, but Im not sure thats what was happening in the case of the 17-year-old, who has been charged with first-degree homicide, among other charges. Meadows, asked in his Meet the Press interview why Trump had not condemned armed supporters who take the law into their own hands, replied that he has asked for the proper investigations. The president is on the side of law enforcement and the rule of law, he said. Democrats say Trumps consistent eagerness to quash protests using federal agents exemplified by the forceful clearing this summer of a square in front of the White House to facilitate a presidential photo op in front of a historic church has needlessly escalated confrontations in Portland and elsewhere. This is exactly what happens when Homeland Security, the intelligence community, the military who are charged with protecting our homeland, are politicized, said Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) a former chief of police of Orlando, Fla., who was one of the contenders for the Democratic vice presidential spot. She spoke on CBS Face the Nation. Trump campaign surrogates including the presidents daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, acknowledged they were following a road map sketched out by senior White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who told Fox News last week that "the more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is" for Trump. Conway is leaving her White House job this week. Interviewed on Fox News Sunday, Lara Trump agreed, saying that if potential Biden supporters saw scenes of street clashes, I bet their mind was changed. Bidens deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, interviewed on the same show, said the Trump campaign had falsely accused Biden of failing to condemn violence associated with racial justice protests. Thats absolutely not true, she said. Trump, Bedingfield said, was seeking to deflect attention from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, which has killed more than 180,000 Americans, the worlds highest reported death toll. Part of why we are in the state of chaos that were in in this country is because Donald Trump has failed to lead on the coronavirus he failed to take it seriously from the outset, she said. A powerful rebuke to Trump came from a senior Black Democrat in the House, Rep. Cedric L. Richmond of Louisiana, in an appearance on Meet the Press. In 2016, he said, then-candidate Trump asked Black voters, What do you have to lose? I think now Black men see clearly what they have to lose, Richmond said. They can get killed, and the president wont say a word. Four of China's five largest state-owned banks said they have increased their provisions against bad debt to brace for future losses due to the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic. All five reported their biggest profit falls in at least a decade and an increase in soured loans when announcing their half-year results on Sunday and last week. The results highlight the impact of the pandemic and the economic slowdown on Chinese banks that bucked the first-quarter global trend with higher profits and steady bad loans. Agricultural Bank of China Ltd (AgBank) said ... D ozens of anti-racism protesters have gathered in west London on what would have been the first day of this year's Notting Hill carnival. Protesters lay down in the road outside Notting Hill tube station to demonstrate against systemic racism. The campaigners carried signs that read "The UK is not innocent" and "Enough is Enough" as they blocked oncoming traffic. Numbers of people on the march rose to around 300 as demonstrators made their way down Bayswater Road. The march stopped outside Hyde Park and broke into a rendition of Redemption Song by Bob Marley as demonstrators raised their fists. Protesters blocked oncoming traffic outside Notting Hill station / PA Organisers say the movement plans to push a Race Offenders Register, to prosecute those committing race offences. Sasha Johnson, activist and co-organiser of the Million People March, said she hoped the movement would empower the community. Our message is listen to us, hear our words. We want sustainable and tangible change, she said. We dont just want tokenistic promises, we dont want it to come from a hegemonic standpoint. We want it to be for the people. Anti-racism protesters raise their fists / PA In May it was announced that for the first time in the carnival's 54-year history that it would be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many have drawn links between the origins of the popular carnival and efforts to speak out against racism. Labour leader Keir Starmer said in a Twitter post shared a day before the march: "Notting Hill Carnival started as a defiant response to the racist violence Black people were subjected to in the 1950s. "Today it is an important celebration of Black Caribbean culture and our country's diversity." Protesters carry signs condemning 'ignorance' around issues on race / PA However Sir Keir echoed the police's calls for people rto take part in the festival online because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. London Mayor Sadiq Khana also made the plea, tweeting: "if you are thinking of celebrating Notting Hill Carnival outdoors today, please don't. COVID-19 is still a real threat to us all. "Join in the Carnival spirit from home instead - you don't want to miss out on today's line up. #nhcAtHome" The organisers behind the annual festival have moved things online, offering three days of music and video online for an alternative virtual carnival. More follows... When Parisa Dehghani-Tafti ran for commonwealth's attorney of Arlington County, Va., last year, she made it clear she wanted to bring drastic changes to the prosecutor's office, to include eliminating cash bail and refusing to prosecute small marijuana possession cases. The proposals are standard among progressive prosecutors across the country seeking to overhaul the justice system. But after Dehghani-Tafti was elected in November, the pushback to her agenda was quick. On Jan. 7, six days after she took office, she moved to dismiss a marijuana possession charge set for trial in Arlington Circuit Court. Prosecutors dismiss cases all the time, for all manner of reasons, and the process in court typically takes seconds with rare explanation from prosecutors. Instead, an Arlington judge demanded a written brief from the prosecutor explaining the reasons for the marijuana dismissal, then scheduled oral argument on the issue, even though the defendant did not object to having his case dropped. Two months later, the Arlington judges entered a written order requiring prosecutors to spell out their reasons, "in detail all factual and not conclusory bases," for dismissing or amending charges in all cases, to explain the "good cause" required by Virginia law for a "nolle pros," or non-prosecution, or a dismissal with prejudice. Dehghani-Tafti responded with her own pushback. Saying that the Arlington circuit judges are violating her prosecutorial discretion in how to charge cases, she has gone to the Virginia Supreme Court and asked it to order the Arlington judges to withdraw their order for written explanations of all proposed dismissals. No timetable has been set for when the Supreme Court might hear or decide the case. It's the latest battle between law enforcement entities that have seen cases handled a certain way for decades, and prosecutors who want to try a new way. In Boston, a trial judge tried to prevent the new prosecutor from dismissing a case against a protester, only to be reversed by a higher court. In Philadelphia, the legislature gave the state attorney general ability to take over prosecution of gun cases from the new prosecutor. In St. Louis, the governor is seeking to give the state attorney general "concurrent jurisdiction" in murder cases with the new prosecutor. In Fairfax County, some judges have resisted the new prosecutor's attempts to dismiss all simple marijuana cases. "The only difference I see" in the handling of criminal cases, Dehghani-Tafti said, "is who's sitting in this (prosecutor's) seat. There's been a seismic shift in who sits in these seats, and it's been at the behest of the community. I ran on certain policies, saying what we're going to do, being transparent about it and letting the community decide. The person sitting in this seat reflects the priorities and desires of the community, and has a mandate. The judges don't, because they are not elected." The Arlington circuit judges who began seeking written briefs on all dismissals in January, then made it a written order in March, are Chief Judge William Newman and circuit judges Daniel Fiore II, Louise DiMatteo and Judith Wheat. They declined to comment on Dehghani-Tafti's motion for a writ of mandamus to the Supreme Court. But in an opinion on the January case that provides an insight into the judges' thinking, Fiore wrote that Dehghani-Tafti's intention to drop many marijuana cases essentially nullifies a law passed by Virginia legislators. The Virginia Attorney General's Office said the law firm of Sands Anderson had been hired to defend the judges, but the firm did not respond to requests for comment. Dehghani-Tafti's motion is supported by an amicus brief from 62 prosecutors around the country, including the district attorneys in New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago. It's also supported by Jeff Haislip, the Fluvanna County, Va., prosecutor who is chair of the Virginia Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council, and the prosecutors in Alexandria city, Fairfax and Loudoun counties. "Tellingly," the supporting prosecutors wrote, "courts historically did not interfere with prosecutorial discretion when that discretion was being used to ramp up prison and jail populations and fuel 'tough on crime' thinking and mass incarceration. It is particularly troubling that, now, as reform-minded prosecutors are being elected in cities and counties across the country, courts are intervening in charging and prosecutorial decisions perceived by some to be too lenient." The section of Virginia code at issue in the case is short and direct: "Nolle prosequi shall be entered only in the discretion of the court, upon motion of the Commonwealth with good cause therefor shown." Cases that are "nolle prossed," or not prosecuted, may be charged again in most cases, while a "dismissal with prejudice" may not be charged again. Two bills are pending in the Virginia General Assembly that would give prosecutors much greater latitude to dismiss cases without judges' approval, and both have been approved by committees during the legislature's special session on justice reform. In most jurisdictions, when a prosecutor states they want to "nolle pros" or dismiss a case, the defendant doesn't object and the judge approves the ending of the case, usually with no explanation from a prosecutor or inquiry from a judge. Dehghani-Tafti's brief notes that last fall, when the Arlington public defender asked for the prosecutor to state the "good cause" for a nolle pros, Judge Newman responded, "Well, they don't have to give a proffer for good cause unless ... you're seeking a dismissal." In January, when Arlington prosecutors wanted to nolle pros a case of marijuana possession, Judge Fiore requested briefs, oral argument, then issued a 10-page opinion in July. "Essentially," Fiore wrote, "the Commonwealth argues public policy as the reason to disregard a criminal statute that was fully considered, voted on and passed by both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly," and the reason to nolle pros a case. "The Court will not sanction an executive's opinion," Fiore added, "that a law passed by the Virginia legislature is an ineffectual law, for in doing so the Court would be partisan and thus violate the Judicial Canon prohibiting partisan consideration when rendering an opinion or judgment of the Court." Fiore then nolle prossed the case, anyway, because lab tests on the marijuana were legally insufficient. Dehghani-Tafti's brief argues that the Arlington judges not only encroached on her prosecutorial discretion, used by prosecutors and police constantly in deciding how to charge a defendant, but also exceeded their authority by demanding written reasons for nolle prosses in every case. She said that would be burdensome on attorneys already carrying large daily caseloads. Resistance from the judiciary in Arlington, Fairfax and Norfolk caused an assistant commonwealth's attorney in Hampton, Va., Democratic Del. Michael Mullin, to file a bill that states that when a prosecutor seeks to dismiss a case, "a court shall grant the motion" unless the motion was made for illegal reasons. In the Senate, defense attorney Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, introduced a bill to define "good cause" to include cases "not in the interests of the Commonwealth to prosecute ... at such time." Both are set to be considered by their respective houses in the coming weeks after being voted out of committee. The case raises a similar issue to one still being fought out over the prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn in federal court in Washington. After Flynn pleaded guilty, the Justice Department moved to dismiss the case against him, prompting accusations of favoritism. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan declined to immediately grant the Justice Department's motion, unleashing a torrent of disapproval from many who said the judge was improperly overriding prosecutorial discretion. "Simply put," a group of 15 Republican attorneys general wrote in an amicus brief supporting the dismissal, "the decision not to pursue a criminal conviction is vested in the executive branch alone - and neither the legislature nor the judiciary has any role in the executive's making of that decision." (Natural News) I cant breathe became a slogan for the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd was heard repeating the phrase in footage of his arrest. Youd be forgiven for thinking that the fact that officer Derek Chauvins knee was across his neck was the reason he was having trouble breathing, but new information that comes to light shows that he was, in fact, experiencing a pretty normal reaction to the dangerously powerful painkiller fentanyl and perhaps more crucially, he had been complaining about trouble breathing before he was placed on the ground by the officer. Documents were released that show Floyd had extremely high levels of the drug fentanyl in his blood that could have contributed to his death. Hennepin County Chief Medical Examiner Andrew Baker said the level of fentanyl was pretty high and enough to cause pulmonary edema. His lungs were two to three times their normal weight at autopsy, and the documents said his level of fentanyl was considered fatal in normal circumstances. The document also said: AB [Baker] said that if Mr. Floyd had been found dead in his home (or anywhere else) and there were no other contributing factors he would conclude that it was an overdose death. His fentanyl level was listed as 11 ng/mL; fentanyl-related fatalities have been recorded from as little as 3 ng/mL. Writing in American Spectator, former federal prosecutor and ex-Chief of the Police Brutality/Misconduct Unit of the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office George Parry said: Defense counsel should blow up those sections of the toxicology report to Mount Rushmoresize proportions, hang them on the courtroom wall, and read them every five minutes to the jury. They more than explain Floyds bizarre behavior, inability to stand, difficulty walking, and complaints about being unable to breathe while sitting, standing, and lying on the ground. In his autopsy, Floyds death was listed as being caused by a cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression. Fentanyl intoxication, recent methamphetamine use, and heart disease were listed as other significant conditions. Floyd was already complaining he couldnt breathe before being put under restraint Moreover, videotapes of the scene show Floyd complaining he was unable to breathe before he was placed under restraint. Body camera videos show that he said he couldnt breathe at least six times before being pinned to the ground. Its also important to note that the neck restraint technique Chauvin used is one that is taught to Minnesota police in official training, and experts who have seen the video say it was a textbook application of this technique, which is officially approved. Floyd openly admitted to the officers that he had been taking drugs. When he resisted going inside the police car, claiming he was claustrophobic and couldnt breathe, Officer Thomas Lane offered to stay with him, put the windows down and turn on the air conditioning, but the officers ultimately decided to lay him down on the street. The signs of an overdose of fentanyl include severe respiratory depression, hypotension, seizures, coma and death. And lets not forget that he also had methamphetamines in his system, which can also cause respiratory distress, coma and death, in addition to paranoia. In fact, when Chauvin placed his knee on Floyds neck, the officers had been waiting for an ambulance to arrive to help Floyd with his overdose symptoms. The police called for emergency medical services twice to come and render aid. It doesnt make a lot of sense to think they would then decide in the meantime to intentionally kill him in public while witnesses looked on with video cameras. These officers were dealing with a man who was acting erratically, completely incoherent at times, foaming at the mouth, unable to stand up, and non-compliant. He said he couldnt breathe and asked to lie on the ground. When the ambulance did arrive, Officer Lane went inside and helped administer CPR to Floyd on the way to the hospital. Although this situation was handled poorly in several ways, it is quite clear that Floyds breathing trouble was the result of his drug use and it likely played a very big role in his death as well. Sources for this article include: JonathanTurley.org FoxNews.com Spectator.org Gaurav Arya, who was recently summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput case on Sunday, claimed that he has never met the late actor, but met actor Rhea Chakraborty in 2017. The ED had on Friday put a notice at Gaurav Arya's hotel here asking him to appear before the agency before August 31. ED officials had pasted the notice on the hotel gate after they could not meet the hotelier. Goa-based hotelier Gaurav Arya, who was recently summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput case on Sunday, claimed that he has never met the late actor, but met actor Rhea Chakraborty in 2017. I have no connection with the case. I never met Sushant Singh Rajput. I met her (Rhea) in 2017, said Gaurav Arya at Goa Airport while leaving for Mumbai. Arya, the owner of The Tamarind Hotel in Goas Anjuna, has been asked to appear before the ED before August 31. The ED had on Friday put a notice at Gaurav Aryas hotel here asking him to appear before the agency before August 31. ED officials had pasted the notice on the hotel gate after they could not meet the hotelier. The notice said that Arya had to report to Enforcement Directorate Assistant Director Rajiv Kumar at 11 am on August 31 in connection to the case booked under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. Also Read: Drug charges against PM Modi biopic maker Sandip Ssingh to be investigated: Anil Deshmukh The agency had on July 31 registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in the case after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by KK Singh, the late actors father, against actor Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28. In his complaint, KK Singh had alleged that around Rs 15 crore was withdrawn from Sushants bank account in the last one year and transferred to accounts that had no link with him. Meanwhile, Rhea Chakrabortys associate Samuel Miranda and Siddharth Pithani (actor Sushant Singh Rajputs friend) arrived at the DRDO guest house in Mumbai where the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team probing Sushant Singh Rajputs death case is staying. (ANI) Also Read: BJP leader Ram Kadam criticizes Maharashtra govt for not providing security to Kangana Ranaut DETROIT Dennis Williams is haunted by the memory of his mother, Wanda Parker, through the window at a Michigan nursing home. He said she was begging for help. It was the last time he saw his 68-year-old mother alive. She died of COVID-19 on April 7, two days after she was transported to a hospital from the Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation. Williams said he saw employees of the facility not wearing masks, gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE) during his through-the-window visits with his mother before she died. He's aware of the lower COVID-19 statistics reported at other nursing homes in the area. "They (the facilities) actually took the precautions," the Lapeer, Michigan, man said. "And that's what pisses me off, is that when we'd go see Mom through the window and it wasn't the workers' fault I had talked to several of them they just were just being told they could not wear the stuff." Dennis Williams says employees at the nursing home where his mother stayed weren't wearing protective equipment. "The stuff" was masks and PPE some of which two former employees and their lawyers said were donated by the community but kept away from the staff. Williams, his stepfather and his brother sued the nursing home. So did three former employees, all certified nursing assistants, who contracted the virus and alleged the nursing home refused to test residents or staff, to let employees stay home unless they had a fever and to allow employees to wear masks or PPE during the initial weeks after the pandemic hit Michigan in mid-March. One former employee said a mask was ripped off her face by the director of nursing, who told her she was scaring patients. Nineteen residents at the Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation, an 87-bed facility, have died of COVID-19, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. That is more than half of the 34 COVID-19 deaths in Lapeer County. Dennis Williams says he's furious that his mother wasn't protected. On April 8, the day after Parker died, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs began a survey of the nursing home and declared "immediate jeopardy" in a 37-page report. The state report supports the allegations of management barring staff from wearing PPE. Story continues The Villages of Lapeer provided this statement to the Detroit Free Press of the USA TODAY Network last week: "Due to the fact that the matters being inquired about are ongoing, we are not in a position to provide comment. We can say that The Villages of Lapeer has been and will continue to cooperate with the involved parties. "Please be assured that The Villages of Lapeer is committed to continuing to provide high quality care and support to our residents and their families, as well as support for all of our staff during these challenging times." Attorneys representing the nursing home did not respond to calls and emails. Williams' lawsuit names Jill Vankerschaver, identified as the former director of nursing who resigned April 7. A woman who answered the phone under a telephone listing for Vankerschaver said, "I'm not interested. You have a nice day," before hanging up on a Free Press reporter. 'This is not just a screw-up' Three lawsuits were filed in Lapeer County Circuit Court in June against Davis & Davis Management Group, which owns the Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation. Medicare.gov listed the owners and directors of the Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation as Michael and Thomas Davis, two doctors who are brothers. The Free Press could not reach the Davises on Friday. In an article April 9, Thomas Davis told TV station ABC12, "We're taking good care of the patients, and everything is being followed by the letter. And I don't want people to be worried about their loved ones that are in there." In a follow-up article the next day, after Parker's family raised concerns about her death, the station quoted Davis as saying there was a shortage of PPE across the country. "We were not being negligent, we were doing everything we could, believe me," he told the television station. No responses had been filed to the lawsuits, and no court dates had been set as of last Wednesday, according to Lapeer County Circuit Court. Williams' lawsuit and one filed by Taylor Minifield and Tasha Harden, both of Flint, each seek more than $1 million in damages. The third lawsuit, filed by Shanika Johnson of Flint, seeks more than $25,000. Their attorneys say the nursing home's actions amounted to gross negligence and egregious circumstances. When you rip the face mask off of a person thats active, thats intentional, thats reckless," said Jim Rasor, one of the attorneys. "This is not just a screw-up. This is not a mistake. This is actively, recklessly putting people in a horrible or deadly disease." Co-counsel Andrew Laurila said, "Here we had a willful refusal to allow people to wear PPE." The Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation says it "is committed to continuing to provide high quality care and support to our residents and their families." They said a post March 27 on the facility's Facebook page shows homemade masks and N95 masks and says, "Our community has been so gracious to us, and we are SO grateful!" Minifield said she saw masks go into the director of nursing's office. "She kept em in there. She never brought em out. I asked her in the hallway, like, can we bring in donated masks, and she said, 'Oh yeah, I have a lot of them in my office. Ive got them for emergency purposes only, Harden said. "Im still confused what was considered an emergency, (because) that was an emergency." Previously: Death toll rises as coronavirus sweeps through Michigan nursing homes The lawsuit filed by Minifield and Harden says that starting in the middle of March, they saw employees and staff show signs of the virus. It alleges that during the week of March 16, the director of nursing told staffers they were not allowed to wear PPE because it would "scare the residents." Minifield cared not only for residents such as Parker but also for her mother at home, who was being treated for cancer. She said she wore her own mask to work at the end of March for her safety and the safety of the residents. The director of nursing, she said, removed it from her face. Taylor Minifield says her boss removed Minifield's mask. She said you have to take that off because basically youre scaring the residents. The residents were asking why were we wearing masks," Minifield said. She told me, 'You have to take it off.' She ripped it off my face and threw it right into, we have a trash can on our nurse's cart, and threw it right in there, and walked off and didnt care. And she told me, 'If you have something to say, you can leave my building. Coronavirus Watch newsletter: Sign up for daily updates in your inbox Minifield said she told the director of nursing March 25 that residents under her care showed severe symptoms of COVID-19. The director of nursing told her, "No one here has the virus," the lawsuit alleges. When Minifield asked her supervisors what the plan was, she was told there was no intention of testing the residents "because they could not possibly have it," according to the lawsuit. Minifield arrived at work March 28 feeling sick, but was told she had to work unless she had a fever. She called in sick the next day and on April 3 found out that she had the virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. Tasha Harden tested positive for COVID-19. Harden worked the week of March 23 with residents she suspected had the virus and "persistent high fevers." During shifts March 29 and 30, she interacted with seven residents who had serious virus symptoms, including one who was vomiting for four days, the lawsuit says. She reported the conditions and her concerns but was told there were no plans to test any of the residents "and they would remain in their present states." Some of those patients died, according to the lawsuit. Harden started to feel sick March 30 and stayed off work April 1. She went to the emergency room April 6. Two days later, she received positive test results for COVID-19. Her daughter also tested positive and was hospitalized, the complaint says. More: Nursing home residents account for 34% of Michigan's COVID-19-related deaths In her lawsuit, Johnson said she reported various respiratory ailments she experienced to her supervisors March 24, saying she felt she might have the virus. She "was expressly told by management that unless she had a fever Plaintiff did not she had to work." She reported concerns for residents who showed symptoms of the virus. On March 31, Johnson's symptoms and condition worsened, which she reported to management but was denied sick leave, she said. She worked for 90 minutes and had a nurse take her vitals, which prompted her to go home, according to the lawsuit. It says that while driving home, Johnson's respiratory ailments became so severe, she pulled over and called 911. She was taken to a hospital by ambulance and the next day received positive test results for the virus. On April 2, the director of nursing called Johnson and requested proof she tested positive, which Johnson sent her. Johnson called the Lapeer County Health Department, which told her that the nursing home reported that Johnson's last day of work was March 26, according to her lawsuit. You face a lot of choices amid the pandemic: Cut yourself slack: It's called decision fatigue 'Immediate jeopardy' In early April, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs surveyed the Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation through observation, interviews and record reviews. The state issued its report, which declared "immediate jeopardy." "Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to follow accepted Infection Control standards of practice to ensure the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment/PPE (the use of facial masks) was made available for staff usage when caring for residents during the onset of the facility''s COVID-19 outbreak of a census of 58 residents, resulting in increased COVID-19 cross contamination, 25 facility residents with reported COVID-19 tests ... numerous staff members with reported positive COVID-19 test results, 6 resident deaths ... and the potential for further cross contamination of other residents residing in the facility with possible hospitalization and death," according to the report. The report, which doesn't refer to employees or patients by name, says the "immediate jeopardy" began March 24 when the former director of nursing came into the facility therapy room and told an occupational therapist to remove her own personal protective face mask and told her "she was not going to wear the mask in 'her building.' This was during a worldwide pandemic of the COVID-19 virus." The report says that according to the state Health Department, Lapeer County had the first case reported of COVID-19 on March 24. Two nursing assistants had been sent home from working at the facility on March 25 by the previous director of nursing for wearing their own protective face masks while caring for facility residents, according to the survey report. The county Health Department reported April 9 that the facility had 22 residents with a positive COVID-19 test result. By April 13, there were 25 residents who tested positive for the virus. 'Small events add up to a lot': Limited gatherings quietly emerge as source of coronavirus infections The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs report says the "immediate jeopardy" was abated April 7 based on observation via virtual tour of the facility staff wearing the proper PPE, including protective facial masks, while interacting and caring for residents and on confirmation during interviews April 14 that the facility had implemented seven measures to remove the "immediate jeopardy." The report ended: "Although the Immediate Jeopardy was removed on 4/7/20, the facility remained out of compliance at scope and severity for potential for more than minimum harm pending the facility"s ability to sustain compliance as verified by the State Agency." Nursing homes hit hard As the state of Michigan passed 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, it has recorded 6,446 deaths from the virus as of Friday. More than a third of those deaths, or 2,103 as of Wednesday, have been nursing home residents. Shortly after the first cases in Michigan were announced March 10, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order restricting visitors to nursing homes. The state Health Department eased visitor restrictions June 30 but only for residents who are in serious or critical condition or hospice care or who need someone to help them with activities of daily living. Whitmer allowed COVID-19 patients to be treated in the same facility as those who had not contracted the virus. Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it wants Michigan and three other states governed by Democrats to provide data related to nursing homes and coronavirus deaths. Feds to Whitmer: Turn over COVID-19, nursing home data. She blasts back response. In addition to the 19 resident deaths, the Villages of Lapeer Nursing and Rehabilitation has had 47 confirmed resident COVID-19 cases and 16 confirmed staff cases, according to the state's long-term care data. There have been no COVID-19 deaths among staff. 'Her life had value' Williams said he has nightmares about his mother's death. "All I hear is my mom saying, 'Please help me,' the last time I seen her through the window. Over and over again," he said. Wanda Parker arrived at the nursing home in November and was scheduled to stay about 12 days for rehabilitation. Shortly after she arrived, she had a seizure, lost the use of her legs and was bedridden. She had diabetes and heart disease, according to the lawsuit filed by her family. "I never had nobody love me that much," Williams said. Parker loved to shop and give items to others, Williams said: "You couldnt go to her house without leaving with a bag of stuff." Coronavirus updates: 25 million global cases as US approaches 6 million; WHO warns of front line 'burnout' Williams said he visited his mother daily at the nursing home. After the pandemic hit, he had to visit her through the window. "It was horrible to see what happened," he said. "I feel guilty for even letting it happen, but I don't know what I could have did." Williams' lawsuit says the former director of nursing "severely understated the conditions at Villages during (an) initial conversation with the Lapeer County Health Department." It says the first day the nursing home tested any resident was April 3 and by April 21, there were 13 deaths. The nursing home's management, it says, "disregarded weeks-long internal reports of resident danger and continued to refuse to test residents and effectively continued to allow these dangerous conditions to persist in the face of a serious problem and imminent harm to numerous high-risk residents" such as Parker. Williams said a nurse at the hospital held a phone to his mother's ear, so everyone could say goodbye since they couldn't go inside. He said the nursing home hasn't reached out since his mother's death, but it sent a bill for the month of April. It was for $1,300, said Laurila, one of Williams' attorneys. Williams said that just because his mother had health problems "doesn't mean she was disposable." "She always recovered from that stuff. She was not gonna die tomorrow," he said. "I don't know how long she had, but she had a lot longer than she was given." Follow reporter Christina Hall on Twitter: @challreporter Competing parties, clashing realities: Campaign's final sprint opens as conventions end This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Family sues Lapeer nursing home after COVID-19 deaths, illnesses (Photo : Snowflake) Frank Slootman currently serves as Chairman and CEO at Snowflake (Photo : John Schnobrich/Unsplash) CEO Frank Slootman Set to Prove Success Tracks as Snowflake Enters IPO Software startup Snowflake Computing has been surging in the market with a 121% boost in sales as of July. Snowflake provides a cloud-based data-storage service to help companies analyze data. In January, its revenues skyrocketed by 173.7% to $264.7 million at the end of the fiscal year, although its net loss nearly doubled to $348.54 million. While it posted a net loss of $171.3 million, which is $6 million less than 2019, its revenues were up by 68% in the most recent quarter. Snowflake's net market value was at $12.4 billion in February, thanks to its array of investors including the Menlo Park, California-venture capital firm Sequoia. According to Reuters, it recently filed its financial statements before its initial public offering (IPO). Unless the market plunges when Snowflake goes public, Forbes' Peter Cohan has high hopes the company's shares will continue to have a rising trend. Aside from the company's growth potential, Snowflake's strength also lies in its management, particularly its CEO, Frank Slootman. Read also: Adolfo Salume: From Starting as an Investment Banker to Becoming a Leading Entrepreneur with Multiple Successful Businesses Snowflake CEO: Will he keep his success record? In 2012, the Snowflake started was founded in San Mateo, California with former CEO Bob Muglia taking the helm since 2014. He raised its value to $3.5 billion. However, in May 2019, the company decided to appoint Frank Slootman to replace Muglia, who left the company. Muglia owns 3.3% of Snowflake while Slootman got a 5.9% stake of its stock. Slootman holds economics undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the Erasmus University Rotterdam's Netherlands School of Economics. As noted by Forbes, Slootman has more than 25 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience in the software industry. In 2007, he took over as Data Domain public as CEO and President before he sold it to EMC in 2009 for $2.4 billion. He then served as CEO and President of software company ServiceNow between 2011 and 2017. He led the company's IPO to grow its shares from around $100M to $1.4 billion market value, which was 18.6-fold growth since its initial offering in June 2012. As Slootman told Forbes in February that a Snowflake IPO will not be an exit, but a way for expanding the business. "The IPO is an unwritten contract between employees and the company so they can realize their investment," the CEO said. Meanwhile, Snowflake is currently "building an investable model" to generate a foreseeable revenue. Slootman said that they are reorganizing and strengthening the management, expanding productivity, boosting efficiency as well as making changes to research and development and distribution. "We are preparing our systems, compliance, and processes for going public," he said. Meanwhile, Slootman commended Muglia for doing a great job leading Snowflake to the success it is now with a strong customer base. Beating tech giants Amazon and Microsoft for Capital One data storage deal is a great deal for a startup like Snowflake. Frank Slootman Net Worth As of June 2018, Slootman's estimated net worth is $131 million. He owns over 100,000 units of ServiceNow stock worth $73,852,409 but has sold over $57,263,956 worth of stocks in the last eight years. Read also: Neuralink Chip Will "Sew" as Many as 1,024 Impossibly Thin 5 Micron-Wide Electrodes into a Person's Brain This is owned by Tech Times Written by CJ Robles 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Russia's Khabarovsk Holds 50th Protest In Defense Of Arrested Ex-Governor By RFE/RL's Russian Service August 29, 2020 KHABAROVSK, Russia -- Locals in the Russian Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk have held their 50th protest against the July arrest of the region's popular former governor, Sergei Furgal. According to local media, "thousands" of people participated in the August 29 demonstration in the center of the city, while the authorities estimated the crowd at about 1,200 people. Protesters continued to demand that Furgal, who was sent to Moscow following his arrest on suspicion of involvement in several murders more than a decade ago, be returned to the Khabarovsk region for "a fair trial" by jury. There were no reports of arrests or other conflicts between protesters and police. The protests highlight growing discontent in the Far East over what demonstrators see as Moscow-dominated policies that often neglect their views and interests. The pro-Furgal demonstrations have attracted tens of thousands of protesters on weekends since they started on July 11. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/30810052.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Army Chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri on August 16 said that Tehran's approach to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will change after the country agreed to the US-brokered pact with Israel on normalisation of relations. Bagheri on Sunday said that Iran will hold UAE responsible for any incident occurring in the Persian Gulf, no matter however small it may be, Tehran will not tolerate it. The UAE signed an agreement with Israel agreeing to normalise its ties with the Jewish country, which has since upset the Islamic Republic, including other countries in the region. Read: Israel-UAE Deal: Iran Terms It 'strategic Stupidity', France Lauds 'positive Step' Turkey and Iran condemned UAE's decision, calling it a betrayal of the Palestinian cause with Tehran terming it a "strategic stupidity". Turkey went on to threaten the UAE of cutting diplomatic ties and calling its ambassador back from Abu Dhabi. UAE responded by calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comment as 'double standards', saying that Ankara itself enjoys a $2 billion bilateral trade with Tel Aviv, apart from the half a million Israeli tourists that visit Turkey every year. Turkey has an embassy in Tel Aviv, which is a sign that it maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. Read: Telephone Service Begins Between UAE And Israel As Ties Open UAE-Israel deal On August 13, Israel and the United Arab Emirates along with the US released a joint statement that US President Donald Trump, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed agreed to the full normalisation of relations between UAE and Israel. Hamas, the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip, immediately denounced the agreement raising concerns about the Palestinian cause. Read: Mauritania Supports Deal Between UAE And Israel To Improve Relations Read: Kushner: UAE-Israel Agreement 1.5 Yrs In The Making GHIAL has been recognized with "Excellent Energy Efficient Unit" and "National Energy Leader" accolades for the 4th and 2nd year in a row, respectively. GHIAL digitally received the awards on 28th August amidst the presence of industry dignitaries and participants on the last day of the event. GMR led Hyderabad International Airport has won the prestigious awards of CII National Energy Leader and Excellent Energy Efficient Unit at the 21st National Awards for Excellence in Energy Management organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Godrej Green Business Centre (GBC) during the 19th edition of Energy Efficiency Summit, Virtual Conference & Exposition on Energy Efficiency held from 6 28 August 2020. GHIAL has been recognized with Excellent Energy Efficient Unit and National Energy Leader accolades for the 4th and 2nd year in a row, respectively. GHIAL digitally received the awards on 28th August amidst the presence of industry dignitaries and participants on the last day of the event. The annual forum recognizes the companies engaged in energy-efficiency initiatives that adopt best practices and technological advancement in their daily operations. The jury evaluated the participants on many parameters of energy efficiency and innovative thought process adopted. The jury, CII members and industry delegates appreciated the initiatives of GHIAL. Over the last three years, GHIAL has achieved a substantial energy saving of around 4.55 MU in its operations owing to its consistent and sustainable approach towards energy efficiency measures, which has also led to a rapid dip in the GHG (Green House Gas) emissions. It is worth noting that Hyderabad International Airport is also a Carbon Neutral Airport having Level 3 + Neutrality Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) under its Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme. Also read: Unlock 4: Schools, colleges to remain closed, metros can resume. Know whats open, whats not Also read: PM addresses 68th edition of his monthly programme Mann ki Baat on caution amid festivities Speaking on this recognition, Mr. Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., said, We are happy to receive the award which reaffirms our commitment to make the best use of the energy resources available. As a responsible corporate, GHIAL is committed to exploring and implementing best-in-class energy-efficient solutions. We have been consciously working towards energy efficiency and thus we have introduced several eco-friendly measures with an innovative cloud-based landscape irrigation system, real-time energy consumption monitoring, electric-powered vehicles viz. buggies, ground handler vehicles, baggage trolley movers, and e-cars among others to name a few. GHIAL has been at the forefront of adopting energy efficiency practices and this has led to recognition at various industry platforms. The National Awards for Excellence in Energy Management is instituted by CII to catalyze significant and innovative practices for the energy efficiency sector, thereby facilitating an energy-efficient and sustainable growth for the Indian industry. Also read: Indias Covid-19 count breaches 35 lakh mark with a single day spike of more than 78k new cases KYODO NEWS - Aug 24, 2020 - 16:57 | All, Japan, Coronavirus More than 2 million people have used Japan's travel subsidy campaign since it kicked off in July in a bid to revive a domestic tourism industry hit hard by the novel coronavirus pandemic, the country's top government spokesperson said Monday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said there have been 10 reported cases of infections at hotels and other lodging facilities registered with the "Go To Travel" campaign, which was launched on July 22. Under the program, the government covers part of the cost of domestic tourist trips. However, the campaign was thrown into disarray before it was launched when the government made the decision to exclude travel to and from Tokyo and by residents of the capital in response to a spike in infections. The exact number of people using the campaign was not released Monday and the government tally does not take into account people taking more than one trip. Despite concerns that the campaign could lead to a rise in infections, Suga said the government will continue the program, while taking into account the views of health experts as and when needed to prevent the spread of the virus. "There are 9 million people working in the tourism (industry) and we can say that (the industry) is dying," he told a press conference. According to the government, 16,703, or only about half of the eligible lodging operators, have registered with the program as of Thursday, with some of them shying away from registration due to the complex process to claim benefits and the problems of informing travel associations and other parties of the number of guests they have received. With many small- and medium-sized lodging operators opting not to register, the Japan Tourism Agency has extended its deadline, originally set for Friday. Under the 1.35 trillion yen ($12.7 billion) tourism push, the government will eventually subsidize up to half of a person's travel expenses, including accommodation and transport fees. Initially, it provides discounts worth 35 percent of total costs. The remaining 15 percent will be covered by coupons to be issued after September for food, shopping and other travel activities offered at destinations. Related coverage: Japan, Laos agree to relax coronavirus travel restrictions Trip.com chairman wants Japan-China tourist travel to resume this year Japan to ease entry restrictions for foreign students Armed with knives, some knowledge of their prey and a large dose of cruelty, attackers are going after horses and ponies in pastures across France in what may be ritual mutilations. Police are stymied by the macabre attacks that include slashings and worse. Most often, an ear usually the right one has been cut off, recalling the matadors trophy in a bullring. Up to 30 attacks have been reported in France, from the mountainous Jura region in the east to the Atlantic coast, many this summer, the agriculture minister said Friday. One attack was registered in February, according to the newsmagazine Le Point. With each attack, the mystery only seems to grow. We are excluding nothing," Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie said Friday on France-Info, before heading to a riding club in the Saone-et-Loire region, in east-central France, where a horse was attacked a day earlier. Ears are cut off, eyes removed, an animal is emptied of its blood," he said, spelling out the morbid fates befalling one of Frances most beloved animals. All means are in motion to end this terror," the minister tweeted. After the first solid sighting of an attacker, gendarmes in Auxerre, in Burgundy, released a composite sketch this week based on a description by a man who wrangled with two attackers at his animal refuge in a village in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region. I used to have confidence putting my horses out to pasture. Today, I have fear in my gut," Nicolas Demajean, who runs the refuge, Ranch of Hope, said Thursday on regional TV station France 3. Alerted by his squealing pigs, Demajean faced down two attackers last Monday. He was injured in the arm in a struggle with one intruder wielding a pruning knife as the other slashed the sides of two ponies, now recovering but traumatized," he said. The men fled in a vehicle. The following day, an attacker or attackers bled a young pony in the Saone-et-Loire. In another case, some of a horses organs were removed. A donkey who reportedly participated in the past in the Christmas market in Paris was killed in a gruesome attack in June. Theories abound as to whether the acts are a morbid rite of an unknown cult, a chilling challenge" relayed by social media or copycat acts. Speculation is widespread as to how barbaric acts, some surgical, could be perpetrated without solid knowledge of equine anatomy or on a horse in a pasture presumably able to flee. A fearful horse in a pasture wont get caught. The horse who feels confident with people hell come, find it normal that you put a harness on it or a rope around its neck," said veterinarian Aude Giraudet, chief of the equine division at the prestigious National Veterinary School of Alfort, outside Paris. Im not sure you need great knowledge of horses," Giraudet said in an interview. Knowing how to approach them, from the front not the rear, is important. An ear can be slashed off while the horse is standing, but the animal would need to be prostrate for grislier mutilations, she said. The veterinarian stressed that she didnt want to describe how to put a horse on the ground so as not to give the least sort of tools to make it easier" for those out to kill them. If I were in Normandy, I think I would be very, very worried about this epidemic," Giraudet said, adding that security measures should be taken at the very least installing cameras. Two mutilations have been reported in Normandy, Frances horse country. Pauline Sarrazin, the owner of one victim, Lady, mounted a private Facebook group, Justice for our Horses" after the savage June 6 killing of her horse near Dieppe, on the Atlantic coast. Aimed at sharing stories and advice, the group now has nearly 17,000 members. Frances horse world is increasingly gripped by fear. The president of the French Equestrian Federation offered on Friday to help police investigating the scattered cases. Serge Lecomte said earlier the federation would be a civil party in each case. Were all afraid," said Veronique Dupin, an official of a riding club in the Yvelines region west of Paris, asking that the exact location of the stable not be identified out of caution. Her club installed cameras last year because of intruders, and someone sleeps there nightly. Despite that, were not at ease," she said, stressing how vulnerable horses can be. They may be big, but theyre lambs." Torrential rains over the past week in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region have destroyed several farm lands at Yarigu, cutting off link roads to other nearby communities. Apart from the damage caused to food crops like maize, rice, beans, okra, and groundnuts, the rains washed off portions of the main road and bridges, affecting economic activities. When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the community on Sunday to ascertain the extent of damage, it observed that most of the food crops were submerged. Some farmers, who were seen walking through their submerged farms, visibly worried, were apprehensive of what to even feed their families with. Madam Hannah Nbawin, a rice and okra farmer, told the GNA in an interview that I depend on my okro farm at this time to earn a living, now that the water has washed away all the plants, life will be difficult for me and my family. What will we eat this year? She said if government did not support them with food items, there would be severe hunger in the area. Mr Jonas Abugri, another farmer, said apart from the destruction caused on his farm, the rains had washed off link roads to surrounding communities such as Kobori, Timonde in the Bawku West District and Bazua in the Binduri District. The water has cut us off from these communities, we cant cross from here to the other communities except Zebilla Township where we can easily go, he said. Mr Abugri said even though they had over the years experienced some flooding in the area, the level of destruction this year was beyond their imagination and appealed to the authorities to go to their aid. Mr Titus Bukari Asimiga, the Assembly Member, said about 75 per cent of farm lands were submerged and that was a great difficulty because the farmers depended solely on their farms for survival. He said the only two culverts in the community were washed away and the spillage of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso made the situation worse. If we are not aided, I doubt how we will survive when the dry season sets in, he said, and appealed to government to provide water pumping machines to enable the farmers to embark on dry season farming. 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 Nigeria on Tuesday received its wild polio virus-free certificate from the World Health Organisation (WHO). As the last country in Africa to achieve this milestone, this means the continent is now polio-free. Meanwhile, the world is still battling the coronavirus pandemic which has infected over 25 million people and caused at least 847,391 deaths. Nigeria has recorded 53,727 cases and over 1,000 deaths. Here is a round-up of some of the health stories which made headlines. COVID-19: NCDC announces 250 new cases, total now 53,727 The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced 250 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the nations confirmed cases to 53,727. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Saturday. The health agency said that as of August 29, a total of 250 new confirmed cases and zero deaths were recorded in the country. How Africa gained polio free status WHO The WHO certified Nigeria and the Africa region free of the wild polio virus following approval from the Independent Africa Regional Certification Commission. The international health agency said the decision was reached after a decade-long process of documentation and analysis of progress made. African Region is officially declared free of wild polio! Congratulations to all countries, partners & health workers, WHO tweeted on Tuesday. Nigeria is the last country in Africa to achieve this milestone. This means the continent is now polio-free. COVID-19 could worsen TB cases by 2021 Foundation One of Nigerias major partners in the fight against tuberculosis, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, has expressed fears over worsening cases of tuberculosis (TB) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The executive director of the foundation, Gidado Mustapha, said there is an urgent need to strengthen TB case finding in the country. Mr Mustapha, who spoke at a virtual media briefing on Monday, noted that with the impact of COVID-19 on health services, over 6.5 million TB cases could be recorded in the near future. The long road to Africas polio-free status The WHO certified the Africa region free of the wild polio virus on Tuesday. Nigeria was the last nation on the continent harbouring the virus until it was given a clean bill by the health agency. A PREMIUM TIMES analysis takes us through the journey of polio eradication that began 25 years ago. Pharmaceutical firms cant access CBNs N100bn intervention fund PSN The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) says many pharmaceutical companies have not been able to access the Central Bank of Nigerias N100bn credit facility. According to the PSN, pharmaceutical firms have been facing all sorts of difficulties in their attempts to access the CBNs intervention fund. The CBN had announced on March 25, 2020 that it has earmarked N100bn credit support for the health sector to ameliorate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. India reports 75,760 highest single-day spike in COVID-19 infections Indias COVID-19 infections on Thursday surged by a record 75,760 over 24 hours, taking the total to past 3.3 million, Health Ministry data showed. India still trails the US and Brazil in the total number of cases but has reported more infections daily than either of these countries for most of August. Advertisements The death toll now stands at 60,472, with 1,023 fatalities since Tuesday, but the ministry says the mortality rate remains lower than many countries at 1.8 per cent and the recovery rate has reached over 76 per cent. NAFDAC warns public against apple, blackcurrant juice The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerians to stop the consumption of an organic apple and blackcurrant juice drink originating from Australia. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the products have been certified harmful for human consumption. Togo overcomes sleeping sickness as a public health problem The West African nation of Togo has eliminated human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness as a public health problem, becoming the first in the continent to achieve the milestone, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Togo is a pathfinder in eliminating sleeping sickness, a disease which has threatened millions of Africans, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said on Thursday. 25 Ondo health workers lament non-payment of 15 months salaries Some health workers in Ondo State have accused the state government of not paying them salaries for the past 15 months. The 25 health workers, who took to social media to call out the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said life has been miserable for them despite their active participation in fighting the coronavirus in the state. The health workers include doctors, nurses, scientific officers, pharmacists, medical lab technicians, and record officers who currently work at government hospitals in Owo, Ore, Ikare Akoko, Irele and many other parts of the state. COVID-19: FG to support NAFDAC on vaccine research The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, says the federal government will support the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), to meet international standards in research into the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus. Ehanire said this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 joint briefing in Abuja. He said the government would support NAFDAC to reach international maturity level and encourage researchers to work towards the development of vaccines for the virus. 172 countries engaging with largest COVID-19 vaccine campaign WHO About 172 countries have been engaging with the largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), its chief said on Monday. At present, there are nine vaccines that are part of this dynamic portfolio, said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus at a virtual news briefing, referring to the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility. He added that nine other vaccines were under evaluation for the longer term. Lucknow, Aug 30 : After the Purvanchal, Bundelkhand and Gorakhpur link expressways, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is preparing to start construction of the 594-km Ganga Expressway. Adityanath had announced construction of the Ganga Expressway, that will connect Meerut with Prayagraj, during the Kumbh Mela 2019. The project has been pending for the last 15 years. The Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) plans to construct the expressway in 12 packages. "We have decided to invite international open bids for construction of the expressway. The state government is working to start the construction of the expressway in the current financial year and to open it for public by 2023," said UPEIDA CEO Avanish Awasthi. He said that after the Chief Minister's announcement, the government had started work on the state's longest, six-lane, expandable to eight lanes, fully access-controlled expressway connecting west UP with east UP. The expressway will start from NH-235, near Shankarpur village in Meerut and will end at NH-330 near Soraon in Prayagraj district. The government has sanctioned Rs 37,350 crore for the project of which Rs 9,500 crore will be spent on acquisition of land and Rs 24,091 on the construction works. The unique aspect of Ganga Expressway is that it will link other expressways in the state through Lucknow-Agra Expressway, Purvanchal Expressway and Ballia Link Expressway. Once completed, the total network of expressways in Uttar Pradesh will be of 1,900 kms and will give pace to industrial and agricultural development and draw investments in various sectors. Official sources said that the state government has planned to launch a massive plantation drive along the Ganga Expressway. The expressway will pass through 12 districts -- Meerut, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj. The Chief Minister has also asked UPEIDA to consider linking the proposed expressway with Varanasi and facilitate movement of traffic from Haridwar to the expressway. The Ganga Expressway will give boost to tourism and pilgrimage and UPEIDA plans to connect all important tourist and religious spots with the high-speed corridor for fast movement of traffic. The Chief Minister has also told UPEIDA to ensure that the design of the expressway should be such that road accidents are minimised. To check movement of stray cattle and locals, a precast concrete boundary wall will be constructed along the expressway. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Pressure is growing from unions and lawyers for the state government to declare coronavirus a workplace injury for employees across all frontline industries who contract the deadly disease at work. Leading plaintiff lawyers have asked Victoria's Workplace Safety Minister, Jill Hennessy, to include the coronavirus under the definition of workplace injury for employees at schools, childcare centres and abattoirs, as well as for security guards at quarantine hotels and staff at public housing towers under quarantine. A COVID-19 testing clinic. Credit:Janie Barrett Their call comes amid a concerted push by medical groups for healthcare workers who contract the virus at work to be covered by Victoria's WorkCover scheme. Shine Lawyers special counsel Tom Bradley said there was a strong moral imperative to provide front-line staff with the security that comes with a workplace injury designation. Abu Hamza, a hate preacher serving a life sentence in the US, is reportedly suing authorities over his conditions in jail. The former imam at Finsbury Park mosque in London has filed a civil lawsuit against the US attorney general, in which he claims he has been denied family visits for around eight years and receives no natural light in his cell, according to The Sunday Times. He also makes allegations of having to open packets of food with his rotting teeth, as his hooks which replace forearms have been removed, and claims he is being kept in "cruel conditions", the newspaper reported. Several years ago he asked to return to a jail in the UK, complaining about "inhumane and degrading" conditions at his US prison. The radical Muslim cleric was imprisoned in the UK in 2006 after being found guilty of inciting violence. Hamza was extradited to the US in 2012 and found guilty of 11 terror offences. The 62-year-old is serving a life sentence for terror offences. In his lawsuit, he has claimed he is suffering from "stress and anxiety" and has lost several teeth trying to open food pouches without his hooks, according to The Sunday Times. The Egyptian-born cleric reportedly claimed his arm stumps bleed when he tries to turn on the sink tap. Hamza is being kept in solitary confinement at ADX Florence, a "supermax" prison in Colorado. The US Department of Justice have been contacted for comment by The Independent. Hamza's son was arrested in the UK at the start of last year, ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana will reopen air borders to international travel as of September 1 after closing them in March to limit the spread of the coronavirus, President Nana Akufo-Addo said in a speech to the nation on Sunday. Land and sea borders will remain closed, he said. (Reporting by Christian Akorlie; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Paul Simao) A Pakistani female advocate, who recently delivered a speech critical of the country's armed forces, was abducted and tortured for days before she was found by locals in a very bad condition in Mailsi of Punjab province earlier this month. According to a video shared by Arif Aajakia, a human rights activist, the woman went on a tirade against the Pakistan Army, terming it an "enemy" during her address. A Pakistani female advocate, who recently delivered a speech critical of the countrys armed forces, was abducted and tortured for days before she was found by locals in a very bad condition in Mailsi of Punjab province earlier this month. According to a video shared by Arif Aajakia, a human rights activist, the woman went on a tirade against the Pakistan Army, terming it an enemy during her address. According to last weeks report in Geo News, the female advocate had been kidnapped from her office by unidentified men on August 14, police said. She was found in a semi-conscious state from a field near Dhoda Road in Mailsi. The woman was discovered with her hands and legs tied and could not speak due to a cloth covering her mouth, police added. In another video shared by Aajakia, the traumatised lawyer is being asked by locals about her condition. She said she was a resident of Dipalpur and confirmed that she was abducted, tortured and thrown into a field by four persons. Also Read: U.S-China Trade War: China puts drones, laser tech on restricted export list The advocate added that she was a mother of six. She has been shifted to the Dipalpur tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospital, the district police officer (DPO) said, according to Geo News. The police officer said that a first information report (FIR), including charges of kidnapping, was lodged by the victims son. A special team investigating the case recorded the womans statement. The womans critical condition shows how people in Pakistan face dire and often fatal consequences for criticising the Pakistan Army, which is calling the shots. The Pakistani armed forces have been accused of eroding democratic values and have a say in the domestic and foreign policy of the country, reducing the civilian government to a mere puppet. In a country where criticism of the military is frowned upon, an unprecedented crackdown has been launched on dissent, where the Pakistan Army and the ISI are committing human rights abuses against people including human right activists and political activists, for their critical views against them. Also Read: Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to join the race to succeed Shinzo Abe Several activists, who have escaped from Pakistan, continue to hold Pakistan Army responsible for the enforced disappearances, murders and other crimes against dissenters. Instead of taking a stern response of tackling terror on its soil, Pakistan military, instead, harbours terrorists and allows them to carry out attacks in neighbouring countries, including India and Afghanistan while continuing to clamp down on dissent. For instance, Manzoor Pashteen, a Pashtun human rights activist, has been jailed for criticising the Pakistan Army and taking out protests against the armed forces. Pashteens arrest sparked a huge demonstration in several parts of the country and many Pashtuns are demanding his release. He was subsequently released, but that has not quelled the protests against the Pakistani military. Pashteens Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), which was founded in 2018, has organised regular demonstrations against Pakistan Armys heavy-handed operations in tribal regions even as the military has evidently chosen to crush the movement with its all too familiar tactics. Apart from Pashtuns, several Balochs and Sindhis in Pakistan and abroad have also launched protests against the government-military nexus and the establishments brutal crackdown on their communities. (ANI) Also Read: Canada cancels Covid-19 vaccine trials with Chinese pharmaceutical company Actor Taapsee Pannu has confirmed she will be teaming up with actor Vijay Sethupathi for the first time for an upcoming yet-untitled Tamil comedy. The project, which will be directed by debutant Deepak Sundarrajan, will begin shooting in September and will be wrapped up in just 28 days. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Taapsee has opened up about the project, putting the rumours to rest. Yes, its a Tamil comedy that Im doing with them along with Vijay. I had said yes to the script around a year ago and the director wanted me only to do this film. We were figuring out dates for this and as soon as things started opening up a bit, we quickly squeezed this one, she said. The film will be predominantly shot in and around Jaipur and will be wrapped up in 28 days. I will finish the film in around 28 days and it will be shot in a very controlled environment, she said. Taapsee, whose last Tamil release was Game Over, has another Tamil film titled Jana Gana Mana in the pipeline. Tipped to be a remake of Akshay Kumars Baby, the film stars Jayam Ravi in the lead. It is being directed by I Ahmed. Also read: Kangana Ranaut says top actor tried to silence her because she knows secrets about his drug overdose Recently, it was announced that Iranian actor Elnaaz Norouzi, who starred in Sacred Games, has been roped in for an important role in Jana Gana Mana. According to a report in The Times of India, the team spotted her in Azerbaijan, and decided to rope her in as she fit the bill of her character. Elnaaz has done several ad films for top brands in the country. She became a household name, thanks to her performance, especially in dual roles, in a popular Hindi series. Soon after, she was flooded with offers from the south and now, shes set to make her debut in Kollywood with Jayam Ravis film. She was spotted with the team in Azerbaijan, where Ravi and Taapsee were shooting. Since the film is high on action, Elnaaz has been training for it, a source was quoted by Times of India. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Turkey said it will hold a military exercise off northwest Cyprus for the next two weeks, amid growing tension with Greece over disputed claims to exploration rights in the east Mediterranean. The long-running dispute between Turkey and Greece, both NATO members, flared up after the two countries agreed rival accords on their maritime boundaries with Libya and Egypt, and Turkey sent a survey vessel into contested waters this month. Both sides have held military exercises in the east Mediterranean, highlighting the potential for the dispute over the extent of their continental shelves to escalate into confrontation. Two weeks ago Greek and Turkish frigates shadowing Turkey's Oruc Reis oil and gas survey vessel collided, and Turkey's Defence Ministry said Turkish F-16 jets on Thursday prevented six Greek F-16s entering an area where Turkey was operating. On Friday night Turkey issued a Navtex notice an advisory message to mariners saying it would be holding a gunnery exercise from Saturday until 11 September off northwest Cyprus. The European Union's top diplomat said on Friday the bloc was preparing sanctions against Turkey that could be discussed at a summit in late September in response to Ankara's standoff with EU member Greece. Reuters Medha Dutta Yadav By Somaliland has its own government and its own currency. To enter, one should also have a Somaliland visa. You might say that this is the case with all countries. But there is a catch. No other country recognises the existence of Somaliland. A former British protectorate, it was once part of the Somali Republic before declaring its independence in 1991. Brazilian journalist Guilherme Canever, who travelled to this country in 2009, says, Travelling was different back then, no smartphones and apps. I had to exchange money into Somaliland Shillings, the local currency. They had their government, flag, police force, newspapers and other institutions working, but no other country recognised them. It felt a bit like a parallel universe. That experience was enough to make Canever go looking for other places that were officially non-existent. Surprisingly, he found quite a few. Since then, this 43-year-old has been to 16 such places. These countries have their own history, conflicts and reasons to become independent. A few of them are used to getting tourists, but not all. Military and police, in general, can be overly suspicious, and sometimes you can end up in a tense situation. But the freedom to discover great attractions that are not stamped on a travel magazine or everywhere on the internet is rewarding. The downside, of course, is the effects of recent conflicts and economic problems. But seeing difficult situations can get you great insights. It is good when you come back with more questions than answers, says Canever. Based on his travels, he has published four books, but insists they are not guide books, I write about my personal experiences. One of the books covers a part of his India travels. Ive been to India thrice, spending a few months each. It is the most diverse country in the world. What are the similarities between Tamil Nadu and Ladakh, for example? None. In the same country you can try so many different cuisines and cultures. Its amazing, he says. His latest book to hit the stands is the Unrecognized Nations: Travels to Countries that do not Exist. From discovering ancient monasteries in the middle of the mountains of Nagorno-Karabakh, to visiting Agdam, a ghost town completely devastated by war, it is a balance of the best and the worst that defines his travels. His experiences in Transnistria and Abkhazia were like time travel, he reveals. You would have Mercedes-Benz and BMW along with old Lada cars. Abkhazia also has beautiful monasteries. I went to the beach, hitchhiked and tried the local wine. In Northern Cyprus, I stayed with a local family. My host took me all around the island, but while crossing Nicosiathe capitalhe was held back. He was born in Northern Cyprus and so was not allowed to go to the southern part of the island. Not far from Varosha, another ghost town devastated by war, I was treated to one of the most delicious meals. Kosovo, a partially recognised state, has beautiful historical towns, full of tourists during summer, with kids playing on the fountains, Canever says. But it is not always easy finding an entry into these countries. With the Brazilian passport, Canever could get a visa on arrival at Kosovo, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, and occupied (by Morocco) Western Sahara. But the writer remembers how trying to get to the Western Sahara free zone almost got him into trouble. I ended up in the middle of a mined area, he says. For Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he says, one needs to have a previous permit. You show up at the border with this permit issued on the internet and then you go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get the proper visa. For Nagorno-Karabakh, you just cross from Armenia and get a visa in the capital, Stapanakert, he says. But, he stresses caution, Be aware of the conflicts. You cannot cross Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan. If you do it from Armenia, you will cross Azerbaijani land occupied by Armenia. It is considered illegal. You can have problems visiting Azerbaijan later. From Georgia it is okay to visit Abkhazia, but again you should not cross into Russia, which is an illegal border crossing. Its like a big jigsaw puzzle where one has to know the right places to fit the pieces. And that is exactly what Canever is doing at the moment as he plans on a road trip from Cameroon to the Central African Republic via the Sangha forest and a boat ride back to the Congo once the pandemic is over. Party Girl Hill ($3.70) seized the lead with nine-sixteenths to go and was never in doubt from then on, remaining perfect to date in her career by way of a 1:49.2 triumph in the $400,000 Fan Hanover for three-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night (Aug. 29) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Party Girl Hill employed similar tactics to her two previous wins, letting the dust settle through fast early splits before making her move to the fore upon reaching the backstretch. She got away fourth while Lady Lou (Jody Jamieson) and Priceless (Jonathan Drury) threw down a :12.3 opening furlong and inherited third before a :26.3 first quarter when Priceless broke stride leaving the homestretch. Doug McNair gave the daughter of Captaintreacherous her cue upon reaching the backstretch, and she surged authoritatively to the fore and cleared nearing a :54.4 half. Once she reached the lead, no one came within 1-1/2 lengths of her. She clicked off a :27.2 third sectional and scooted clear under mid-stretch urging to win by the better part of three lengths in 1:49.2. Lady Lou, who failed to advance after pulling the pocket in upper stretch, narrowly held second over Peaky Sneaky (Yannick Gingras), who swung three-wide and lifted off weakening cover. "I just kind of rolled her along a little more this week ... she just paced right through to the wire," said McNair, who drove Party Girl Hill to her eighth career win in as many starts. "I was real happy with her ... she came through for me." Chantal Mitchell has handled the training duties of Party Girl Hill since the filly arrived in Canada for owner-breeder Tom Hill. The Fan Hanover was one of the many major stakes events on the 2020 Pepsi North America Cup undercard. Be sure to check out the 2020 Pepsi North America Cup News Centre for all recaps and replays. H undreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Kenosha County Courthouse to protest against police violence a week after an officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back. The diverse group of protesters chanted "seven bullets, seven days" as they marched to the courthouse, where Mr Blake's father Jacon Snr made an impassioned plea for systemic change in policing. It came as one person was shot dead during clashes between President Trump supporters and counter-demonstrators in Portland, as protests against racial injustice and police violence continued in the city. It was not clear if the shooting was linked to fights that broke out as a caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by protesters in the citys downtown. People march in support of Jacob Blake and his family to the Kenosha County Courthouse / Getty Images Portland Police officers heard sounds of gunfire from the area of Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. They responded and located a victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Medical responded and determined that the victim was deceased. The caravan of Mr Trumps supporters had gathered earlier in the day at a nearby mall and drove as a group to the heart of Portland. A Portland police officer ties a police line around the scene of a fatal shooting near a pro-Trump rally / Getty Images As they arrived in the city, protesters attempted to stop them by standing in the street and blocking bridges. Videos from the scene showed sporadic fighting, as well as the presidents supporters firing paintball pellets at opponents and using bear spray as counter-protesters threw things at the caravan. Following the death of George Floyd, Portland, a liberal, mid-sized city in the north-western state of Oregon saw protests every day for nearly two months. US federal security agents have regularly clashed with local demonstrators. Earlier in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Mr Blakes father, Jacob Blake Sr, gave an impassioned call for changing a system he described as fostering police brutality and racial inequities. Protesters march down 52nd street towards the Kenosha County Courthouse / REUTERS There were seven bullets put in my sons back. Hell yeah, Im mad, Mr Blake Sr said. What gave (the police) the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? Im tired of this. Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey and two other officers were responding to a domestic abuse call last Sunday when Mr Sheskey shot Mr Blake in the back. Jacob Blake's father speaks to crowd gathered at Civic Center Park / REUTERS Mr Blake Sr told reporters on Saturday that his son is heavily sedated, but has regained consciousness. Hes in a lot of pain, he said. I just wish I could pick my baby up and make it all right. He called for Mr Sheskey to be charged and for the other two officers at the scene to be fired. Wisconsin, Kenosha: Jacob Blake Protests - In pictures 1 /21 Wisconsin, Kenosha: Jacob Blake Protests - In pictures REUTERS Law enforcement officers walk amidst tear gas during a protest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS Protestors run for cover as police shoots tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd during the demonstrations AFP via Getty Images Police clash with protesters in Kenosha on Monday night AP Flames roar from cars torched by protestors a few blocks from the County Court House AFP via Getty Images Protesters clash with officers during demonstrations against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha AFP via Getty Images Kenosha County Sherriff and police officers in riot gear form a line behind a burning truck during demonstrations against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin AFP via Getty Images A protester stands in a cloud of tear gas near a burning garbage truck outside the Kenosha County Court House AP AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AP AP Several of Saturdays speakers encouraged the crowd to vote for change in November, and to push for changing legislation in Wisconsin that would lead to police reform. One of Mr Blakes sisters, Letetra Widman, said she felt recharged to stand up not just for Jacob, but for all the people who have not gotten justice. Captured on cellphone video, the shooting sparked new protests against racial injustice and police brutality months after George Floyds death touched off a wider reckoning on race. Donald Trump to visit Kenosha Protesters have marched in Kenosha every night since Mr Blakes shooting, with some protests devolving into unrest with damage to buildings and vehicles. On Tuesday, two people were killed by an armed civilian. The commander of the National Guard said on Friday that more than 1,000 Guard members had been deployed to help keep the peace, with more on the way. Mr Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent demonstrations that turned violent, White House spokesman Judd Deere told reporters travelling with the president on Saturday night. Additional reporting by Associated Press. River Phoenix was nominated for an Oscar in 1989 when he was just 19, for his performance in Running on Empty. At the ceremony a journalist said to him: "It's easy to get caught up in the Hollywood hoopla, isn't it?" "Mmm, not for me, it isn't," River replied. By the time he died four years later, aged 23, River was already talking about quitting the scene. According to his girlfriend, actor Samantha Mathis, "River said to me in that last year: 'I just have to make one more movie to put away enough money so my youngest sister can go to college.' I don't know if that was true, but I remember him saying that." River Phoenix would have been 50 last Sunday. Would he, one wonders, have had the face he deserved, as George Orwell put it? And if so, what might that have been? Would it have been a face relatively unknown to his adoring fans? The face of a man who has followed his heart, living a secluded life in accordance with deeply felt principles? That Phoenix was already desperate for a second act - perhaps as a full-blown environmental activist (he was an early, and passionate, advocate of vegetarianism and respect for the environment; he once ran out of a restaurant in tears because a girlfriend ordered shellfish), probably as a recluse - is obvious in retrospect. His slide into drugs during the last months of his life has the hallmarks of a search for some way to escape pain, rather than the pursuit of kicks. River got high because he was unhappy, not because he wanted to celebrate his success. He seemed both older and younger than he was. He had an almost childlike beauty, and a quality of innocence that lasted; as noticeable in later films like My Own Private Idaho as it had been in Stand By Me, made when he was 15. And yet, he had talent well beyond his years, an understanding of his craft that was both instinctive and sophisticated; something God-given that he had the wit and confidence to trust. He also had a highly developed sense of responsibility towards his four younger siblings and even his mother. His father, John, was apparently, more like a brother than a father figure - a younger brother, meaning that River saw himself as required to support the family. (Rob Reiner, who directed Stand By Me, said: "I knew his father had problems with alcohol or something. I knew there were problems there.") River's parents chose an alternate route through life, one that involved years living in Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico with the Children of God cult, which preached distrust of the outside world, apocalypticism, and, at one stage, the showing of 'God's love' through sexual relationships. River spoke very little about the Children of God, although he did once say in a 1994 interview: "They're disgusting, they're ruining people's lives," and, later, that he had lost his virginity - in other words, been sexually abused - at age four, adding, "but I've blocked it out". Years later his brother Joaquin would claim that River was joking, saying: "It was a complete and total joke. It was just f***ing with the press. It was literally a joke, because he was so tired of being asked ridiculous questions by the press." In the late 1970s, River's parents became disillusioned with the Children of God, and left - although River's mother, Heart, said the departure was painful and that "it took several years to get over our pain and loneliness". River didn't go to school, and never had any formal education. Instead, his precocious talent, first as a musician, was turned to making money. As a small child, he would busk with his guitar on street corners, sometimes with his siblings. It was while busking in Los Angeles that he was spotted by a talent agent, and aged 10 began to work as an actor. By the time he was 13, he told a journalist: "We kinda miss [having a normal childhood] sometimes, missing our friends, but when we go some place we get to meet other people. But then you have to say goodbye to them." As a result, undoubtedly, of the constant moving, the family were a socially isolated unit, and the relationship between the five siblings was very close. River, because of his age and personality, was the guiding light. When Joaquin Phoenix won his Oscar last year for his turn in Joker, it was River he quoted, saying: "When my brother was 17, he wrote this lyric, he said 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow'." The night River died, Joaquin (then called Leaf) and their sister Rain were at the Viper Room, the LA club owned by Johnny Depp, with him. The plan, apparently, was never for River to stay that night. According to his girlfriend Samantha Mathis, they were meant to drop Rain and Leaf, but that at the last minute River said to her "there are some people playing music tonight in the club who want me to play with them - that's OK, right?". The 'people' were the band P - which featured Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers -, Johnny Depp, Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers and Al Jourgensen of Ministry. Mathis later said she felt it wasn't OK - she was worried about River by then. "I knew something was wrong that night, something I didn't understand. I didn't see anyone doing drugs but he was high in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. I was in way over my head," she has said. Another friend of Phoenix's also later said that River was obviously already high and was as "unsteady as a boxer who had taken one too many head-shots during a 15-round bout". Mathis reluctantly agreed to stay for a little while: "Forty-five minutes later, he was dead." She had gone to the bathroom, and on her way back saw Phoenix being removed by bouncers from the club. She ran out after him, and was apparently told by someone, "Leave him alone, you're spoiling his high." At that stage, River was on the ground, convulsing. Joaquin called 911, the transcript of that harrowing call - in which he begs for help, saying: "It's my brother! He's having seizures please come here!" and later: "I don't know if he's breathing. Please, you got to get over here!" - almost immediately leaked to the media while Rain tried to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. By the time the ambulance arrived, River was in full cardiac arrest. Paramedics administered medication in an attempt to restart his heart, but he was pronounced dead in the early morning of October 31, 1993, from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. For years afterwards, until he sold the Viper Room, Johnny Depp would close the club every year on that day as a mark of respect. River himself once said: "I don't want to die in a car accident. When I die it'll be a glorious day. It'll probably be a waterfall." In that, he was wrong - there is nothing glorious about death at 23, or death from an overdose - but unlike many of the live-fast-die-young celebrities who become iconic, River isn't so much famous for his death, as famous despite it. What compels people still, even those too young to have known of him while he was alive, is the astonishing natural abundance of his talent. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said he ended in-person security briefings to minimize lawmakers 'leaking' and 'politicizing' classified information The Director of National Intelligence said Sunday he is ending in-person security briefings to minimize 'leaking' and 'politicization' of classified information as Adam Schiff claims the move is just an effort from the Trump administration to 'conceal the truth.' 'Within minutes of one of those briefings ending, a number of members of Congress went to a number of different outlets and leaked classified information for political purposes,' DNI John Ratcliffe told Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' host Maria Bartiromo. He claimed lawmakers were using the information 'to create a narrative that simply isn't true that somehow Russia is a greater national security threat than China.' 'I don't mean to minimize Russia,' Ratcliffe said. 'They are a serious national security threat. But day in, day out, the threats that we face from China are significantly greater.' 'Anyone who says otherwise is just politicizing intelligence for their own narrative,' he added. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, one of the lawmakers who used to sit in on those briefings, pushed back against Ratcliffe's claims during an interview with CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday. He also accused the Trump administration of pushing for the move in order to downplay Russian interference in the 2020 election. 'They're going to put it in writing now instead of giving an oral briefing. That doesn't make any sense unless the goal is not to allow members of Congress, the representatives of the American people, to ask questions,' Schiff told CNN Sunday morning. 'Concealing the truth is concealing Russians are again intervening to help the president in his reelection,' the California representative said. 'Within minutes of one of those briefings ending, a number of members of Congress went to a number of different outlets and leaked classified information for political purposes,' Ratcliffe told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo (left) Sunday morning House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, however, claimed the briefings were halted in an effort from the Trump administration to 'conceal the truth' that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election Democratic nominee Joe Biden released a statement Saturday claiming 'President Trump is hoping Vladimir Putin will once more boost his candidacy and cover his horrific failures to lead our country through the multiple crises we are facing.' 'And he does not want the American people to know the steps Vladimir Putin is taking to help Trump get re-elected,' he added. Biden also vowed Saturday during a virtual address to the National Guard Associations 142nd General Conference that, if elected, he would never use the military 'as a prop or private militia,' accusing Trump of violating citizens' rights by using military force to respond to violent riots. Speaking to the crowd from a remote location, Biden said he was alarmed that Trump had deployed federal forces to Chicago, Albuquerque and Portland amid periods of civil unrest. He also expressed concern about the language the President had used in regard to the National Guard. Back in June, Trump tweeted that governors should order their military reserve forces to 'dominate the streets' during unruly protests. 'We're so much better than this. You deserve so much better,' Biden stated on Saturday. President Donald Trump said this week that Ratcliffe made the decision to stop in-person election security briefings because the administration 'got tired' of intelligence leaking from Congress Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden railed against the move in a statement Saturday, claiming ,'President Trump is hoping Vladimir Putin will once more boost his candidacy and cover his horrific failures to lead our country through the multiple crises we are facing' Trump poses with National Guard troops in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Saturday. In a remote address Saturday, Biden accused the President of using the troops as a 'prop' The former Vice President also promised to restore the separation between civilian and military powers which he called 'the bedrock principal of our republic.' 'It's been tested lately, but I promise you, as president, I'll never put you in the middle of politics or personal vendettas'. Biden also claimed his family were a 'National Guard family', and referenced the fact that his late son, Beau, had served in the Delaware Army National Guard. Biden's address came a day after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress that the armed forces will have no role in carrying out the election process or resolving a disputed vote. It was a sign of rising tensions on both sides as the president has declared that the expected surge in mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic will make the vote 'inaccurate and fraudulent.' Trump has also suggested he might not accept the election results if he loses. Biden has said he's 'absolutely convinced' the military would escort Trump from the White House if the incumbent lost but refused to leave. A demonstrator stares at a National Guard solider near the White House in Washington back in June. Biden says he was concerned about the language Trump used about deploying the National Guard to 'dominate the streets'. He also implied that Trump had politicized the reserve forces and strained the relationship between civilians and the military Also on Saturday, Biden's camp were outraged over the Trump administration's decision to end in-person election security briefings less than three months before Americans head to the polls Also on Saturday, Biden's camp were outraged over the Trump administration's decision to end in-person election security briefings to Congress less than three months before Americans head to the polls. President Donald Trump said National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe made the decision because the administration 'got tired' of intelligence about election security leaking from Congress. 'They leaked the information ... and what's even worse, they leaked the wrong information and we got tired of it,' Trump told reporters while attending a briefing on Hurricane Laura in Orange, Texas. In a statement provided to MSNBC'S Kyle Griffin, Biden's rep admonished the President - particularly amid fears foreign adversaries could increase their meddling prior to the election. 'For his admin to constrain the info being provided to the peoples' representatives in Congress as this national security threat multipliesespecially given Donald Trump's unprecedented welcoming of these assaults on our democracy for his own gainis deeply alarming,' the Biden camp stated. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Six Minnesota Democrat mayors and one former Independent mayor have endorsed President Trump for reelection after claiming that Democrat presidential hopeful Joe Biden hasn't done anything to help working class people. In a letter dated Friday, six mayors from Minnesota's Iron Range - named for their iron-ore mining districts - said they were supporting Trump over Biden, after having voted Democrat in the past. The letter signers were Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson, Virginia Mayor Larry Cuffe, Chisholm Mayor John Champa, Ely Mayor Chuck Novak, Eveleth Mayor Robert Vlaisavljevich and Babbitt Mayor Andrea Zupancich. Six Democrat mayors from Minnesota's Iron Range said that they are endorsing President Trump (left) because Joe Biden (right) hadn't done anything to help the working class 'Like many in our region, we have voted for Democrats over many decades,' the letter stated. 'We have watched as our constituents' jobs left not only the Iron Range, but our country. By putting tariffs on our products and supporting bad trade deals, politicians like Joe Biden did nothing to help the working class.' The mayors said that they had 'lost thousands of jobs' in the region, while 'generations of young people have left the Iron Range in order to provide for their families with good paying jobs elsewhere.' Additionally, they noted: 'Today, we don't recognize the Democratic Party. It has been moved so far to the left it can no longer claim to be advocates of the working class. The hard-working Minnesotans that built their lives and supported their families here on the Range have been abandoned by radical Democrats. We didnt choose to leave the Democratic Party, the party left us.' Two of the mayors appeared during VP Pence's Duluth, Minnesota, campaign stop that they were supporting Trump. Pence is pictured arriving in Duluth Friday The mayors signed their names to a letter that said they were endorsing Trump Friday. Among the mayors was Eveleth's Mayor Robert Vlaisavljevich and Babbitt's Mayor Andrea Zupancich Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson (left) and Virginia Mayor Larry Cuffe (right) also signed Ely Mayor Chuck Novak (left) signed the letter, as did Chisholm Mayor John Champa (right) The mayors went on to say that Trump's 2016 election was a 'wonderful' event that marked a turning point for the region. Trump 'stood up to China, implemented tax cuts and fought for the working class,' they wrote, adding that 'Lifelong politicians like Joe Biden are out of touch with the working class, out of touch with what the country needs, and out of touch with those of us here on the Iron Range and in small towns like ours across our nation.' While VP Mike Pence was in Duluth, Minnesota, during a campaign stop Friday, Swanson and Cuffe took the stage to endorse Trump, while former Duluth Mayor Gary Doty, an independent, also said he was endorsing Trump. Swanson, addressing a crowd of more than 250 people, said: 'Theres many people in northern Minnesota who truly are Republicans,' according to the Duluth News Tribune. During VP Pence's Friday's campaign stop, former Duluth Mayor Gary Doty, an independent, said he was endorsing Trump Pence told the crowd that Trump 'stood up to Chinese steel dumping,' a statement that Cuffe appeared to agree with when he proclaimed from the stage that was a former Democrat who now supported Trump, adding that 'Joe Biden did nothing to help the working class.' In the mid-2010s, President Obama was behind efforts to put heavy tariffs on Chinese steel products which helped those working in the Iron Range. The tariffs were meant to help put a stop to China selling its steel for a loss - also known as 'steel dumping' - in an effort to artificially lower prices and stop other producers from being able to compete with them. It's unclear what role Biden played in the steel tariffs. Doty, who was mayor of Duluth from 1992 to 2004, and attending the event, told the Duluth News Tribune that he was an office holder in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor while in the state Legislature in the 1970s, but an independent after that. He told the news outlet that he hailed 'from a DFL family and many of them still are,' noting that his father 'was the head of the Teamsters and the things he fought for jobs, benefits and working men and women the Democratic party has lost that.' Doty said that the Democrats have 'gone so far left I cant support the Democratic ticket this year.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 20:16:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Trade financing in China has maintained a sound growth momentum despite a challenging global trade environment in the past two years, according to a report from the China Banking Association. In 2019, the business volume of international settlement at Chinese commercial banks totaled 6.89 trillion U.S. dollars, a slight decrease from the 2018 level, the report showed. Favorable factors for the development of the country's trade financing business include progress in the Belt and Road construction, the development of pilot free trade zones, the integration of the Yangtze River Delta, the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the internationalization of the yuan, it said. The report also noted that with further tightening of regulations, Chinese commercial banks are witnessing rising pressure from compliance risks this year. Meanwhile, it warned that commercial banks should enhance risk prevention in cross-border businesses amid strong global efforts against money-laundering. Enditem EQS Group-News: Rapid Nutrition PLC / Key word(s): Annual Results Rapid Nutrition Delivers Strong 2020 Results During Global Pandemic 30.08.2020 / 17:30 Rapid Nutrition Delivers Strong 2020 Results During Global Pandemic Trading Update and Financial Guidance London, via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Rapid Nutrition PLC (SW:RAP, OTCQB:RPNRF), a natural wellness company focused on organic wholefood-based nutrition and science-based herbal products, announced the following trading update ahead of the publication of its Interim Results for the period ended 30 June 2020, scheduled to be released on 30 September 2020. Even during a global pandemic, the company continues to realize strong market demand for health supplements, with its flagship brand SystemLS in particular, including a variety of organic and natural high-protein vegan shakes, superfoods, whey protein, metabolism boosters and high-fiber bars. 2020 Interim Financial Highlights Financial highlights for the period to date include: Revenue for the period reached $3.375 million, up 9% compared to the same period last year when revenue was $3.104 million. Gross margin was $1.913 million, compared to $2.053 million the same period last year, with continued growth anticipated for the remainder of the year as the company progresses its strategy of bringing to market innovative science-based organic products across multiple categories to anchor future earnings. Interim 2020 Operational Highlights Noteworthy annual highlights for Rapid Nutrition for the period in review include: Further expansion of the company's global distribution with new partnerships in Brazil, France, Italy, Switzerland, Jamaica and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Impressive growth through the company's direct-to-consumer channels for its flagship brands. Initiated preparations to launch a significant oral anti-viral prevention therapy designed to help relieve symptoms of colds and the flu, which was granted an Innovation Patent in 2016. Awarded an Innovation Connections Grant from the Australian Government to further support the development of its cold and flu therapy. The company was also accepted into the touted Entrepreneurs Programme, which shares expert advice, funding and incentives to help businesses innovate, compete and grow. A continued focus of driving science-driven product innovation in the health and wellness sector, the company recently bolstered its scientific management team, welcoming renowned naturopath and herbalist Ruth Kendon to its well-established management team as the company continues to expand its portfolio of science-based products. The group incorporated Rapid Nutrition Science, which will house the intellectual property for the herbal anti-viral and focus on in-house development of cutting-edge natural science formulas. This will provide Rapid Nutrition PLC with an exclusive worldwide licensing deal in a category which is expected to witness substantial growth, with the global market for immune health supplements likely to exceed a valuation of US$25 billion, according to Persistence Market Research. Management Commentary On Jan. 1, 2020, few prognosticators would have predicted the direction the year was to take. In the wake of Covid-19, Rapid Nutrition has performed with innovation and inspiration to deliver impressive results and outcomes. The work delivered over the interim period will guide and inform the months to come, laying a foundation for an anticipated strong six months. As an example, Rapid Nutrition's Sydney retail store initially faced reduced revenue following lost foot traffic. However, since we offer a multi-channel distribution approach, we were able to quickly adapt during the lockdown orders to optimize online direct-to-consumer channels to not only sustain revenue, but to bolster revenues compared to the same period last year. "I am incredibly proud of our management team's resilience and ability to quickly adapt to conditions out of our control to ensure the company's continued growth and strength," said Rapid Nutrition CEO Simon St. Ledger. "We were fortunate to have such an experienced team during challenging times to continue to steer our company in a positive direction." The senior leadership team and the Rapid Nutrition board have been working diligently side by side to continually create shareholder value by increasing visibility and viability. Rapid Nutrition continues to invest heavily in its team, intellectual property and product offerings, particularly in the cold and flu category and the rapidly growing vegan category. Moreover, Rapid Nutrition is well-positioned within the industry moving into the next quarter and eventual post-Covid, where demand for health supplements is likely to remain at an all-time high with consumers who are more mindful than ever of the importance of health, wellness and immunity. "In truth, the most exciting aspect of these results is the potential for even more growth. As we continue to scale our global distribution model, management team and IP in trending categories, we anticipate increased product demand and global reach," St. Ledger added. As Rapid Nutrition continues to expand markets, operations and distribution for its award-winning nutraceutical brands, it will bolster its marketing initiatives into retail stores as well as digital assets to capitalize on its direct-to-consumer channel with the release of a high-quality video series of quick and easy recipes created by a celebrity chef that use SystemLS products to support healthy eating habits. With the expansion into new markets and new products, the company expects to grow sustainably to support its continued growth strategy organically and by introducing new products into its established distribution pipelines. The interim financials will be published on the company's website on 30 September 2020. About Rapid Nutrition PLC Rapid Nutrition PLC(SW:RAP, OTCQB:RPNRF): Dedicated to the development and distribution of premium, science-based health and wellness brands across the globe, Rapid Nutrition shares a wealth of award-winning products with consumers who are passionate about innovations that are "made by nature, refined by science." Rapid Nutrition's first-class scientific team matches the experience of its management team to keep both the company and consumers on top of the latest industry trends and developments, while aligning with industry leaders worldwide to deliver effective supplements and solutions. For more information, please visit http://rnplc.com Investor Relations Contact: ir@rnplc.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause Rapid Nutrition PLCs actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. Rapid Nutrition PLC has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipates," "believes," "hopes," "estimates," "looks," "expects," "plans," "intends," "goal," "potential," "may," "suggest," and similar expressions. Rapid PLC undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation. Disclosure Requirement: This media information does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. This information does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. The media release is in accordance with International Reporting Standard: Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act ('Rule 12g3-2(b)') permits non-U.S. companies with securities listed primarily on a Qualified Foreign Exchange to make publicly available to U.S investors in English the same information that is made publicly available in their home countries as an alternative to SEC reporting Exchange Act Rule 12g3-2(b). End of Corporate News Record fundraising spaniel Max is living proof that a dog is man's best friend the man in this case being his owner Kerry Irving, who credits his pet with saving his life. But unlike Max, not all dogs have a statue erected in their honour. The 13-year-old springer, of Keswick in Cumbria, has been put forward for the public tribute after helping to raise 100,000 for the PDSA in six weeks the most the veterinary charity has received from fundraising so quickly. Record fundraising springer spaniel Max, 13, (pictured) has been put forward for the public tribute after helping to raise 100,000 for the PDSA in six weeks As if that weren't enough, videos of his exploits are followed online by nearly 150,000 people and he was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He also met Kate last year when she visited Keswick. Mr Irving, 55, is his biggest fan. 'If it wasn't for Max I wouldn't be here at all,' he said. Owner Kerry Irving, 55, said his pet gave him a reason to live after he became suicidal following a car crash that caused spinal injuries (Mr Irving with dogs Max, Harry and Paddy) Max was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and he also met Kate last year when she visited Keswick (pictured) The former blacksmith added that his pet gave him a reason to live after he became suicidal following a car crash that caused spinal injuries. He said the idea for a bronze sculpture of Max who is a registered therapeutic assistance dog trained to help Mr Irving was suggested by local councillors, and is awaiting approval. Max raised the 100,000 with Mr Irving's other dogs Paddy, three, and Harry, 22 months. Max raised the 100,000 with Mr Irving's other dogs Paddy, three, and Harry, 22 months (pictured) More than 50,000 came from a raffle to mark Max's birthday, and his pals amassed 46,000 from a sponsored walk up Ben Nevis. In total, the dogs and Mr Irving, a mental health campaigner and author of Max The Miracle Dog, have raised 244,000 for charity. Families of Emerson Middle School in Niles were notified Thursday of incidents in which intruders were interrupting the Zoom class with inappropriate, racist, religious, hateful and homophobic language, an email from Principal Samantha Alaimo said. At least one of the comments included the use of a racial slur, Alaimos email said. MINSK -- Tens of thousands of Belarusians streamed into the center of the capital to demand Alyaksandr Lukashenka step down as the defiant, longtime authoritarian ruler turned 66. Waving banned red-and-white flags that have long been a symbol of opposition to Lukashenkas rule, the protesters marched toward Minsk's Independence Square on August 30, ignoring an earlier Interior Ministry call not to assemble. They chanted, Happy birthday, rat and Leave as they gathered outside the presidential palace where Lukashenka is currently staying. Many carried anti-Lukashenka signs, while one group carried a black coffin. Lukashenka last week described the protesters as rats. The BelaPAN news agency put the number of protesters in Minsk at more than 100,000. Riot police blocked the crowds from advancing in several areas of the city and detained at least 125 protesters near Independence Square and elsewhere, according to the Interior Ministry. Several armored vehicles were brought into Minsk and parked near the presidential residency "to strengthen the security of personnel," the Interior Ministry said. Lukashenka has shown no intention of negotiating with the protesters, who he claims are influenced by outside forces. Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti posted a photograph of Lukashenka carrying an automatic weapon inside the palace grounds earlier in the day. RIA Novosti said the photograph was sent by Lukashenkas press secretary. It is the second time since the protests began that Lukashenka has released photos of himself armed with heavy guns. Rigged Vote Belarus has been rocked by three weeks of protests and strikes after the nations election commission claimed Lukashenka won a new six-year term in a landslide victory. The opposition claimed the election was marred by irregularities and rigged in Lukashenkas favor. Belarusian presidential candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya attracted tens of thousands of supporters to her rallies across the country in the run-up to election day, underscoring the growing disillusion with Lukashenkas Soviet-style rule. However, the election committee claimed Tsikhanouskaya won only about 10 percent of the vote to Lukashenkas 80 percent, angering voters and pushing them to take to the streets. Unlike in the past, mass arrests and police torture in the days following the election failed to stem the protests, raising questions about whether Lukashenka can hold on to power. Thousands of people, mainly women, took to the streets on August 29 to protest Lukashenkas rule and tried to break through a line of riot police. Tsikhanouskaya told the European Parliament that at least six people have been killed in the crackdown and dozens of protesters have gone missing after being detained by authorities. Ahead of the planned August 30 protest, the Interior Ministry warned citizens not to take part in the unauthorized rally, a call that was widely ignored. In an attempt to stifle global coverage of the protests, the Belarusian authorities days earlier stripped accreditation from at least 17 journalists representing major foreign news organizations, including RFE/RL. The West has condemned the vote and the harsh police crackdown on opposition protesters, forcing Lukashenka to look to Moscow for support. The Kremlin announced on August 30 that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenka plan to hold face-to-face talks in Moscow in the coming weeks. Putin also congratulated Lukashenka on his birthday during a phone call. The two leaders have spoken by phone several times since the protests began. Both sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen and expand their neighborly alliance, according to the Kremlin's readout of the call. With additional reporting by Current Time About the project In the latest of a series of investigative reports by The Sunday Times and The Citizens' Voice of Wilkes-Barre, we examine diversity of city police departments and the impact in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal The Santa Fe Police Department and New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence will be holding another gun buyback on Saturday, Sept. 12. People can turn in weapons, no questions asked, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police department, 2515 Camino Entrada. In return, they will receive a gift card valued from $100 to $250 depending on the weapon. Gun owners will also be given free gunlocks, courtesy of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence. No taxpayer money will be spent as the nonprofit group is picking up the cost of the gunlocks and gift cards, which can be used for food, gas or on Amazon. This is the third such event initiated by SFPD and NMPGV to support responsible gun ownership and reduce the number of guns that could end up in the wrong hands. This (is) a great opportunity to run in a gun that you havent used in years or have no need for anymore, SFPD Chief Andrew Padilla said in a news release. Anyone turning in a semi-automatic rifle will receive a gift card worth $250, while those with semi-automatic handguns will receive a $200 gift card. Long guns and pistols will get you a $100 gift card. A National Crime Information Center search will be conducted on each firearm to determine if it was stolen. If so, the gun will be entered into evidence and the rightful owner contacted. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's central bank said on Saturday it was taking legal steps to counter a lawsuit filed in a U.S. court by creditors seeking to seize $1.7 billion (1.27 billion pounds) of its assets held by Deutsche Boerse's Clearstream unit. The German stock exchange operator said earlier the creditors had filed the suit in a New York court seeking to require Clearstream to surrender assets that allegedly belong to Iran's central bank. It said the clearing house considers the claims to be unfounded and will take steps to defeat them. Amir Hossein Tayyebi Fard, a ... Chinese leader tells senior Communist Party officials that Beijing must plant seeds of loving China among Tibetans. China must build an impregnable fortress to maintain stability in Tibet, protect national unity and educate the masses in the struggle against splittism, President Xi Jinping told senior leaders, according to state media. China seized control over Tibet in 1950 in what it describes as a peaceful liberation that helped the remote Himalayan region throw off its feudalist past. But critics, led by exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, say Beijings rule amounts to cultural genocide. At a senior Communist Party meeting on Tibets future governance, Xi lauded achievements made and praised front-line officials but said more efforts were needed to enrich, rejuvenate and strengthen unity in the region. Political and ideological education needed to be strengthened in Tibets schools in order to plant the seeds of loving China in the depths of the hearts of every youth, Xi said in remarks published by state news agency Xinhua on Saturday. Pledging to build a united, prosperous, civilised, harmonious and beautiful new, modern, socialist Tibet, Xi said China needed to strengthen the role of the Communist Party in the territory and better integrate its ethnic groups. Tibetan Buddhism also needed to adapt to socialism and Chinese conditions, he added. Advocacy group the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said Xis remarks showed Chinese rule still needed to be imposed with an iron fist. In emailed comments, its president, Matteo Mecacci, said, If Tibetans really benefitted as much from Chinese leadership as Xi and other officials claim, then China wouldnt have to fear separatism and wouldnt need to subject Tibetans to political re-education. Chinas policies towards Tibet have come under the spotlight again this year amid worsening ties with the United States. In July, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US would restrict visas for some Chinese officials involved in blocking diplomatic access to Tibet and engaging in human rights abuses, adding that Washington supported meaningful autonomy for Tibet. Advertisement It's going to be colder than Christmas tomorrow with beaches deserted on Bank Holiday Monday as temperatures are set to plummet to 11C (52F). It will be the coldest August Bank Holiday for 50 years and 15C (59F) colder than last year's record hottest of 33.2C (92F). A 500-mile wide 'polar plunge' is forecast to sweep across Britain before a 1,200-mile tempest wrought by Hurricane Laura strikes on Wednesday. This year's washout is bordering on being wetter than every summer for 11 years bar one, Met Office figures show. Saturday saw bitter 10C highs in Fylingdales, N Yorks, and Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, where the Queen is staying, with the UK's warmest place, Gosport, Hants, only scraping to 18.9C. THIS YEAR, BRIGHTON: The beaches of the south coast of England were noticeably bereft of people on Saturday as cold weather blew into the United Kingdom, following some sweltering days earlier this summer LAST YEAR, BRIGHTON: The UK's beaches were packed with visitors for last year's August Bank Holiday Monday which had a record temperature of 32.3C Staycationers lined the beach on Dorset's Jurassic Coast today as they tried to make the most of the unseasonably chilly bank holiday weather. Some were, however, seen dressed head-to-toe in trousers, jumpers and coats The seafront in Lyme Regis, Dorset, looked less busy than usual this morning, possibly due to the cold temperatures Groups set up windbreaks on the beach for themselves to sit behind, or sat down on deckchairs dressed in coats and trousers Temperatures are set to plunge as low as 10C in parts of the UK - as much as 5C below the average. Pictured are a pair walking through the early morning sunshine in Lose Hill, Peak District The polar air (pictured) has caused temperatures to drop across the UK, France, Spain and Portugal. But it will be pushed to one side later in the week as a body of tropical air rides up the gulf stream Wind speeds and directions here show the movement of air currents helping to determine the current weather The Met Office forecast highs around 11C on Monday for Scotland's central Highlands. The record coldest late August Bank Holiday since it was set in late August 49 years ago in 1971 is 10.1C in 1979 in Shetland, Met Office records showed. The former Hurricane Laura, whose 150mph winds killed six in Louisiana in the US, is 'incredibly' projected to gain new momentum as it rips across the Atlantic and will arrive on Wednesday and Thursday. Meteorologists forecast 60mph gusts in Scotland, 50mph winds in the west and 30mph in the south. The Environment Agency has warned of floods in the North-West, with rain for most. And a warm spell was scrapped - as forecasters said 23C highs on Thursday will be followed by cold air and 19C from Friday. The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: 'Summer is ending early with a Dank Holiday and temperatures not out of place in October.' Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: 'Incredibly, Hurricane Laura, after bulldozing its way across the US, has a chance of regaining Tropical Storm status in the North Atlantic, National Hurricane Center guidance suggests. 'But following the warm air, a push of colder air follows.' Huge downpours and 80mph winds from Storm Francis battered the UK last week, with cold northerly winds gripping the country over the next few days. But party-goers were out in force on Friday as they celebrated the start of the long bank holiday weekend despite the wet and windy conditions. Tonight countryside temperatures will fall as low as 2C (35F) in the north, about 5C (41F) below average, while in northern cities they will linger at a chilly 6C (43F), about 2C (36F) below average. In the south the mercury will fall to up to 4C (39F) tonight in the countryside and 8C (46F) in the cities, below the average temperature of 10C (50F) for the time of year. Last night temperatures dropped as low as 0C (32F) in Catesbridge, Northern Ireland, with a scattering of light frost appearing on the ground. 'There is a possibility of frost in the glens of Scotland,' said Mr Dewhurst, 'but it won't be in towns and cities. There is still some warmth left over in them'. 'Stray' showers are also expected along the East Anglia and Kent coastlines tonight, with further showers expected for some coastal towns today. The cliff fall happened at approximately 6.30am on the Jurassic coast. The cliffs are said to be unstable due to rainfall The cliff collapsed on a stretch of coast between Hive beach and Freshwater beach. No injuries were reported Rescuers raced to the Jurassic Coast yesterday after fears people may have been trapped by a cliff-fall as tonnes of rock tumbled onto the coast between Hive beach and Freshwater beach, Burton Bradstock Firefighters arrived but no one was found under the rubble. Recent heavy rainfall had made cliffs unstable, and authorities have warned that further rockfalls could happen at any time. The fall happened at approximately 6.30am yesterday. Geologists have previously warned that the strip of coast remains 'totally unpredictable'. The lowest temperature recorded yesterday was 3.4C (48F) in Swyddffynnon, Wales, as the polar front swept in The Met Office said it is expected to be a dry day due to the polar front and sunnier, but it will also be colder Hundreds of caravan-owners camping at Freshwater Beach Holiday Park in Burton Bradstock, Dorset. The Met Office said it would be sunny but that temperatures would plummet Countryside temperatures in Dorset could drop as low as 4C tonight, making a chilly evening for many campers Some of the weekends coldest daytime temperatures are likely to be in the north Pennines, where some areas might only reach a chilly 10C (50F) today. Meanwhile, Scarborough, North Yorks, is likely to hit a maximum of 13C (55F) this afternoon, which will feel like 8-9C (46-48F) due to strong northerly winds reaching 28mph. The Meteorological Office said high pressure is due to build through the weekend bringing plenty of sunshine and lessening winds. Frank Saunders, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: Weve seen a real mix of weather this August - with a heatwave earlier this month and in the last week weve had two named storms bringing very wet and windy weather across the country. With high pressure on the way this weekend were going to end the month with much more settled weather, with plenty of late summer sunshine for many. Itll be a dry weekend for most areas too. The mixed forecast for the weekend follows heavy rain and thunder as 5.6 million motorists were expected to take to the roads for the bank holiday getaway. There was flash flooding in Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire on Friday morning as more than half a months rain fell in 12 hours. Waves slam against the pier at Roker Lighthouse in Sunderland, yesterday afternoon, as clouds roll in from the North Sea Waves were seen crashing against the seafront at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, earlier yesterday, as Britain faces a Bank Holiday washout Despite the grey and blustery weather, people were still seen walking along the windy seafront at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, yesterday The wettest place on Thursday was Lanreath, Cornwall, where 51mm (two inches) fell over 24 hours to 7pm, the Met Office said. Cornwalls average rainfall for the whole of August is 81mm (3.2ins). Through yesterday, half an inch of rain fell in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, while Loftus, North Yorkshire, had 27.6mm (1.1ins) in 12 hours to 1pm, against a monthly average of 59.4mm (2.3ins) for August. The heavy rain follows flooding and damage caused by named storms Ellen and Francis over the last 10 days. The Met Office is warning that later in the coming week, parts of Britain could be hit by the remnants of Hurricane Laura, which has brought devastation to the US states of Louisiana and Arkansas, leaving six people dead. The hurricane is one of the strongest ever to hit America with winds reaching 150 mph. The Met Office said Laura is due to become part of an Atlantic low pressure system which will track eastwards towards Europe. It could bring a spell of wet and windy weather to Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland on Wednesday and Thursday - but forecasters say it is too early to predict whether it will have any impact on England and Wales. Wrexham student one of the highest achievers in Wales after receiving 13 A*s in GCSEs This article is old - Published: Sunday, Aug 30th, 2020 A teenager in Wrexham who received her GCSE results last week is amongst the highest achievers in Wales. Megan Kocker, a student at Ysgol Bryn Alyn, received 13 A* grades when she picked up her grades on Thursday 20 August. She was chosen to be Head Girl at Ysgol Bryn Alyn at the beginning of the academic year and has represented the school on the governing body but has also supported younger students throughout the year. Megan also played last season for North Dragons Infernos (Division 2 North East Wales Netball League) and North Dragons Flames (division 2 Wrexham and Flintshire League). She was selected for Wrexham County and NE Wales netball squads. She has also been selected for North Wales U21 Talent Centre at the age of 16. Ysgol Bryn Alyn headteacher Adele Slinn said: This has been such a difficult year for all of our students and they have dealt with it with resilience and maturity. I am awed by our students and am proud of each and every one of them. Megan is an amazing student who fully deserves the grades she has achieved. She has shown such aspiration, effort and resilience throughout her time at Ysgol Bryn Alyn. She has been a phenomenal inspiration to all of our students. To see her work so hard and achieve such fantastic results shows that hard work and dedication really do pay off. She is now moving on to Coleg Cambrias Yale Sixth Form to study A levels in Mathematics, English Literature, History and Welsh second language and is looking forward to the next step on her journey. Mrs Ebrey Deputy Headteacher continues; Ms Slinn added: Megan has been a true inspiration to all. She has such focus in everything she does and will be a real asset to Coleg Cambria in September. She has worked so hard throughout her time with us and is a real life example of what you can achieve with the right mind set. To achieve A* grades in every subject is such an amazing achievement and she and her family should be incredibly proud! BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: A committee should be set up in the Iranian parliament to oppose sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Member of Article 90 Committee of Iranian Parliaments Constitution Seyed Hassan Shojaei Kiasari told Mehr news agency, Trend reports. According to Shojaei Kiasari, of course, if the country pays special and serious attention to the issue of sanctions, it can take a stronger position in the fight against sanctions. The member added that despite sanctions may seem like a visual word, they have political, security, economic and financial implications. "Therefore, if the sanctions are investigated only by the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, other aspects of this issue will be forgotten. On this basis, all its aspects should be taken into account and solutions to combat it should be considered," he said. The US imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018. As a result, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports as well as more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. Iran has put on the agenda to increasing the exports of oil products, due to the sharp decline in crude oil exports. The following editorial was published in the Star Tribune (Minneapolis): (TNS) Another Black man is shot by police this time in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Another night of mostly peaceful protesting devolves into violent damage to property, buildings and vehicles. And now an Illinois man has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide after two people were killed and another was wounded in the mayhem that reportedly drew armed vigilantes to the southeastern Wisconsin city. On one side, some protesters have turned to violence fed up with being victimized and not convinced that peaceful protests will do any good. Thats apparently attracted self-appointed, openly armed militia who say their purpose is to protect property from rioters. Where does that leave us? If America cannot break the cycle of Black men and women in the line of fire from police while also stopping those civilians who want to take the law into their own hands, the violence will likely continue. How many more deaths, injuries and broken and burned buildings will it take? Jacob Blake, 29, was shot in the back multiple times on Sunday as he walked away from police and leaned into his SUV, with three of his children seated inside. The shooting was captured on cellphone video and ignited protests in the U.S. three months after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Kenosha police have said little about the incident, other than that they were responding to a domestic dispute and that the investigation is now out of the local departments hands. On Wednesday, authorities arrested a 17-year-old in Antioch, Illinois, who had been caught on cellphone video in Kenosha on Tuesday night opening fire in the middle of the street with a semi-automatic rifle. Floyds death has prompted what can be a productive and healing national discussion on race and justice. But the violence in Kenosha this week will only inflame raw emotions. Despite calls to dismantle and defund police, police as peacekeepers are needed to protect the majority from the extremists among them. Peaceful protesters, who make up the vast majority of those on the streets, cant control those who take advantage of the situation to destroy property and loot buildings. And law-abiding business and property owners cant stop the uninvited vigilantes who put out calls on social media to show up at events and protests with military firearms. Ive had people saying, Why dont you deputize citizens?? Sheriff David Beth told The New York Times. This is why you dont deputize citizens with guns to protect Kenosha. Thats the right answer, yet a police officer who was caught on video in Kenosha told a group of armed civilians that we appreciate you being here, according to The Associated Press. Vigilantism and violence only detract from the work it will take to restore peace in our nations cities and effectively address the nations racial and social justice issues. Neither is acceptable, and neither should be tolerated. Scandinavian Gaming Show 2020 is Coming Back, Uninterrupted and Ready for the Times Published August 30, 2020 by Lee R This year's Scandinavian Gaming show is revamped for protecting and enriching the industry with local regulatory experts. A key Scandinavian show is coming up, in an adapted form. Content and Region The 3rd Annual Edition of the Scandinavian Gaming Show SGS will provide a wide range of industry professionals with vital insights from thought leaders across the betting and gaming business in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The Event Superpromoter Eventus is currently concluding preparations for the 3rd edition of SGS taking place live at the Hilton Stockholm Slussen, Stockholm, Sweden from 28 to 29 September 2020. Event Goal The event will be distinguished by first hand expertise from local authorities on the industry, legal, regulatory and player experience development. Scandinavian Appeal Already known industry-wide for high liquidity across the gaming market, Scandinavia offers a market with one of the highest per capita gambling spends in the world. Conversion The Scandinavia Gaming Show offers attendees the opportunity to convert the profitable potential for online gaming and other gaming verticals by addressing key developments in the Scandinavian region in recent months. Regional Expertise Leading experts in the industry will address diverse stakeholders including international investors and market strategy professionals. Shortlist of Speakers Some of the speakers include Norwegian Industry Association for Online Gambling (NBO) Company General Secretary Carl Fredrik Stenstrm; the Finnish Gambling Consultants Oy Partner Jari Vahanen; and emerging customer experience marketing agency A GAME ABOVE CEO Steen Madsen. Safety Protocols in Place The event will go on live by adhering to Sweden's progressive health and safety regulations limiting participation to a maximum of 50 participants compliant to social distancing protocols. Unique Panel Discussions First-hand perspectives will be further available from compelling panel discussions from leading global and Scandinavian gaming experts. Speaker Testimonial Pleased and privileged to have been asked to give the keynote speech at this year's Scandinavian Gaming Show at what is a vital time for the betting and gaming sector, globally, and especially in the early-adopting Scandinavian markets says GAME ABOVE Chief Product & Marketing Officer Ismail Vali, who looks forward to illuminating the challenges across stakeholders, the industry, customer experience and the fundamental need to adapt to a new era of betting and gaming. Outlook Ismail's engaging discussion is just one of the personable yet vital communications to be gained exclusively at the new sustainable version of SAS in a key still emerging iGaming region. Response to THE CASE FOR CLIMATE ACTION A Plan from a "select committee of Senate Democrats" - Isn't that an oxymoron? By Marc J. Rauch Author of THE ETHANOL PAPERS Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher THE AUTO CHANNEL On August 25, 2020, a group calling itself Senate Democrats' Special Committee on Climate Crisis issued a report titled "THE CASE FOR CLIMATE ACTION - Building A Way To A Clean Economy For The American People." The plan is a subterfuge to keep the status quo while attempting to make it look as if the Democrats (or any single political party) has a legitimate understanding of the issues as well as a solution to real and imagined problems. This fantasy proposal relies on assumptions that are either untrue, will never become true, or that don't take into account the detrimental impact that such a plan will have on the economy. Firstly, the plan supposes that catastrophic man-made climate change is real. In actuality, there is no proof that the climate is changing in any un-natural existential manner. There is no proof that any daily, weekly, monthly, or annual shifts are catastrophic beyond the level of catastrophe caused by any extreme commonplace storm or condition that Earth hasn't already experienced countless times over millions of years. The information that is touted by climate alarmists today is no different than the baseless predictions made by alarmists numerous times over the past century, and indeed over all recorded history. There is merely conjecture based upon the presumption (or misguided hope by nihilist misanthropes) that human development must result in deadly consequences. Moreover, there is no proof (regardless of if and why the climate is changing) that humans can stop the change and mitigate any effects caused by such change. Again, there is merely conjecture (and maybe some misguided hope) that increased use of solar cells, wind turbines and electric vehicles can bring about desired mitigation. While I like and believe that solar power and wind turbines can play a part in providing energy, they can only do so as supplemental energy sources and not primary ones. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural, life giving gas. Making CO2 into a villain is an absurdity. Without it life on Earth would not be possible, just as life without oxygen (O) would be impossible. One of the largest contributors to the production of CO2 is from the normal breathing process of all living creatures. Humans will never be able to eliminate breathing, nor will we be able to eliminate wild fires, volcanic activity, and animal flatulence - creating 'natural' pollutants that will always present challenges. The production of electric vehicles and the production of the electricity needed to operate them brings about an entire set of conditions that exacerbate, not alleviate, the problems caused by abiotic fuels (petroleum oil and coal fuels). On top of this, the actual state of technology is such that reliance upon electric vehicles is much too premature. It is likely that total conversion to electric vehicles will take the better part of a century, if not more, to complete. Until that time the poisoning caused by petroleum oil fuels will continue. When the time finally comes that it can be claimed that 50% or more of all new vehicles sold are electric, it will still not be a time to celebrate because it means that a significant portions of new vehicles sold globally (tens of millions) will still be powered by internal combustion engines. And during this time, much of the existing vehicles in operation will still be powered by internal combustion engines using deadly gasoline and diesel fuel. The realities of pollution from the use of petroleum oil fuels are horrendous, without the fictional specter of Anthropogenic (human-originating) Global Warming. And the horrendous realities of this pollution should have already been enough to bring about the total elimination of these fuels. If, on the other hand, catastrophic man-made climate change is real, then immediate all-encompassing action must be taken to stop the continuation of abiotic fuel poisoning. Waiting 25 years or 50 years or 100 years is not an option. If the authors and supporters of the plan offered by "Senate Democrats' Special Committee on Climate Crisis" are serious (or seriously believe their own BS) then they must opt for an immediate solution to mitigate the affects. The only solution is to mandate world wide use of safe alcohol-based fuels. All internal combustion engines can and should be powered by such fuels, and the fuel shouldn't be a blend of gasoline and alcohol, it should be nearly-pure alcohol with a small amount of a cold-start additive. This can be accomplished virtually overnight with little or no cost. All new internal combustion engines should be built to optimize the use of alcohol fuels. This can be done with little or no increase to the cost to build engines. But the plan that's proposed by the "Select Committee" doesn't do this. Their plan relies on daydreams. Their plan doesn't even sincerely acknowledge the potential of ethanol/alcohol fuels, which is how I know that the authors and sponsors aren't serious and they don't know what they're talking about. Their plan ignorantly incorporates the current circumstances brought about by the Covid-19 virus and they've co-opted some of the terminology to make the plan seem oh-so-cool and timely. The Covid-19 virus is an irrelevant consideration: Respiratory illnesses and other health risks related to petroleum oil fuels, tetraethyl lead, and coal didn't suddenly appear with the invention of this virus; and the risks won't be removed when and if Covid-19 is eradicated. People living in crowded urban environments didn't suddenly become susceptible to dirty air, water, and ubiquitous germ-infested decomposing matter - it's a millennia old problem. Therefore, it's a waste of time and money to incorporate Covid-19 into this discussion, except if the "Select Committee" wants to obfuscate contemporary life in Democrat controlled large cities. Likewise, the plan's heightened concern for native and tribal communities is just a grandstanding pretentious extraneous consideration. It shows the short-sightedness of the plan's authors and sponsors, and it reveals the ridiculous lengths they will go to sell it. Either ALL PEOPLES' LIVES MATTER, or no lives matter. It's as if this plan originated with a strange pre-teen little girl from Scandinavia...and in many respects it probably did The Democrats and the Republicans, and any members of other political parties, should have stopped gasoline and petroleum diesel more than 100 years ago. The poison unleashed by the use of tetraethyl lead starting in the 1920's did not end with the banning of much of its use. The lead remains on the ground, in the air, and it gets into the bodies of every new person from the moment they are conceived. The specific effects of lead poisoning are damage to the respiratory system and to brain functions. What's more, leaded gasoline is still in use around the world. Even if the "Select Committee's" plan for "A Clean Economy For The American People" had some bite and beneficial effects, the U.S. is just one of almost 200 countries in the world. Some ethanol spokespeople have cheered the publication of this report as if it hails some breakthrough in the acceptance of ethanol fuel. It doesn't; it's a giant step backwards, subordinating ethanol to energy concepts that are (as I've stated above) third or fourth rate solutions. The entire narrative text of the "Select Committee" plan runs about 200 pages. By my count, the word "ethanol" is used only 6 times (if I missed one or two or five occasions I apologize on behalf of the word-find feature in my MS Word program). If the average page in this report contained only 300 words, that means there are 60,000 words in the report. So the word "ethanol" occupies only one hundredth of one percent (.001%) of the words in the report. By comparison, the word "electric" ("electricity") is used dozens and dozens of times (I stopped counting after 100). To paraphrase and update an old adage, this plan is thousands of days late and billions of dollars short in supporting the one viable solution (ethanol) to lowering pollution, health risks, energy dependency, and AGW climate change - if it truly exists. The only thing this plan will do to ethanol fuel is to keep putting it on the back burner. In the relative blink of an eye, we will be decades down the road from where we are now, still talking about the promise of electric cars and the elimination of petroleum oil fuels (and all their poison) while still allowing ignorant politicians and media talking heads to misrepresent the qualities and benefits of ethanol. The first step is to educate the public while banning the use of all petroleum oil fuels. All engine fuels should be produced from true non-crude oil/coal renewable sources. Solar and wind power will be part of the overall energy equation, as supplemental sources of energy. If future technology turns solar cells and wind turbines into super energy producers, great, we'll put them to greater use when that day comes. The following editorials and essays elaborate on the information and points I've presented in the above paragraphs: Debunking the Myth of Man-Made Global Warming What Coronavirus Teaches Us About Climate Change Climate Change Alarmism is No Friend to Ethanol Tough Times Require Tough Resolute Action PLANET OF THE HUMANS - A Film Review Ethanol is the SAVIOR of the Oil Industry, Convenience Store Industry, Automotive Supply Chain Industry and Much More! Electric Vehicles Solution or Diversion? Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko have agreed to meet in Moscow, the Kremlin revealed on August 30. Lukashenko, who has been surrounded by controversies ever since Presidential elections took place in Belarus, had previously asked for Putins support to control the unrest in his nation. Complying to his request Putin had, on August 26, vowed military support to the embattled leader. "It was agreed to hold a meeting in Moscow in coming weeks, the Kremlin said in a statement. According to international media reports, the two leaders haven't met since the anti-government protests began earlier this month. However, in a phone call made on August 30, the two leaders agreed on strengthing bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in various fields. Read: Lukashenko Rules Out Dialogue With Oppn Protesters Read: Poland Refutes Belarus President Lukashenko's Accusation Amid Rising Tensions Unrest in Belarus Lukashenko on August 10 secured a record sixth term as the country's president after the authorities announced the preliminary results in which the 65-year-old former Soviet Army member allegedly secured over 80 percent of the total votes polled. Opposition leaders, including the main challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, denounced the result, calling it a rigged election. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the country for Lithuania on August 11, fearing that she or her family could be harmed. The 37-year-old leader has been issuing video statements from Lithuania, demanding Belarusian authorities to accept their wrongdoings and to join hands with the opposition in order to evade punishment in the future. The European Union and the United States have also expressed concerns over the recent developments in Belarus and have called on Lukashenko to respect the rights of the Belarusian people. Read: Belarus President Lukashenko Brings Teenage Son To Frontline As Protests Intensify Meanwhile, Putin on August 27 reportedly vowed military support for embattled Belarusian leader Lukashenko. While Putins remarks were the strongest signal that Russia is prepared to use force if needed in Belarus, it was also noted that the military wont be deployed unless the unrest there spun out of control. Read: Poland Refutes Belarus President Lukashenko's Accusation Amid Rising Tensions ICHIKAWA, Japan - Ninety-one year-old Hiroko Tsukamoto washes her hands seven times a day, and disinfects them before every meal. She watches the news attentively, tracking every twist and turn of Japan's battle against the coronavirus pandemic. "I can't wait for all of this to be over. The sooner the better," said Tsukamoto, who moved into a residential care home just outside Tokyo a month ago. Japan has the world's oldest population, with an average age of 47 and a life expectancy of more than 81 years. More than 28 percent of its people are over the age of 65, ahead of Italy in second place with 23 percent, and compared with 16 percent of Americans. It could have been sitting on a coronavirus disaster, with the pandemic hitting seniors particularly hard, especially those in group facilities. But Japan has recorded 1,225 deaths from covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, compared with nearly 180,000 in the United States. In Japan, 14 percent of the deaths were in eldercare facilities. That is compared with more than 40 percent in the United States, despite a lower proportion of U.S. seniors living in nursing homes. Fewer than 1 percent of Americans live in nursing facilities, compared with 1.7 percent in Japan. The disasters that unfolded in nursing homes in the United States and Western Europe during the pandemic have exposed the neglect and underfunding that have bedeviled elderly care in much of the West. Japan's more positive experience may offer important lessons for the entire industry as it reviews policies and protocols for the next possible world health crisis. The contrast is partly because Japan reacted more quickly than Western nations to developments in nearby China, and swiftly tightened controls on staff and visitors at its eldercare homes, said Reiko Hayashi, deputy director general of the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. But culture also appeared to play an important role: Experts point to a higher priority given to elderly care within society, stronger measures already in place at care homes to prevent infections and high standards of hygiene. "Japan's elderly care facilities have taken great care in protecting the elderly, not just from this virus but from norovirus, influenza and other germs," said Kayoko Hayakawa, an infectious-disease specialist at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGHM). "Day-to-day precautions were already in place." At the Cross Heart home in Kawasaki, south of Tokyo, controls were tightened in early February as caregivers watched with alarm the unfolding crisis in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Staff and visitors disinfect their hands, take their temperatures and fill in forms about their recent medical history before they enter the spotlessly clean cafe and administration facilities on the ground floor. Access to the second floor, where residents live, is very closely controlled, with even close family members excluded - except in cases where a patient is near death, when one or two close relatives are allowed to visit. "Because we work in this type of facility every day, we are always aware of the risks of norovirus or influenza, and we became conscious of the impact of coronavirus pretty early on," said chief caregiver Chihiro Kasuya, speaking in mid-March, when a Washington Post team visited the center. "The very basic principle of elderly care is washing your hands at each step of your work: Take care of someone, wash your hands, do another job, wash your hands. But now it is even more thorough." Perhaps surprisingly, staffers don't usually wear face masks. It makes it harder to communicate with elderly patients who may be suffering from dementia, explained the home's manager, Masayuki Mori. Instead, the idea is to keep the infection out in the first place. It's a similar story at Tsukamoto's home - the Life & Senior House Ichikawa, run by Haseko Senior Holdings, where manager Takao Furusawa says he owes a huge debt of gratitude to staff who have basically put their own lives on hold so they don't bring the virus in. "They have hardly been anywhere else except here, and just commute between their homes and work," he said. "They have taken their responsibility very seriously. That's humbling to me." In Japanese tradition, the job of caring for the elderly would fall on the eldest son's wife, and there was social stigma around the idea of placing relatives in a nursing home. That changed after the introduction of long-term care insurance in 2000, with a tax levied on everyone over the age of 40 to pay for elderly care. But there is still a level of expectation within society that elderly people should not be neglected, and that care homes should be carefully regulated. In the United States, even before the coronavirus pandemic, about 4 in 10 nursing homes were cited for infection control violations, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office, and around 380,000 residents died of infections each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Japan's nursing homes are not without staffing problems, and controls were far from perfect when the coronavirus struck. More than 100 clusters of cases have been identified at elderly facilities, the Health Ministry says, and a wave of infections almost overwhelmed the system in April. At one home in the northern city of Sapporo, 71 residents of a single home were infected with the virus and 12 died; infected people were not hospitalized, but left to be cared for in the home. City authorities, who had promised support, sent just one doctor, according to a report by broadcaster NHK. In addition, most of the home's staff were sent home to be quarantined because they had been in "close contact" with infected patients - leaving just a handful to cope with both sick and uninfected residents. Although Japan has experienced more coronavirus deaths per capita than many countries in the region, it has recorded far fewer deaths than many Western nations. Better protections for the elderly helped, but one key reason is that Japanese people have significantly lower rates of obesity than Westerners, according to a study by NCGHM. "We tend to have less diabetes, less obesity, and these kind of risk factors seem to be heavily related to the severity of the disease," Hayakawa said. The tight controls implemented by Japan's eldercare centers also came at a cost, said Seiko Adachi, a senior executive at Shinko Fukushikai, the company that runs the home in Kawasaki and many others. "It is causing isolation, and for some people a worsening of their dementia," she said, explaining that not all the elderly understand why their family members are suddenly staying away. Staff at both homes do help residents connect with relatives via video links, but it's not the same. Tsukamoto had been looking forward to decorating her new room at the residential home with her daughter. "She's really good at that," she said. "I feel very lonely." Mealtimes are no fun either, since the home has spaced residents out in the dining room. "It's really no fun to eat by myself, whatever I eat," she said. "There was a moment during mealtimes when I thought it got too noisy. But now, I really miss that." UN extends peacekeeping mission in Lebanon by one year, but decreases troops Iran Press TV Saturday, 29 August 2020 9:02 AM The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously approved a resolution to renew the mandate of UN peacekeeping forces stationed along Lebanon's southern border with the Israeli-occupied territories, but has reduced troop capacity there. On Friday, the council accepted the French-drafted resolution to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) by one year; however it decreased the mission's troop ceiling from 15,000 to 13,000. The force is currently made up of only around 10,500 troops, and the change will likely have little effect on the ground. The resolution also calls on the Lebanese government to grant UNIFIL investigators "prompt and full access" to sites that it wants to investigate, including potential tunnels from Lebanon into occupied lands. It further urges UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to coordinate with Lebanon and troop-contributing countries within 60 days on a plan for implementing recommendations he made to improve UNIFIL's performance. The renewal of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon came after weeks of tough negotiations. Lebanese officials had been demanding extension of UNIFIL's mandate, which expires on August 31, without any changes, and had been working with some members of the Security Council to maintain the mandate as it is. The UNIFIL has been stationed at Lebanon's southern border since 1978, during the country's civil war, and was beefed up following Israel's 33-day war on Lebanon in the summer of 2006. Since US President Donald Trump took office, his administration has been pushing for changes to the mission's mandate, alleging it has failed to implement UNSC Resolution 1701, which brokered a ceasefire to the Israeli military onslaught against Lebanon. Lebanese authorities and officials from Hezbollah resistance movement, for their part, have long criticized UNIFIL for failing to stop near-daily Israeli infringements on Lebanese sovereignty via air, sea and land. The efficacy of the UN peacekeeping force has come into further question after Israeli forces twice shelled Lebanese border areas recently. Tensions have been running high between Israel and Hezbollah since July 20, when Tel Aviv killed Hezbollah member Ali Kamel Mohsen in an airstrike on Syria. The Israeli military has placed its forces near the Lebanese and Syrian borders on high alert after Hezbollah promised retaliation. Israeli forces shelled the Lebanese village of Habaria on July 27 to stop an alleged Hezbollah offensive, but the Lebanese movement dismissed the allegation, calling it the result of tension and confusion among Israeli forces. After the incident, UNIFIL pledged to undertake an investigation into what happened. But a diplomatic source said "there were no conclusive findings and nothing really happened." Israel bombed Hezbollah-aligned NGO Green Without Borders on Tuesday. According to its blog, the Lebanese non-governmental organization plants trees, creates public parks, and fights forest fires. Earlier this month, a leading US news website said the recent developments have "shed light on Israel's impossible situation" along the Lebanese border. According to Business Insider, Hezbollah has established a high level of deterrence in southern Lebanon, where as many as "150,000 rockets and missiles" are pointed at Israel. The movement can pour dozens if not hundreds of rockets into Israel throughout the northern third of the occupied territories "almost unimpeded," said Business Insider. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address To protect lives and property at Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stations, pump attendants have been sensitised on international best practices, which makes it an offence to employ unskilled persons to work at the pumps. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks to train all LPG pump attendants across the country to enable them to understand all regulatory requirements. Mr John Alexis Pwamang, the EPA Executive Director, at the end of the fourth batch of training in the Greater Accra Region, said some of the requirements were the positioning of facilities, car parks, maintaining the right distance between the station and the gas container, and adhering to temperature gauges and safety measures within the vending premises. The EPA will not tolerate any company that will go contrary to conditions specified in their licences. Any company that falls short will be shut down until the required provisions are put in place, he said. We will also certify those we train and have them display their certificates to indicate their participation in our training programmes. After the training it will be a requirement for the renewal of operational licenses. Mr Pwamang said the Agency was collaborating with the National Petroleum Authority, the Ghana National Fire Service and the operators in the industry through their national and regional associations to ensure that human errors associated with gas explosions were eliminated. Mr William Hayfron-Acquah, the EPA Acting Director in charge of Field Operations, said the Agency had scaled up efforts to license pump attendants as part of a national process to inject professionalism into the sector. He explained that the regime where LPG dealers employed unskilled personnel to operate the gas was over, adding; attendants must go through Environmental Safety and Best Practices Training (ESBPT)". The ESBPT syllabus is divided into phases, which involves theoretical classroom and practical field training leading to the award of an initial certificate of participation, after which the attendants would be monitored for adherence to best practices. He said they would again go through another theoretical classroom and practical field training at the end of which they would be licensed to operate as certified professional LPG pump attendants. He said the training would also target owners, dealers, and station supervisors to ensure that "we adhere to international best practices in our operations in the country." Mr Hayfron-Acquah said EPA was not only interested in the training but had set up mechanisms to monitor compliance to ensure stakeholders understood the industry functionalities in order to operate efficiently. He, therefore, called on all actors including regulators, investors, dealers, attendants, and consumers to work together to reduce the hazards associated with the usage of LPG. The EPA was collaborating with other technical partners such as the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana LPG Operators Association, Department of Factories Inspectorate and National Petroleum Authority to build a team to help with the training, Mr Hayfron-Acquah said. He called on the LPG Marketing Companies Association and other stakeholders to ensure full participation in the programme to help protect their investments. 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 Lori Van Buren/Times Union The Albany County Legislature passed Local Law B, the Clean Air bill by a 32-7 vote. They did the right thing. I was so impressed with their comments and understanding that their constituents do not want to become the incineration Capital of New York. Now we need County Executive Daniel McCoy to sign the bill. The bill limits additional pollution by banning industrial waste burning, including the planned burning of millions of tires each year at the LafargeHolcim cement plant in Ravena and toxic firefighting foam at Norlite in Cohoes. We know particulate matter in the air affects people who are afflicted with asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses, in particular in this time of COVID-19. Players in the creative arts complain about neglect by governments until elections but the truth is that, some of them also benefit during those times although some have also suffered for doing so. It is perhaps in light of the consequences that the celebrities are now asking for money first before going public. Earlier this year, Hiplife musician, Wisa Greid told Graphic Showbiz that although he campaigned for free for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 elections, he wouldnt do so this time round. Actress Vicky Zugah is also singing the same song. According to her, she would only be willing to campaign for any political party if she got a good offer financially. By campaigning for a political party, you are creating enemies for yourself because you dont know which political parties your fans belong to. You can lose all your fans but that wont be my problem if the money is good. Money is everything now and If any political party offers me a good amount, I will publicly come out to endorse that party, she told Graphic Showbiz in an interview. Vicky Zugah explained that politicians could not be trusted because they promised all sort of things just to come to power and then they delivered virtually nothing. Check the history, none of the political parties has been able to fulfill at least 80 per cent of its promises when they come to power. They will say everything to convince you to vote for them and disappoint you at the end. Gone are the days when I looked into the campaign messages of political parties before voting for them but I have now realised they all tell the same lies, she said. Vicky advised the youth not to kill themselves for a political party simply because they had been offered something good. I want to tell the youth to desist from engaging in any sort of riots during this election. If you are paid to create any form of commotion, have it at the back of your mind that you have a family. When you die, the politician will always get the next person to do the job he offered you, she said. Away from politics, Vicky Zugah revealed that she would be starting her own show on UTV titled Red Light from Thursday, September 3. According to Vicky, there were a lot of relationship issues that Ghanaians wanted answers to and she wanted to use the opportunity to bring in experts to answer those questions. She explained that the show will deal with sex, relationships and everything that has to do with matters of the heart. Vicky Zugah is one celebrity who has not been shy to talk about love, sex and relationships detailing her preference for anal sex to the kind of man she wants to settle down with. It is expected that she will add a personal touch to the Red Light show and viewers can expect a controversial, no-holds barred show. 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 Kathmandu, Aug 30 : Nepal has reported over 200 coronavirus deaths as the fatalities from the pandemic doubled in just two weeks, the Ministry of Health and Population said. Even though the fatality rate was low compared to infections in the earlier months, there has been a surge in the number of deaths in recent weeks as the virus continued to spread among communities, reports Xinhua news agency. Covid-19 deaths had crossed the 100 mark on August 15. "The current death toll has reached 207 with 12 deaths in the last 24 hours," Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson at the Ministry, told reporters on Saturday. The Himalayan nation reported 12 deaths on Friday and Saturday, the record high single-day fatalities. On May 16, Nepal reported the first coronavirus death -- a 29-year-old woman. Until July 21 since the first death, Nepal reported a total of 40 fatalities. But, after the lockdown was lifted on July 22 which allowed almost all economic and social activities to operate, the death toll also started to climb rapidly along with the resurgence in cases. Along with deaths, the number of infected patients in critical condition is also on the rise. As of Saturday, 175 patients were in intensive care units while 22 others have been kept with the support of ventilators, according to the Health Ministry. Meanwhile, the Mnistry reported new 884 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the overall nationwide caseload to 37,340. At least 50 University of Chicago student organizers and other community members rallied in front of the university presidents house Saturday afternoon before marching on the South Side as part of ongoing efforts to persuade university leaders to defund, and eventually abolish, the schools private police force. Standing along East 59th Street at South University Avenue about 3:30 p.m., Madeline Wright, a student organizer, told members of the crowd to look at fellow students to their left and right. Those are who keeps you safe, Wright said through a megaphone. We keep us safe. Were going to fight to abolish this (expletive) system, not reform it, because its doing exactly what its intended to do. And were also going to focus on transforming our communities to serve people, to serve us. Those rallying demanded school leaders disclose the universitys police budget -- and then cut it in half. The student group additionally wants the university to disband its police force by 2022 and redistribute the remaining funding to support students of color and ethnic studies. When asked for comment, a university spokesman referred to an Aug. 12 message from President Robert Zimmer and Provost Ka Yee Lee, who said they believe its necessary to examine public safety and how policing can be improved. The message also said, The University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) provides a vital service in helping to keep safe and support our campus and surrounding communities a mission that the University has undertaken with the encouragement of community leaders and in accordance with Chicago City Ordinance. That role will continue. Members of student groups UChicago United and Care Not Cops as well as the activist organizations Black Lives Matter Chicago and Good Kids Mad City were at the protest. Im angry because the University of Chicago, you know, the one that loves buzzwords like diversity and inclusion, that puts Black kids on their postcards, is the same university that owns and operates one of the largest private police forces in the country, Wright said. The crowd shouted back, That aint right. Chioma Nwoye agreed that the university has not lived up to its promises to confront racism. As a Black student, I would say UCPD doesnt make me feel safe at all, Nwoye said. What makes me feel safe is my sense of community that Ive built here with other students of color, with other organizers. Speakers pointed to the 2018 shooting of fourth-year student Charles Thomas as an example of school police failing to protect the community. Thomas was in the midst of a mental health crisis in the 5300 block of South Kimbark Avenue when a university officer fired a shot and wounded his shoulder as he advanced with a stake in his hand, officials have said. Alicia Hurtado, another student organizer, said university police also racially profiled Black students and neighbors and upheld what she said was the universitys history of gentrifying Hyde Park and surrounding neighborhoods. While some may say we need the University of Chicago Police Department to keep us safe theyre not, Hurtado said. Safety shouldnt come at the expense of another person and of another group. And were here as students to demand of our university to do the right thing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 19:39:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANOI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are expected to hold a meeting in October on preparation work for the deal's signing within this year, a Vietnamese official said Sunday. Speaking at a press conference of the just concluded 52nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers' (AEM) Meeting and related meetings, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said signing the RCEP by the end of this year was prioritized by the AEM. The meeting scheduled for October will continue to evaluate and review the preparing works for the RCEP's signing, before reporting to the 37th ASEAN Summit in November, and is believed to bring updated and supplemented information, Anh said. He said when attending the eighth RCEP Ministerial Meeting via video conference Thursday, economic ministers from the RCEP countries had careful discussions and exchanges on orientations to solve the remaining issues in finalizing the RCEP negotiation and preparing for its signing within this year. "It can be said that most remaining issues related to work contents and conclusion of the RCEP negotiation have achieved very positive results," Anh said. The ministers also delivered specific directions regarding legal review issues, the continuation of internal process implementation, and promoting the completion of preparation work for the RCEP's signing by the end of this year while facilitating India to continue to join the signing process, he said. He said the RCEP has been always among the priorities in Vietnam's integration strategy and is identified as one of the 13 priority goals in Vietnam's ASEAN Chairmanship 2020. At the press conference, Anh also spoke highly of the achievements reached by the ASEAN and China regarding their relations, noting that the two sides have long term plans and programs to continue to promote trade exchanges and open markets. He also said the ASEAN and China are committed to enhancing cooperation in important fields, especially in imperative fields in the context of COVID-19 and those with regard to vaccine production and distribution. Enditem Italian coastguard evacuated 49 people but almost 400 others rescued in the Mediterranean are still waiting. Nearly 400 refugees and migrants remained stranded in the central Mediterranean after an overcrowded rescue vessel was emptied of all the rescued people on Saturday. The German-flagged Louise Michel, sponsored by British street artist Banksy, made a mayday call late on Friday after rescuing more than 200 people, saying the 31-metre (101-foot) ship had become overcrowded and unable to move. The crew said some of the survivors had fuel burns and had been at sea for days, and one of the boats the Louise Michel helped had at least one dead person on board. The survivors later said three people had died at sea before the arrival of the Louise Michel. Over the course of Saturday, 49 survivors were picked up from the Louise Michel by the Italian coastguard and taken to the island of Lampedusa. Given the danger of the situation, the coastguard sent a patrol boat to Lampedusa which took in 49 people deemed the most fragile, including 32 women, 13 children and four men, the coastguard said in a statement. The remaining survivors were transferred on Saturday to another charity vessel, the German-flagged Sea-Watch 4, jointly operated by the NGOs Sea Watch and Doctors Without Borders (MSF). LouiseMichel no longer has guests onboard, but the struggle of the survivors is not over, a Twitter account for the rescue ship said on Sunday. Europe! SOLAS [international treaty on safety of life at sea] obliges you to rescue at sea. Open your ports now! The Sea-Watch 4, which has a clinic on board and is itself in search of a host port, sailed for almost 12 hours to help the Louise Michel. The Sea-Watch 4 now has 353 rescued people, while another 27 are still on the Maersk Etienne, a Danish tanker that rescued them on August 4 after a call for assistance from the small boat they were on. Were providing an emergency response where the states are failing and now were stranded at sea. We are being penalised for filing the gap that the EU governments have left at the worlds deadliest maritime border, Hannah Wallace Bowman, MSFs field communications manager on board the Sea-Watch 4, told Al Jazeera. The crew and survivors on board the Sea-Watch 4 are totally exhausted. Some of the people who we rescued have been on board since last Saturday, more than seven days ago. Update! There are more than 350 survivors on board #SeaWatch4, including pregnant women & children. For those most recently embarked, medical assessment is ongoing, with the clinic full & #MSF medics treating people for fuel burns, dehydration, hypothermia & traumatic injuries. pic.twitter.com/LGfMX2pDWU MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) August 29, 2020 Immediate disembarkation The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) jointly called for the immediate disembarkation of all survivors still at sea. EU countries inability to agree who should take them in is not an excuse to deny vulnerable people a port of safety and the assistance they need, as required under international law, they said. The Mediterranean route is described by the UNHCR as the most dangerous migration route in the world one in six people who departs the shores of North Africa dies. Since 2014, more than 20,000 refugees and migrants have died at sea while trying to reach Europe from Africa, fleeing conflict, repression and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. The reality is far worse than what the figure suggests, officials and analysts have warned, as the bodies of those who do not survive are not always recovered, identified and counted. Standoffs over refugees and migrants rescued in the central Mediterranean have been playing out for years, with the southern European counties of Italy and Malta usually reluctant to welcome them. The two countries have long said they are disproportionately affected by Europe-bound sea migration from North Africa, and that there is insufficient burden-sharing across the European Union. Everyone is welcome in Roma High School teacher Taylor Lifka's advanced English class, and that's the message she was trying to convey by hanging Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ and Spanish posters in her virtual classroom. But instead, she sparked controversy and was put on administrative leave. My assistant principal told me, Please take the posters down. I guess once that happened, I knew that it might be a rocky road, but considering being put on leave? I never really thought that that was going to be their first step, Lifka said in an interview with The Texas Tribune. SCHOOL NEWS: Two Texas A&M sororities now under chapter-wide quarantine after COVID-19 exposure While thousands of parents, students and community members showed Lifka tons of support and bashed the district for "punishing her," even creating a Change.org petition in her honor, Roma school officials said several parents and community members filed complaints about the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ posters, the Tribune reported. Lifka said the situation kind of got out of hand when a screenshot of her virtual classroom that she posted to her personal account was shared to a pro-Trump Facebook group and further instigated by Republican Marian Knowlton, who is running for the District 31 state House seat. Knowlton has since deleted the post, but the Tribune reported that she accused the education system of "radicalizing" students and said Lifka's posters were an example of leftist indoctrination." Just two days after being placed on leave, Lifka was reinstated and told she could keep the posters up, but she told the Tribune she doesn't plan to return until the district vows to show support and understanding for anti-racist policies and tolerance in classrooms. "Why should a teacher be punished for creating a safe and inclusive environment for her students?" the Roma High School Student Council, which Lifka advises, said in a Facebook-released statement. Latino Communities in Santa Ana, Anaheim Hit Hard by COVIDBut Help Is on the Way ANAHEIM, Calif.Maritza Bermudez, who works at the nonprofit Latino Health Access clinic in Anaheim, California, pointed to the homes behind the clinic and told The Epoch Times, Its a very high density area, low income, and its been very hit with COVID-19. Theres been a couple of deaths on that street. Latino Health Access is a nonprofit organization with facilities in Anaheim and Santa Ana helping the Latino community, which has its unique challenges in the fight against the disease. Professors at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health reported Aug. 27 that COVID-19 deaths among working-age Latinos in California have increased nearly five-fold in the past three months. Among cities in Orange County, Santa Ana has the most casesmore than 9,300 as of Aug. 29followed by Anaheim, at over 8,200. Santa Ana is more than 75 percent Latino, while Anaheim is about 55 percent. Bermudezs site provides free COVID testing, but even with its proximity to the Latino community that needs it, she said many barriers still prevent that community from accessing the help. A free, drive-through COVID-19 testing site operated by the nonprofit Latino Health Access at St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church on La Palma Ave. in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 25, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Teledentist Parsia Jahanbani hands COVID-testing swabs to medical personnel at a free clinic operated by Latino Health Access in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 25, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) The Barriers If you have COVID, quite often they dont tell anybody, like they just tough it out, she said. They dont want to tell anybody about it. [Some of them are] the breadwinners bringing the income to the home. She said people are living in close quarters, with multi-generational households squeezed into small homes. Theyre not looking for services. They dont usually have a medical provider; they dont have insurance, Bermudez said. Some are worried about giving their information for contact tracing out of fear the information will be shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leading to deportation. Without identification, many also think theyll be denied testing. The Support The Santa Ana City Council approved $28.6 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding earlier this month to provide testing and outreach in the city. The Santa Ana CARES Mobile Resource Center was established with that funding and launched on Aug. 26. About 50 percent of Santa Ana residents dont have personal vehicles and 20 percent dont have internet access, according to Santa Ana CARES. That makes it difficult to get to testing sites, or access information about testing and other resources. So the mobile resource center brings help to them. Orange County Supervisors Andrew Do and Doug Chaffee began the Latino Health Equity Initiative in Santa Ana and Anaheim on June 30 to address COVID spread in those communities. Its overseen by Latino Health Access, which has provided outreach on various health issues since 1993. It uses a squad of promotores, or promoters, to connect the Latino community with the resources it needs. The promotores are part of the community, so they are trusted and as a result, might get the information out more easily, while government agencies might inspire mistrust. They range in age from 6 to 76, according to the organizations website. The Promotores Veronica Mondrago also works at Latino Health Accesss site at the St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church in Anaheim. The promotores do a really good job in establishing a relationship with the people, she told The Epoch Times. This is confidential, you know. It has nothing to do with immigration; it has nothing to do with whether you have papers. It is for the safety of the community, for the safety of your family, so that people can open up. Regarding collecting information for contact tracing, she said its kept confidential and only used to reach out to people if they have come in contact with someone with COVID-19. Sometimes, we find out that people, they dont just need tests, she said. They need resources, they need food, they need a place to stay, because they dont have a safe place to quarantine in their home. So we have been helping with those resources. Care Coordinator Haidee Hernandez helps register two walk-in patients for COVID-19 testing at a free testing center operated by Latino Health Access in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 25, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Bermudez said, Its also about shedding light on the big issues about affordable housing. How many people would be spared from getting COVID, just because they [would] have a home for themselves, versus being everybody coming into your home living in a two-bedroom or one-bedroom? she added. New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led governments flagship Char Dham all-weather road project that seeks to widen road connectivity in Uttarakhand has come under spotlight once again. The Supreme Court constituted high-powered committee (HPC), which is reviewing ecological concerns related to the project activities, recently submitted its report to the apex court. Further, HPC chairman Ravi Chopra also wrote a letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change detailing alleged lapses in compliance of forest rules and wildlife laws. The Char Dham Highway project involves widening of 900 kilometers of national highways connecting the four holy Hindu pilgrimage sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri at an estimated cost of over Rs 12,000 crore. As part of the project, roads will be widened from 10m to 24m. The project also involves construction of tunnels, bypasses, bridges, subways and viaducts. The HPC chairman Ravi Chopra, former director of Peoples Science Institute, Dehradun, speaks to News18 about the alleged procedural lapses and ecological concerns related to the Char Dham project as well as the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zonal Master Plan which will regulate developmental works in the fragile 100-km stretch between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi town. You recently wrote to the union environment and forest secretary on violations of forest and wildlife laws in the Chardham all-weather road project. What did the high-powered committee see during their ground visit? When we were on our field tours, we noticed that on NH-125 Tanakpur to Pithoragarh and also on NH-58 bet Karnprayag and Helang, at a lot of places muck was dumped down the slopes. It did not appear to us that these were authorised muck dumping sites, so we started asking questions and the DFO (Divisional Forest Officer) was with us on the tour through the district. The answers we got were that they were also unhappy about this happening because it was leading to loss of forest cover, endangering habitations downhill. In fact, the DFO, Chamoli, had fined the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the implementing agency. The committee looked into the matter further and found that there had been non-compliance of procedures in permitting non-forest activities. The scope of work had changed but the project authorities were using old clearances. These clearances were granted to Border Roads Organisation many years ago to widen NH-125 and NH-58. The current plan involves further widening of roads and is being executed by the Public Works Department and the NHIDCL. Earlier very little hill cutting and muck generation was to happen but now the muck generated was huge and they had no place to put it because they had not sought permissions. So they have dumped it at many unauthorised locations and this has been confirmed with the help of satellite imagery. They used the old clearances given to BRO, which is not permitted by law. The rules of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, do not permit it unless the scope of work remains same. At some places they have cut up to 24 metres width, which is the right of way. What prompted you to say in your letter that it is as if there is no rule of law? We checked many details and the DFOs said they had been threatened and warned. In one of the documents, the Uttarakhand State Forest Department wrote to the project proponent that Since Chardham project is related to the ambitious plan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and considering the importance of project, tree felling in above listed 1-6 matters is completed without having any compliance report. Though without complying of in-principle approval such act is, in fact, in clear violation of the conditions of Government of India. We found several such procedural lapses which appear to us to be very serious violations. But since we did not have time to carry out a full investigation, we did not include them in our full report to the Supreme Court. However, the committee felt that these details should be forwarded to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with a request for them to investigate this matter and inform us of the outcome. How will the project work affect the hill and rivers ecology of the region? There are direct and indirect impacts. During the road construction process, even though the rules say you cannot dump any muck or debris into the river, very often it is done. Sometimes it is done as a result of a crisis situation such as landslide and they push the debris down into the river to clear the roads for the traffic. Sometimes it happens because the retaining wall is not strong. Now, when the muck and debris enter the river its turbidity increases. Several organisms that dwell on the bed of the river or flow with the water, including autotrophs, they convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and emit oxygen. They cannot carry out photosynthesis reaction and it affects the dissolved oxygen content, this is an example of a direct impact. Indirect impact is that when you are cutting such large scale forests in hills, there are studies that suggest say that the special purification capacity of the Ganga is probably due to the vegetative matter and debris that rolls into the river from the slopes. Once the slopes are rendered barren, you are reducing the amount of material that is probably a major source of the special property of the Ganga. On a separate but important matter for Uttarakhand, the government recently finalised the master plan to govern the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi. As a member of the NGT-appointed Experts Committee and the SC appointed Scrutiny Committee, what are your chief reservations about this plan? The basic guiding principle enunciated in the gazette notification of 2012 was that the zonal master plan (ZMP) be prepared in close consultation with the local people, especially the women. In fact, the Chief Secretary had directed the district magistrate of Uttarkashi to carry out such consultations. There were only token consultations. It remains a compilation of departmental proposal based on current schemes. It remains similar to the October 2016 ZMP with selective inclusion of the comments and suggestions made by the committee members. The Experts Committee members did not sign the document submitted by the state government. The ZMP that was discussed with us, it lacked a practical focus towards its basic objectives of ensuring ecological and livelihood security in the eco-sensitive zone. Has the state government failed to represent the concerns on the ground in the ZMP? Yes, many things are missing. The Uttarakhand government, Niti Aayog, have been talking of the drying up of springs. There is no data on the number of springs and streams in the BESZ which have dried up or are in a critical stage. There is nothing that discusses how these will be revived despite the advice of the experts. Their revival is absolutely critical for the well being of the river. Because, a large part of the annual flows in the river comes from base flows and recharge from the rainwater rather than the melting of the glaciers. The only significant change they made was dropping of nine small hydropower projects which was something that was emphasised repeatedly by the members of the Experts committee appointed to help in drafting of the zonal master plan. These projects are prohibited by the BESZ notification of December 2012. Even in the April 2018 notification of amendments, that clause was retained. The central government refused to permit such small hydropower projects. So the state government had no choice but to drop the projects. Last month I noted that Lord Hanningfield, the former Tory leader of Essex Council, has edged a step further towards being an active member of the House of Lords by tabling a written question, his first since he appeared in court charged with fiddling his expenses in February 2010. This follows the tentative first step he took last month, by saying something during a committee meeting. He still has not contributed anything to any debate in the main House of Lords chamber. Meanwhile, the latest figures reveal that he claimed 4,800 attendance allowance in June this year. That brought his total claims in the first 15 months, since he came back from doing a spell in jail, to 45,600. That is not to mention hundreds of pounds worth of expenses. Peers are entitled to 300 a day just for turning up, even if they do not say or do anything, and no matter how much it embarrasses other peers to see someone who has been caught fiddling the system back there making use of the facilities. That sum, which averages more than 3,000 a month, is tax-free. When asked about it by a local journalist, Lord Hanningfield replied: It is not a great amount of money. Cameron gets heavy Two major feeds on Twitter are must-follows for devotees of heavy metal: Download Festival, for what claims to be the greatest festival in the world, at Donington Park, Leicestershire; and Sonisphere, the site for a touring festival whose 2014 berth will be Knebworth. Both are followed by David Cameron. So is that what the PM does in his spare moments: turn to Twitter to find out where Alice in Chains are appearing on a Saturday night? Thanks but no thanks How kind of Michael Ashcroft to offer to replace Tom Newton Dunn on the late-night paper review on Sky News this week, although an appearance would have kept him up late on the day before he was due to visit Gibraltar. After Lord Ashcroft made the offer, via Twitter, Sky presenter Anna Botting replied: Now, now, down boy. Paper reviewers come in pairs. Newton Dunn was appearing in tandem with Rowenna Davis, a 28-year-old author. Lord Ashcroft is 67. Campbells confession I was OK at my job but not a great journalist, said Cambridge Universitys new visiting lecturer, Alastair Campbell, speaking of his time on the Mirror group, owned by Robert Maxwell. My only award was the Cudlipp Award, and given Robert Maxwell was a judge and one of the articles was about his heroic role alleviating famine in Ethiopia, I am not sure it counts. On the wrong track? The people in charge of HS2 are preparing for the controversy that will inevitably accompany the passage through Parliament of the legislation that will let them start the groundwork. They have advertised for a 50,000-a-year evidence manager, among whose duties will be to support stakeholder engagement and overarching petition minimisation strategy. I have often thought that what the rail system needs most is an overarching petition minimisation strategist. WASHINGTON>> President Donald Trump made a dizzying array of misleading claims about voting fraud and health care Monday as fellow Republicans opened their convention with speeches distorting the agenda of his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. Trump falsely asserted that he was the one who ensured that people with preexisting medical problems will be covered by health insurance; actually that was Democratic President Barack Obama. Several speakers accused Biden of proposing to defund police, ban fracking, take over health care and open borders none of that true. A look at statements at the Republican National Convention: HEALTH CARE TRUMP: We protected your preexisting conditions. Very strongly protected preexisting and you dont hear that. THE FACTS: You dont hear it because its not true. People with preexisting medical problems have health insurance protections because of Obamas health care law, which Trump is trying to dismantle. One of Trumps alternatives to Obamas law short-term health insurance, already in place doesnt have to cover preexisting conditions. Another alternative is association health plans, which are oriented to small businesses and sole proprietors and do cover preexisting conditions. Neither of the two alternatives appears to have made much difference in the market. Meanwhile, Trumps administration is pressing the Supreme Court for full repeal of the Obama-era law, including provisions that protect people with preexisting conditions from health insurance discrimination. With Obamacare still in place, preexisting conditions continue to be covered by regular individual health insurance plans. Insurers must take all applicants, regardless of medical history, and charge the same standard premiums to healthy people and those who are in poor health, or have a history of medical problems. Before the Affordable Care Act, any insurer could deny coverage or charge more to anyone with a preexisting condition who was seeking to buy an individual policy. Democratic attacks on Republican efforts to repeal the health law and weaken preexisting condition protections proved successful in the 2018 midterms, when Democrats won back control of the House. ___ VOTING FRAUD TRUMP, on mail-in voting: Absentee like in Florida absentee is good. But other than that, theyre very, very bad. THE FACTS: Hes making a false distinction. Mail-in ballots are cast in the same way as absentee mail ballots, with the same level of scrutiny such as signature verification in many states. In more than 30 states and the District of Columbia, voters have a right to no excuse absentee voting. That means they can use mail-in ballots for any reason, regardless of whether a person is out of town or working. In Florida, the Legislature in 2016 voted to change the wording of such balloting from absentee to vote-by-mail to make clear a voter can cast such ballots if they wish. So there is no absentee voting in that state, as Trump alludes to. More broadly, voter fraud has proved exceedingly rare. The Brennan Center for Justice in 2017 ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004% to 0.0009%, based on studies of past elections. Only nine states currently have plans for universal mail-in voting, where ballots are sent automatically to registered voters. Five of those states relied on mail-in ballots even before the coronavirus pandemic raised concerns about voting in person. ___ TRUMP, on the November vote count and Democrats: We have to be very, very careful and this time they are trying to do it with the whole post office scam. They will blame it on the post office. You can see them setting it up. THE FACTS: No postal scam has emerged from the Democrats. Instead Trump has given credence to suspicions that he wants to suppress mail-in voting to help his chances in the election. Hes said as much. In an interview this month, he admitted hes trying to starve the U.S. Postal Service of money in order to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worries could cost him the election. Trump explicitly noted funding provisions that Democrats are seeking in a relief package that has stalled on Capitol Hill. Without the additional money, he said, the Postal Service wont have the resources to handle a flood of ballots from voters who are seeking to avoid polling places during the coronavirus pandemic. If we dont make a deal, that means they dont get the money, Trump told Fox Business Network. That means they cant have universal mail-in voting; they just cant have it. Over the weekend, the House approved legislation that would reverse recent changes in postal operations and send $25 billion to shore up the agency before the November election, but the White House has said Trump would veto it. During a House hearing, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy acknowledged that Trumps repeated attacks on mail-in ballots are not helpful, but he denied that recent cuts were linked to the election. ___ TRUMP, on defective ballots in an election: What does defective mean? It means fraud. THE FACTS: No, defective ballots do not equate to fraud. The overwhelming majority arent. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the vast majority of ballots are disqualified because they arrive late, a particular worry this year because of recent U.S. Postal Service delays and an expected surge in mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Ballots also are deemed defective if there is a missing signature common with newer voters unfamiliar with the process or it doesnt match whats on file. In addition, some states require absentee voters to get a witness or notary to sign their ballots. None of those are fraud, said Wendy Weiser, director of Brennans democracy program at NYU School of Law. When suspected cases are investigated for potential fraud, studies have borne out the main reason for defects is voter mistake, she said. Defective ballots also disproportionately impact voters of color, and recent lawsuits have successfully challenged some requirements as posing health risks or disenfranchising voters. Earlier this year, for instance, a federal judge ruled that a South Carolina requirement to have witnesses to mail-in ballots could put voters health at risk and suspended it for the June primary. Others states including Minnesota and Rhode Island have also suspended that requirement due to the pandemic. While the rates of defective ballots are unacceptable, people should still feel confident in their votes, and they should follow-up, Weiser said. People should know these problems are being fought over and hopefully many will be mitigated and addressed before November. ___ POLICE REP. STEVE SCALISE of Louisiana on the police: Joe Biden has embraced the lefts insane mission to defund them. THE FACTS: No, Biden has explicitly rejected the call by some on the left to defund the police. He has proposed more money for police, conditioned on improvements in their practices. Bidens criminal justice agenda, released long before the protests over racial injustice, proposes more federal money for training that is needed to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths and hiring more officers to ensure that departments are racially and ethnically reflective of the populations they serve. Specifically, he calls for a $300 million infusion into federal community policing grant programs. Thats more money, not less. ___ BIDEN AGENDA NIKKI HALEY, former ambassador to the United Nations, on the Democrats: They want a government takeover of health care. They want to ban fracking and kill millions of jobs. REP. JIM JORDAN of Ohio on the Democratic agenda: Defund the police, defund border patrol and defund our military. RONNA McDANIEL, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee: You deserve to know that they would ban fracking and eliminate fossil fuels, which would kill millions of good-paying jobs and raise the cost of driving our cars and heating our homes. You deserve to know that they want a complete government takeover of our health care system, so moms like me wont be able to take our kids to the same pediatrician theyve been seeing for years. THE FACTS: Those arent Bidens positions. A number of Republican speakers seized on proposals of the Democratic left, in some cases distorting those positions, and assigned them to Biden, who doesnt share those views. He does not favor a government takeover of health care; instead he proposes building on Obamacare, which preserves the private insurance market while expanding Medicaid. He also did not endorse proposals to cease border enforcement or even to decriminalize illegal crossings. Biden supports banning only new oil and gas permits, fracking included, on federal land. But most U.S. production is on private land the U.S. Bureau of Land Management says production on federal land accounted for less than 10% of oil and gas in 2018. In a March 15 primary debate, Biden misstated his energy policy, suggesting he would allow no new fracking. His campaign quickly corrected the record. Biden has otherwise been consistent on his middle-of-the-road position, going so far as to tell an anti-fracking activist that he ought to vote for somebody else if he wanted an immediate fracking ban. ___ PANDEMIC DONALD TRUMP JR. on the coronavirus response: The president quickly took action and shut down travel from China. THE FACTS: He didnt shut down travel from China. He restricted it. Dozens of countries took similar steps to control travel from hot spots before or around the same time the U.S. did. The U.S. restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from Chinas Hong Kong and Macao territories over the past five months. The Associated Press reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in those territories entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed. Additionally, more than 27,000 Americans returned from mainland China in the first month after the restrictions took effect. U.S. officials lost track of more than 1,600 of them who were supposed to be monitored for virus exposure. Dr. Anne Schuchat, the No. 2 official at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also told The Associated Press that the federal government was slow to understand how much coronavirus was spreading from Europe, which helped drive the acceleration of outbreaks across the U.S. in late February. Trump didnt announce travel restrictions for many European countries until mid-March. ___ DONALD TRUMP JR.: The president acted quickly and ensured ventilators got to hospitals that needed them most. He delivered PP&E to our brave front-line workers. THE FACTS: No, not all hospitals and front-line workers got the ventilators and personal protective equipment they needed. States were left scrambling in the early weeks of the pandemic, while Trump scoffed at some of their requests, calling them inflated. New York acquired a shipment of 1,000 ventilators f rom the Chinese government and 140 from the state of Oregon. Massachusetts borrowed the New England Patriots jet to pick up 1 million masks from China. While California Gov. Gavin Newsom was tracking down 10,000 ventilators for his state, he got 170 broken ones from the national stockpile. And a federal shipment of 300,000 N95 masks that Illinois was supposed to receive in March turned out to be less-effective surgical masks instead, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at the time. ___ ECONOMY DONALD TRUMP JR, on his father: So if youre looking for hope, look to the man who did what the failed Obama-Biden administration never could do and built the greatest economy our country has ever seen. THE FACTS: Thats false. The economy was healthy before the coronavirus pandemic hit but not the best in U.S. history. Economic gains largely followed along the lines of an expansion that started more than a decade ago under Obama. And while posting great job and stock market numbers, Trump never managed to achieve the rates of economic growth he promised in the 2016 campaign, nor growth rates seen in the past. The Obama-Trump years yielded the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, but not the greatest, ___ McDANIEL: You deserve to know about their plans to raise taxes on 82% of Americans. THE FACTS: Thats not the plan. Biden says he wont raise taxes on anyone making under $400,000. An analysis of Bidens tax plan by the University of Pennsylvanias Penn Wharton Budget Model in March found that the bottom 90 percent of income earners would not pay more in federal income taxes under Bidens proposal. ___ TRUMP JR. on his father: Hes pledged to repeal the Trump tax cuts, which were the biggest in our country. THE FACTS: Trumps tax cuts are nowhere close to the biggest in U.S. history. Its a $1.5 trillion tax cut over 10 years. As a share of the total economy, a tax cut of that size ranks 12th, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. President Ronald Reagans 1981 cut is the biggest, followed by the 1945 rollback of taxes that financed World War II. Post-Reagan tax cuts also stand among the historically significant: President George W. Bushs cuts in the early 2000s and Obamas renewal of them a decade later. Biden has pledged to raise taxes on wealthy people and not the middle class and working class. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows argued Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that "most of Donald Trump's America is peaceful" and that the violence that the Trump campaign has so frequently highlighted as part of its "law and order" message is in "Democrat cities." Why it matters: One of the main themes of last week's Republican convention was that scenes of violent protests and crime are what America will look like under a Joe Biden administration. Biden shot back on Thursday, saying: "The violence were witnessing is happening under Donald Trump. Not me. Its getting worse, and we know why." The big picture: President Trump has made a point of connecting violent protests and riots to Democratic cities. Tensions have run especially high as Democratic mayors and officials continue to resist the help of federal law enforcement to quell protests, which have erupted in response to police brutality and racial inequality. Many Democratic leaders have accused federal law enforcement agents of escalating violence against civilians and said that they are not welcome. Meadows' comments came hours after a man was fatally shot in Portland Saturday night during clashes between supporters of President Trump and counter-protesters. He pointed out that just two days prior, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler had rejected Trump's offer for federal assistance. What he's saying: "These are people that every single night conduct violent acts, and it is in Democrat cities. You want to talk about Donald Trump's America. Most of Donald Trump's America is peaceful," Meadows said. Asked whether Trump is only in charge of the places where he has supporters, Meadows responded: "Well, he does govern and lead the entire country. ... These are local law enforcement efforts that can be supported by a federal backstop, whether it be National Guard or the FBI." "As we look in Portland, it's not Donald Trump's [district attorney] that's saying to stand down. It's not Donald Trump that is saying that we need to look the other way, it's the mayor of Portland. So let's at least have a true version of what's happening in these cities." Go deeper: Cities resist Trump's summer of security OPINION: The late actor gave life to a world we dont often get to see but desperately hope for In a crowded theatre room in Le Grand Rex located in the middle of Paris 2nd Arrondissement, we were surrounded by Black joy. Wed waited in line for a couple of hours to get in; Black Panther was debuting in Europe a few days ahead of its United States release, and while we were away on vacation celebrating my 40th birthday, wed decided to see the films international release ahead of everyone back home. It was uncharacteristically cold in Paris that year. Tufts of snow were on the ground and the air had the sort of bite that made it hard to stand still and admire the citys various landmarks. But on that night the weather didnt matter. The movie line stretched around the city block, and in it were every hue, origin, style, and expression of Blackness that Id ever seen in one setting before. Read More: Ryan Coogler reveals details on Black Panther sequel at D23 As we all clamored into Le Grand Rexs lobby, climbing the velvet steps and walking the golden promenade, everyone felt excited. No really. Everyone. Every man, woman and child around us virtually all of them Black started moving faster and faster up the stairs and into the various portals to their seat assignments. Appropriately, the crowd and the theater that we sat in, felt like they were brimming, vibrating with energy. Audience gather at Le Grand Rex theater in Paris, France for the premiere of Marvels Black Panther. (Photo: Courtesy of Tre Johnson) As we sat down and waited for the film to start, I looked down from the balcony seats we had. An entire valley of Black people spread out before and beneath us in rows and rows of laughter and excitement. All around us, I heard a cacophony of international languages; some English, some French, a host of African and Caribbean accents jittered around us. When the lights finally lowered, the credits began taking roll, the cosmos, spiritual, astral opening taking shape on the massive, silver screen to explain the origin of the Black Panther, you couldnt hear a thing over the din of cheering and chattering that started from the parting curtain drapes well into the first five minutes of the movie. Story continues In a normal movie-going experience, this wouldve driven me crazy. But this wasnt just any movie-going experience and this wasnt just any film. It was Black Panther, a film whose very presence in trailers, in posters, in full-on Blackness seemed to redefine our social media, encounters, workplaces, schools, fashion, hair, hashtags, hopes and beliefs months before the film ever made a proper appearance on-screen. (Photo: Marvel) #WakandaForever became as much about solidarity amongst us as a note of strength and defiance. Its cross-chested gesture banded across the chests of school children, graduating classes, professional groups, and Black fraternities became a unifying symbol across the Black spectrum. On the streets, in restaurants, at brunches everywhere there was us, there was that gesture. It, along with the movie, went viral in an astounding way, and felt as unique to the film as it did familiar to The Struggle. It at times seemed like a protection, a projection, a deflection, and probably most unsettling to a country between the tents of racial climate hottened again, an insurrection, too. It, like the movies titular character and settings, came to mean many things to many of us at different times. Chadwick Boseman was, of course, many things in real and filmatic life. He was a Bison, a husband, a father, a friend and an actor. Onscreen he also played Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, and James Brown all iconic Black men whose mixture of power, genius, talent and intellect made them legends within our community. Those were important roles, and ones that Boseman seemed to relish and hold with honor and respect that solidified his presence in each one. Read More: How Chadwick Boseman became an icon of Black identity HOLLYWOOD, CA JANUARY 29: Actor Chadwick Boseman attends the premiere of Disney and Marvels Black Panther at Dolby Theatre on January 29, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) We are still struggling to find venues to tell new stories, but Boseman brought a liveliness and passion to his films that not only made them feel fresh, but new and accessible for a generation of audiences kept from our histories. This is what we do though; the best of us know the importance of being a vessel for our community. It is important to remember where Chadwick Boseman and TChalla sat. By early 2018, America was post-Obama and two years into Donald Trump, a man that a month before Black Panthers release, referred to Haiti and African countries as shithole countries, who in 2017 scolded and denounced the NFLs peaceful protester players as sons of bitches, that he opined their team owners should fire, and has a persistent, dog-whistling regard for Chicago. Where there is a density of Blackness, there has been the current president, ready to diminish and dehumanize it, his only diplomatic graces surfacing when there are the nationalist rank-and-file that appear at his anemic rallies and on the streets of Charlottesville, where there are good people. 2018 was also at the height of the Black Lives Matter, the latest, necessary revolt against our besieged humanity as wed witnessed Black person after Black person visually waylaid by seeped-in racism in our police force, political process, and cultural spaces. A demonstrator standing at the Lincoln Memorial holds an American flag with BLM painted on it during a protest against police brutality and racism on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) It bears noting all of this because Black Panther arrived at a time when the chasm between Obamas heroism and Trumps villainy felt like universal forces we were caught between. As one receded, another ascended, and a ripple of need was clear for Black people to find something new to galvanize us. As the promotional roll unspooled itself, Black Panther was an antidote many of us needed. We needed not only a new story, but a new cultural hero. Boseman, as a result, was right on time; a fictional king and hero that represented a world and destiny that seemed like an ark for us to board. For many writers and creatives, the presence of Black Panther was parallel or at least part of the Obama Effect; opening up doors and imaginations across media and industries about the overlooked brilliance and talent that simmered underneath their gaze and within our ranks all along. Read More: Obama, in scathing Trump rebuke, warns democracy on the line Personally, Black Panther was my Obama, as it and he were for many writers; traditional newsrooms, staff writing rosters and editors couldnt close the proximity of this character, this story or this moment. Bleeding outside the character came the need for more Black pens, voices, perspectives, imaginations and stories. It activated within many of us the tools and opportunities to start crafting the conversations, worlds and artifacts that reflected who we have always been while pointing toward the potential of an even greater destiny. The posters and trailers and images of a unifying greeting, a community of differing Black thought, wants, politics, intellect, relationships, histories, inventions and appearances that felt wholly our own was, if you will, something to marvel. LOS ANGELES, CA FEBRUARY 17: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers puts on Marvels Black Panther mask from Chadwick Boseman during the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest at Staples Center on February 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) In his passing, he left us with something precious: boundless imagination for not only what the future beheld for him, but for many of us, too. There will hopefully be another TChalla because the importance of carrying our stories and beliefs forward means, in part, that we need to be able to see many and any of us in the role but there will never be another moment of the cultural time that Chadwick Boseman gave us that started with James Brown but ended with King TChalla, the Black Panther, something that rose higher than any of us imagined. Read More: Chadwick Boseman, Eisa Davis co-producing untitled Little Rock Nine limited series Our sense of liberation, of destiny, of greatness, lies within our ability to connect ourselves to stories across time. For Black people in particular, the act of storytelling is an important component of accessing not only the greatness that came before us, but as a reminder that as it has happened before, so be it possible to happen again. There are clues and truths to what it takes for Black people to don the elements of power to unlock our greater destinies. Get on Up, Marshall, 42 fit along the important spectrum of that clarity about both our accomplishments but also our aspirations. They also reminded us of how often there will still be the question of not only what, but if, Black excellence can thrive in the United States in a way that affords all kinds of Black people to vibrate in amazement. Boseman, as a result, was both key and king of this. The stories he inhabited about our past were the ever-important contributions toward how we construct an archive about our brilliance, but as The Black Panther, TChalla, King of Wakanda, he was the graceful, beautiful, majestic face of a world we still sometimes are only dreaming of. Chadwick Boseman played men who were real, but what was uniquely special about Black Panther is that he gave life to a Black imagination and world we dont often get to see but desperately hope for, hopefully not forever. Tre Johnson is a freelance writer on race, culture, and identity with bylines in Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Slate, New York Times, Vanity Fair, and other major publications. He is based in Philadelphia, PA. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther helped expand Black imagination appeared first on TheGrio. A 30billion tax raid on the wealthy is being planned to help pay for the massive cost of coronavirus, it was claimed last night. Treasury officials are said to be drawing up plans to target the better off, businesses and pensions to plug the gap in the nation's finances. Capital gains tax and corporation tax would both be raised in proposals reportedly set to play a central part of Rishi Sunak's Budget in November. The Chancellor is specifically understood to be looking at hiking corporation tax from 19 per cent to 24 per cent to raise 12billion next year and 17billion in 2023/24. Second-home owners would also be hit under proposals to require people to pay capital gains tax at the same rate as they pay income tax. That would involve people who own second homes and buy-to-let properties paying capital gains tax at 40 per cent or 45 per cent as opposed to the current 28 per cent when they sell the properties. But the tax moves are likely to spark a furious reaction from businesses still reeling from the impact of the pandemic and from Tory MPs in the party's heartlands. In other developments in Britain's coronavirus crisis: More than 10,000 anti-lockdown protesters who believe coronavirus is a hoax gathered for the 'Unite for Freedom' rally in the capital on Saturday; Capita the giant Government contractor that collects the BBC licence fee, runs the London congestion charge and provides other key public services is preparing to shutter more than a third of its 250 offices across Britain; Matt Hancock was slammed for 'scaremongering' talk about a second lockdown that risks 'untold damage' to businesses trying to recover from the first one; Half a trillion pounds could be wiped off the UK economy over the next four years if workers fail to return to offices, analysis for The Mail on Sunday shows; The last week of the Eat Out To Help Out scheme led to a doubling in restaurant reservations compared to the same period last year, the Treasury said; Parents and unions slammed the Government for announcing new Covid guidance for secondary schools, which will operate on a rota in local lockdowns; Covid infections are 14 per cent down on last week with 1,108 people testing positive in the last 24 hours - as the UK recorded 12 more deaths on Saturday. Capital gains tax and corporation tax would both be raised in proposals reportedly set to play a central part of Rishi Sunak's Budget in November The Office for National Statistics said the UK had been harder hit in the first half of the year than any other G7 economy - with only Spain enduring a worse downturn Treasury officials are understood to be currently making plans to 'simplify' UK inheritance tax as the Government attempts to force well-off Britons to finance its Covid bailouts Mr Sunak is set on unveiling a number of 'soak-the-rich' measures to get control of the public finances, The Sunday Times reported. A Tory ally told the newspaper: 'The political reality is that the only place you can get the money is from the better-off. The polling shows this would be popular.' SIX MILLION furloughed workers broke the rules by doing their jobs from home during lockdown: Major report finds the ban on working was 'routinely ignored' and people were 'compelled' to work by bosses Six million furloughed workers broke the rules by doing their jobs from home during lockdown, according to a major report. Almost two-thirds of the 9.4 million people whose salaries were paid by the Government worked during April and May, despite businesses being banned from claiming for employees who did so. Chancellor Rishi Sunak's 30 billion scheme, which pays 80 per cent of salaries for furloughed staff up to a maximum of 2,500 a month, was introduced to save millions of jobs. But a study by academics at Oxford, Cambridge and Zurich universities reveals widespread abuse of the furlough system. Advertisement Family businesses that live off company dividends rather than a salary could also see their taxes rise. Treasury officials are also said to be looking at slashing billions from pensions tax relief which assists higher-tax payers to save for their retirement, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Meanwhile the Chancellor is said to be conscious of the need to 'address the balance' between online retail giants like Amazon and independent High Street businesses crippled by the Government's Covid-inspired lockdown. The Treasury is looking to rectify the perceived unfairness by pressing ahead with an online sales tax. However, the proposals are opposed by business groups which fear it will leave the UK 'out of kilter' with other countries and deal a hammer blow to Britain's international competitiveness, The Sunday Telegraph reported. Last night there were reports that though no decisions had yet been made, No 10 was putting up fierce opposition to the tax-hike plans, with some officials demanding to know why reining in Whitehall departments' spending was not being considered instead. Earlier this month, Mr Sunak hinted at tax rises to pay for the massive Government borrowing that has helped fund the fightback against the pandemic but which has led to the national debt topping 2trillion for the first time. Government borrowing of over 150billion in just four months has funded emergency measures which the Chancellor said had helped support millions of jobs. In an interview, he warned that 'difficult decisions' lay ahead. He said: 'Over the medium term, we must and we will get our finances back on a sustainable footing to avoid debt soaring, and we need to be honest with people that this will require difficult decisions. 'We can't continue to provide this level of support indefinitely, so as the economy reopens and more people can return to work safely, it's right the nature of our support changes.' However, the Prime Minister has been adamant about not returning to austerity, pledging to create jobs and boost spending on major infrastructure schemes. However, Boris Johnson (pictured: with Lord Jonathan Marland at the Churchillian Award Dinner while the PM was Mayor of London) has been adamant about not returning to austerity, pledging to create jobs and boost spending on major infrastructure schemes Official figures showed GDP grew by 1.8 per cent in May, although it is still nearly a quarter lower than before the draconian coronavirus restrictions were imposed. In this chart 100 represents the size of the economy in 2016 The UK's debt pile is bigger than GDP for the first time in decades due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The chart shows that the debt-GDP ratio has been much higher in the past Pictured, graph showing debt as a percentage of gross national product from 1994 until 2020 And last night, senior Tories said Mr Sunak was now resigned to what they admitted were 'soak-the-rich' measures to attempt to regain control of nation's finances. One was quoted as saying: 'The political reality is that the only place you get the money is from the better-off.' Polling has shown this was 'popular', he added. However, the Chancellor is also reportedly targeting the foreign aid budget to find extra cash although deep cuts would involve repealing legislation that states that the UK must pay 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid. Mr Sunak ordered a review earlier this summer of how to reform capital gains. His officials are now understood to be examining plans to 'equalise' capital gains and income tax. Responding to the Treasury proposals, Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told The Sunday Telegraph: 'We'll need tax rises eventually but this budget seems unlikely to be the moment when they'll be announced, at least for 2021, because of the uncertainty over the state of the economy. 'Secondly, the scale of the deficit and the respective spending demands are such that tinkering with small tax rises isn't going to cut the mustard in the next four or five years. 'It's going to have to be real substantive change. 'The trick they need to play in this budget is to get the right level of stimulus as opposed to the reverse, whilst persuading people that they are taking seriously the need to deal with the deficit in the medium run.' The OBR's downside scenario sees unemployment rising to more than four million next year - with a rate higher than seen in the 1980s Public debt will soar as the UK reels from the coronavirus crisis, according to the watchdog's central scenario. By 2023-4 the liabilities will be 660billion higher than forecast in March Output might not return to last year's level until 2025, according to OBR estimates. Accounting for inflation, the UK will be 6 per cent poorer in 2025 in the gloomiest outcome The OBR suggested the national debt will be bigger than the whole economy in all but the most optimistic scenario A shocking longer forecast from the OBR suggests that national debt will be more than five times the size of the economy by 2070 500billion cost of ghost town Britain: Staggering hit to economy in next four years if workers stay away from office, study finds By Dan Atkinson, Financial Mail on Sunday Almost half a trillion pounds could be wiped off the UK economy over the next four years if workers fail to return to offices, analysis for The Mail on Sunday shows. Douglas McWilliams, the former chief economic adviser to the Confederation of British Industry, warns that if home working continues in its current form the economy will not return to its pre-pandemic size until 2025. That would mean 480billion of lost output, or possibly more. Home working has become controversial as firms such as PwC and Schroders unveil flexible working plans that would see most staff never return to the office full-time. Empty streets: Thousands of small businesses rely on urban centres being full of employees spending freely Today The Mail on Sunday reveals that giant Government contractor Capita, which employs 45,000 people in the UK and provides key services such as collecting the BBC licence fee, is set to close nearly 100 of its 250 UK offices. Staff will work partly from home and partly from a smaller number of local 'hubs'. McWilliams said the damage from a permanent shift to home working would be severe because the economic activity generated by commuting and socialising could not be replicated by people working from home. Thousands of small businesses from sandwich bars such as Pret a Manger, which is shedding 2,890 jobs, to pubs, newsagents and dry cleaners rely on urban centres being full of employees and professionals accustomed to spending freely during lunch breaks, on their journeys to and from work, and in the evening. Rail and bus operators will also run up huge losses if there is no return to large-scale commuting. While spending by people working from home, for example buying more groceries, would in part make up for loss of trade for bars, restaurants and sandwich counters, it could not compensate for the hit to the vital services sector, McWilliams said. Business leaders rage at Matt Hancock's 'scaremongering' talk about a second lockdown as they warn of 'untold damage' to businesses trying to recover from coronavirus lockdown Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been slammed for 'scaremongering' talk about a second lockdown that risks 'untold damage' to businesses trying to recover from the first one. The under-fire Minister told The Times yesterday that England could face nationwide restrictions and very extensive local lockdowns in the event of a second wave of Covid-19 this winter. In an interview he warned countries in others parts of the world were already experiencing a second wave and claimed it was 'a very serious threat'. Mr Hancock also hinted that if a vaccine is not ready soon, grandparents would be unable to hug their grandchildren this Christmas. Advertisement The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which represents 75,000 firms, today warns that Britain is in the 'eye of a storm' that will strike this autumn unless Ministers find a way of getting the economy to function more normally again. On Tuesday, the Government will start winding up the job retention scheme, reducing the amount it contributes for furloughed staff from 80 per cent of wages (up to a maximum of 2,500 a month) to 70 per cent (up to a maximum of 2,187.50). Meanwhile, the Chancellor's Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme which has propped up restaurants and pubs during August will also end tomorrow. Writing for The Mail on Sunday, BCC director Adam Marshall calls on Ministers to boost the UK economy by providing: clearer workplace safety guidance; tax relief for money spent on making offices Covid-19 secure; a better test and trace system in case staff fall ill; and better access to safe transport and childcare as schools reopen. 'This sunny summer is the eye of the storm,' Marshall writes. 'As autumn approaches, we must shake off this national somnolence. The UK has weathered the first leg of a Category Five economic hurricane. Yet beyond lies the second leg, which is invariably more destructive, savage and life-changing than the first.' Last week, the head of the Confederation of British Industry, Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, warned that city centres would become 'ghost towns' if people failed to return to their places of work. McWilliams, who is now deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, stressed that a flat refusal by everyone to return to workplaces was not the consultancy's central forecast, adding: 'These predictions are based on nothing changing, but we think it more likely they will.' He said a no-change scenario would see gross domestic product, currently just 90 per cent of its 2019 level, creep back to last year's total of 2.21trillion only by 2025, assuming growth of 2 per cent a year, though the figure could be as low as 1 per cent. This week is likely to see the last of the good news in terms of economic statistics for a while. On Tuesday, data provider IHS Markit will publish the results of its latest survey of the intentions of purchasing managers in manufacturing, and on Wednesday of those in the services sector. Any reading above 50 suggests economic expansion, and signs are that manufacturing will come in at 55.3 and services at 60.1. Peter Dixon, global strategist at Commerzbank, said: 'The problem is what happens to the labour market when the job retention scheme is finally wound up on October 31. Driving the economy into recession is killing more people than Covid ever could: Risk management expert PHILIP THOMAS says the greatest danger to Britain is our empty shops, offices and factories By Philip Thomas for the Daily Mail Today, millions remain too frightened to leave their homes, spooked into a hermit-like existence. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock stokes the flames of fear, raising the prospect of a 'second wave' - for which there is little evidence - while warning of extensive local lockdowns, even over Christmas. This level of concern is wholly disproportionate because by driving the economy into deep recession, it is killing people more surely than Covid ever could, even if we let it rip. There is plenty of good news emerging. Take the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing that the death toll has dropped dramatically. Respected analysts say Britain's Covid infection continues to shrink, that hospitalisation rates have plummeted and that those who do require urgent treatment are mostly making full recoveries. Pictured: A view of Wolverhampton city centre from Queen's Square early in the morning with no traffic and no people walking around Yes, lives are at stake but today, the greatest danger is our empty shops, offices and factories. And the misery, ill-health and loss of life that are the inevitable consequence of our deep-freeze economy. It is essential that we get back to work. The economy not only binds us together, it keeps us living longer. A new analytical method - the Judgement or J-value method - developed at Bristol explains why children born in some poorer, sub-Saharan states will survive to an average age of only 55, while those born in wealthier Japan live three decades longer. Philip Thomas (pictured) is Professor of Risk Management at the University of Bristol It explains the year-on-year rise in life expectancy in Britain as GDP per head increased over the decades before the 2007-2009 Financial Crash, when GDP per head fell by six per cent. It also accounts for the fact that the growth in UK life stalled two years later. With national debt rising above 2trillion for the first time, the plight of our economy is worse than 2007-2009. This means that thousands of us - now and in the future - will be condemned to a shorter, more miserable existence. Don't think the coming recession will only affect older people. Closing down the economy means people of all ages will die prematurely. The government is obsessed with keeping the R value (the rate at which the virus spreads) below 1.0, which means that each infected person will then infect less than one other person and Covid will die away. Such a tight rein, however, is incompatible with getting business - and life - up and running properly. We must change tack and aim for a halfway house, where we accept a controlled spread of Covid-19, of up to an R rate of around 1.4. This is the price to be paid avoiding the loss of even more lives to national impoverishment. But the key is that we now face the consequences of the actions we are taking. Pictured stock photo of a store closing We now know that Covid-19 represents a very small risk to healthy adults under 40. The risk to teenagers and children is lower still. The average age of people succumbing to Covid-19 is 79 years, 7 months. Only five in 10,000 people in England and Wales are currently infected, so the chances of encountering someone with coronavirus are very low. Even herd immunity now seems more achievable. Antibody tests indicate that between 10 per cent and 16 per cent of London's population is immune. But, recent results from Sweden's Karolinska Institute suggest twice as many people develop immunity from T-cells as from antibodies. For London, the crisis may well be over already. Our laboratories should begin verifying T-cell immunity as a matter of urgency. But the key is that we now face the consequences of the actions we are taking. By failing to reopen the economy, we are killing people. William J. Hawkins, III Hawkins is a former member of the Portland Parks Board, past chair of the National Association of Olmsted Parks and a fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He lives in Portland. For more than a century, the David Thompson Elk Fountain has greeted Portlanders and visitors to the city as they entered downtown Portland. Commissioned by Thompson, who served as mayor of Portland from 1879 to 1882, its been beloved by Portlanders and decorated for the holidays. But since early July, the bronze elk sculpture has been hidden away from public view, removed after protesters set fires around the fountain where the elk stood, damaging the sculptures base. While there was little injury to the elk itself from the fire, the beautifully carved granite pedestal on which the elk stood was significantly damaged. Crews from Portland Parks and Recreation and the Regional Arts and Culture Council removed the fountain and remaining fragments, leaving nothing but some small, original stone corner-guards of the fountains four basins, which were for watering horses back in the day. The elk is now in safekeeping, according to a recent Oregonian/OregonLive story. Portland has only four public art works of first-rate quality from the era before, or just after, the first automobile arrived in the city. They are: the Skidmore Fountain, 1889, by New York sculptor Olin Warner, in Old Town; the David Thompson Elk Fountain, 1900, by nationally-known sculptor Roland Hinton Perry, between Lownsdale and Chapman Squares; the Coming of the White Man statue, 1904, by sculptor H.A. McNeil in Washington Park; and the Sacajawea statue, 1905, by sculptor Alice Cooper in Washington Park. It is to be noted that the last three were located in or next to Portland parks, as directed by the citys first park board. These sculptures had a common theme oriented to the original Native Americans or to the land, as it was, before the first white settlers arrived in the 1840s. At the time, there was a national movement to secure parks before development interests took them over, and localities across the country saw a huge expansion of city parks, including Portland, then only 50-some years old. The majestic D.P. Thompson Elk Fountain expressed empathy with the original inhabitants. Its location in Portlands first park, the Plaza Blocks (now called Lownsdale and Chapman Squares), were shown on Portlands first 1854 plat, and were then acquired by the city in 1869, as a gift of Daniel H. Lownsdale, who acquired his land grant in 1850. Originally, the park had a meadow-like appearance, and the elk sculpture as its central feature tellingly reflected the camping grounds of native tribes for millennia past. The "Elk" statue, here dressed up in a holiday bow in December 2017, has been temporarily removed from its base for safekeeping. (The Oregonian)LC- Mark Graves Portland has not been kind to its public art. When the Skidmore Fountain was erected, New York newspapers noted that work by such a famous sculptor would be lost in this unappreciative western outpost. Indeed, the elegant arched square in which it was placed was demolished, and the fountain suffered much abuse during the decades following (including an ill-advised acid bath to clean it). It survived and, in spite of repeated efforts to move it to a new location, it has remained in the same location. The city built a new park, Ankeny Square, to enhance it. The Thompson Elk Fountain has been vandalized over the years, but it has also been cherished by Portlanders who have responded in droves since the fires. Its removal leaves a giant hole in Portlands soul. It must be restored to its historic site and minimum security provided for its continuance, so that this link to the long past of this land will continue to enhance the city. It will be a major expense to restore the fountain. No estimate has yet been determined. However, the Portland Parks Foundation has agreed to collect donations to help fund restoration. Please join me in supporting the rehabilitation of the elk sculpture and its granite fountain and ensuring the return of this symbol of our city to its proper place. (Natural News) While most Democrats are in the same socialist camp as Sen. Bernie Sanders, they couldnt allow him to win their partys nomination since hes been an Independent all of his political life and his brand of Marxism-lite would have been too difficult to hide. Also, they didnt want to waste a candidate they want to run later. Why? Because Democrats knew early on theyve got a loser of a presidential ticket for 2020 no matter who they ran. They dont seriously believe that anyone can beat President Donald Trump this year, so they propped Biden up and managed to score a historical first at the same time by having him nominate Sen. Kamala Harris to be his running mate as the first black female to run for vice president. But none of this means that Democrats have simply given up. To them, power is everything; everything is power. And they will seize it any way possible, by hook or by crook. And speaking of crooks, this is where two-time presidential loser Hillary Clinton comes in. Though it did not get a lot of press except in conservative media, Clinton made an astounding statement last week that should have dominated the news cycle for days: She told Joe Biden not to concede to President Trump for any reason, even if Trump blows the old, forgetful former VP out. Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances, because I think this is going to drag out, and eventually, I do believe he will win if we dont give an inch and if we are as focused and relentless as the other side is, Clinton said in an interview on Aug. 25. I think that [Republicans] have a couple of scenarios that they are looking toward. One is messing up absentee balloting. They believe that helps them so that they then get maybe a narrow advantage in the Electoral College on Election Day, she said. So weve got to have a massive legal operation, and I know the Biden campaign is working on that. That is incredible. And incredibly irresponsible. But no one should ever confuse Democrats with rationality or doing what is best for anything or anyone but themselves. First and foremost, it is the Democrats who plan to mess up absentee balloting and mail-in voting. They know that theres no guarantee the Postal Service will be able to deliver ballots in a timely manner because a) the USPS has historically been underwhelming and problem-plagued; b) most states conducting mail-in balloting this year have not done it before and that is expected to be a nightmare; and c) its obvious Clinton is playing a part and essentially dog-whistling to the partys deranged base what Democrats plan to do over the course of the election cycle, not Republicans (Democrats always telegraph their intentions by blaming the GOP for what they are planning to do). Trump and Republicans are on to them. (Related: The manufactured hysteria over mail delivery.) What theyre doing is using COVID to steal an election, Trump said at the Republican National Convention last week. Theyre using COVID to defraud the American people, all of our people, of a fair and free election. We cant do that. Eighty million mail-in ballots theyre working on, sending them out to people that didnt ask for them, he said. And its not fair and its not right, and its not going to be possible to tabulate, in my opinion. Exactly. And yet, thats the plan. Democrats dont want tabulation; they want confusion, anarchy, chaos. And they want to be able to flood the post office and key voting districts with fake ballots drawn on outdated voter registration lists to cause so much doubt in the results that Trumps victory will seem illegitimate. Then theyll sit back and watch the riots unfold (again). Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com In the declaration issued on 22 August, six political parties from Jammu and Kashmir vowed to fight against the abrogation of Article 370 and seek restoration of statehood New Delhi: Reacting sharply to Pakistan hailing the recent Gupkar Declaration in which six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir vowed to fight collectively against the abrogation of Article 370, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday asserted "we are not anyone's puppets". "Pakistan has always abused mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir but now suddenly they like us", the former chief minister said when asked about Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement that the declaration issued by the NC, PDP, Congress and three other parties was "not an ordinary occurrence but an important development". "Let me make it clear that we are not anyone's puppets, neither New Delhi's nor of anyone across the border. We are answerable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will work for them," he told news agency PTI from Srinagar. In response to a question on cross-border terrorism, Abdullah said, "I would urge Pakistan to stop sending armed men into Kashmir. We want an end to the bloodshed in our state. All political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are committed to fight for our rights peacefully, including for what was unconstitutionally snatched away from us on 5 August last year". At the same time, the NC leader urged both India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue "for everyone's greater good". "Our people are being killed on both sides of the Line of Control every time there are ceasefire violations. For God's sake bring a halt to that", he said. In a declaration issued on 22 August, six prominent mainstream political parties came together for the restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and described as "unconstitutional" the steps approved by the Parliament last year to end the erstwhile state's special status and slice it into two Union Territories. The joint statement is known as "Gupkar Declaration-2", being the second declaration on Article 370 issued after meetings held at the Gupkar Road residence of Abdullah . The statement clearly tells the Centre that "there can be nothing about us without us", an indication that the Centre has to take into confidence the people before implementing any constitutional change. Weve tried to give the Cuomo administration the benefit of the doubt when setting the terms of reopening the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. After a soul-crushing spring, the states caution and evidence-based decisions have prevented large outbreaks and kept the infection rate at or below 1%. Often, the rules feel arbitrary (i.e., chips with salsa counts as bar food; chips without salsa doesnt). The line has to be drawn somewhere. With almost every other business now allowed to operate in some form, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has drawn the line at reopening commercial gambling casinos. That creates a fundamentally unfair situation in New York. The states four commercial casinos and 11 racinos and video gaming parlors must stay closed, while casinos and gaming halls operated by Native American nations have been open for business for months. The Native casinos arent bound by state law, but they are voluntarily following coronavirus precautions like frequent sanitizing, mandatory face coverings for staff and customers, and social distancing. We arent aware of any virus outbreaks at their facilities. If they can operate safely, why cant the commercial casinos? Cuomo was asked about it last week. He said the administration is working on guidelines for casinos, and well make a determination at the appropriate time. Hurry up, Governor. Casinos are weeks away from permanently laying off 5,000 workers if they cannot reopen soon. Cuomos caution is killing an industry he worked hard to create. In 2013, voters had to amend the state constitution to allow casino gambling outside of Native American lands. (For the record, we opposed the amendment, skeptical of the states projections that casino gambling would generate $1 billion in revenues and $430 million in property tax relief. Those projections turned out to be wildly optimistic.) Covid-19 could be the thing that tips already struggling casinos into insolvency. As a matter of fairness, the Cuomo administration ought to put a priority on providing reopening guidance, so that they can compete with Native gaming operations and avoid throwing thousands of people out of work. While were on the topic of arbitrary rules, lets discuss the State Liquor Authoritys sudden crackdown on ticketed live music performances at bars and restaurants. According to new rules, music must be incidental to eating, not the main draw, and cannot be advertised or promoted. Several lawsuits are challenging them. We get why the SLA wants to prevent large, uncontrolled gatherings; nobody wants a coronavirus super-spreader event. However, the way to prevent gatherings from becoming too large and overwhelming safety precautions is precisely to sell tickets in advance. If a venue can meet all the other rules for social distancing, seating patrons at tables, requiring them to order food with their alcoholic drinks, requiring masks unless seated, setting up the entertainer 12 feet away, etc. let them put on live music. With winter coming, the state has to figure this out, unless it wants to see a whole bunch of venues and musicians go out of business for good. Loading About Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Submit a comment through the Google form above, or submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at mmorelli@syracuse.com Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East The West African nation of Burkina Faso was once the poster child for genetically modified (GM) crop advocates. Its 2008 adoption of GM cotton for smallholder farmers was hailed as an example of how these technologies could alleviate poverty and food insecurity by protecting crops from pests and increasing yields. But this much celebrated success story came to an abrupt halt in 2016 , when the Burkina Faso government and cotton companies decided to abandon GM cotton. What happened? Burkina Faso was the first African country where a GM crop was principally grown by smallholder farmers . The crop was an insect resistant cotton variety, developed through a partnership with the US-based agri-business company Monsanto (now Bayer Crop Science). At its height nearly 150,000 Burkinabe households grew GM cotton. Supporters quickly broadcast study findings demonstrating increased average yields and incomes. This developed into a prominent narrative of success. Observers were shocked when only eight years later Burkina Faso abandoned genetically modified cotton . The reason: it had shorter-fibre lint and ginning machines extracted proportionally less lint from harvested cotton bolls. This led to US$76 million in losses for cotton companies. Other problems also surfaced. New evidence showed that GM cotton yields were less than half of early projections. And there were significant variations among farmers. Many farmers lost money . How could such a prominent success story turn so quickly to failure? Our new research , which draws on over 250 interviews and in-depth research in Burkina Faso spanning over a decade, traces what happened. We found that rather than an abrupt turnaround, these problems were known by cotton sector officials as early as 2006 ten years before Burkina Faso abandoned GM cotton. The puzzle we unravel is how a success narrative could be built when problems were readily apparent. In short, the story has a lot to do with power. Silences and omissions Burkina Faso's cotton success narrative was built on a series of studies with significant methodological problems. Studies contained well-documented issues in data collection , failing to sufficiently control for differences between comparison groups. In most cases, they also failed to provide sufficient evidence to evaluate how data were collected. These faulty evaluation studies reported yield and income results in averages, which advocates quickly circulated as evidence of success. These same studies often showed large variability in yields and profits for farmers, but didn't highlight these findings. Significant conflicts of interest shaped the collection and reporting of findings. Monsanto provided funding for the evaluation studies in a contract with the Burkina Faso Institute for Environment and Agricultural Research . This meant that Monsanto had ultimate control over research findings and a strong interest in projecting success. The institute depended on Monsanto funding that accompanied the adoption of GM cotton. Highly skilled Burkinabe researchers also jockeyed for limited jobs with Monsanto. In our interviews, which included Monsanto representatives, participants said it was difficult to challenge the success narrative. Concerns they raised were often silenced or left unexamined. At times, their expertise was dismissed. Ignoring local dynamics Evaluation studies had additional problems, particularly with regard to the differential impacts of GM cotton. Previous research in Burkina Faso has detailed how local dynamics can determine the extent to which a farmer profits from cotton production. These dynamics weren't included in the evaluation studies that built the success narrative. Our research, which paid close attention to local-level dynamics, revealed that these missing pieces were critical factors shaping farmers' experiences with GM cotton. Poorer farmers faced additional challenges: they used less fertiliser, which compounded yield issues in GM cotton, and they were often burdened by having to pay for replacement seeds in cases when their first planting didn't germinate. This additional seed cost resulted from complex relationships between farmers and cotton company employees who often belittled small-scale farmers. These dynamics and additional costs were invisible to overly narrow evaluation studies. As a result, the success narrative gave a false impression that even farmers with few resources were achieving average yield gains. Profiting from an exaggerated success narrative The power to shape a narrative based on faulty studies that overlooked important realities turned out to be good for Monsanto's bottom line. The final royalty contract signed by Monsanto and Burkinabe partners ostensibly gave 28% of the added value of GM cotton to Monsanto, and the rest for farmers and cotton companies. But Monsanto received far more than this. The royalty contract used an inflated yield estimate (30%) to establish the amount of added value from GM cotton. Even in the best years, actual cotton yields didn't approach this estimate. Monsanto also received this inflated payment irrespective of the actual performance of the technology, since it was paid according to the number of hectares planted. Monsanto profited more than was agreed to in the contract, and assumed none of the risk shouldered by cotton companies and farmers . Monsanto also benefited from a reliable GM crop success story. This narrative is still used to advance other ventures in Africa. Looking ahead Anthropologist Glenn Stone has argued : We are naive in swallowing empirical claims without a careful consideration of how vested interests affect the creation of facts. As this case shows, vested interests played a significant role in shaping a success narrative despite apparent problems. Moving forward, it will be important to learn from the Burkinabe case, not just about what happened, but about how knowledge was produced. An examination of vested interests is one such take away. This is particularly important now as multiple African nations consider a wide array of GM crops for commercialisation. Many GM crops under consideration in Africa are not the domain of a big agri-business company like Monsanto. This does not mean, however, that vested interests will not still shape how knowledge about these crops gets produced. Evaluation studies will need to be independent, transparent, rigorous, and methodologically diverse, to accurately reflect the realities of these crops. Studies must anticipate challenges and shortcomings. This is particularly true to understand whether and how genetically modified crops aid resource-poor, women, and marginalised farmers. For too long agricultural technologies like GM crops have been evaluated as if they exist in a social and political vacuum. Understanding how GM crops perform for farmers needs close attention to local-level dynamics and context. The role that power plays in that context must be a part of how we understand GM crops moving forward. Jessie Luna has received funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Student Program, the American Association for University Women, and the University of Colorado Boulder. Brian Dowd-Uribe has eceived funding from the National Science Foundation, the Center for Tropical Research in Ecology, Agriculture and Development (CenTREAD), the Henry Luce Foundation, UC Santa Cruz's Graduate Division, and the Environmental Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz. By Jessie Luna, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Colorado State University And Brian Dowd-Uribe, Associate Professor, International Studies Department, University of San Francisco PARIS: The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said on Sunday what was happening in the Xinjiang region and Hong Kong was an internal Chinese matter and that other countries should not interfere. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian earlier said that in a meeting with Wang-Yi he had reminded him of Paris' deep concerns about the worsening human rights situation in those two regions. Bindi Irwin announced she expecting her first child with husband Chandler Powell earlier this month. And on Sunday, the 22-year-old shared a moving Instagram post about a 'beautiful star shining in the night sky'. The quote, penned by Nikki Banas, read: 'Like a beautiful star shining in the night sky, your purpose is not to compare your light or brightness to any other star. Happy days: Bindi Irwin announced is she expecting her first child with husband Chandler Powell earlier this month. And on Sunday, the 22-year-old shared a moving Instagram post about a 'beautiful star shining in the night sky'. Both pictured 'Your purpose is not to wish you were a moon or a planet, or to wish you were somewhere else. 'Your purpose is not to change who you are or what you are made of. Your purpose is to shine your light as bright and as beautiful as only you can.' Earlier this month, Bindi confirmed she is expecting her first child with Chandler. The quote, penned by Nikki Banas, read: 'Like a beautiful star shining in the night sky, your purpose is not to compare your light or brightness to any other star' In an Instagram post at the time, Bindi wrote: 'Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021. Chandler and I are proud to announce that we're expecting!' 'It's an honour to share this special moment in our lives with you. Though I'm still in my first trimester, we really want you to be part of our journey from the beginning of this new life chapter.' 'We couldn't wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives. Your support means the world to us.' Happy: Earlier this month, Bindi confirmed she's expecting her first child with Chandler. Pictured with her mother Terri Irwin Sweet: The couple were married on March 25, in a makeshift ceremony at Australia Zoo She finished: 'Please let me know your best advice and send good vibes and prayers to our little sweetheart. Love and light.' In the accompanying photo, Bindi and Chandler, 23, posed side by side in their Australia Zoo uniforms, holding up a tiny version of the outfit for their little one. The couple were married on March 25, in a makeshift ceremony at Australia Zoo. The couple met close to seven years ago in November 2013 when Chandler, who hails from Florida, was touring Australia for a wakeboarding competition. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is taking a look behind the curtain of the great and powerful Exelon, parent company of ComEd, and is possibly seeing it for the parasite it has been to Illinois energy customers. Illinois must course-correct after the corruption that has overshadowed energy policy in Illinois for so long and move to 100% renewable energy. Nuclear energy has been a costly liability to Illinois, and Exelon is an active opponent to renewable energy expansion in the state. Exelons old nuclear plants should be shut down before they melt down. Illinois has the most stored radioactive waste of any state in the nation. Residents and businesses have paid for Exelons aging nuclear power plants again and again. We dont need Exelon; they need us. 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 Germany reports another record high in daily cases New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes Mask not required for children below 5: Govt issues revised Covid guidelines India sees highest single-day spike of 78,761 new COVID-19 cases, total tally at 35.4 lakh India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Aug 30: India's Covid-19 case tally crosses 35 lakh mark with a spike of 78,761 new cases and 948 deaths in the last 24 hours, reports ANI quoting health ministry. India's COVID-19 recovery rate now stands at 76.6 percent. This is the highest single-day spike in cases. Covid-19 case tally in the country stands at 35,42,734 including 7,65,302 active cases, 27,13,934 cured/discharged/migrated & 63,498 deaths. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 10:22 [IST] Mahindra & Mahindra chief Anand Mahindra was on Saturday inspired by a wildlife bridge constructed over a highway in the Netherlands which allowed animals to cross the path safely while also ensuring easy movement of vehicles through a forest area. The image of the ecoduct in the Netherlands was shared on Twitter by Erik Solheim from Norway, who works with a number of global organizations which aim to bring about a green revolution in the world. The wildlife bridge proved how beautifully development can coexist with nature. Isnt this beautiful? Development can coexist with Nature! This is a wildlife bridge known as ecoduct in Netherlands which provides a safe crossing path for wildlife amidst the danger of highways. pic.twitter.com/WAbTwGIbpQ Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 29, 2020 READ | Anand Mahindra Shares Hilarious Picture Of Room He Will Allocate To 'mother-in-law' Encouraged by the innovation, Anand Mahindra requested Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari to make such wildlife bridges a standard feature while constructing highways through particular zones. If such bridges are built in India, I would give you a standing ovation, said Mahindra in a tweet. The perfect way to coexist. @nitin_gadkari ji if you can make this a standard feature when building highways through particular zones, we will give you a standing ovation! https://t.co/vEN0FeIcLN anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) August 29, 2020 READ | Anand Mahindra Exults At Mumbai's New RoRo Ferry; Wants To Check It Out In Person Nitin Gadkari responds Responding to the tweet, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari thanked Anand Mahindra for the suggestions and shared images of similar highways built for maintaining the ecological balance in the country. We tried developing an animal corridor on NH44 between Seoni (Madhya Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra) that gave us good results. Nevertheless, we shall continue striving towards our goal for peaceful coexistence between man and animal, Gadkari tweeted. Thank you for your suggestion @anandmahindra ji. Yes, we need to look at similar innovations. Ecological balance has to be maintained. pic.twitter.com/S4X8OQvI1m Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 29, 2020 The elevated stretch on the National Highway (NH) 44 through the Pench Tiger Reserve benefits not only humans but also helps protect animals thriving around the region. The structure has ensured that the animal corridors in the reserve and their movement remain undisturbed in the long stretch that runs between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. READ | After Manipur, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Lays Down Foundation Of Expressways In MP READ | Nitin Gadkari Lays Foundation For 13 National Highway Projects Worth Rs 3000 Cr In Manipur The chief librarian of the British Library has told staff 'racism is the creation of white people', it has been claimed. Liz Jolly is urging white members of staff at the British Library to support the 'anti racism action plan' which was put in place last month, according to the Telegraph. Her comments were made as she backed plans for a cultural overhaul at the library and urged white colleagues to show the same support. In a video clip, she tells colleagues: 'I think, as I have said before, that we need to make sure some white colleagues are involved because racism is a creation of white people.' Documents reveal that changes to the library's displays could take place to 'decolonise' the British Library's collection after a letter signed by hundreds of members of staff declared a racial 'state of emergency', it was reported. Liz Jolly, the British Library's chief librarian said racism is 'the creation of white people' as the institution plans to review their displays and collections as part of anti-racism project The British Library has denied claims employees were encouraged to support the work of Labour MP Diane Abbott and donate money to the Black Lives Matter movement The Decolonising Working Group, which is part of the library's BAME network, reportedly raised concerns with a number of artefacts on display in the library including busts of the founders and a portrait of Mr Punch. Earlier this week, it was reported employees had urged colleagues to donate to Black Lives Matter and back the work of Labour MP Diane Abbott, a claim the library strongly disputes. Ms Jolly's views have been met by criticism on social media. Rita Panahi wrote: 'How can the British Library chief be so pig ignorant? Racism is a creation of white people? Say that in Asia or the Middle East and they'll laugh at you.' Bob Sharpe added: 'Anyone with this level of defective knowledge of world history has not place as Chief Librarian of any library, let alone an institution of this standing.' However, some backed the comments as part of a wider effort to address the country's colonialist legacy. Simon Tanner wrote: 'I support the British Library, and Liz Jolly - in their engagement with anti-racism. 'The library is taking important and wholly sensible steps. Accurate reporting would reveal nothing less than a desire to better inform the public - which is central to their misson as a library.' It comes after the British Library launched an Anti-Racism Project in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement. Staff were invited to an online meeting where Chief Executive Roly Keating described an urgent need for a 'generational shift' to ensure the Library becomes 'truly representative of its staff, collections and the users it serves. Speaking to staff Mr Keating said: 'The killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement are the biggest challenge to the complacency of organisations, institutions and ways of doing things that we're likely to see in our lifetimes. 'There have been incremental changes over the years, but this is a wake-up call for the Library's leadership that it's not enough. 'Our duty at this moment is to show humility, to listen, to learn and then to enact change.' Issues raised in the meeting included the long-standing lack of BAME representation within the institution's executive management as well as senior curatorial staff. The meeting also addressed what the library described as an 'urgent and overdue need to reckon fully and openly with the colonial origins and legacy of some of the library's historic collections and practices'. The British Library has committed to funding and implementing an Anti-Racism action plan and has established an anti-racism working group to make recommendations for change. Addressing staff at the time, Liz Jolly said: 'The murder of George Floyd has shown that we're good at saying that we don't believe in racism, but I have to say as Chief Librarian that we haven't done enough to ensure that this organisation is anti-racist, and I apologise for that. 'In convening the Anti-Racism Working Group this is our chance to get it right. 'The group will make recommendations both in terms of immediate actions and longer term proposals that we will integrate into our strategy and our culture, to make us a truly anti-racist organisation, in a wide-ranging and sustainable way.' Earlier this week, the British Library announced it is now 'reviewing' its Sir Hans Sloane manuscripts as 'woke' activists target one of scores of London landmarks - including the famous Sloane Square - which are named after the pioneering doctor. The move was revealed in a note on its website, and coincides with a wider review of Sloane's legacy that saw the British Museum - which he founded - remove his bust from a pedestal and attach the label 'slave owner'. British Library has said review of its collections and displays taking place in wake of George Floyd's death is part of commitment to anti-racism and is 'matter of basic human decency' The 18th-century philanthropist partly funded his collection of 71,000 artefacts with money from his wife's sugar plantation in Jamaica, which used slave labour. The British Library described claims staff had been encouraged to support Labour as 'wholly inaccurate' and said: 'As with any other publicly-funded institution, we are absolutely committed to party political neutrality.' A spokesman for the British Library said: 'Our commitment to anti-racism is a matter of basic human decency, founded squarely on our values and our publicly-stated purpose to advance knowledge and mutual understanding. 'In common with an increasing number of organisations, the Library has a number of staff-led networks that address the specific needs and concerns of staff with protected characteristics, including LGBTQ staff, staff with disabilities, female staff, and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff. 'These networks are run by staff and for staff, and liaise with Library management in accordance with agreed structures and protocols 'A sub-group of one of the staff networks produced the report, which contains a range of staff perspectives on the art works and sculptures that feature in our public spaces. Sir Hans Sloane - seen in a contemporary illustration - was a driving force behind the 18th-century Enlightenment and his collection was acquired by the British Library 'The Front Hall of our building at St Pancras features busts representing four individuals whose collections were acquired by the British Museum following its foundation in 1753, and now form part of the British Library's collection. 'The busts depict Sir Robert Cotton (1571-1631), Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820), The Right Honourable Thomas Grenville (1755-1846), and Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753), and have been on display in the Front Hall since the building opened in 1997. 'As part of our wider programme of work on inclusivity and anti-racism we have reviewed the labelling and presentation of the busts, in order to add information to help visitors understand them within their wider historical context.' The library spokesman added that the review was in full accordance with Historic England's Contested Heritage guidelines which 'recommends, where possible, leaving contentious statues in place but adding "powerful reinterpretation....to develop a deeper understanding of our often difficult past".' File Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his latest edition of 'Mann Ki Baat', pushed for Atmanirbhar Bharat. The PM urged Indians to opt for local breeds of dogs, and to make toys and computer and mobile games for the world. Read more Here's more top news of the day: 1) All's Not Well: With Over 75000 New Cases Daily, India's COVID Spike Is World's Fastest Growing Reuters While the government reassures that India's coronavirus situation is under control as it plans to reopen metro services, allow religious congregations and has given a green light to exams etc, the alarming spike in new infections is dangerous. Read more 2) No Tokens, Only Smart Cards & Thermal Screenings: Delhi Metro Services Set To Resume Operations File Photo After the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed Delhi Metro to resume its services for the public September 7 onwards, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot today outlined the steps for its functioning in a calibrated manner. Read more 3) India's COVID Cases & Deaths Per Million Among The Lowest In World; 81% Deaths From 7 States Reuters Expressing satisfaction towards the government's efforts to contain coronavirus in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the country has made tremendous strides in containing the COVID-19 outbreak. Read more 4) Army Jawan Killed In Anti-Terror Operations In Pulwama, Was Due To Get Married In December AP A 22-year-old Army jawan from Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, who was killed in an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, was set to get married in December this year. Read more 5) Man Allegedly Sells 3-Month-Old Daughter For Rs 1 Lakh, Buys Motorcycle And Mobile With Money Representational Image Based on a tip-off, state women and child welfare department officials rescued a three-month-old girl whose father allegedly sold her. He is a farm labourer by profession and he sold the baby to a childless couple for Rs 1 lakh. It happened at Tinakal village in Chikkaballapur, Karnataka. Read more She's no stranger to flaunting her incredible figure on social media. And on Friday, Edyn 'Mac' Mackney showed off her tiny waistline in a skimpy bikini as she celebrated body positivity on Instagram. The Love Island star, 23, sizzled in a leopard print bikini top and a matching coloured G-string as she soaked up the sun at the beach. Wild thing! Love Island star Edyn 'Mac' Mackney (pictured) flaunted her incredible figure in a skimpy leopard-print bikini as she celebrated body positivity on Friday Edyn accessorised her swimsuit with a leopard print hat and placed her hands on her head as she posed on the sand. In another photo, the blonde beauty held her hat with one hand while she relaxed on the beach. 'Loving your body is a radical thing to do in a world that wants us to think less of ourselves,' she captioned the post. Soaking up the sun: Edyn accessorised her swimsuit with a leopard print hat and placed her hand on her head as she posed on the sand In May, Edyn joined subscription-based website OnlyFans, where she sells raunchy photos and videos of herself for a monthly fee. She's not the only former Love Island Australia star on the platform, with season two's Vanessa Sierra also joining recently. Vanessa creates raunchy content with her YouTube star boyfriend Luke Erwin. Not shy!In May, Edyn joined the subscription-based website OnlyFans, where she sells raunchy photos and videos of herself for a monthly fee Speaking to Daily Mail Australia about their controversial career move, the frisky pair said they were simply ahead of the curve by joining OnlyFans. 'I'm not scared to make moves and always jump on social media platforms before the crowd,' Vanessa explained. Content on the site can range from something as innocent as a suggestive selfie all the way to hardcore pornography. Edyn found fame on the 2018 premiere season of Love Island Australia. Twenty-nine people were killed and 28 injured after a village restaurant collapsed during an 80th birthday celebration for a resident in north China's Shanxi province, local authorities said Sunday. The accident happened at around 9.40 am on Saturday when relatives and fellow villagers were attending the birthday party at Juxian restaurant in Chenzhuang village in Xiangfen county, according to the rescue team. The rescue work was completed in the early hours of Sunday. A total of 57 people were pulled out of the debris of the collapsed two-story building. Twenty-nine of them were confirmed dead, seven were severely injured and 21 suffered minor injuries, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The Work Safety Committee of China's State Council will supervise the investigation into the collapse, the committee said in a statement. Though has seen major improvements in industrial safety, building standards are sometimes ignored, particularly in rural areas. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The outcome of procedural justice involves both cost for some and benefits for others. The news of a young film actors death by suicide on 14 June 2020 was expectedly met with disbelieving horror. But what followed after the first few days has taken on ugly and controversial twists that have completely buried the tragedy of the young actors death. Television news channels, various lobbies in Bollywood, and politicians have all, under the guise of demanding justice, used it to push their own agendas. The manner in which the events following his death have played out brings to mind the phenomenon of grave robbers who profited from the plundering of graves, in the process, however, ensuring that history and archaeology were robbed of major sources of study. This tragedy has been plundered by various sections for their own benefit. The coverage of the Aarushi Talwar murder case in 2008 by a large section of Indian mainstream media led to massive criticism. But instead of introspection and course correction we now have television news channels treating the young actors death as a spectacle with more and more shrill treatment. At first, the media unleashed the usual sermons on how mental health issues, particularly during the lockdown period, must be attended to. However, that was soon abandoned in favour of conjecture, speculation, and opinions, which stripped bare not only the actors life and actions but also those of the others involved. In fact, the media has been treating whosoever it wishes as the accused and the victim in the case insensitively. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 05:53:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Arab parliament condemned on Sunday a drone attack launched by the Houthi militias on Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport. In a statement, Mishaal bin Fahm al-Salmi, Speaker of the Cairo-based Arab Parliament, said that attacking the international airport, that is used by thousands of people of different nationalities every day, requires an urgent international intervention to sue the Houthi group for its "terrorist acts." Earlier in the day, the Saudi-led coalition said it has intercepted a bomb-laden drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels toward the southern Saudi region. On Friday, the coalition said it destroyed two drones flying toward the kingdom's southern region and border city Najran. It also announced that it destroyed a missile fired by the Houthis toward Najran on Thursday. Meanwhile, al-Salmi called on the international community to take on its responsibility for ceasing Houthi frequent attacks that target civilians and threaten Arab security and stability. Al-Salami also reiterated the Arab parliament's solidarity and support for all measures taken by Riyadh to protect its security and stability. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in 2015 to support Hadi's government. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 16:04:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) is a significant platform for Cuba to share products, abilities, and potential, Luis Carlos Gongora, Vice President of the Havana Provincial Administrative Council, said in an exclusive interview to Xinhua. The CIFTIS, as one of the world's largest comprehensive fairs for trade in services, is scheduled to be held in Beijing in early September. It has prepared both online and offline events due to the global pandemic situation. Gongora said that the fair also embraces solidarity and spirit of sharing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Actress Kangana Ranaut recently said that antop actor tried to silence" her for knowing secrets about his drug overdose while shooting for a film in Las Vegas. In a recent interview Kangana said that 99% of Bollywood consumes drugs. Talking to Republic TV, she said, At that time, his girlfriend, who was a foreigner, used to be there with him. Every night there used to be parties and drugs used to flow like water. Drugs like LSD, cocaine, and ecstasy pills theyd even consume during the day. She said that the actor was admitted to Kokilaben hospital. He got a reaction into his lungs I think, however, the hospital wont reveal it and the matter was done and dusted there itself, she said. She said that the actor tried to discredit her as she knew the secret. If they are mighty and powerful, how can I harm them? Then why do they want to put me behind bars? They know that I know these secrets so they tried to discredit me, termed me bipolar, or get me killed, she added. Kangana had recently tweeted that when she was still a minor, her mentor had spiked her drink and got violent with her. Kangana had further said that if Narcotics Control Bureau were to investigate Bollywood, many A-listers would be behind bars. The Enforcement Directorate had consulted the Narcotics Bureau last week to probe a possible drug angle" to the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. The late actor passed away on June 14, 2020. He was 34. To the Editor: Re Why Hidden Trump Vote Cant Explain His Bad Poll Numbers (news article, Aug. 17): My experience from talking with hundreds of North Carolinians over the past three months is that voters who supported Donald Trump in 2016 have considerable buyers remorse and are not afraid to admit it. A self-declared staunch Republican who proudly displays a sign on his lawn that reads For the Love of God, Anyone but Trump in 2020 speaks volumes. Indeed, my primary take-away from engaging independent voters in Mecklenburg and Union Counties is that they are very motivated to cast their ballots, and the driving force is a disdain for the incumbent and his style of governance rather than an embrace of Joe Biden. This has implications for down-ballot candidates. Those who oppose Mr. Trump must not become complacent when reading encouraging poll numbers. They need to vote for candidates running in state and county races, as well as those at the top of the ticket. Eric G. Berman Charlotte, N.C. As a field representative for the Progressive Turnout Project in Charlotte, the writer reached out to Democratic and independent voters. Thousands of people protested in the capital of Mauritius on Saturday over the government's handling of an oil spill from a grounded Japanese ship and the alarming discovery of dozens of dead dolphins in recent days.The frustrated residents marched peacefully through Port Louis a month after the ship struck a coral reef offshore and later cracked and spilled around 1,000 tons of fuel oil into fragile marine areas.The Indian Ocean island nation depends heavily on tourism, and the spill has been a severe blow on top of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has limited international travel. Authorities on Friday said at least 39 dead dolphins had washed ashore and although it remained unclear what killed them, some experts fear the chemicals in the fuel are to blame.Residents and environmentalists have demanded investigations into why the MV Wakashio strayed miles off course. Its captain and first officer have been arrested and charged with "endangering safe navigation".The ship ran aground on July 25 and began leaking fuel August 6 into the Mahebourg Lagoon, fouling a protected wetlands area and a small island that was a bird and wildlife sanctuary. Thousands of civilian volunteers worked for days to try to minimise the damage, creating makeshift oil barriers by stuffing fabric bags with sugar cane leaves and empty plastic bottles to keep them afloat.Environmental workers carefully ferried dozens of baby tortoises and rare plants to shore, plucking some trapped seabirds out of the goo. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has blamed bad weather for the government's slow response to the ship's grounding.Experts from ship owner Nagashiki Shipping, France and the United Nations have since arrived at the scene.The ship's remaining fuel was pumped out before the vessel finally split in two. (Image Credit: AP) Ken Green, a development executive described by former colleagues as the visionary behind bringing nanotech to Saratoga County, has died. He was 65. Green, who died on Thursday, led the Saratoga Economic Development Corp. from 1987 to 2007. During his tenure he successfully courted State Farm Insurance, Quad Graphics, Ball Metal, Target and Ace Hardware. He was instrumental in creating the Luther Forest Technology Park and bringing the semiconductor manufacturer AMD which became GlobalFoundries to Malta. Ken had a vibrant personality and the ability to look to the future and determine tech was going to be the wave of the future for our area, said Jack Kelley, the former vice-president of SEDC, who worked side by side with Green. He knew the future wasnt pulp and paper and he worked against a lot of odds to convince people to achieve what became Tech Valley. The Capital Region and Saratoga would not be what they are today without Ken Green. GlobalFoundries ended up building a factory with a significant injection of financial incentives from New York state, aided by the political will of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, a Republican. The company ultimately spent $12 billion on the site and employs 3,000 people there. Despite his professional successes, Green struggled with addiction and was arrested several times over the years for alleged drunken driving. He resigned from SEDC in 2007 following a drunk-driving arrest. Two years later, when a glitzy ceremony loaded with dignitaries was held to celebrate the ground-breaking at Luther Forest, he wasnt even on stage. The slight was unfair to someone who worked selflessly on behalf of the region, said Linda Hill, who retired in 2014 as the senior economic development specialist at National Grid. The semiconductor business showed promise, so he said, lets go after this, then searched and searched for the right site, Hill said. He researched so he had the answers to questions before the companies even knew what to ask. He knew how to handle safety concerns, square footage, water, soil, what the people requirements were going to be. He didnt just say come here because were the best, but, we can guarantee you stability and you can thrive here. What became the tech park was once an old rocket test site without the infrastructure power, water, gas, roads that would be necessary to make it work, Hill said. But Green believed it was possible. He and Kelley worked long hours and traveled frequently to build relationships with potential tenants. For two years, every week he gathered 40 people in the conference room at SEDC the engineers, real estate experts, consultants and we worked through it, Hill said. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The effort cost Green his health and his marriage, Hill said. He suffered dealing with the political end of it, especially and he paid the price, but he made a huge difference for people. Joe Dalton, who led the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce for 40 years, worked closely with Green and remembers his ability to track down the people he needed to make a deal including the time Green and Kelley found the COO of Samsung on safari in Africa. In a letter to the Times Union in August of 1998, Dalton described the time chamber staff came to work to find Green, Kelley and their team just leaving after working through the night to put together 14 grant applications for economic development projects throughout the county. Ken had a great ability to communicate. He had empathy, and he was a detail person. And he never considered himself too important to pick up a vacuum or a carry boxes, Dalton said. After leaving SEDC, Green worked briefly for the distribution company Logistics One in Saratoga Springs and founded his own company, KG Business Enterprises. He worked as a consultant for the Corinth Town Board in 2010 as officials there sought to redevelop the former International Paper site. As recently as two weeks ago, Kelley said he got an email from his old friend, pitching an idea about bringing medical equipment sales to Moreau. According to an obituary published in the Post-Star newspaper, Green was survived by his wife, Chris, who he married in 2015. The couple lived in Corinth and Leesburg, Fla. He had two children from his first marriage, Bradley and Shelley, as well as his wifes four children; 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The family has asked for contributions in his memory toward funeral expenses. The Foster Farms processing plant in Livingston, Calif., in 2013. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Foster Farms announced Saturday that it would comply with a Merced County health department order and temporarily close one of its poultry plants in Livingston, Calif., the site of a coronavirus outbreak that has left eight workers dead. The outbreak at the Central Valley facility has persisted for at least two months, according to the Department of Public Health. Officials said the company did not complete the widespread testing of employees that the county first recommended and then ordered. The company said in a statement that it would close the plant Tuesday evening and not resume operations until the evening of Sept. 7, following a deep cleaning of the facility and new rounds of testing for all employees. In addition to the eight workers who have died of complications from COVID-19, at least 392 plant employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials said, making the outbreak one of the worst in the state. Outbreaks are ongoing and widespread throughout multiple buildings at the Livingston facility, Merced County officials said. Of about 2,600 workers at the Livingston facility, 13.7% have received a positive test result based on worker self-reporting. Authorities expressed concerns that the outbreak could be much worse because universal testing of workers has not been completed. An earlier order issued by the county health officer required the Foster Farms processing plant to close until it was able to reopen safely, but the county delayed enforcement for 48 hours after receiving a call from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A revised order, made public Saturday, said the plant building would be shut for at least six days starting Tuesday, but parts of the complex that are not experiencing outbreaks can remain open. Before any employees can return to work in the building, they will need to test negative twice within seven days, according to the county. "We agree that the best approach to ensuring the future safety of our Livingston plant workers is to begin anew with a clean slate," Foster Farms said in its statement. "The testing program will ensure that all workers first reentering the plant on Sept. 7 will be free of COVID-19." Story continues The company said it would continue to work with health officials to improve physical distancing and other safety measures at the plant. It noted that the fatal outbreak occurred despite Foster Farms "having promptly implemented a comprehensive set of employee protective measures that strictly adhere to [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance." "We are gratified that 239 of our coworkers have been cleared to return to work and grieve with the families and loved ones of those who died," the statement said. The acting state health officer, Dr. Erica Pan, said other Foster Farms facilities in multiple counties were also experiencing outbreaks. Workers have been worried about how the outbreak has been handled and the delays in closing the facility, said Edward Flores, a sociology professor with the UC Merced Community and Labor Center. "Where is [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] in all of this?" Flores said. "The hundreds of cases and the eight deaths constitute an imminent hazard, and that's grounds for shutting down the facility. Why did it take this many people getting infected and dying, and still, they're delaying the closing of the plant?" The county's transparency in managing this outbreak has also faced criticism. When the Los Angeles Times requested an update this month on the number of cases related to the Foster Farms outbreak, a spokesman said the county was not releasing those numbers "to avoid potentially violating [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] laws." Ana Padilla, executive director of the UC Merced Community and Labor Center, said it was disappointing that the county did not immediately shut down the facility after issuing the public health order. The changing and conflicting messages from authorities worried workers and contributed "to an already precarious environment that workers are constantly finding themselves in," Padilla said. The Merced County Department of Public Health said that, throughout July, it told Foster Farms that widespread testing was needed to control the outbreak, "particularly within the two departments with the highest number of cases." In late July, the company tested less than 10% of a department with the largest outbreak within the facility, and more than 25% of the employees tested were positive, according to the county. "However, expanded testing within the department was not completed for an additional three weeks, and subsequently, three fatalities were linked to that department alone," the county said. On Aug. 5 and 11, the county issued directives requiring immediate coronavirus testing of all permanent, volunteer and temporary employees who shared air within a facility that had an outbreak. A statement issued by the county Thursday said the spread of the highly infectious disease had not been contained, "and active outbreaks continue to exist, posing a significant threat to Foster Farms employees and the surrounding community. Furthermore, testing as required by the health directive had not been completed, and it is unclear whether the temporary workers were included in testing." On Thursday, Dr. Salvador Sandoval, the Merced County health officer, ordered the plant closed. In view of increasing deaths and uncontrolled COVID-19 cases, the decision was made to order the Livingston plant within the Foster Farms Livingston complex closed until acceptable safety measures are in place, Sandoval said in a statement. Our charge is to protect the publics health, even in the face of difficult decisions. Despite the public statement by county officials, Foster Farms employees received emails late Thursday instructing them to show up to work for shifts Thursday night and Friday if they were scheduled to do so. All active status employees should report to work for their regular shift tonight or tomorrow as scheduled. The plant and all other facilities on the Livingston complex are safely operating, said the letter, which was reviewed by The Times. Please continue to wear your face covering and follow other safe practices at work and outside of work. Later Thursday night, Mike North, a spokesman for Merced County, said enforcement of the shutdown order was delayed by 48 hours after the county received a call from the U.S. Department of Agricultures undersecretary for food safety. The delay, North said in an email, would help facilitate logistics associated with any necessary closure. In a statement issued Friday, Foster Farms did not address the shutdown order. The company, which is based in Livingston, has described itself as the West Coasts leading poultry producer. The workers at the Livingston plant are predominantly Latino and Punjabi, said Naindeep Singh, executive director of the Jakara Movement, a Central Valley nonprofit aimed at the Punjabi Sikh community. Many of his groups members work at the Foster Farms plant. A Times analysis found that of the 12 California counties with the worst coronavirus case rates per capita over the last two weeks, eight are in the San Joaquin Valley. Merced County has one of the worst rates statewide, reporting 414 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days. By contrast, L.A. County has about 196 cases per 100,000 residents; Orange County, 156; San Francisco County, 134; and San Diego County, 113. In its statement Saturday, Foster Farms praised Merced County health officials and said: "COVID-19 is not the product of a company any more than it is the fault of a people or a community. It is a scourge that companies like Foster Farms and communities like Merced County can work together to defeat." There is a software product made in Vietnam which has been used in most computers in the country for tens of years, called Unikey. Introduced in 1994, Unikey has existed for 26 years and has been stable and effective. This is a product created by Pham Kim Long, a former student at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Pham Kim Long, the author of Unikey In 1994, as a final year student, Pham Kim Long and three classmates challenged each other to see who could create the most compact Vietnamese percussion for DOS using the Assembly programming language. Long won the challenge with a 2Kb method, super-compact. The product is considered the first version of Unikey, which is well known as the most popular input method editor (IME) for encoding Vietnamese for Windows. Graduating from the school with excellent grades, Long went to the Czech Republic to become a postgraduate at the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague. Under ideal conditions, Long had opportunity to carry out further research and created an input method editor for encoding Vietnamese for Windows, called LittleVnKey. Long decided to create a solution which allowed a user to enter Vietnamese characters on Microsoft Windows, free of charge. It took him one night to design and two nights to encode to create the completed version called Unikey. The version was used by Long or given to friends. It did not support the international Unicode input. In late 2000, when he logged on in an IT forum, he found that people were discussing Windows supported Vietnamese Unicode. Users raised a lot of questions about how to unlock VietKey to use it for free. Long decided to create a solution which allowed a user to enter Vietnamese characters on Microsoft Windows, free of charge. It took him one night to design and two nights to encode to create the completed version called Unikey. The simplicity, convenience and free charge helped Unikey become the "national software" in Vietnam. In 2001, Long decided to publish the open source of Unikey. The move was criticized by many people who said this kills commercial products. Explaining his decision, Long said he doesnt oppose those who write software to earn their living and he himself also lived on this job. However, Unikey is not software to be used to earn his living. I will always keep Unikey a free software product. Unikey is open source which can be developed further by anyone, he said. Long is now 47 years old. He lives with his family and works in HCM City. He worked for IBM Vietnam and FPT Telecom before joining VNG in 2013 and has been working there since. He is leading a team that is developing mobile apps in Vietnam. Mai Lan VN scientists say it is difficult to commercialize inventions Many products have an average life expectancy of 10-15 years. If they cannot be commercialized, they will be 'put in mothballs' , said Nguyen Tan Dung, Chemical Technology and Food Dean of the HCM City University of Technology and Education. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After months of seeing stories about murder hornets, Annadale resident Michael Campiglia was concerned when he recently found a large insect in his pool skimmer. Campiglia shared photos with a friend of a friend who works as an exterminator, and was told it might be the Asian giant hornet, which has been found in the Pacific Northwest. The bugs discovery has sparked concerns about possible effects on ecosystems in the Western Hemisphere. Hitachi Cable America (HCA) a leading manufacturer of Premise, Fiber Optic and Specialty cables is pleased to announce the addition of Tom Artinian as Executive Vice President, Performance Cable Systems and Materials Division effective June 1, 2020. Tom joins the organization with many years of experience in the wire & cable industry. He has a proven track record in driving transformational change strategies. We are confident that his extensive experience in sales and operational leadership will meet and exceed our expectations. - Lynne Humenik, President and CEO Hitachi Cable America Artinian joins HCA from Southwire Canada where he served as Vice President of sales. With over 22 years of experience in the wire & cable industry, his career has evolved in leadership roles in both Canada & US. In this role, Artinian will oversee all facets of operations for Hitachi Cable Americas Performance Cable Systems and Materials Division located in Manchester, New Hampshire. I am excited to join the HCA team. Although these are challenging times for many businesses, we are committed to our employees, customers and supplier partners. Together we will emerge from this challenge as a strong organization. I am proud to lead our division and continue in our tradition of excellence. Tom Artinian, Executive Vice President Artinian earned his bachelors degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is married with 2 children and they are in the process of relocating to the local Manchester area. About Hitachi Cable America, Manchester Facility: The Manchester facility of the Performance Cable Systems & Materials Division of Hitachi Cable America Inc. is located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The facility manufactures a complete line of high-performance copper and fiber optic cables for the communication industry and related markets. Products include category copper communication cables, fiber optic cables, industrial Ethernet cables, wireless cables, aerospace cables as well as round and flat electronic cables. To learn more about Hitachi Cable America, Inc. and the Performance Cables Systems & Materials Division, please visit our website at https://www.hca.hitachi-cable.com. Hitachi Cable America, Inc. is a unit of Hitachi Metals, Ltd. Inquiries: Stephen L. Porach, PE, RCDD Director of Marketing 900 Holt Avenue Manchester, NH 03109 Ghanaian authorities have responded to several allegations made by the Nigerian government through information minister Lai Mohammed, over the treatment of Nigerian citizens in the country. Mr Mohammed had on Friday accused the Ghanaian government of sabotaging its diplomatic relations with Nigeria. In the statement published by PREMIUM TIMES, the Nigerian information minister accused the country of supporting incessant arrest and deportation of its citizens. He mentioned the closure of shops belonging to Nigerians and cases of harassment which generated furore recently. SEE ALSO: Closure of shops belonging to Nigerians; over 300 Nigerians shops were locked for four months in Kumasi in 2018; over 600 Nigerians shops were locked in 2019 and, currently, over 250 Nigerians shops have been locked. He decried the residency permit requirements, for which the Ghana Immigration Service has placed huge fees, far higher than the fees charged by the Nigerian Immigration Service. These include the compulsory Non-citizen ID card ($120, and $60 for yearly renewal); Medical examinations, including for COVID-19, which was newly-introduced (about $120), and payment for residency permit ($400 compared to the N7,000 being paid by Ghanaians for residency card in Nigeria), Mr Mohammed said. Reaction In a detailed letter issued by Ghanaian information minister, Kojo Nkrumah, the country responded to the accusations, insisting that it remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations including Nigeria. Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by my Nigerian counterpart is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified. On the alleged seizure of the Nigerian Missions property, Mr Nkrumah said the terms of the Commercial Lease expired 46 years ago, without any evidence of renewal by the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana. The Government of Ghana was not involved in the transaction and has not seized the property in question. Speaking on the demolition of the Nigerian Missions property located at No. 19/21 Julius Nyerere Street, which Mr Mohammed claimed constitutes a breach of the Vienna Convention, the Ghanaian authorities said the High Commission failed to acquire the Lease and Land Title Certificate, This statement is not factual. A search at the Lands Commission indicated that the Nigerian High Commission failed to complete the documentation process after paying for the land in the year 2000 A.D. The High Commission failed to acquire the Lease and Land Title Certificate, which constitute documentation for the said property, as well as a building permit for construction. In Ghana, land is owned not only by the Government, but also by Stools and Families. The demolition of the property was not carried out by agents of the Ghanaian Government, but by agents of the Osu Stool. While addressing the issue of incessant deportation, Mr Nkrumah said the position of Mr Mohammed that 825 Nigerians were deported from Ghana in 2017, 2018 and 2019 was not correct. This statement is not factual. In 2019, seven hundred (700) Nigerians, who were found to have been involved in criminal activities such as fraud, prostitution, armed robbery etc., were deported. On the exorbitant fee for the residency permit, Mr Nkrumah indicated that all foreigners, who apply for the permit in Ghana, pay the same fees as stated above and that they are not specific to Nigerians only. He also denied any media war against Nigerians in Ghana, saying there is no negative reportage on Nigerian residents in Ghana by Ghanaian media, which could potentially lead to xenophobic attitude towards Nigerians, particularly Nigerian traders in Ghana. He added that no Nigerian trader has been arrested. The closure of shops was as a result of infractions on Ghanaian laws. Even then, those affected who are not only Nigerians, have been given ample time to regularise their documents. Furthermore, no Nigerian-owned shops are currently closed, he stated. The minister, however, promised that President Nana Akufo-Addo will engage President Muhammadu Buhari with a view to developing immediately a framework for validating the claims of ill-treatment of citizens of either country, and ensure citizens enjoy the full exercise of their rights. We are facing a terrible public health crisis affecting thousands of individuals and families in Massachusetts. The disease can be difficult to discover, diagnose and treat. While it can harm people of all backgrounds, it disproportionately impacts some of our communitys most vulnerable. It has taken a toll on our economy and is often the talk in business circles and on Beacon Hill. But now, amid the coronavirus pandemic, our fight against the opioid epidemic may take a wrong turn. Despite progress in reducing overdose deaths in Massachusetts prior to the COVID-19 surge earlier this year, the latest data from the commonwealth and streaming in from across the nation are a reminder that we cannot forget about the opioid epidemic while our attention is trained on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Massachusetts Department of Public healths data from the first quarter of 2020 show that despite an overall decline in overdose deaths compared to the first quarter of 2019, rates of opioid overdose deaths for Black men, Hispanic men, and Black women all increased notably. While the 2020 second-quarter numbers from Massachusetts have not yet been released, the American Medical Association is reporting that more than 40 states have reported an increase in drug-related deaths. In fact, in neighboring Connecticut, that states Department of Public health recorded a 21.4 percent spike in overdoses during the peak of the pandemic. It is imperative that we recognize the severity of the situation we now face. Health experts believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has and will cause more suffering and death among people with opioid use disorder (OUD). At this critical moment, we must lend our support to organizations that are on the frontline of both health crises and not lose sight of this vital public health priority. Specifically, more resources are needed to build capacity for identifying and treating OUD; much has been invested it is still not enough to get us where we need to be. We have made gains since the height of the crisis but we must worry both about losing ground to COVID-19 and the fact that there has not been success in bending the addiction curve among all groups that the Black and brown communities are experiencing a staggering loss from OUD. We have seen firsthand that social determinants of health access to healthy food, housing, and employment or educational opportunities correlate to higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death. In Boston, early in the pandemic, a large homeless shelter was home to an early cluster of COVID-19 with a 36 percent positivity rate. But we have to make note of the fact that the social and economic impacts of the pandemic and quarantine people out of work or school, social support systems crushed, transportation becoming limited and dangerous are leading to an exacerbation of those inequities. Existing health disparities will widen at a time of such major stress to our social, health care and economic systems. When people, including friends and family who we may think are doing just fine or those who are already vulnerable, are suddenly faced with these harsh changes, the likelihood of substance use naturally increases. Many in the public health community believe it is only a matter of time until we see an increase of OUD caused by the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. RIZE and our community partners sounded the alarm in March. We knew that as time, energy and valuable public health resources were shifted to combat the coronavirus, it would leave people with OUD, even despite our years of progress, more vulnerable. We quickly mobilized our grant-making resources and created a COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund to disburse $200,000 in crucial funding to 25 nonprofit organizations suddenly strained by the pandemic. In May, RIZE collaborated with the Boston Resiliency Fund to award $500,000 in additional grants to nonprofits working with vulnerable populations. Organizations including the Life Connection Center in Lowell, which feeds and supports the homeless in that community, needed money to adjust operations to follow social distancing protocols in order to continue their services. In the case of the team at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, they needed help building a tent to facilitate self-isolation and shift staff to support the Boston Hope field hospital all while maintaining their efforts to treat people with OUD. The work of these and other incredible nonprofits is just a sample of what has been happening in communities across the commonwealth. While local organizations may rely on state funding or grants, they also need people in their communities to support them through donations of time and money. We can also maintain the fight if we each do our part to address the epidemic through individual words and actions. Just as we have learned that wearing a mask is a powerful tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we know that reducing the stigma of OUD is just as critical. We must be sure to support friends and neighbors who are vulnerable, and ensure that individuals suffering from the disease have access to resources and a network to get the help they need. Lets be sure to not lose sight of the epidemic as we throw everything we can at the pandemic. __________ Julie Burns is the President and CEO of RIZE Massachusetts Foundation, the only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to ending the opioid crisis in Massachusetts. On Aug. 31, RIZE will observe International Opioid Awareness Day, when the world will be honoring the lives of people lost to the drug overdose epidemic. Swiss International Air Lines is unlikely to resume its service between Zurich and Ljubljana this year, although a final decision is expected in the coming weeks. In a sign of things to come, the carrier has discontinued sales on the route until the start of the 2021 summer season on March 28, when flights are expected to be restored through its partner Helvetic Airways. Swiss was the first among the Lufthansa Group airlines to commence operations to the Slovenian capital last year following the collapse of national carrier Adria Airways. Daily services were launched on October 17, 2019. Among other members of the Group, Lufthansa will maintain its Frankfurt service throughout the winter, but will not resume its Munich route until summer 2021, while Brussels Airlines plans to restore its Ljubljana operations on October 25. Earlier this month, Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport urged for the Slovenian government to provide incentives to airlines in order to encourage them to resume operations to the city. Maintaining existing connections and restoring the rest will be a challenge due to the continuing uncertainty over the health situation in the world. Therefore, carriers are increasingly cautious and selective about which markets they enter. We hope that the country, following the example of other European Union member states, will use funds to promote Slovenia in key markets to help restore its air connectivity which was accessible to locals and foreigners alike prior to the pandemic. Such an incentive would be crucial for the recovery of the Slovenian tourism industry and the economy in general", Ljubljana Airports Head of Airline Management, Janez Krasnja, said at the time. The Slovenian government had previously expressed interest in subsidising flights to key Lufthansa hubs - Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Brussels - in order to increase frequencies. Zurich has historically been Ljubljanas sixth busiest route. Nine carriers presently maintain operations to Ljubljana Airport. They include Air Serbia (Belgrade), Montenegro Airlines (Podgorica), Lufthansa (Frankfurt), Wizz Air (Charleroi), Transavia (Amsterdam), easyJet (Berlin), Air France (Paris), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) and LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw). easyJets Gatwick flights are set to resume this coming Friday, while it will launch a new service from Luton to the Slovenian capital on October 28. Its service from Stansted to Ljubljana is being discontinued as a result of the base closure on September 1. Sen. Kamala Harris has the moral foundation and the moxie to officially elevate the struggle of Black Americans to the top of our political priorities, where it has always belonged. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) Make no mistake, Kamala Harris, not Joe Biden, is on the Democratic ticket as the face of the leadership the country is demanding now. Her vice presidential candidacy, in essence, is a bid to become Americas second Black president. Biden is running as the Democrats fixit man, pledging to restore normalcy and decency to American politics. Harris role is symbolic, as veep choices usually are, but what she represents is truly substantive this time: Harris, a Black woman, embodies the most dependable constituency of the Democratic Party, a voting bloc that is finally rising in power and getting its due. Harris also clearly understands her connection to Black Lives Matter and other grassroots racial justice movements that have been pushing the country toward antiracism for the last four months with historic success. She is no progressive, but when Harris recites the names of the dead Black men and women whose killings have sent hundreds of thousands into the streets this year, as she did in a speech Thursday attacking President Trump's policies, she directly acknowledges that it is her job to carry the urgency of Black grievances forward. Those grievances put Harris on the ticket; her lens, not Bidens, is the one through which Americans are seeing themselves in 2020. And what a difference 12 years make. Back in 2008, candidate Barack Obama won over the country by Disney-fying Blackness to some degree, selling his Kansas-Kenya-Hawaii story as but one shining example of American diversity that theoretically transcended red and blue state consciousness. That set the tone for a similarly soft focus on Blackness in his administration. However sympathetic the Obama White House was to racial justice, the administration always seemed to fear alienating the white people who voted for him. Obama rarely spoke directly to or about African Americans when it came to policy. It was the classic paradox of integration the more accepted by the mainstream Black people become, the more constrained they are about bluntly speaking their truth and progress against racism stalls. Story continues The paradox feels irrelevant now. Harris was nominated because she is Black, not in spite of it. Her presence in the campaign is essential, not something to apologize for or contextualize in a happy-face narrative about a unified America. If Harris werent talking straightforwardly about the effects of white supremacy and racism, she wouldnt seem qualified for the position of president-in-waiting now. Its a startling turn of the status quo that could launch a new era of legitimate, deeply ethical Black leadership for all. But sometimes I worry; is Harris up to this job? She is not Obama, but she shares traits with him, traits common to the Black professional class that, frankly, have hampered as much as helped progress in the last couple of generations. Harris is middle class, a career lawyer. She comes from a stratum that has produced important Black leaders and activists W.E.B. DuBois, Mary Church Terrell, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King Jr. These men and women blasted through the towering rock of segregation and overt racism that held down everybody. But after the last remnants of Jim Crow fell in the 1960s, those in this cohort were free to seek their own fortunes, to secure the good life, and many did. In some ways, Black careerism supplanted activism as a form of racial justice. The hard-won achievements of scholars, doctors, lawyers and executives were proof that they were still in the struggle, that it was paying off. But per the paradox, their ascent all but required them to minimize their concerns for the race as a whole. Ordinary Black folks chafed at this dynamic, but they understood it: the need to meet the assimilationist demands of the white majority. Harris has the goods a presidential candidate needs: telegenic looks, core unflappability and, as recently displayed, oratorical charisma. But she is also primed to undo the racial effacement that has been the price of integration. It helps that she is temperamentally less cautious than Obama: She can be caustic, as we saw when she took apart Atty. Gen. William Barr during a Senate hearing last year, and Biden himself during the Democratic prirmary debates. Harris is willing to flash anger, to display a certain edge. She is utterly comfortable in Black settings that Obama sometimes seemed to find slightly foreign; she's a Black girl from Oakland whose immigrant parents of color were very attuned to the struggle of African Americans. Im really sick of having to explain my experiences with racism to people for them to understand that it exists, she told the New York Times when she was asked if she'd been racially profiled. In the same interview, she charged her white friends, puzzled by all the incidents of excessive police force against Black people, with sounding like colonists. Harris has the moral foundation and the moxie to officially elevate the struggle of Black Americans to the top of our political priorities, where it has always belonged; I only hope she is willing. The lives of Black people are poised to move from the margins of our national narrative to the center. Kamala Harris, our second chance at a Black president, is more than qualified to take us there. Erin Aubry Kaplan is a contributing writer to Opinion. Amid speculation that former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi may return to the NDA, the BJP's state unit head Sanjay Jaiswal on August 29 said whosoever expresses faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership is welcome in the alliance. On August 20, Manjhi, an erstwhile JD(U) leader who founded Hindustani the Awam Morcha (Secular), severed ties with the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) led by the RJD after remaining in the opposition coalition for two-and-a-half years. Manjhi has been meeting Bihar chief minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar for past several months. Replying to a question while talking to reporters after BJP president JP Nadda's meeting with the party's MPs from Bihar, Jaiswal said, "Whosoever reposes faith in Narendra Modiji's leadership is welcome in NDA." Talking about the meeting, Jaiswal said Nadda told the MPs to work for the victory of the BJP as well its NDA partners candidates in the upcoming assembly polls. The BJP's national president also instructed party MPs to visit at least 60 panchayats in September and interact with the people. In a tweet, Nadda later said, "Addressed the meeting of Bihar MPs in wake of upcoming elections in the state. All our MPs will visit panchayats in the state and will spread the word about development work and the welfare schemes carried out by the Modi government." The meeting was also attended by BJP's incharge for Bihar Bhupender Yadav and party's joint general secretary (organisation) Saudan Singh. JD(U)-led NDA is in power in Bihar for nearly 15 years. The LJP is also a member of NDA which won won 39 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general elections. BJP president Nadda had already made it clear that Nitish Kumar would be the chief minister's face in assembly elections in Bihar. The elections in the state are expected to be held in October-November. Families in a mountainous community on Indonesia's Sulawesi island dig up their mummified relatives every three years, clean them and dress them in their favourite clothes to honour their spirits. The "Manene" ritual is carried out by the Torajan people, either before or after the August harvest, when deceased family members are unearthed and their graves cleaned. "Sometimes we even have a conversation with them, asking them to wish us health, prosperity and health," Rony Pasang, whose family carried out the tradition on Saturday, told AFP. Pasang dug up several dead family members including his grandmother and great aunt -- with his children and grandchildren paying respect to the shrivelled, mummified corpses. The family members in the village of Panggala were unearthed and laid out to dry in the sun, before being dressed. The family members were unearthed and laid out to dry in the sun, before being dressed. Photo: AFP A feast was also held and a pig slaughtered for the occasion. The death of a relative involves many intricate ceremonial steps for the Torajan people, who number about a million. The deceased are mummified through an embalming process that used to involve sour vinegar and tea leaves. These days though families usually inject a formaldehyde solution into the corpse. After many months, the souls of the dead are freed -- and immortality assured -- with an elaborate multi-day funeral ceremony called Rambu Solo. A majority of Torajans are Christians but they retain many animist rituals and beliefs. Trade ministers of India and 10-member ASEAN countries have instructed their officials to start discussions for determining the scope of review of free trade agreement (FTA) at the earliest with a view to make the pact more user-friendly, simple, and trade facilitative for businesses. The issue was discussed during the 17th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultations meet held virtually on August 29, an official statement said on Sunday. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the review of FTA in goods has been "inordinately delayed", and requested to start the full review before the end of this year. "The ministers from India and ASEAN countries instructed the senior officials to start the discussions to determine the scope of the review at the earliest to, inter-alia, make the free trade agreement more user-friendly, simple, and trade facilitative for businesses," the statement said. The review will make the agreement modern with contemporary trade facilitative practices, and streamlined customs and regulatory procedures, it added. Goyal highlighted that the pact has to be mutually beneficial and a win-win for all sides. He also expressed the need to strengthen rules of origin provisions, work towards removal of non-tariff barriers and provide better market access to Indian businesses. Goyal and Tran Tuan Anh, Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, co-chaired the consultations. It was attended by trade ministers of all 10 ASEAN countries -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India trade in goods agreement was signed on August 13, 2009 and came into force on January 1, 2010. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The reform process of the Sri Lankan Constitution would be underway very soon after the government abolished the 19th Amendment that curtailed the powers of the President and strengthened the role of Parliament. Minister of Information Keheliya Rambukwella said the new government will first abolish the 19th Amendment "which created a lot of confusion and instability within the government. The people have given us a mandate to bring in a new Constitution which will address all issues, Rambukwella insisted. He said the Constitution reform process would be underway very soon, he told reporters on Friday. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa outlined his commitment to abolish the 19th Amendment during his ceremonial address to Parliament last week. The 19A Amendment adopted in 2015 by the then reformist government was subject to much criticism by the Rajapaksa clan as it prevented dual citizens from contesting elections. At the time, two of the Rajapaksa family members including the current President were dual citizens of the US and Sri Lanka. President's younger brother and SLPP founder and its National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa is a dual citizen of US and Sri Lanka. There are 5 of them already in government. During the August 5 election, the Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) sought two thirds parliamentary mandate or 150 seats in the 225-member assembly to effect constitutional changes, the foremost of them was the move to abolish the 19A. The SLPP and allies won 150 seats and have a two-third majority to effect the constitutional change they desire. While Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected as the Sri Lankan President in November last year, his eldest brother Mahinda Rajapaksa won the general election and assumed charge as Prime Minister on August 9. The Opposition has accused the government of trying to abolish 19A to make room for another member of the Rajapaksa family to enter Parliament. The 19A was the main election plank of the previous government. The 19A depoliticised the government administration by ensuring the independence of key pillars such as the judiciary, public service and elections. The reformists in 2015 argued that the 19A was needed to correct the power imbalance created by the 18A which the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010 had introduced. The 18A lifted the two-term bar for a President to run for office. The 19A brought in the reversal bringing back the two terms bar and reducing the Presidential term from 6 to 5 years. It pruned the powers of the presidency and empowered Parliament. The countrys aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is in touch with Boeing after the aircraft-maker asked three international airlines to pull back eight of their B787 (Dreamliner) aircraft on discovering manufacturing defects. Currently, India has 28 operational B787 aircraft (27 with Air India and one with Vistara). Arun Kumar, director-general, DGCA, said, We are in touch with them, if need be suitable action will be taken (sic). As per latest information, the eight Boeing 787 aircraft belonged to Air Canada, United Airlines and Singapore Airlines. In a telephonic conversation with HT, Boeing spokesperson, said, Boeing has identified two distinct manufacturing issues in certain 787 aircraft (near or towards the tail of the aircraft) body fuselage sections, which, in combination, result in a condition that does not meet our design standards. Sources, however, told HT that no 787 flying for Indian airlines will be pulled back for this reason. Former defence pilot and aviation expert Vipul Saxena said the aft fuselage portion called aft pressure bulkhead that carries the load of rear passengers is made of lightweight or composite material. Also read: Pitching for Made in India toys, PM Modi discusses Aatma Nirbhar plan in Mann Ki Baat It (aft fuselage portion) helps an aircraft aerodynamically, and is usually made by third party manufacturers. It is subsequently integrated with the front portion of the fuselage using metallic joints, chemical compounds and sealants to withstand the aerodynamic pressure and stress that an aircraft encounters while flying, said Saxena. For the safety of aircraft and passengers, there are periodic checks to ensure that the front portion of the fuselage and aft bulkheads are joined together securely and are intact as an integrated body. Saxena further added, This step by Boeing is subsequent to observing some signs of material failure due to fatigue /excessive stress, risking safety of aircraft. Hence, Boeing being manufacturers of 787 issued the recall to mitigate the risk in the interest of aircraft and passenger safety. Boeing also said they have notified and briefed US aviation regulator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about the issue. We are conducting a thorough review into the root cause and in addition, as part of our assessment, we determined that eight airplanes in the delivered fleet are affected by both issues and therefore must be inspected and repaired prior to continued operation. We immediately contacted the airlines that operate the eight affected airplanes to notify them of the situation, and the airplanes have been temporarily removed from service until they can be repaired, said the spokesperson. This is not the first time when Boeing787 aircraft are reported to have a technical problem. On January 16, 2013, the FAA had issued an emergency airworthiness directive ordering all US-based airlines to ground their Boeing 787s until modifications were made to the electrical system to reduce the risk of the battery overheating or catching fire. This step, which was the first such, was taken after smoke was detected from a Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo landed at Bostons Logan International Airport in January 2013. Though the smoke was observed after all passengers deboarded, from the planes electrical bay, it was later learnt traced to one of its two lithium-ion batteries. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Global coronavirus infections soared past 25 million on Sunday, as countries around the world further tightened restrictions to try to stop the rampaging pandemic. A million additional cases have been detected globally roughly every four days since mid-July, according to an AFP tally, with India on Sunday setting the record for the highest single-day rise in cases with 78,761. The surge in India, home to 1.3 billion people, came as the government further eased lockdown restrictions over the weekend to help ease pressure on the reeling economy. Even nations such as New Zealand and South Korea, which had previously brought their outbreaks largely under control, are now battling new clusters of infections. On the other side of the world, Latin Americathe worst-hit regionis still struggling with its first wave, with COVID-19 deaths in Brazil crossing 120,000, second only to the United States. Brazil's curve "has stabilised now, but at a very dangerous level: nearly 1,000 deaths and 40,000 cases per day," said Christovam Barcellos, a researcher at public health institute Fiocruz. "And Brazil still isn't past the peak." More than 843,000 people have died of COVID-19 globally, and with no vaccine or effective treatment available yet, governments have been forced to resort to some form of social distancing and lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus. Masks will become mandatory from Monday on public transport and flights in New Zealand, which went more than 100 days without local transmission before the current cluster emerged. And tightened virus curbs kicked in on Sunday in South Korea, which is also battling fresh clustersincluding in the greater Seoul region, home to half the country's population. In Iraq, thousands of Shiite pilgrims wearing gloves and masks flooded the holy city of Karbala to mark Ashura, in one of the largest Muslim gatherings since the pandemic began. Typically, millions of Shiites from around the world flock to the shrine, but this year's commemoration was subdued with employees spraying disinfectant mist, checking temperatures and enforcing social distancing. "Honestly, this year is nothing like the millions-strong commemorations of other years," said Fadel Hakim, a blue medical mask cupping his chin. "It stands out because there are so few people." 'Anti-corona' rallies in Europe Despite the grim numbers, there has been steady opposition to lockdowns and social distancing measures in many parts of the world, often because of their crushing economic cost. But resistance has also come from the extreme right and left of the political spectrum, as well as conspiracy theorists and anti-vaccine campaigners. In Berlin on Saturday, thousands gathered to march against coronavirus restrictionsbut police later stopped the rally because many participants were not respecting social distancing measures. Protesters waved German flags and shouted slogans against Chancellor Angela Merkel often used by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Many carried placards promoting widely debunked conspiracy theories about vaccines, face masks and 5G communications. Similar protests were held in London and Zurich, where some carried signs supporting the far-right QAnon movement, which promotes bizarre theories about Satan-worshipping cabals and "deep state" plotswithout any credible evidence. 'A big first step' The pandemic has upended economies and societies around the world, and halted most large gatheringsfrom sport and music to religion and politics. In Spain, football superstar Lionel Messi missed a virus test at Barcelona's training ground, club sources confirmed, raising the possibility he will boycott pre-season to force a transfer from the Spanish club. Without a coronavirus test, Messi will be unable to join team-mates for new coach Ronald Koeman's first training session on Monday. The Tour de France set off from the French Riviera on Saturday, two months later than originally planned and with the French sport minister not ruling out the cancellation of the event because of the coronavirus. Under the Tour rules, any team with two positive tests in its entourage will be expelled. A virus testing cell will travel with the teams throughout the race. The world's top sport, culture and music events are struggling with the challenge of hosting spectators while reducing the risk of virus transmission. But there was some cheer on Saturday in New York, once among the world's biggest coronavirus hotspots. Visitors raised their arms, clapped and lined up to get tickets as New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its doors to the public in a festive atmosphere after a six-month closure. Tracy-Ann Samuel, who came with her daughters aged four and nine, said she couldn't wait to again be "surrounded by beautiful art". "It means that there is some semblance of normalcy," Samuel said. "The Met has been a part of New York history for over 150 years... So this is a big first step." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP A woman who held a birthday party for a five-year-old is among 192 people to have been fined for breaching Victoria's draconian coronavirus restrictions. Police found 12 adults and eight children when they went to a house in the Latrobe area of eastern Victoria. The woman who organised the party was fined $1,652. Regional Victoria is under stage three restrictions and residents are not allowed to have visitors inside their home unless they are visiting their partner or for compassionate reasons. Scroll down for video A woman who held a birthday party for a five-year-old is among 192 people to have been fined for breaching Victoria's coronavirus restrictions (stock image) Police also fined seven youths holding a house party in Warrnambool and a Hawthorn woman who was found parked in St Kilda. She had told the officer she was looking for a supermarket to buy toilet paper but got lost. Of the fines, 20 were for not wearing a face mask outside of the home and 69 were for breaches of the 8pm-5am Melbourne curfew. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday the number of cases in the state was still too high to roll back restrictions. He also warned Melbournians who basked in the city's warm weather on Saturday to obey the stage four restrictions imposed until September 13. 'Lets not make any choices that put at risk all of the progress we have made and could render all of the sacrifice we have made it meaningless,' Mr Andrews said. Police pictured in the Melbourne CBD on August 24. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said case numbers in the state are too high to consider rolling back COVID-19 restrictions 'We do not want that. No day at the beach is worth that.' Victoria on Sunday recorded 114 new coronavirus cases and 11 more deaths. The figures, confirmed by the Department of Health and Human Services, bring the state's toll from the virus to 524 and the national total to 611. It follows 94 new cases on Saturday, which was the first day since July 5 that cases were in the double digits. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-30 04:30:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tesla Shanghai gigafactory in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Neuralink received a "Breakthrough Device" designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July, and is "preparing for first human implantation soon, pending required approvals and further safety testing," Elon Musk said. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain-machine interface company, demonstrated its technology and device implanted in live pigs on Friday. "The main purpose is to convince great people to come work at Neuralink and help us bring the product to fruition, make it affordable and reliable and such that anyone who wants one can have one," Musk said during the demo while presenting a coin-sized wireless device. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO brought three pigs to the demonstration. One pig was untreated, the second had been installed with a Neuralink device called the "Link" for two months. The third pig had previously had one device installed but then removed in order to show the safety and replaceability of the technology. Musk stressed that the third pig showed the feasibility to provide updates to the hardware over time as better versions become available. He noted that Neuralink had changed the design since last year to make the physical device small enough to be hidden under hair after being installed in the skull. Musk then demonstrated a display that could play a sound and show a visual spike when the device detected the pig with the "Link" touch something with its snout. Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks at a delivery ceremony for Tesla China-made Model 3 in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) "For the initial device, it's read and write in every channel with about 1,024 channels, all-day battery life that recharges overnight and has quite a long range, so you can have the range being to your phone," Musk said. Musk considered the function very important, for it can be used to connect the "Link" in one's head to applications on the smartphone by Bluetooth. Neuralink was founded in 2016 and funded primarily by Elon Musk to develop a new kind of interface technology between the human brain and computing devices. Installing a chip in the human skull could restore limb function, improve human movement, resolve issues with eyesight and hearing, and help with diseases like Parkinson's, the company claims. Musk said during the presentation that the company had received a "Breakthrough Device" designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July, and the company is "preparing for first human implantation soon, pending required approvals and further safety testing." The clinical trial will focus on individuals with paraplegia or tetraplegia, resulting from cervical spinal cord injury. The company plans to enroll a small number of patients first to test the efficacy and safety of the technology. My father fears what Im about to say will make me unable to find a job in the future. He may be right. My whole family worries about my health, as do I, and we have good reason to do so. I feel now more than ever that I must speak up regardless of consequence or retribution because to remain silent about this truly and uniquely American experience would be wrong. I did all the ... (click for more) In the aftermath of the oil spill that polluted that waters of Mauritius from a leaked Japanese-owned vessel, 40 dolphins have washed up dead on the shore of the island nation as stated by officials on Friday. According to Fox News, an investigation on the deaths of the dolphins has already been demanded by environmentalists. The said environmental groups have asked for an inquiry on whether it was indeed a result of the recent oil spill. In a statement by Yasfeer Heenave, one of the fishermen who were trying to herd the mammals away from the polluted waters, he has seen around 25-30 dolphins that were already floating in the lagoon on Friday morning. This is an addition to the number remains that were discovered in the previous days. According to several witnesses, the heart-wrenching deaths included one mother dolphin and its baby. Heave stated that the mother stayed behind to protect its offspring and refused to go with the group that was being ushered away from the pollution. The fisherman and several witnesses saw the calf die. A few moments after the death of its calf, the mother dolphin also died. On the other hand, a spokesperson from the Mauritius fisheries ministry stated in an interview with Reuters that 38 carcasses of dolphins have been seen on the beach, earlier that day. Read also: State of Environmental Emergency Declared as Mauritius Struggles to Contain Oil Spill The results of the autopsy performed on the 25 carcasses that washed up on the coast of Mauritius on Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be released in the next few days. Based on reports, only two dolphins have been examined by veterinarians at the moment. The results of the examination showed that the dolphins sustained injuries around the area of their jaws but exhibited no signs of oil or hydrocarbons. The veterinarians that examined the dolphins were from the Albion Fisheries Research Centre, a government-run organization. The dead dolphins were found on the coast of an area that was affected after the oil leak from MV Wakashio polluted the waters of Mauritius. The ship broke after it hit a coral reef back in July. Thousands March for Dead Sea Mammals Meanwhile, the death of the dolphins triggered protests against the slow response of the government on the spill. Tens of thousands of people marched, honked, and drummed in Mauritius calling out the government's inaction. According to ABC News, protesters carried signs calling the government shameless, Some even had signs that said "I've seen better Cabinets at IKEA." While one of the protesters had an inflatable dolphin that he raised above the crowd. The protesters peacefully marched to the country's capital, Port Louis. A commentary published in the Mauritian newspaper, Le Mauricien, stated that the incident has created a turning point in the history of the island nation. Some of the speakers during the protests called the government officials to step down from office since the wreck was a month ago and there has been no improvement in their response. Aside from endangering the marine life, the spill also threatens the economy of Mauritius which mostly relies on its tourism. Related article: Dead Dolphins Wash Up on the Coast of Mauritius After Oil Spill, Greenpeace Calls for Investigation @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Officials of WPK Central Committee Engage in Recovery of Typhoon-Damaged Farmland and Crops Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, August 30 (KCNA) -- Officials of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea engaged in the campaign with agricultural workers to recover from damage done to cropland and crops in the typhoon-stricken areas in South Hwanghae Province. The officials of the Central Committee of the WPK immediately went to the sites for recovery from damage, true to the noble intention of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un who said that it is one of top-priority tasks to be surely carried out by our Party to go among the people and encourage and sincerely help them when they are in trouble and feel difficult. In Ongjin, Kangryong and Pyoksong counties they are working hard to lessen the reduction in the crop yield with the farmers in the most severely stricken fields. They encouraged the farmers to successfully conclude this significant year's farming while doing farming work such as picking up corns and digging ditches and repairing dwelling houses just as members of the workteams and sub-workteams would do. Visiting the families of farmers with aiding materials prepared by them with sincerity, they learned about their living conditions as their real parents would do and encouraged them to firmly defend the socialist cooperative fields. People in the damaged areas were deeply impressed with the appearance of officials of the WPK Central Committee who had meals from the same pot as the farmers and shared common weal and woe with them after launching the campaign for recovering from damage from early dawn till late at night. People in the damaged areas said in excitement that officials of the WPK Central Committee helped them relieved of their worries after they were hit by typhoon, and that they remain unperturbed by any storm and stress as there is the care of Marshal Kim Jong Un and the mother party. The devoted and people-oriented traits displayed by the officials of the Central Committee of the WPK in the sites for recovery from damage harden the revolutionary will of the agricultural workers who buckled down to the campaign to remove the aftermath of disaster as early as possible and greet the 75th founding anniversary of the WPK with shining labor achievements. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Her ex-fiance was shot in the stomach on Sunday, July 5 after reportedly confronting a group of people. And, Gillian Taylforth, 65, wore shades and a floral head scarf as she was seen out for the first time since Dave Fairbairn, 64, was shot at point blank range. The actress, who is best known for playing Kathy Beale in EastEnders, was photographed sitting in the passenger side of a car, while in Hertfordshire, last weekend. Spotted: Gillian Taylforth, 65, wore shades and a floral head scarf as she was seen out for the first time since Dave Fairbairn, 64, was shot at point blank range Gillian appeared to be somewhat downcast as she bit her nails whilst parked up with her seatbelt on. Mr Fairbairn was shot from point blank range near a Toby Carvery car park in Enfield, North London, but the bullet missed his vital organs. Gillian's ex was allegedly shot confronting a group of people while he was on bail over a huge 850,000 cannabis factory. Mr Fairbairn revealed to a friend that the bullet fired before he heard 'lots of clicking' during the incident. Sad times: The actress appeared to be somewhat downcast as she bit her nails whilst parked up with her seatbelt on while in Hertfordshire, last weekend Lost in thought: Gillian looked to be lost in thought as she waited in the vehicle Drama! Dave Fairbairn, 64, was shot in the stomach on Sunday, July 5 (Pictured together in London on November 21, 2015) The Sun reported that he told a friend: 'All I can remember is this bang, then lots of clicking. I think the trigger was being pulled again and again. 'I was lucky some people found me and called the ambulance.' He had been arrested three months prior to the incident over a drugs farm found in Arrington, Cambridgeshire, by police. He was detained by officers at the time on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and handling stolen goods. Sombre: The actress, who is best known for playing Kathy Beale in EastEnders, was photographed sitting in the passenger side of a car Close call: Mr Fairbairn was shot from point blank range near a Toby Carvery car park in Enfield, North London, but the bullet missed his vital organs Drama: Gillian's ex was allegedly shot confronting a group of people while he was on bail over a huge 850,000 cannabis factory Two other man aged 32 and 37 attempted to run off when police arrived but were stopped and arrested on suspicion of cultivation as well as immigration offences. Authorities confirmed to MailOnline at the time that all three suspects had been bailed. Gillian was said to be in shock following news of the shooting. She and Mr Fairbairn have remained close, despite calling off their wedding in December. Splitsville: Gillian split from fiance Dave after six years together in late 2019 (pictured together in May 2015) Gillian split from fiance Fairbairn after six years together in late 2019 after their relationship came under strain following a 'string of disagreements', according to reports at the time. The pair were together since 2013 and Gillian originally parted ways with Dave two years earlier due to 'fiery rows' between the pair, but later rekindled their romance. The actress' relationship with him was her first following her split from her ex-partner of 23 years Geoff Knights. She shares two children with Geoff, who tragically died of stomach cancer, aged 58, back in 2013. One of Victorias most experienced primary school principals says many prep students would be better off repeating their foundation year next year to avoid falling behind permanently from months of lost classroom learning. Kevin Mackay, who has been principal at Dandenong North Primary School for about 35 years, estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic had cost his students about half a year of essential development in literacy, numeracy and oral language. Dandenong North Primary School principal Kevin Mackay believes students from non-English speaking backgrounds will have lost six to eight months' learning. Credit:Wayne Taylor Ninety per cent of the schools students are from non-English speaking backgrounds. Itll vary for year levels and itll vary for cultural groups and in different postcodes, but in our case it would have to be six months and could even be eight months [lost development], he said. The youth (23), who was lynched on Friday in west Delhis Naraina on suspicion of stealing a mobile phone, was on his way to Gurugram in neighbouring Haryana to find a job with his elder brothers help. He was caught, tied to a tree and beaten to death , his father alleged. Four men have been arrested for allegedly lynching the victim, identified as Rahul, in a park in Naraina, said Deepak Purohit, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (west), Delhi Police. The victim was a resident of Jawahar Camp in Kirti Nagar, which is located across the railway tracks from Loha Mandi in Naraina. We were pestering Rahul to get a job after he was released from jail on August 17. On Thursday at around 8 pm, he packed his clothes and said he was leaving for Gurugram to meet his elder brother, who would help him find a job in his company, said his father, Raghubir (58). I had spoken to my eldest son, who had said that he had found a job for Rahul in the same private company, where he works, said Raghubir, a private security guard in west Delhis Mayapuri. Also read: Delhi likely to receive light to moderate rain today - IMD The family members said they had urged Rahul not to leave the house at around 8 pm on Thursday. I had requested him to leave the next morning, but he was adamant to leave at that point in time. I regret for failing to stop him from leaving, said Raghubir. The police had received a call about the assault on Rahul at around 6 am on Friday and found him lying unconscious under a tree in the park. A coconut fibre rope and a white muffler found at the spot showed that Rahul was tied to the tree. He succumbed to his injuries at a hospital allegedly due to the thrashing he had received with wooden sticks and iron rods. Raghubir said that it wasnt the first time Rahul was assaulted. About two months ago, Rahul was left with a fractured arm after he was roughed up following a quarrel, said Raghubir. The police would catch him, whenever there was any crime in our neighbourhood. He could be involved in quarrels and fights, but not in thefts. He was the son of a security guard, who prevents thefts, Raghubir added. Though police said Rahul was named in a dozen crimes and jailed thrice in the past, they did not find any evidence that he had stolen the mobile phone for which he was lynched. He was sent to jail last in mid-July and released on August 17 for allegedly carrying a knife and a pistol. Rahul is survived by his parents, elder brother, wife and two children. He had got married four years ago. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tri Indah Oktavianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, August 30, 2020 14:38 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c4178f3d 1 National social-distancing,mask,mahfud-md,Yogyakarta,COVID-19,artist,artists,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,health-protocol,social-distance Free Coordinating Legal, Political, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD encouraged artists and cultural practitioners in the region to campaign for public adherence to health protocols during his visit to Yogyakarta on Saturday. In several places, some people are still not wearing masks," he said during his visit to the Bu Ageng food stall, owned by actor Butet Karteredjasa, in Mantrijeron, Yogyakarta. "Artists and cultural practitioners can help with a persuasive approach." Besides Butet, Javanese dancer Didik Nini Thowok, author Agus Noor, and filmmaker Sujiwo Tedjo were among the artists present at the visit. Read also: Indonesia sees record high in COVID-19 cases for third day running Mahfud said that while it was good that economic activities had started to ramp up, it should be coupled with mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand-washing. Now we see the public conducting economic activities and sociopolitical activities, but health protocols are not implemented as much, Mahfud added. During the visit, the minister also distributed a total of 2,000 masks for artists and cultural practitioners in Yogyakarta. As of Saturday, Yogyakarta recorded a total of 1,373 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 37 fatalities. News Washington, DC - Military spouses deserve the opportunity to find meaningful jobs and fulfilling careers as they serve our Nation. It has been an honor to lead this effort to better elevate, encourage, and recognize the resilient strength of our Nations military spouses and the unique challenges they face. They are great assets to our American workforce and do so much for the strength and readiness of our Armed Forces. We must continue to do all that we can to better improve and enhance their quality of life. - Second Lady Karen Pence In September of 2018 at Fort Carson, Colorado, Second Lady Karen Pence launched an awareness campaign to elevate and encourage our Nations military spouses and recognize their unique employment and career challenges. Mrs. Pence has since traveled the country and world meeting with military spouses, business leaders, and government officials to learn more about these challenges and advocate for more fulfilling career opportunities for military spouses. Typically moving every two to three years due to their service member being frequently relocated, military spouses face the potential for relicensing or looking for a new job with each move. Currently, one third of military spouses work in fields that require a state license in order to practice and face a 24% unemployment rate. Frequent moves and licensing change requirements have led to significant gaps in employment and expenses when navigating differing state licensing laws. Mrs. Pence has continued to address the importance of occupational licensing reforms for military spouses and how these challenges effect the career options and opportunities for military spouses. Over the past two years, the Second Ladys Military Spouse campaign has consisted of: RAISING AWARENESS ON UNEMPLOYEMENT CHALLENGES by engaging businesses, nonprofits, and local communities on the issue. Led more than 80 meetings with military spouses, military service members, veterans, nonprofits, community leaders, government leaders, and business leaders to address the quality and quantity of employment opportunities for military spouses. Convened a meeting with the three Military Service Secretaries and Coast Guard leadership to encourage the services to prioritize programs for military spouses and fully implement existing policies designed for military spouses. Worked with Department of Defense to implement a new measure to provide reimbursement for costs incurred due to relicensing after a military move. Advocates and promotes research studying military spouse employment and military families. Received the American Legion Auxiliary Public Spirit Award in 2019 in recognition of her efforts to raise awareness about the service of Americas military service members and their families. ENCOURAGING MILITARY SPOUSES by visiting military bases and military spouse-owned businesses and sharing her appreciation for their service and educating them on available resources. Held 11 listening sessions, while crafting her initiative, with spouses representing every service branch and rank, from the spouses of newly enlisted service members to the spouses of the countrys most senior military leaders. Visited 36 military installations and met with thousands of military spouses across the U.S. and world. Worked to educate military spouses about new measures enacted to improve the quality of life for military spouses following President Trumps December 2019 signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. New measures included a 3.1% pay raise for service members; doubled the relicensing and recertification reimbursement costs from $500 to $1,000 for when a military spouse has a permanent change of station; and changed residency requirements so now military spouses can retain their state of residency for business purposes, if they move out of the state as a result of a change of station. Visited six military spouse-owned businesses from across the county to highlight the increasing number of military spouse entrepreneurs starting and growing businesses across the country. Mrs. Pence also met with Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives and heard more on how SBAs programs have helped military spouse business owners in starting and growing their business. Spearheaded a virtual SBA Military Spouse Entrepreneur Summit to provide military spouses a free webinar offering a comprehensive overview of all of the resources the SBA offers for military spouses looking to begin or expand a business. Raised awareness about the increasing number of successful military spouse entrepreneurs and encouraged prospective military spouse entrepreneurs to utilize existing resources available to help spouses start a business. Spoken to spouses to help raise awareness about the many federal resources available to them such as: the Presidents Executive Order Department of Defenses Military OneSource website that provides a variety of resources for military spouses and families the Department of Labors online map created to provide current information about licensing laws in all 50 states the SBAs programs offered to help military spouses launch a business ENGAGING THE PRIVATE PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT SECTOR to create solutions to better recruit, train, and hire military spouses. Hosted two summits with business and organization leaders at the White House to work on military spouse employment solutions. 46 businesses and organizations joined the first summit held in May 2019. 57 businesses and organizations attended the second summit held in November 2019. Collaborated with LinkedIn to expand a military spouse program to Coast Guard spouses. Served as the honorary co-chair of the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Employment Working Group and helped launch the working groups white paper entitled A Collective Effort: Workforce Development Solutions to Empower the 21st Century Military Spouse. Participated in President Trumps development and signing of an Executive Order to address military spouse hiring within the federal government. Worked with the Department of Defense to ensure more federal agencies join the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), a program designed to pair military spouses seeking employment with partnering employers looking to recruit, hire, and train military spouses. SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO GOVERNORS, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL LIGISLATORS to encourage their support for addressing occupational licensing reforms. Chinese war epic "The Eight Hundred" won applause from New Zealand moviegoers on Saturday. Professionals believed that the two countries have great potential for cooperation in film industry. "The cinematography and visual effects were incredible real, " said Linda Zhang, Co Chair of New Zealand Chinese Culture & Arts Association, who came here from China's central Hubei province over 20 years ago. "The dialect of Hubei, Sichuan, Guangzhou and Shanghai in the film replaced the traditional Mandarin, which made people feel friendly, especially the Hubei guys who stayed overseas like me." Chris Payne, Head of International Relations of New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), New Zealand's national film agency, acknowledged the film as "amazing" after he saw it. "China and New Zealand film relationship is growing every kind of years. There is a lot of more cooperation that is happening." John Minford, a British sinologist and literary translator, primarily known for his translation of Chinese classics such as The Story of the Stone, The Art of War, and the Tao Te Ching, said this film is a successful collaboration between China and New Zealand. "We have a very lovely New Zealand actress who's taking part in this in this film", he said, "A creative collaboration between people in New Zealand and people in China is so important, it must go on." New Zealand Actress Augusta Xu-Holland, who stared in the "The Eight Hundred", noted that the film has shown the potential for an exchange of talent between countries. "New Zealand is the southern hub of wider Asia-Pacific, also with great creative talent. I'm under the impression that New Zealand is very supportive of the film industry as a whole and New Zealand has a lot of technical skills to offer." "I'm seeing many collaborations popping up such as Weta and Pukeko Pictures completing a pilot project with Shambala Hengxin supported by the Wuxi Government on Louis Cha's Legends of the Condor Heroes. I think it's very exciting," she added. Shot entirely with IMAX cameras, "The Eight Hundred" is the first major Chinese film to land in New Zealand since the COVID-19 outbreak. The film is currently screening in New Zealand 's main cities including Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch. Directed by Guan Hu, "The Eight Hundred" depicts Chinese soldiers' defense of a warehouse against the invading Japanese army during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937. Overseas, it was released in North America, Australia, and New Zealand on Aug. 27, a week after its formal release in China. The Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce is upset because the U.S. Chamber plans to endorse 5th District Rep. Kendra Horn, a Democrat, for reelection. According to the U.S. Chamber's website, Horn voted with the organization more than all but two of Oklahoma's six Republican House and Senate members. In a letter to the U.S. Chamber, however, State Chamber President Chad Warmington complained that Horn has not been sufficiently helpful to the oil and gas industry. Warmington, who formerly headed a large Oklahoma oil and gas trade association, wrote, I dont believe an endorsement of Congresswoman Horn is warranted at this time and certainly not justifiable based on the current record of consequential votes impacting Oklahoma businesses. Horn is in what is expected to be one of the nation's most closely watched reelection campaigns. Her Republican opponent is state Sen. Stephanie Bice. A large group of anti-lockdown protesters - many of them wearing Guy Fawkes mask and carrying flares - clashed with police in the middle of a busy Melbourne street on Sunday. As Victoria recorded another 114 new cases and 11 deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, demonstrators took to the streets to demand an end to the strict lockdown. Confronting footage taken in Broadmeadows, in Melbourne's north, showed dozens of men dressed down in tracksuits and masks making their way through the streets as traffic was brought to a standstill. The protesters claimed, when asked, that they were simply getting their daily exercise, which is one of just four legal reasons to leave home in Melbourne. At least six people were arrested during the protests, but police have not ruled out issuing further infringement notices. A 22-year-old man from Broadmeadows, an 18-year-old male from Broadmeadows and a 17-year-old male from Craigieburn were all arrested and will be issued infringements for breaching the Chief Health Officers directions and traffic-related offences. Confronting footage taken in Pascoe Vale, in Melbourne 's north, showed dozens of men dressed down in tracksuits and masks making their way through the streets as traffic was brought to a standstill Some of the protesters wore masks which were reminiscent of the movie, The Purge, as they confronted officers Police are also still investigating the gathering, and a spokeswoman said more people could potentially be fined as a result of those investigations. The activists were reportedly 'antagonising officers and damaging property', during the exercise. Footage shows some of the men destroying a fence to a private property as they tried to flee from police. Multiple police cars attended the protests and tried to keep the demonstrators in check on Sunday afternoon. Traffic was forced to a standstill and residents in the neighbourhood watched on from their properties as police forced the activists away from the main thoroughfare. The protests came as Premier Daniel Andrews refused to detail mysterious plans to ease Victoria's restrictive lockdown. Victoria's stage four restrictions are due to end in two weeks, but Mr Andrews indicated they will likely be extended Footage shows some of the men destroying a fence to a private property as they tried to flee from police Mr Andrews mentioned the 'plan' 22 times during a press conference on Sunday morning, without offering any concrete date for eased restrictions or roadmap out of the lockdown. 'These case numbers are too high for us to open up, and they are still too high for us to put forward a definitive plan,' he said. 'Now, there will be a plan. It will come soon. 'It needs to be a clear plan that we are confident we can actually deliver. And I do appreciate that it is frustrating, but a plan that is real is always much better, I think, than one that is rushed out and really doesnt have the data sitting behind it, the evidence, the science.' Victoria's stage four restrictions are due to end in two weeks, but Mr Andrews indicated they will likely be extended. The protesters claimed, when asked, that they were simply getting their daily exercise, which is one of just four legal reasons to leave home in Melbourne Without a clear path to freedom in sight, scores of furious Melburnians are expressing their frustration with the handling of the crisis Without a clear path to freedom in sight, scores of furious Melburnians are expressing their frustration with the handling of the crisis. Anti-lockdown walkers were doused with pepper spray and struggled with cops as community frustration with Melbourne's draconian Stage 4 restrictions reached boiling point last week. Police issued $15,000 in fines and arrested four men during a wild afternoon clash at Dandenong in Melbourne's southeast on Wednesday - amid fears the nightly walks could soon escalate into full scale riots. In video shared on social media, police can be seen aiming pepper spray at walkers as officers tackle a man to the ground. Confronting footage shows officers take a man down from behind by the neck amid screams from the crowd that he was simply going for a walk. The man, who was not wearing a mask, was pulled off the road and tackled while other officers scurried to fend off the crowd. Another man has a can of pepper spray pushed into his face and sprayed at near point blank range after shrugging off an officer and walking away. Among those arrested were a a 28-year-old Dandenong man, who was subsequently charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest, failing to state his name and address and breaching the chief health officer directions. A 19-year-old Dandenong man was also charged with use threatening words, failing to state his name and address and breaching the chief health officer directions while a 22-year-old Dandenong faces similar charges. All three were released pending summons, but all nine were fined $1652 each for breaching the stage four lockdown restrictions. Tensions in Dandenong - south east of Melbourne - have been flaring for days after a large group of residents decided to start walking at the same time and place. Under Stage Four restrictions Melbourne residents can only leave their homes for four reasons, to buy essential items like groceries, for care or to give care, exercise and work. There is also a nightly curfew from 8pm until 5am. A police officer on Wednesday charges at walkers wielding pepper spray after his colleagues took down a man who was not wearing a mask Regional Victorians are under slightly less strict stage three restrictions for the same period. Mr Andrews said he would make announcements on Monday about how the government would collaborate with the business sector on the process to ease restrictions. Meanwhile, a potential solution to the political impasse on the government's desire to extend the state of emergency beyond September 13 could be close. Victorian upper house MP Fiona Patten said on Saturday she could get the support to make a deal with the government for a sixth-month extension of the state of emergency. Under the Reason Party leader's proposal, the government would get an extension of powers enabling it to write and pass COVID-19-specific laws until March, but not for 12 months. The government would have to brief minor parties and independents once a month to justify the continuation of the state of emergency. If the government wants to extend the powers beyond March, it will have to go back to parliament to argue for it again. 'This is a fair arrangement that I believe could gain the support of several of my colleagues and pass the parliament - only by a small margin though,' Ms Patten said. Victoria's 2,830 active cases include 406 healthcare workers and 1,277 in aged care. There are 472 Victorians in hospital with coronavirus, including 25 in intensive care. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) New York, United States Sun, August 30, 2020 17:05 508 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c417b388 2 People Sarah-Palin,defamation,New-York-Times Free A federal judge on Friday rejected the New York Times' bid to dismiss Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit over a 2017 editorial she said falsely linked her to a mass shooting. US District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said that while much of Palin's case was circumstantial, it was strong enough for a jury to find the Times and former editorial page editor James Bennet acted with "actual malice by clear and convincing evidence." in publishing the editorial. Rakoff scheduled a Feb. 1, 2021 trial. "We're disappointed in the ruling but are confident we will prevail at trial when a jury hears the facts," Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades-Ha said in an email. Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor, sued over a June 14, 2017 editorial published after an Alexandria, Virginia, shooting that wounded four people, including then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. The editorial referred to a January 2011 shooting where six people died and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was seriously wounded, and said Palin's political action committee had before that shooting circulated a map that put 20 Democrats including Giffords under "stylized cross hairs." It also contrasted the shootings, saying the Scalise attack had "no sign of incitement as direct as in the Giffords attack." The Times later corrected the editorial, saying there was no link between "political rhetoric" and the Giffords shooting, and Bennet has said he had not intended to blame Palin. Read also: Palin joins Trump in call to 'make America great again' But Rakoff said Bennet's having substantially rewritten an earlier draft, and admission he was aware "incitement" could mean a call to violence, could suggest actual malice. The judge also said evidence Bennet may have ignored materials inconsistent with his "angle" for the editorial could suggest his reckless disregard for the truth. Palin's lawyers, Shane Vogt and Ken Turkel, in an email said she appreciated Rakoff's "careful consideration of the merits." The case is Palin v New York Times Co et al, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 17-04853. Leadership is about responsibility. Those who instill hope into our minds and hearts are true heroes and deserve encomium. Consequently, leadership is also a burden. This burden had been bestowed upon Mr. Kashifu Inuwa by the Pacemaker of IT and Digital Economy in Nigeria, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami and indeed he is a round peg in the round hole of NITDA. A year had ticked and results cleared as daylight had attested to the competence of Kashifu; a trait which we presume Pantami saw prior to his recommendation. Apparently, AgricTech has benefited immensely from the Federal Government through the efforts of NITDA. NITDA has made it possible for the creation of National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA); an initiative designed to equip 145 farmers with digital and smart technology to bolster the yield of their farms. To swiftly adjust to learning in this pandemic, the educational sector has been painstakingly taken care of. It is not news that all schools are closed. However, capable Kashifu launched the NITDA Academy to promote learning behind closed doors with the motive to massively train Nigerian youths who are adapting to the unprecedented situation. Ostensibly, to dot the is in the SMEs world, Kashifu invented Virtual Startup Clinics to serve as channels between youths and successful entrepreneurs, investors and business consultants for mentoring and support purposes in the IT space. In order to corroborate Pantamis panning out of a Digital Nigeria, Kashifu kickstarted the Nigerian Digital Economy Post-Pandemic, a plan developed by NITDAs Tech4Covid-19 Committee to support about 100,000 ICT professionals and create 30,000 more jobs through time. And, in all honesty, this project is in the works. In furtherance, Kashifu created COVID-19 Innovation Challenge; an initiative to identify challenges that tech entrepreneurs are facing during the pandemic. Eventually, five start-ups out of the myriads of startups made it to the final stage and 3 start-ups were selected for consistent support from the agency. To complement the efforts of the Pantami-led tenure towards the actualisation of a Digital Nigeria, NITDA set up 80 Digital Capacity Training Centres across all geopolitical zones in the country, 3 IT hubs, 4 Innovation and Incubation Parks, 6 IT Community Centres and 3 IT Capacity-building Centres in higher institutions of learning, all within the cycle of 365 days. Furthermore, NITDA held and continue to hold numerous Capacity-building Programmes for around 650 artisans across four of the six geo-political zones in the country. One year into the journey of building upon Pantamis exemplary leadership at NITDA, Kashifu has no doubt done beyond our great expectations. He has made not only the Pacesetter proud but also the whole nation at large. Lets keep going, its our hope and prayer that he keeps up the good work geared towards the attainment of a Digitized Nigeria. Garko, a poet and essayist, writes from Gombe Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn in 2018. He spent six years as a young crown prince in Australia, studying first at the Kings School in Parramatta before four years at the Royal Military College Duntroon and time with a regiment in Perth. Credit:AP Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When Qantas flight 736 touched down in Sydney just before 8am on Saturday, September 5, 1970, a shy young man was on board. He was carefully guarded, with a kings most trusted aide on the flight plus a security detail, and his best friend along for the ride. No visa or entry permit was needed as the only son of Thailands king was waved through immigration; a diplomatic passport was packed in case it came in handy. After being greeted at the airport by a group of Thai students, the 18-year-old was escorted to the Wentworth Hotel to get down to the business at hand. Prince Vajiralongkorn Mahidol had to get ready for school. Nearly 50 years later he is King Rama X, a controversial figure who has been the subject of the strongest protests against Thailand's throne in decades, arguably since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932. In nearly four years since his fathers death, Vajiralongkorn has shown himself to be much more overtly interventionist in politics, consolidated army units under his direct command and converted a sovereign wealth fund into a personal fortune. Vajiralongkorn spent six years in Australia, studying first at the Kings School in Parramatta before four years at the Royal Military College, Duntroon and time with the Special Air Service Regiment in Perth. The National Archives of Australia has 490 pages of declassified cables and memos from that time, detailing how diplomats and bureaucrats concerned themselves with military drills, pocket money and more. While Vajiralongkorns school results have been expunged and other material redacted on the grounds it could harm international relations, the archives reveal the government was worried about everything from rumours of an assassination attempt and political turmoil in Thailand to his older sisters love life. Looming over all was King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the young man's father. Unhappy in its own way Advertisement The file begins in December 1968, when ambassador David McNicol dropped off a prospectus for Duntroon at the palace. Bhumibol was hoping military school would make a man of his son, but feared a great power might manipulate the prince for its political ends. It would be helpful too because the armed forces would be the dominant ruling group for a long time to come, as an aide said to the ambassador, in a country where the mass of people were not ready for democracy. The king and queen informed the Australian ambassador in Bangkok that the Crown Prince was [redacted] proud and nationalistic; nevertheless he had his good points, reads one Department of External Affairs memo from mid-1970. Thailand's Crown Prince talks briefly with a welcoming group of Thai students on his arrival at Sydney Airport in September 1970. Credit:Antony Matheus Thomas Critchley, Canberras man in Bangkok from 1969 to 1973, was most often in the middle, typically dealing with the kings principal private secretary or Bhumibol directly. Critchley also had to break bad news: entry to Duntroon required graduating high school, and Vajiralongkorn's results from study in England were not good enough. The Kings School in Parramatta, with the countrys oldest cadet corps, was an obvious choice. A minor Thai royal, Panadda Diskul, was already a student there, although the palace was keen to keep them in separate houses. (The son of a diplomat, Panadda was a career bureaucrat until drafted into the cabinet after a coup in 2014.) On Vajiralongkorns arrival in Sydney, officials quickly concluded the prince had no chance of matriculating without a full year of high school in 1971. Persuading the palace took some delicacy. Advertisement Sir Keith Waller, secretary of the Department of External Affairs, wrote to Critchley that Vajiralongkorn should not be exposed to the embarrassment of failure in the February 1971 [matriculation] examinations and to commencing the Duntroon course with an inadequate educational background. Critchleys audience with Bhumibol on October 16, 1970, settled it: another year at Parramatta before Duntroon in 1972. He spoke critically of the schooling in England which the Crown Prince had hated, Critchley reported. On the other hand the Crown Prince seemed to be settling in well in Australia and appreciated the friendliness with which he was being received. Declassified material pertaining to the education of then Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in Australia. Credit:National Archives of Australia Between five and seven hours a day with tutors plus private study helped. When he first came to Australia the prince was unable to write more than five or six lines on any topic but is now able to write quite respectable essays, Sir Keith wrote in a confidential telegram to Bangkok in late 1970. By the middle of 1971, with the aid of tutors and special attention from teachers, The Kings School was pleased with his improvement and impeccable behaviour. He is not a difficult person, one heavily edited memo says. The problem is basically one of determination and attack. In September he had an excellent chance of passing when the king wondered whether he might send Vajiralongkorn to Britain to launch a frigate being built for Thailand. Sir Keith spoke to Vajiralongkorn, who clearly does not want to go but will of course comply with the kings wishes. He is working very hard and although much calmer than he was last year, is suffering from very natural pre-examination tension. The possibility of a trip to England in the present atmosphere is adding to these tensions. It was an unnecessary worry. After a phone call, the king changed his mind. Advertisement Twists and turns A sprained ankle during the school holidays meant the prince's Duntroon days did not get off to a good start. The first five weeks adjusting to college routine were the most difficult, the Bangkok Post reported, as any cadet falling short of the standards was woken up 30 minutes early and had to stand in the cold, open field with a load of about 16-20 kilograms on his back. Whatever progress Vajiralongkorn was making was soon overshadowed by a scandal involving his older sister. The Crown Prince at Duntroon in 1972. Credit:National Archives of Australia Princess Ubolratana Mahidol, who last made international headlines when Vajiralongkorn kiboshed her attempt to become prime minister in early 2019 and who recently sided with young protesters, was studying in the US in 1972 when she ran off with a man. Academics at Chulalongkorn University were sharing stories of how the princess had asked for permission to marry a Mexican. When a diplomat refused permission, the princess said that she was going to be married anyway. Journalists were sharing similar stories, except that the press understands her to be marrying a Puerto Rican. Sir Keith shared the rumours on July 11 with the commandant of the Royal Military College, Major-General Sandy Pearson, with a word of caution that any sort of entanglement on the part of the Crown Prince could be a major disaster. Advertisement Two weeks later, Ubolratana resigned her title to become a common citizen. Rumours of falling pregnant to her maths tutor at MIT, and of her mother seeking to persuade her to fly to Switzerland either to have [an] abortion or to release baby for adoption were reported to Canberra. A few days later they evolved again, with Queen Sirikit apparently bringing Ubolratana home from the US to have the baby privately in a southern palace. (Ubolratana married a fellow student in August 1972; the first of their three children was born more than eight years later. She did not return to Thai public life until after her divorce in 1998.) As it rocked the palace, the scandal also rattled Australias diplomatic ranks. This development in the royal family will tend to focus attention on the crown princes activities in Australia, charge daffaires Leslie Gerard Sellars wrote in a confidential memo. Vajiralongkorns views of marriage seemed germane; the prince had recently told a reporter he would accept whoever was chosen as his wife. The Thai royal family in 1966 in England, from left: Prince Vajiralongkorn, Princess Sirindhorn, 11, Princess Chulabhorn, 9, Queen Sirikit, King Bhumibol and Princess Ubolratana. Credit:UPI The year ended with Vajiralongkorn returning to Bangkok for a ceremony marking the 20-year-olds status as heir apparent. Pearson wrote to Critchley beforehand urging against making too much fuss about his progress at Duntroon. He is obviously unsure of himself, needs others to lean on and is seeking security, Pearson wrote. Should the king wish to hold a ceremony in December installing him as Crown Prince, then I would suggest for the Crown Princes sake that it be just that and not to celebrate his passing his first year at Duntroon. Life and death threats At 6.23pm on Thursday, July 5, 1973, a machine in Canberra spat out an urgent message: the managing editor of the Bangkok Post had heard Vajiralongkorn had been shot, "could we please have immediate advice". Advertisement A pair of army dogs, honoured with the army chiefs commendation card on Independence Day for their heroics, found a special mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday, with the PM hailing them as bravehearts who performed their duties diligently to protect the country. While Vida, a black Labrador, sniffed out landmines and grenades during a de-mining operation in Jammu and Kashmir and prevented army casualties; Sophie, a Cocker Spaniel from a bomb disposal unit, helped avert a tragedy by detecting explosives in Delhi, two army officials said. Their names and unique service numbers will be put up on roll-of-honour boards at their respective units. Army dogs have contributed to a raft of successful operations during the last one year --- they helped recover 30 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), played a key role in tracking and locating five terrorists who were later eliminated and facilitated the recovery of soldiers stuck in avalanches, the officials said. Our armed forces and security forces have many such brave dogs, who not only live for the country but also sacrifice themselves for the country. Such canines have played a very important role in thwarting numerous bomb blasts and terrorist conspiracies, the PM said his in his monthly radio address, referring to the outstanding contribution of dogs to military service alongside soldiers. Five Labradors were awarded commendation cards on Army Day 2020 for helping soldiers track down terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and sniffing out deadly explosives in the North-east last year. The army has more than 1,000 dogs trained for a variety of roles such as detecting mines and explosives, tracking, assault, infantry patrol, and search and rescue. Army dogs and their handlers perform dangerous tasks but they receive little attention. Many of them have been killed in the combat zone. The PM has thrust them into the limelight by highlighting their contribution in his address, said a senior army officer, asking not to be named. Watch:Mann Ki Baat: PM Modis Atmanirbhar push; seeks to make India a toy hub Mansi, a Labrador, was posthumously mentioned in dispatches (the highest honour that a dog can get in military service in India) four years ago for her role in a counter-infiltration operation in north Kashmir. Her handler, Bashir Ahmed War, was posthumously awarded Sena Medal for gallantry. The armys Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) pioneered war dog training in India in the late 1950s. RVC trained dogs are in demand in countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia. Also, South Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Seychelles are getting their dog handlers trained in India, the officials said. In his address, the PM also talked about the gallant actions of Balaram, who detected explosives on the Amarnath Yatra route and Bhavana, who sniffed out an IED many years ago but was killed as terrorists managed to trigger the explosive. Also Read: PM Modi congratulates National Sports Awards winners Two or three years ago in Bijapur, Chattisgarh, a sniffer dog Cracker of the CRPF also attained martyrdom in an IED blast. You might have seen a very moving scene on TV a few days ago in which the Beed Police were giving their canine colleague Rocky a final farewell with all due respect. Rocky had helped the police in solving over 300 cases, the PM said. The PM said indigenous dog breeds such Mudhol Hound, Himachali Hound, Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Kombai were fabulous, cheaper to raise and better adapted to the Indian environment. He said the security forces were increasingly inducting these local breeds. The PM said, The next time you think of raising a pet dog, consider bringing home one of these Indian breeds. At a time when Atmanirbhar Bharat is becoming a mantra of the people, how can any domain be left untouched by its influence? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON France's Chateauroux airport, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) south of Paris, has built up a steady business over the years as a hub for freight aircraft and center to train pilots, helped by its clear weather and few foggy days. Yet in recent months, the former NATO military base has been generating revenue from a different source: The parking of jets grounded by the covid-19 pandemic. The single-runway airport located in France's flat, central basin has even turned away airlines seeking to store more planes -- a sign the global aviation slump is deeply set despite some easing of travel restrictions. With the arrival of eight additional aircraft during the past week alone, Chateauroux is at close to full capacity, according to the hub's director, Didier Lefresne. As many as 50 jets are now stored on its parking spaces and two newly-dedicated taxiways, with manufacturer Airbus and British Airways among the biggest customers. Chateauroux's windfall mirrors the decline of the wider industry, which has been plunged into crisis by the impact of the coronavirus. Airlines have been forced to ground aircraft worldwide after demand from passengers slumped, with border closures and quarantine measures hampering traffic between key markets such as Europe and the U.S. One third of the global plane fleet remains in storage, according to aviation database Cirium. "From a financial standpoint, it's a good thing for Chateauroux," Lefresne said in an interview. "At the same time, it's very sad and reflects the dramatic situation unfolding in the industry." At the height of European lockdown measures earlier this year, Paris airports operator ADP was storing some 350 grounded jets. Air France-KLM still has 90 stowed at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, according to a spokesman for ADP, which has waived storage fees for carriers based at the airports. Orly, just south of Paris, has been nearly emptied of immobilized planes. In the U.S., the three largest carriers - American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines - have parked about 864 jets around the country due to the pandemic, not counting all the Boeing 737 Max planes already grounded following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. In other parts of the world, airlines have had to look far afield for storage. Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and India ordered thousands of new jets as an emerging middle class flew for the first time, but inadequate infrastructure means some idle planes need to be parked as far away as near Alice Springs in Australia. Qatar Airways is among carriers to have contacted Chateauroux in recent weeks and been left disappointed, according to Lefresne. The Gulf carrier was looking to stash 30 planes in Chateauroux for at least a year and as many as 50 in France as a whole, he said. The airline said it has no plans to park any of its fleet outside of Qatar. The biggest lessor of space at Chateauroux is Airbus, which is storing some 23 planes that can't yet be delivered to customers. The Toulouse-based manufacturer had around 145 aircraft in storage at the end of June. British Airways has parked 10 at the hub until at least Oct. 1, including its fleet of A380 superjumbos, while regional carriers such as Air Caraibes and Air Madagascar are also customers. The airport's listed monthly storage rates are between 3,000 euros ($3,548) and 5,000 euros a plane, not including the cost of maintenance. Airbus and BA fly in their own mechanics. Chateauroux is picking up spillover from specialized jet storage and dismantlers like Tarmac Aerosave, which had more than 200 planes parked mid-June at its four sites in France and Spain. Meanwhile, the airport has maintained its freight and pilot-training operations - including for Air France and the French military. "It's hard to say how long this situation will last," Lefresne said. "People aren't flying now because they are scared." JAKARTA (Reuters) - A more infectious mutation of the new coronavirus has been found in Indonesia, the Jakarta-based Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology said on Sunday, as the Southeast Asian country's caseload surges. Indonesia reported 2,858 new infections on Sunday, data by the health ministry showed, below the previous day's record 3,308 but above the past month's daily average. Its total number of cases was 172,053, with 7,343 COVID-19 fatalities. The "infectious but milder" D614G mutation of the virus has been found in genome sequencing data from samples collected by the institute, deputy director Herawati Sudoyo told Reuters, adding that more study is required to determine whether that was behind the recent rise in cases. The strain, which the World Health Organization said was identified in February and has been circulating in Europe and the Americas, has also been found in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia. Syahrizal Syarif, an epidemiologist with the University of Indonesia, warned Indonesians must remain vigilant, as his modelling suggests the country may see its caseload rise to 500,000 by the end of the year. "The situation is serious .... Local transmission currently is out of control," Syarif said, adding that the number of infections found daily could have been much higher if laboratories were able to process more specimens in a day. The capital Jakarta on Sunday saw a record daily increase of more than 1,000 cases, which the city government linked to a higher mobility rate during a mid-August independence celebration. "There needs to be an awareness and a collective effort, be it from the government or the people, in addressing the rising number of cases," Dwi Oktavia, an official at the Jakarta health agency, said in a statement, urging people to stay at home and wear a face mask when they must go out. (Reporting by Gayatri Suroyo and Stanley Widianto; Additional reporting by Nilufar Rizki; Editing by Sam Holmes and William Mallard) BEIJING -- Twenty-nine people were killed and seven seriously injured when a restaurant collapsed in northern Chinas Shanxi province, the countrys emergencies ministry media said on Sunday. The building collapsed at 9:40 a.m. (0140 GMT) on Saturday in Xiangfen county in the southwest of Shanxi, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement. The accident in the two-storey structure occurred as villagers and relatives gathered for a birthday party, and the rescue operation ended early on Sunday, state media said. Fifty-seven people were pulled from the debris, with 29 confirmed dead, while 21 suffered minor injuries. The Shanxi provincial government has set up a high-level team to investigate the accident in the county, which is under the jurisdiction of the city of Linfen, the emergency management ministry said. Commissioner of U.S. Food and Drug Administration Dr. Stephen M. Hahn speaks during a news conference about the latest coronavirus disease (COVID-19) developments, in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, U.S. August 23, 2020. The chief of the Food and Drug Administration is prepared to bypass the full federal approval process in order to make a Covid-19 vaccine available as soon as possible, according to an interview in the Financial Times. Insisting that the move would not be due to pressure from the Trump administration to fast track a vaccine, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn told the newspaper that an emergency authorization could be appropriate before phase three clinical trials are completed if the benefits outweigh the risks. "It is up to the [vaccine developer] to apply for authorization or approval, and we make an adjudication of their application," Hahn said. "If they do that before the end of phase three, we may find that appropriate. We may find that inappropriate, we will make a determination." Phase three trials test a large number of participants to compare an experimental drug to standard therapies and evaluate the overall risks and benefits of the medication. Hahn's comments come a week after the FDA granted emergency authorization of convalescent plasma to treat hospitalized Covid-19 patients, despite concerns among some health officials that data from clinical trials was too weak to support widespread application of the treatment. That announcement came a day after President Donald Trump accused the FDA, without any evidence, of trying to hurt him politically by dragging its feet in approving new coronavirus vaccines and treatments. Hahn told the FT he wouldn't rush a vaccine solely to please Trump. "We have a convergence of the Covid-19 pandemic with the political season, and we're just going to have to get through that and stick to our core principles," Hahn said. "This is going to be a science, medicine, data decision," he said. "This is not going to be a political decision." BUDAPEST -- About 700 adventurous swimmers plunged into the fast-flowing waters of the Danube in Budapest on Saturday, enjoying an unusual view of the citys famous bridges as they swam across the longest river in the European Union. The event is part of the Budapest Urban Games, an event supported by the municipal government to encourage residents of the Hungarian capital to use the citys parks, roads and waterways as venues for sport. For the swimmers on Saturday, the biggest challenge was staying within a corridor of boats stretching the 430 metres (470 yards) from one side of the river to the other. If you try once, you will feel the power of the river, and its amazing... how strong and fast the river is, said Istvan Kovacs, 50, nicknamed Koko, a former Olympic and world champion boxer who took part in the contest. To swim in our beautiful river... its a great feeling, he told Reuters Television. Organisers allowed only about 20-25 swimmers to be in the water at the same time to ensure safety and social distancing measures were implemented on the embankments due to the coronavirus. Boriska Darvai, another participant, said she had found it more difficult to reach the other bank than during last years event, but made up her mind to make it. Its a fantastic experience to see the Danube and our city from that angle, she said. Over 150 migrants, who were on board Banksy's Louise Michel rescue vessel, have been transferred to another ship after the former French Navy boat called for help as it was carrying more than its safe capacity. The migrants have been transferred to a German NGO-funded ship Sea-Watch 4, which was already carrying nearly 200 rescued refugees from before. Sea-Watch 4 is now carrying 353 people on board, waiting close to the European coast for a safe port. Refugees on board Sea-Watch 4 are being treated for dehydration, traumatic injuries, hypothermia, and fuel burns as they have been at the sea for days. Read: Migrants Overwhelm Italian Island; Islanders Launch Protest With 353 people on board, #SeaWatch4 is waiting close to the European coast for a safe port. Our guests have been at sea for days, with the @MSF_Sea team currently treating many patients for dehydration, traumatic injuries, hypothermia and fuel burns. We need a safe port, now! pic.twitter.com/UQN8Xyj7YN Sea-Watch International (@seawatch_intl) August 30, 2020 Read: Migrants Rescued By Banksy Ship Brought To Italy The United Nations' human rights body and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) had earlier called for safe disembarkation of more than 400 refugees, who are currently on board of three vessels in the Central Mediterranean, including Louise Michel and Sea-Watch 4. Louise Michel, which a boat funded by the British street artist Banksy, had earlier called for urgent help saying that she was unable to manoeuver due to her overcrowded deck. The Italian coastguard later evacuated 49 of her most-vulnerable passengers and the one dead body it was carrying on a raft by her side. The Italian Coastguard have evacuated 49 of our most vulnerable guests. They have also taken the body of the deceased person who had passed away before the crew reached the stricken rubber boat yesterday. May he rest in peace. LouiseMichel (@MVLouiseMichel) August 29, 2020 Meanwhile, some 27 people who had departed from Libya have been aboard a commercial vessel Maersk Etienne since being rescued on August 5. Read: Greek Coast Guard Rescue Migrants In Aegean Sea Operation UN on the crisis The UN agencies issued a joint statement on August 29, calling for urgent transfer of these refugees to dry land. The agencies also slammed the EU countries stating that lack of agreement on a regional disembarkation mechanism cannot be an excuse to deny vulnerable people a port of safety and the assistance they need. The UN agency for migrants said, "Any delays could jeopardise the safety of all people on board, including its crew members. With relatively fewer NGO vessels compared to previous years, the gap is being increasingly filled by commercial vessels. It is vital that they are permitted to disembark rescued passengers promptly, as, without such timely processes, shipmasters of commercial vessels may be deterred from attending to distress calls for fear of being stranded at sea for weeks on end" Read: UN Urges For Urgent Rescue Of Refugees From Banksy Ship, Two Others In Mediterranean After five months of being home, Danielle Cahue was looking forward to returning to campus that is, until she got there. When the 19-year-old sophomore arrived at Illinois State University, she saw her peers gathering in large groups without masks, disregarding the universitys COVID-19 guidelines. There have been more than 400 positive cases of COVID-19 at Illinois State as of Friday. The pandemic has stressed her mental health, especially when she sees her classmates acting carelessly about safety and social distancing, Cahue said. She tries to leave her on-campus apartment as little as possible, even delaying buying groceries until she has almost no food left. Image: Danielle Cahue (Danielle Cahue) This is the most anxious I've ever been, I think, in my entire life, Cahue told NBC News. It has made it a lot worse and made me kind of worried just to do anything. More than half of 50,307 college students who participated in the American College Health Association's Spring 2020 National College Health Assessment reported receiving mental health services from their current campus health or counseling center in the last year. Those numbers are expected to dramatically increase as students return to college this fall, experts predict. Many experts believe there's going to be a second curve, which is the mental health impact of COVID, said Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Active Minds, a group geared toward bringing mental health awareness and education to young adults. And schools have a responsibility to be responsive to their students' mental health. Preliminary data shows the pandemic has already negatively affected peoples mental health, particularly college students, according to Catherine Grus, the American Psychological Associations chief education officer. They're seeing higher levels of depression, they're having financial insecurity, which is also leading to mental health problems, she said. And this is concerning because, before the pandemic, we knew that college students were increasingly having mental health concerns. So, now you add the pandemic and we have a population thats particularly in greater need for mental health services. Story continues In a survey conducted by Active Minds in April, 91 percent of the 2,086 college students surveyed reported that COVID-19 had added greater "stress and anxiety" to their lives, while 81 percent reported the pandemic caused them "disappointment and sadness." Maryorie Delgado, a senior at Brigham Young University, said the pandemic is intensifying her responsibilities at home and at school. The 23-year-old, whose family immigrated from Peru, helps her father manage their used car dealership in Orem, Utah, while attending school full-time. Image: Maryorie Delgado (Deontrez Todd) "So a lot of just the stress from my family falls on me because basically I am the oldest and I speak the language and my parents helped me out with my tuition. And so, I feel like I owe them a lot and then they feel like I need to help them a lot," Delgado said. "The load of that plus, honestly, going to school, everything shutting down, it's just like so much stress." With the transition to remote learning and most students leaving campuses in the spring, schools turned to telehealth to continue providing students with counseling services, support groups and even creating task forces dedicated to mental health. But some students, like Michigan State University student Devonte Henderson, said it wasnt an ideal situation. I will tell you it's very challenging to schedule a therapy session through Zoom, Henderson said. I would much prefer just to see my therapist in person, so that is a big concern of mine. Image: Devonte Henderson (Devonte Henderson) Michigan State University, which recently announced that it would conduct its fall semester remotely, said 814 students asked for mental health services this summer as compared to 616 students in the summer of 2019 -- a 32 percent increase. The uptick has been attributed in part to expanded telehealth services, as well as stress and anxiety surrounding the pandemic, a university spokesperson said. Macy Faust, a junior at the University of North Texas who is part of the schools Active Minds chapter, said she and her friends held weekly check-ins over Zoom during the spring semester to solve things like turning in assignments or how to access the schools counseling center, and to generally provide support for each other. They invited other UNT students to join, and Faust said they plan to continue the check-in sessions heading into the fall. Image: Macy Faust (Courtesy Savannah Thomas) If you have access, therapy is an amazing tool just to kind of talk out what you're feeling and to expand on your coping skills, but also participate in peer support groups, she said. Some schools, like Howard University, are also working to address the fact that the pandemic has disproportionately affected Black Americans and people of color who have experienced higher mortality rates due to the coronavirus, as well as higher rates of unemployment. Mike Barnes, director of the counseling center at Howard, said the school is working to educate students on issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as how to go to school in a virtual setting. They have also expanded their social media presence to send students encouraging messages over the last few months, most recently posting on Twitter, Wishing all Bison a good first week. With every bump in the road that you experience.....there is support a call, email or DM away. Many of our students have backgrounds that are fraught with frustrations and challenges and so forth. And so getting to Howard is, sometimes, a haven away from home, Barnes said. And so we've had to deal with students who have gone back home during the spring and obviously the summer, and live in what we've called a toxic environment or, not such a pleasant situation. Some students are feeling anxious and unsure about the fall semester as coronavirus outbreaks have already forced some schools to send students home and switch to fully remote instruction. North Carolina State on Thursday asked students to move out of dorms, following the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which also canceled in-person instruction for the fall semester after it saw its positivity rate jump from 2.8 percent to 13.6 percent within its first week. Image: Hailey Abrams (Courtesy Geralyn Timm) Other colleges like the University of Notre Dame insist that students can safely return to campus, despite continued COVID-19 cases, which is causing some students, like sophomore Hailey Abrams, to worry about her exposure to the virus. There's a huge range of possibilities of how this disease can affect people and knowing that it spreads so quickly within close proximity, it's a little nerve-wracking to be on a college campus, in a dorm, with so many other people, with a disease that spreads so quickly like this, she said. Nonetheless, mental health professionals are urging students to remain hopeful and to take care of themselves as the semester begins. I know that there's a ton of pain and tragedy associated with the pandemic and with the associated increased awareness and backlash around social inequity. What I want to try to get across to people is maintain hope. I have nothing but hope, said Allen OBarr, UNCs counseling and psychological services director. I think that the way to do that is to really focus on the brief moments of joy. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources or ulifeline.org for additional resources. Secret Tunnel Detected Along India-Pakistan Border in Jammu, Officials Say Sputnik News 19:50 GMT 29.08.2020(updated 19:53 GMT 29.08.2020) New Delhi (Sputnik): The BSF safeguards the 3,300 km international border along India's Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat areas. According to officials, there have been multiple incidents that have placed border security forces on a high-alert footing, due to what is claimed to be an infiltration of terrorists into India. India's paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) has detected a tunnel beneath the India-Pakistan international border fence in Jammu, officials said on Saturday. BSF officials revealed to the media that the nearest Pakistani border post is about 400 metres from the 50-metre tunnel, discovered by a BSF patrol team in Jammu's Samba sector. Security officials, requesting anonymity, told Sputnik their personnel have launched a major search operation in the area, aiming to find other hidden structures which may be facilitating infiltration. The newly-found tunnel is said to be under close investigation at the present time. BSF Director General Rakesh Asthana told the media on Saturday that he has directed frontier commanders to ensure the "anti-infiltration grid is intact and there are no gaps along this front". "The force later examined the tunnel and found plastic sandbags on its mouth that had 'Pakistani markings' on them," Asthana claimed. India's Intelligence Bureau, linked to domestic intelligence, internal security and counter-intelligence, has joined the security operation, as a means of detecting other clandestine structures which could aid those seeking to smuggle arms and narcotics over from Pakistan. Recently, Indian security agencies hinted that terrorists were trying to infiltrate India to carry out terror attacks. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bhutanese brewery Ser Bhum is behind Kati Patang, a beer sold by Delhi-based Empyrean Spirits. Launched in Zesty Amber and Snappy Wheat variants in 2018, Kati Patang prides itself on being brewed with the happiest water on earth. Photograph: Courtesy, Ser Bhum Brewery on Facebook In many parts of Bhutan, beer -- or any form of alcohol, for that matter -- is drunk in copious amounts. The intent is seldom pleasure, but inebriation. Its called a farmers beverage, normally consumed after a long, hard days work. Much of the alcohol is homemade. One of the traditional drinks is Ara, a clear liquid made with barley, wheat and rice, and often served hot -- something similar to makgeolli, a version of riced wine popular in South Korea. However, the easy availability of illicit liquor means that death rates owing to alcohol are high and, naturally, the government discourages its consumption, taxing it at 100 per cent. Given the difficult circumstances, the Ser Bhum Brewery has, in its own little way, taken up a substantial task: To change the way the country drinks beer. Ser Bhum -- which translates to golden vase -- is only one of two craft breweries in Bhutan, a market dominated by Bhutan Brewery, which manufactures the Druk 11000, the most popular beer among locals and one of its major exports. Ser Bhum, nestled in the scenic woods of Hongtsho, a 15-km drive from the capital Thimphu, opened operations in 2017. The choice of location was strategic: In the hills of Hongtsho, the brewery would have close and abundant access to clean, pure Himalayan spring water. The water in the beer is everything. It makes all the difference. Its like the blood of the beer, explains Sonam Lhaden, one of the founders. Lhaden studied in the US and experienced Americas bustling craft beer scene firsthand. We had nothing like that in Bhutan. That got me thinking, she says. After elaborate planning -- getting permissions took seven long years -- Lhaden started Ser Bhum with her two brothers. One of them, Karma Tenzin, took up the role of master brewer. Ser Bhums signature beer is the Bhutan Glory, a medium-bodied amber ale that comes with a caramel aroma and neutral bitterness. It also produces the Dragon Stout -- an unabashed tribute to the country of its origin -- which is a dark beer with notes of chocolate and coffee. Both varieties, Lhaden says, have caught on with youngsters and the office-going crowd who, for long, sought a quality alternative to mass-produced beer brands in Bhutan. For the summer, Serbhum has also come out with a limited-edition honey-wheat beer made from locally sourced honey and available in kegs. But the brewery is, perhaps, most famous for its India connection. Ser Bhum is behind Kati Patang, a beer sold by Delhi-based Empyrean Spirits. Launched in Zesty Amber and Snappy Wheat variants in 2018, Kati Patang prides itself on being brewed with the happiest water on earth. In Delhi, its taken off in cafes and restaurants, primarily for its fresh, clean flavours. Our brewery is open to visitors. Many Indians who come ask to taste Kati Patang, says Lhaden. Ser Bhums latest Indian collaboration is the Beor360, a new beer that made its way into the Delhi market last month. Founder Rishabh Ranjan spent much of last year scouting breweries all across Europe, but eventually chose Ser Bhum for its excellent water and unerring dedication to quality beer. With craft breweries, the master brewer takes care of intricate details that large commercial breweries dont, he says, adding that Tenzin is hands-on and extremely passionate about beer. Moreover, managing the supply chain from just across the border is significantly easier when compared with importing beer from Europe. Even so, Beor360 imports most of its ingredients from Europe, which are then shipped to Bhutan. Once the batches are ready and all the export clearances are secured, the beer takes three-four days to reach India. Much like Kati Patang, Beor360 is available as a lager and a wheat beer, both with a 4.9 per cent ABV, and retails at Rs 150 a pint. The curious name comes from the Anglo-Saxon term for beer, and 360 is an ode to the intellectual beer drinker, someone looking to not get high but have a good conversation -- evidently the principle that Ser Bhum follows with all its products. Lhaden swears by the motto: Drink Less, Drink Better. For the likes of Beor360 and Kati Patang, Ser Bhum represents superior quality; for Ser Bhum, its a rare chance to go beyond its domestic territory. Because Bhutan is a small market, catering to just the locals is simply not sustainable for a craft brewery. You have to export, explains Lhaden. The Bhutanese government, while conservative in its view of alcohol at home, has been supportive of breweries such as Ser Bhum wanting to take their beer elsewhere. Bhutans eagerness to do business with India is, perhaps, why a number of beer brands are seeking opportunities in the landlocked country. Last year, the Economic Times reported that craft beer brands like Simba, Arbor Brewing Co and White Rhino were exploring expansion plans in Bhutan. Ser Bhum currently operates at a capacity of 2,000 cases (one case = 330ml x 24) a month, of which 500-1,000 are shipped out. Before Covid-19 struck, it was exporting some 1,000 cases every fortnight. The number of cases pales in comparison to what a commercial brewery would normally produce, but such small batches ensure the consistency that people like Ranjan demand. When youre selling a premium beer, you cannot be inconsistent. All batches must be equally good, says Ranjan. After debuting in Delhi, he is planning to take Beor360 to Gurugram and Noida, and subsequently to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai. Success in the craft beer market in India, he reckons, will be determined by three factors: the quality of distribution, the strength of the supply chain, and efficient marketing. Like the US, we will see more craft beer brands come up. So, theres still a lot of road to cover. TROY Just hours before two people were shot to death and a third seriously wounded Friday night, the neighborhood in this part of the city was enjoying a community barbecue. The block party, near the the corner of Seventh and Glen avenues, drew police, firefighters and city residents. Police recalled it as "peaceful and relaxing." The violence erupted before 11 p.m. The two killed were identified by police as Troy residents Khalid Monroe, 25, and Cesar Soriano, 26. The third victim, not identified by police, continues to recover. By Saturday morning police returned to investigate, residents to clean up and stare at the scene where the citys eighth and ninth homicides this year occurred. Some residents talked about how they thought the loud bangs were firecrackers. Others said they were unsurprised by the sounds in the night. Im tired of this, yelled one woman who watched neighbors sweep the pavement where the three had been shot. A man doing the sweeping asked a neighbor who loaned the broom if she wanted it back. The neighbor told him to keep it, so he threw it away instead. Another man stared blankly at the scene as he asked a younger man next to him what happened the last time there was a shooting on this very corner. That last time was July 4, when a 17-year-old was shot. His injuries were not life-threatening, according to police. Before that, there was the June 23 shooting that left a victim with injuries, also not life-threatening, police said then. On Saturday people placed candles against the wall of a gray home, where shots had struck around 12 hours earlier, and some began to cry. It was overcast. Officers entered in their vehicles and eventually most left. Firefighters finished cleaning up the scene and departed. Troy Police department sent a tweet the night of the shooting asking residents to call them with any information about the shooting and to please help end this senseless violence. "While we have no information to believe that any interactions between people attending the party had anything to do with the shooting , it is sad that the good residents of this neighborhood had to have this violence come to their community," said a statement from Deputy Police Chief Dan DeWolf on Saturday afternoon. "Rest assured , the Troy Police Department, with the aid of other local, State and Federal partners are working hard to find those responsible and bring them to justice." When asked about what steps the city might take in response to the latest outbreak of violence on Friday night, mayoral spokesman John Salka referred questions to the police department, citing an active investigation. Police did not say if they were close to finding suspects or if the neighborhood should have any immediate safety concerns. Neighbors are thinking about what could end the bloodshed. More police. Stronger police. A new streetlight. Less ego, more patience among youth. Marches calling for an end to violence. Jobs. Two women agreed on one thing: They would no longer send their kids outside at night to take out the trash. Delhi HC asks Centre, Google to respond to mans plea to remove articles on his conviction in criminal case Who is Saurabh Kirpal? Indias likely to get its first openly gay judge of Delhi high court Delhi HC dismisses plea to stop publication, sale of Salman Khurshid's book : 'Ask people not to buy it' Development and annual fees cannot be charged until schools re-open: HC India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 30: The Delhi High Court has held that annual and development charges cannot be taken from the parents of students "during the pendency of the present lockdown", when schools are yet to reopen. The prima facie opinion was expressed by Justice Jayant Nath in his order of August 25 while hearing a plea moved by the parents' association of a private school, which started taking the annual and development charges along with the tuition fees from July. The court restrained the school from taking the annual and development charges from the parents for the month of July till further orders. Unlock 4.0: Schools, colleges to remain shut till 30 September It also issued a notice to the Delhi government and the school, seeking their stand on the plea of the parents' association, which was represented by advocate Gaurav Bahl. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on September 16. According to the order, during the hearing via video-conference, the school contended that the lockdown is over and hence, it can levy the annual and development charges. However, the Delhi government, represented by its Additional Standing Counsel Gautam Narayan, told the court that the Directorate of Education's April 18 circular, asking the schools not to charge the annual and development fees during the lockdown period, continues to apply as none of the schools has physically opened. The Delhi government said therefore, the school in question cannot charge the annual and development fees till the completion of the lockdown period. After hearing both sides, the judge said, "In my opinion, prima facie, it appears that the annual and development charges cannot be charged from the parents during the pendency of the present lockdown." The court said the parents have to pay the tuition fees. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, August 30, 2020, 8:46 [IST] Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-31 03:24:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Palestinians gather to guard their lands in the West Bank village of Dura near Hebron, on Aug. 29, 2020. For seven days in a row, dozens of Palestinians from the West Bank village of Dura near Hebron have been living in camps outside their homes to prevent settlers from seizing their lands. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) by Sanaa Kamal RAMALLAH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- For seven days in a row, dozens of Palestinians from the West Bank village of Dura near Hebron have been living in camps outside their homes to prevent settlers from seizing their lands. The villagers told Xinhua that their lands are a seizure target for the Israeli settlers as part of their plan to push forward annexation moves gradually. Several days ago, Jewish settlers from Negohot settlement in Hebron started building a road leading to an outpost on the Palestinians lands, aiming to turn them into Israeli property, said the father of eight. Walid al-Sawity, 61, who owns three hectares of land in the village, is one of those who set up a camp to protect his land from the potential seizure. "I will not allow any settler to seize a grain of soil from the historical land," he vowed. After years of Israeli seizure, the village of Dura only has 400 hectares of lands left in the possession of its Palestinian residents in Area C under full Israeli control. The Oslo peace accords signed between Israelis and Palestinians in 1993 divided the West Bank into three areas: Area A under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, Area B under joined Israeli security control and Palestinian Authority's rule, and Area C under full Israeli control. Israeli authorities have been preventing any existence of Palestinian establishments in Area C, considering it "a governmental land." However, al-Sawity told Xinhua that his family has held the ownership documents since the Ottoman Empire's rule, rejecting the Israeli statement as invalid. "The Israeli occupier is doing its best, whether by diplomacy or by force, to impose its existence on our lands, even if that violates our human rights to look forward to living in peace," the Palestinian old man complained. Sitting in front of a woodfire a few meters away, Mufid Abu Zaanoun, a 59-year-old father of seven, also expressed his fear for losing his land on which he has just built several houses for his sons. "I have been threatened by the settlers who will confiscate my land and expel my family from it as soon as possible," Zaanoun said in a breaking voice. Israel is racing to annex the Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank despite its announcement of suspending annexation, Ahmed Salhoub, mayor of Dura, told Xinhua. As one of the most prominent facets of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the settlement issue was a major reason behind the collapse of the last peace negotiations between the two sides in mid-2014. - Ogie Diaz had an amusing reaction to Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who stepped down from his post due to health reasons - Abe is the longest-serving Japanese prime minister in history and there is one year to go in his tenure - He is suffering a recurrence of the ulcerative colitis and he no longer felt able to continue as prime minister - Ogie then took to social media to laud Abes decision which prompted his followers to react as well PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Ogie Diaz recently had a hilarious reaction to Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who recently resigned from his post citing health reasons. Ogie Diaz (Photo from Flickr) Source: UGC According to CNN Philippines, the longest-serving Japanese prime minister in history said in a press conference in Tokyo on August 28 that, "Even though there is one year to go in my tenure and there are challenges to be met, I have decided to stand down as prime minister. In a report by Rappler, the Japanese leader is suffering a recurrence of the ulcerative colitis. Abe said that he no longer felt able to continue as prime minister. Furthermore, in a report by Inquirer.net, President Rodrigo Duterte said he hopes for fast and full recovery for Abe. He is to me and the Filipino people a true friend closer than a brother, the President said. Ogie then took social media to laud Abes decision. Gusto kong maka-close itong si Prime Minister. Me facebook account kaya siya? Gusto ko siyang saluduhan, the prominent talent manager and actor said on Facebook. PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback His followers then reacted to the news and praised the leader as well. Saludo po sainyo...dahil mas pinili niyo po ang kapakanan ng inyong bayan higit sa pananatili sa posisyon. Respect, Honor and Dignity! Iba talaga ang mga Hapon.. me Paninindigam at me delikadeza PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Ogie Diaz is a showbiz personality who also serves as the talent manager of Liza Soberano. He is also the co-handler of Enrique Gil. He recently confirmed to the public that the love team LizQuen will be starring in another movie. It will be directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. Ogie also aired his honest opinion about Jennylyn Mercado being very vocal regarding the much-talked-about issues that ABS-CBN is facing. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! Source: KAMI.com.gh President Donald Trump made a full-frontal assault on the foreign policy chops of his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, lacing facts with misleading and untrue claims as he accepted his party's nomination on the final night of the Republican National Convention. During Thursday's 70-minute address, Trump attacked Biden's record as presidential nominee, senator and former vice president a time when he wielded influence as President Barack Obama's foreign policy point person. While Trump's comments spanned the globe, he made no mention of his administration's Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, which was rejected outright by Palestinian leaders. Nor his much heralded talks with North Korea, now stalled without having yielded a nuclear deal. He did not mention Russia or its president, Vladimir Putin, at all. Image: Supporters look on as President Donald Trump is seen on a screen as he delivers his acceptance speech as the 2020 Republican presidential nominee (Carlos Barria / Reuters) But as with much of the campaign, Trump's focus was China. He cast himself as the first president to get tough with Beijing on trade and the coronavirus, while portraying Biden as too soft. "China would own our country if Joe Biden got elected," Trump said. "Joe Biden's agenda is 'Made in China.' My agenda is 'Made in the U.S.A." He credited himself with coaxing back lost jobs following a tariff war and a subsequent trade deal signed in January: "The toughest, boldest, strongest and hardest-hitting action against China in American history by far." Many experts say these actions had the opposite effect, and "significantly hurt the American economy without solving the underlying economic concerns that the trade war was meant to resolve," the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington said this month. By contrast, Trump highlighted Biden's record as a supporter of global free trade, something that's also drawn criticism from the more protectionist left of the former vice president's own party and elsewhere. Trump accused him of shipping "our jobs to China and many other distant lands" by supporting deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA, and China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. Story continues That claim is partially true, according to an NBC News fact check, although these losses have also been aided by manufacturing and automation. Biden was also far from alone in embracing China into the world, with three out of four congressional Republicans voting to normalize trade relations with China during a House of Representatives vote in 2000. Image: Cardboard cutouts, displaying images of President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with protective masks near a gift shop in Moscow (Evgenia Novozhenina / Reuters) Turning to Europe, Trump took credit for whipping into shape his NATO allies, who he said agreed to up their military spending "at my strong urging" after being "very far behind in their defense payments." Even many critics of Trump's brash style agree Europe needs to be more self reliant. Total defense spending has increased under Trump. But it also increased in 2015 and 2016 during the Obama administration. This uptick wasn't down to Trump's hectoring, but a reaction to Russia invading and then annexing Crimea in 2014, the same year NATO allies agreed to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense by 2024. In the Middle East, Trump called the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which he brokered, "the first Middle East peace deal in 25 years." Experts say this is the president's first genuine foreign policy success. Image: Iranians mourn Soleimani (Atta Kenare / AFP - Getty Images) Trump championed his 2018 withdrawal "from the terrible one-sided Iran nuclear deal" something that has dismayed the other world powers who signed it and coincided with Iran breaching its terms. He recounted how U.S. forces killed the Islamic State militant group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and "obliterated 100 percent" of its caliphate. He contrasted this with Biden, who he said "oversaw the rise of ISIS" and "opposed" the killing of the powerful Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike in January. Biden told NBC News' Lester Holt that he feared the strike "takes us a heck of a lot closer to war." The president also claimed that Biden "opposed the mission to take out Osama Bin Laden" which NBC News' fact check deemed misleading. Biden has offered multiple versions of the advice he provided to President Barack Obama on the raid in 2011, including that he supported it. He cast Biden as part of a foreign policy establishment that has mired the U.S. in several "forever wars," and said under his watch "our troops are coming home." The president has reduced American troop presence in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Thousands still remain. The timetable for their return is uncertain and, in the case of Afghanistan, dependent on the Taliban meeting certain conditions. Trump did not mention that in the past he himself supported the 2003 Iraq War.